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its object. Many a base and sordid passion which dignifies itself with the name of love, will fly before such a test as this. Christ desired the Happiness of his church, and that she should dwell in intimate union with Himself for ever; she was not only unworthy, but insensible of the favour conferred upon her: to take her into His society all polluted, and hating him, and hating all the glories of His nature, His purity, His spirituality, His meekness, His humility, would have conferred no happiness upon her, nor would she have been in this state a companion meet for Him : therefore He undertook to shed abroad His own Holy Spirit into her heart, to lead her to study His character and person more and more, that she might see and meditate on all the proofs He has given of love to her, and thus constrain her to love Him, to love holiness, to love all the graces which shine in Himself, and which are ever ready to be put forth for the increase of her felicity. The way by which He draws forth the love of His church is by continually increasing manifestations of His love to her, showing him

self to be the only object capable of conferring true happiness upon her. The husband's constant study should be to soothe the cares, support the weaknesses, relieve the burdens, instruct the mind, repress the errors, nourish the affections of his wife; in fine, to prove how worthy he is of her love.

St. Peter's injunction to husbands is analogous to that of St. Paul; "likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them (your wives) according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of God, that your prayers be not hindered.” (1 Pet. iii. 7.) Here the husband is reminded, that, though the wife be the weaker vessel, she is equally with himself the heir of glory, and thereby entitled not only to his tenderness, but reverence. Probably no man can tell, as he undoubtedly cannot feel, not merely the pains, but the numberless disquietudes and irritations arising from the greater delicacy of bodily structure, and from the sufferings peculiar to their sex.

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who are not aware of the influence which bodily health exercises, not only over their own tempers, but upon the colour of their religious impressions; all which things produce a sensitiveness, more or less degenerating into irritability, for which men seldom make sufficient allowance. The structure of the 'female mind is as delicate as that of the body. Love is jealous, and seeks the approbation of the object upon which it is set. A word, a look, a gesture, may plant a dagger into the breast of anxious affection, which he that plants it would have rather cut off his hand than have occasioned, and which would not have been felt by a heart less alive to him. If such may be the result of the involuntary first risings of impulse, even from those who are most aware of their effect, and most anxious to prevent it, what may not be produced by those who are not on their guard, or who have had their feelings deadened by the heartlessness of worldly society? Let all look to the conduct of the Lord Jesus towards His church; see His continued tenderness; her waywardness, and His con

stancy; her discontent, and His never-ending consolations.

The Lord Jesus Christ takes us not only for better, but for worse; and husbands vow at the altar to do the same by their wives. A feeling is sometimes put down to the score of vanity, which, however, is founded on much more praiseworthy motives, namely, the mortification at finding the charms of person which first fascinated, gradually withering under the unalterable law of the decay of all created beauty.

Le Pauvre en sa cabane où le chaume le couvre,
Est sujet à ses lois ;

Et la garde qui veille aux barrières du Louvre
N'en defend point nos rois.

Beauty is felt by every woman to be precious, as a mean of contributing to the happiness of those on whom her affections are bestowed. She is probably the last person to be sensible of its decline, and the first moment that she becomes conscious of the change, she apprehends that she has lost at least one tie to her husband's attachment. It is on this account

that she mourns over a loss, which, had she been single, she might have contemplated with greater indifference; and the regret she experiences has more of disinterestedness than those who are little acquainted with the exquisite sensibility of female affection can easily comprehend. This feeling may be an element in the considerations which actuate those who endeavour to conceal the advances of time by exterior decorations; but to do this is useless, because it does not remedy the evil in fact, while it could only deceive, even if effectually practised, the casual stranger.

I cannot avoid inserting here the exquisite and touching appeal which Mr. Jay puts into the lips of married women to their husbands :-" Honour us; deal kindly with us. From many of the opportunities and means by which you procure favourable notice, we are excluded. Doomed to the shades, few of the high places of the earth are open to us. Alternately we are adored and oppressed. From our slaves you become our tyrants. You feel our beauty, and avail yourselves of

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