brated son of David, and king of Ifrael. His mother was highly honored in her relation to him, but still more by the wise instructions which she gave him. We pass, at present, the seasonable and salutary instructions which she gave him respecting the character and duties of a king, and attend only to those which characterize "the virtuous woman." In this wemention the following particulars, 1. She is an example of diligence and good economy, in the concerns of her family, for she is supposed to have a family. The domestic 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 fafely 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 wisdom and virtue produce a prompt exertion in the business 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 diligence, and good economy of the woman at the head of it, that it is presumed that no instance is within the recollection of the reader, of a profperous and happy family where these are wanting. No accomplishments can supply the place of these necessary female virtues if they are wanting, and no family can be decent and happy where the wife and mother is deftitute of them. 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 respects : First, a kind and virtuous woman has a weighty influence over her husband, to form and establish his principles and manners in the paths of wisdom and virtue. Men are often inclined to evil courses, and will not be reclaimed by the admonitions of the wife of their own sex. But who is such a veteran in the ways of fin, as to be proof against the efficacy of female, soft 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 concourse for the tranfaction of public business, and decifion of cases of controverfy, fubmitted to the judges, or elders of the land. Among these, the husband of the virtuous woman is known, or diftinguished. The irresistible 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. But not only doth the virtuous woman render her husband vastly more worthy of respect, but alfo she induces others to esteem and honor him, from the respect due to her, and their esteem of her judgment, and defire to please and honor her; and thus, all the respect which she gives to her hufband returns with increasing honor on herself; and it is well known that the dignity of a woman is determined by that of her hufband, and she is honored by his honor. 2. The virtuous woman treats her husband with kindness and respect. In the nature of the cafe, 3. The virtuous woman is difand in the wife constitution which | tinguished by the wisdom and piety with which she educates her children. returned into her own bosom : "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband and he praiseth her." As in the first stages of our existence we are totally infufficient to take care of ourselves, either as it respects the body or mind, and as our future usefulness and felicity depend much on the cast given to each in the earliest part of our existence, it is a matter ❘ out her hand to the poor, yea she 4. Liberality to the poor is another characteristic of the virtuous woman. "She ftretcheth reacheth forth her hands to the needy." In this she has the approbation and assistance of her husband, for they have but one common interest, object and will. But many things render it expedient that their joint liberality to the poor should be adminiftered by the wife; in particular, the soft and gentle spirit of female virtue is much more easy of access by the lonely, friendless widOW or orphan, than the more stern, commanding virtue of men. To her the poor and forrowful, can open their complaints and present all their distresses, and she knows how to relieve them, and to do it in fuch a manner as to be doubly kind. She gives with an apparent good will, which "wipes the tear from the orphan's eye, and causes the widow's heart to fing for joy." By this she rifes in loveliness in the eyes of her husband, who is occupied in doing good on a larger scale, in advancing the great interefts of society and concerns of ftate. highly interefting to all, that this first stage, is under the guidance of wisdom and fidelity.. But where is this to be found, but in the heart of a parent? One of the capital objects of marriage respects the education of children. By the wife and gracious conftitution of nature, the mutual tenderness in the conjugal relation, is connected in the first 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 she loves and honors the father. As in this infantile state, the care of the child devolves principally on the mother, fo her affections are proportionably more tender, and her fenfibilities to its wants more exquisite, 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 dif as the mother of his children, and | plays her excellence in focial in she is attending to all their little wants and relieving them, the conjugal and parental affections have a reciprocal operation to strengthen each other, and increase parental fidelity, and domeftic happiness. Blefsings not few nor small are in store for the family of the virtuous woman, and they will be tercourse. This, however, is, principally, in her own family and with her own fex. Female excellence, we have before obferved, shines, principally, at home, and is presented to public view by the wisdom and respectability of the husband, and by the virtuous modeity, the elegant decency of the daughters. But when such a woman mingles in the society of the friends of her husband, she adds to the dignity and allurements of virtue and wisdom by her sentiments, and the engaging manner in which she utters them. "She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness." of a wife and mother, with dignity and applause, to be a very great bleffing to her husband and children, and live to the most useful and important purposes.We close our observations with the following T REFLECTIONS. 1. The virtuous woman is a character highly important in the family, in society and in the church of God. Exceedingly improving and beneficial to the sex are the lessons 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 Christian church, must be advanced in life, " having been the wife of one man, well reported of for good works, if she have brought up children, if she have ❘ public spirit, and benevolence lodged strangers, if she have washed the faints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." Such are " in behavior as becometh holiness," and have a happy profpect of success in " teaching the young women to be fober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be difcreet, chaste, keepers at home," and learn to adorn the female character with every ornamental virtue. 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 virtuoufly, but the excelleth them all. Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who feareth the Lord she shall be praifed." "Give her of the fruit of her hand and let her own works praise her in the gate." By this she is furnished to fill the relations VOL. IV. No. 3. N 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 society, but he will be diftinguished among fuch, by the wisdom, which he displays, and by the respect, gratitude and veneration of society. Her children will rise up and call her bleffed, her husband also and he praiseth her. The excellent accomplishments of the mother are tranfmitted to the daughters, and they are formed to be no less blessings in their own future families. Nothing can be such 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 instructions and example are highly beneficial to her neighbors, of her own fex, and render them bleffings to their own families and to others. Her social interviews have a powerful influence on the principles and manners of the age and place in which she lives, and confequentially, on future ages and distant places. "When I call to remembrance," the dignity of the fex, and encou said the holy apostle to his belov. ed Timothy, "the unfeigned faith which is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice, and I am perfuaded is in thee also."-If this was the result of female piety and virtue in a male descendant of the third generation, how great are the blessings 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 society, and both receive much of their complexion from families, and those from parents, and efpecially from mothers. Hence in estimating the importance of the virtuous woman, we must weigh the value of domeftic usefulness and felicity-the vastly extended interests of fociety through all generations, and the far more important interests of the church of God for ever. 2. Women have a noble object of purfuit, even the character of the virtuous woman-this is most excellent in itself, useful to man, and honorable to God. Women are spoken of by some as of little importance, and their pursuits and employments as trifling; but such men do small honor to their mothers, or to their own sagacity and taste of propriety. The preceding pages clearly evince that every object interesting to man through the whole of his exiftence is connected with the accomplishments and pursuits of the virtuous woman. - Let women be animated to rise above the ills of life, and the depreffion of forrow, and aim at a distinguished rank among the virtuous and excellent. And let men reverence rage and affift their wives and daughters, to pursue the paths of female excellence, and ascend the arduous steep of virtuous pre-eminence. 3. Parents have a most impor tant charge in the education of their children. Sons are to act a part in life no less interesting than that of daughters, and in some respects, more so. The character of beth 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 ascend into life and fill their respective places with dignity and usefulness to their family, to society, and to the church of God? Not with the tinsel ornaments which enable them to shine at the ball or assembly, but with the substantial worth which will render them useful 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 success, in forming their fons and daughters to wisdom and virtue, and placing them in the paths of usefulness and felicity here and forever! The use of Thorns and Thistles, or, Obfervations on the fentence denounced against Adam, Genesis iii. 17-19. And unto Adam he faid, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and haft eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, thou Shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy fake; in forrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of We shall now notice some of the thorns and thistles-the uncomfortable things, which take place in this world. That these may appear in their true light, it should first be noticed, that according to the holy scriptures, when this world was created at first, and mankind were placed in it, in the garden of Eden, there were no forrows, or other evils. Man was himself immortal, was subject to po afflictions: No curse was de. I far as we can fee, are of no direct thy life. Thorns also and thistles | Shall it bring forth to thee: and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground: for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. T HE curse on the ground, the thorns and thistles, the fweat of the face, and the return to duft, appear to be general expreffions comprehending the evils which should come upon mankind in this life. By these, God told Adam, that he would continually manifest his disapprobation of fin. He admonishes us by these, of our fallen, finful state, and of his displeasure against us on this account. The evils here threatened are designed to remind us, that we are finners in the fight of God; and so, to keep up a continual evidence in the world, that there is a controverfy between God and man, which should be an evidence to us, that God has not given up his law; but holds us guilty; while the favors we receive in the mean time, are an evidence of his mercy to a finful world. These evils, in a state of probation, are calculated to impress our minds with the importance of being reconciled to God. They are salutary chastisements. nounced upon the earth, no thorns or thistles infested the fields; there was no painful labor, or sweat of the face, nor had any woe been pronounced on man or woman kind. These evils were not originally natural to the world, but came as a divine frown, in confequence of fin. Of the uncomfortable things which take place, it may be observed first, that the general face of nature is overspread with evils. There are painful and tedious extremities of the seasons. In many parts of the world, the alternate viciffitudes of extreme heat and cold, are very distressing, and in many instances, they are fatal to mankind. In such places, during winter, vegetation is stopped, the fields and forests barren, nothing is produced for man or beast. In this respect, nature lies in ruins. And on the other hand, the ex. treme heat of the summer relaxes every nerve. Sometimes also, a too great abundance of rain, and at others, fevere and parching droughts prove great calamities. These are felt much more feverely in fome parts of the earth, than with us, and often produce famine and pestilence. Storms also, tornadoes, earthquakes, and the bursting of volcanoes, are many times great judgments upon men, and bring great numbers in a moment to their graves. Belides, a very large proportion of the earth itself is forever almost or entirely waste, as to any productions for the ufe of man or beast. This is true of all the countries which lie far up to the north, and of the fandy deferts of Africa and Arabia. And how much of the world is also covered with rough mountains, which, fo 479051 A |