Matt. xxvi. 23, and John xiii. 25, 27,..... Commerce, B. The Tantoor, a female head-dress in Syria, 78 Image-worship, and invocation of saints, 77 78 Moral and religious state,.. C. On Tyre,.. 79 The Jews....... 81 84 85 87 91 96 P R E F A СЕ. THE author did hope, that this volume would have embraced the Varieties of Female Character, as well as of Female Piety, because character and piety are so identical. He has, however, found it impossible to trace the developement of both, under the name of Martha. "THE LYDIAS, or the Developement of Female Character," will, therefore, follow this volume, and complete the first section of the Closet Library. The author gratefully acknowledges, that he has not appealed in vain to the Mothers or the Daughters in British "Israel." INTRODUCTION. MARTHA AND THE MARTHAS. heavenly things have any real place in their affections. Others, again, have so much to contend with, either from temperament or condition, from trials or temptations, that they are almost the creatures of circumstances, and vary in their feelings with all the variations of their health or prosperity. They are "Every thing by turns, THE key to the second volume of the Lady's Closet Library, must be taken from the fact, that pious females, who have not exactly the spirit of Mary, are usually ranked with Martha. Indeed, they regard themselves as Marthas, and are somewhat doubtful whether they have really "chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from" them. It is, therefore, because these who are not very like Mary, class themselves, and are classed, with Martha, that I bring under her name, “The Varieties of Female Piety." Many of its varie-pict these faults and defects. It would be still ties are almost as unlike her, as she was unlike her sister but all of them, so far as they are occasioned by faults or defects of character and temper, require the same treatment which Martha received from Christ;-tenderness enough to prevent despair, and reproof enough to check presumption. It would be easy (and as useless as easy) to de yet set us to correct them willingly, at the same time. We may yield partly to human influence; but nothing less than Divine authority, and that only in its paternal spirit and eternal sanctions, can sway our inclinations. easier, and more useless, to condemn them. They can only be reproved with effect, by what can cure them effectually. Nothing but the remedy provided for them in the gospel, can bring home their sin or folly to the heart. It is only when we see, from the designs of grace, and from the character of glory, what we ought to be, and what we Martha's faults are not the only faults, which may be, that we acknowledge, even to ourselves, the Saviour rebukes and chastises, in all whom what we really are. It is when confronted with He loves. His object is, to have all his real disci- the image of Christ and the image of the Heaples conformed to His own image; and, therefore venly, that we become alarmed at the “ "earthy" he contends against whatever, in each of them, is features of our own image. No light, but the most unlike himself. Whatever had been the be-light of eternity, can expose our faults fully, and setting sin of Martha's character or spirit, his rebuke,-"Martha, Martha!" would have been equally pointed and unequivocal. It applies, therefore, to all those varieties of piety which, like hers, leave some doubt upon all minds (the possessors not excepted) of its present reality, or of its future issue. The rebuke bears directly, not indeed upon all imperfection, but upon all imprudence and oversight, negligence and self-will. Accordingly, it is applied to themselves, by many pious females, who never went Martha's lengths in ill-temper. There are meek and amiable women, who feel instinctively that they have more of Martha, than of Mary, in their character. Some of them, although not "cumbered about much serving," are yet so cumbered about something, that their hearts are almost divided between God and the world. Others, again, although not "careful and troubled about many things," are yet so absorbed with some earthly good or evil in their lot, that it is very doubtful to themselves, whether Convinced of all this by my own experience, and from the contact or correspondence into which my "GUIDES" have brought me with so many of the varieties of male and female piety, at home and abroad, I have not confronted the peculiarities of men and women "professing godliness;" nor contrasted the Marthas with the Marys; nor even compared the sexes: but have brought all the varieties of piety, to the one standard by which they will all be tried at last,—the image of Christ! And where there is not conscience enough to take lessons there-I certainly do not include such characters amongst the varieties of Christians. They vary too little from the world, to have any identity with the Church. In a word, I have nothing to say, in this volume, to any female |