with some earthly good or evil in their lot, that it is very doubtful to themselves, whether 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,

And nothing long."

It would be easy (and as useless as easy) to depict these faults and defects. It would be still 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 may be, that we acknowledge, even to ourselves, what we really are. It is when confronted with the Image of Christ and the Image of the Heavenly, that we become alarmed at the "earthy" features of our own image. No light, but the

light of eternity, can expose our faults full 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 remem

brance," 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

10

MARTHA, AND THE

MARTHA..

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 encouragement. It would, therefore, be as unwise to make the star of His love disperse the 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.

THE VARIETIES OF

FEMALE PIETY.

No. I.

VARIETIES, FROM TIMIDITY.

You are familiar with the question,—“ Who hath despised the day of small things?" It 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 "an habitation of God through the Spirit." Now, whoever else may despise these incipient signs of conversion, God does not. Even when there is nothing but a penitent spirit, and whilst both