tively; and the motives urging to the performance of these duties are two, first, that thus they might, probably, be the means of converting their heathen husbands; and, secondly, that thus they would follow the example of holy women in former ages. The duties of the husbands are, dwelling with their wives according to knowledge, and giving honour to them; and the motive urging to the performance of these duties are three: first, that the wife is 'the weaker vessel;' secondly, that their wives, as Christians, are, equally with themselves, heirs of the grace of life; and thirdly, that an opposite mode of conduct would hinder their prayers. Let us attend, then, in their order, to these statements and enforcements of the conjugal duties.

PART I.

1. THE DUTIES OF CHRISTIAN WIVES.

"Likewise ye

And first, of the duties of wives. Their duty is thus stated and enforced, in the first six verses. wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; when they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear: whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord: whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement."

§ 1. Subjection.

The first duty of Christian wives, mentioned by the Apostle, is SUBJECTION. "Be in subjection to your own

VOL. II.

H

husbands." The Apostle Paul enjoins the same duty in similar terms: "Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord: Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as is fit in the Lord;" and he commands Titus, in "speaking the things that become sound doctrine,” to exhort "that the aged women teach the young women to be obedient to their own husbands." I believe, that in the conjugal relation, matters are best managed when there is little display, or assertion of superiority, or rule, on the part of the husband, but where the spouses "submit themselves one to another, in the fear of God." There can, however, be no doubt, that God, both as the God of nature, and the God of revelation, has distinctly indicated that the rule of the domestic society is vested in the husband. Hear the declarations of Scripture: "Adam was first formed, and then Eve. The man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. The man was not created for the woman, but The Lord said, it is not good for man to be alone, I will make him a helpmeet for him. The man is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man." Even in a state of innocence the husband had rule; and after the introduction of sin, of which the Apostle gives this account, "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, was in the transgression," the Divine will was then declared: "And to the woman he said, Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."3

the woman for the man.

This appointment is in entire concurrence with sound reason and true expediency. "In all communities, if there is to be order and peace, there must be rule. There can be no happiness without peace, no peace without order, no order without subordination, no subordination without subjection. Perpetual strife would arise from equality, or contested superiority." To secure the advantages of society in all its forms, authority must be established, and submission

1 Eph. v. 22. Col. iii. 18. Tit. ii. 5.

2 Eph. v. 21.

31 Tim. ii. 13. 1 Cor. xi. 7-9. Gen. ii. 23. Tim, ii. 14. Gen. iii. 16.

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enjoined. The only question in such a case is, where should the authority be lodged? And in the case of the domestic society it would seem that the question admitted only of one

answer.

1

The subjection of the wife is extensive, but by no means unlimited. It is subjection "in the Lord;" such a subjection as becomes a Christian woman who feels her own responsibilities to the One Master in heaven. "His authority is primitive, and binds fast;" as Leighton says, "All Christians have their patents and privileges from him. He therefore is supremely and absolutely to be obeyed by all.” Besides, "it is not the submission of slaves to their master, or of subjects to their sovereign, or of children to their father. It is a subjection that has more of equality in it, accords with the idea of a helper, a companion and a friend; springs originally from choice, and is acquiesced in for the sake of propriety and advantage." It has been very justly remarked, "Whatever bitterness there is in this subjection arises from the corruption of nature in both parties: in the wife a perverse desire rather to command, or at least a repining disinclination to obey; and this increased by the disorder and imprudence and harshness of the husband in the use of his authority. But in a Christian woman, the conscience of divine authority, will carry it, and weigh down all difficulties, for the wife considers her station. She is set in it; it is the rank the Lord's hand has placed her in, and therefore she will not break it. Out of respect and love to him, she can digest much frowardness of a husband, and make her patient subjection an offering to God. 'Lord I offer this to thee. For thy sake I humbly bear it.'"2

It is a happy thing when the personal excellence of a husband makes submission a compliance with inclination; but a Christian woman, even when her husband is not so wise or reasonable in his requisitions and arrangements as she could wish, yet, because by God's providence, he is her

own husband, and God's command is to be subject to her own husband, she is subject to the marital authority, not only "for wrath, but for conscience sake." Such conduct is acceptable to God, and generally draws down tokens of his approbation. By following this course, many a woman has spent a life of respectability and usefulness, who, by acting otherwise, would neither have been respectable nor useful; and many a family has been a scene of order and peace, where otherwise there would have been nothing but confusion and every evil work. Besides, it is the submissive wife who generally gets most of her own will.'

§ 2.-" Chaste conversation coupled with fear."

The second duty of Christian wives, mentioned by the Apostle, is "chaste conversation coupled with fear." Conversation here, and uniformly in the Scriptures, does not signify mutual talk, colloquial intercourse, familiar discourse, but habitual conduct, manner of life. Chaste conversation means much more than abstinence from gross vice, direct violation of the seventh commandment; actual infraction of the marriage covenant. Indeed such things were not even to be named among Christians. The reference is rather to an avoidance of every thing that has even the appearance of an approximation, to the indulgence or display of sentiments and feelings, inconsistent with that purity of mind, that chastity of heart, which the Christian law requires. There is, as has been justly observed, an audacity of countenance, a boldness of look, a levity of discourse, a freedom of manners, a forwardness of behaviour, a challenging, obtrusive, advancing air, very unbecoming the sacred decorum which should mark the character of Christian females. Their conduct must be such as to awe the licentious and keep them at a distance; and their language must be free of all foolish talking and jesting, which is not convenient, does not suit with their character and profession, as holy women. "Diffi

1 Casta ad virum matrona parendo imperat.-PUBLIUS SYRUS.

dence, the blushings of reserve, the tremulous retiring of modesty; the sensation that comes from the union of innocence and danger; the prudence which keeps far from the limits of permission; the instructive vigilance which discerns danger afar off; the caution which never allows the enemy to approach near enough, even to reconnoitre,"1—all this, which virtuous women understand far better than any man can describe it to them, is included in chaste conversation.

This "chaste conversation" is to be "coupled with fear.” Some suppose that fear here is respect to their husbands; others that it is that timidity which I have just noticed. I rather think that here, as at the 18th verse of the preceding chapter, "fear" is the fear of God, reverence for the divine authority, fear of the divine displeasure. Their chastity, like all their virtues, was to have a religious character, to be based on faith, and sustained and nourished by those principles which naturally spring from faith of the truth respecting the divine character. Genuine religion is the grand security of all the virtues; and it was of importance that these Christian wives of heathen husbands should make it plain that their chaste behaviour, which their husbands could not but appreciate, was the result of that religion which they neglected or opposed.

§ 3. The adorning themselves with inward ornaments. The third duty enjoined on Christian wives refers to the manner in which they were to adorn themselves: "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel ;2 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." The love of ornament belongs to the species; but it is a prin

1 Jay.

* Ενδυσις ιματίων. Lyra gives an odd reason for the use of the plural here:"Solent enim feminæ TOT induere vestes, TOTQUE tunicis, peplis, palliis, iisque sericis, byssinis, preciosis et sumptuosis se ornare ut unius ornatus, multis feminis sufficere possit."