God give you joy The hearty wish of a Christian friend to the bridegroom and the bride. A marriage-present for the new-married-couple: containing considerations and advices, in order to perswade young married people to begin the married life in the fear of the Lord. With directions and prayers. With plainness, intended for the meanest understanding. By one that desires to be a true son of the church of Christ, as by the gospel established.

The married persons joynt request unto God, taken out of Mr. Hieron's help to Devotion.

THou (O most blessed God) didst first ordain the married state: and it is thy providence, by which we which were two, are now made one flesh, having mutually resigned our selves either to other by our entrance into this holy League. It is the desire of our Souls to live together to thy glory, and to the contentment each of other. This we cannot do without thee, (for of our selves be∣sides sin we can do nothing) unto thee therefore do we commend our most earnest and humble suit, that it may please thee so to besprinkle our Souls with the dew of thy grace, that from thence may spring a plentiful increase of Sobriety, of righte∣ousness, and of holiness in our lives. Allay in us all sensual and brutish love, purifying and sancti∣fying our affections one toward another, that we may in nothing dishonour this honourable state, nor pollute the bed of marriage, which thou thy self in thy word hast called undefiled; but may use this thine ordinance in that holy sort, that carnal lusts may be slaked and subdued, not in∣creased or inflamed thereby.

Endue us with a godly care to acquaint our selves with thy blessed word, that we may know and understand what duty is required at our hands, what authority tempered with love and compas∣sion, and freed from all bitterness is committed to the husband; what obedience and submission with reverence is commended in the wife; what faith∣fulness in matrimonial duties either to other is en∣joyned; what providence and care is expected of the man, and what assistance and help of the wo∣man.

And when we know, and have learned these things, grant that it may be our study to practise them, that so the husband may be as a faithful

guide to his wife, and the wife a crown and credit to her husband.

Make us wise to observe the natures and dispo∣sitions one of another, that in all lawful things, the one may seek to please and content the other; the one may know how to bear with, and to forbear the other, not winking at any evil in one another, but discreetly chusing the fittest opportunities for mutual admonishing, without all shews of tyran∣ny in the one, or of presumption in the other. Open our hearts, that we may faithfully and chear∣fully communicate one to the other, that sweet∣ness which we find in heavenly things, that sowe may go hand in hand towards heaven. And that our chief love and delight either in other, may be grounded upon the hope we have, that we are heirs together of the grace of life. In our family link us together in one common care, to oversee the wayes of our houshold, to seek the promoting and advancing of thy Kingdom, the good instru∣ction and education of our Children and servants.

Finally O Lord so unite and joyn us together in fidelity of affection, that we may ever devote our selves to the procuring of the present and eternal good one of another: that so living here comfor∣tably, we may reign with thee perpetually, in that thy Kingdom, which the blood of thy Son hath prepared for those that love and fear thy name. Unto which Kingdom, O Lord, reserve us, even for thy Son's sake, and for thy mercies sake. Amen.