Where is the favoured individual, into wnose lap the bounty of Heaven has poured the abundance of riches, and into whose heart divine grace has introduced the mercy that is full of good fruits? here let him find an object worthy of his wealth and of his zeal. Let him become the nursing fa ther of our poor churches. If he spend two thousand a year in this way, he may give forty pounds a year to fifty ministers. What a means of usefulness! How many infant churches would smile upon him from their cradle; and, as they turned upon him their eyes glistening with gratitude, would exclaim, "My Father, my father!" In how many church-books would his name be enrolled, amidst the benedictions and prayers of the saints!

CHAPTER VIII.

THE DUTIES OF CHURCH MEMBERS IN THEIR PEČULIAR CHARACTER AND STATION.

I. THE pastor's wife.

A station so honourable, so important, so responsible, must necessarily be attended with duties numerous, difficult, and of great consequence. As a wife, she should be a bright pattern of all that tender affection, that unsuspicious confidence, that cheerful obedience, that undivided devotedness to her husband's comfort, which such a relationship implies; a lovely, spotless exhibition of connubial vir

tue. No man is in greater need of all the force of conjugal sympathy and love, than a faithful minister.

As the female head of a family, she should direct her household affairs with judgment, and be a model of order, neatness, and domestic dicipline. A minister derives some degree of respectability from the state of his family. Home scenes, according as they are lovely or repulsive, form a beauteous halo round, or dark specks upon, the orb of his public character. It is required of him that he should rule well his own household; but in this he is dependent upon his wife. What a disgrace is it that his house should be such a scene of disorder, as to disgust, by its confusion, the more respectable part of his friends! Some people, if we were to judge from their habits, and their homes, seem to have been born out of due time; they look as if the era of their existence were the reign of chaos. Order is heaven's first law, and the laws of heaven certainly should govern the habitations of its ministers. If a mother, a minister's wife should strive to excel in every maternal excellence. How often is it the case, that a minister's children are talked of almost to a proverb, for their rudeness, ill behaviour, and wickedness; in such instances, much blame must be attached to the mother.

In her own personal character, there are two traits which should appear with peculiar prominence, and shine with attractive lustre in a minister's wife; these are PIETY and PRUDence. Her piety should not only be sincere, but ardent; not only unsuspected, but eminently conspicuous. Her habits, her conversation, her whole deportment, should bear the deep, bright impress of heaven. She should be the holiest, most spiritual woman in the church. Her

prudence should equal her piety. Without the former, even the latter, however distinguished, would only half qualify her for her important station. Her prudence should display itself in all her conduct towards her husband. She should be very careful not to make him dissatisfied with the situation he occupies. Many a minister has been rendered uncomfortable in a situation of considerable usefulness, or has been led to quit it against the convictions of his judgment, by the capricious prejudices of his wife; whose ambition has aspired to something higher, or whose love of change has coveted something new. A minister's wife should consult her husband's usefulness, and be willing to live in any situation, however self-denying its circumstances may prove, where this is promoted; and considering the influence she has over his decisions, she should be very careful how she employs it in those seasons when a change is meditated. Her prudence should render her extremely careful, not to prejudice her husband's mind against any individual who may have, designedly or unintentionally, injured her. In not a few cases, have pastors been drawn into contention with some of their friends, by the imprudent conduct of their wives, who, possessing a morbid sensibility of offence, have reported, amidst much exaggeration, affronts which they ought not to have felt-or, feeling, ought to have concealed. Instead of acting as a screen, to prevent these petty vexations from reaching his ear, they have rendered their tongues a conductor, to convey them to his bosom. They should hide many things of this kind, which it is not important he should know, and soften others of which he cannot be ignorant.

In all cases where her husband is the direct object of a supposed or real injury, a minister's wife should

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be very cautious how she acts. Intended by nature, and inclined by affection, to be a partisan and an advocate in her husband's cause, so far as truth and holiness will allow, she should, at the same time, endeavour rather to mitigate than exasperate the displeasure of his mind. Her breath, in such cases, if imprudently employed, may fan a flame which, in its progress, may consume all the prosperity of the church, and half the reputation of her husband. Let her therefore govern her own spirit, as the best means of aiding to govern his. Let her calm, conciliate, and direct that mind, which may be too much enveloped in the mist of passion, to guide itself. Let her not go from house to house, dropping sparks and scintillations from a tongue set on fire of hell. If her husband be the head of a party, let her not envenom their minds with bitter words, which are sure to be rendered still more bitter, by the lying reporters who carry them to the opposite party. Prudence in a pastor's wife would have often saved a church from division.

A minister's wife should never betray the confidence reposed in her by her husband, and report the opinions, views, and feelings, which he has communicated in the seasons of their private conversation. The secrets he deposits in her bosom, are to be as sacredly preserved and guarded, as the ring, which, on the morning of their union, he placed upon her finger.

Prudence is to be displayed in all her conduct towards the church. Probably, the chief part of this virtue lies in a proper government of the tongue. A very large proportion of the disturbances which agitate the surface, and extend their influence to the very depths of society, arise from imprudent language. There appears to be, in one half of so

ciety, an incurable propensity to relate what is to the disadvantage of their neighbours; and in the other half, an indestructible appetite to relish the slander, when it is reported. Now a minister's wife should most anxiously guard against this propensity in herself, and most assiduously labour to abate this appetite in others. Let her, wherever she goes, remember, that there are many waiting and watching for her words, which they will be sure to reverberate with the mimicry, though not with the fidelity, of an echo. Let her tongue never deal in sarcasm, satire, invective, censure, or slander. Let it be an invariable rule with her, To SPEAK ILL OF NO ONE. She should never appear fond of receiving ill reports from others. If she have a taste of this kind, gratification enough will be found her. Like a queen bee, she has no need to roam abroad in quest of honey-she may sit at home in indolent repose, while the whole hive of gossips and tattlers will collect for her an exuberant supply. Let her rather discourage these humming, busy insects, and convince them that she has neither ear for their buzz, nor taste for their honey.

Let her never betray a secret, which she has been compelled to receive; nor become umpire between two contending parties, since, in whatever way her decision is pronounced, she is almost sure to offend one of them. She should avoid, as much as possible, the appearance of favouritism. Some there must be, with whom she will be more intimate than others: but this fact, if it be known, should be but little seen; and her friends should be always such, as by the common consent of the society would be allotted to her; of course, they should not be minions selected to sustain the character of fawning sycophants, purveyors of news, or tools of selfishness. In all