SERMON I.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FEMALE SEX, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER PART.

1 TIM. ii. 8, 9, 10.

I u-that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

CAN a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride "her attire is the Almighty's question by the mouth of a prophet. Splendid attire and rich ornaments are in many places of scripture spoken of without censure, and in some with approbation. "The king's daughter," says the psalmist, "is "all glorious within:" he adds, "her clothing is "of wrought gold; she shall be brought into the "king in raiment of needle-work." The Virtuous Woman is in the proverbs applauded for "clothing "her household with scarlet, and herself with silk "and purple." The creator has poured unbounded beauty over his works. Witness the flowers of the field, celebrated by Our Saviour himself; witness the gems of the mine, mentioned in the Revelation of St. John, as employed to give additional lustre even to the New Jerusalem; witness, in general, all that wonderful colouring, and those fair proportions, that please the eye, and amuse

VOL. I.

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the imagination, with endless variety. Who can resist, who indeed ought to resist, the agreeable effect? Surely the Author of Nature does nothing in vain. He surely meant, that by beholding her with delight we might be led to copy her with care, and from contemplating the inferior orders of beauty rise to the admiration of that which is supreme.

As he has furnished infinite materials for the exercise and entertainment, no less than for the provision and accommodation of man; so has he inspired that genius, and supplied those powers, by which they are moulded into form, and heightened into splendour. In saying this we are warranted by revelation itself, where we are expressly told that," the spirit of the Lord filled Bezaleel, Aholiab," and others, "with wisdom, and understand"ing, and knowledge, to devise and work all man

ner of curious and cunning work of the carver "of wood, the cutter of stones, the jeweller, the engraver, the weaver, the embroiderer in blue and "in purple, in scarlet and in fine linen." What multitudes are daily employed and comfortably supported by these and such like ornamental arts, hardly any one is ignorant.

That works of ingenuity and elegance are particularly becoming in your sex, and that the study of them ought to enter into female education as much as possible, all, I think, are agreed. In fine, none but the most contracted, or the most prejudiced, will deny that women may avail themselves of

every decent attraction, that can lead to a state for which they are manifestly formed; and that, should they by any neglect of their persons render themselves less amiable than God has made them,

they would so far disappoint the design of their creation.

These considerations will, I apprehend, be thought more than sufficient to prove, that the passage of St. Paul which I have selected for my text is not to be understood strictly and absolutely, where it seems to condemn female ornament in general. It was common with the Hebrews to express comparative precepts in a positive manner, as might be shown from a number of texts. But you are not disposed to doubt it. What the is our apostle's meaning? I would exhort and even enjoin christian wonen, always to dress with decency and moderation; never to go beyol their circumstances, nor aspire above their station, so as to preclude or hinder works of mercy; not to value themselves on their dress, or despise othe more meanly habited; in short, never to spend too much time or thought on the ⚫ embellishment of the body; but always to prefer 'the graces of the mind, modesty, meekness, prudence, piety, with all virtuous and charitable oc'cupations, all beautiful and useful accomplishments suited to their rank and condition. These t are the chief ornaments of their sex; these will • render them truly lovely as Women; and as Christians, these will more peculiarly become them.' Such, I conceive, is the doctrine of this divine writer, and of his fellow apostle St. Peter on the same subject; and such, in substance, was the doctrine of some of the wisest heathens. Give me leave to quote one of them: "It is not "gold, nor emeralds, nor purple, but modesty, "gravity, and decent deportment, that can truly