60
A Solemn Appeal
have united themselves in marriage to the object of their choice, and
therefore reason that marriage sanctifies the indulgence of the baser
passions. Even men and women professing godliness give loose rein
to their lustful passions, and have no thought that God holds them
accountable for the expenditure of vital energy, which weakens their
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hold on life and enervates the entire system.
The marriage covenant covers sins of the darkest hue. Some men
and women professing godliness debase their own bodies through
the indulgence of the corrupt passions, which lowers them beneath
the brute creation. They abuse the powers God has given them to be
preserved in sanctification and honor. Health and life are sacrificed
upon the altar of base passion. The higher, nobler powers are brought
into subjection to the animal propensities. Those who thus sin are not
acquainted with the result of their course. Could all see the amount of
suffering they bring upon themselves by their own wrong and sinful
indulgence, they would be alarmed. Some, at least, would shun the
course of sin which brings such dreaded wages. A miserable existence
is entailed upon so large a class that death to them would be preferable
to life; and many do die prematurely, their lives being sacrificed in
the inglorious work of excessive indulgence of the animal passions.
Because they are married, they think they commit no sin.
These men and women will one day learn what lust is, and behold
the result of its gratification. Passion may be found of as base a quality
in the marriage relation as outside of it. The apostle Paul exhorts
husbands to love their wives “even as Christ also loved the church, and
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gave himself for it.” “So ought men to love their wives as their own
bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet
hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord
the church.”
Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29
. It is not pure love which actuates
a man to make his wife an instrument to administer to his lust. It is
the animal passions which clamor for indulgence. How few men show
their love in the manner specified by the apostle: “Even as Christ also
loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might [not pollute
it, but] sanctify and cleanse it,” “that it should be holy and without
blemish.” This is the quality of love in the married relation which God
recognizes as holy. Love is a pure and holy principle. Lustful passion
will not admit of restraint, and will not be dictated or controlled by
reason. It is blind to consequences. It will not reason from cause to