through a glafs darkly. But faith will ripen into knowledge in the world to come; and then fhall we fee as we are feen, and know as we are known. There is much unbelief in the faints here; but that will all be removed; and fo heaven will be unfpeakably richer to the faints, than this world. But it will not be fubftantially, or effentially different. Faith is the fubftance of heaven; and believers do know, by their prefent experience, on what accounts they with for heaven. Let all unbelief, and natural evils be removed, and faith ripened into knowledge, and we should actu ally have that which believers hope for. As a diftinguishing property of faith, it must also be noticed, that "It is the evidence of things not feen," '—a real evidence that the things promised to believers in the other world will be given them. In the exercise of this faith, believers fee, by the preparation made in the gift of Chrift, that God means to be faithful to his engagements. But this is not all. Faith itself is a peculiar evidence-a convincing, certain evdence of this, which none but believers can have. It is the kingdom of God already begun in them: It is eternal, fpiritual life-heaven already begun in the foul-an earneft of their future inheritance. Believers know by what the Holy Ghoft has already wrought in them, that there is fuch a thing as holiness-as the enjoyment of God-as an obedi.. ent childlike fpirit, and that fuch things as the gospel affords, are food for the foul. They know by what the Spirit has done in them, that the gofpel fcheme is true. They have received, not the fpirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things which are freely given them of God. Unbelievers have no relish for fpiritual things, and therefore can have no ideas of them. They cannot know them for they are fpiritually difcerned.--But the Spirit fearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God,' and revealeth them to believers; they ' have an unction from the holy One, and know all things.' What is done in them is an evidence of things not feen. Thus faving faith is a belief of the doctrines and promises of the gofpel, especially of those doctrines which refpect the law of God-the fallen ftate of manthe perfon and work of Chriftthe office of the Holy Ghoftthe grounds of pardon and acceptance-the nature and excellency of the good promifed. It is alfo an approbation of the whole-of Chrift-of the doctrines-of dependance-of the bleffings. It is a relinquishment of all other hopes and wishes, and a reliance on Chrift, and on the promises, with actual dependance and fubmiffion. It produces humility and obedience, and is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not feen. (To be continued.) brated fon of David, and king of Ifrael. His mother was highly honored in her relation to him, but ftill more by the wife instructions which she gave him. We pass, at prefent, the feasonable and falutary inftructions which she 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, divine providence hath fixed, the worth and respectability of men very much depend on the manner in which they are treated by their wives; and this in two refpects : First, a kind and virtuous woman has a weighty influence over her hufband, to form and establish his principles and manners in the paths of wifdom and virtue. Men are often inclined to evil courses, 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 transaction of public business, and decifion of cafes of controversy, fubmitted to the judges, or elders of the land. Among these, the husband of the virtuous woman is known, or distinguished. 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. 1. She is an example of diligence and good œconomy, 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 safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil." "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Her wifdom and virtue produce a prompt exertion in the bufinefs and duties of her station: 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 dili- But not only doth the virtuous gence, and good œconomy of the woman render her husband vaftly woman at the head of it, that it more worthy of respect, but also is prefumed that no inftance is the induces others to esteem and within the recollection of the rea- honor him, from the respect due der, of a profperous and happy to her, and their efteem of her family where thefe are wanting. No judgment, and defire to please accomplishments can fupply the and honor her; and thus, all the place of these neceffary female respect which she gives to her husvirtues if they are wanting, and band returns with increafing honor no family can be decent and hap-on herfelf; and it is well known py where the wife and mother is deftitute of them. 2. The virtuous woman treats her husband with kindnefs and refpect. In the nature of the case, and in the wife conftitution which 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 diftinguished by the wisdom and pi children. ety with which she educates her | 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." 4. Liberality to the poor is another characteristic of the virtuous woman. "She ftretcheth out her hand to the poor, yea' fhe reacheth forth her hands to the needy." In this fhe has the approbation and affiftance of her hufband, for they have but one common interest, object and will. But many things render it expedient that their joint liberality to the poor fhould be adminif 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 felicity depend much on the caft given to each in the earlieft part of our existence, it is a matter highly interefting to all, that this firft ftage, is under the guidance of wifdom and fidelity. But where is this to be found, but in the heart of a parent? One of the capital objects of marriage refpects the education of children. By the wife and gracious conftitution of nature, the mutual ten-tered by the wife; in particular, derness in the conjugal relation, is connected in the firft offspring of parents, and operates with its whole energy in the most tender and unremitting care for their children, and especially in the mother: 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 exquifite, 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 5. The virtuous woman difas the mother of his children, and plays her excellence in focial in fhe is attending to all their little tercourfe. This, however, is, wants and relieving them, the con- principally, in her own family and jugal and parental affections have with her own fex. Female excela reciprocal operation to ftrength-lence, we have before obferved, en each other, and increase parental fidelity, and domeftic happinefs. Bleffings not few nor fmall are in ftore for the family of the virtuous woman, and they will be the foft and gentle spirit of female fhines, principally, at home, and is prefented to public view by the wisdom and refpectability of the hufband, and by the virtuous modefty, the elegant decency of the daughters. But when fuch a wo. man 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 wisdom and in her tongue is the Ilaw of kindness." Exceedingly improving and beneficial to the fex are the leffons of wisdom and virtue which fall from her lips. The wisdom and philanthropy were more than human which dictated that a woman, received into the number of diftinguished and honorable women in the Chriftian church, muft be advanced in life," having been the wife of one man, well reported of for good works, if fhe have brought up children, if she have lodged ftrangers, if the have washed the faints' feet, if the have relieved the afflicted, if the have diligently followed every good work." 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 diftinguished among fuch, by the wisdom, public fpirit, and benevolence which he displays, and by the respect, gratitude and veneration of fociety. Her children will rife up and call her bleffed, her husband alfo and he praiseth her. The excellent accomplishments of the mother are tranfmitted to the daughters, and they are formed to be no lefs bleflings in their own future families. Nothing can be fuch an eulogium on the virtuous woman as the wisdom 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 6. The crowning excellence of the virtuous woman, is "the fear of the Lord," the pure and fublime religion of the bible. "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 fhall be praifed." "Give her of the fruit of her hand and let her own works praise 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 fhe lives, and confequentially, on future ages and diftant places. rage and affift their wives and "When I call to remembrance,", the dignity of the fex, and encoufaid the holy apoftle to his beloved 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 estimating the importance of the virtuous woman, we muft weigh the value of domestic usefulnefs and felicity-the vaftly ex. tended 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 purfuits and employments as trifling; 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 interefting to man through the whole of his existence is connected with the accomplishments and purfuits of the virtuous woman.- -Let women be animated to rife above the ills of life, and the depreffion of forrow, and aim at a diftinguifhed rank among the virtuous and excellent. And let men reverence 3. Parents have a most important 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 both 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 respective places with dignity and usefulness to their family, to fociety, and to the church of God? Not with the tinfel ornaments which enable them to fhine at the ball or affembly, but with the fubftantial worth which will render them ufeful 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 shall be most genuinely kind, and labor, with the happiest fuccefs, in forming their fons and daughters to wisdom and virtue, and placing them in the paths of usefulness and felicity here and forever! The ufe of Thorns and Thistles, or, 2 |