carry on your trade, without breaking God's command, you must not carry it on. But I doubt the fact: I know no trade which may not be carried on by one who uses plain and modest apparel. I fear, therefore, this too is but a copy of your countenance. You love these things, and, therefore, think them necessary. Your heart carries away your judgment; if you were not fond of them, you would never dream of their necessity. 7. In one single case these things may be necessary, that is, unavoidable, namely, that of women who are under the yoke of self-willed, unreasonable husbands or parents. Such may be constrained to do, in some degree, what otherwise they would not. And they are, blameless herein, if, 1, They use all possible means, arguments, entreaties, to be excused from it; and when they cannot prevail, 2, Do it just so far as they are constrained, and no farther. VI. 1. And now, brethren, what remains, but that I beseech you, who are not under the yoke, who are under God, the directors of your own actions, to set prejudices, obstinacy, fashion aside; and to yield to Scripture, to reason, to truth. Suppose, as some affirm, you acted on no higher motive than to please me herein, I know not that you would have need to be ashamed; even this you might avow in the face of the sun. You owe something to me perhaps it is not my fault, if you owe not your own souls also. If then you did an indifferent thing only on this principle, not to give me any uneasiness, but to oblige, to comfort me in my labour, would you do much amiss? How much more may you be excused in doing what I advise, when tru h, reason, and Scripture advise the same? When the thing in question is not an indifferent thing, but clearly determined by God himself? 2. Some years ago, when I first landed at Savannah in Georgia, a gentlewoman told me, "I assure you, Sir, you will see as welldrest a congregation on Sunday, as most you have seen in London." I did so; and soon after took occasion to expound those scriptures which relate to dress, and to press them freely upon my audience, in a plain and close application. All the time that I afterward ministered at Savannah, I saw neither gold in the church, nor costly apparel. But the congregation, in general, was almost constantly clothed in plain, clean linen or woollen. 3. And why should not my advice, grounded on Scripture and reason, weigh with you as much as with them? I will tell you why, 1, You are surrounded with saints of the world, persons fashionably, reputably religious. And these are constant opposers of all, who would go farther in religion than themselves. These are continually warning you against running into extremes, and striving to beguile you from the simplicity of the gospel. 2, You have near you still more dangerous enemies than these, Antinomians, whether German or English; who, when any Christian practice is enforced, come with the cuckoo's note, "the law, the law;" and while they themselves glory in their shame, make you ashamed of what should be your glory. 3, You have suffered by false teachers of our own, who undermined the doctrine you had received; negatively, in public, by not insisting upon it, by not exhorting you to dress, as persons professing godliness; (and, not to speak for a Christian duty, is, in effect, to speak against it :) and positively in private, either by jesting upon your exactness in observing the Scripture-rule, or by insinuations, which, if you did not mind then, yet would afterward weaken your soul. 4. You have been, and are at this day, in perils among false brethren I mean, not only those of other congregations, who count strictness all one with bondage, but many of our own; in particular those, who were once clearly convinced of the truth; but they have sinned away the conviction themselves, and now endeavour to harden others against it; at least, by example; by returning again to the folly, from which they were once clean escaped. But what is the example of all mankind, when it runs counter to Scripture and reason? I have warned you a thousand times not to regard any example, which contradicts reason or Scripture. If ever it should be, (pray that it may not be, but if it ever should,) that I or my brother, my wife, or his, or all of us together, should set an example contrary to Scripture and reason, I entreat you, regard it not at all; still let Scripture and reason prevail. 5. You who have passed the morning, perhaps the noon of life, who find the shadows of the evening approach, set a better example to those that are to come, to the now-rising generation. With you the day of life is far spent; the night of death is at hand. You have no time to lose see that you redeem every moment that remains. Remove every thing out of the way, be it ever so small, (though indeed gay or costly apparel is not so,) that might any ways obstruct your lowliness or meekness, your seriousness of spirit, your single intention to glorify God, in all your thoughts, and words, and actions. Let no needless expense hinder you being in the highest degree you possibly can, "rich in good works :" "Ready to distribute, willing to communicate," till you are clothed with glory and immortality. Our carcasses will soon fall into the dust; then let the survivors adorn them with flowers. Meantime let us regard those ornaments only, that will accompany us into eternity. 6. You that are in the morning of your days, either your form is agreeable, or it is not. If it is not, do not make your person remarkable; rather let it lie hid in common apparel. On every account, it is your wisdom to recommend yourself to the eye of the mind; but especially to the eye of God, who reads the secrets of your hearts, and in whose sight the incorruptible ornaments alone are of great price. But if you would recommend yourself by dress, is any thing comparable to plain neatness? What kind of persons are those, to whom you could be recommended by gay or costly apparel? None that are any way likely to make you happy. This pleases only the silliest and worst of men. At most it gratifies only the silliest and worst principle in those who are of a nobler character. 7. To you whom God has intrusted with a more pleasing form, those ornaments are quite needless,— "Th' adorning thee with so much art, Is but a barbarous skill; 'Tis like the poisoning of a dart, That is, to express ourselves in plain English, without any figure of poetry, it only tends to drag them faster into death everlasting, who were going fast enough before, by additional provocations to lust, or at least, inordinate affection. Did you actually design to raise either of these in those who looked upon you? What! while you and they were in the more immediate presence of God! What profaneness and inhumanity mixed together! But if you designed it not, did you not foresee it? You might have done so without any extraordinary sagacity. "Nay, I did not care or think about it.” And do you say this by way of excuse? You "scatter abroad arrows, fire-brands, and death;" and do not care or think about it! 8. O let us walk more charitably and more wisely for the time to come! Let us all cast aside, from this very hour, whatever does not become men and women professing godliness: whatever does not spring from the love and fear of God, and minister thereto. Let our seriousness shine before men, not our dress : let all who see us know that we are not of this world. Let our adorning be that which fadeth not away, even righteousness and true holiness. If ye regard not weakening my hands and grieving my spirit, yet grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Do you ask, "But what shall I do with the gay or costly apparel, and with the ornaments I have already? Must I suffer them to be lost? Ought I not to wear them now I have them?" I answer, there is no loss like that of using them wearing them is the greatest loss of all. But what then shalt thou do with them? Burn them rather than wear them; throw them into the depth of the sea. Or if thou canst with a clear conscience, sell them, and give the money to them that want. But buy no more at the peril of thy soul. Now be a faithful steward. After providing for those of thine own household things needful for life and godliness, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, relieve the sick, the prisoner, the stranger, with all thou hast. Then shall God clothe thee with glory and honour in the presence of men and angels; and thou shalt "shine as the brightness of the firmament," yea, "as the stars for ever and ever.” ; THE DUTIES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES.. I AM persuaded, it is not possible for me to write any thing so full, so strong, and so clear on this subject, as has been written near a hundred and fifty years ago, by a person of equal sense and piety. I shall, therefore, only abridge what he has written on the head, with some few alterations and additions. I beseech you all, who are more immediately concerned, to read it with the calmest attention, and with earnest prayer, that what is here written may be transcribed into your hearts and lives. CHAPTER I. The First Duty of the Married,-CHASTITY. 1. THIS duty is so manifest, that no person whatever can pretend ignorance of it. The law of God, the law of nature, and the laws of all well ordered societies enjoin it. The violation of this unties the marriage-knot, and dissolves the marriage-covenant. For our Lord himself, who utterly disallows of other divorces, yet allows divorce in case of adultery. "But may the person wronged admit the wrong-doer again, after the offence is known?" I answer, "They may, provided the offender give full, satisfactory proof of amendment." We read not any command to the contrary. But if the offender persist in sin, then the innocent person, having full proof thereof, is bound to withdraw from the sinner. 2. Let any, who find strong temptations to this sin, 1, Constantly and conscientiously perform private duties. The blessing of God hereon will make him conqueror, over what before seemed most unconquerable. 2, Be diligent in your calling, that you may have no leisure for inflaming imaginations. It is certain, an idle person, if occasion and constitution serve, will sooner or later prove adulterous. But diligence joined with hearty prayer, will preserve a man pure and undefiled. 3, Be exactly temperate. It is easy to put out the fiercest fire, by withdrawing the fuel. If, therefore, you would be chaste in your marriage, be sparing in your food. 4, Carefully shun every temptation, and all opportunities of sin; especially, shun as a rock the company of any person apt to tempt, or to be tempted and consider, that the coldest water will be hot, if it be set near the fire. 3. These directions are such as agree to all, married or unmarried. There remains another help peculiar to the former, the due use of marriage. The ordinances of God will answer their end, if our abuse of them do not hinder. Now God has ordained mariage for this end, among others, to prevent fornication. Wherefore let it be used in the manner it ought, and it will surely answer its end. And in this respect "the wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband." Neither "hath the husband power over his own body, but the wife." It is not in the choice of either, whether to live with the other, or not. But they are bound in conscience so to do, and cannot refuse it without grievous sin. There may indeed be a separation for a time, if needful affairs require. But it is not lawful for either the man or the woman to leave the other totally or finally. 4. In this their society, two things are to be observed, that it may be sanctified and temperate. First, It must be sanctified, that is, made lawful and holy to them, by the word of God and prayer. The word of God clearly shows the lawfulness of it. For God has said expressly, "Marriage is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled." But let it also be sanctified, or made holy by prayer. Solemnly pray for the blessing of God upon his ordinance, not forgetting to return him particular thanks for his infinite goodness herein. That this is requisite none can deny, that will not deny the the authority of St. Paul. For he affirms, that marriage, as well as meat and drink, is sanctified by prayer and thanksgiving. As, therefore, it is a brutish profaneness for any man to sit down to his table, as a horse to the manger, without asking the blessing of God first, and to return from it as a fox from his prey, without praising him that gave him food and appetite; so it is great licentiousness for married persons to come together, as it were, brute beasts, without either prayer or thanksgiving. The hope of posterity, the stay of old age, the support of every man's house, the supply of the Church and Commonwealth, hang upon the fruit of marriage. Is it then more than needs, to ask the blessing of God in a thing of so great importance? Surely we should bring his curse upon us, were we either to forget it as needless, or despise it as ridiculous. Yea, whereas marriage is instituted in part, for the subduing inordinate desires, it cannot answer that end without God's blessing: which how can we expect, if we scorn to ask it? Certainly, the men that use marriage in a brutish manner, not seeing God therein, nor sanctifying it to themselves by these means, will thereby become more and more brutish. Wherefore let no man scoff at a duty plainly commanded by God: but let us learn to know the full efficacy of prayer, and to reap the fruit of it in all things. 5. It must, Secondly, be temperate. We are always to remember, God ordained marriage, chiefly for the increase of mankind, and not to kindle lustful desires, but to quench them. I confess, we |