The Christian doctrine on this point may be reduced to the following heads:-1. In times of great trouble and grievous persecutions, the followers of Christ should abstain from marriage, unless obliged thereto by particular and powerful reasons. Matthew xxiv. 19. 2. The faithful who mean to embrace the nuptial state should be careful on no account to connect themselves with any persons, except such as are remarkable for their seriousness and piety. 2 Cor. vi. 14. 3. If a man is married before he is converted, or if, being converted, he is deceived in choosing a woman whom he supposed to be pious, but discovers to be worldly, instead of separating himself from his wife in either of these cases, he is rather called to give all diligence in bringing her acquainted with the truth as it is in Jesus. 1 Cor. vii. 16. 4. Missionaries ought not to marry, unless there be an absolute necessity. 5. A bishop or resident pastor is usually called to the marriage state. 1 Tim. iii. 12; Titus i. 6. Lastly: a minister of the gospel who is able to live in a state of celibacy "for the kingdom of heaven's sake," that he may have no other care except that of preaching the gospel, and attending upon the members of Christ's mystical body, such a one is undoubtedly called to continue in a single state. For, having obtained the gift of continence, he is dispensed from carnally giving children to the church, because he begets her spiritual sons and daughters; and such a one, instead of being honoured as the head of a parti

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can do nothing but what he either directs or approves. conclude, that example having a greater influence than precept, the wife of a minister, if she is inclined to the world, will preach worldly compliance with more success by her conduct, than her husband can preach the renunciation of the world by the most solemn discourses. And the incredulity of the stumbled flock will always be the consequence of that unhappy inconsistency which is observable between the serious instructions of a well-disposed minister and the trifling conduct of a woman with whom he is so intimately connected. Nor are there wanting apostolic ordinances sufficient to support the exercise of this severe discipline: "Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things." Let the bishop or deacon be "one that ruleth well his own house, having his children," and every part of his family, "in subjection with all gravity; for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" 1 Tim. iii. 4, 5, 11.

cular household, should be counted worthy of double honour, as a spiritual father in his Lord's family. Matt xix. 12.

TRAIT XXX.

THE ARDOUR OF HIS LOVE.

THE passions are the springs by which we are usually actuated. Reason alone is too weak to put us in motion so often as duty requires; but when love, that sacred passion of the faithful, comes in to its assistance, we are then sweetly constrained to act in conformity to the various relations we sustain in civil and religious life. Thus the God of nature has rooted in the hearts of mothers a fond affection which keeps them anxiously attentive to the wants of their children; and thus the Spirit of God implants in the bosom of a good pastor that ardent charity which excites him to watch over his flock with the most affectionate and unwearied attention. The love of a father to his son, the attachment of a nurse to her foster-child, the tender affection of a mother to her infant, are so many emblems employed in the holy scriptures to set forth the sweetness and ardour of that Christian love which animates the true minister to the performance of his several duties. "You know," says St. Paul, "how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his childWe were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children; so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us." 1 Thess. ii. 7, 8, 11. "God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." Philip. i. 8. "Receive us, for ye are in our hearts to die and live with you." 2 Cor. vii. 2, 3. Worldly pastors can form no idea of that ardent charity which dictates such benevolent language, and accompanies it with actions which demonstrate its sincerity. This is one of those mysterious things which are perfectly incom

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prehensible to the natural man, and which frequently appear to him as the extremest folly. This fervent love improves us into new creatures, by the sweet influence it maintains over all our tempers; this holy passion deeply interests the faithful pastor in the concerns of his fellow-Christians, and teaches him to rejoice in the benefits they receive, as though his own prosperity was inseparably connected with theirs. "I thank my God," writes the great apostle to the benefactor of his brethren, "making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." Philemon 4-7. The sorrow and the joy of this zealous imitator of Christ were generally influenced by the varying states of the faithful. When any who had once run well were seen loitering by the way, or starting aside from the path of life, he expressed the most sincere affliction on their account:-there are some, "of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ." Phil. iii. 18. On the other hand, the progress of believers was as marrow to his bones, and as the balsam of life to his heart: "We are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong and this also we wish, even your perfection.” 2 Cor. xiii. 9. "My brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. Be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain." Philippians iv. 1 ; ii. 15, 16.

Reader, whoever thou art, permit me to ask thee one important question. Art thou acquainted with that ardent charity that influenced the apostle Paul? If his Christian love was like a rapid and deep river, is thine, at least, like a running stream whose waters fail not?

Do thy joys and thy sorrows flow in the same channel, and tend to the same point, as the sanctified passions of this benevolent man? Relate the chief causes of thy satisfaction and thy displeasure, and I will tell thee whether, like Demas, thou art a child of this present world, or a fellow-citizen of heaven, with St. Paul.*

TRAIT XXXI.

HIS GENEROUS FEARS AND SUCCEEDING CONSOLATIONS.

WHEN the church is threatened with a storm, the worldly pastor has no fears, except for himself and his relations; but the true minister, if he is at all disquieted with fear, when the Lord's vessel is driven with the winds, or appears to be in danger through the indiscreet conduct of false or unloving brethren, he feels much less for his own safety, than for the security of his companions in tribulation. He fears especially for the weak of the flock, and for those of the faithful who are exposed to violent temptation; and these generous fears, which equally prove his holy zeal and his brotherly love, without robbing him of all his joy, afford him frequent opportunities of exercising his faith, his resignation, and his hope. "We were troubled," saith St. Paul, 66 on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would." 2 Cor. vii. 5; xi. 3; xii. 20. "When we could no longer forbear, we sent Timothy to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith that no man should be moved by these afflictions for yourselves know that we are appointed there

Have you more joy when your preaching augments your income, than when you observe a wandering sheep conducted into the right way? Then conclude, that you preach more for mammon than for Christ.-M. ROQUES.

unto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before, that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain." 1 Thess. iii. 1-5.

Though these "fightings without," and these "fears within," are always painful to the flesh, yet they are as constantly beneficial to the soul. If they subject the true minister for a season to the keenest affliction, they prepare him in the end for “strong consolation." Observe the manner in which the great apostle expresses himself upon this point. “We would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will not yet deliver us." 2 Cor. i. 8-10. "I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Phil. i. 12-14. Hence, "we glory in tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom. v. 3-5. "Blessed be God, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ." 2 Cor. i. 3-5.

If those who are honoured with a commission to publish the gospel were fully convinced how gracious and