Sunday, November 16, 2008

"Do thou be wise. Prefer the person before money, virtue before beauty, the mind before the body: then thou hast a wife, a friend, a companion, a second self, one that bears an equal share with thee in all thy toils and troubles.
Choose one that measures her satisfactions, safety, and danger, by thine; and of whom thou are sure, as of thy most secret thoughts: a friend as well as a wife: which, indeed implies: for she is but half a wife that is not, or is not capable of being such a friend.
Sexes make no difference; since in souls there is none: and they are the subjects of friendship.
He that minds a body, and not a soul, has not the better part of that relation; and will consequently lack the noblest comfort of a married life.
The satisfaction of our senses is low, short, and transient: but the mind gives a more raised and extended pleasure, and is capable of a happiness founded upon reason, not bounded and limited by the circumstances that bodies are confined to..........

Between a man and his wife, nothing ought to rule but love. Authority is for children and servants; yet not without sweetness.
As love ought to bring them together, so it is the best way to keep them well together.
Wherefore, use her not as a servant, whom thou wouldst, perhaps, have served seven years to have obtained." William Penn.

I think this quote is proof that evolution is false, because this piece, written in the 1600s, is high above many of the motives for marriage today. Certainly many understand his simple logic and made choices accordingly, but far too many follow the impulses they let run riot as teens and seek to perpetuate them in marriage.

Photo from the Internet

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Loved this post and your comment. Found this quote by Richard Baxter (1615-1691):

"Selfish ungodly persons everywhere enter into all kinds of relationships with a desire of serving their ownselves, and gratifying their own flesh without knowing or caring what is required of them. Their desire is for the honour, profit, or pleasure their relationship will provide them but not for what God and man requires or expects from them. [Gen 2:18, Prov 18:22] Their mind is concerned only with what they shall have and not for what they shall be and do."

FCB said...

"Their mind is concerned only with what they shall have and not for what they shall be and do."

That is a powerful sentence. Day by day that applies in so many ways in a marriage. Wish that it were only the ungodly that had these desires. This quote reaches all of life doesn't it.
What shall we be and do?

Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hi Fred :)

Excellent post!

Marriages flounder when men don't follow these basic tenets of wisdom. Although written in the 1600's the points are very relevant today to sustain a lasting relationship with a woman.

Modern women are fiercely independent, look for equal rights, opportunities and pay. They can bear children which men cannot do and bring up the children on their own. How does a man compare to a woman in this respect?

Many thanks for this great post!

Best wishes :)