m to have no influence upon your judgment. A Christian should
never be governed by impulse. Many persons have, no doubt, destroyed
their happiness for life, by suffering their feelings to get the better
of their judgment. Make the matter a subject of daily prayer. The Lord
directs all our ways, and we cannot expect to be prospered in anything,
wherein we neglect to acknowledge him, and seek his direction. But, when
you have satisfied yourself, in relation to these things, and the person
whose addresses you are receiving has distinctly avowed his intentions,
you may remove the restraint from your feelings; which, as well as your
judgment, have a deep concern in the affair. A happy and prosperous
union must have for its basis a mutual sentiment of affection, of a
peculiar kind. If you are satisfied that this sentiment exists on his
part, you are to inquire whether you can exercise it towards him. For,
with many persons of great worth, whom we highly esteem, there is often
wanting a certain undefinable combination of qualities, not improperly
termed the _soul of character_; which alone seems to call out the
exercise of that peculiar sentiment of which we are speaking. But I
seriously charge you never to form a connection which is not based upon
this principle; and that, for the following reasons:

1. Such depraved creatures as we are, need the aid of the warmest
affection, to enable us to exercise that mutual forbearance, so
indispensable to the peace and happiness of the domestic circle.

2. That the marriage covenant should be cemented by a principle of a
peculiar kind, will appear from the superiority of the soul over the
body. When two human beings unite their destinies, there must be a union
of soul, or else such union is but partial. And the union of soul must
be the foundation of the outward union, and of course precede it.

3. We may infer the same thing from the existence of such a principle in
the human breast. That it does exist, may be abundantly proved, both by
Scripture and experience. When Adam first saw Eve, he declared the
nature of this union, and added, "For this cause shall a man leave his
father and mother, and cleave unto his wife;" implying that the
affection between the parties to this connection, should be superior to
all other human attachments. The frown of God must then rest upon a
union founded upon any other principle; for by it the order of nature is
contravened, and therefore the blessings