lies, and that it is not intended as a charge of deficiency, but as an encouragement to advance in all that is wise and estimable. They must teach them to be discreet, to guard against levities in behaviour and imprudence in their friendships; not to aim at intercourse with families much superior to them in circumstances; for this will subject them to many mortifications, and in attempting to equal them in entertainments, they will involve themselves in embarrassments. Neither must they mingle much with persons where familiarity would be degrading. Married women ought to have no confidant but their husbands. To admit one of the other sex to be so, is to facilitate his conquest of virtuous principle; and in selecting one of their own sex for this purpose, they place the most important secrets at the mercy of one who may employ them to degrade their family.

They must teach them to be cautious in their conversation, and to maintain proper order in all their domestic arrangements. Levity of manner generates unfavourable ideas of the virtuous feelings of those in whom it is apparent, and many have been encouraged in the most hazardous courses, by the counsels of a confidant, or have placed the secrets of families in the power of the artful. The confusion which fills the dwelling of the slattern is painful to her family, and disgusting to all who enter it.

They must be taught to be chaste; not only to abhor the grosser violations of the marriage vow, but every thing that savours of immodesty in dress or indelicacy in manners. They must be taught to regard innocence as their most precious jewel, and the

loss of it as the most fatal calamity... Very light ideas of this crime prevailed in the heathen world, and prostitution was one of the rites by which some of their deities were worshipped; now it was most necessary to show that the Gospel required the utmost decorum of manners, purity of desire, and delicacy of language. "Fornication and all uncleanness, let it not once be named among you as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jestings, which are not convenient." Liberties thought no way dangerous have often been a snare to virtue.

- They must be taught to be keepers at home. When females go much from home, their household affairs are neglected, and their children are left to the mercy of servants. Children have suffered severely from servants while thus in their power, and houses have become scenes of sad abuse while none was near to prevent the introduction of improper persons, or their consuming the property of their masters on their lusts. "As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place."+

This abiding at home is not to be the result of indolence; nor is the time thus devoted to it to be spent in sloth. The word signifies, that she must look well to the ways of her household, and practise all the industry, maintain all the frugality, and observe all the order of a good housewife. She must consider her domestic circle as her proper sphere, her dwelling in all its interests as her peculiar care, her household toils as her allotted duty, the order of her abode as

* Eph. v. 3, 4.

+ Prov. xxvii. 8.;

her best distinction, and the comfort of her husband and her children as her sweetest earthly enjoyment.

They must be taught to be good, that is, to treat their servants with humanity, and not with that haughtiness and rigour practised by heathen mistresses to their slaves. The system of slavery so hardens the heart, that, even in the present day, mistresses can not only see cruel punishments inflicted on their slaves, but inflict them with their own hands. Such are the statements which have been given by travellers who have witnessed such scenes, and whose horror at them was regarded as affectation, or as owing to their ignorance of the necessity of such discipline. In our country the chastisement of servants by either master or mistress is never practised, nor would it be permitted; but rough and taunting language has been employed, which is as difficult to be borne, and which, instead of preserving authority, renders it odious.

They were to be compassionate to the poor and afflicted, a duty little practised among heathens. The precepts, examples, and motives of the Gospel were admirably adapted to form the heart and the manners to kindness. Charity was no favourite lesson with heathen moralists; nay, their best sages taught that the calamities which it relieves were no evils, and that indifference to them was the most dignified temper which the sufferer could maintain.

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They were to be enjoined to be kind to strangers, and not to receive, in a cold and sulky manner, those whom their husbands introduced to the hospitality of their dwelling. At that time strangers were obliged

to have recourse to private hospitality, and Job beautifully says, that he opened his doors to the traveller; and though such bounty is not now so requisite, the poor wanderer should not be refused a shelter for the night, if overtaken by it far from any village where he might be accommodated. A thoughtful mother will reflect on what her own children may need, and on the mercy with which Providence rewards mercy.

They were, in fine, to teach them to be obedient to their own husbands. They were not to obey them should they require them to renounce their profession, or to do aught that was inconsistent with it. Their fidelity to Christ required them to resist such commands, with whatever violence they might be enforced. But they were to be taught not to imagine that the Gospel released them from subjection to an unbelieving husband; nay, so far from this, it strengthens the obligation to dutiful and affectionate conduct. They were to be enjoined to take heed, lest by any part of their conduct they gave their husbands reason to assert that their new faith had made them indifferent to their comfort, or sluggish in their domestic employment. They must show that it gave more zeal to industry, more softness to entreaty, more courage for difficulties, and more firmness to virtue. Thus, instead of the prejudices of others being excited against religion, as unfriendly to domestic order and peace, they would be forced to acknowledge that it was the best security for both.

Such were the counsels which they were to give, especially to their young relatives; and so far from stirring them up to disregard the claims of their hus

bands, or fostering that pride which refuses to be controlled, they must inculcate humility and meekness. Let it not be thought that the advantages of modern education, and of regular pulpit-admonition, and the many excellent treatises on the domestic conduct of females, render such counsels unnecessary now. In every sphere where duty is to be practised, we require line upon line, and precept upon precept. The aged mother and grandmother can remind when aught has been forgotten, can apply the lesson when its application has been neglected, and can enforce it by motives which she alone can urge, and at seasons when circumstances make it likely that it will produce the deepest impression.

II. Let us now, in the second place, attend to the injunction of the Apostle to the ministers of religion to inculcate these duties.

It is with the young that other teachers labour, and to them they explain the various parts of education in their respective sphere; but the ministers of the Gospel are intrusted with a message necessary to be regarded by men of all ages and conditions, and, like their great Master, they must say, "To you, 0 men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men." The minister's office is like that of the faithful and wise steward, who gives to every one in the house his portion of meat in due season. It must not be thought that the aged, from their experience, require not such counsels; for the purest minds need to be stirred up by way of remembrance; and there are many things which, in that season of infirmity, may be neglected or