brated fon of David, and king of Ifrael. His mother was highly honored in her relation to him, but ftill more by the wife inftructions which she gave him. We pafs, at prefent, the feafonable and falutary inftructions which fhe gave him refpecting the character and duties of a king, and attend only to those which characterize "the virtuous woman." In this w mention the following particulars, 1. She is an example of diligence and good economy, in the concerns of her family, for fhe is supposed to have a family. The domeftic relations are the field of female exertion, and where the character and excellence of the virtuous woman are principally to be learned. "Her price is, indeed, above rubies," "The heart of her husband doth fafely truft in her, fo that he fhall have no need of fpoil." "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Her wifdom and virtue produce a prompt exertion in the bafinefs and duties of her ftation: it is her practical wish that none of her connections may be the worse, but all of them the better on her account. So much doth the good of the family depend on the diligence, and good economy of the woman at the head of it, that it is prefumed that no inftance is within the recollection of the reader, of a profperous and happy family where these are wanting. No accomplishments can fupply the place of thefe neceffary female virtues if they are wanting, and no family can be decent and happy where the wife and mother is deftitute of them. 2. The virtuous woman treats her husband with kindness and refpect. In the nature of the cafe, and in the wife conftitution which divine providence hath fixed, the worth and refpectability of men very much depend on the manner in which they are treated by their wives; and this in two refpects = Firft, a kind and virtuous woman has a weighty influence over her husband, to form and establish his principles and manners in the paths of wifdom and virtue. Men are often inclined to evil courfes, and will not be reclaimed by the admonitions of the wife of their own fex. But who is fuch a veteran in the ways of fin, as to be proof against the efficacy of female, foft and gentle, folicitation, in a virtuous wife? "Her husband is known in the gate when he fitteth among the elders of the land." The gate of the city, among the Jews, was the place of concourfe for the tranfaction of public business, and decifion of cafes of controverfy, fubmitted to the judges, or elders of the land. Among thefe, the hufband of the virtuous woman is known, or diftinguished. The irrefiftible influence of her gentle virtue and kindness has fixed him in the paths of wisdom and virtue, and he loves and walks in those paths. But not only doth the virtuous woman render her husband vastly more worthy of refpect, but alfo fhe induces others to esteem and honor him, from the refpect due to her, and their efteem of her judgment, and defire to please! and honor her; and thus, all the refpect which fhe gives to her hufband returns with increafing honor on herself; and it is well known that the dignity of a woman is determined by that of her hufband, and fhe is honored by his honor. 3. The virtuous woman is diftinguifhed by the wisdom and pi ety with which the educates her children. returned into her own bofom : "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idlenefs. Her children rife up and call her bleffed, her husband and he praiseth her." As in the first stages of our exiftence we are totally infufficient to take care of ourselves, either as it refpects the body or mind, and as our future usefulness and 4. Liberality to the poor is felicity depend much on the caft another characteristic of the virgiven to each in the earliest part tuous woman. "She ftretcheth of our existence, it is a matter out her hand to the poor, yea fhe highly interefting to all, that this reacheth forth her hands to the first stage, is under the guidance needy." In this fhe has the apof wisdom and fidelity. But probation and affiftance of her where is this to be found, but in hufband, for they have but the heart of a parent? One of one common intereft, object and the capital objects of marriage will. But many things render it respects the education of children. expedient that their joint liberaliBy the wife and gracious confti- ty to the poor fhould be administution of nature, the mutual ten-tered by the wife; in particular, dernefs in the conjugal relation, the foft and gentle spirit of female is connected in the first offspring virtue is much more easy of acof parents, and operates with its cefs by the lonely, friendless widwhole energy in the most tender OW or orphan, than the more and unremitting care for their chil-ftern, commanding virtue of men. dren, and efpecially in the moth-To her the poor and forrowful, er: She loves the father in the child, which bears his image, and her most delightful employment is to educate the future man to the imitation of all that for which fhe loves and honors the father. As in this infantile ftate, the care of the child devolves principally on the mother, fo her affections are proportionably more tender, and her fenfibilities to its wants more exquisite, and her ability to relieve them more ample; and while the father is occupied in preparing the fupports and comforts of life for her, who is doubly dear to him as the mother of his children, and fhe is attending to all their little wants and relieving them, the conjugal and parental affections have a reciprocal operation to ftrength-lence, we have before obferved, en each other, and increafe paren- thines, principally, at home, and tal fidelity, and domeftic happi- is prefented to public view by the nefs. Bleffings not few nor fmall wifdom and refpectability of the are in ftore for the family of the husband, and by the virtuous movirtuous woman, and they will be deity, the elegant decency of the can open their complaints and prefent all their distreffes, and the knows how to relieve them, and to do it in fuch a manner as to be doubly kind. She gives with an apparent good will, which " wipes the tear from the orphan's eye, and causes the widow's heart to fing for joy." By this fhe rifes in lovelinefs in the eyes of her husband, who is occupied in doing good on a larger fcale, in advancing the great interefts of society and concerns of Rate. 5. The virtuous woman difplays her excellence in focial intercourfe. This, however, is, principally, in her own family and with her own fex. Female excel daughters. But when fuch a woman mingles in the fociety of the friends of her husband, fhe adds to the dignity and allurements of virtue and wisdom by her fentiments, and the engaging manner in which fhe utters them. "She openeth her mouth with wifdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Exceedingly improving and beneficial to the fex are the leffons of wisdom and virtue which fall from her lips. The wifdom and philanthropy were more than human which dictated that a woman, received into the number of diftinguished and honorable women in the Chriftian church, must be advanced in life, " having been the wife of one man, well reported of for good works, if the have brought up children, if fhe have lodged strangers, if she have washed the faints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if fhe have diligently followed every good work." to Such are "in behavior as becometh holiness," and have a happy profpect of fuccefs in teaching the young women be fober, to love their hufbands, to love their children, to be difcreet, chafte, keepers at home," and learn to adorn the female character with every ornamental virtue. 6. The crowning excellence of the virtuous woman, is "the fear of the Lord," the pure and fublime religion of the bible. 66 of a wife and mother, with dignity and applaufe, to be a very great bleffing to her husband and children, and live to the most ufeful and important purposes. We clofe our obfervations with the following REFLECTIONS. 1. The virtuous woman is a character highly important in the family, in fociety and in the church of God. The felicity and usefulness of her husband depend much on her, at least, are very greatly advanced by her; and if he be not fadly wanting to himself, he will be known in the gate when he fitteth among the Elders. He will not only be a public man, and benefactor to fociety, but he will be distinguished among fuch, by the wisdom, public fpirit, and benevolence which he displays, and by the refpect, gratitude and veneration of fociety. Her children will rife up and call her bleffed, her husband alfo and he praifeth her. The excellent accomplishments of the mother are tranfmitted to the daughters, and they are formed to be no lefs bleffings in their own future families. Nothing can be fuch an eulogium on the virtuous woman as the wifdom and virtue of her husband, and the excellent accomplishments of her daughters. The happy fruits of her virtue, however, are not confined to her own family; her excellent inftructions and example are highly beneficial to her neighbors, of her own fex, and render them blef Many daughters have done virtuously, but the excelleth them all. Favor is deceitful and beau-fings to their own families and to ty is vain, but a woman who feareth the Lord fhe shall be praifed." "Give her of the fruit of her hand and let her own works praife her in the gate." By this The is furnished to fill the relations VOL. IV. No. 3. N others. Her focial interviews have a powerful influence on the principles and manners of the age and place in which the lives, and confequentially, on future ages and diftant places. rage and affift their wives and daughters, to pursue the paths of female excellence, and afcend the arduous fteep of virtuous pre-eminence. "When I call to remembrance," the dignity of the fex, and encoufaid the holy apoftle to his belov. ed Timothy," the unfeigned faith which is in thee, which dwelt firft in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice, and I am perfuaded is in thee alfo."-If this was the refult of female piety and virtue in a male defcendant of the third generation, how great are the bleffings which are tranfmitted to daughters from a virtuous mother! and how widely may it be hoped that these bleffings will extend.-Society is made up of families, and the church of God is formed out of fociety, and both receive much of their complexion from families, and thofe from parents, and efpecially from mothers. Hence in eftimating the importance of the virtuous woman, we must weigh the value of domeftic ufefulnefs and felicity-the vaftly extended interefts of fociety through all generations, and the far more important interefts of the church of God for ever. 2. Women have a noble object of purfuit, even the character of the virtuous woman-this is moft excellent in itself, useful to man, and honorable to God. Women are spoken of by fome as of little importance, and their pursuits and employments as trifing; but fuch men do fmall honor to their mothers, or to their own fagacity and taste of propriety. The preceding pages clearly evince that every object interesting to man through the whole of his existence is connected with the accomplishments and pursuits of the virtuous woman.-Let women be animated to rise above the ills of life, and the depreffion of forrow, and aim at a diftinguished rank among the virtuous and excellent. And let men reverence 3. Parents have a moft impor tant charge in the education of their children. Sons are to act a part in life no lefs interesting than that of daughters, and in fome refpects, more fo. The character of beth is very much formed by education. Who can appreciate the value of a good education, according to its worth; which furnishes the youth of both fexes to afcend into life and fill their refpective places with dignity and usefulness to their family, to fociety, and to the church of God? Not with the tinsel ornaments which enable them to fhine at the ball or affembly, but with the substantial worth which will render them useful and happy in every relation. May no other competition be found between the fexes, but that of striving to excel in wisdom, virtue, and usefulness ; and between husband and wives, but which fhall be moft genuinely kind, and labor, with the happiest fuccefs, in forming their fons and daughters to wifdom and virtue, and placing them in the paths of usefulness and felicity here and forever! The ufe of Thorns and Thiftles, or, Obfervations on the fentence denounced against Adam, Genefis iii. 17-19. And unto Adam he faid, Because thou haft hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and haft eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, faying, thou fhalt not eat of it: curfed is the ground for thy fake; in forrow fhalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns alfo and thiftles fhall it bring forth to thee: and thou fhalt eat the herb of the field. In the fweat of thy face fhalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground: for out of it waft thou taken; for duft thou art, and unto duft fhalt thou return, TH nounced upon the earth, no thorns or thistles infefted the fields; there was no painful labor, or sweat of the face, nor had any woe been pronounced on man or woman kind. These evils were not originally natural to the world, but came as a divine frown, in confequence of fin. Of the uncomfortable things which take place, it may be ob ferved firft, that the general face of nature is overfpread with evils. There are painful and tedious extremities of the seasons. In many parts of the world, the alternate viciffitudes of extreme heat and cold, are very diftreffing, and in many inftances, they are fatal to mankind. In fuch places, du ring winter, vegetation is stopped, the fields and forests barren, nothing is produced for man or beast. In this refpect, nature lies in ruins. And on the other hand, the extreme heat of the fummer relaxes every nerve. HE curfe on the ground, the thorns and thiftles, the fweat of the face, and the return to duft, appear to be general expreffions comprehending the evils which fhould come upon mankind in this life. By thefe, God told Adam, that he would continually manifeft his disapprobation of fin. He admonishes us by thefe, of our fallen, finful ftate, and of his displeasure against us on this account. The evils here threatened are defigned to remind us, that we are finners in the fight of God; and fo, to keep up a continual evidence in the world, that there is a controverfy between God and man, which fhould be an evidence to us, that God has not given up his law; but holds us guilty; while the favors we receive in the mean time, are an evidence of his mercy to a finful world. These evils, in a state of probation, are calculated to imprefs our minds with the importance of be-earthquakes, and the bursting of ing reconciled to God. They are falutary chastisements. We shall now notice fome of the thorns and thiftles-the uncomfortable things, which take place in this world.-That these may appear in their true light, it fhould first be noticed, that according to the holy fcriptures, when this world was created at firft, and mankind were placed in it, in the garden of Eden, there were no forrows, or other evils. Man was himself immortal, was fubject to po afflictions: No curfe was de Sometimes alfo, a too great abundance of rain, and at others, fevere and parching droughts prove great calamities. These are felt much more feverely in fome parts of the earth, than with us, and often produce famine and peftilence. Storms alfo, tornadoes, volcanoes, are many times great judgments upon men, and bring great numbers in a moment to their graves. Beides, a very large proportion of the earth itself is forever almoft or entirely wafte, as to any productions for the ufe of man or beaft. This is true of all the countries which lie far up to the north, and of the fandy deferts of Africa and Arabia. And how much of the world is alfo covered with rough mountains, which, fo far as we can fee, are of no direct 479051 A |