of marriage or friendship, who converse so together here as those that shall live so eternally together in glory."1 The Christian husband, when he realizes these truths, cannot but honour his Christian partner; cannot but treat her with cordial respect, as one, equally with himself, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ; already blessed with many invaluable heavenly and spiritual blessings in Christ, standing in a most dignified relation to the great God our Saviour; already animated by his Spirit and adorned by his image, and destined to be one day perfectly like him, their common life, when he appears in his glory; when she becomes an inheritor of that blessed world where they "do not marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God."2 It is obvious this is a motive, which in its full force can be felt only by a Christian husband, in reference to his duty to a Christian wife. But it suggests strong reason to the Christian husband to do his duty, even in reference to an unconverted wife. She belongs to the race of which Christ is the Saviour. She is capable of becoming an heir of the grace of life; and her husband's discharge of conjugal duties, under the influence of the faith of the gospel, is well calculated to remove prejudice against vital Christianity; and in connexion with other means for her conversion, which Christian principle and conjugal love will induce him to employ, may very probably be blessed, to the joining them together in a union more intimate and sacred than even that of marriage; a union over which the severing stroke of death has no power. "How knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?"3 II.-MOTIVE ADDRESSED TO CHRISTIAN HUSBANDS TO THE Having thus shortly illustrated the two injunctions, with the appropriate motives by which they are respectively en 1 Leighton. 2 Matt. xxii. 30. 31 Cor. vii. 16. forced, let us, ere we close, shortly attend to the general consideration which bears equally on both these injunctions. Christian husbands are to dwell with their wives according to knowledge, and to give honour to them, that their prayers be not hindered. It is plainly taken for granted here, that Christians habitually engage in prayer. "The heirs of life," as Leighton says, "cannot live without prayer: none of them is dumb; they all speak." They all seek intercourse with their heavenly Father. Having the spirit of adoption, they cry, Abba, Father. They pray in secret; and when two of these heirs are brought together in the closest of human relations, they pray together, and a great deal of their improvement and happiness depends on these prayers together and apart. Any thing which hinders the latter materially interferes with the former. Now it is quite plain, that the neglect of conjugal duty on the part of the husband to the wife, is fitted to hinder both his own prayers and the prayers of his wife, and their common prayers. The temper that leads him to neglect his duty to his wife, unfits him for his duty to his God; and though human unkindness, even from our best human friend, should but lead us to go with greater alacrity to Him who is a Friend at all times, yet the jars and contentions of husband and wife, are in their own nature calculated so to embitter the spirit of both, as to unfit for prayer, which should always be presented with holy hands, and must be offered without wrath if it is to be offered without doubting. There seems a direct reference to family prayers. How can they be attended to at all, if the husband do not dwell with his wife? how can they be usefully attended to, if they dwell not together in unity? How are they likely to come to that agreement in reference to things which they ask, and the temper and disposition in which they ask them, which is so necessary to prayer serving its purpose either on their own minds, or as an appointed means of having our need supplied according to God's glorious fulness? If family prayers are hindered, what hope of family prosperity, in the 4 best sense of the words? and if conjugal duty is neglected, how can they but be hindered? They are in danger of being neglected, or disturbed, or discontinued. Let, then, Christian husbands, and wives too, guard against every thing which may hinder family prayer. Let their whole conduct toward each other look back and forward to the family altar. Let it be consistent with devotion, preparatory to it, indicative of its influence. Avoid whatever makes an introduction into the Divine presence less easy or less delightful. Keep open a passage wide enough to advance together to the throne of grace: go hand in hand. Agree touching the things which ye shall ask, and it shall be done for you of your Father in heaven.1 The passage before us is merely a particular application of a great general principle: the connexion between holy conduct and devotional exercises. They act and react on one another. The more conscientiously we perform our various duties, the more will we be disposed, for the more enjoyment will we find in, and the more advantages will we derive from our devotional exercises; and the more we engage in devotional exercises in a right spirit, the more will we be inclined and enabled, in all holy conversation and godliness, to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Calling on the name of the Lord and departing from iniquity are closely conjoined. To secure frequency, constancy, comfort in prayer, we must live holily; and, to secure our living holily, we must be "constant in prayer:" "praying always, with all prayer and supplication, in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance." Thus have I finished my illustrations of the Apostle's exposition and enforcement of conjugal duties. I conclude in the words of an honoured elder brother (Mr Jay), whom I have more than once referred to in the course of this discourse, and whose works generally I most cordially recom 1 Jay. mend as a family book: "Let all who stand in the marriage relation be willing to know and practise the duties which spring from it. Enter, my brethren and sisters, the temple of revelation, and bow before the Divine oracle. Say, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. Extract from the Scripture the mind of God concerning yourselves individually. Take home the words I have been explaining. Do not, ye husbands, take away the duties of the wife, nor, ye wives, the duties of the husband, but both of you respectively your own, and say-'O that my feet were directed to keep thy statutes: I have chosen the way of truth; thy judgments have I laid before me: Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way: I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments." DISCOURSE XV. DUTIES OF CHRISTIANS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR CIVIL AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS. 1 PET. iii. 8-17.-Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing. "LET not your good be evil spoken of," says the Apostle Paul to the Christians of Rome; and the injunction is equally applicable to, equally obligatory on, Christians of all countries and ages. The religion of Christians is emphatically their "good thing," their most precious treasure, their most valuable possession. Christianity, viewed not merely as exhibiting a perfect system of religious and moral truth, and prescribing a complete course of religious and moral discipline, but con |