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entirely to her felf, by the most agreeable Indulgences, as well as engaging Indearments. She virtuously far exceeds all other Rivals of her Glory by many Degrees, in ravishing her Spouse's Heart with her Fidelity, as well as Fondnefs of Inclination; with the Meeknefs of her Mind, the Gentleness of her Tongue, and the Mildnefs of her Temper. Her Conftancy is above the Character of the Sun- Dial, and goes truer than any Clock-Work of State. Her Affections want no winding-up of Art, Fashion, or Flattery. She never varies a Moment from her fixed Love; never wavers a Hair's Breadth from her fettled Duty in Wedlock; nor veers about with every Breeze of Temptation that blows fair, and breaths a feeming Air of Kindness, like the Fane of Inconftancy, or a fashionable WeatherCock of Levity in Courtship. She does not change her Mind like the Moon, for Novelties; and loves no Lunar Husbands in Amour, nor Lunatick Debaufhee's of Intrigue. She hates the Name of a Wife that is fuch a Changeling of a Lover; who either turns Court-Harlot, commonStrumpet, or forfeits her Reputation by too great a Familiarity, Freedom and Converfation with other Women's Husbands, in private Fashion or publick Vogue. Every one's Own is fufficient, and as much as comes to any Perfon's Share in an honeft Way of Fair-Dealing. There is no Prerogative for Murder, Whoredom or Adultery. An over-grown Courtezan, like another famous Madame de Maintenon, or any immodeft-mouth'd Lady in Honour and Authority, are the grand Averfion of her irtue. She abhors giving her lawful Spouse any Caufe of Jealoufie, any Reafon of Refentment, or any Provocation of taking Reprifals, and

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wreaking his Revenge a worfe Way. In a Word, the abominates all dishonourable Contentions, fcandalous Reflexions, reproachful Brawling, difgraceful Raillery, and rueful Difputes of Contradiction with her efpoufed Lord and Mafter; only for the Sake of a little conceited Superiority, or Female Dominion: fo that by her virtuous Behaviour and Super-eminence, in all Conditions of Life, either in a publick or private Capacity, fhe may well claim the Glory of this Text for her everlasting Character, as indelible as undeniable in the Recommendation. Happy will that King be, who marries fuch a difcreet, prudent, loyal Lady! This will crown their Nuptial Blifs. Their Royal Progeny will for ever flourish and abound, either by their inherent Birth-Right, inheritable Government, immortal Monarchy, uninterrupted Reign, or Providential Prefervation.

VERSE XXX.

FAVOUR is deceitful, and Beauty is vain; but a Woman that feareth the Lord, She shall be praised.

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PARAPHRASE.

ITHOUT doubt, a fine handfome Shape, a Majestick Mien, a graceful Carriage, and a decent Behaviour, with a modeft Afpe&t; are very taking Things, next to Charms, in the Eye of the World: And fo likewife a good comely Complexion, with lovely

Eyes,

Eyes, healthful Looks, rofy Cheeks, ruby Lips, or other amiable Features, will always appear beautiful to Admiration. But then, alas! the Vanity, Deceitfulness, and Uncertainty of those perfonal Excellencies, or perishable Glories, are to be bewail'd with little lefs Sorrow fometimes, than we find partly applicable in the 3d and 4th Chapters of Jeremiah's Lamentations. The greateft Honours on Earth, as well as Favour or Beauty, may foon fail, fade, and vanish into Calamities, Misfortunes, or Deformities. By their fleeting Inconftancy, as well as Deceit, they are scarce worth fetting a Man's Heart upon them, for any lafting Felicity of future Expectation. It will not therefore be a Point of common Prudence to choose a Wife by her charming Outfide or external Accomplishments. There are many ill Qualities may lie hid, and lurk conceal'd under the fairest Cover, or most promifing Countenance; which may utterly disappoint an Admirer's fudden Expectations, and defeat all the folid Happiness that he flatter'd himself with, by making fuch a forward Choice. But where Virtue and Beauty go together, as in the glorious Marriage here mention'd, the Match muft needs be incomparably Great; prove unexceptionably good, and ftand celebrated as remarkably gracious, happy, or illuftrious, in future Generations. For a Woman truly religious, and an honourable Lady, that fo devoutly fears the Lord, as not daring to offend her Maker, or controul her Creator in any Point of Duty, either in her Chriftian or Conjugal State of Life, is really that defirable, amiable, or admirable Perfon here reprefented; who alone was please her God by her facred Service oblige her Spouse by her fincere Loving

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Kindness; and deferve perpetual Praises of the whole Univerfe by her fociable Virtues of doing Good, or the fenfible Influences of her exemplary Deportment, as well as other excellent Benefactions.

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REMARKS.

TOTHING can be more deceitful than the Favour of this World, except Hypocrifie it felf in Grain, and downright Diffimulation: whether it be taken for the pretended Kindness and Complaifance of the Mind, or the external Air of the Face, and Mien of the Body. 'Tis full of Fraud, Falfhood, and Defign. Generally fpeaking, it confifts altogether of Craftiness, and chiefly of Cozenage. There's no relying upon the moft favourable Greeting, Reception, or Entertainment. It seems now-a-days to be all Artificial Breeding, or only good Manners extrinfecally; and lies no deeper than the Eye or the Lip, a civil Salute, a condefcending Hand, a fly Conge, a low Cringe, a graceful Nod, or a genteel Court'fy. Beauty is as vain, or full of Craft alfo, as the other proves for the most part fraudulent, in the Event. It may please the Eye perhaps, but make the Heart ake afterwards, and feverely fmart for the Deception. But it is certainly what no Perfon ought to be proud of, or place any Delight in for Good; because it frequently be comes fo variable in it felf, fo changeable in its Charms, and fo difappointing in its Circumftances or the very Injoyment. There ought to be no Confidence, abftracted from Virtue, put in outward Beauty, Face-Formality, or Oral Friendhip, that does not reach the Bottom of the

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Heart;

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Heart; for Fear of being fruftrated by Defign or impos'd upon by Reafon of its Deceitfulness. But a good, virtuous, and religious Woman that fears God, whether well or ill-favour'd, whether beautiful or not, as to her vifible Complexion and apparent Features; 'tis no Matter: She ought to have not only the Approbation, but also the Praises of the better Part of all Mankind out of Venus's Bedlam; fhe ought to be extoll'd to the Heavens in Comparifon. And 'tis certain, that the great Reverence which the fhews' in Regard for her Maker, the omnipotent Lord, o'mniprefent Mafter, and omniscient Ruler of the whole World; infinitely wife, just, and merciful from all Eternity, long before it ever had any Beginning, or there happen'd any Revolutions of Government, Temporal or Spiritual, upon Earth, contrary to the Original Inveftiture of univerfal Monarchy, and Dominion in Adam, twice repeated, as well as fully declar'd in the First Chapter of Genefis: I fay, her conftant Attachment to God, who can only change eftablish'd Governments juftly, and give Right, or a transferring Power, by his own exprefs Nomination or providential Decree; which the abundantly difcovers by the fincereft Awe, de-. vouteft Obedience, and divineft Adoration of her Soul to Himself, as well as by the Loyalty of her Affections, and Lawfulness of her Principles to his fure-divino-King, in preferring a Patriarchal Birth-Right, or inheritable Title, before any, modern Contract, political Agreement, and National Compofition, to the contrary: This will without any Doubt (let who will difpute it) multiply the Number of her Admirers, and raife in the Minds of her happy Acquaintance, the most fublime Idea's of Efteem and Veneration,

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