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of life, and the soul be put in full possession of its joy!

But should these delightful seasons of communion with the Father of mercies be secured from interruption; with what reluctance must the christian quit her peaceful solitude to enter the house divided against itself!-where nothing of God, or that savours of religion, can meet the smile of approbation—where the sneer of contempt is perpetually grieving the heart, or the sullen frown checking that social intercourse which was graciously intended as the balm of domestic life.

But the infelicity peculiar to such marriages is not merely personal: it frequently extends to every branch of the family; and if there be children, the believing wife will find her troubles rapidly increase. New difficulties will occur respecting domestic duties, and also respecting some branches of instruction supposed necessary to complete the modern system of education. Her views of both will be different, and

:

in some things opposite to those of her husband and in matters of religion this difference will be greatly augmented. Every attempt to impress the tender mind with the worth of divine things, may be thought ill-timed or improper or may be soon effaced by those amusements and vanities which he may consider as perfectly innocent, and a part of his duty to make them participate. This disagreement concerning the same things, will be easily perceived by the children; and respecting those denominated worldly pleasures, you might in vain solicit attention to arguments designed to enforce restraint; for restraint, in their view, must repress desire and preclude enjoyment: but it would be perfectly natural for them to concur with the wishes of their father without hesitancy; because those wishes would correspond with that love of terrestrial delights, the possession of which both old and young, rich and poor, too frequently regard as the completion of happiness.

That children need nothing to counteract pious endeavours to promote their everlasting

welfare, I will not attempt to prove. You must be convinced, that to effect even an appearance of virtue, is a task of great labour-a task which, when faithfully performed, is frequently performed in vain: and if this be acknowledged, as I think it must; what success can be reasonably expected in attempting to impress the mind with the worth of divine truth, when jarring opinions are formed of its importance and its use; and when the pupil must discover that the precepts as well as the examples of his tutors are perpetually at variance!

But, to enumerate the trials to which a child of God may be exposed in such a connexion, would be endless. They are, besides, of such magnitude and so various, as to make it matter of astonishment that a real saint should ever think of happiness where the prospect of misery is so abundantly greater: not to mention the flagrant violation of a divine precept-of positive law in this case provided.

I am, &c.

LETTER III.

'To grasp at happiness is all our view,
Through diff'rent tracks her footsteps we pursue;
While each his own fallacious path approves,
As int'rest leads, or inclination moves :
Yet most through error lose the wish'd-for way,
Who sets out wrong must wander far astray.”

NOT

OTWITHSTANDING what has been said in the preceding letters, you urge, That reciprocal esteem and affection are essential to happiness; and that you cannot meet with a person, in the circle of your religious connexions, with whom you can promise yourself the enjoyment of felicity. Strange indeed! that among the many thousands of God's Israel, there should not be one whose person and accomplishments can find access to your heart!

It is not, says an elegant writer, often difficult to find a suitable companion, if every man would be content with such as he is qualified

to please. But if vanity tempts him to forsake his rank, and post himself among those with whom no common interest or mutual pleasure can ever unite him, he must always live in a state of unsocial separation, without tenderness and without trust.'

Suppose, however, you were to leave the church and return to the world; are you certain that the difficulty would be entirely removed? The number of individuals, it is true, would be greater; for in a detached view, the flock of Christ ever was, and still continues to be comparatively small. But it is possible, even among men of the world, that the object of desire might feel no reciprocal attachment, and could therefore never be enjoyed: and you would attempt in vain to sooth the sorrows of disappointment by the remembrance of there yet being unbounded diversity of choice; because no positive assurance could be obtained that the man would solicit attention, who was, in all respects, what capricious fancy might denominate the standard of excellence.