class="gutindent">The woman who fears the Lord.

1.  Hates evil.  Prov. viii. 13.

2.  It is her moving principle, ‘all the day long.’  Prov. xxiii. 17.

3.  She is happy, though poor.  Prov. xv. 16.

4.  It is her confidence and refuge in trial.  Prov. xiv. 26.

5.  It is well with her.  Eccles. viii. 12.

II.  She shows her love to Christ, by her love to His people.  Verse 20.

Acts, ix. 36.  Heb. xiii. 16.

You need not be rich to be charitable.

The poorest may give.  2 Cor. viii. 2.

God looks not at the size, or value of the gift, but the motive from which it springs.  2 Cor. viii. 12.

The widow’s mite.  Mark, xii. 42, 44.

The cup of cold water.  Matt. x. 42; xxv. 35.

Nursing a sick neighbour.  1 Tim. v. 10.

IX.  THE EXCELLENT WOMAN.

Prov. xxxi.

Her Reward.

I.  Her children regard her with grateful love, and look back with thankfulness to her care and teaching.  Verse 28. e.g. Timothy, 2 Tim. i. 5, and David, Ps. lxxxvi. 16; cxvi. 16.

II.  Her husband confides in her, blesses her, honours her.  Verse 28.

Eph. v. 25, 31.  1 Pet. iii. 7.

III.  She reaps the fruit of her labours.  Verse 31.  Deut. iv. 40.  Prov. xx. 7; xxii. 6; xxix. 17.  2 John, 4.

IV.  She shall rejoice in time to come.  Verse 25.

Not only in this world (Ps. cxviii. 15), but in the life to come.

In the future kingdom, will not her children, for whom she prayed and laboured, be to her, as St. Paul says his spiritual children will be to him, ‘Her joy, her crown of rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?’  1 Thess. ii. 19.

Let this cheer the faint-hearted and discouraged Christian mother; she sows perhaps now with bitter tears, but she shall ‘reap in joy.’

X.  HOW TO SPEND SUNDAY.

‘Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.’

Mothers can effect much by domestic arrangement, and forethought.

I.  Make Saturday a ‘day of preparation.’  ‘Bake that which ye will bake to-day,’ &c.  Exod. xvi. 5, 23.  Mark, xv. 42.  Luke, xxiii. 54.

II.  Endeavour to make the Sunday

1.  A holy day.

Exod. xx. 10, 11.  Deut. v. 12.  Gen. ii. 3.

To sanctify, signifies to set apart for a holy purpose.  Thus in the New Testament the Sabbath is called ‘the Lord’s day.’  Rev. i. 10, because a day devoted to His service.

2.  A resting day.

Gen. ii. 3.  Lev. xxiii. 3.  Matt. xxiii. 56.

Called ‘the Sabbath of rest.’  Lev. xxiii. 3.  And ‘the rest of the holy Sabbath.’  Exod. xvi. 23.  Sabbath signifies rest, and heaven, of which it is a type, is called, ‘the keeping of a Sabbath.’  Heb. iv. 9.

3.  A happy day.

It is a gift, a privilege, not a task.

Exod. xvi. 29.  Isa. lviii. 13.

Not esteemed to be such, unless God’s service felt to be a delight.  Others say, ‘When will the Sabbath be gone?’  Amos, viii. 5.

Let there be no gloom in the home, but a cheerful sobriety.

4.  A profitable day.

Though rest, not idleness.  Children are always happiest when their minds are employed.

To profit pay great attention to Public Worship, Deut. xxxi. 12, 13.  Acts, xiii. 42; xvi. 13; xviii. 4.  Heb. x. 25.

Observe our Lord’s example.  Luke, iv. 16.

The Sunday School is a great help to the poor mother.

Cultivate religious occupation.  e.g.  Find texts—repeat hymns—sing hymns, &c.

III.  Observe the promise.

Isa. lvi. 2–7: lviii. 13, 14.

XI.  COMPANIONS.

I.  Danger of bad companions.

One bad companion corrupts many.  ‘A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.’  1 Cor. v. 6.

‘Evil communications corrupt good manners.’  1 Cor. xv. 33.

Eph. v. 11.  Prov. xxii. 24, 25.

You are warned in the Scriptures against making companions of:

1.  Fools.  Prov. xiii. 20.

2.  Riotous.  Prov. xxviii. 7.

3.  Thieves.  Isa. i. 23.

4.  Depraved.  Prov. xxix. 3.  1 Cor. v. 9.

5.  Irreligious.  2 Thess. iii. 14.  Jam. iv. 4.

If important for yourselves, doubly so for the young, unformed minds of your children.

II.  Form good friendships.

‘The friendship of the world is enmity with God.’  Jam. iv. 4.

David chose his friends from those who feared God.  Ps. cxix. 63.  Heb. x. 33.

III.  Observe three rules for the sake of your children, as well as yourselves.

1.  Never harbour bad guests.

Lodgers—workpeople.

2.  Never associate with the wicked, unless obliged to do so, or with a view to doing them good.

Even this needs caution.

3.  Remember, ‘A man is known by his friends.’

You and your children will be judged by the company you keep.

XII.  SLOTH.

I.  The command to be diligent is plain.  Rom. xii. 11.  2 Thess. iii. 10, 11.

II.  See the miserable results of sloth.

1.  It leads to tattling.  1 Tim. v. 13.

2.  Decay.  Eccles. x. 18.

3.  Difficulties.  Prov. xv. 19.

4.  Waste.  Prov. xviii. 9.

5.  Want.  Prov. xx. 4; xxiv. 30, 34.

III.  Contrast excellent woman (Prov. xxxi. 27) with the slothful person.  Prov. xix. 24; xxiv. 30; x. 26.

IV.  Learn a lesson from the ant for yourselves—for your children.  Prov. vi. 6, &c.

Give your children something to do.

Remember, they must be set to work, though it is often more trouble to you to teach them to do it, than to do it yourself—yet persevere.

V.  If not slothful in your temporal affairs, above all be not slothful concerning the salvation of your souls.

Heb. vi. 11, 12.  2 Pet. i. 10.

XIII.  THE WATCHFUL MOTHER.

No eye should be so wakeful and watchful as a mother’s.

I.  Watch over your children in infancy.

Exod. ii. 8.  1 Sam. i. 23.

It is described as next to impossible for a woman to forget her sucking child.  Isa. xlix. 15.

A well-watched infancy, under God’s blessing, avoids many future ills.

II.  Watch over your children’s education.