"To pour the fresh inftruction o'er the mind, Hence how often do we fee the fifter travelling a road in which her brother refuses to accompany her; and the wife living under the power of the gofpel, while the hufband neglects to hear, or hears with indifference. It were indeed to be wifhed that real Chriftians would never contract affinity with the irreligious: they are required to marry in the LORD." The neceffity of this law is more than justified, by the difcords and miferies in which those involve themselves who refuse to be governed by it. Therefore no countenance is here given to the practice of being "unequally yoked to 66 66 gether with unbelievers." But a change may be effected fubfequent to marriage. The wife may become religious, while the husband remains a stranger or a foe. Now that which should prevent marriage is not to diffolve it. The relation continues; and the wife, so far from being abfolved from her obligation, is furnished with an additional motive to discharge it. "For what "knoweft thou, O wife, whether thou fhalt "fave thy husband?" Let it excite all thy concern. The falvation of a foul! the falva tion of a husband! of one endeared by fo many ties!-O lofe not each other in the "valley of the shadow of death." Let your friendship survive the defolations of time, and be renewed to infinite advantage beyond the grave. Think, O wife, of the happiness-the honour that awaits thee. What is the triumph you have acquired over him by your charms, compared with the victory you will obtain over him by your religion? What pleasure will attend the remainder of your days-now you are " of one heart "and of one mind": now you "take sweet "counsel together." The privileged language of prayer now is OUR Father-of every motion made" to go and feek the LORD OF HOSTS," there is a ready acceptance 66 I will go alfo." And what will" be your joy and crown of rejoicing" in that day when, before affembled men and angels, he will fay, "O bleffed be the Providence which attached us in yonder world, and has ftill more united us in this: "the woman "thou gavest to be with me" led me not to "the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” but to "the tree of life, which is in the "midst of the paradife of GOD." To encourage thofe who feel the painful affliction of ungodly relations, I would ob grace. Pre ferve that, ultimately, we feldom fee one individual only in a household called by SHE may have the honour of being the first fruits, but more commonly follow. She may be long exercised before any favourable indications appear-but how often at last are all her prayers heard, and her endeavours crowned with fuccefs. judices the most inveterate gradually give way; each is fucceffively difpofed to hear, till we fee them all " going to the house of "GOD in company." It is not possible for perfons to be much together even in the exercises of common friendship without impreffion and effect: we foon imbibe each other's difpofitions, and affimilate: "he "that walketh with wife men fhall be wife, "and a companion of fools fhall be destroy" ed." But of all the caufes which form our manners, none operates so powerfully as female intercourse. If confined entirely to their company, we become effeminateif constantly excluded from it, we contract a roughness of temper, and a negligence of person; our behaviour affumes a ruder form, our voice a harfher tone; our sensations are less delicate, our paffions more brutal. Who has fo many avenues to the heart as a woman?-What influence affects like hers? By means of a connection the most attractive, an intercourse the most familiar-the perfuafion of words, the eloquence of tears, an example the most lovely, and always placed in view-a wife has a thousand opportunities of removing prepoffeffions, of fixing impreffions, of engaging attention, of infinuating goodness.—The gospel was spread over a large proportion of Europe, and established in several coun-tries where it prevails to this day, chiefly by women who, not fatisfied with gaining thrones by their charms, rendered their attractions fubfervient to their religion, and drew over monarchs to the Chriftian faith. These are public, fplendid atchievements, immortalized in hiftory. How many private instances of this fanctified influence are there, unknown to the world, but recorded " in the book of God's remembrance." And if, my fifters, your example fucceeds in the converfion of a husband from irreligion, shall it not be effectual to reclaim him from inferior mistakes and improprieties?—Shall it not advance godliness where it is already found? Warm it where it is chilled, polish it where it is rough, and finish it where it is outline? C And how is all this to be accomplished? Not by eccentric efforts-not by starting out of your sphere, but by exemplifying religion as you move orderly in it-not by preaching, but by living-addreffing the eye rather than the ear-employing the eloquence which flows from fubjećtion, conversation, chastity, and fear-the manner in which you adorn yourselves—the models you design to imitate. 1. Nothing will increafe your influence, and fecure your usefulness, more than "be 66 ing in SUBJECTION to your own huf"bands." This muft, doubtlefs, be limited and qualified. If the demands of a husband oppose the will of GOD, you are pre-engaged by a law of univerfal operation, and "ought "to obey GOD rather than man." In other cafes, perhaps, it will not be so easy to furnish exceptions. "Therefore as the church is fubject unto CHRIST, fo let the wives be o their own hufbands in every thing." Were it left to my choice, I should be difposed to fettle every claim by the general rule, "fubmitting yourfelves one to another "in the fear of GOD." But it cannot be denied that a peculiar fubjection is in the fcriptures required of the wife- not indeed the fubmiffion of flaves to their masters, or |