Hebrews, that" marriage, and the bed undefiled, are honourable among all men." He further affirmed, that “a bishop must be the husband of one wife, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity." And if he wished the Corinthians to continue in the state, which he himself had chosen on account of the peculiar advantages accruing from it at that season to the persecuted members of the Christian church; "nevertheless to avoid fornication," he counselled, that "every man should have his own wife, and “every woman her own husband." "I will," saith he to Timothy, “that the younger women marry, bear children, and guide the house." And lastly, he cautioned the same Christian bishop against the error of those, who, in the last times, should "depart from the faith, giving heed to the doctrines of devils," and forbidding to marry; earnestly exhorting his young successor to guard the brethren against a doctrine, so fatal to the church in particular, and so destructive of society in general.

But it may be urged,-If St. Paul really entertained such high ideas of marriage, and represented it as the most perfect emblem of that strict union, which subsists betwixt Christ and his church, why did he not recommend it by his example? I answer: Although St. Paul was never married, yet he expressly asserted his right to that privilege, as well as St. Peter and some others of the apostles; intimating, at the same time, that prudence and charity inclined him to forego his right in that respect. When a man is perpetually called to travel from place to place, prudence requires, that he should not encumber himself with those domestic cares which must occasion many unavoidable delays in the prosecution of his business: or, if he derives his maintenance from the generosity of the poor, charity should constrain him to burden them as little as possible. This zealous apostle could not prevail upon himself to expose a woman and children to those innumerable dangers which he was constantly obliged to encounter. The first peril from which he made his escape, was that which compelled him to descend from the wall of Damascus in a basket: now if a family had shared with him the same danger, what an addition would they have made to his affliction and his care! Is it not evident that, in such circumstances, every man who is

not obliged to marry from reasons either physical or moral, is called to imitate the example of this disinterested apostle, from the same motives of prudence and charity? This indefatigable preacher, always on a mission, judged it advisable to continue in a single state to the end of his days: but, had he been fixed in a particular church; had he there felt how much it concerns a minister, neither to tempt others, nor be tempted himself; and had he known how much assistance a modest, provident, and pious woman is capable of affording a pastor, by inspecting the women of his flock, he would then probably have advised every resident pastor to enter into the marriage state, provided they should fix upon regenerate persons, capable of edifying the church, in imitation of Phebe, a deaconess of Cenchrea, and Persis, who was so dear to St. Paul on account of her labours in the Lord; or copying the example of those four virgins, the daughters of Philip, who edified, exhorted, and consoled the faithful by their pious discourses.

The Christian doctrine on this point may be reduced to the following heads:-1. In times of great trouble, and grievous persecutions, the followers of Christ should abstain from marriage, unless obliged thereto by particular and powerful reasons. 2. The faithful, who mean to embrace the nuptial state, should be careful, on no account to connect themselves with any persons, except such as are remarkable for their seriousness and piety. 3. If a man is married before he is converted; or if, being converted, he is deceived in choosing a woman, whom he supposed to be pious, but discovers to be worldly; instead of separating himself from his wife in either of these cases, he is rather called to give all diligence in bringing her acquainted with the truth as it is in Jesus. 4. Missionaries ought not to marry unless there be an absolute necessity. 5. A bishop or resident pastor, is usually called to the marriage state. Lastly. A minister of the gospel, who is able to live in a state of celibacy "for the kingdom of heaven's sake," that he may have no other care, except that of preaching the gospel, and attending upon the members of Christ's mystical body; such a one is undoubtedly called to continue in a single state. For, having obtained the gift of continence, he is dispensed from carnally give ing children to the church, because he begets her spirit

ual sons and daughters: and such a one, instead of bein honoured as the head of a particular household, should b counted worthy of double honour, as a spiritual father in his Lord's family.

TRAIT XXX.

The ardour of his love.

THE passions are the springs by which we are usually actuated. Reason alone is too weak to put us in motion, so often as duty requires; but when love, that sacred passion of the faithful, comes in to its assistance, we are then sweetly constrained to act in conformity to the various relations we sustain in civil and religious life. Thus the God of nature has rooted in the hearts of mothers a fond affection, which keeps them anxiously attentive to the wants of their children and thus the Spirit of God implants in the bosom of a good pastor that ardent charity which excites him to watch over his flock with the most affectionate and unwearied attention. The love of a father to his son, the attachment of a nurse to her foster child, the tender affection of a mother to her infant, are so many emblems employed in the holy Scriptures, to set forth the sweetness and ardour of that Christian love, which animates the true minister to the performance of his several duties. "You know," says St. Paul, "how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children. We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. God is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels of Jesus Christ. Receive us; for ye are in our hearts to die and live with you." Worldly pastors can form no idea of that ardent charity, which dictates such benevolent language, and accompanies it with actions, which demonstrate its sincerity. This. is one of those mysterious things which are perfectly incomprehensible to the natural man, and which frequently appear to him as the extremest folly. This fervent love improves us into new creatures, by the sweet influence it

maintains over all our tempers. This holy passion deeply interests the faithful pastor in the concerns of his fellow Christians, and teaches him to rejoice in the benefits they receive, as though his own prosperity was inseparably connected with theirs. "I thank my God," writes the great apostle to the benefactor of his brethren, "making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; that the communication of thy faith may become effectual, by the acknowledging of every good thing, which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." The sorrow and the joy of this zealous imitator of Christ were generally influenced by the varying states of the faithful. When any who had once run well, were seen loitering by the way, or starting aside from the path of life, he expressed the most sincere affliction on their account. There are some, "of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ." On the other hand, the progress of believers was as marrow to his bones, and as the balsam of life to his heart: "We are glad when we are weak and ye are strong and this also we wish, even your perfection. My brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. Be blameless, and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, holding forth the word of life: that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."

Reader, whoever thou art, permit me to ask thee one important question. Art thou acquainted with that ardent charity that influenced the apostle Paul? If his Christian love was like a rapid and deep river; is thine, at least, like a running stream, whose waters fail not? Do thy joys and thy sorrows flow in the same channel, and tend to the same point, as the sanctified passions of this benevolent man ? Relate the chief causes of thy satisfaction and thy displeasure, and I will tell thee whether, like Demas, thou art a child of this present world, or a fellow citizen of heaven with St. Paul.

TRAIT XXXI.

Ilis generous fears and succeeding consolations.

WHEN the church is threatened with a storm, the worldly pastor has no fears except for himself and his relations. But the true minister, if he is at all disquieted with fear, when the Lord's vessel is driven with the winds, or appears to be in danger through the indiscreet conduct of false or unloving brethren, he feels much less for his own safety, than for the security of his companions in tribulation. He fears especially for the weak of the flock, and for those of the faithful, who are exposed to violent temptation : and these generous fears, which equally prove his holy zeal and his brotherly love, without robbing him of all his joy, afford him frequent opportunities of exercising his faith, his resignation, and his hope: "We were troubled," saith St. Paul, on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. I fear, lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would. When we could no longer forbear, we sent Timothy to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, that no man should be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know, that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before, that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain."

Though these "fightings without," and these "fears within," are always painful to the flesh, yet they are as constantly beneficial to the soul. If they subject the true minister for a season to the keenest affliction, they prepare him in the end for "strong consolation.' Observe the manner, in which the great apostle expresses himself upon this point: "We would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in