and 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. 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 who is quite satisfied with her own piety, either as to its kind or degree. It is intended to encourage those who "stand in doubt" of themselves, and to " stir up, by way of remembrance," the "pure minds" of those who are doubted by others.

Such being my design, I have said little about Martha. I entertain no doubt of her piety. She presents, in her honest, although bustling, regard to the Saviour, a noble contrast to her nation, and to the mass of her sex. She was even more prompt than Mary, to meet Christ, when he came to Bethany on the death of Lazarus; and she was the first to whisper cautiously to her, (whom she had once, perhaps often, scolded,) "The Master is come, and calleth for thee." He had called for Mary; but he had not sent Martha with

his message. She, however, would not trust the tenderness or the prudence of any one, to break the good news to her weeping sister; but, the moment she saw that they were good news, away she ran, to prepare Mary for them, and to bring her to Jesus without fear or surprise. Thus Martha was as much delighted, on this occasion, to take her sister to the feet of Jesus, to hear his "gracious words," as she was once offended with her for sitting at his feet.

All this is highly creditable to her; and it explains, in some degree, why "Jesus loved Martha," as well as Mary. Still, I dare not take her piety out of the cloud, which the Saviour's rebuke,-" Martha, Martha !"-left upon it. That rebuke was as much intended for warning, as His continued love was for It would, therefore, be as un

encouragement.

wise to make the star of His love disperse the

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MARTHA, AND THE MARTHAS.

cloud of His reproof entirely, as it would be unfair to make the cloud eclipse the star, at all. They are equally over Martha's head, in her history; and, therefore, I dare not separate nor soften them; but must leave the star in all its brightness, and the cloud in all its darkness, to make their own impression upon every female, who is conscious of any thing which deserves the " 'Martha, Martha!" of the Saviour she loves, and desires to be loved by.

has been transferred, not unfairly nor unaptly, from the foundation-stone of the second temple in Jerusalem, to the first symptoms and marks of that " good work" of grace in the heart, by which we become living Temples, or

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an habitation of God through the Spirit."

Now, whoever else may despise these incipient signs of conversion, God does not. Even

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