If a virtuous affection seems to be rising, be sure you instantly calculate on the age and temper, religious conduct, and probable ability of the man to maintain a family, before you suffer your mind to be carried away, lest your affections run headlong, and at length are taken advantage of, to the complete loss of your comfort. _Servants_, as well as others, are under peculiar obligation, to manifest a MEEK and QUIET SPIRIT—to follow, in their practice, Him who said, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” They will, therefore, submit to a few inconveniences, if, by so doing, they may be useful to their fellow-servants, by shewing a Christian spirit, and will consider daily, that _self-denial_, when our station may require it, is the _duty_ of all. Our Saviour has thus commanded us:—“_Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them._” This is a summary of the law and the prophets as to our conduct. It is a general rule, applicable in a thousand cases to persons in every situation. On its due observance by all the people of a house, each toward the other, depends the measure of comfort which may be attained in the present state. The _Rule_ is so _reasonable_, so _just_, and so _useful_, that the neglect of it shews the sad state of our fallen nature. Put yourself, for a moment, in the place of your master, mistress, or fellow-servants; and then judge what _you_ might fairly and justly expect from the servants in the same house. Were _you_ a mistress, you would expect all those duties to be discharged by _your_ servants, which we recommend, and consequently, the MISTRESS, whom you actually serve, justly expects these things from _you_. Where this mode of thinking and acting is adopted, it prevents many disputes—maintains peace in the house—or soon restores it, if, on some uncomfortable occasion, it happens to have been lost. None of us are without some failings. The best of people are very far from being, at all times, so good as they should be, therefore _good_ servants and _good_ employers will endeavour to put the best construction they can on each others conduct; and judge of each other rather by the _general behaviour_, than by any particular action.