So also did the wife of the wicked king Ahaz counsel with sad and prevailing influence; for "there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up." (1 Kings xxi. 25.) It is indeed a painful consideration, that she who was created as "an help meet" for her husband should thus lend herself as an instrument to Satan for the destruction of her husband's soul, as well as the furtherance of her own eternal ruin.

Thus have I endeavoured, upon the sure foundation of the gospel of Christ, to delineate the general character of the Christian wife. But, my brethren, do not suppose that all this concerns none save husbands and wives. Since it has pleased the Lord to honour this sacred bond of union by the illustration of that love which he has borne, and will for ever bear, to his faithful and true church, we are each, whether married or single, im

mediately concerned in all that has been said. Each of us professes to be a member of that mystical body of which Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Head: nay, we constitute, by our Christian profession, an assembly of Christian worshippers, dedicated to him, of whom it is written, that he is "the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. i. 22, 23.)

But are we living members of his sacred body? Can we speak, from the conviction within our own bosom, that we have made our choice, and are now separate from the world, and through faith joined unto the Lord by a perpetual covenant, sure and stedfast? Have we come to him "as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious; as lively stones, built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ?" (1 Pet, ii. 4, 5.)

Unless our conscience testify as to our real and earnest desire thus, in faith, to be joined unto the Lord, our outward church-membership will not exempt us from the curse already pronounced upon every one "that believeth not the Son: he shall not see life; the wrath of God abideth on him." (John iii. 36.) May this fearful thought be sanctified by the Divine Spirit, and cause each of us to remember the vanity and the danger of all earthly relationships, and the speedy separation from all objects of earthly affection, and so give us an interest in the doctrine of the gospel, which alone teaches the safe use of any earthly association: "Brethren, the time is short: it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it; for the

fashion of this world passeth away.' (1 Cor. vii. 29-31.) It is the ground for the divine argument of the apostle, with which he closes his solemn injunction upon all subjects of a temporal character: "I would have you without carefulness." (ver. 32.) "For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (James iv. 14.) May the consciousness of this truth, not more confirmed in the certainty of God's word, than evidenced in our own experience, be so impressed upon all our hearts, that, in holy covenant love, we may join ourselves in a perpetual covenant unto the almighty and all-gracious "Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

65

SERMON IV.

THE DAUGHTER.

PROV. xxxi. 29.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

THE plan which I am endeavouring to pursue, in exhibiting, upon scripture grounds, a brief summary of the female character, now brings me to speak of the Christian daughter. But, my brethren, I hope and pray for an extension of good far beyond the instance of that one relationship: what is spoken must not be confined to the daughter only. It is adapted to the young in general; and as we all are linked together under many obliga