Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

AFTER being told what good fenfe and obfervation will readily allow, that, "Fa"vour is deceitful, and beauty is vain," that mere form and comelinefs are uncertain, that they mislead and disappoint, are of little or no value; we are prepared to admit the truth of the affertion, "A woman that "feareth the LORD fhall be praised :” And, being led to confider the worth of female piety, and its claim on our esteem and approbation, we are the more convinced of the futility of mere outward fhow; and that they are unwife who fet a value upon them that is due only to the beauties of the mind, and the attractions and excellence of female piety.

You must have all obferved, my friends, that in the Scriptures, as in ordinary converfation, it is very common to put a part for the whole, and to distinguish whatever is the fubject of our meditation and discourse, by one or more of its peculiar qualities. It is indeed one of the manifold proofs of the wifdom of GOD, in his revelations to mankind, that the language of infpiration employs the popular and current ufe of words

and

phrafes, not that of art and philofophical nicety and distinction; for the Scriptures are addressed to all men, and for general use, not for a few learned and rigidly difcriminating. In the Scriptures, the Supreme is mentioned fometimes under one relation and character, fometimes another. In them, his fervants are distinguished by the regard they feel and owe to him: they know God, love him, fear him, worship him, obey him; any one of which fufficiently expreffes their state and character, in relation to GOD, and involves and fecures their difpofitions and conduct, as regulated by his will, in whatever manner communicated to them, on the one hand; and, on the other, by their privileges, and claims, and expectations, as the objects of his favour.

Of the regards of the pious which are employed, in Scripture, to exprefs religion, and devotion in general, none occur more frequently than that made ufe of in the text. The fame thing is to be obferved as to ordinary converfation; to which, however, its frequent ufe in Scripture may greatly contribute. An irreligious man has not the fear

of

"The fear of the

of GOD before his eyes. "LORD is not in this place," means, the inhabitants have no religion. The truly pious,

[ocr errors]

they who fear the LORD, talk often one to "another." 86 The fear of the LORD is wif"dom, to depart from evil is understanding," fignifies, the truly religious are governed by principles that ensure success and happiness. A woman that feareth the LORD, a pious woman, fays the text, fhall be praised.

CONSIDERING this interpretation as fufficiently established, and readily admitted, I am precluded from difcourfing of the fear of the LORD as diftinguished from love, truft, joy, or any particular affection or difpofition, exercise or attainment of the religious life or character; we understand it, as undoubtedly it is meant, of religion in general, though more especially denoting the fentiments, exercifes, and attainments, of devotion. “A pious woman fhall be praised."

[ocr errors]

THAT the truly religious, whether men or women, are entitled to efteem and commendation, may be easily shown; whatever, indeed, challenges and fecures esteem and worthy

H

worthy praise is theirs; but the claim of pious women on our esteem and praife, the subject to which the text directs our thoughts, and to which I would engage your

attention at this time.

OUR difcourfes, in general, respect men and women without diftinction; but, in the Scriptures, the wife, the mother, the aged, and the young woman, are exhorted, and their duties pointed out, as well as the hufband, the father, the man of gray hairs, and the young man rejoicing in the days of his youth. We are fully justified in difcourfing more particularly of the female character, of female excellence, and female honours, by the wife man in the text: "A woman that "feareth the LORD, fhe fhall be praised."

THE natural divifion of our difcourfe on this fubject is, firft, The fear of the LORD in general; fecondly, Its claim to refpect and praife, in the female character; in the various relations of life, and various conditions of a pious woman; in the third place, The praise to which she is entitled, and which she fhall affuredly enjoy.

I. LET us then, in the first place, Confider the fear of the LORD.

HERE it is of high importance to recollect, that our regards and affections towards GoD and man, arife from our conceptions of their nature and character. As these are just, and prefent and permanent, fo will our affections. and regards be. It must be of the highest confequence to have juft conceptions of that LORD whom we fear; and to derive our knowledge from fuch fources as are pure and perfect, and on which we can entirely depend. Now, bleffed be GOD! he hath never left himfelf without a witnefs. In fundry times, and in different manners, he hath revealed, or manifefted himself to the world, and to those who fear him. When we speak of those who fear, or love, or serve GOD, the manifeftations of God in the difpenfations under which they live, are always neceffarily referred to, as duly and piously regarded by them. In the days of Job, who "feared GOD and eschewed evil," they who feared the LORD, beheld and regarded the glory of the LORD in the heavens and the earth, in the animal, vegetable, and mineral H 2 king

« AnteriorContinuar »