are, thankfully follow God's directions for the same: and the temporary gratification by disobedience, is not thought of in comparison of the joy, in its several kinds, which is set before them. In his epistle to Titus, the apostle directs his son in the faith to "speak the things which become sound doctrine:" that "the aged women be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (Tit. ii. 1—5.) It is in the fulfilment then of these duties, that the wife is to seek for the blessing of God upon her example, in producing an effect upon her unbelieving husband. Temptations not only vary with every situation, but with every age, and with every clime. The customs of worldly society modify all, and correct some, vices, whilst they encourage others. To be "given to much wine" is seldom found in this country at the

present time in any woman above the lowest class; but the "false accusation," which is more or less the inseparable companion of idle conversation and society, even though that society be composed of religious persons, and the not "keeping at home,” are, next to "wearing of gold, and the putting on of apparel," the most usual means by which christian women now cause the "word of God to be blasphemed;" that is, lightly esteemed, and considered a thing which may be observed or not, with little or no detriment to the soul.

The christian wife must expect to receive many taunts and many unjust reproaches on account of her religion, from an unconverted husband. Perhaps she may be required by him to do some things which the word of God forbids her to do. In such circumstances she must refuse compliance: but instead of allowing her husband's unkindness to produce alienation, and sullenness, and discontent, let it rather stimulate her alacrity to the performance of all those domestic duties to which she is bound, and to the increased

readiness to obey any wish of his in all unforbidden things. It would be impossible to detail all instances which might occur, so as to suggest counsel for every such occasion; but let her cast herself wholly, and without reserve, upon the power and promises of the Lord Jesus Christ; nothing doubting but that He will enable her by his own Almighty Spirit to glorify his own ordinance of marriage, and portray the conduct of his own faithful spouse towards himself. Let her rest assured that if it be the Lord's will to change her husband's heart, that event will be more likely to take place from her plain obedience to his precepts than from any plan which she can form, or from the most eloquent and endearing reasoning she can use. Sometimes excessive affection, producing anxiety for the eternal welfare of a beloved object, becomes irritable, and puts on the appearance of ill-temper and fretfulness, from disappointed purpose. Cast thy way on the Lord; patiently leave all to Him; rely upon his word, though you never live to see the fruit of your pious love.

It is difficult to enter into the minutiae of domestic life, and especially the most trivial part of it, such as personal attire, without appearing ridiculous. Neither is it the object of this essay to touch upon points which have been already well handled by others; and the reader is strongly recommended to consult the admirable treatise of Mr. J. A. James, entitled, "The Family Monitor;" and also the works of Mr. Morrison and Mr. Anderson, for much which is omitted here: and from which some extracts adorn these pages. The Lord has, by his prophet Isaiah, (ch. iii.) censured in detail the dress of women in his time, and caused his apostles to reiterate the same. "Two apostles, who both wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, have denounced as improper, and as unbecoming a profession of godliness, a taste for immodest, expensive, or decorative dress. By what sophistry can the letter, much more the spirit of two passages of holy writ, so very plain and express in their terms as these, be set aside? That they are set aside is evident, by the appearance of almost

every congregation into which we could enter on the Sabbath-day. It is time for the christian teacher to call back the women professing godliness from their wanderings in the regions of fashionable folly, to the holy scriptures; for the holy scriptures, it should be remembered, have laid down a law for regulating the dress of the body as well as that of the mind. I contend that Christian females ought to abstain from expensive, showy, and extravagant fashions in dress, jewellery, and all kinds of personal decoration. I am not arguing for a sectarian costume, for a religious uniform, for canonical shapes, and colours; nothing of the sort, but for simplicity, neatness, economy.”—James. Let every one take heed how they call that trifling which God has thought worthy of his remark. It is by dress more than by any single thing that can be named, that the object of a woman's heart is seen to be the admiration of men, or the approbation of God. What can be said too strong in censure of that vanity which induces a woman to make herself appear that which she is not; to be a