advantage for many, many temptations. 14
Direct. V. It is your solemn duty to live in quietness and peace. To avoid every occasion of fierce anger and discord.
[I. Directions showing the great necessity of avoiding dissension.]
1. The duty of your marriage-union requires unity. Can you not agree with your own flesh?
2. Division with your spouse will pain and upset your whole life ... Just as you do not wish to hurt your own self and are quick to care for your own wounds; so you should take notice of any break in the peace of your marriage and quickly seek to heal it. 3. Fighting chills love, fighting makes your spouse undesirable to you in your mind. Wounding is separating; to be tied together through marital bonds while your hearts are estranged is to be tormented. To be inwardly adversaries, while outwardly husband and wife turns your home and delight into a prison. 11 4. Dissension between the husband and the wife disrupts the whole family life; they are like oxen unequally yoked, no work can be accomplished for all the striving with one another.
5. It greatly makes you unfit for the worship of God; you are not able to pray together nor to discuss heavenly things together, nor can you be mutual helpers to each other's souls. 12
6. Dissension makes it impossible to manage your family properly.13
7. Your dissension will expose you to the malice of Satan, and give him advantage for many, many temptations. 14
[II. Directions for avoiding dissensions.]
1. Keep alive your love for one another. Love your spouse dearly and fervently. Love will suppress wrath; you cannot be bitter over little things with someone you dearly love; much less will you descend to harsh words, aloofness, or any form abuse. 15
2. Both husband and wife must mortify their pride and strong selfcentered feelings. 16 These are the feelings which cause intolerance and insensitivity. You must pray and labour for a humble, meek, and quiet spirit. A proud heart is troubled and provoked by every word that seems to assault your self-esteem.17 3.Do not forget that you are both diseased
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