,female ,scripture ,biography3          
,including an ,essay on ,what           
,christianity ,has ,done for ,women4    
,by ,francis ,augustus ,cox1 ,a4,m4     
,it is a necessary charity to the       
7female7 sex to acquaint them with their
 own value1 to animate them to some     
higher thoughts of themselves1 not to   
yield their suffrage to those injurious 
estimates the world hath made of them1  
and from a supposed incapacity of noble 
things1 to neglect the pursuit of them1 
from which ,god and nature have no more 
precluded the feminine than the         
masculine part of mankind4  ,the        
,ladies' ,calling1 ,pref4    ,,vol4     
,,ii4  ,,boston3 ,,lincoln  ,,edmands4  
#ahca4     ,contents of ,vol4 ,i4       
,essay   ,the ,virgin ,mary--,chapter   
,i4  ,section ,i4    ,congratulation of 
the angel ,gabriel--advantages of the   
,christian   dispensation--,eve and     
,mary compared--state of ,mary's family 
at the   incarnation--she receives an   
angelic visit--his promise to her of a  

son1   and prediction of his future     
greatness--,mary goes to ,elizabeth1    
their   meeting--,mary's holy enthusiasm
 and remarkable language--,joseph       
informed   of the miraculous conception 
by an angel--general remarks  ,section  
,,ii4    ,nothing happens by            
chance--dispensations preparatory to the
 coming of   ,christ--prophecy of ,micah
 accomplished by means of the decree of 
,augustus--,mary supernaturally         
strengthened to attend upon her new-born
   infant--visit of the shepherds       
,mary's reflections--circumcision of the
   child--taken to the temple--,simeon's
 rapture and prediction--visit and      
offerings of the ,arabian               
philosophers--general considerations    
,section ,,iii4    ,the flight into     
,egypt--,herod's cruel proceedings and  
death--,mary goes to   ,jerusalem with  
,joseph--on their return their ,child is
 missing--they find   him among the     
doctors--he returns with them1 the feast
 of ,cana--,christ's   treatment of his 

mother when she desired to speak to     
him--her behaviour   at the             
crucifixion--she is committed to the    
care of ,john--valuable   lessons to be 
derived from this touching scene        
,section ,,iv4    ,brief account of the 
extravagant regard which has been paid  
to the   ,virgin ,mary at different     
periods--the names by which she has been
   addressed1 and the festivals         
instituted to honour her memory--general
   remarks on the nature and character  
of superstition1 particularly that   of 
the ,catholics   ,elizabeth--,chapter   
,,ii4    ,the angelic appearance to     
,zacharias--birth of ,john characters of
   ,elizabeth and ,zacharias--importance
 of domestic union being founded on     
religion1 shown in them--their venerable
 age--the characteristic   features of  
their piety--the happiness of a life    
like theirs--the effect   it is         
calculated to produce on others--the    
perpetuation of holy   friendship       
through immortal ages--the miserable    

condition of the   irreligious          
,anna--,chapter ,,iii4    ,introduction 
of ,anna into the sacred story--inspired
 description of   her--the aged apt to  
be unduly attached to life--,anna       
probably religious   at an early        
period--,religion the most substantial  
support amidst the   infirmities of     
age--the most effectual guard against   
its vices--and the   best preparation   
for its end   ,the ,woman of            
,samaria--,chapter ,,iv4    ,account of 
,christ's journey through ,samaria--he  
arrives at ,jacob's   well--enters into 
conversation with a woman of the        
country--her   misapprehensions--the    
discovery of his character to her as a  
prophet her   convictions--her admission
 of his claim as the true ,messiah1     
which she   reports in the city--the    
great and good effect--reflections      
,the ,woman ,who ,was a                 
,sinner--,chapter ,v4    ,jesus and     
,john contrasted--the former goes to    
dine at the house of a   ,pharisee--a   

notorious woman introduces herself1 and 
weeps at his   feet--remarks on true    
repentance and faith1 as exemplified in 
her   conduct--surmises of ,simon the   
,pharisee--the answer of ,jesus the     
woman   assured of                      
forgiveness--instructions deducible from
 the parable   ,the                     
,syrophenician--,chapter ,,vi4          
,introductory observations--,christ     
could not be concealed the              
,syrophenician woman goes to him on     
account of her daughter--her            
humility--earnestness--faith--the       
silence of ,christ upon her application 
to him--the disciples repulsed--the     
woman's renewed importunity--the        
apparent scorn with which it is         
treated--her admission of the           
contemptuous insinuation--her           
persevering ardour--her ultimate        
success--the necessity of being         
importunate in prayer--remarks on the   
woman's national character--present     
state of the ,jews3 the hope of their   

final restoration1   ,martha and        
,mary--,chapter ,,vii4    ,bethany      
distinguished as the residence of a     
pious family1 which   consisted of      
,lazarus and his two sisters--their     
diversity of   character--the faults of 
,martha1 domestic vanity and fretfulness
 of   temper--her counterbalancing      
excellencies--,mary's choice and        
,christ's   commendation--decease of    
,lazarus--his restoration to life at the
 voice   of ,jesus--remarks on death    
being inflicted upon the people of ,god 
as   well as others--the triumph which  
,christianity affords over this         
terrible evil--account of ,mary's       
annointing the feet of ,jesus1 and his  
vindication of her conduct1   ,the ,poor
 ,widow--,chapter ,,viii4    ,account of
 ,christ's sitting over against the     
treasury--he particularly   notices the 
conduct of an obscure individual--she   
casts in two mites--it   is to be viewed
 as a religious offering--the ground on 
which it is   eulogized by ,christ--the 

example honorable to the female         
sex--people   charitable from different 
motives--two reasons which might have   
been   pleaded as an apology for        
withholding this donation she was poor  
and a   widow--her pious liberality     
notwithstanding--all have something to  
give--the most trifling sum of          
importance--the habit of bestowing in   
pious charity beneficial motives to     
gratitude deduced from the              
wretchedness of others1 the promises of 
,god1 and the cross of ,jesus1          
,sapphira--,chapter ,,ix4    ,mixed     
constitution of the church of           
,christ--benevolent spirit of the       
primitive believers at                  
,jerusalem--anxiety of ,ananias and     
,sapphira to   appear as zealous and    
liberal as others--,ananias repairs to  
the apostles   to deposit the price of  
his possessions--is detected in         
deception and   dies--similar deceit and
 death of ,sapphira--nature and progress
 of   apostasy--peculiar guilt of       

,sapphira--agency of ,satan distinctly  
marked--diabolical influence            
ascertained--consolatory sentiments     
suggested to ,christians1               
,dorcas--,chapter ,x4    ,joppa         
illustrious on many accounts1           
particularly as the residence of        
,dorcas--she was a disciple of          
,christ--faith described as the         
principle   of discipleship--the        
inspired testimony to the character of  
,dorcas--she   was probably a widow or  
an aged maiden--remarks on reproaches   
commonly   cast upon the latter class of
 women--,dorcas exhibited as a pattern  
of   liberality1 being prompt in the    
relief she afforded--her charities      
abundant--and personally bestowed3      
observations on the propriety of        
visiting the poor--the charities of     
,dorcas often free and                  
unsolicited--wise and conducted upon a  
plan--the pretences of the              
uncharitable stated and confuted--riches
 only valuable as they are used   in    

bountiful distribution1                 
,lydia--,chapter ,,xi4    ,account of   
,paul and his companions meeting with   
,lydia by the river-side   at           
,philippi--the impression produced upon 
her heart by the preaching of           
,paul--the remarks on conversion1 as    
exemplified in the case of this         
disciple--its seat the heart--its       
accomplishment the result of divine     
agency--the manner of it noticed3 the   
effects of a divine influence upon   the
 human mind1 namely1 attention to the   
word of ,god and the ordinances   of the
 ,gospel1 and affectionate regard to the
 servants of   ,christ--remarks on the  
paucity of real ,christians--the        
multiplying power   of                  
,christianity--its present state in     
,britain--efforts of the   ,bible       
,society      ,female ,scripture        
,biography  ,vol4 ,,ii     ,the ,virgin 
,mary4  ,chapter ,i4   ,section ,i4     
,congratulation of the ,angel           
,gabriel--,advantages of the ,christian 

,dispensation--,eve and ,mary           
compared--,state of ,mary's ,family at  
the   ,incarnation--she receives an     
angelic ,visit--his ,promise to her of a
 ,son1   and ,prediction of his future  
,greatness--,mary goes to               
,elizabeth--their   ,meeting--,mary's   
holy ,enthusiasm and remarkable         
,language--,joseph informed   of the    
miraculous ,conception by an            
,angel--general ,remarks4   ,,hail1     
,,thou ,,that ,,art ,,highly ,,favoured1
 ,,the ,,lord ,,is ,,with ,,thee6       
,,blessed ,,art ,,thou ,,among ,,women6 
,such was the congratulatory language in
 which the commissioned angel addressed 
the virgin of ,nazareth1 when about to  
announce the intention of ,heaven1 that 
she should become the mother of ,jesus2 
and such the strain which we cannot help
 feeling disposed to adopt1 while       
recording her illustrious name1 and     
contemplating this wonderful            
transaction4  ,on ,mary devolved the    
blessing which the most pious of women  

had for a long succession of ages so    
eagerly desired1 and which had often    
created such an impatience for the birth
 of children1 in some of whom they      
indulged the sublime hope of seeing the 
promised ,messiah4 ,in her offspring was
 accomplished the long series of        
prophecy which commenced even at the    
moment when the justice of ,god         
pronounced a sentence of condemnation   
upon rebellious man2 and which1 like a  
bright track extending through the moral
 night1 and shining amidst the typical  
shadows of the ,mosaic dispensation1    
fixed the attention of patriarchs1 and  
prophets1 and saints1 for four thousand 
years3--and upon this otherwise obscure 
and insignificant female beamed the     
first ray of that evangelical morning   
which rose upon the world with such     
blissful radiance1 and is increasing to 
the perfect day4  ,infidels may         
contemplate the manifestation with      
unholy ridicule or vain indifference2   
but we will neither consent to renounce 

the evidence afforded to the historic   
fact1 nor cease to celebrate the        
mysterious miracle4 ,we will unite with 
the impassioned angel1 at least in the  
sentiment and spirit of his address2 and
 join the high praises of the midnight  
anthem1 sung by descending spirits in   
the fields of ,bethlehem3 ,,glory ,,to  
,,god ,,in ,,the ,,highest1 ,,and ,,on  
,,earth ,,peace1 ,,good ,,will ,,towards
 ,,men6  ,in the course of ,scripture   
history1 we are now advanced to that    
period which the apostle emphatically   
denominates the last days1 in which     
,god1 who at sundry times and in divers 
manners1 spake in time past1 unto the   
fathers by the prophets1 speaks to us by
 his ,son1 whom he hath appointed heir  
of all things1 by whom also he made the 
worlds4 ,let us hear his voice1 admit   
his claims1 and bow to his dictates4 ,as
 truth arises upon us with greater      
splendour1 we shall find that character 
is formed to greater maturity under the 
immediate influence of the ministration 

of righteousness which exceeds in glory4
 ,by the unparalleled transactions of   
this age we shall see the whole energy  
of the human mind drawn forth1 and      
furnished with ample scope for exercise2
 all the faculties become ennobled and  
purified2 and the female sex especially1
 from the days of ,elizabeth and ,mary  
to the close of the sacred record1      
becomes marked with a holy singularity4 
,by the starlight of the former         
dispensation1 we have discovered many   
women of superior excellence1 availing  
themselves of all the means they        
enjoyed1 and presenting a pre-eminence  
of character proportioned to their      
comparatively few advantages and        
imperfect revelation2 but amidst the    
splendours of the ,sun of ,righteousness
 we shall witness1 in the females who   
adorned this new era1 a greater         
elevation of mind and advancement in    
knowledge4  ,still it must be           
recollected1 that the day only dawned1  
the shadows were not at first entirely  

dispersed2 and although the favoured    
inhabitants of ,judea and its vicinity  
saw the age of ,christ1 not like        
,abraham1 afar off1 but in its          
commencing glory1 their prejudices and  
prepossessions did but slowly melt away4
 ,some degree of dimness remained upon  
the moral sight2 and we are called to   
observe1 not so much the accuracy of    
their conceptions as the fervour of     
their love4  ,the two most extraordinary
 women that ever appeared in this world 
were unquestionably ,,eve1 the mother of
 all living1 and ,,mary1 the mother of  
,jesus ,christ4 ,they occupied          
respectively the highest stations and   
the most critical points of time that   
ever fell to the lot of mortals2 and    
they exhibit an instructive contrast4   
,,eve lived at the beginning1 and ,,mary
 at the fulness of time4--,,eve saw the 
glories of the new made world after     
creative ,wisdom had pronounced it all  
very good1 and before sin had tarnished 
its beauty and disarranged its          

harmonies4--,,mary beheld it rising from
 the ruins of the fall1 at the moment of
 its renovation and in the dawn of its  
happiest day4--,,eve was placed in the  
most glorious and conspicuous situation1
 and fell into a state of meanness and  
degradation4--,,mary was of obscure     
origin and lowly station1 but was       
raised1 by a signal appointment of      
,providence1 to the highest             
eminence4--,,eve was accessary to the   
ruin of man--,,mary instrumental in the 
birth of him who came as the ,restorer  
and ,saviour of mankind--,,eve beheld   
the fatal curse first take effect1 in   
overcasting the heavens with clouds1 in 
withering the blossoms of paradise1     
envenoming the spirit of the animal     
creation1 disordering the human frame1  
and ultimately destroying it1 and       
introducing all the nameless diversities
 of wo which fill up the tragedy of     
human life4--,,mary witnessed the       
beginning of that long series of        
blessings which divine love has for ages

 dispensed to man through the redemption
 that is in ,christ ,jesus1 and which   
will eventually replenish the cup of    
existence with unmingled sweetness and  
perfect joy4--,,eve witnessed1 with a   
trembling consciousness of guilt1 the   
awful descent of those mighty cherubims1
 and a flaming sword which turned every 
way1 to keep the way of the tree of     
life1 and which were placed at the east 
end of the garden of ,eden4 ,,mary1 with
 feelings of ecstatic rapture1 beheld   
the angel ,gabriel standing before her1 
with the smiles of heaven upon his      
countenance1 heard his benedictions1 and
 held communion sweet with the holy     
messenger4 ,wretched1 wretched ,eve6    
,happy1 happy ,,mary6  ,the ,jews have  
been always celebrated for their care in
 preserving their genealogies3 in       
consequence of which it providentially  
happened1 that the evangelists were able
 from their own authenticated records1  
to verify the ancient predictions of the
 birth of ,jesus ,christ4 ,two of the   

inspired historians have given a        
statement of his ancestry2 the one      
tracing it from ,abraham1 and the other 
ascending to ,adam2 the one pursuing the
 line of ,joseph1 his reputed father1   
the other the line of ,mary1 his real   
mother2 both concurring in the most     
decisive evidence of his being the ,son 
of ,david and of ,abraham1 and the true 
,messiah of the prophets4 #a  ,although 
in her distant ancestry ,mary may justly
 be considered as of an illustrious     
descent1 yet at the period of the       
incarnation1 this family was in a very  
reduced state3 the genealogical tree of 
,david was cut down to its very roots1  
when the ancient prediction was         
accomplished respecting that great      
,personage who is represented as a      
slender twig shooting out from the trunk
 of an old tree1 cut down1 lopped to the
 very root1 and decayed2 which tender   
plant1 so weak in appearance1 should    
nevertheless become fruitful and        
prosper4    ,but there shall spring     

forth from the trunk of ,jesse1   ,and a
 cion from his roots shall become       
fruitful4   ,and the spirit of ,,jehovah
 shall rest upon him3   ,the spirit of  
wisdom and understanding1   ,the spirit 
of counsel and strength1   ,the spirit  
of knowledge1 and the fear of ,,jehovah4
 #b  ,but vain is the boast of heraldry4
 ,it can avail nothing to elevate an    
insignificant character to eminence1 or 
screen a guilty one from contempt4 ,the 
evangelists have not recorded the       
lineage of ,joseph and of ,mary for the 
purpose of emblazoning their names1 but 
solely to authenticate the prophetic    
declarations respecting ,christ1 to be  
connected with whom is real honour and  
solid glory4 ,of past generations1 how  
many names1 great in human estimation1  
have descended into oblivion1 while     
those only will obtain an imperishable  
memorial1 who are written in the ,lamb's
 book of life4  ,it must ever be deemed 
a noble distinction to have stood       
related to ,christ according to the     

flesh2 more so than to have been the    
sons and daughters of the mighty princes
 of mankind3 but to have been his       
,,mother was the sole honour of one     
happy female2 still1 however1 less happy
 on this account1 than because of the   
genuine humility with which she adorned 
her lowly sphere1 and the lively faith  
with which she recognized the character 
of her ,son4  ,in reference to the      
genealogical tables of ,matthew and     
,luke1 it has been admirably remarked1  
,we observe among these ancestors of    
,christ1 some that were heathens2 and   
others that1 on different accounts1 were
 of infamous character3 and perhaps it  
might be the design of ,providence that 
we should learn from it1 or at least    
should on reading it take occasion to   
reflect1 that persons of all nations1   
and even the chief of sinners amongst   
them1 are encouraged to trust in him as 
their ,saviour4 ,to him1 therefore1 let 
us look even from the ends of the earth2
 yea1 from the depths of guilt and      

distress2 and the consequence will be   
happy beyond all expression or          
conception4 #c  ,in the apostolic       
epistle to the ,hebrews1 it is intimated
 as a fact1 of pleasing notoriety1 in   
the history of the church of ,god1 that 
angels are ministering spirits1 sent    
forth to minister for them who shall be 
heirs of salvation4 ,when appointed by  
the great ,supreme to this service1 they
 usually adopted a human form and       
appearance1 probably for the purpose of 
securing that degree of familiarity     
which the nature of their communications
 required1 and which a more splendid    
manifestation would have precluded2 in  
the scriptural accounts1 however1 of    
these remarkable visits to eminent      
saints in early ages1 whether they      
appeared in numbers1 as to ,abraham1 or 
individually1 as on other occasions1 no 
distinct mention is made of their names 
or order4 ,but to impress a character of
 majesty and dignity upon the message1  
and upon all the circumstances of the   

divine communication to ,mary1 when an  
angel is commissioned to announce that  
she was selected by the wonderful       
providence of ,god as the mother of the 
,messiah1 the name of the celestial     
messenger is recorded by the evangelist 
in a marked and solemn manner4 ,it was  
the angel ,,gabriel #d one1 as we may   
infer1 of the highest order of those    
intelligences that circle the throne    
rejoicing2 and the same glorious spirit 
who so many ages before had been sent to
 ,daniel1 to specify1 in a prophetic    
enigma1 the time of ,,messiah ,,the     
,,prince1 which he now came to announce 
as having actually arrived4  ,never did 
even an angel before convey so important
 a message1 or descend to this earth    
with such rapturous sensations4 ,it must
 ever1 indeed1 be considered the        
felicity of an angel1 as well as of a   
man1 to do the will of ,god1 whether    
this obedience involve personal         
difficulty1 or be accompanied with      
circumstances of peculiar delight4 ,it  

must have afforded satisfaction to the  
mighty spirit who was despatched from   
heaven to eject the first parents of our
 race from the bowers of ,eden1 and to  
stretch his flaming sword across the    
path of access to the tree of life1 as  
well as to that favoured angel who now  
hastened to the cottage of the virgin of
 ,nazareth2 because each was            
accomplishing a purpose in which he knew
 that the divine perfections were       
pre-eminently displayed2 but as1 in     
executing the will of ,god1 the holiest 
of men must necessarily experience a    
different kind and degree of            
satisfaction1 according to the nature of
 the service itself to which they are   
called2 and as we have scriptural       
evidence that the inhabitants of the    
invisible world have peculiar sensations
 when sinners of the fallen race are    
converted to ,god2 it is not surely an  
inadmissible sentiment1 that1 as never  
spirit was honoured before with such a  
message1 ,gabriel must have felt unusual

 joy upon announcing the incarnation of 
the ,son of ,god4 ,his very language    
expresses it4 ,his address is full of   
pathos and congratulation4 ,it breathes 
angelic rapture4 ,with it we commenced  
this subject1 and in some measure       
participating the bliss1 we cite it     
again3 ,hail1 thou that art highly      
favoured1 the ,lord is with thee6       
,blessed art thou among women6  ,there  
is nothing in the narrative to induce us
 to think that the angel assumed any    
extraordinary splendour of appearance on
 this occasion2 and judging from the    
usual mode in which blessed spirits     
visited the sons of men in former times1
 as well as from a consideration of the 
tender age and lowly station of ,mary1  
it is probable that he entered the room 
where she was1 as an ordinary stranger4 
,it is besides stated1 that she was     
troubled at his saying1 not at his      
appearance4  ,this salutation excited in
 the virgin's breast a sensation of     
astonishment mingled with apprehension4 

,among the ,jews it was not lawful for a
 man to use any salutation to a woman1  
not even by a messenger1 or her own     
husband2 in addition to which1 the      
panegyrical and congratulatory terms in 
which she was addressed1 might well lead
 her to cast in her mind what manner of 
salutation this should be4  ,the        
benevolent messenger at once relieved   
her from the embarrassment into which he
 perceived she had been thrown1 by      
familiarly calling her by name1 renewing
 the solemn assurances of divine favour1
 and predicting the future glory of that
 illustrious ,son whom she should bear1 
and whose description1 being1 like all  
the ,jews1 well instructed in the       
prophetic ,scriptures1 she would        
immediately recognize4 ,these were his  
remarkable words3 ,fear not1 ,mary2 for 
thou hast found favour with ,god4 ,and1 
behold1 thou shall conceive in thy womb1
 and bring forth a son1 and shall call  
his name ,,jesus4 ,he shall be great1   
and shall be called the ,son of the     

,highest2 and the ,lord ,god shall give 
unto him the throne of his father       
,david4 ,and he shall reign over the    
house of ,jacob forever3 and of his     
kingdom there shall be no end4  ,her    
surprise was now raised to the highest  
pitch2 and1 incapable of comprehending  
by what means such a declaration could  
be fulfilled in her who was at present a
 virgin1 she ventured to inquire of the 
angel1 ,how shall this be8 ,it is worthy
 of observation1 that she did not       
instantly reject the testimony of her   
illustrious visiter as manifestly absurd
 and impossible1 but modestly requested 
an explanation of the mysterious        
assurance4 ,she was evidently one of    
those who waited for salvation in       
,israel2 and who well knew that it was  
the province of human reason to submit1 
with implicit confidence1 even to the   
most inexplicable statements of         
revelation4  ,it is true1 she could not 
conjecture by what miraculous conception
 the angelic prediction would be        

verified2 but she did not hesitate a    
moment to allow the apparently          
incongruous facts of his being her son1 
and yet the ,son of the ,highest1 who   
should rise to the throne of ,david1 and
 possess an everlasting kingdom4 ,her   
reason was confounded1 but her faith    
triumphed2 and though she knew not the  
manner1 this was no sufficient evidence 
with her against the probability of the 
declared fact4 ,upon how many inferior  
occasions1 and under far less mysterious
 circumstances have we been incredulous1
 deeming even the plainest declarations 
improbable1 because they were           
unaccountable2 and presuming to         
introduce some arbitrary alteration into
 the record of heaven1 or some          
far-fetched comment1 rather than humbly 
bow to supreme authority4  ,if1 however1
 it were admitted that the question of  
,mary betrays at least a momentary      
incredulity1 this was soon dispersed by 
the angel's reply3 ,the ,holy ,ghost    
shall come upon thee1 and the power of  

the ,highest shall overshadow thee2     
therefore also that holy thing which    
shall be born of thee1 shall be called  
the ,son of ,god4 ,and1 behold1 thy     
cousin ,elizabeth1 she hath also        
conceived a son in her old age2 and this
 is the sixth month with her who was    
called barren4 ,for with ,god nothing   
shall be impossible4 ,in the exercise of
 lively faith and joy she answered1     
,behold the handmaid of the ,lord2 be it
 unto me according to thy word4 ,and the
 angel departed from her4  ,let us      
endeavour to imitate the spirit of      
,mary4 ,she acknowledged the power of   
,god to accomplish the greatest1 and1 to
 her1 the most inconceivable designs2   
and with unaffected simplicity1 blended 
with humble and holy satisfaction1 she  
received the divine word4 ,thus let us  
resign ourselves to the will of ,god1   
and confide in his most wonderful       
declarations4 ,it is for mortals to     
believe1 and not to cavil2 when ,jehovah
 speaks1 to hear and to obey4 ,let us   

beware of stumbling at the promises     
through unbelief2 and cherish increasing
 pleasure in the conviction1 that he who
 sent his ,son into the world to be the 
,saviour of men1 will freely bestow upon
 his redeemed people all the blessings  
of time1 and all the riches of eternity4
  ,it is observable1 that on this       
occasion a young woman1 though at first 
overawed by the heavenly manifestation1 
at length displayed a faith which shines
 with peculiar brightness1 when brought 
into comparison with the sentiments of  
the aged priest ,zacharias1 when the    
same angel appeared to him a few months 
before1 to communicate a prediction of  
far less apparent improbability4  ,when 
this venerable man was burning incense  
on the golden altar before the ,lord1   
and therefore in circumstances          
peculiarly favourable to the most       
elevated exercises of faith and         
devotion1 ,gabriel appeared to him1 and 
gave him assurance that his frequent    
prayer for the redemption of ,israel was

 heard1 and that his aged partner should
 become in due time1 the mother of a    
distinguished son1 to be named ,john1   
who should be great in the sight of the 
,lord1 eminently useful in converting   
many of the children of ,israel1 and    
preparing their minds for the speedy    
approach of the ,messiah2 and yet it is 
stated1 that ,zacharias believed not his
 words1 in consequence of which he was  
smitten with dumbness till the birth of 
the child4 ,but ,mary1 though so        
inferior in age1 in situation1 and in   
spiritual advantages1 glorified ,god by 
a full acquiescence in his declarations2
 thus exemplifying what the grace of    
,god can accomplish1 even in the        
youngest persons1 and the weakest sex4  
,it must not indeed1 be overlooked1 that
 at first the language of ,mary         
indicated a certain degree of hesitation
 and doubt1 somewhat allied to the      
unbelief of ,zacharias1 although she    
eventually triumphed over every feeling 
of fear or of unbelief2 and yet no sign 

of divine displeasure was given4 ,may we
 not1 therefore1 take occasion to admire
 the discriminating goodness of ,god1   
who1 while he does not willingly afflict
 or grieve the children of men1         
proportions his chastisements to the    
demerit of the individual1 and the      
circumstances of the case8 ,the         
omniscience of the ,searcher of hearts  
is perfectly acquainted with the secret 
workings of the mind1 and measures with 
perfect discernment the exact           
delinquency of every thought and deed1  
when we can judge only by the appearance
 or the words of the individual4  ,it is
 peculiarly gratifying to witness the   
beginnings of faith in the young1 and   
especially in young females4 ,it becomes
 their age and sex4 ,it constitutes     
their best accomplishment1 and their    
most shining ornament4 ,beauty is a     
fading flower1 wealth a perishable      
treasure1 and admiration a puff of air2 
but religion in the heart is an unfading
 inheritance4 ,while so many vain and   

inconsiderate young women value         
themselves upon exterior charms and     
unmeaning flatteries1 upon the symmetry 
of a face1 the elegance of a form1 and  
the decoration of a ribbon1 may every   
female reader of these pages aspire     
after the nobler distinction of ,mary1  
and by her undissembled piety afford    
pleasure to her parents1 to her friends1
 to the church of ,god1 and to those    
witnessing spirits1 in whose presence   
there is joy at the repentance of a     
sinner6  ,immediately after the visit of
 the angel ,gabriel to ,mary1 perhaps on
 the same day #e1 she hastened to her   
cousin ,elizabeth1 the wife of          
,zacharias1 who resided in that part of 
,judea called the hill-country1 which   
extended from ,bethoron to ,emmaus4 ,the
 purpose of this visit was to           
congratulate her pious relative on the  
singular mercy which she was informed by
 the angel she had experienced1 in the  
promise of a son at her advanced period 
of life1 and to communicate an account  

of the heavenly intercourse with which  
she had herself been favoured4    ,now  
theirs was converse such as it behoves  
,man to maintain1 and such as ,god      
approves--  worthy of the excellent     
characters who met1 and calculated to   
confirm each other's hopes1 and awaken  
mutual gratitude3    ,christ and his    
character their only scope1   ,their    
object1 and their subject1 and their    
hope4  ,if1 when pious persons associate
 together1 they have not to relate the  
visits of angels1 or the miraculous     
interferences of ,providence1 it is     
surely in their power to diversify1     
enliven1 and improve their social       
interviews1 by some allusions to        
experimental religion1 and some         
interchange of pious sentiment4 ,the    
,christian world suffers incalculable   
loss by neglecting suitable             
opportunities for such communications1  
which might be eminently conducive to   
the great purposes of mutual comfort and
 instruction2 for    ------,what are    

ages and the lapse of time1   ,match'd  
against truths1 as lasting as sublime8  
,hearts may be found1 that harbour at   
this hour   ,that love to ,christ1 and  
all its quickening power2   ,and lips   
unstain'd by folly or by strife1        
,whose wisdom1 drawn from the deep well 
of life1   ,tastes of its healthful     
origin1 and flows   ,a ,jordan for the  
ablation of our woes4   ,oh days of     
heaven1 and nights of equal praise4     
,serene and peaceful as those heavenly  
days1   ,when souls drawn upwards1 in   
communion sweet1   ,enjoy the stillness 
of some close retreat1   ,discourse1 as 
if releas'd and safe at home1   ,of     
dangers past and ,,wonders ,,yet ,,to   
,,come1   ,and spread the sacred        
treasures of the breast   ,upon the lap 
of covenanted rest4    ,,cowper4  ,as   
soon as ,mary had reached the residence 
of ,elizabeth1 and saluted her1 the     
babe1 which the latter had conceived1   
leaped with unusual and supernatural    
emotion2 and she became so filled with  

the ,holy ,spirit1 as instantly to burst
 out in the most impassioned language1  
indicative of the glorious discovery1   
that ,mary was the long predestined     
mother of ,messiah4 ,although it seems  
probable that her husband1 upon his     
return home1 had informed ,elizabeth    
7perhaps by means of writing1 for he was
 still suffering that temporary dumbness
 which his unbelief had occasioned7 of  
the vision he had seen at ,jerusalem1   
and of the promise of the angel that he 
should have a son remarkably            
distinguished1 especially as the        
precursor of the ,saviour2 yet till this
 moment she had no suspicion that her   
beloved relative was to be that         
illustrious mother1 who should inherit  
the blessing of all future ages4 ,now a 
ray from heaven breaks upon the         
mysterious subject1 and the glory of the
 ,lord is risen upon this venerable     
matron4 ,she pours forth unusual        
benedictions upon ,mary1 and            
congratulates herself upon the felicity 

of her own circumstances4  ,the generous
 nature of this joy is truly admirable1 
and worthy of imitation4 ,exempt from   
that envious spirit which is so         
predominant in the world1 and so utterly
 subversive of the real interests and   
happiness of those who cherish it1      
,elizabeth congratulated her young      
relative upon the superior favour which 
,heaven had conferred upon her2 and     
murmured not at the will of ,providence1
 in assigning her so unexpected a       
pre-eminence4 ,her words were as        
follows3 ,blessed art thou among women1 
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb4   
,and whence is this to me1 that the     
mother of my ,lord should come to me8   
,for1 lo1 as soon as the voice of thy   
salutation sounded in mine ears1 the    
babe leaped in my womb for joy4 ,and    
blessed is she that believed2 for there 
shall be a performance of those things  
which were told her from the ,lord4     
,the same spirit which dictated the     
language of ,elizabeth1 animated the    

bosom of ,mary with inspirations of a   
still higher order4 ,unable to restrain 
the vehement enthusiasm of her mind1 she
 thus began3--  ,,my ,,soul ,,doth      
,,magnify ,,the ,,lord1 ,,and ,,my      
,,spirit ,,hath ,,rejoiced ,,in ,,god   
,,my ,,saviour4  ,the mother of ,jesus  
here adopts the prophetic style1        
speaking of the future character of her 
illustrious ,son as though he were      
already born1 and had attained to that  
eminency to which he was predestined4   
,she extols him as ,god her ,saviour1   
more enraptured with the hope of        
salvation through his name1 than with   
the honour of her maternal connexion    
with him4 ,we need feel no surprise at  
her assigning this title to her         
anticipated offspring1 when we recollect
 that she was at the moment divinely    
inspired1 and that she had been         
previously informed by the angel        
,gabriel of his being the ,son of the   
,highest4 ,this was no doubt understood 
by the ,virgin ,mary as expressive of   

his divine personality4 ,he did not1    
indeed1 become the ,son of ,god by his  
miraculous conception2 but it was the   
reason of his being called so4 ,thus he 
is called the ,son of ,god as raised    
from the dead1 no more to return to     
corruption1 but he was not constituted  
such by these events4 ,it was a         
declaration of what he was antecedently 
to his conception by the overshadowing  
influence of the ,holy ,spirit4  ,in    
,mary's exclamation1 magnifying the     
,lord1 and rejoicing in ,god her        
,saviour1 are used as convertible terms1
 denoting the same sentiment and source 
of joy4 ,and how rational and noble was 
this feeling6 ,where should an immortal 
creature seek happiness1 but in ,god the
 ,saviour8 ,what are all the fleeting   
possessions and enjoyments of time1 in  
comparison with the pleasures which are 
at his right hand for evermore8 ,how    
awfully infatuated are those who aim to 
attain real felicity independently of   
the sovereign good6--,mary continues1   

,,for ,,he ,,hath ,,regarded ,,the ,,low
 ,,estate ,,of ,,his ,,handmaiden3      
,,for1 ,,behold1 ,,from ,,henceforth    
,,all ,,generations ,,shall ,,call ,,me 
,,blessed4  ,this is the language both  
of piety and inspiration4 ,it implies   
that sense of the divine condescension  
which characterizes humility1 intimating
 the unmerited nature of the mercy she  
had experienced1 as well as her         
unexpected elevation from the lowest    
condition4 ,she states1 that it is her  
happiness1 and not her excellences1 for 
which she anticipated the               
congratulations of succeeding times4    
,she was conscious that the honour and  
the glory belonged to ,god1 and that the
 felicity of her circumstances1 not the 
merit of her character1 deserved        
admiration4 ,it was neither the glory of
 her descent1 nor the multitude or      
splendour of her virtues1 that attracted
 the regards of ,heaven1 and influenced 
the movements of ,providence in passing 
by the palaces of greatness to the      

cottage of ,mary3 but so it seemed good 
in his sight3 and while1 with impious   
vanity of spirit1 many are flattering   
themselves that their imaginary virtue  
will recommend them to the notice1 and  
secure the favour of ,omniscience1 it   
will be found1 to their ultimate        
confusion1 that this only is life       
eternal1 to know thee the only true     
,god1 and ,jesus ,christ whom thou hast 
sent4  ,,for ,,he ,,that ,,is ,,mighty  
,,hath ,,done ,,to ,,me ,,great         
,,things2 ,,and ,,holy ,,is ,,his       
,,name4  ,there is a singular propriety1
 in thus introducing the sanctity of the
 divine nature and character4 ,in the   
production of that body which was       
prepared for the ,son of ,god1 nothing  
of the infection of sin1 which attaches 
to the corrupt nature of man1 was       
suffered to stain the holy child ,jesus4
 ,he was1 indeed1 in all things made    
like unto his brethren1 yet without sin4
 ,although his miraculous conception did
 not exempt him from human infirmities1 

it prevented the possibility of his     
being contaminated by human guilt4  ,the
 name of ,god is frequently mentioned in
 ,scripture2 and1 in general1 we are to 
understand by it the revelation of his  
character1 by whatever methods1 to his  
intelligent creation2 and to hallow or  
pronounce it holy1 is devoutly to adore 
every such discovery4 ,his name is      
written on the works of nature1 but     
shines with pre-eminent lustre in the   
wonders of redemption2 and the spirit of
 ardent devotion traces all these       
manifestations in order to pay a        
suitable homage to them4 ,to pronounce  
the name of ,god holy1 is then virtually
 to attribute to the ,supreme ,being a  
grandeur and a majesty perfectly unique1
 and which distinguishes him from all   
other beings in the universe4  ,,and    
,,his ,,mercy ,,is ,,on ,,them ,,that   
,,fear ,,him1 ,,from ,,generation ,,to  
,,generation4  ,the spirit of ,mary     
takes an elevated station1 looking back 
upon past ages1 and anticipating the    

glory of future times4 ,the incarnation 
of ,christ is represented as an act and 
an evidence of divine mercy1 not only to
 her1 but to all who by the fear of ,god
 are interested in this new             
dispensation4 ,the promise of a ,saviour
 was almost coeval with the world2 and  
during the long succession of ages which
 had since elapsed1 and the infinite    
diversity of events1 so perplexing to   
the human eye and so apparently         
fortuitous1 the love of ,god was        
pursuing its high purpose4 ,the frequent
 intimations given to the ancient       
patriarchs1 and to the prophets of      
,israel1 proved that the eternal ,ruler 
of the universe was producing1 by a vast
 series of preparatory means1 the last  
and best days of time1 when the ,sun of 
,righteousness should rise upon the     
world with healing beneath his wings4   
,an omnipotent arm was incessantly      
accomplishing the determinations of an  
omniscient mind4 ,no power could impede 
the march of his mercy to the           

predestined point2 no casualties defeat 
his great design2 and no lapse of years1
 or revolution of centuries1 diminish   
the ardour of infinite love1 to secure  
the felicity of his people4 ,the ,lord  
was never slack concerning his promise1 
as some men count slackness2 for it must
 never he forgotten1 in estimating the  
movements of eternal ,providence1 that  
one day is with the ,lord as a thousand 
years1 and a thousand years as one day4 
,but this language is not merely1 nor1  
perhaps1 chiefly retrospective4 ,those  
who fear ,god in all ages1 participate  
the mercies dispensed to man through an 
incarnate ,redeemer4 ,under the         
,christian dispensation in particular1  
they are fully communicated1 and will   
enrich the people of ,god to the end of 
time4 ,the thousands and myriads of the 
human race1 that apply to the fountain  
opened for sin and uncleanness1 cannot  
diminish its efficacy or exhaust its    
fulness2 but the last preacher that     
exists upon the earth previous to that  

final hour1 when the trumpet shall sound
 and the dead shall be raised           
incorruptible1 will be able to proclaim 
the blood of ,jesus ,christ the ,son of 
,god1 as cleansing from all sin1 with   
equal confidence to that which inspired 
the first herald of these glad tidings  
to perishing sinners4  ,,he ,,hath      
,,showed ,,strength ,,with ,,his ,,arm2 
,,he ,,hath ,,scattered ,,the ,,proud   
,,in ,,the ,,imagination ,,of ,,their   
,,hearts4  ,the omnipotence of ,god has 
been manifested in many remarkable      
instances during past ages1 but in no   
case so illustriously as in the birth of
 ,christ4 ,all the other mighty         
operations of ,jehovah are surpassed in 
this unparelleled event4 ,the haughty   
,jews1 who fondly but foolishly         
cherished the expectation1 that the     
,messiah would be born of some one of   
the most opulent families in ,judea1 and
 conduct them to conquest and dominion1 
will be inexpressibly disappointed to   
find him the child of an obscure virgin1

 betrothed to a carpenter1 and an       
inhabitant of the contemptible town of  
,nazareth in ,galilee4 ,so wonderfully  
are the ways of ,god above our ways1 and
 his thoughts above our thoughts6  ,,he 
,,hath ,,put ,,down ,,the ,,mighty      
,,from ,,their ,,seats1 ,,and ,,exalted 
,,them ,,of ,,low ,,degree4 ,,he ,,hath 
,,filled ,,the ,,hungry ,,with ,,good   
,,things1 ,,and ,,the ,,rich ,,he ,,hath
 ,,sent ,,empty ,,away4  ,the providence
 of ,god has been often displayed in the
 depression of the most distinguished   
from their temporal elevations1 and in  
the advancement of the most despised to 
dignity and renown4 ,the necessitous    
have been liberally supplied3 while     
those who have been possessed of the    
most ample and enviable abundance1 have 
sometimes1 by unexpected reverses1      
become destitute4 ,this sovereign       
disposal of human affairs has been      
apparent1 both in temporal and spiritual
 concerns4 ,the ,virgin ,mary was       
herself1 as she intimates a remarkable  

exemplification of such an interposal2  
while those who in ,israel were         
hungering and thirsting after           
righteousness1 beheld in her infant son1
 that child whose name was to be called 
,wonderful1 ,counsellor1 the mighty     
,god1 the everlasting ,father1 and the  
,prince of ,peace1 and whose            
manifestation in the flesh afforded the 
sublimest satisfaction to their waiting 
spirits4  ,,he ,,hath ,,holpen ,,his    
,,servant ,,israel1 ,,in ,,remembrance  
,,of ,,his ,,mercy2 ,,as ,,he ,,spake   
,,to ,,our ,,fathers1 ,,to ,,abraham1   
,,and ,,to ,,his ,,seed ,,for ,,ever4   
,all the true ,israel of ,god are now   
admitted into his paternal protection1  
whether ,jews or ,gentiles2 for the     
promises made to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and  
,jacob1 and to ,david1 of whose family  
was ,mary1 could never be forgotten by  
him who rejoiced in the habitable parts 
of his earth1 and his delights were with
 the sons of men4 ,never can the pious  
mind recur1 without emotions of the     

liveliest gratitude1 to such predictions
 as the following1 which now seem to    
approach their glorious accomplishments2
 ,i will make of thee 7,abraham7 a great
 nation1 and ,i will bless thee1 and    
make thy name great2 and thou shalt be a
 blessing4 ,and ,i will bless them that 
bless thee1 and curse him that curseth  
thee2 and in thee shall all families of 
the earth be blessed4444 ,and ,i will   
establish my covenant1 between me and   
thee1 and thy seed after thee1 in their 
generations1 for an everlasting         
covenant1 to be a ,god unto thee1 and to
 thy seed after thee4  ,mary prolonged  
her visit to her aged friend and        
relative1 three months2 a period of     
their lives to which1 no doubt1 each    
would ever after recur with peculiar    
satisfaction4 ,the family of ,zacharias 
was not dulled by the formalities of    
ceremony1 or disturbed by the riot of   
folly1 but delightfully animated by the 
cheerfulness of religion4 ,their time1  
we may readily admit1 was wisely        

employed2 and their daily converse such 
as befitted those favourites of         
,providence1 who knew the truth of ,god1
 and had enjoyed the honour of angelic  
visitations4  ,the improvement of time  
ought to be our great and immediate     
concern4 ,to this important duty we are 
urged by a consideration of the rapidity
 of its flight--the impossibility of its
 return--the bright examples of its     
proper use1 which the records of        
inspiration furnish--the fatal          
consequences of squandering it away in  
useless1 frivolous and criminal         
pursuits--the voice of reason--of       
conscience--of ,providence--of          
,scripture--of disappointed infidelity  
and of triumphant faith--and the vast   
interests of eternity1 with which the   
use of it is essentially connected4     
,lord1 so teach us to number our days1  
that we may apply our hearts unto       
wisdom4  ,during all this time1 ,mary   
was only the betrothed wife of an       
obscure but conscientious person1 named 

,joseph4 ,this was a circumstance which 
occasioned him extreme perplexity1 but  
tended to exhibit the strength of her   
faith4 ,joseph was fearful of her       
reputation1 and meditated some plan of  
concealing what he supposed would be    
deemed the disgrace of his beloved      
partner2 for the ,jews1 whose laws of   
marriage were very precise1 considered  
infidelity to a betrothed husband in the
 light of adultery1 and as therefore    
subjecting the person to its usual      
punishment4 #f  ,it does not appear that
 ,mary explained to him the manner or   
occasion of her mysterious conception2  
but judging1 perhaps1 that it would seem
 incredible1 she leaves the whole affair
 in the hands of ,divine ,providence4   
,thus1 as archbishop ,leighton          
excellently remarks1 silent innocency   
rests satisfied in itself1 when it may  
be inconvenient or fruitless to plead   
for itself1 and loses nothing by doing  
so1 for it is always in due season      
vindicated and cleared by a better hand4

 ,and thus it was here2 she is silent1  
and ,god speaks for her4  ,this         
inexplicable mystery was revealed to    
,joseph in a dream4 ,he was assured by  
an angel1 that ,mary should bring forth 
a son1 and commanded to call his name   
,,jesus1 for he was to save his people  
from their sins4 ,his apprehensions     
being immediately dispersed1 he obeyed  
the heavenly intimation1 to take unto   
him ,mary his wife4  ,this miraculous   
conception has ever proved the          
stumbling-block of infidelity2 while1 in
 the just convictions of ,christians1 it
 is to be regarded as one of the most   
glorious and indispensable peculiarities
 of our faith4 ,christianity is not     
answerable for those misrepresentations 
of this doctrine which result from the  
weakness or the wickedness of mankind1  
and which have so often exposed it to   
ridicule2 but let the statement of      
,scripture be taken simply as it        
is--plain1 perspicuous1 untangled with  
the perplexities of controversy--and it 

will approve itself to the pious mind1  
not only as a fact1 but as one of prime 
importance and obvious utility4  ,in    
demanding an explication of the manner  
in which the divine and human natures   
became united1 or continue to subsist in
 indissoluble connexion in person of the
 ,son of ,god1 reason claims a          
prerogative to which she is by no means 
entitled2 especially if the alternative 
be1 either that reason shall be         
satisfied1 or the statements of         
,scripture rejected4 ,there exist facts 
relative to our own constitution as     
incomprehensible and contradictory to   
what1 independently of experience1 we   
should be induced to believe1 as the    
miraculous conception and mysterious    
nature of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the soul and 
body1 distinguished for properties not  
only peculiar to each1 but dissimilar1  
heterogeneous1 and seemingly            
inconsistent1 yet constitute one person4
 ,a man is at once material and         
immaterial1 mortal and immortal4  ,it   

was expedient that the ,son of ,god     
should become man1 that he might set us 
an example1 sympathize with our griefs1 
vanquish our enemies1 and abolish death3
 and equally so that he should be       
coequal with ,god in order to procure   
salvation for the lost world by the     
merit of his atonement2 otherwise his   
obedience must have been imperfect1 his 
sufferings unsatisfactory1 and his      
mediatorial character1 by which he was  
allied to both parties1 incomplete4     
,this doctrine is practical1 and not an 
abstract speculation1 or an article of  
faith intended merely to fill up the    
outline of a system1 and unconnected    
with any moral results4 ,it is          
calculated to awaken our gratitude and  
kindle our love1 by showing us the      
infinite goodness of ,god1 who spared   
not his own ,son1 but delivered him up  
for us all--who made him to be sin for  
us1 who knew no sin1 that we might be   
made the righteousness of ,god in him4  
,it should further engage us to         

cultivate humility and patience4 ,a view
 of the abasement of the ,son of ,god   
should impress upon us a sense of the   
insignificance of all earthly glory1 and
 the propriety of sustaining all the    
trials and deprivations of life with    
unrepining fortitude4 ,let this mind be 
in you which was also in ,christ ,jesus2
 who1 being in the form of ,god1 thought
 it not robbery to be equal with ,god2  
but made himself of no reputation1 and  
took upon him the form of a servant1 and
 was made in the likeness of men3 and   
being found in fashion as a man1 he     
humbled himself1 and became obedient    
unto death1 even the death of the cross4
  ,this view of the incarnation of      
,christ is adapted also to promote      
charity2 for1 though he was rich1 yet   
for our sakes he became poor2 that we1  
through his poverty1 might be rich2 and 
it tends to elevate us above the        
meanness of temporal compliances1 and   
the degradation of worldly lusts1 by    
pointing out the dignity to which our   

nature is advanced1 through having been 
assumed1 and still being retained in its
 purified state by the ,son of ,god4    
,let a holy ambition prevail1 to live as
 those who possess such a relationship2 
and who1 though at present disguised in 
the dress of poverty1 are born to an    
inheritance of which no enemy can       
prevent your possession--an inheritance 
incorruptible and undefiled1 and that   
fadeth not away1 reserved in heaven for 
you1 who are kept by the power of ,god  
through faith unto salvation4           
,section ,,ii4     ,nothing happens by  
,chance--,dispensations preparatory to  
the ,coming of   ,christ--,prophecy of  
,micah accomplished by ,means of the    
,decree of   ,augustus--,mary           
supernaturally strengthened to attend   
upon her new-born   ,infant--,visit of  
the ,shepherds--,mary's                 
,reflections--,circumcision of the      
,child--taken to the ,temple--,simeon's 
,rapture and ,prediction--,visit and    
,offerings of the ,arabian              

,philosophers--general ,considerations4 
,chance is a word which ought to be     
banished from the ,christian vocabulary4
 ,it is utterly contradictory to reason1
 opposed to experience1 and subversive  
of revelation4 ,to suppose that he who  
created the world has wholly and forever
 abandoned it1 is improbable2 and to    
imagine that the regular movements of   
nature1 and the course of events--the   
whole train of causes1 and the          
incalculable variety of dependent       
consequences1 are merely fortuitous1    
seems absurd as well as impious4        
,uncertain and confused as were the     
opinions of the pagan nations of        
antiquity1 few of them totally denied   
some kind of superintending providence2 
and many of their ablest writers        
reasoned in defence of it in the most   
forcible manner4 ,what1 said the emperor
 ,marcus ,antoninus1 would it concern me
 to live in a world void of ,god and    
without ,providence8  ,in order to form 
clear conceptions of this1 and of every 

other subject connected with the peace  
of our minds and the immortal interests 
of man1 we must apply to the ,scriptures
 for information4 ,hope1 conjecture1    
plausibility--all became pleasingly     
absorbed in the splendour of truth2     
which1 with the brightness of a sun     
beam1 writes upon the inspired page the 
doctrine of an universal and particular 
providence4 ,it appears1 indeed1 so     
fundamental to the system of            
,christianity1 and so consonant to the  
wisdom and goodness of ,god1 that if it 
were possible to adduce solid objections
 against its reality1 one of the richest
 sources of consolation to the human    
race would be forever lost--some of our 
dearest hopes would be undermined1 and  
despondency shed disastrous gloom over  
the whole scene of life4 ,it is the     
happiness of ,christians to know1 that  
nothing can escape the eye1 nothing can 
disarrange the schemes1 or thwart the   
purposes1 of the eternal mind2 and that 
the same general law which regulates the

 flight of an angel1 or the affairs of  
an empire1 connects even the fall of a  
sparrow with the plans of heaven4 ,it is
 their privilege to feel assured1 that  
the events which appear contingent or   
accidental to us1 are equally ordained  
with those which seem the most orderly  
and regular4 ,the arrow may be shot at a
 venture1 but the ,supreme ,ruler guides
 it through the air4 ,so sings the poet2
    ,through all the various shifting   
scene   ,of life's mistaken ill or good1
   ,thy hand1 ,o ,god1 conducts unseen  
,the beautiful vicissitude4    ,all     
things on earth1 and all in heaven1     
,on thy eternal will depend2   ,and all 
for greater good were given1   ,and all 
shall in thy glory end4  ,these         
sentiments will receive additional      
illustration from the remarkable facts  
respecting the birth of ,christ1 which  
it will be now proper to notice4 ,he who
 can imagine the correspondence         
observable between ancient predictions  
and the occurrences which mark the      

singular history before us to be mere   
casual or undesigned coincidences1 must 
possess a mind strangely perverted by   
prejudice or mean in its conceptions--he
 must in reality believe greater        
miracles than he denies1 and1 in his    
zeal to be thought rational1 become     
enthusiastic and fanatical1 in admitting
 the most inconceivable absurdities4 ,we
 hesitate not to say1 that even upon the
 principles of reason there are more    
difficulties in denying a providence in 
all the circumstances connected with our
 ,saviour's incarnation1 than in        
allowing its active agency2 and that    
here1 the doctrine which is most        
consolatory is most true4 ,sophistry may
 attempt to poison or to stop the       
streams of spiritual comfort1 but they  
will nevertheless flow with undiminished
 sweetness and abundance4  ,the whole   
period of the past time ought to be     
considered as a vast preparatory        
dispensation2 every circumstance in the 
history of the people of ,israel        

essentially depended on each previous   
occurrence1 and stood connected with    
each succeeding one4 ,we perceive       
sometimes more distinctly by a prophetic
 light1 sometimes more obscurely through
 the hieroglyphical characters of the   
,mosaic economy of types and shadows1 a 
wonderful series of events1 that guides 
the devout inquirer to ,god manifest in 
the flesh2 and1 if human penetration    
cannot always discover the bright       
concatenation1 we feel assured that it  
exists1 and is regularly maintained by  
supreme wisdom2 as we infer from        
observing the commencement1 or          
discovering some parts of the course1   
which a mighty river pursues through    
provinces and empires1 that1 although   
the whole may not be accurately         
ascertained1 yet each part1 whether it  
traverses subterraneous passages or     
pathless forests1 is certainly and      
necessarily connected4  ,the links of   
this marvellous chain of providence     
become more distinctly visible as we    

approach the last1 and witness its      
glorious termination4 ,amongst other    
ancient prophecies1 we have this very   
express declaration of ,micah respecting
 the birth of ,christ--a declaration    
which1 after the lapse of seven hundred 
years1 we are now to see verified3      
,thou1 ,bethlehem ,ephratah1 though thou
 be little among the thousands of       
,judah1 yet out of thee shall he come   
forth unto me that is to be ruler in    
,israel1 whose goings forth have been   
from of old1 from everlasting4  ,it has 
been related1 that at the time of the   
miraculous conception1 ,joseph and ,mary
 lived at ,nazareth in ,galilee1 and    
still continued this residence4 ,if the 
predicted child had been born in        
,nazareth1 it is obvious that either he 
could not be the ,messiah1 or the       
prophet was not correct4 ,the virgin    
mother1 however1 neither disbelieved the
 communications of ,heaven1 nor took any
 extraordinary measures1 by a removal of
 her dwelling-place1 to aid the         

accomplishment of a divine oracle4 ,how 
she1 an inhabitant of ,nazareth was to  
be the mother of him whom so many ages  
had expected in ,bethlehem1 was indeed  
mysterious2 and yet like ,abraham1 she  
hoped against hope2 allied in faith1 as 
well as by descent1 to that eminent     
patriarch4 ,nothing could be more       
contradictory1 to her anticipations than
 external appearances2 but nothing could
 be more humble1 more patient1 or more  
indicative of lively faith in ,god1 than
 her spirit and conduct4 ,she believed  
the angel1 and she left the event4 ,what
 an illustrious example to her sex6 what
 confidence in ,providence6 what trust  
in ,god6 what a resignation of reason to
 revelation6  ,mark the event4          
,augustus1 at this time emperor of      
,rome1 suddenly published an edict for  
the registry1 or enrolment of the       
empire2 probably with a view to         
ascertain the state of his dependencies1
 to exact an oath of fidelity1 and      
perhaps1 to determine the amount of     

money which might be reasonably expected
 from each province in case of any      
future taxation4 ,the whole empire being
 included in this decree1 all the       
families were required immediately to   
repair to their respective cities1 for  
the purpose of having their names       
distinctly recorded2 and1 as ,joseph was
 lineally descended from ,david1 he1    
with his espoused wife1 went into ,judea
 to ,bethlehem1 because it was the birth
 place and residence of their           
illustrious ancestor4  ,at this         
remarkable crisis ,mary was detained by 
the full accomplishment of the time for 
her delivery2 and she brought forth her 
first born ,son1 and wrapped him in     
swaddling-clothes1 and laid him in a    
manger1 because there was no room for   
them in the inn4 ,here then were        
fulfilled the prophetic descriptions of 
the place and circumstances of the      
,redeemer's incarnation4 ,a virgin      
produces a son--a son who1 by the       
exclusion of his parents from the       

accommodation of the inn1 already began 
to realize the inspired declaration1 he 
is despised and rejected of men--a son  
identified as the promised ,messiah by  
every thing connected with his birth4   
,augustus issues a decree which brings  
,mary to ,bethlehem at the precise      
moment when this removal was requisite2 
and yet ,augustus1 ignorant of the      
designs of ,heaven or the condition of  
,mary1 considers only his personal glory
 and the security of the imperial       
dominions4 ,he has one purpose1 and     
,providence another2 but they both      
concur to the predestined end4 ,augustus
 knew not that his edict was to prove   
the appointed means of accomplishing the
 most important event that had ever     
transpired since the commencement of    
time1 and was1 in fact1 the wonderful   
hinge upon which the numerous and       
concurring prophecies of past centuries 
were destined to turn4 ,he knew not that
 his imperial edict for an universal    
enrolment1 was the last of a series of  

preparatory means by which the great    
purposes of infinite mercy were to be   
developed and displayed4 ,why was not   
the same policy pursued by the emperor1 
when it was determined upon             
seven-and-twenty years before at        
,taracon in ,spain8 and why1 if he were 
diverted at that period from the        
immediate execution of this project by  
some disturbances in the empire1 was it 
forgotten or neglected for so many      
years1 and revived at so critical a     
moment8 ,let infidelity stand abashed1  
and listen to the voice of revelation3  
,he worketh all things after the counsel
 of his own will4  ,how often has the   
supreme ,disposer made use of those     
agents to accomplish his purposes1 who  
were themselves the last to acknowledge 
his superintendence1 or perhaps the     
first to oppose his will6 ,how          
consolatory to the ,christian to        
reflect1 that the passions of the human 
mind1 the madness of ambition1 the rage 
of envy1 the misrule of tyrannic power1 

the animosity of persecution1 the       
decrees of princes1 the events of war   
and of peace1 the elements of nature1   
and the powers of the invisible worlds1 
are under the perfect control of ,god6  
,a ,pharaoh shall cause his name to be  
declared throughout all the earth1 by   
giving occasion to the most transcendent
 miracles1 and the most direct and      
indisputable interference of            
,omnipotence--a ,cyrus shall pursue a   
wonderful career of conquest2 victory   
after victory shall enhance his fame2   
nations shall be subdued1 and gates of  
brass broken before him1 for the sake of
 ,israel the elect of ,god1 and ,jacob  
his servant--an ,augustus shall         
unconsciously fulfil a divine decree by 
means of an edict of his own--the ,roman
 empire shall be enrolled1 that ,jesus  
may he born in ,bethlehem4  ,it appears 
that ,mary was supernaturally           
strengthened to perform the necessary   
duties to her infant charge1 in the cold
 and comfortless situation in which she 

was thrown4 ,no one seemed at hand to   
commiserate her sufferings1 to supply   
her wants1 or to assist her weakness4   
,her own life was endangered2 but       
maternal tenderness struggled for the   
life of her firstborn1 and a divine     
faith in ,god and his promises sustained
 her amidst the privations of her       
desolate abode4 ,let not his people     
permit despondency to becloud their days
 or extinguish their hopes2 but1 relying
 on his assurance1 ,as thy day is1 so   
thy strength shall be--an assurance so  
remarkably verified in the mother of    
,jesus1 and so often corroborated by the
 experience of ,christians--let them    
imitate the patience and faith of this  
illustrious woman1 who was at once the  
ornament of religion and the glory of   
her sex4  ,every thing is marvellous in 
this sacred story4 ,no sooner was this  
child introduced into the world1 than   
his virgin mother received an unexpected
 visit in her lonely dwelling4 ,a       
company of shepherds came1 with         

unceremonious eagerness1 to her asylum4 
,mary and ,joseph were together in the  
stable1 conversing doubtless1 upon this 
astonishing birth2 and probably might   
have been alarmed at the intrusion of   
strangers4 ,were they come to remove    
them from this poor lodging1 as they had
 been already excluded from the inn1 and
 occupy their places8--were other       
barbarians come to pour the last drop   
into the cup of maternal wo1 by         
expelling ,mary1 her husband1 and her   
offspring1 from their wretched1 but     
still acceptable shelter8 ,if this were 
the case--if1 when the strangers        
obtruded1 these had been the just       
apprehensions of the afflicted family1  
they knew where to find consolation2 and
 she who held the babe in her arms1 and 
pressed it to her bosom1 was no doubt   
prepared to adopt a similar strain with 
that by which ,simeon afterward         
proclaimed his ecstasy--,lord1 now      
lettest thou thy servant depart in      
peace1 for mine eyes have seen thy      

salvation4 ,but fear not1 ,mary6 ,it is 
no ruffian band that approaches thee6   
,these are no idle strangers1 impelled  
by a vague curiosity2 but they are the  
commissioned messengers of ,providence  
and the ambassadors of peace6 ,they have
 heard glad tidings1 and they are come  
to verify the visions they have seen1   
and to renew the joys they have felt6   
,in the neighbouring fields these       
shepherds were watching their flocks by 
night2 when suddenly an angelic         
messenger made his appearance in a blaze
 of celestial light4 ,they were of      
course astonished and alarmed2 but1 from
 the first1 perceived it was no illusion
 of the senses1 since all distinctly    
saw1 and were equally affected by the   
splendid reality4 ,the benevolent spirit
 bade them dismiss every apprehension1  
and proceeded to open his glorious      
commission4 ,it consisted of an         
assurance1 that in the city of ,david   
the long-predicted ,messiah was actually
 born1 and on that very day2 #g and that

 this was the sign by which they should 
discover the truth of this revelation1  
that if they went immediately to        
,bethlehem they should find the ,babe   
wrapped in swaddling-clothes1 lying in a
 manger4 ,this angel1 probably ,gabriel1
 who had already appeared to ,zacharias 
and ,mary1 was in a moment joined by a  
multitude of the heavenly host1 whose   
enraptured bosoms could no longer       
repress the intensity of joy1 and who   
were permitted to strike their golden   
harps and unite their angelic voices in 
those ever memorable strains1 ,,glory   
,,to ,,god ,,in ,,the ,,highest1 ,,and  
,,on ,,earth ,,peace1 ,,good ,,will     
,,towards ,,men4  ,the shepherds        
instantly hastened to ,bethlehem4 ,they 
beheld the heaven-born ,babe4 ,they     
explained to ,joseph and the virgin what
 they had seen and heard2 and then      
circulated the wonderful news in every  
direction4 ,astonishment filled the     
whole vicinity2 but it is probable a    
great diversity of opinion prevailed    

respecting the degree of credit due to  
the testimony of these witnesses2 and   
the impression would soon vanish from   
those whose prejudices1 whose ignorance1
 or whose temporal interests1 prevented 
their immediate acknowledgment of the   
mighty fact4 ,and must we not deeply    
lament1 that to this hour similar       
reasons operate to produce a similar    
infidelity or rejection of the          
well-substantiated claims of the ,son of
 ,god upon the affections and obedience 
of mankind8  ,in the mean time1 as the  
evangelist states1 ,mary kept all these 
things1 and pondered them in her heart4 
,with a modesty and a piety so truly    
characteristic of this eminent woman1   
she left it to others to publish to the 
world the extraordinary manifestations  
of divine favour which she had received1
 content to observe in silence the      
movements of ,providence1 and to allow  
the mysterious fact to be gradually     
developed4 ,as she took no measures at  
first to screen herself from reproach1  

but left the defence of her integrity to
 him whose wisdom was working all these 
wonders2 so she did not avail herself of
 the present opportunity to extend her  
fame4 ,from the astonishment or the     
applauses of the multitude she willingly
 retired into the shades2 and instead of
 indulging vanity1 gave herself to      
solemn meditation4 ,connecting together 
the vision of ,zacharias1 the language  
of ,elizabeth1 the visitation of the    
celestial spirit to herself1 the        
miraculous conception1 the unexpected   
occasion of her removal at this crisis  
to ,bethlehem1 the recent account of the
 shepherds1 the language of ancient     
prophecy respecting the lowly birthplace
 of the ,saviour of mankind1 and the    
peculiar accordance of its minute       
descriptions with her present           
circumstances2 she perceived the amazing
 conclusion to be drawn1 and humbly     
adored the ,god of her salvation4  ,we  
must pronounce ,mary1 then1 a thoughtful
 observer and a humble inquirer1 free   

from the levity of her age1 and superior
 in mental character to the poverty of  
her condition4 ,she had1 indeed1        
superior advantages1 and was in a sense 
placed under divine discipline and      
instruction3 but she possessed a        
docility of spirit which rendered these 
singular means so conducive to her rapid
 improvement in knowledge and piety4    
,happy for us if we make a proper use of
 whatever religious privileges we enjoy1
 so that the spiritual opportunities and
 blessings which enhance our            
responsibility1 do not1 by our          
negligence1 aggravate our condemnation6 
,it is probable that we forfeit much    
enjoyment1 and lose much attainable     
wisdom1 by suffering the events of      
providence to pass unnoticed4 ,the habit
 of investigating their connections1 and
 tracing their consequences1 would no   
doubt both improve the faculty of       
observation1 and spare us many          
perplexities4 ,diligence in this sacred 
study would be repaid by pleasure and   

profit4 ,we should know1 if we followed 
on to know the ,lord4 ,the deep shadows 
which overcast the scenes of life1 and  
are so impervious to the human sight1   
would be easily penetrated by the eye of
 faith2 a new and glorious scene would  
present itself2 objects and             
arrangements1 before unseen1 would      
gradually become visible2 what was      
previously obscure in form and shape1   
would appear in just proportions2 and   
many of the sources of our present      
anxiety might become the means of our   
richest satisfaction4 ,let us imitate   
the noble examples upon record2         
remembering that no place or time is    
unsuitable to a devout temper1 or       
impossible to be improved to pious      
purposes4 ,isaac meditated in the       
fields1 and ,mary in the stable2 and a  
devout spirit will transform either into
 a temple of praise and prayer4  ,on the
 eighth day after his birth1 this       
immaculate ,child was circumcised1 both 
because he was a ,jew1 and the predicted

 ,messiah4 ,all the descendants of      
,abraham were required to submit to this
 institution2 and1 therefore1 the       
parents of ,,jesus1 for so he was named 
on this occasion1 according to the      
previous intimation of the angel1 could 
not omit this service without forfeiting
 their privileges2 and as he was        
afterward to become the great preacher  
of righteousness to his own nation1 it  
was necessary that he should not be     
exposed to the punishment of            
excommunication as a stranger4 ,thus1   
according to the apostle's allusion1 he 
was made under the law1 and evidently   
partook of flesh and blood4  ,at the    
expiration of forty days1 the parents of
 ,jesus went up to ,jerusalem1 to       
present their ,infant before the ,lord  
in the temple1 conformably to the       
,mosaic law1 to offer the sacrifices    
required upon such an occasion1 and to  
pay the stipulated sum of five shekels  
for the eldest son4 #h ,led by a divine 
impulse1 a certain venerable saint1     

named ,simeon1 came into the temple at  
this moment2 and taking the wondrous    
,child into his aged arms1 exclaimed1   
,lord1 now lettest thou thy servant     
depart in peace1 according to thy word2 
for mine eyes have seen thy salvation1  
which thou hast prepared before the face
 of all people2 a light to lighten the  
,gentiles1 and the glory of thy people  
,israel6 ,some have1 with useless       
curiosity1 inquired into the birth1     
parentage1 and station of this          
enraptured believer2 and with that      
mistaken prejudice so common to the     
world1 by which greatness of character  
is perpetually associated with eminence 
of rank1 and nobility of birth1 they    
have endeavoured to prove him to have   
been a priest1 or the son of ,hillel1   
who was chief of the sect of the        
,pharisees1 and president of the        
sanhedrim forty years2 and he has even  
been represented as the father of that  
,gamaliel who brought up the apostle    
,paul4 ,whereas the narrative of ,luke  

introduces him as a person of no        
considerable notoriety1 but as one who  
possessed an infinitely greater claim to
 distinction in the inspired page1 a man
 of exemplary conduct and piety1 who was
 waiting for him who was so long        
expected as 'the consolation of         
,israel4' ,he was not the favourite of  
princes1 but the servant of ,god2 and   
this was his best distinction1 that the 
,holy ,ghost was upon him2 and it was   
revealed unto him by the ,holy ,ghost1  
that he should not see death before he  
had seen the ,lord's ,christ4 ,growing  
infirmities might have awakened1 in an  
ordinary mind1 some suspicion of the    
reality of that assurance which he had  
received4 ,delay seemed to mock his     
patience1 time dimmed his eyes1 and     
suspense might well have sickened his   
heart--but at last the hour arrives1 the
 ancient oracles are                    
fulfilled--celestial revelations1 after 
the lapse of four hundred years from the
 days of ,malachi1 relume a benighted   

world--,zacharias1 ,mary1 ,simeon1      
received the prophetic spirit2 and death
 becomes disarmed of his terrors1 amidst
 the bright gleamings of approaching    
day4  ,turning to the astonished        
parents1 and addressing himself         
particularly to his virgin mother1 he   
said1 ,behold1 this child is set for the
 fall and rising again of many in       
,israel2 and for a sign1 which shall be 
spoken against1 7yea1 and a sword shall 
pierce through thy own soul also17 that 
the thoughts of many hearts may be      
revealed4 ,anna1 an aged prophetess1 at 
the same instant joined this happy      
group1 and gave thanks1 likewise1 unto  
the ,lord3 the glad tidings were        
circulated1 and the parents returned    
into ,galilee4  ,the accomplishment of  
that event1 which in former ages was    
only the subject of prediction1         
constitutes part of the happiness of    
gospel times4 ,true1 indeed1 as those   
predictions proceeded from ,god1 there  
existed from the beginning a certainty  

of their being fulfilled4 ,it was as    
impossible that ,god should lie1 as that
 he should cease to exist2 and having   
declared the decree1 that his ,son      
should sit upon his holy hill of ,zion1 
no human violence1 no providential      
vicissitudes1 no ,satanic devices1 could
 prevent it4 ,no one of them1 nor all of
 them combined1 could effectually       
obstruct the march of omnipotent        
goodness to the completion of its       
purposes4 ,but the saints of old        
suffered a material disadvantage from   
his day being as yet afar off2 a        
disadvantage which could not possibly be
 remedied4 ,it is evident that1 except  
in cases of immediate inspiration1 a    
suspicion might exist in the pious mind1
 that the prophecy might be partially1  
if not entirely misunderstood1 as the   
most penetrating mind cannot1 at this   
day1 with the longest line of research1 
fathom the deeps of futurity4 ,time     
alone can1 with perfect certainty1      
interpret the visions of prophecy4  ,it 

is also plain that no description1      
however minute and glowing1 could       
perfectly represent the life and love of
 the ,redeemer1 as displayed in his own 
person4 ,the imperfection of language   
rendered it impossible to portray the   
glorious reality4 ,what inspired or     
seraphic pen1 though dipped in heaven1  
could display all that was seen when    
they beheld his glory8 ,had ,omnipotence
 remanded back the flood of ages1 and   
recalled from the invisible state the   
illustrious saints that had been carried
 down the stream1 from the time of      
,adam1 in order to have witnessed the   
incarnation1 the life1 the death1 and   
the resurrection of ,jesus2 with one    
voice they would have exclaimed1 ,the   
half was not told me4  ,in proportion to
 the approach of the ,messiah1 hope     
glowed with increasing ardour4 ,standing
 on the mount of prophecy1 the pious    
,jews eagerly waited1 and triumphantly  
hailed the rising of this bright day of 
grace4 ,how many prophets and righteous 

men desired to behold this eventful     
period1 but died without the sight6     
,with what sacred pleasure did ,moses   
record the first promise1 though at the 
distance of many centuries6 ,what       
rapture thrilled through the patriarch's
 veins1 when he spake of the coming of  
,shiloh1 unto whom the gathering of the 
people should be2 and how did his       
languid eyes brighten with new lustre in
 the dying hour1 when he exclaimed1 ,i  
have waited for thy salvation1 ,o ,lord6
 ,in what strains of holy joy did the   
sweet singer of ,israel declare1 ,my    
heart is inditing a good matter2 ,i     
speak of the things which ,i have made  
touching the ,king2 my tongue is the pen
 of a ready writer4 ,thou art fairer    
than the children of men2 grace is      
poured into thy lips2 therefore ,god    
hath blessed thee for ever6 ,how did    
,isaiah's heart glow with transport1    
while his lips were touched with        
inspiration1 and triumph played on his  
prophetic harp1 ,unto us a ,child is    

born1 unto us a ,son is given3 and the  
government shall be upon his shoulder3  
and his name shall be called ,wonderful1
 ,counsellor1 the mighty ,god1 the      
everlasting ,father1 the ,prince of     
,peace4 ,of the increase of his         
government and peace there shall be no  
end1 upon the throne of ,david1 and upon
 his kingdom1 to order it1 and to       
establish it with judgment and with     
justice from henceforth even forever4   
,the zeal of the ,lord of hosts will    
perform this6 ,but neither the sacred   
pleasure of ,moses1 when he recorded the
 first promise1 nor the rapture that    
thrilled through the patriarch's veins1 
nor the holy joy of the sweet singer of 
,israel1 nor the glow of transport that 
animated the heart of ,isaiah1 and      
inspired his lays1 can equal the joy of 
the ,christian church4 ,hope1 indeed1   
presented to the early ages a lively    
picture of future times1 and prophecy   
described them2 but blessed are our     
eyes1 for they see2 and our ears1 for   

they hear 444 many prophets and         
righteous men have desired to see those 
things which we see1 and have not seen  
them2 and to hear those things which we 
hear1 and have not heard them4  ,the    
visit of the shepherds to ,mary1 already
 recited1 was succeeded by another1     
perhaps equally remarkable4 ,a company  
of ,magi1 or ,magians1 #i probably from 
,arabia1 having seen a remarkable light1
 resembling a star1 suspended over      
,bethlehem1 hastened to pay suitable    
homage to the illustrious personage     
whose birth it indicated4 ,these        
philosophers1 who were particularly     
addicted to the study of astronomy1     
being doubtless incited by a divine     
influence to repair to the country over 
which this new star or meteor seemed to 
shed its glory1 immediately went to     
,jerusalem1 where they began to make the
 most anxious inquiries4 ,the news of   
their arrival soon reached the ears of  
,herod1 a man whose cruelties had often 
exasperated his subjects1 and kept him  

in a state of constant suspicion2 so    
that he naturally apprehended fatal     
consequences to his crown1 from this    
report of the birth of a king4 ,having  
first consulted the priests and scribes 
respecting the birthplace of ,christ1 he
 procured a private interview with the  
,magians1 for the purpose of            
ascertaining the time of the meteoric   
appearance2 and1 with all the policy of 
all experienced statesman1 requested    
them to go and find out the             
extraordinary ,child1 then return to    
bring him word1 that he might come and  
worship him4 ,this was a contrivance1 by
 which he expected to accomplish1 with  
greater certainty1 the destruction of   
,jesus4  ,the ,arabian philosophers     
instantly proceeded on their            
journey--the star moved before them1 as 
the cloudy pillar once guided the       
marches of ,israel in the wilderness2   
till at length it became stationary over
 the place where the ,infant lay3 then1 
having fulfilled the design of its      

creation1 totally and forever           
disappeared4  ,is it for us to question 
the wisdom of ,god in any of the        
productions of nature1 because we do not
 perceive their utility8 ,shall we      
venture to arraign his goodness1 because
 he has not only supplied the           
necessities of man1 but filled the caves
 of ocean1 and spread the pathless      
wilderness with a rich variety of       
existence1 the specific purposes of     
which the researches of man have        
hitherto failed to discover8 ,shall we  
dare to say that the impenetrable       
forest1 or the untenanted island1 was   
made in vain8 or that the grass grows1  
in the valley1 the shrub sprouts on the 
inaccessible height1 or the flower      
expands its beauties and diffuses its   
fragrance over the desert uselessly1    
because we have not discovered the      
reasons of their formation8 ,who1       
excepting the philosophers of ,arabia1  
that had seen the new luminary shine for
 a few days and expire1 but would have  

disputed the necessity or questioned the
 design of such a phenomenon8 ,the      
ignorant1 vulgar1 and even the rest of  
the sages of ,arabia1 might have        
surveyed it with idle wonder or         
incurious eye2 very few followed the    
splendour1 or knew the intention of its 
appearance4 ,and may not other beings be
 acquainted with many of those mysteries
 of nature which we fail to penetrate8  
or may not secret connexions and        
combinations1 both in the animate and   
inanimate creation1 exist1 which1       
however important1 it is not necessary  
for us to know8 ,in reference both to   
nature and providence--    ,one part1   
one little part1 we dimly scan1         
,through the dark medium of life's      
feverish dream2   ,yet dare arraign the 
whole stupendous plan1     ,if but that 
little part incongruous seem4           
,,beattie4  ,the figure of ,balaam1 in  
predicting the birth of a ,saviour1     
probably contained a prophetic allusion 
to the phenomenon in question2 ,there   

shall come a star out of ,jacob1 and a  
sceptre shall rise out of ,israel2 and  
with similar reference1 we read in the  
apocalyptic vision1 ,i am the bright and
 morning star4  ,as soon as the ,magians
 saw the young ,child1 with ,mary his   
mother1 they fell down and worshipped   
him3 and when they had opened their     
treasures1 they presented unto him      
gifts2 gold1 and frankincense1 and      
myrrh4 ,and being warned of ,god in a   
dream that they should not return to    
,herod1 they departed into their own    
country another way4  ,this narrative   
suggests many instructive               
considerations1 some of which we shall  
briefly notice4  #a4 ,many of those who 
have possessed the fewest means of moral
 and spiritual improvement1 will appear 
in judgment against multitudes who enjoy
 the greatest variety of religious      
advantages4 ,these ,arabian sages acted 
up to what they knew1 and followed the  
light which was afforded them2 in       
consequence of which they made          

discoveries of the most valuable        
description1 such as could have been    
attained by no other proceeding1 and    
such as were totally concealed from the 
unobservant mass of mankind4 ,it was    
indeed a small star that first attracted
 their notice1 but it led to the ,sun of
 ,righteousness4 ,o that we were equally
 wise and diligent in the use of our    
opportunities and privileges--we should 
then be equally successful6  #b4 ,a     
specimen is here presented to us of the 
discriminating proceedings of the grace 
of ,god4 ,those who were far off were   
brought nigh1 while those who were nigh 
really1 were placed far off4 ,these     
,pagans were conducted to ,jesus2 while 
the infatuated ,jews1 unaffected by his 
appearance and subsequent miracles1     
opposed his influence1 and gloried in   
their shame4 ,thus was fulfilled the    
ancient oracle1 ,i am found of them that
 sought me not4 ,the star which failed  
to excite attention in ,judea1 darted an
 attractive and effectual splendour into

 ,arabia4  #c4 ,it is truly deplorable1 
that those signs and wonders of         
,almighty mercy1 which will fill        
eternity with praise1 should be so      
little observed or appreciated by the   
great proportion of mankind4 ,how       
different were the engagements that     
occupied the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 
from those of the ,arabian philosophers6
 ,the star of ,bethlehem excited the    
respectful attention only of a few      
strangers1 who saw and followed it1 and 
found the ,messiah4 ,the ,saviour they  
sought was despised and rejected of men1
 when emerging from the obscurity of his
 early life1 he dwelt amongst them1     
distributing blessings1 and imparting   
salvation4  ,is not this the case to the
 present hour8 ,where are the travellers
 to ,zion8 ,where are the followers of  
,christ8 ,where are those happy         
individuals to be found1 who1 renouncing
 the speculations of philosophy1 and the
 suggestions of a depraved and perverted
 mind1 are led by the star of divine    

revelation to ,jesus8 ,where are those  
who forsake ,,all for him8 ,where the   
company of inquirers1 whom no frowns and
 no flatteries can induce to relinquish 
the pursuit8 ,alas1 how thinly          
scattered6 ,the multitude1 attracted by 
the glare of worldly glory1 can see1    
indeed1 the glitter of gold1 and hear   
with approving readiness the accents of 
pleasure2 but are unable to discern the 
excellencies of ,christ1 and will not   
listen to his voice6 ,they are enchanted
 by other charms1 and lulled into       
dangerous repose by other music6  #d4   
,though the star of ,bethlehem1 which   
guided the ,arabian sages to the ,son of
 ,god1 be extinguished1 the clear light 
of truth still shines as in a dark      
place1 and points us to the same object4
 ,thy word is a lamp unto my feet1 and a
 light unto my path4 ,whoever follows   
this light1 will be led to ,jesus2      
whoever neglects it must wander in the  
wilderness of error and perplexity4 ,it 
sheds the clearest radiance on the path 

of the traveller1 who is pressing to the
 ,prince of ,peace4 ,let us not pay     
attention to those deceptive lights     
which the world holds out to allure and 
destroy4 ,this only is from heaven1 and 
will guide the inquirer thither1 where  
the illumination it has diffused over   
the path of life1 will be lost amidst   
the splendours of eternal day4          
,section ,,iii4    ,the ,flight into    
,egypt--,herod's cruel ,proceedings--and
 ,death--,mary goes   to ,jerusalem with
 ,joseph--on their ,return their ,child 
is missing--they   find him among the   
,doctors--he returns with them--the     
,feast of   ,cana--,christ's treatment  
of his ,mother when she desired to speak
 to   him--her ,behaviour at the        
,crucifixion--she is committed to the   
care of   ,john--valuable ,lessons to be
 derived from this touching ,scene4     
,christians1 in their times of trial1   
are usually favoured with adequate      
supplies from heaven2 so that if they   
have been overtaken suddenly1 or        

attacked fiercely1 their afflictions    
have neither found them unprepared1 nor 
left them overwhelmed4 ,it seems to have
 been the design of ,god1 in some of his
 most painful dispensations1 not only to
 purify the individual character1 but to
 evince in general1 by means of the     
sufferer's patience1 humility1 and other
 virtues1 the reality of religion1 and  
the power of faith2 and thus to furnish 
an example for the imitation of mankind4
 ,this consideration may serve to       
explain a part of that mysteriousness   
which has characterized many instances  
of remarkable tribulation1 and to       
prevent those hasty decisions upon the  
conduct of ,providence which we are too 
apt to adopt4 ,on all occasions1 we may 
safely conclude1 that whatever be the   
nature of our affliction1 the goodness  
of our ,father in heaven will both      
proportion it to the necessity of the   
case1 and enable us to sustain it1 by   
preparatory consolations4  ,the story of
 ,mary and her family illustrates this  

representation4 ,the balance of her lot1
 so to speak1 was poised by a divine    
hand2 and the equilibrium was mercifully
 and almost constantly preserved1 by a  
proportionate share of joy and sorrow4  
,the danger of reproach and proscription
 by the ,jewish law1 was compensated by 
the circumstances of the miraculous     
conception2 the meanness and misery of  
her condition in the stable at          
,bethlehem1 were counterbalanced by the 
visit of the shepherds1 and the equally 
wonderful journey of the eastern ,magi2 
and the whole train of previous         
manifestations1 tended to prepare her   
for the new distresses which were       
destined to attend the flight into      
,egypt4  ,herod was arranging his plans 
with malicious skill1 and as he         
imagined1 with secrecy2 but there was an
 eye that watched his movements with    
unsleeping vigilance1 and a wisdom      
invisibly operating to counteract his   
purposes4 ,the ,magi were forewarned1 by
 a heavenly vision1 not to return to    

this foe of the holy ,jesus2 and an     
angel appeared to ,joseph1 directing him
 to escape with the mother and child    
into ,egypt2 and thus did ,herod himself
 unconsciously fulfil the ancient       
oracle2 ,out of ,egypt have ,i called my
 ,son4 ,the cruel archer shot at the    
,saviour's life1 but the arrow rebounded
 and took his own4  ,behold1 then1 ,mary
 and ,joseph1 with their infant charge1 
hastening1 in obedience to the divine   
command1 to a distance from the         
persecutor's fury6 ,see them under the  
covert of darkness1 and amidst the      
silence of night1 flying to their       
appointed place of exile2 still under   
the guidance of that hand which         
regulated all the events of their lives1
 with no less wisdom and constancy than 
it directed the movements and fixed the 
positions of the planetary and starry   
orbs1 which glittered upon their        
adventurous path4 ,observe them         
trembling with human fears1 but         
sustained by spiritual consolations6    

,mary presses the infant fugitive to her
 maternal breast1 still keeping all     
these things1 and pondering them in her 
heart2 incapable of fully penetrating   
the cloud that obscures their present   
destiny1 but looking through the tears  
of anguish to her divine ,protector and 
,guide1 believing that the light of     
,israel cannot be extinguished4 ,in some
 respects1 they knew not whither they   
went2 but each was1 no doubt1 inspired  
by the devout sentiment of the poet3    
,i hold by nothing here below1          
,appoint my journey and ,i go2   ,though
 pierced by scorn1 oppress'd by pride1  
,i feel thee good--feel nought beside4  
,no frowns of men can hurtful prove     
,to souls on fire with heav'nly love2   
,though men and devils both condemn1    
,no gloomy days arise for them4         
,while place we seek1 or place we shun1 
,the soul finds happiness in none2      
,but with a ,god to guide our way1      
',tis equal joy to go or stay4    ,could
 ,i be cast where thou art not1   ,that 

were indeed a dreadful lot3   ,but      
regions none remote ,i call1   ,secure  
of finding ,god in all4 ,mad4 ,guion4   
,herod1 whose cruelty and duplicity were
 equally conspicuous1 finding that the  
young child had by some means eluded his
 grasp1 meditated the deepest revenge1  
which1 like a smothered flame1 the      
longer it is confined1 the more         
violently at last it blazes4  ,for a    
time he concealed his feelings1 with a  
view of the better securing ultimate    
success2 but1 on perceiving that his    
secret intentions were frustrated1 he   
resolved on open war4 ,animated with a  
tyrant's spirit and a demon's rage he   
determined on the destruction of ,jesus1
 though the accomplishment of his       
purpose should deluge ,judea with blood4
 ,he issued his murderous decree1 and   
despatched his executioners to          
,bethlehem and all the coasts thereof1  
to slay all the children from two years 
old and under1 according to the time    
which he had diligently inquired of the 

wise men4  ,what language can express   
the barbarity of this conduct6 ,the most
 savage of mankind have spared children1
 even when their parents have been      
guilty4 ,the innocence and weakness of  
their age have preserved them from the  
sword1 even of a victorious and         
exasperated enemy2 and yet these little 
innocents1 whose parents were not       
implicated in any plot to deceive the   
tyrant1 whose yoke was endured with     
extraordinary patience1 were given to   
the murderous sword1 and ,bethlehem     
suddenly converted into one vast        
slaughter-house4 ,then1 remarks the     
evangelist1 was fulfilled that which was
 spoken by ,jeremy the prophet1 saying1 
,in ,rama was there a voice heard1      
lamentation1 and weeping1 and great     
mourning1 ,rachel weeping for her       
children1 and would not be comforted1   
because they are not4  ,the innocents   
were martyrs indeed1 but not in will1 by
 reason of their tender age4 ,of these1 
however1 it pleased the ,prince of      

martyrs to have his train composed1 when
 he made his entry into the world1 as at
 this season2 a train of infants1 suited
 to an infant ,saviour2 a train of      
innocents1 meet to follow the spotless  
,lamb1 who came to convince the world of
 sin1 and to redeem it in righteousness4
 ,they were the first-fruits offered to 
the ,son of ,god after his incarnation1 
and their blood the first that flowed on
 his account4 ,they appeared as so many 
champions in the field1 clad in the     
,king's coat of armour1 to intercept the
 blows directed against him4  ,the      
,christian ,poet1 ,,prudentius1 in one  
of his hymns1 has an elegant and        
beautiful address to these young        
sufferers for their ,redeemer #aj2      
,hail1 ye first flowers of the          
evangelical spring1 cut off by the sword
 of persecution1 ere yet you had        
unfolded your leaves to the morning1 as 
the early rose droops before the        
withering blast4 ,driven1 like a flock  
of lambs to the slaughter1 you have the 

honour to compose the first sacrifice   
offered at the altar of ,christ2 before 
which methinks ,i see your innocent     
simplicity sporting with the palms and  
the crowns held out to you from above4  
#aa  ,the parents of the infant ,saviour
 remained in ,egypt until the death of  
,herod #ab1 an event which was announced
 to ,joseph in a dream1 who was directed
 to return with ,mary and her child into
 the land of ,israel4 ,when he heard    
that ,archelaus1 a prince no less       
sanguinary in his disposition than his  
infamous predecessor1 reigned over      
,judah in the room of his father1 he was
 afraid of returning2 but being again   
divinely admonished1 withdrew into      
,galilee1 under the government of ,herod
 ,antipas4 ,he took up his residence at 
,nazareth1 a small city where he had    
formerly lived2 by which the ancient    
oracle was fulfilled1 ,he shall be      
called a ,nazarene4  ,we may he allowed 
a momentary interruption of the         
narrative1 by one observation on the    

death of ,herod4 ,how easily ,god can   
remove out of the way whatever opposes  
the designs of his wisdom6 ,he lays his 
finger on the tyrant's head1 and he     
sinks into the dust6 ,thus it has been1 
and thus it ever must be1 with the      
adversaries of ,christ4 ,every ,herod   
must die4 ,on the banners of the church 
is inscribed1 ,if ,god be for us1 who   
can be against us8 ,where are the       
,neros1 and ,domitians1 and ,caligulas1 
that have sought the life of            
,christianity8--,they are dead6 but his 
cause survives4 ,he must reign till he  
hath put all enemies under his feet4    
,the ,gospel1 in pursuing its course    
through the world1 resembles a mighty   
river1 here and there meeting with      
powerful obstructions2 but not prevented
 by these1 it takes a circuitous course1
 and leaves them to be gradually        
overflowed or undermined1 and buried in 
the stream4 ,thus superstition1         
idolatry1 infidelity1 ,popery1          
,mahometanism1 constitute so many       

obstructions to this celestial stream2  
but while it makes glad the city of     
,god1 it is gradually diffusing itself  
around1 and sapping by degrees the      
foundation of these impediments1 till   
being broken down and forgotten1 an     
angel shall proclaim1 ,babylon is       
fallen1 is fallen6 ,then shall the      
kingdoms of this world become the       
kingdoms of our ,lord1 and of his       
,christ2 and he shall reign for ever and
 ever4 ,then all that sought the young  
child's life1 all that opposed the      
interests of ,jesus1 being dead and     
vanquished1 the whole earth shall be    
filled with the knowledge of the glory  
of the ,lord1 as the waters cover the   
sea4  ,the law of ,moses commanded all  
the adult males of ,israel to go up to  
,jerusalem three times in a year1 to    
celebrate the feasts of the passover1   
pentecost1 and tabernacles4 ,women were 
under no obligation to undertake these  
journeys2 #ac but it was not unusual for
 such as were eminent for piety1 to     

accompany their husbands and friends    
upon annual occasions4 ,mary1 who set   
the highest value upon the ordinances of
 ,god1 and who would not be disparaged  
by a comparison with the greatest       
characters of ,israel1 went up with     
,joseph year after year4 ,in the        
exemption by which the law permitted    
females to remain at home1 the weakness 
of their sex was regarded2 but the      
strength of ,mary's piety surmounted    
every obstacle1 and1 like her           
illustrious ancestor1 she was glad when 
they said1 ,let us go up to the house of
 the ,lord4 ,how dissimilar was her     
spirit to that of multitudes1 whose     
reluctance renders religious duties so  
irksome and so formal2 who call the     
,sabbath a weariness2 and who1 instead  
of hailing the hour of sacred           
solemnities1 are eager to escape from   
spiritual restraints to replunge into   
the cares1--perhaps into the            
dissipations1 of the world6  ,the       
original constitution of the woman was  

that of a help meet for man2 and it     
should be her pleasure to prompt to holy
 duties1 and to associate with her      
beloved partner and children in them4   
,never does she appear so lovely1 as    
when occupied in this pious service1    
avoiding all those needless cares which 
might preclude her own attendance upon  
appointed means4  ,the passover was     
intended as a commemoration of the      
deliverance wrought for the people of   
,israel when they were brought out of   
,egyptian slavery1 and the destroying   
angel1 who inflicted death upon the     
first born of their oppressors1 passed  
over untouched the blood-besprinkled    
doors of the people of ,god3 but1 under 
the ,christian dispensation1 we are     
invited with our households to celebrate
 a more glorious release from a more    
tremendous bondage4 ,the sacramental    
festival of the church of ,christ       
records our emancipation from sin1 both 
from its consequences and its dominion1 
through the atoning blood of the ,lamb  

slain from the foundation of the world1 
sprinkled upon the consciences of all   
believers4 ,mary1 while keeping the     
typical feast1 embraced the real ,lamb1 
and devoutly enjoyed the festival of    
faith4 ,so let us hasten to this        
institution1 and participate this divine
 joy4  ,it is probable that the parents 
of ,jesus were in the habit of taking   
their son with them every year to       
,jerusalem1 that they might1 as it      
became religious characters1 train him  
up in the nurture and admonition of the 
,lord2 we are at least certain that he  
accompanied them at the age of twelve1  
when a memorable and instructive        
incident occurred4  ,at the expiration  
of the seven days of unleavened bread1  
they began their return homeward2 but   
the child ,jesus staid behind in        
,jerusalem1 to make inquiries1 and to   
listen to the instructions of those who 
publicly explained the sense of         
,scripture1 and the traditions of the   
elders4 ,his mother and ,joseph were    

ignorant of this delay1 till the end of 
the first day's journey2 for as it was  
customary on these occasions to travel  
in very large companies1 and these      
perhaps often separated into groups at  
considerable intervals1 they took it for
 granted that he was with some of his   
friends or kindred1 who were no doubt   
often charmed with his lovely company1  
and expected him to rejoin them in the  
evening4 ,the day closed1 the different 
parties assembled--but1 to the          
inexpressible concern of ,mary and      
,joseph1 ,jesus was not to be found6    
,they searched and searched again1 but  
in vain6 ,the anxious father1 but the   
still more anxious mother1 flew to every
 friend1 to every fellow traveller--no  
tidings were to be heard6 ,ah1 ,simeon1 
thy sword is beginning to pierce this   
maternal breast6 ,what a night of       
sleepless anxiety passed1 and with what 
haste did they retrace their steps to   
,jerusalem6 ,what could they imagine1   
but that some evil beast had taken their

 ,joseph6 ,the weeping mother chides her
 negligence1 stops every passing        
stranger1 fancies perhaps that some     
emissary of persecution had seized him1 
and that ,archelaus had accomplished    
what ,herod had begun1 searches every   
house where they had visited or         
lodged--,o what must the mother         
feel--such a mother--and of such a      
child6  ,but--he is found6 ,on the third
 day1 he was seen in one of the courts  
of the temple appropriated to the       
,jewish doctors1 where they were        
accustomed to lecture to their          
disciples4 ,it might be1 perhaps1 in the
 room of the great sanhedrim1 where they
 assembled in a semi-circular form4 ,in 
front of them were three rows of the    
scholars1 containing each               
three-and-twenty4 ,it is probable1 that 
,christ sat in one of these rows2 and1  
perhaps1 the questions he put1 and the  
answers he gave1 excited so much notice 
amongst the doctors1 that they called   
him into the midst of them1 which was   

occasionally done4 ,thus the ,jews      
state1 that if one of the disciples or  
scholars say1 ,i have something to say  
in favour of him 7one that is put on his
 trial7 they bring him up and cause him 
to sit in the midst of them2 and he does
 not go down from thence the whole day4 
#ad  ,at the moment when his parents    
discovered the holy child ,jesus1 he was
 hearing and asking questions of the    
doctors1 in which he displayed so much  
understanding1 that they and their      
disciples were astonished4 ,this is a   
lesson to youth1 who should1 gladly and 
submissively receive instruction1 and   
may with respectful eagerness question  
their superiors4 ,let them avoid all    
offensive forwardness and conceit of    
their knowledge and attainments2        
remembering that he who could have      
taught the wisest of the ,jewish        
doctors1 sat at their feet listening and
 asking them questions6  ,feeling as a  
mother1 but ignorant of the cause of    
this singular proceeding1 ,mary         

ventured1 as soon as opportunity        
permitted1 to remonstrate in these      
words1 ,son1 why hast thou thus dealt   
with us8 ,behold1 thy father and ,i have
 sought thee sorrowing6 ,we are to      
consider this language as rather        
expressive of anxiety1 that of anger2   
yet1 perhaps1 it may be admitted to     
contain a mixture of both4 ,his         
mysterious and unauthorized             
disappearance might seem to her contrary
 to the obedience he owed1 and was so   
uniformly accustomed to manifest to his 
parents4 ,why did he tarry8 ,why did he 
not1 at least1 inform them of his wishes
 to remain1 and thus spare them the     
wretchedness which they had suffered    
during the past three days8 ,did he not 
know the tender love of his maternal    
parent8 ,did he not know the bitter     
tears she would shed1 and the agonies   
she would suffer8 ,did he not feel the  
claim which she had upon his early      
years1 and the reverence due to her     
character and piety8  ,yes3 these were  

considerations which he never           
overlooked2 but he was absorbed in      
sublimer thoughts4 ,jesus was an        
extraordinary being1 and the whole of   
this transaction ought to be viewed in  
connexion with the subsequent           
development of his designs1 and the     
glory of his future actions4 ,in it we  
have a glimpse of his superiority as the
 ,son of ,god1 and it was1 doubtless1   
intended to attract the attention of his
 thoughtful mother1 and to renew those  
meditations in which she had formerly   
exercised her mind1 during the miracles 
of his nativity4 ,his reply1 ,how is it 
that ye sought me8 wist ye not that ,i  
must be about my ,father's business1 or1
 at my ,father's8 #ae would upon any    
other supposition1 seem strange and     
unintelligible2 and1 accordingly1 his   
parents did not comprehend him1 being at
 present imperfectly versed in the      
mysteries of his kingdom4 ,it was1      
however1 perfectly in point1 and full of
 meaning4 ,mary complained of having    

been so troubled to find him1 and at the
 same time called ,joseph his father4   
,to which he replies1 that she might    
surely have recollected that the temple 
was the most proper place to inquire for
 him1 who1 she knew1 though a child1 was
 already consecrated to so divine a     
work2 that he was1 in fact1 where he    
ought to be1 and about the proper       
business to which his life was to be    
devoted2 and that1 although ,joseph were
 his reputed father1 he possessed a     
higher relationship1 and a nobler       
character than could distinguish mere   
mortals4 ,god was his father--this was  
his house--and nothing must impede his  
purposes4 ,still1 however1 he instantly 
complied with the wishes of his parents1
 went with them to ,nazareth1 and during
 many succeeding years veiled the       
splendours of his character in the      
obedience and concealment of his        
childhood4 ,mary1 in the mean time1 kept
 all these sayings in her heart4  ,in   
detailing the life of ,christ1 the      

inspired evangelists do not often       
introduce his mother2 and whenever she  
is mentioned1 it is rather to illustrate
 his character than hers2 but we feel   
pleasure in collecting even the smallest
 fragments of this divine record1 that  
nothing may be lost2 and while searching
 for ,,mary1 let us rejoice that we are1
 at the same time1 conducted to ,,jesus4
  ,the next circumstance that demands   
our notice1 is the history of the       
wedding-feast at ,cana in ,galilee4     
,here the ,saviour and his mother appear
 as the most conspicuous characters4    
,these1 with the disciples of ,christ1  
at present few in number1 were expressly
 invited2 whence it has1 with sufficient
 probability1 been thought that it was  
the marriage of one of his own          
relations4  ,it seems highly becoming   
the dignity of the ,saviour to sanction1
 by his holy presence1 the institution  
of marriage in general1 and to sanctify 
its observance on the present occasion  
in particular4 ,its utility1 in         

reference to individual comfort and to  
the interests of society at large1      
renders marriage honourable in all2 and 
while it would be ungrateful to         
,providence1 not to accept with suitable
 emotions of cheerfulness the blessing  
which has been so long and so eagerly   
sought1 it must always be injurious to  
character to indulge in extravagant     
merriment or indecorous festivity4 ,let 
persons forming such a connection aim to
 chastise their mirth with a solid      
piety1 recollecting that while they are 
allowed to be cheerful1 they must not be
 intemperate4  ,at the feast of ,cana1  
the wine failed4 ,the poverty of the    
family might not admit of a very liberal
 supply1 or a larger number of visiters 
might come than had been expected4 ,mary
 immediately informed her ,son4 ,she saw
 that this circumstance occasioned      
confusion1 she knew the power of ,jesus1
 and she wished to spare the feelings of
 the new-married pair1 who might have   
been exposed to censure for the         

scantiness of the supply4 ,if these were
 her real sentiments1 they were worthy  
of her character and sex4 ,let this     
example of amiable concern for the      
reputation of another1 and the general  
comfort of the guests at this nuptial   
feast1 stimulate us to an imitation of  
her kindness4 ,how common is it for     
persons to depreciate and ridicule each 
other1 availing themselves of trifling  
mistakes or unimportant oversights1 to  
awaken prejudices and to exasperate     
dislikes6 ,envy is so prevalent in the  
world1 so natural to the human heart1   
and so inconceivably diversified in its 
methods of operation1 that we cannot be 
too much warned against it1 especially  
as its venom lies concealed1 hut often  
works effectually4  ,the female sex1 of 
which we have before us so fine a       
specimen1 are naturally attentive and   
kind1 skilful to discern1 quick to feel1
 and prompt to relieve the wants of     
others4 ,they seem endowed with a       
generosity1 in which it is their honour 

to excel1 while it is their duty to     
cultivate and indulge it4 ,are comforts 
needed8 ,their ready hands will supply  
them4 ,is pain suffered8 ,their tender  
hearts will sympathize and aim to       
alleviate it4 ,they are officious to    
replenish the cup of joy1 and no less   
prompt to sweeten and mitigate the      
bitter draughts of sorrow4 ,to them we  
look to increase our pleasures in the   
days of prosperity--for them we do not  
ask in vain to sustain our aching head1 
and to smooth the pillow of sickness and
 of death6  ,but if the views we have   
imputed to ,mary really dictated the    
intimation which she gave to ,jesus1    
respecting the deficiency of wine1 it   
may be asked1 how came she to meet with 
so austere a reply1 as ,woman1 what have
 ,i to do with thee8 ,mine hour is not  
yet come4 ,this requires some attention4
  ,in the first place1 notwithstanding  
the feeling of kindness which dictated  
this interference1 ,christ might have   
thought it necessary to assert his      

divine prerogative4 ,it is evident1 from
 her immediately directing the servants 
to do whatever he commanded them1 she   
expected some miracle2 for she was1 no  
doubt1 fully persuaded by this time of  
his being the ,messiah4 ,but1 though    
endowed with maternal authority1 it was 
not her province to point out the course
 of his proceeding as ,lord of all4 ,he 
was willing1 however1 to grant her      
wishes2 but1 by this language1 imposed  
secrecy4 ,he would choose the moment and
 the proper manner of imparting the     
necessary supply4 ,one would almost     
infer from the injunction of ,mary to   
the servants1 that he had informed her  
of his intentions2 and that while he    
felt no displeasure at her request1 it  
was necessary to wait his divine will4  
,in the next place1 the words were1     
probably1 not so disrespectful as they  
at first appear4 ,some have thought the 
original phrase might be rendered1 ,what
 is that to thee and me8 meaning1 ,what 
concern have we in this want of wine8 it

 is the duty of others to provide1 and  
not ours4 ,it must be admitted1 however1
 that this interpretation is not so     
honourable to the benevolent character  
of ,christ1 nor so natural1 under all   
the circumstances1 since ,mary was      
evidently and properly concerning       
herself1 as a relative in this affair1  
and the use of similar expressions in   
other parts of ,scripture imply some    
degree of reproof4 #af ,considering the 
divine character of our ,lord1 this     
phraseology was not improper1 because in
 what concerned his office she had no   
authority over him2 and ,mary1 impressed
 with a sense of his extraordinary      
character1 which was every day          
increasingly developing himself1        
withdrew in reverential silence to      
enjoin the necessary obedience upon the 
servants4 ,she felt1 and let us never   
forget1 that the endearments of         
friendship and the tender ties of       
consanguinity must not interfere with   
the superior claims of religion and of  

,christ4  ,the greatest objection seems 
to attach to the use of the abrupt and  
disrespectful term woman2 but the usages
 of antiquity prove that this mode of   
address was quite different in meaning  
from what it appears in ,english4 ,the  
politest writers1 and most accomplished 
princes1 adopted it in addressing ladies
 of quality2 and even servants sometimes
 spoke to their mistresses in this      
manner4 #ag ,in the last and tender     
scene of the cross1 it is not to be     
imagined that the dying ,son should     
intentionally1 or even inadvertently1   
wound the feelings of a weeping mother1 
and at the very moment too when         
affectionately commending her to the    
care of his surviving friend and        
disciple2 and yet his address is        
precisely similar3 woman1 behold thy    
,son6  ,jesus soon issued his orders to 
the servants to fill six water-pots of  
stone1 which were at hand1 and were     
commonly used for washing cups and other
 vessels1 and the hands and feet of the 

guests1 according to the ,jewish custom 
of purifying4 #ah ,the water1 to the    
astonishment of all present1 be turned  
into wine of so excellent a flavour as  
to excite particular notice4 ,this was  
the beginning of his public miracles1 a 
wonderful display of his glory1 and a   
means of confirming the minds of his    
disciples4  ,there is a marriage whereto
 we are invited2 yea1 wherein we are    
already interested2 not as the guests   
only1 but as the bride2 in which there  
shall be no want of the wine of         
gladness4 ,it is marvel if in these     
earthly banquets there be not some lack4
 ',in thy presence1 ,o ,saviour1 there  
is fulness of joy1 and at thy right hand
 there are pleasures for evermore4'     
,blessed are they that are called to the
 marriage-supper of the ,lamb4 #ai  ,as 
the extraordinary character of ,christ  
became from this moment increasingly    
apparent1 it is easy to believe that the
 strong feelings of maternal tenderness 
in the bosom of ,mary blended themselves

 more and more with a spiritual         
affection4 ,she was indeed1 in one      
sense1 the mother of our ,lord1 but she 
was also his disciple--she had been     
guide of his childhood1 but she sat at  
the feet of his maturity4 ,as he        
ascended to an immeasurable elevation   
above every other being of the human    
race1 she must feel that the authority  
of the earthly parent1 although it were 
never disregarded or disavowed1 but1 on 
the contrary1 must have impressed a     
peculiarity both upon his affection and 
hers1 was1 however1 absorbed in the     
superiority of his heavenly commission4 
,he obeyed her as a child1 but she      
submitted to him as the ,lord4  ,does   
the observant eye of a mother watch with
 unutterable solicitude the progress of 
her beloved offspring1 tracing the      
improvement of his mind1 the development
 of his faculties1 the career of his    
life1 sympathizing with his sorrows and 
participating with his joys1 taking a   
fond share in all that concerns him--his

 prospects1 his pursuits1 his whole     
character2--does the maternal heart1    
even in ordinary cases1 feel so much and
 so long1 cherishing such undiminished  
interest in every vicissitude that      
affects the son of her love8 ,with what 
lively sensibility must ,mary have      
contemplated the rising glory of the    
inimitable ,jesus6 ,what a track of     
majesty must have marked his footsteps6 
,what a winning singularity must have   
distinguished his actions6 ,what purity 
must have adorned his conduct6 ,what    
grace was poured into his lips6 ,who can
 express the deep interest that his     
thoughtful mother must have felt in the 
discourses she heard1 the wisdom with   
which he silenced gainsayers1 penetrated
 human hearts1 exposed secret motives   
and purposes1 confounded the most wise  
and artful1 and communicated the        
sublimest truths in the most commanding 
and lucid manner6 ,how must she have    
felt to have been the witness of his    
astonishing miracles1 to have seen the  

flashes of unearthly dignity breaking   
through the concealment of a human      
exterior1 and to have traced the        
accomplishment of all that prophets had 
foretold and angels announced6 ,o1 what 
an honour to have been the mother1 but  
still more so to be the disciple of him 
who was predicted by prophets1          
prefigured by types1 attended by        
ministering angels1 celebrated by the   
most eminent of the ,jewish church1     
obeyed by all the elements of nature1   
the principalities of darkness1 and the 
powers of heaven2--who1 being in the    
form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to 
be equal with ,god2 but made himself of 
no reputation1 and took upon him the    
form of a servant1 and was made in the  
likeness of men6  ,the sacred history1  
which is chiefly occupied in the life of
 ,christ himself1 and the detail of his 
actions1 does not explain how often his 
mother accompanied him4 ,the incidental 
mention of her and his brethren upon one
 occasion shows1 however1 what we cannot

 but infer1 that she was one of his     
frequent attendants4 ,he was talking to 
the people in a private house1 with the 
instructive familiarity for which he was
 so remarkable1 when his mother and his 
brethren stood without1 desiring to     
speak with him4 ,they had something of  
importance to communicate1 otherwise it 
cannot be supposed they would have      
interrupted his conversation2 but1 being
 unable to reach him on account of the  
multitude1 their wishes were conveyed   
from one to another1 till the person who
 stood by him intimated that his mother 
and brethren were waiting to speak with 
him4 ,availing himself of the           
circumstance to impress his admonition  
upon the assembled crowd1 he said to the
 person who informed1 ,who is my mother8
 and who are my brethren8 ,then         
addressing the people as he pointed to  
the disciples1 he exclaimed1 ,behold my 
mother1 and my brethren6 ,for whosoever 
shall do the will of my ,father which is
 in heaven1 the same is my brother and  

sister and mother4  ,did he then intend 
to pour contempt upon these near        
relatives8 ,did he disclaim the ties of 
kindred8 ,did he exclude ,mary1 ,james1 
and ,joses1 ,simeon and ,judas1 from the
 honour and the happiness of            
participating those spiritual blessings 
which he so liberally dispensed to      
others8--,surely not4 ,applying to this 
the same principle of interpretation    
which was adopted in explaining his     
words at the feast of ,cana1 we infer   
that he meant to intimate that they who 
called him brother according to the     
flesh1 and even she who bore him1 need  
not be envied by those whom he admitted 
to the intimacy and happiness of a      
spiritual relationship2 and that        
whatever of love and kindness could be  
supposed to arise from the natural      
connexion1 was enjoyed in a nobler sense
 by virtue of a spiritual union4 ,every 
thing that can consummate the happiness 
of man1 every thing that can secure the 
most glorious and permanent distinction1

 arises from being the disciple of the  
blessed ,jesus1 and doing the will of   
his ,father4 ,let such an one envy no   
more the possessions of time1 for he is 
heir to the inheritance of heaven2 let  
him not value at too high a price any   
human honour1 title1 or relationship1   
for he is a member of the household of  
,god4  ,we now hasten to a scene        
calculated at once to excite our        
liveliest sensibilities and our warmest 
gratitude--a scene upon which the eyes  
of the remotest ages were fixed with    
holy anticipation1 and which all future 
generations will contemplate with       
retrospective joy--a scene distinguished
 by the most affecting incidents--in one
 of which1 not the least remarkable1 the
 mother of our ,lord appears            
conspicuous4  ,it is observable1 that   
whenever he alluded to the circumstances
 of his own death1 ,christ adopted a    
mode of speaking which is expressive of 
the most dignified composure of mind1   
united with an irresistible firmness of 

purpose4 ,he advanced to the cross of   
martyrdom like one who1 for the joy that
 was set before him1 despised the shame4
 ,his love to man annihilated the terror
 of death1 and rendered him solicitous  
to shed his blood4 ,i have a baptism to 
be baptized with1 and how am ,i         
straitened till it be accomplished4 ,in 
the hour of previous conflict he        
intimated that this was the tragical but
 necessary design of his coming into the
 world4 ,from his radiant throne in     
glory1 he saw1 in awful perspective1 the
 afflictions which were destined for his
 incarnate state2 and1 instead of a     
train of angels1 he prepared to be      
attended by a retinue of sorrows1 during
 his abode in the world4 ,above all1 he 
beheld the ,,cross1 surrounded with     
awful clouds1 raised amidst the scorn of
 human and the triumph of infernal      
enemies4 ,he saw the full tide of misery
 set in against him2 but1 with unabating
 love to man1 and perfect obedience of  
spirit to the ,father--melting with pity

 and glowing with zeal--he prepared to  
encounter the billows and the storms of 
death4 ,he was not overtaken by a       
calamity which he neither foresaw nor   
could prevent1 for ten thousand angels  
at his word would have hastened to pluck
 him from the waves2 but in fulfilment  
of the everlasting covenant1 to glorify 
the ,father and to redeem a perishing   
world1 he was led to the slaughter4  ,at
 this period all ,judea was present to  
celebrate the paschal festival2 the     
great council of the nation was         
convened2 ,herod1 the governor of       
,judea1 and ,pilate1 the tetrarch of    
,galilee1 with their attending armies1  
displayed the grandeur of the empire2   
and on the mount of crucifixion a vast  
concourse of people assembled to witness
 this tragical scene4 ,what must have   
been their sensations when nature became
 convulsed--when darkness veiled the    
sun--and the inhabitants of the         
invisible world burst through the       
trembling earth1 and reappeared to many 

in ,jerusalem6 ,never did an hour       
revolve since the beginning of time that
 laboured with such great events4 ,the  
fate of the moral creation was now      
weighing in the scales--the happiness of
 millions was at stake--the interests of
 eternity were deciding--and the victory
 over sin1 death1 and hell1 was         
proclaimed by the expiring ,redeemer1   
when he said1 ,,it ,,is ,,finished4     
,amidst this scene of wonders1 behold a 
group of females1 no less similar in    
character than in name2 ,mary the mother
 of ,jesus1 ,mary the wife ,cleopas1 and
 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,many women are      
honourably conspicuous in the records of
 the ,new ,testament1 but never did they
 appear with greater advantage than at  
this moment4 ,all the disciples were    
fled1 with the single exception of      
,john1 who had overcome his temporary   
apprehensions1 and was returned to the  
field of danger4 ,these pious heroines1 
although incapable of affording the     
glorious ,sufferer any assistance1 and  

although surrounded by an infuriated    
enemy1 rose superior to the fears of    
their sex1 and pierced through the      
crowd1 to testify their sympathy1 to    
listen to his dying words1 and to watch 
the expiring flame of life to the moment
 of its extinction4  ,what a scene was  
this for his ,,mother6 ,how could she   
sustain the horrible spectacle8 ,how    
could she survive this fiery trial8     
,what inconceivable anguish must it have
 occasioned to witness the death of her 
,son6 ,say1 ye mothers who have watched 
the infant days and progressive maturity
 of a firstborn1 what distress ye have  
felt at his early loss6 ,the flower     
perhaps had just expanded to the day1   
when the pestilential wind blew from the
 desert of death and withered its       
beauties6 ,it is gone--but has left     
behind a sense of unspeakable           
desolation4 ,how were your most         
delightful hopes annihilated in a       
moment1 and ye were ready to adopt the  
language of ,david in his agony1 ,o my  

son ,absalom6 my son1 my son ,absalom6  
would ,god ,i had died for thee1 ,o     
,absalom6 my son1 my son6  ,but this was
 a death of the most ignominious and    
painful description4 ,mary beheld her   
,son suffering the shame of a public    
execution and the torment of a cross4   
,she saw him suspended between heaven   
and earth1 as if unworthy of either1    
crucified between two malefactors1 and  
insulted by an outrageous mob4 ,she     
heard the revengeful speeches of that   
infatuated multitude1 and the mutual    
congratulations of those by whom they   
were instigated1 and who ridiculously   
imagined they had obtained a decisive   
victory6 ,the terror of this hour and   
power of darkness pervaded her own      
spirit1 and she lived to feel a greater 
horror than it is in the power even of  
the king of terrors himself to inflict4 
,this was the crucifixion of an innocent
 ,son6 ,he had experienced indeed the   
mockery of a judicial proceeding1 but   
had been sacrificed to the ravings of a 

despicable and infatuated mob1 the      
asseverations of perjured witnesses1 the
 timidity of ,pilate1 and the hatred of 
every class of ,jews4 ,no guile was     
found in his mouth1 no recrimination in 
his language1 no impatience in his      
conduct4 ,conscious of perfect          
innocency1 he yet submitted to          
condemnation and death as a notorious   
offender2 and1 with all things under his
 control1 he did not lift a finger to   
stop the career of injustice1 or arrest 
the course of infernal rage4 ,if the    
mothers of his two associates in        
suffering were present on this occasion1
 whatever bitterness of anguish they had
 felt to see the mournful end of their  
own offspring1 they could not but admit 
that public crime demanded public       
punishment1 and sentiments of           
commiseration must have blended         
themselves with those of censure when   
they viewed their fate4 ,but the mother 
of ,jesus saw her beloved ,son condemned
 without reason1 and suffering in       

defiance of justice4 ,in proportion as  
she knew his innocency she must have    
felt his loss4  ,but his character was  
more than innocent2 this1 as the        
astonished centurion exclaimed1 ,truly1 
this man was the ,son of ,god6 ,well    
might she wonder that no angel appeared 
to rescue the expiring ,redeemer1 and   
that he who had saved others did not    
save himself6 ,well might she have been 
confounded at the mysterious            
circumstance1 that he whom winds and    
waves obeyed1 and whose presence on     
earth was felt by universal nature1     
should die in apparent disgrace1 exposed
 to the raillery of his inveterate      
enemies6  ,this afflicted mother was    
also a widow6 ,long since the           
evangelical narrative has dropped the   
name of her husband1 doubtless because  
,joseph was no more2 but ,jesus survived
 to console her amidst domestic         
misfortunes1 to cheer her declining     
days1 to prop her falling house1 to pour
 the wine of consolation into her cup of

 sorrow1 and the light of celestial     
truth into her mind4 ,he was all        
goodness1 all perfection1 who could     
never forget a mother--a widowed mother1
 wherever he went about doing good--was 
to this awful hour her staff and        
comfort4 ,how keen was the edge of that 
piercing sword of which ,simeon spake1  
and what unparralleled grief was hers   
when she saw the cross1 and the         
tortures1 and the blood of her ,son6    
,notwithstanding all1 ,mary is not seen 
wringing her hands and tearing her hair 
in distraction2 nor is she heard to     
utter intemperate language against his  
persecutors1 or to manifest resentment  
at the dispensations of ,heaven3 she    
neither curses man1 nor blasphemes ,god2
 nor do we observe her fainting beneath 
the pressure of accumulated woes2 but   
she stands near the cross1 in solemn    
silence1 pondering1 in an attitude of   
profound meditation1 and submitting to  
the purposes of ,providence4  ,let us   
admire the power of that grace which is 

promised to ,christians1 to help them in
 time of need1 and of the efficacy of   
which the present scene furnishes so    
substantial an evidence4 ,is it possible
 that after such a record as this we    
should ever doubt or forget the divine  
assurances--,my grace is sufficient for 
thee--,when thou passest through the    
waters ,i will be with thee1 and through
 the rivers they shall not overflow     
thee2 when thou walkest through the fire
 thou shall not be burnt1 neither shall 
the flame kindle upon thee8 ,should thy 
desponding heart be ready to distrust   
the wisdom or deny the goodness of thy  
,father who is in heaven1 when sorrows1 
diversified and oppressive1 burden thy  
spirit1 think of the mother of ,jesus at
 the cross of her ,son6  ,if the sublime
 sympathy of ,mary prevented the        
recollection of her personal condition1 
,jesus was not so overwhelmed with      
affliction as to be unmindful of the    
future lot of his poor1 pennyless1      
helpless1 widowed1 and weeping mother2  

but committed her to the care of his    
disciple ,,john1 directing him to regard
 her henceforward as a mother1 and her  
to consider him as a son4 ,woman1 behold
 thy son--,my beloved disciple will     
fulfil every office of filial           
tenderness1 and at my request he will   
receive and provide for my destitute    
parent4 ,behold1 said he1 addressing    
,john1 behold thy mother2 take her to   
thy house1 allow her to share thy means1
 respect and supply her as the most     
endeared relative of thy dying ,lord4 ,i
 have no property to leave1 no silver or
 gold to distribute3 this is my fond and
 my only bequest4 ,i have confidence in 
thy attachment1 and when thou dost      
minister to her thou wilt remember me4  
,from this exquisitely touching and     
instructive scene we must take a lesson 
of dependence on the providence of ,god4
 ,if he inflict unexpected trials1 he   
affords unexpected supplies4 ,his       
resources are numberless2 and he who    
raised up ,john to supply the place of  

an endeared ,son to ,mary1 can never be 
at loss for expedients when his people  
are in distress4 ,one prop is removed1  
another is substituted4 ,o fear the     
,lord1 all ye his saints1 for there is  
no want to them that fear him4 ,earthly 
cisterns may indeed be broken1 and      
temporal streams of enjoyment may cease1
 but the fountain of living waters is   
inexhaustible4  ,take a lesson of filial
 piety4 ,children are under an          
indispensable obligation to succour     
their aged parents4 ,if amidst the      
agonies of crucifixion1 ,jesus so       
carefully provided for the future       
comfort of his maternal parent1 be      
assured he has set an example wherein we
 should follow his steps2 and disrespect
 to such claims is a dereliction of our 
character1 and a forfeiture of our      
profession as the disciples of ,christ4 
,learn to be prompt in your obedience to
 every requisition of your ,lord4 ,it is
 an honour to be employed by him in any 
service1 whatever it may cost us4 ,john 

did not hesitate1 or indulge in         
surmisings2 he did not think of the     
trouble1 the expense1 or the possible   
danger of harbouring the mother of one  
who was executed as an enemy to ,cesar2 
but from that hour that disciple took   
her unto his own home4 ,if the sacred   
history had followed him to his lowly   
habitation1 where our imaginations are  
ready to accompany ,john and his        
venerable charge1 it would doubtless    
have exhibited a specimen of tender     
friendship and unwearied assiduity4     
,what could ,john deny to the mother of 
his ,lord8 ,how eagerly would he promote
 her comfort6 ,what sweet converse would
 they hold together upon the life1 the  
miracles1 the doctrines1 the precepts1  
the death of ,jesus6 ,what a gleam of   
light and joy would the remembrance of  
one so dear throw upon the darkest scene
 of their lives1 and how would the glory
 of his subsequent ascension1 and       
dignity in the invisible world1 occupy  
their daily intercourse and their most  

devotional moments6 ,the sweet hour of  
prime1 and the serenity of evening mild1
 and twilight gray1 would still find    
them amidst the wonders of the cross or 
the triumphs of the resurrection4       
,nothing more is said of ,mary till we  
come to the ,acts of the ,apostles1     
where a brief but honourable notice     
closes her history4 ,in an upper room at
 ,jerusalem abode ,peter1 and ,james1   
and ,john1 and ,andrew1 ,philip1 and    
,thomas1 ,bartholomew and ,matthew1     
,james the son of ,alpheus1 and ,simon  
,zelotes1 and ,judas the brother of     
,james4 ,these all continued with one   
accord in prayer and supplication1 with 
the women1 and ,mary1 the mother of     
,jesus1 and with his brethren4  ,it is  
supposed that ,john took her with him to
 ,ephesus1 where she died in an extreme 
old age4 ,there is a letter of the      
oecumenical council of ,ephesus1        
importing1 that in the fifth century it 
was believed she was buried there2 but  
some authors think she was buried at    

,jerusalem4    ,section ,,iv4     ,brief
 ,account of the extravagant ,regard    
which has been paid to the   ,virgin    
,mary at different ,periods--the ,names 
by which she has been   addressed1 and  
the ,festivals instituted to honour her 
,memory--general   ,remarks on the      
,nature and ,character of ,superstition1
 particularly that   of the ,catholics4 
,after reviewing1 as we have done in the
 preceding pages1 the facts which are   
stated by the evangelists respecting the
 life of the mother of ,jesus1 the      
reader perhaps will not be displeased if
 he be presented with some of the       
fictions with which the fancy and the   
folly of the human race have combined to
 embellish her history4 ,that she has a 
claim upon the respect of every age and 
nation1 will not be disputed3 but we    
must condemn as well as compassionate   
that weakness which has exalted her into
 an object of worship1 and filled the   
temples1 which ought to have been       
devoted to the service of ,god1 with    

unauthorized addresses1 unscriptural    
rites1 and idolatrous disfigurements4   
,the first notice we have in history of 
undue honour being rendered to the      
,virgin ,mary is about the close of the 
fourth century1 when the ,collyridians  
adored her as a goddess2 and by various 
libations and sacrifices sought her     
protection1 and hoped to avert her      
displeasure4  ,soon after this period   
corruptions multiplied in the church to 
an extravagant degree1 and mankind      
departed more and more from the         
simplicity of religion4 ,a disposition  
to pomp and parade usually marks a      
decline in piety2 for wherever the      
beauty of holiness is preserved1 gaudy  
decorations and splendid formalities    
will be deemed unnecessary4 ,surely ,god
 is not honoured by a service which he  
has never instituted1 and which is only 
calculated to divert the mind from the  
proper business of devotion and the     
supreme object of religious homage6 ,in 
the fifth century1 therefore1 as piety  

languished1 magnificence1 with all her  
costly train1 obtruded into notice4 ,the
 riches of the church increased to an   
amazing extent2 the altars1 and chests  
for the preservation of relics1 were    
made of silver2 images adorned1 or      
rather defiled1 every niche2 and the    
,virgin ,mary1 holding the child ,jesus 
in her arms1 every where occupied a     
conspicuous place4 ,she had1 besides1   
universally acquired the title of 1 or  
mother of ,god1 which occasioned the    
,nestorian controversy4  ,the idolatrous
 service of ,mary assumed1 in the tenth 
century1 new forms of extravagance and  
absurdity4 ,among the ,latin churches1  
masses were celebrated every sabbath2   
and afterward1 what is termed the lesser
 office was performed in honour of ,st4 
,mary4 ,there are also indications of   
the institution of the ,rosary and      
,crown1 by which her worshippers were to
 calculate the number of prayers        
offered3 the former consisted of fifteen
 repetitions of the ,lord's prayer1 and 

a hundred and fifty salutations of the  
,virgin3 the latter1 of six or seven    
repetitions of the ,lord's prayer1 and  
six or seven times ten salutations1 or  
,ave ,marias4  ,about the year #aach a  
solemn festival was instituted to       
celebrate the immaculate conception of  
the ,virgin1 of whom it was pretended1  
that her own birth partook of a similar 
purity to that which attached to her    
divine offspring4 ,this doctrine was    
opposed by ,st4 ,bernard2 but the       
,french churches adopted it1 and the    
superstition of the people contributed  
to its establishment4 ,the subject was  
again debated with extreme virulence in 
the seventeenth century1 between the    
,franciscans and ,dominicans1 in which  
the pope interposed a mediatorial power4
 ,the opinion of the former1 who        
maintained the doctrine1 was declared to
 have a high degree of probability in   
its favour1 and the latter were required
 not to oppose it publicly2 while the   
,franciscans were prohibited from       

treating the ,dominican doctrine as     
erroneous4 #bj  ,it is lamentable to see
 the profusion of eloquence and         
ingenuity which some of the most        
penetrating minds have expended on this 
subject4 ,in all the ,catholic writings 
we meet with impassioned addresses to   
the ,virgin1 appeals on her behalf to   
the feelings of piety1 and a frequent   
celebration of her matchless            
perfections4 ,the theological oracle of 
the ,french church distinctly states    
that as the innocence of ,jesus ,christ 
is the life and salvation of sinners1   
so1 through the innocence of the holy   
,virgin1 he obtains pardon for the      
guilty1 exhorting his hearers to cleanse
 away their sins in the glorious        
splendour of her incorruptible purity1  
and adding1 that to undertake to        
describe the perfections of ,mary1 would
 be to fathom a bottomless abyss4       
,after representing the ,saviour as     
making particular choice of ,mary for   
himself1 ,bossuet bestows upon her the  

epithets of beloved creature1           
extraordinary creature1 unique and      
privileged creature2 and continues thus3
 ,the ,saviour imparted to his apostles 
and ministers whatever was most adapted 
to promote the salvation of mankind2 but
 he communicated to his holy mother     
whatever was most pleasing1 most        
glorious1 and most delightful to        
himself2 consequently1 ,i doubt not that
 he made ,mary innocent4 ,she is his    
unique1 and he is hers4 ,dilectus meus  
mihi et ego illi 7'my beloved is mine   
and ,i am his4'7 ,i have only him1 and  
he has only me4 ,i know well that       
innocence ought not to be easily        
lavished on our corrupt nature1 but it  
is no profuse expenditure to bestow it  
upon his mother only3 while to refuse to
 her would surely be too great a        
reserve4  ,no1 my brethren1 this is not 
my ,saviour's conduct3 on ,mary1 from   
the moment of her birth1 ,i behold the  
innocence of ,jesus ,christ shining and 
adorning her head4 ,o honour this new   

ray of light which her divine ,son      
already sheds upon her6 ',the night is  
far spent1 the day is at hand2' ,jesus  
will quickly bring this day by his own  
blessed presence4 ,o happy day6 ,o day  
without cloud6 ,o day1 which the        
innocence of the divine ,jesus will     
render so serene and pure1 when wilt    
thou come to illuminate the             
world8--,christians1 it approaches2 let 
us rejoice in already discovering its   
dawn in the birth of the holy           
,virgin--,nat ,virgine surrexit aurora1 
says the pious father ,damien4 ,can you 
be astonished after this1 if ,i assert  
that ,mary was without spot from the    
first moment of her appearance in the   
world8 ,as the great day of ,christ was 
to be so clear and splendid1 was it not 
proper that even its commencement should
 be beautiful1 and that the serenity of 
the morning should indicate that of the 
day8 ',it is on this account1' as father
 ,damien observes1 'that ,mary1 who     
introduced this illustrious day diffused

 a brightness over the morning by her   
nativity--,maria1 veri proevia luminis1 
nativitate su mane clarissimum          
serenavit4' ,hasten then1 brethren1     
hasten with joy to behold the beginnings
 of this new day3 we shall see it shine 
in the attractive light of an           
untarnished purity6444444,bossuet's     
,sermon4  ,bossuet had sufficient       
ingenuity to construct a plausible      
defence of a sentiment which1 however   
adapted to supply a theme for eloquent  
declamation1 is not to be found in      
,scripture4 ,it must be admitted1 says  
he1 that ,mary would have been involved 
in the general ruin of mankind1 had not 
the merciful ,physician who heals our   
diseases determined to imbue her        
beforehand with his preventing grace4   
,sin1 which like a torrent overflowed   
the world1 would have polluted this holy
 ,virgin with its poisonous waves2 but  
,omnipotence can stop1 whenever he      
pleases1 the most impetuous force4      
,observe with what ardour the sun       

pursues the vast circuit which          
,providence has assigned him2 and yet   
you cannot be ignorant that ,god once   
caused him to stand still in the midst  
of heaven at the voice of a man4 ,those 
who inhabit the vicinity of ,jordan1 the
 celebrated river of ,palestine1 know   
with what rapidity it discharges itself 
into the ,dead ,sea1 if ,i am correct as
 to the place2 nevertheless1 the whole  
,israelitish army saw it roll back to   
its source to form a passage for the    
ark1 where their omnipotent ,sovereign  
resided4 ,is any thing more natural than
 the consuming effect of heat in fire   
issuing out of a furnace8 ,and yet was  
not the impious ,nebuchadnezzar         
surprised with the sight of three happy 
individuals rejoicing in the midst of   
the flames which his merciless minions  
had kindled--but kindled in vain8 ,but  
notwithstanding all these examples1 may 
we not truly say1 that there is no fire 
which does not burn1 that the sun       
performs his course with unceasing      

progress1 and that no river flows back  
to its source8 ,we are accustomed to a  
similar mode of speaking every day1     
without being checked by these          
extraordinary occurrences1 of which no  
one is ignorant4 ,whence does this      
arise1 ,christians8 ,doubtless from the 
habit of conversing according to the    
ordinary course of things2 though ,god  
chooses sometimes to act conformably to 
the dictates of his own omnipotence1    
independently of human notions4  ,i am  
not astonished1 therefore1 that the     
apostle ,paul has expressed himself in  
such general terms respecting the sin of
 our first parents' having occasioned   
the death of all their posterity4       
,according the natural course of things1
 which the apostle is stating in that   
place1 to be born of the race of ,adam  
necessarily includes1 in the ordinary   
sense of the word1 being born in sin4   
,it is not more natural for fire to     
burn1 than for this accursed depravity  
to infect every one it touches with     

corruption and death4 ,no poison is more
 active1 no plague more powerful and    
penetrating4 ,but ,i maintain1 that this
 curse1 however universal1 that all     
these propositions1 however general they
 may be1 do not preclude the exceptions 
which may be made by the ,supreme       
,disposer1 or particular interpositions 
of his authority4 ,and on what occasion1
 great ,god1 could thine unlimited      
power1 which itself is law1 be more     
properly employed than in conferring    
peculiar favour upon ,mary8 #ba  ,in the
 ,litanies the ,virgin is denominated   
the ,mother of ,god1 the ,queen of      
,angels1 the ,refuge of ,sinners1 the   
,mother of ,mercy1 the ,gate of ,heaven1
 the ,mystic ,rose1 the ,virgin of      
,virgins1 c4 #bb  ,father ,barry1 in his
 ,paradise opened to ,philagia by a     
hundred ,devotions to the ,mother of    
,god1 of easy performance1 says1 ,it is 
open to such as confine themselves to   
their chambers1 or carry about them an  
image of the ,virgin1 and look          

steadfastly upon it--who1 night and     
morning1 beg her benediction1 standing  
near some of the churches dedicated to  
her1 or contribute to the relief of the 
poor for her sake--who1 out of a pious  
regard for her1 avoid pronouncing the   
name of ,mary when they read1 but make  
use of some other instead of it--who beg
 of the angels to salute the mother of  
,god in their name1 who give honourable 
appellations to her images1 and cast    
amorous glances at them1 c4  ,in this   
work it is expressly stated1 that as    
many separate devotions to the mother of
 ,god as you find in this book1 are so  
many keys of heaven1 which will open all
 paradise to you1 provided you only     
practise them2 and afterward it is      
added1 that any one of them is          
sufficient4 ,take the following         
specimen3 ,salute the holy ,virgin      
wherever you meet her image2 repeat the 
little chaplet of the ten pleasures of  
the ,virgin2 often pronounce the name of
 ,mary2 commission the angels to give   

your duty to her2 cherish a desire to   
build more churches to her than all the 
kings of the world put together2 wish   
her a good day every morning1 and a good
 night every evening2 say the ,ave      
,maria every day1 in honour of the heart
 of ,mary4 #bc  ,in the earliest ages   
she was called ,queen of angels and     
,mother of ,god2 afterward1 the spirit  
of controversy induced her advocates to 
adopt every possible device to make her 
considerable among heretics1 and to     
accustom her devotees to extravagant    
expressions4 ,she has been represented  
as the disposer and depository of ,god's
 favours1 the treasurer and queen of    
heaven1 the spring and fountain of      
salvation and life1 the mother of light1
 the intercessor between ,god and man1  
the hope of mankind1 the ocean of the   
,deity6 ,almost an absolute and         
sovereign power over her ,son our       
,saviour has been ascribed to her4 ,the 
psalter1 nay the whole ,bible1 has been 
applied to her1 and proofs by miracles  

and apparitions furnished1 that the     
virgin appeases the wrath of ,christ    
against sinners1 and possesses the power
 of absolving1 binding1 and loosening4  
,temples and altars have been erected1  
and invocations addressed to her4  ,the 
,jesuit1 who published the ,psalter of  
our ,lady1 in ,french1 exhorts the      
devout ,christian who pronounces these  
words in the introduction1 ,holy ,lady1 
open thou my lips1 c4 to make two signs 
of the cross when he repeats them1 one  
upon his lips with his thumb1 and the   
other upon himself with his hand1 as the
 priests do when they begin their       
canonical hours4 ,this method1 he       
assures us1 will procure the devotee the
 honour and happiness of being canon or 
canoness of heaven2 and our lady1 to    
reward so conspicuous and instructive an
 act of devotion1 will admit him into   
paradise4 ,he gives a pattern of the    
vows which the devotee is to make for   
,jesus and ,mary's sake1 and for all the
 lovers of them both1 whether male or   

female4 ,he describes the alliance to be
 made by him with the most amiable and  
honourable mother of all mothers1 the   
act of repentance and contrition for the
 reconciliation of himself with her1 and
 all the ceremonies1 great and small1 by
 which he may devote himself to the     
blessed ,virgin4  ,whoever hopes to     
obtain the benedictions of the ,virgin1 
must salute her every day1 both at his  
going out and coming in4 ,the legends   
have transmitted several remarkable     
instances of the advantages arising from
 the repetition of the ,ave ,maria--not 
to mention a thousand day's indulgence  
granted by some of the popes 7,leo ,x4  
and ,paul ,v47 to those who shall repeat
 it at the hour of the ,angelus4  ,st4  
,margarite1 of ,hungary1 said an ,ave   
kneeling before every image of the      
,virgin she met in her way--,st4        
,catharine1 of ,sienna1 repeated as many
 ,aves as she went up steps to her      
house4  ,fasting on ,saturday1 in honour
 of the ,virgin1 is looked upon as a    

treasure of indulgences and delights1   
and as an excellent preservative against
 eternal damnation4  ,various festivals 
are instituted to commemorate her1 such 
as the ,purification1 the ,annunciation1
 the ,visitation1 and others4  ,the     
fifth of ,august is the festival of our 
,lady of the ,snow4 ,we are informed    
that the solemnization of it was owing  
to a miracle4 ,when ,liberius was       
pontiff1 a patrician1 or ,roman         
nobleman1 finding himself old and       
childless1 resolved1 with his wife's    
approbation1 to make the blessed ,virgin
 his sole heiress4 ,the vow being made  
with great devotion1 their principal    
concern1 in the next place1 was to      
employ their inheritance conformably to 
our ,lady's will3 and accordingly they  
applied themselves to fasting1 praying1 
giving alms to the poor1 and visiting   
the sick1 to know her pleasure4  ,the   
,virgin at length appeared to each of   
them in a dream1 and told them it was   
her and her ,son's will1 that they      

should employ their effects in erecting 
a church for her on a particular part of
 the ,mons ,esquilinus1 which they      
should find covered with snow4 ,the     
pious husband first communicated the    
revelation to his wife1 who told him1   
with great surprise1 that she had had   
the same revelation that very night4    
,but1 supposing the two dreams had not  
proved alike1 an excess of zeal would   
have been sufficient to have given them 
all the conformity that was requisite2  
,these two devotees went immediately and
 declared their dreams to the pope1 who 
perceived that he was a third man in the
 revelation2 for his holiness had been  
favoured with the same vision4 ,it was  
no longer questioned1 but that heaven   
was engaged in this affair4 ,the pontiff
 assembled the clergy together1 and     
there was a solemn procession to ,mount 
,esquiline1 on purpose to find out      
whether the miracle were real or not2   
when the place specified in the dream   
was found covered with snow4 ,the ground

 was exactly of a suitable extent to    
erect a church upon1 which was afterward
 called ,liberius's ,basilica1 and ,st4 
,mary ad prcepe1 7because the manger1   
which was used as a cradle for our      
,lady1 was brought thither from         
,bethlehem17 and is now called ,st4     
,mary ,major4 ,every festival day1 the  
commemoration of this miracle is        
revived1 by letting fall white jessamine
 leaves1 after so artificial a manner1  
as to imitate the falling of snow upon  
the ground4 #bd  ,it has even been      
asserted1 that the apostle ,peter       
consecrated a chapel to the ,virgin1 a  
story which accords perfectly well with 
other absurdities4 ,the ,spaniards      
attribute a similar act of devotion to  
,james at ,saragossa2 and some add1 that
 the angels were the architects of the  
chapel4 ,it is decorated in the most    
costly manner with silver angels1 lamps1
 and other furniture1 with the ,virgin  
magnificently dressed on a marble       
pillar4 ,the walls are hung with feet1  

arms1 hands1 and other parts of the     
human body1 as grateful oblations to the
 ,virgin1 for the miraculous cures she  
is supposed to have performed upon these
 members4  ,at ,madrid1 our lady of     
,atocha resides in a chapel which blazes
 with a hundred lamps made of gold and  
silver1 and is celebrated for as many   
miracles as at ,loretto and other       
places4 ,the history of her first       
settlement at ,liesse1 in ,picardy1 is  
thus related4 ,during the crusades1 an  
,egyptian princess resolving to have an 
image of the ,virgin1 addressed herself 
to three gentlemen of ,picardy1 who were
 prisoners at ,cairo1 one of whom made  
an attempt to paint her1 though ignorant
 of the art4 ,having failed1 he and his 
companions presented earnest            
supplications to the ,virgin1 after     
which they fell asleep4 ,as soon as they
 awoke1 they found an image of our      
,lady1 accurately performed1 which they 
transmitted to the princess2 who1 in    
return1 set them at liberty4 ,she was1  

of course1 converted to the ,christian  
faith by this image2 and the three      
gentlemen miraculously escaped out of   
,egypt1 and on a sudden found           
themselves1 by a continuation of the    
miracle1 in ,picardy1 on the very spot  
where the church of our ,lady of ,liesse
 is now erected4  ,her devotees carry   
representations of the ,virgin about    
them1 deck her images with flowers1     
dress them in silks or other costly     
ornaments1 burn tapers before them1 kiss
 and look upon them with a languishing  
eye1 touch them with their chaplets1 rub
 their handkerchiefs upon them1 and     
salute them with the profoundest        
veneration4  ,her relics are            
innumerable--such as her wedding ring1  
handkerchiefs1 combs1 slippers and goods
 of every description1 as kitchen       
furniture1 toilette1 earthenware1 lamps2
 and even1 as it is pretended1 her      
gloves1 bed1 chair1 head-clothes1 with  
other rarities4  ,surely1 says          
archbishop ,tillotson1 if this blessed  

among women1 the mother of our ,lord1   
7for ,i keep to the titles which the    
,scripture gives her17 have any sense of
 what we do here below1 she cannot but  
look down with the greatest disdain upon
 that sacrilegious and idolatrous       
worship which is paid to her1 to the    
high dishonour of the great ,god and our
 ,saviour1 and the infinite scandal of  
his religion4 ,how can she1 without     
indignation1 behold how they play the   
fool in the church of ,rome about her2  
what an idol they make of her image1 and
 with what sottishness they give divine 
honour to it2 how they place her in     
their idolatrous pictures in equal rank 
with the blessed ,trinity1 and turn the 
salutation of the angel1 ,ave ,maria1   
hail ,mary1 full of grace1 into a kind  
of prayer2 and1 in their bead-roll of   
devotion1 repeat it ten times1 for once 
that they say the ,lord's prayer1 as of 
greater virtue and efficacy8 ,and1      
indeed1 they almost justle out the      
devotion due to ,almighty ,god and our  

blessed ,saviour1 by their endless      
idolatry to her4  ,so that the greater  
part of their religion1 both public and 
private1 is made up of that which was no
 part at all of the religion of the     
apostles and primitive ,christians2 nay1
 which plainly contradicts it3 for that 
expressly teacheth us1 that there is but
 one object of our prayers1 and one     
,mediator by whom we are to make our    
addresses to ,god4 ',there is one ,god1 
and one ,mediator between ,god and man1 
the man ,christ ,jesus1' says ,st4      
,paul1 when he gives a standing rule    
concerning prayer in the ,christian     
church4 ,and yet1 notwithstanding all   
the care that our blessed ,saviour and  
his apostles could take to prevent gross
 idolatry of the blessed mother of our  
,lord1 how blindly and wilfully have the
 church of ,rome run into it6 and1 in   
despite of the clearest evidence and    
conviction1 do obstinately and          
impudently persist in it1 and justify   
themselves in so abominable a practice4 

,in the homage rendered to the ,virgin  
,mary by the ,catholics1 the servility  
of superstition appears blended with the
 zeal of enthusiasm4 ,having departed   
from ,scripture1 that only light which  
shines upon the path of obedience1 and  
conducts to ,god1 they naturally lose   
themselves amidst the perplexities of   
error and the mazes of falsehood3 it    
need not1 therefore1 occasion surprise  
though their course should be eccentric1
 or their conduct preposterous4 ,the    
passions being chiefly engaged in this  
service1 and kept in exercise by fear or
 fondness1 reason retires2 and          
imagination1 supported by these         
auxiliaries1 sways the sceptre4 ,the    
absurdities1 however1 to which under    
such circumstances the human mind       
becomes addicted1 would seem utterly    
unaccountable1 were it not for the      
gradual manner of their influence4 ,the 
victory over judgment and common sense  
is not secured at a blow1 but by        
perpetual insinuation4 ,the hopes or    

fears of mankind are wrought upon       
individually from the period of infancy1
 long previous to the age when reason   
attains its vigour and maturity1--and   
nationally by a slow and almost         
insensible accumulation of frivolous or 
ridiculous observances from century to  
century4 ,a natural consciousness of    
weakness renders man the dupe of        
deception1 and an equal sense of guilt  
makes him the slave of terror4 ,hence he
 readily avails himself of every means  
which he fancies capable of alleviating 
his anxieties1 and in his eagerness to  
escape the wretchedness of apprehension 
or the suffering of evil1 flies to      
unscriptural resources4  ,the           
pre-eminence of man over the brute      
creation arises chiefly from his        
capacity of knowing ,god and serving him
 in the appointed exercises of religion2
 and yet the perversion of this         
capacity1 by the invention of           
superstitious ceremonies1 has rendered  
him utterly contemptible4 ,in the       

services of real piety1 he appears      
elevated to the summit of creation1 his 
nature seems ennobled1 and his character
 encircled with glory2 but1 in the      
practices of superstition1 he is        
degraded to the lowest depth of meanness
 of which an intellectual and immortal  
being is capable4 ,by the former he     
soars to glory1 honour1 and immortality2
 by the latter he sinks to wretchedness 
and ruin4 ,in the one case he is useful 
and happy2 in the other1 inactive1      
isolated1 and full of disquietude2 and  
thus either rises into grandeur or falls
 into littleness1--is an angel or a     
brute6  ,whoever reviews the several    
religious errors of the ,pagan1 ,jewish1
 and ,christian communities1 will admit1
 that the history of superstition       
constitutes one of the most offensive   
pages in the annals of mankind2 he will 
see the object of worship               
misrepresented1 the universe partitioned
 into petty sovereignties1 and ,deity   
divided1 contracted1 and localized2     

religion turned into mockery1 and       
mockery into religion4  ,it is somewhat 
difficult to trace the operations and to
 ascertain the true character of        
superstition1 although it has prevailed 
so extensively in the world1 and        
produced such extraordinary effects4    
,amongst other anomalies1 this is       
observable1 that it not only has led    
captive weak and ignorant minds1 which  
being unable to detect a specious       
sophism1 or to depart from a general    
practice1 may easily be supposed        
incapable of resisting its fascination2 
but it has been known to seduce and     
enchain some of the noblest orders of   
intellect1 and the most cultivated of   
human understandings4 ,whole nations and
 successive generations have been       
subjected to its influence1 furnishing  
ample evidence of that statement1 which1
 if it be not repeated in every page of 
,scripture1 lies at the foundation of   
all its truths2 and into which many of  
the peculiarities of this principle may 

be resolved3 ,the world by wisdom knew  
not ,god4  ,superstition is             
unquestionably founded in mean and      
absurd ideas of the moral attributes of 
the ,deity1 which produce corresponding 
actions1 and in assigning to him an     
arbitrary character1 deriving pleasure  
from what has no connexion with the     
happiness of the worshipper4 ,a         
consistent and dignified conduct can    
only result from a just estimate of the 
divine perfections1 and a correct view  
of moral obligation4 ,the worship we    
render to a superior being1 must        
necessarily be shaped and regulated by  
our conceptions of the nature of ,god2  
consequently1 mankind will degenerate   
into error and folly1 proportionate to  
their departure from the representations
 of ,scripture respecting the           
spirituality of his essence4  ,to this  
source may be traced especially the     
principles and practices of the ,romish 
church1 in which reason is outraged1    
religion caricatured1 and ,god          

dishonoured4 ,transubstantiation is a   
doctrine manifestly absurd and impious2 
and the practice of presenting those    
supplications to dead saints1 which the 
,supreme ,being alone can hear and      
answer1 is no less ridiculous1 as well  
as subversive of true piety4 ,perhaps1  
however1 no deviation from common sense 
is more remarkable than those           
extravagancies of the ,catholics which  
respect the ,virgin ,mary2 and yet these
 have not only been practised by the    
multitude1 but defended by men of       
learning with the utmost subtlety and   
the warmest zeal4 ,in fact1 she has been
 praised by every ,catholic pen for     
ages2 and every term that language could
 supply has been put in requisition to  
extol her merits4  ,let the view we have
 given of these misstatements excite us 
to self-examination1 in order that we   
may discover any incorrectness or       
deficiency in our own apprehensions of  
religion1 and become vigilant over those
 errors into which we may be apt to     

deviate4 ,it will be studying man to    
some purpose1 if the better we are      
acquainted with the history of the human
 mind1 the greater the circumspection we
 exercise over ourselves4 ,we shall then
 be less imposed upon by the            
speciousness of falsehood1 and less     
betrayed by the weakness of our         
passions2 we shall be led to present our
 bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1       
acceptable unto ,god1 and feel that it  
is our reasonable service4              
,elizabeth4  ,chapter ,,ii4     ,the    
angelic ,appearance to                  
,zacharias--,birth of ,john--,characters
 of   ,elizabeth and                    
,zacharias--,importance of domestic     
,union being founded on   ,religion1    
shown in them--their venerable ,age--the
 characteristic   ,features of their    
,piety--the ,happiness of a ,life like  
theirs--the ,effect   it is calculated  
to produce on others--the ,perpetuation 
of holy   friendship through immortal   
,ages--the miserable ,condition of the  

irreligious4  ,obscure as were the      
circumstances in which ,christ appeared1
 ,infinite ,wisdom saw fit to furnish   
miraculous attestations to his character
 and mission4 ,this evidence attended   
him during the whole of his career1     
investing him with a heavenly glory1 and
 rendering his pre-eminence distinctly  
visible to the eye of faith1            
notwithstanding his assumed inferiority4
  ,it was in unison with this scheme of 
,providence to send the most exalted of 
angelic beings to announce the birth of 
,messiah1 and to prepare the minds of   
,mary his mother1 of the shepherds who  
were to circulate the intelligence1 and 
of others more nearly or more remotely  
interested in the event1 by celestial   
visitations4 ,for similar reasons it    
comported with the nature of this       
wonderful event1 to attach something    
peculiar and even miraculous to the     
birth of his precursor1 whose destined  
office it should be to prepare the way  
of the ,lord1 by uttering his voice in  

the wilderness1 and intimating to       
mankind the mighty transformations about
 to be effected in the moral state of   
the world4 ,six months1 therefore1      
previously to the annunciation to ,mary1
 the angel ,gabriel descended to        
proclaim glad tidings to ,zacharias4 ,in
 the performance of his customary       
service as a priest1 he had gone into   
the temple to burn incense1 while the   
people were praying without the holy    
place4 ,on a sudden1 he perceived an    
angel standing on the right side of the 
altar1 and became exceedingly agitated1 
till the benevolent spirit addressed him
 in affectionate and congratulatory     
terms4 ,ah6 they have no reason to dread
 a message from the world of spirits1 or
 to be filled with apprehensions at the 
sight of other orders of beings than    
those with which they are conversant1   
who are engaged in the discharge of     
their duties1 and live under the        
influence of religion6 ,however new or  
extraordinary such revelations1 they    

never could have been real causes of    
alarm to the servants of ,god2 and were 
they not at present suspended1 in       
consequence of the completion of the    
intended communications of truth to     
mankind1 piety ought rather to welcome  
than to dread them4  ,zacharias was     
assured that his prayer was heard1 and  
that his wife ,elizabeth should have a  
son to be named ,john4 ,as a sign of the
 accomplishment of this prediction1 and 
as a chastisement of the doubt with     
which the message was at first received1
 he was struck with dumbness1 which     
continued only till the birth of his    
child4  ,the interview between          
,elizabeth and ,mary1 the mother of our 
,lord1 has been already adverted to in  
the preceding narrative1 where the      
salutations of these favoured relatives 
were recited4 ,at the expiration of the 
appointed time1 ,elizabeth bare a son   
whom they would have called after the   
name of ,zacharias1 but his mother      
interposed2 and the affair being finally

 referred to his father1 he wrote1 to   
the general astonishment of their       
neighbours and relatives1 who had       
remonstrated in vain1 ,his name is      
,john4 ,immediately his speech was      
restored1 and he broke out in           
impassioned strains of praise3 ,blessed 
be the ,lord ,god of ,israel2 for he    
hath visited and redeemed his people1   
and hath raised up an horn of salvation 
for us in the house of his servant      
,david2 as he spake by the mouth of his 
holy prophets1 which have been since the
 world began3 that we should be saved   
from our enemies1 and from the hand of  
all that hate us2 to perform the mercy  
promised to our fathers1 and to remember
 his holy covenant2 the oath which he   
sware to our father ,abraham1 that he   
would grant unto us1 that we being      
delivered out of the hand of our enemies
 might serve him without fear1 in       
holiness and righteousness before him1  
all the days of our life4 ,and thou1    
child1 shall be called the prophet of   

the ,highest3 for thou shall go before  
the face of the ,lord to prepare his    
ways2 to give knowledge of salvation    
unto his people by the remission of     
their sins1 through the tender mercy of 
our ,god2 whereby the day-spring from on
 high hath visited us1 to give light to 
them that sit in darkness and in the    
shadow of death1 to guide our feet into 
the way of peace4  ,reverting to the    
commencement of this history by the     
evangelist ,luke1 we shall be led to    
notice the domestic characters of       
,zacharias and ,elizabeth1 particularly 
as they illustrate the excellence of a  
life of piety4 ,while religion adorns   
every station1 it teaches us to fulfil  
every relative duty2 and acting under   
its influence1 a person becomes a light 
in the world1 diffusing through the     
family1 the social circle1 and the more 
extended sphere of busy life1 a mild and
 beneficent radiance4  ,our attention is
 first directed to the office of        
,zacharias1 and the descent of his wife4

 ,he was a priest1 and she of the       
daughters of ,aaron4 ,the world affords 
too many evidences1 that piety is       
neither created by station1 nor         
hereditary in its transmission4 ,as     
,zacharias was a minister of the        
sanctuary1 it was both to be desired and
 expected that he should not approach   
the altar with a hardened and           
unsanctified heart4 ,who shall ascend   
into the hill of the ,lord8 and who     
shall stand in his holy place8 ,he that 
hath clean hands and a pure heart2 who  
hath not lift up his soul unto vanity1  
nor sworn deceitfully4 ,he shall receive
 the blessing from the ,lord1 and       
righteousness from the ,god of his      
salvation4 ,yet1 alas6 it is not always 
to be presumed that real religion       
accompanies either the brightest        
profession or the most dignified office6
 ,korah1 ,dathan1 and ,abiram1 offered  
strange fire1 ,judas betrayed the ,son  
of ,god1 and ,paul expresses an         
apprehension lest1 having preached to   

others1 he should himself be a castaway4
 ,the admonition1 therefore1 of ,god by 
,isaiah is appropriate and striking3 ,be
 ye clean that bear the vessels of the  
,lord4 ,it is possible to be a preacher 
of righteousness1 and yet a child of    
,satan--a priest1 and yet a demon--a    
worker of miracles1 and yet a worker of 
iniquity3 but a pleasing exception to   
this remark occurs in the history of    
,zacharias1 who was a priest1 and       
righteous before ,god4 ,his office and  
his character accorded1 and the light of
 his example shone with unclouded       
brightness and attractive glory4  ,it is
 observable1 that ,elizabeth1 the wife  
of this holy priest1 was equally        
distinguished with himself for a sincere
 and active piety4 ,they were ,,both    
righteous before ,god2 and it was their 
privilege to live at that eventful      
moment when the clouds that obscured the
 past dispensations of ,providence were 
tinged with the rising glory of the day 
which was just breaking upon the nations

 of the earth1 and which lighted these  
pilgrims home to their eternal rest4    
,they were some of the last of the      
,jewish and the first of the ,christian 
economy1 and their life seemed to form  
the bright line which bordered the      
typical ages and those of unshadowed    
truth and ,christian revelation4        
,zacharias and ,elizabeth exhibit an    
attractive picture of union both natural
 and religious2 the hymenial tie was    
intertwined with celestial roses1 which 
diffused a fragrance over domestic life2
 their love to each other was           
strengthened and sanctified by their    
love to ,god4  ,the perfection of       
conjugal felicity with every good man   
depends upon the existence of similar   
religious principles and feelings with  
those which influence himself in the    
partner of his life2 consequently1 it   
will ever be his concern to marry in the
 ,lord4 ,no language can express the    
bitterness of that pang which rends his 
heart when a dissimilarity of taste     

prevails in so important an affair4 ,it 
is a worm for ever gnawing the root of  
his peace1 and will prevent its growth  
even under the brightest sun of worldly 
prosperity4 ,let those especially who   
are forming connections in life1 and who
 love ,christ in sincerity1 reflect on  
the fatal consequences of devoting their
 affections to such as can never        
accompany them to the house of ,god but 
with reluctance1 or to the throne of    
grace but with weariness and aversion4  
,if the object of your fondest regard be
 an unbeliever1 what a cloud will darken
 your serenest days1 what unutterable   
grief disturb your otherwise peaceful   
sabbaths6 ,your pleasures and your pains
 of a religious kind1 which are the most
 intense1 will be equally               
unparticipated4 ,you must walk alone in 
those ways of pleasantness which would  
be still more endeared by such sweet    
society2 and you must suffer the keenest
 sorrows of the heart--perhaps without  
daring to name them1 and certainly      

without one tear1 one word1 one look of 
soothing sympathy4 ,how could you endure
 it that the very wife of your bosom    
should manifest the temper of those     
assassins that murdered your ,lord1     
while in the exercise of a lively faith 
you hailed him as the chief among ten   
thousand1 and altogether lovely8 ,would 
it not agonize your heart that she      
should be indifferent only1 not to say  
inimical1 towards him in whom you daily 
rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of
 glory8  ,in proportion to the          
wretchedness of such circumstances must 
be the felicity of the reverse1 of which
 this narrative furnishes a pleasing    
exemplification4 ,zacharias and         
,elizabeth were both righteous1 and this
 union of spirit diffused a holy and    
gladdening radiance over all the scenes 
of life4 ,in the family1 in the social  
circle1 in the house of ,god1 they were 
,,one4 ,together they could bow the knee
 at the throne of grace1 together go up 
to the temple6 ,the grief or the joy of 

one was the grief or the joy of both2   
they could sing the same song1 unite in 
the same prayer1 feast on the same      
spiritual food6 ,this was the perfection
 of love--this was the triumph of       
friendship6 ,no contrary current of     
feeling on either side ruffled the pure 
stream of domestic and religious        
pleasure1 but it flowed along in a      
clear1 noiseless1 and perpetual course4 
,in this case the language of ,david    
might be applied with emphatic          
propriety3 ,behold1 how good and        
pleasant a thing it is to dwell together
 in unity4  ,elizabeth and her partner  
were both well stricken in years4 ,there
 is something venerable in hoary age1   
especially when adorned with the graces 
of the ,spirit4 ,the mind reposes with  
peculiar complacency on those who1      
having long adorned the doctrines of    
,god their ,saviour in all things1 are  
waiting quietly and confidently for     
their admission to heaven4 ,they can see
 the shadows of the evening deepen upon 

them without a sigh2 and while death is 
unlocking the doors of their appointed  
house1 can sing1 ,thanks be to ,god1    
that giveth us the victory through our  
,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,while the mind of
 a wicked man1 in the near prospect of  
dissolution1 is filled with distraction1
 and a fearful looking for of           
judgment--while his                     
------frantic soul   ,raves round the   
walls of her clay tenement1   ,flies to 
each avenue1 and cries for help--   ,but
 cries in vain2------  conscious that he
 is the enemy of ,god1 the abhorrence of
 saints2 the confederate1 and will soon 
become the companion1 of evil spirits2  
the dying ,christian looks beyond the   
confines of mortality into the eternal  
world1 without one sensation but that of
 a desire to depart and to be with      
,christ4 ,in quitting the present world1
 he expects a transition from sorrow to 
joy--from the region of shadows to that 
of realities--from the habitations of   
sin to the abodes of purity4 ,embracing 

,jesus by faith1 he exclaims with       
,simeon1 ,now lettest thou thy servant  
depart in peace1 for mine eyes have seen
 thy salvation2 or with ,paul1 ,i have  
fought a good fight1 ,i have finished my
 course1 ,i have kept the faith3        
henceforth is laid up for me a crown of 
righteousness1 which the ,lord1 the     
righteous ,judge1 shall give me in that 
day4  ,it is pleasing to see the        
youthful mind impressed with the        
concerns of religion1 devoting its      
powers to the ,saviour1 and despising   
the solicitations of sinful pleasure2   
but ah6 how many cloudless mornings are 
succeeded by gloomy days--how many false
 and fruitless blossoms adorn the       
smiling spring--how many seeds spring   
up1 but perish because they have no     
depth of earth6 ,early piety1 therefore1
 however gratifying1 cannot be          
contemplated without anxiety1 if not    
suspicion2 the force of temptation has  
not yet been endured--the world has not 
half exhausted its quiver of poisoned   

arrows--,satan has not yet tried all his
 arts and machinations--the race is not 
yet run6--but in those who1 like        
,zacharias and ,elizabeth1 are well     
striken in years1 we witness the        
stability of principle1 the triumph of  
perseverance1 and the reign of grace4   
,dear and venerable companions in the   
ways of ,god1 ye have borne the burden  
and heat of the day6 ,like a shock of   
corn1 ye shall soon be gathered in your 
season2 ye shall soon drop the          
infirmities of humanity1 and be clothed 
in the robes of light6 ,blessed are they
 that do his commandments1 that they may
 have right to the tree of life1 and may
 enter in through the gates into the    
city4  ,the brief1 but comprehensive    
notice of these venerable saints1 in the
 commencement of the ,gospel according  
to ,luke1 exhibits at once the          
characteristic features of their piety4 
#a4 ,it was of a quality approved by    
,god himself3 for they are represented  
as righteous before ,god1 that is1 in   

the divine estimation4 ,it is this only 
which can determine our genuine         
character2 for1 however outwardly       
virtuous before men1 the internal spirit
 and character may be marked by moral   
deformities which the eye of            
,omniscience cannot but view with       
detestation4 ,the most eminent          
,christians1 indeed1 are aware that     
perfection in righteousness is not      
attainable in the present state1 and    
that when weighed in the balances1 they 
are in many respects found wanting3 but 
while they look for acceptance through  
the righteousness of ,christ1 instead of
 going about to establish their own1    
they possess a rectitude of principle1  
though the degree of holiness be        
imperfect4 ,they are sincere1 habitual  
in their aim to please ,god1 cherishing 
a supreme attachment to his name and    
character1 and determined in their      
resistance of every influence that would
 seduce them from his service or impel  
them to commit sin4  #b4 ,elizabeth and 

her venerable partner regulated their   
conduct by divine authority1            
irrespective of the opinions of men4    
,they are said to have walked in the    
commandments and ordinances of the      
,lord4 ,the ,jews were accustomed to    
blend the traditions of the elders with 
their religious services2 but these     
believers consulted and obeyed the      
oracles of ,heaven4 ,they repaired at   
once to the spring-head of wisdom1      
deriving their faith and obtaining      
direction with regard to their practice 
from ,him who alone possesses the       
authority of a master4  ,this was a very
 decisive evidence of their religion1   
and is a test which is capable of being 
applied to every case and to every      
sphere of life4 ,if the only certain    
evidence of true piety consisted in     
becoming martyrs1 few could have an     
opportunity of evincing it1 through not 
being called to this high and holy      
service2 or1 if the test were the       
distribution of ample charities1 or     

self-devotement to the labour of the    
,christian ministry1 the poor1 and the  
ungifted1 and ineloquent1 would be      
excluded from the prescribed means of   
testifying their love to ,god3 but      
obedience to his commands may be        
practised in the humblest circumstances1
 in the lowliest station1 and by the    
most obscure individual4 ,any where and 
every where it is possible to take up   
our cross1 to deny ourselves1 to mortify
 the flesh1 to walk in the ,spirit4  #c4
 ,the obedience of ,elizabeth and       
,zacharias was universal--not partial or
 restricted2 for they walked in all the 
commandments and ordinances of the      
,lord4  ,an insincere profession will be
 distinguished by partiality in its     
observances4 ,it will practise some     
duties and reject others1 believe some  
doctrines and hesitate to admit others4 
,influenced by many subordinate         
considerations1 it will select those    
requirements which are most easily      
performed1 most calculated to attract   

public attention1 or most conformable to
 natural prepossessions4 ,it will       
dispense with some things as difficult1 
and with others as unnecessary or       
unimportant4 ,then1 exclaimed the       
,psalmist1 shall ,i not be ashamed when 
,i have respect unto all thy            
commandments4  #d4 ,elizabeth and her   
aged companion were distinguished also  
for a piety which was blameless4 ,it is 
possible to merit blame even in our very
 acts of religious obedience4 ,how      
seldom do we attain that purity of      
motive1 that unostentatious simplicity  
of manner1 that uniformity of conduct1  
which constitute a blameless piety6 ,in 
this respect we have daily reason1 at   
the footstool of mercy1 to deplore our  
deficiency1 our lanquor1 our            
lukewarmness of spirit1 our             
unprofitableness and vileness4 ,if thou1
 ,lord1 wert strict to mark iniquity1 ,o
 ,lord1 who could stand8 ,there is not a
 prayer we utter but would be rejected1 
were it not for the prevalence of the   

,redeemer's intercession1 nor a service 
we perform1 but is so defiled with guilt
 that it would be an abominable         
offering1 but for the efficacy of that  
blood which cleanseth us from all sin4  
,nor1 indeed1 was the piety of          
,zacharias and ,elizabeth in itself     
blameless1 irrespective of this         
atonement2 nor were they righteous1 but 
as accepted and justified through the   
redemption that is in ,christ ,jesus4   
,to a lively faith they1 however1 united
 a holy conversation1 and an habitual   
obedience3 their life was a perpetual   
sacrifice to ,god1 and diffused around a
 sweet savour of piety4  ,let us        
contemplate the happiness of such a     
life4 ,it is common to represent        
religion as incompatible with true      
enjoyment1 and to describe those who are
 under its influence as gloomy fanatics1
 dragging out a miserable existence--the
 dupes of prejudice and the slaves of   
melancholy4 ,if a perpetual sense of the
 divine presence1 a well-founded        

confidence of pardoned sin1 free access 
to the throne of mercy1 abundant        
communications of spiritual good and    
lively anticipations of a felicity      
beyond the grave1 commensurate with the 
capacities of an immortal spirit1 and   
with the everlasting ages of eternity2  
if these produce wretchedness1 then1 and
 in no other case1 is religion a source 
of misery4 ,be not deceived2 such       
allegations result from ignorance and   
depravity4 ,zacharias and ,elizabeth1   
joined together by the dear bonds of    
mutual affection1 and the still dearer  
ties of grace1 present a picture of     
happiness unrivalled in the gay and     
thoughtless world4 ,we appeal to them1  
and to those who resemble them1 as      
epistles of ,god1 that teach the        
efficacy of genuine religion4 ,read     
them1 ye profane1 and blush for your    
impieties6 ,read them1 ye sons and      
daughters of strife1 and banish discord 
from your houses6 ,read them1 ye        
fearful1 hesitating1 lukewarm           

professors1 and learn to walk in all the
 commandments and ordinances of the     
,lord6 ,read them1 ye worldly wise1 ye  
ambitious1 ye lovers of pleasure1 and   
confess ye have mistaken the true means 
to happiness1 and have forsaken your own
 mercies6  ,it is a supereminent        
excellence of the religion of ,jesus1   
that the peace and joy in believing     
which it inspires do not depend on      
external circumstances4 ,as no worldly  
condition can create1 so neither can it 
destroy the ,christian's felicity2 it is
 firm and immoveable amidst the changes 
and revolutions of human affairs--in the
 bright or cloudy day4 ,like the        
mariner's compass1 which continually    
points in the same direction amidst     
changing seasons and varying climes1 the
 most extraordinary vicissitudes of the 
present evil world1 cannot move the mind
 of a believer from the hope of the     
,gospel4  ,reflect further1 on the      
effect which such a life is calculated  
to produce on others4  ,a holy life is a

 powerful argument for the truth as it  
is in ,jesus2 and that suspicious       
eagerness with which the wicked watch   
the conduct of professors1 that patient 
malignity with which they wait for their
 halting1 and that ,satanic joy with    
which they exult over their misconduct1 
prove their own convictions of the      
strength of such an argument4 ,let us   
then be concerned to falsify their      
predictions and disappoint their enmity 
by walking in all the commandments and  
ordinances of the ,lord blameless4      
,consider the impressive appeal of the  
apostle3 ,only let your conversation be 
as becometh the gospel of ,christ4      
,shine1 ye professing ,christians1 for  
ye are the lights of the world--shine   
with a holy and steady radiance in the  
church of ,god1 and pray for daily      
supplies of the oil of grace1 that your 
light may not degenerate into a feeble  
glimmering or totally expire2 otherwise 
you may become accessary to the fall and
 ruin of others1 and their blood may be 

upon you6 ,such a pious union1 such holy
 friendship as that of ,elizabeth and   
,zacharias1 will be perpetuated through 
infinite ages4 ,it is not a transient   
but an everlasting union2 it shall      
survive the grave and defy the stroke of
 mortality4 ,they who sleep in ,jesus   
will ,god bring with him4 ,the          
sepulchre1 to such as die in the faith  
of ,christ and in a state of holy       
friendship with each other1 only        
resembles a vast prison1 in which       
dearest friends are separated only for a
 time in different cells1 and from which
 they shall be released when the gloomy 
keeper resigns his keys1 when death is  
swallowed up in victory4 ,those humble  
and affectionate disciples who have     
walked together in all the commandments 
and ordinances of the ,lord1 here1 shall
 take sweet counsel above1 and walk     
together in the fields of immortality4  
,in a nobler sense than the original    
application of the words1 it may be said
 of all ,christian friends1 they were   

lovely and pleasant in their lives1 and 
in their deaths they were not divided4  
,this perpetuation of ,christian society
 and love1 is intimated in the most     
striking manner by our ,redeemer when on
 the point of departure from his        
disciples1 whom he called his friends4  
,i will not henceforth drink of this    
fruit of the vine until that day when ,i
 drink it new with you in my ,father's  
kingdom4 ,who can describe the joys of  
that marriage-feast1 the felicities of  
that endeared spiritual and eternal     
intercourse1 that union of hearts1 that 
concourse of affections1 that flow and  
mingling of souls6 ,these are some of   
the mysteries of godliness--this is what
 eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard1 nor  
hath it entered into the heart of man to
 conceive4  ,let these glorious         
expectations revive our failing courage 
amidst the conflicts of life4 ,let us   
not despair1 though we may weep over the
 companions of our pilgrimage1 slain at 
our side by the irresistible stroke of  

death4 ,the separation is               
transitory--the reunion will be eternal4
 ,but ,i would not have you to be       
ignorant1 brethren1 concerning them     
which are asleep1 that ye sorrow not    
even as others which have no hope4 ,for 
if we believe that ,jesus died and rose 
again1 even so them also which sleep in 
,jesus will ,god bring with him4 ,for   
this we say unto you by the word of the 
,lord1 that we which are alive1 and     
remain unto the coming of the ,lord1    
shall not prevent them which are asleep4
 ,for the ,lord himself shall descend   
from heaven with a shout1 with the voice
 of the archangel1 and with the trump of
 ,god3 and the dead in ,christ shall    
rise first3 then we which are alive and 
remain1 shall be caught up together with
 them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord  
in the air3 and so shall we ever be with
 the ,lord4 ,wherefore comfort one      
another with these words4  ,such as are 
opposite in character to ,zacharias and 
,elizabeth1 and who are walking in none 

of the commandments and ordinances of   
the ,lord1 should reflect on the misery 
of their condition1 as utterly destitute
 of all those hopes and privileges which
 have been described4 ,who instituted   
these ordinances8--who gave these       
commandments8--whose authority is it you
 dare despise8--or who has released you 
from your obligations to this           
authority8--what madness induces you to 
fly in the face of ,god--to measure your
 power against the sword of             
,omnipotence8 ,o1 remember--the wages of
 sin is death6    ,anna4  ,chapter      
,,iii4     ,introduction of ,anna into  
the sacred ,story--inspired ,description
 of   her--the aged apt to be unduly    
attached to ,life--,anna probably       
,religious   at an early                
,period--,religion the most substantial 
,support amidst the   ,infirmities of   
,age--the most effectual ,guard against 
its ,vices--and the   best ,preparation 
for its ,end4  ,two illustrious women   
have already been presented to the      

reader as adorning the era of our       
,saviour's incarnation2 the one1 the    
mother of his humanity1 the witness of  
his miracles1 and the weeping attendant 
upon his crucifixion2 the other1 her    
venerable relative1 the wife of         
,zacharias1 and the parent of ,john1 who
 was the destined precursor of the      
,desire of all nations4 ,we are now to  
contemplate another female1 whose age   
superadds a charm to her excellences1   
and whose privilege also it was to      
witness the commencing brightness of the
 evangelical day4 ,like ,elizabeth1 her 
memorial is short1 but it does not      
perish with her4 ,she has a place in the
 chronicles of the redeemed1 a name     
before which that of heroes and heroines
 fades away1 and which it requires no   
storied urn nor animated burst to       
perpetuate4  ,anna is introduced to our 
notice on the memorable occasion which  
has been already mentioned1 when the    
parents of ,jesus took him after his    
circumcision to ,jerusalem1 to present  

him to the ,lord4 ,then it was that     
,simeon broke forth in eloquent and     
prophetic congratulations1 expressive at
 once of his own triumph over death1 in 
consequence of having witnessed the     
accomplishment of those prophecies which
 had so long and so often filled him    
with delightful anticipations1 and of   
the glory which he foresaw would        
irradiate ,israel and enlighten the     
,gentiles4 ,scarcely had he finished his
 address1 when ,anna1 a prophetess1     
remarkable for her extreme age and      
exemplary piety1 entered the temple1 and
 not only united with ,simeon and the   
rest of the interesting group in giving 
thanks unto the ,lord1 but spake of him 
to all them that looked for redemption  
in ,jerusalem4  ,it was benefiting the  
majesty of the event which had occurred1
 that the spirit of prophecy should     
revive after being dormant for about    
four hundred years4 ,since the days of  
,malachi no such inspiration had been   
afforded2 but the new and glorious      

period commencing with the incarnation  
was marked by this as well as other     
signs and wonders4 ,when ,simeon held   
the infant ,saviour in his arms1 the    
,spirit of ,god touched his tongue with 
a live coal from the altar2 and when the
 aged daughter of ,phanuel approached1  
she caught the glow of kindling rapture1
 and blended with his her praises and   
predictions4 ,this eminent woman is     
represented as of a great age1 as having
 lived with a husband seven years from  
her virginity1 and as being a widow of  
about four-score and four years1 which  
departed not from the temple1 but served
 ,god with fastings and prayers night   
and day4 ,this form of expression does  
not seem to furnish decisive evidence   
whether her entire age was eighty-four1 
or whether she was a widow during that  
period2 if the latter1 the seven years  
in which she had lived with a husband1  
together with the probable number which 
constituted her age at the time of her  
marriage1 must be added to the          

calculation1 which would produce        
considerably more than a hundred years2 
in either case she must be allowed to   
occupy a conspicuous place in the       
records of longevity4  ,it has been     
observed of the aged1 that although     
existence1 when extended beyond the     
usual period of threescore years and    
ten1 is nothing but labour and sorrow1  
they still adhere to life with the      
utmost tenacity1 and are even less      
disposed to relinquish it than those    
whose more vigorous powers and undecayed
 youth capacitate them for its          
enjoyment4 ,but however surprised we may
 be to witness this anxiety to live in  
those who are bending beneath the       
pressure of years and the load of       
decrepitude1 and to see that this       
anxiety rather increases than           
diminishes1 there is something in it by 
no means unnatural4 ,in addition to the 
love of life which is implanted in every
 human bosom for the wisest purposes1   
the aged person cannot but feel that he 

is nearer than others to that hour of   
separation from all the connexions and  
interests of time than the multitude    
around him--an hour at which nature     
instinctively shudders1 and which is    
always regarded as painful1 whatever may
 be the result4 ,corporeal suffering may
 be considerable2 and that change of    
being which the mortal stroke produces  
has always something about it awful1    
mysterious1 and terrific4 ,there are few
 instances in which it can be approached
 without some degree of dread1 some     
shrinking of mind1 whatever be the state
 of detachment from the present world1  
and whatever pleasing anticipations may 
exist with regard to another3 as the    
patient1 however assured of the         
necessity of the measure and the        
importance of the result1 trembles while
 preparations are making to amputate his
 disordered limb4 ,it may be observed   
also of the young1 that while they      
compassionate their aged friends as the 
prey of a thousand imbecilities both of 

body and mind1 and lament over a state  
in which man is reduced to a second     
childhood1 there is scarcely an         
individual who does not harbour in      
secret the wish to attain an age equal  
at least1 if not superior1 to any of his
 cotemporaries4 ,the reason is similar  
to that which influences persons at an  
advanced period of life2 the thought of 
death1 with all its concomitant evils1  
is unwelcome at any time1 and           
consequently it is grateful to the mind 
to place it at the greatest conceivable 
distance2 so that1 were it now within   
the appointments of ,providence or the  
bounds of probability1 little doubt can 
be entertained that the great proportion
 of mankind would readily accept as a   
blessing a patriarchal or antediluvian  
age4  ,anna is particularly noticed as  
the daughter of ,phanuel1 of whom we    
have no other information2 and as       
belonging to the tribe of ,asher1 which 
was situated in ,galilee4 ,this1 whether
 recorded for that purpose or not1 might

 serve to refute the charge1 that out of
 ,galilee ariseth no prophet1 since from
 that quarter proceeded the very first  
inspirations upon the revival of the    
prophetic spirit4 ,asher was a very     
inferior tribe1 and one of the ten      
carried captive by the ,assyrians1      
having departed from the worship of the 
true ,god1 and from the house of ,david1
 under ,jeroboam4 ,but notwithstanding  
this general defection1 there were      
individuals who returned and reunited   
themselves with ,judah1 that they might 
enjoy the ancient privileges of the     
people of ,god4 ,thus even in the worst 
of times1 and amidst the least          
favourable circumstances1 some portion  
of true religion has always been        
preserved in the earth4 ,though the     
watchful eye of ,providence has         
occasionally suffered the flame of      
devotion to languish and almost expire1 
yet its total extinction has been       
prevented1 and unexpected coincidences  
have frequently excited it into new and 

more vigorous action4  ,we have in the  
history before us a specimen of a pious 
old age1 remarkable in itself1 and      
calculated to suggest a variety of      
useful considerations4 ,this holy woman 
probably lodged in the immediate        
vicinity1 if not in some of the outward 
apartments of the temple1 which gave her
 an opportunity of indulging in those   
constant devotions which accorded with  
her wishes and comported with her age4  
,on every occasion she was present at   
appointed services1 and so entire was   
her self-devotement to religion1 that   
she was incessantly engaged in fasting  
and prayers4 ,the world had no claims   
upon her1 being alike unfitted for any  
of its avocations and indisposed to any 
of its pleasures3 she had bid it a final
 farewell1 and had withdrawn behind the 
scenes of this vast theatre1 which are  
so artfully painted as to allure and    
deceive the imaginations of mankind1    
into the secrecy of devotion and the    
sanctuary of her ,god4 ,peace was the   

companion of her retirement1 and piety  
shed its serenest ray upon the evening  
of her mortal existence4  ,it may be    
presumed that the religion of ,anna was 
by no means of recent date1 but that the
 seeds of so rich a harvest were sown in
 the fields of youth4 ,whatever is great
 or eminent is usually the work of time4
 ,nature does not produce the oak1 with 
its spreading branches and solid trunk1 
in a day or a twelve month2 and1 in     
general1 a rapid luxuriancy is connected
 with corresponding weakness and quick  
decay4 ,the plans of ,providence require
 the lapse of years or ages to          
accomplish3 events of importance seldom 
burst suddenly upon the world1 and      
without a previous course of preparatory
 dispensations1 tending to point out the
 purposes of such occurrences1 and to   
awaken human expectations4 ,nor can     
excellence of character be formed       
without the use of means1 opportunities 
of progressive improvement1 and that    
experience which must be slowly gained4 

,far be it from us to limit the         
operations of divine grace3 it can1     
indeed1 and in some instances has1      
produced effects of a nature to which no
 general rules and principles are       
applicable3 it has instantaneously      
converted a furious persecutor into a   
faithful1 laborious1 and eminent        
preacher of the faith which once he     
destroyed2 it has transformed a         
malefactor into a saint1 and in one hour
 raised the criminal from the depths of 
infamy and the agonies of crucifixion to
 the dignity of a believer in ,christ   
and the joys of paradise4 ,but these    
surely ought not to be regarded as the  
ordinary methods of its operation1 but  
rather as miraculous interferences4 ,in 
general1 religious ordinances are to be 
constantly and perseveringly attended1  
in order to the acquisition of eminence 
in religion3 holy vigilance must concur 
with devout and fervent prayer1 day by  
day1 to check and finally vanquish the  
power of depravity1 to elevate the mind 

above the world1 and prepare the        
,christian for his future bliss2 as the 
child must commonly be trained up in the
 way he should go1 if we hope that when 
he is old he will not depart from it4   
,impressions deepen and acquire the     
force of principles by degrees1         
knowledge is obtained by perpetual      
accumulation1 and faith is increased by 
constant exercise4 ,it would be as vain 
to look for the wrinkles of age in the  
face of youth1 or the strength of       
maturity in the arm of an infant1 as to 
expect the experience which can only    
result from the witness of changes and  
the operation of circumstances1 with its
 corresponding stability of character1  
in him who has but just commenced a life
 of piety4 ,as the husbandman waiteth   
for the precious fruits of the earth1   
and hath long patience for it until he  
receive the early and the latter rain1  
so we must in general look for a slow   
and gradual formation of the character  
to eminence and spiritual luxuriancy4   

,the account given of ,anna would       
therefore lead us to infer that she had 
been many years1 and in all probability 
from her youth1 devoted to the service  
of ,god4  ,she had not to regret that   
her best days were spent in riot and    
dissipation1 in opposition or           
indifference to religion1 by which so   
many debase their nature1 offend their  
,maker1 and ruin their souls3 but while 
she contemplated the future without     
alarm1 and perhaps with joy1 she could  
review the past with satisfaction4  ,as 
memory predominates over the other      
faculties of the mind in declining life1
 and as so much of our happiness or     
misery at that period must necessarily  
result from its exercise1 it is of the  
utmost importance to lay up in store a  
good provision in the sacred treasure of
 the past4 ,nothing can be more         
desirable than to leave the mind filled 
with pleasing recollections2 and this   
can arise only from a life of holiness  
and purity4 ,how awful is it to think   

that the last hours should be disturbed 
by images of crime unrepented of1 the   
intrusion of which into the dying       
chamber no force can prevent6 ,how      
lamentable to see the terrors of death  
aggravated by the remorse and horrors of
 retrospection6 ,life1 says a profound  
writer1 #be in which nothing has been   
done or suffered to distinguish one day 
from another1 is to him that has passed 
it as if it had never been1 except that 
he is conscious how ill he has husbanded
 the great deposit of his ,creator4     
,life1 made memorable by crimes1 and    
diversified through its several periods 
by wickedness1 is indeed easily         
reviewed1 but reviewed only with horror 
and remorse4  ,the great consideration  
which ought to influence us in the use  
of the present moment1 is to arise from 
the effect which1 as well or ill        
applied1 it must have upon the time to  
come2 for1 though its actual existence  
be inconceivably short1 yet its effects 
are unlimited1 and there is not the     

smallest point of time but may extend   
its consequences1 either to our hurt or 
our advantage1 through all eternity1 and
 give us reason to remember it forever  
with anguish or exultation4 ,we may take
 occasion from the account of ,anna to  
remark1 that true religion is the most  
substantial support amidst the          
,,infirmities of age4 ,this is          
emphatically the period of evil days1   
when diseases prey upon the             
constitution1 and the faculties both of 
body and mind decay4 ,then the sun and  
the light1 the moon and the stars are   
darkened2 the greatest change takes     
place in the outward circumstances of   
gladness and prosperity1 the countenance
 of the man is altered1 his complexion  
faded1 and his intellectual faculties1  
as the understanding and the fancy1     
weakened4 ,it is at this time the       
keepers of the house tremble1 and the   
strong men how themselves2 the grinders 
cease1 because they are few1 and those  
that look out of the windows are        

darkened2 the strongest members of the  
body fail1 the limbs bend beneath the   
weight of decrepitude and the effects of
 paralytic distempers1 the teeth drop   
away1 while the eyes grow dim and       
languid2 the doors are shut in the      
streets when the sound of the grinding  
is low1 the mouth becoming sunken and   
closed2 they rise up at the voice of the
 bird1 awakened from imperfect slumber  
when the cock crows or the birds begin  
their early songs2 and all the daughters
 of music1 the tongue that expresses and
 the ears that are charmed with it1 are 
brought low2 they are afraid of that    
which is high1 and fears are in the way1
 alarmed at every step they take1 lest  
they should stumble at the slightest    
obstacle1 and especially apprehensive of
 the difficulties of any ascent4 ,at    
that age their gray hairs thicken like  
the white flowers of the almond tree    
when it flourishes1 and even the very   
grasshopper is a burden1 for they cannot
 bear the slightest inconvenience1 not  

even the weight of an insect1 and desire
 fails3 then is the silver cord loosed1 
the golden bowl broken2 the pitcher is  
broken at the fountain1 and the wheel is
 broken at the cistern2 all the animal  
and vital functions at length cease1 and
 every essential organ of life decays2  
then shall the dust return to the earth 
as it was1 and the spirit shall return  
unto ,god who gave it4  ,reduced to the 
state of feebleness and incapacity1     
which the sacred penman so beautifully  
describes1 man becomes an object of     
compassion2 and it is affecting to see  
him struggling amidst the ruins of his  
former self4 ,the sight becomes         
increasingly painful from the           
consideration that this is one day to be
 our own condition2 that we too are     
destined to grow old1 to quit the busy  
scene and the social circle for the     
solitude of age1 and in our turn to be  
pitied--perhaps forsaken6 ,but there is 
one thing capable not only of preserving
 the old from contempt1 but of raising  

them to grandeur and diffusing lustre   
over their years of decrepitude4 ,in    
contemplating ,anna we do not think of  
her infirmities when we observe her     
piety3 the meanness of the              
woman--tottering1 crippled1 dying--is   
lost amidst the majesty of the saint1   
incessantly serving ,god in his temple1 
and advancing to the grave in a full    
age1 like as a shock of corn cometh in  
his season4 ,the dawning of a heavenly  
day seems to arise upon her hoary head3 
which1 being found in the way of        
righteousness1 is a crown of glory4     
,anna's history further suggests1 that  
religion is the most effectual guard    
against the ,,vices of advanced age4    
,one of these is a spirit of            
querulousness4 ,it is the common        
practice of those who believe themselves
 entitled to veneration on account of   
their years1 to complain of the arrogant
 disregard of their counsels1 which they
 impute to the rising generation4       
,cherishing the highest opinion of their

 own sentiments1 to which they attribute
 a kind of infallibility1 as being      
founded upon experience1 they naturally 
expect implicit submission to their     
dictates and an exact conformity to     
their views3 they require not only to be
 heard1 but obeyed1 and are impatient at
 the folly of those who rebel against   
their wisdom4 ,hence originate the often
 repeated tales of the degeneracy of the
 present times1 and the growing         
insolence of the young4 ,it may1 indeed1
 be admitted1 that1 other things being  
equal1 the aged have a just claim upon  
the attention of the young1 whom they   
are sometimes qualified to instruct2 but
 surely they are not always entitled to 
the same reverence1 and age does not    
necessarily confer wisdom4 ,genuine     
humility1 however1 tends to correct the 
spirit of dictation1 while it combines  
with an affectionate concern for the    
interests of those who are newly come   
into life2 and genuine humility is the  
product of religion1 which supplies     

motives to give advice with kindness1   
and to endure the rejection of it       
without anger4  ,another fault of age1  
is the indulgence of useless regrets for
 the past4 ,in reviewing life1 it is    
easy to discover instances of our own   
incaution or negligence1 which have     
possibly influenced our affairs and been
 connected with many subsequent         
disappointments4 ,we have not availed   
ourselves of fortunate conjunctures1 or 
we have rejected profitable offers2 one 
scheme has failed by our precipitancy1  
another by our procrastination--some    
persons1 perhaps1 have been foolishly   
trusted1 and others as foolishly        
suspected--we have occasionally listened
 to advice which should not have been   
taken1 or rejected what would have      
proved advantageous2 and the consequence
 has been some diminution of fortune1   
some disappointment of our expectations1
 some failure in the crop of earthly    
enjoyment which we had anticipated4 ,if 
it were possible to recall the years    

which have for ever rolled away1 or if  
the felicity of a rational and immortal 
being consisted in the possession of    
temporal abundance1 worldly honour1 or  
corporeal gratification1 these regrets  
would have some show of propriety1 and  
might at least secure a patient hearing2
 hut it is certain1 they only betray a  
weak or a wicked mind2 it is perhaps    
equally certain1 they will generally    
continue to occupy the thoughts of the  
aged4 ,there is1 in fact1 but one       
remedy1 pure and undefiled religion4 ,it
 is this alone which can fix in the mind
 a full persuasion of the nothingness of
 terrestrial pleasures and possessions4 
,this only can console us after our     
ineffectual efforts to gain the whole   
world1 or amidst the loss of riches     
which have taken to themselves wings1   
and long since fled away1 by the        
assurance1 that nothing we ever         
possessed was adequate to render us     
happy1 without other and better         
enjoyments--that upon a fair estimate1  

it is questionable whether the          
perplexities it occasioned did not      
counterbalance the advantages it either 
bestowed or promised--and that could we 
now call our own whatever we have most  
valued or desired of worldly good1 it   
would prove incapable of making us      
substantially happy4 ,he need not wish  
to renew life1 who has the hope of a    
better existence--nor regret the loss of
 temporal advantages1 if he have        
immortal good4 ,he who lays up for      
himself treasures in heaven1 may defy   
the storms of time1 and adopt the       
triumphant language of the apostle1     
amidst the wreck of earthly good1 having
 nothing1 yet possessing all things4    
,similar views and principles alone can 
correct a third error of age1 namely1   
the aim to prolong juvenility to an     
unnatural period4 ,to secure to the old 
that influence which they are willing to
 claim1 and which might so much         
contribute to the improvement of the    
arts of life1 it is absolutely necessary

 that they give themselves up to the    
duties of declining years2 and          
contentedly resign to youth its levity1 
its pleasures1 its frolics1 and its     
fopperies4 ,it is a hopeless endeavour  
to unite the contrarieties of spring and
 winter2 it is unjust to claim the      
privileges of age1 and retain the       
playthings of childhood4 ,the young     
always form magnificent ideas of the    
wisdom and gravity of men whom they     
consider as placed at a distance from   
them in the ranks of existence1 and     
naturally look on those whom they find  
trifling with long beards1 with contempt
 and indignation1 like that which women 
feel at the effeminacy of men4 ,if      
dotards will contend with boys in those 
performances in which boys must always  
excel them1 if they will dress crippled 
limbs in embroidery1 endeavour at gayety
 with faltering voices1 and darken      
assemblies of pleasure with the         
ghastliness of disease1 they may well   
expect those who find their diversions  

obstructed will hoot them away2 and that
 if they descend to competition with    
youth1 they must bear the insolence of  
successful rivals4 #bf  ,religion also  
must be regarded as the best preparation
 for that ,,end of life1 with which old 
age is so closely connected4 ,however   
proper it may be to realize this        
eventful time1 at every period from our 
earliest to our latest day1 it cannot   
but be regarded as more certainly and   
evident near at an advanced age4 ,anna1 
after the lapse of a century1 had       
greater reason1 surely1 to apprehend her
 dissolution1 than in the bloom of      
youth1 or at the commencement of her    
widowhood2 and how appaling the         
prospect6  ,it would diminish the       
impression we have of the terror of     
death1 if his dominion were limited to a
 part of the world1 or to any           
ascertainable extent of years2 but1     
while his authority continues unimpaired
 and his stroke irresistible1 the power 
he is permitted to exercise over        

humankind is universal4 ,in visiting the
 repositories of the dead1 it is        
calculated to awaken our liveliest      
sensibilities to trace the reign of the 
king of terrors upon the sepulchral     
stone1 or the marble monument4 ,in      
characters which time has almost erased1
 we read the records of the past1 and by
 a more than probable analogy penetrate 
some of the mysteries of the future4    
,here and there occur the names of those
 who were venerable for age1 remarkable 
for their exploits1 conspicuous by their
 station1 rank1 or talent--,,great by   
the consent of their cotemporaries--who 
once figured upon a stage which is now  
decayed1 or where illustrious in an     
empire which is now passed away4 ,some  
have been smitten by death's withering  
hand at an earlier1 some at a later     
period of life4 ,adjoining the grave of 
age is the tomb of youth4 ,there you see
 the stone half buried in accumulating  
heaps of earth1 and the inscriptions of 
love and tenderness obscured by         

collecting moss2 while the hand that    
wrote them has long since become        
motionless1 and the heart that dictated 
them ceased to beat4  ,it is affecting  
to visit places of public resort1 under 
the full influence of the consideration1
 that this busy and anxious crowd will  
soon disappear--their race will be run1 
and the immortal prize gained--or--lost6
 ,these possessors of the soil will1 in 
a little time1 be disinherited--these   
tenants of a day exchanged--the funeral 
pall will cover the most ambitious and  
the most active of them all1 and the    
motley multitude be succeeded by others 
equally busy1 equally anxious1 equally  
thoughtless of another state of         
being--and equally mortal6  ,but these  
sentiments1 however calculated to fill  
irreligious persons with dread and      
melancholy1 can produce no despondency  
in those who1 like ,anna1 are accustomed
 to the truths of religion1 and derive  
the chief pleasure both of their        
youthful and decrepit age from the      

services of religion4 ,with regard to   
death itself they are taught that his   
power is limited to the body1 and that  
it is restricted even to a short period 
over this inferior part of our nature2  
and as to its consequences1 they cannot 
incessantly frequent the temple1 and be 
occupied in devotion1 without learning  
the value1 as well as the reality1 of   
those considerations which are drawn    
from eternity4 ,they know that this     
corruptible shall put on incorruption1  
this mortal put on immortality1 and that
 then there shall be no more death4 ,and
 what do these expressions imply1 but1  
the entire renovation of our            
nature8--,man is mortal1 because he is  
sinful2 and1 consequently1 the removal  
of sin will prove the extinction of     
death4 ,it is only by the introduction  
of moral evil that the earth has been   
converted into a vast cemetery1 and life
 become a short and rugged passage to   
the sepulchre2 but when it shall no     
longer prevail1 our sanctified nature   

will inherit the abodes of purity and   
undecaying existence4 ,it is this       
consideration which endears celestial   
felicity4 ,exemption from death implies 
deliverance from sin1 and the ,christian
 wishes to possess a character which    
,god shall approve1 and to be cleansed  
from those stains of guilt which infect 
his present being1 and render him       
offensive to his ,father in heaven4     
,were he destined always to be unholy1  
he would scarcely contemplate           
immortality as a blessing2 but because  
he has reason to anticipate a waking    
from the sleep of the grave1 in the     
divine likeness1 he realizes a period in
 the bright annals of his future being1 
when he shall no longer have occasion to
 exclaim1 ,o wretched man that ,i am6   
who shall deliver me from the body of   
this death8 ,the pains of separation1   
too1 which afflict this mortal state1   
cannot exist in that better country4    
,society will unquestionably prove one  
considerable source of the happiness of 

heaven1 where immortal beings will be so
 circumstanced and capacitated1 as both 
to receive and impart enjoyment4 ,the   
very nature of man is constituted       
social2 and though our circumstances in 
this life often render temporary        
separations unavoidable1 in a perfect   
state of society they must be needless2 
consequently they will not be suffered  
to impair the joys of paradise4  ,the   
most afflictive of all separations1 is  
that which is occasioned by death4 ,in  
all other cases1 a lingering hope may   
exist of a reunion at some period       
however distant2 at least the           
possibility of it is cheering3 but1 even
 if there be no reasonable expectation  
of this1 the very consciousness that our
 friend is still alive1 still on earth1 
still capable of receiving and          
performing acts of kindness1 still able 
to communicate with us by letter or by  
message1 to participate our pleasures1  
to sympathize with our sorrows1 and to  
pray for our welfare1 is consoling in   

every vicissitude2--but when death sets 
his awful seal upon our companion1      
relative or friend1 we cherish a deeper 
feeling of grief1 and cannot look to any
 earthly means of consolation--but we   
can look to a heavenly one6 ,whatever   
resource fails1 the religion of the     
,bible supplies inexhaustible springs of
 comfort4 ,god is on high--,jesus ever  
lives--,christians know they shall soon 
pass into a world where the happy circle
 will never be broken1 the communion of 
kindred spirits never cease1 the day of 
blessedness never decline1 the sabbath  
of immortality never terminate4  ,it is 
in the temple also1 that those who like 
,anna receive just impressions from its 
services1 and live in a state of holy   
intercourse with ,god1 learn to         
appreciate the capacities of a spiritual
 mind for progression in wisdom and     
felicity1 and by consequence to cherish 
the noblest anticipations of their own  
future possible elevation of character4 
,how many unfinished schemes are        

frustrated by death6 ,our plans of      
futurity1 our purposes of gain1 or our  
resolves of usefulness1 may be ended in 
one short hour4 ,here the labours of the
 industrious1 the studies of the        
learned1 the investigations of the      
philosopher1 and the career of the      
pious1 close4 ,the grave silences the   
voice of the preacher1 and paralyzes the
 hand of the charitable4 ,here the      
arguments of a ,paul end--here the      
silver tongue of an ,apollos is         
speechless--here the hands of a ,dorcas 
cease to manufacture for the poor1 whose
 unavailing tears cannot recall departed
 piety4  ,but who will define the limits
 of possible attainment in knowledge and
 excellence in a state of deathless     
existence8 ,society is always improving1
 even in the present world1 amidst all  
its imperfections4 ,the researches of   
past ages have transmitted a vast stock 
of wisdom to their successors1 both in  
reference to natural science and        
religious truth4 ,who can tell what     

discoveries a ,newton might have made1  
had he possessed a terrestrial          
immortality8 or who can conceive what   
heights and depths of divine knowledge  
might have been disclosed1 had the      
apostles of ,christ been permitted to   
live to the present period1 and had it  
been the will of ,god that they should  
have received a constant succession of  
revelations8  ,in both these cases1 not 
only has death terminated this series of
 bright discovery1 but this earth is not
 the destined place1 nor time the       
destined period1 for those              
manifestations of eternal wisdom1 which 
we have reason to believe will take     
place in another world4 ,those          
impediments to knowledge1 and those     
reasons for concealment1 which at       
present exist1 will be removed1 and     
truth open all her treasures to         
immortalized and sanctified spirits4    
,the consequence of the progressive     
disclosure of spiritual things1 of the  
works and ways of ,god1 will be         

progressive improvement3 and1 as in     
consequence of the clearer development  
of truth in the ,gospel1 he who is least
 in the kingdom of heaven1 is greater   
than ,john the ,baptist2 so when all the
 shadows and clouds that bedim our      
present existence shall have            
disappeared1 and a ray of heaven pours  
its glorious illumination upon the      
mysteries of time1 the least in the     
paradise of ,god will be greater than   
the most distinguished in his church on 
earth4 ,and as we never shall cease to  
improve in knowledge--for there will be 
no termination to our spiritual         
researches--there will probably arrive a
 period in eternity1 when he who at the 
resurrection will be least in the       
heavenly world in capacity and glory1   
will become greater in consequence of   
ever new discoveries1 than at that      
moment will be the greatest of the      
redeemed universe4 ,and the meanest     
,christian on earth may indulge the hope
 that1 at a future age1 even he may     

become superior in knowledge1 in love1  
in capacity1 and in glory1 to what the  
brightest seraph or the tallest         
archangel1 is at present in the heaven  
of heavens2 for who can tell what ,god  
may do for beatified souls8 who dare    
limit the operations of his mercy1 or   
who can imagine to what an elevation of 
wisdom and felicity an emparadised      
believer may attain8  ,progression is   
the law of a thinking being4 ,and why   
should it not operate upon holy         
intelligences in the future state1 as   
well as in the present8 and why not when
 there shall be no more death1 to an    
incalculably greater extent8 ,why should
 not every new idea acquired in that    
world become a seed of truth in the     
mind1 that shall spring up and bear     
fruit1 multiply and expand1 without     
restriction and without end8--  ,there  
is not in religion a nobler or a more   
animating sentiment1 than this perpetual
 advancement of the soul towards        
perfection4 ,life has its maturity and  

decline1 nature its boundaries of       
beauty1 human affairs their zenith of   
glory2 but1 in the new heavens and new  
earth wherein dwelleth righteousness1   
every thing will be eternally upon the  
advance--there will be no end to the    
path of knowledge--present acquisitions 
will be the basis of subsequent         
acquirements--we shall be continually   
outshining ourselves1 by making nearer  
approaches to infinite goodness--and the
 whole moral creation will be forever   
beautifying in the eyes of ,god4    ,the
 ,woman of ,samaria4  ,chapter ,,iv4    
,account of ,christ's ,journey through  
,samaria--he arrives at ,jacob's        
,well--enters into conversation with a  
,woman of the ,country--her             
,misapprehensions--the ,discovery of his
 ,character to her as a   ,prophet--her 
,convictions--her ,admission of his     
,claim as the true   ,messiah1 which she
 reports in the ,city--the great and    
good   ,effect--,reflections4  ,every   
incident in the life of ,christ is      

illustrative of the evangelical         
testimony1 he went about doing good4    
,his efforts were not partial1 nor      
confined to particular occasions2 but1  
availing himself of all the             
opportunities which occurred1 either in 
public or in private1 to promote the    
welfare of mankind1 time never measured 
out an idle hour--the sun never sat upon
 a useless day6  ,it may be truly said1 
with regard to those who imbibe the     
spirit of their ,master1 no man liveth  
to himself4 ,nothing can be more remote 
from genuine ,christianity1 than that   
selfishness which is characteristic of a
 worldly disposition1 and which with an 
uniform and undeviating assiduity1 seeks
 its own interests and purposes3 while  
nothing can so fully comport with its   
nature1 and evince its prevalence1 as   
that charity which is limited only by   
the period of human life1 the extent of 
means1 and the boundaries of creation4  
,when the ,lord knew that the ,pharisees
 had heard that ,jesus made and baptized

 more disciples than ,john 444 he left  
,judea and departed again into ,galilee4
  ,the jealousy of his enemies induced  
them to become narrow observers of all  
the proceedings of ,christ2 and1 knowing
 their spirit1 he removed to some       
distance3 not1 however1 through         
fear--nor 7as some expositors have      
stated7 lest they should put him to     
death2 for his hour was not yet         
come--and it would have been impossible 
to counteract the purposes of ,heaven4  
,he could easily have eluded their      
utmost vigilance and malignity1 as on a 
certain occasion1 when passing through  
the midst of them1 he went his way4 ,but
 our ,lord did not think proper to      
disclose himself at once1 and in a very 
public manner4 ,it was not his intention
 to astonish1 but gradually to excite   
the attention of the ,jewish nation1 to 
furnish evidences of his mission to     
humble and contrite minds1 and to lay   
the foundation of a future work1 rather 
than to operate on a very extended scale

 himself4 ,in this manner was           
accomplished the prophecy of ,isaiah1   
,he shall not cry1 nor lift up1 nor     
cause his voice to be heard in the      
street4 ,a bruised reed shall he not    
break1 and the smoking flax shall he not
 quench3 he shall bring forth judgment  
unto truth4  ,his route lay through     
,samaria2 any other way to ,galilee     
would have been very circuitous3 and    
this is mentioned1 because of the       
directions to his disciples1 ,go not    
into the way of the ,gentiles1 and into 
any city of the ,samaritans enter ye    
not2 but go rather to the lost sheep of 
the house of ,israel4 ,the hour for that
 enlarged operation of mercy amongst the
 ,gentiles1 which had been so long      
predicted1 was not yet arrived1 though  
it was now approaching with desirable   
rapidity4 ,the dispensations of ,god are
 inscrutable to mortals1 to whom it     
seems profoundly mysterious1 that the   
purposes of love to man should first be 
delayed for so many ages1 and then      

manifested by the work of ,christ to so 
limited an extent4 ,here we must walk by
 faith1 not by sight2 while1 upon every 
leaf in the great volume of providence1 
it is legibly written1 ,my thoughts are 
not your thoughts1 neither are your ways
 my ways1 saith the ,lord4 ,for as the  
heavens are higher than the earth1 so   
are my ways1 higher than your ways1 and 
my thoughts than your thoughts4  ,it has
 been piously remarked1 that the        
evangelist refers1 by the expression1 he
 must needs go through ,samaria1 to our 
,saviour's purposes of mercy to that    
vicinity2 and undoubtedly it is true1   
that he was powerfully impelled and     
irresistibly guided1 wherever he went4  
,nothing could obstruct his designs of  
mercy1 or his labours of love4 ,no force
 could prevent his benevolent progress3 
as well might human or diabolical agency
 attempt to arrest the sun in his       
course1 or stop the march of time4--,my 
,father worketh hitherto1 and ,i work4  
,i must work the works of him that sent 

me1 while it is day2 the night cometh1  
when no man can work4  ,in his journey1 
,jesus came to a city of ,samaria called
 ,sychar1 which appears to have been the
 same with the ,sichem or ,shechem of   
the ,old ,testament2 #bg where was a    
well1 to which tradition had assigned   
the name of ,jacob1 as having been      
originally dug by that patriarch4 ,it   
was now about the sixth hour1 or noon1  
and the climate being exceedingly       
sultry1 ,jesus1 under the pressure of   
fatigue1 sat down by the well4  ,let us 
for a moment turn aside1 like ,moses1 to
 see this great sight4 ,jesus sat thus  
on the well1 as the weary traveller     
seeks a renewal of his strength by      
temporary repose4 ,what majesty and     
mystery surround the spot1 when we      
recall the ancient oracles to mind1     
which represent him as the ,wonderful1  
,counsellor1 the mighty ,god1 the       
everlasting ,father1 the ,prince of     
,peace2 and compare descriptions of this
 nature with the evangelical record of  

his own words1 ,the foxes have holes1   
and the birds of the air have nests3 but
 the ,son of man hath not where to lay  
his head4  ,what a scene for ministering
 spirits1 who had been accustomed to    
behold and adore him1 but who now       
witnessed his abasement6 ,what a        
contrast between the ,lamb in the midst 
of the throne1 and ,jesus sitting on a  
well1 and afterward suspended on a      
cross--between the ,king of glory3 and  
the weary traveller--the ,lord of lords1
 and the man of sorrows6  ,let us derive
 instruction1 as well as consolation1   
from this scene4 ,we have not a         
high-priest1 who cannot be touched with 
the feeling of our infirmities3 but was 
in all points tempted1 like as we are1  
yet without sin4 ,if the ,saviour had   
appeared upon earth in external         
splendour1 and in a manner which to     
human apprehension would have comported 
better with the majesty of his nature   
and the pre-eminence of his celestial   
glory1 our insignificance would have    

created a sense of unapproachable       
distance3 we should have been more      
astonished than attracted--more         
confounded than1 conciliated4 ,but he   
disrobed himself of ineffable brightness
 to bring us nigh1 and to produce a just
 and holy familiarity1 saying to his    
disciples1 ,i have called you friends4  
,let us be reconciled to the            
infirmities1 pains1 and poverty we may  
suffer2 for it is sufficient for the    
servant to be as his master4 ,more      
elevated stations in life would be      
attended with more danger to our        
spiritual character1 and expose us to   
more afflictions2 as mountains in       
proportion to their height attract      
clouds and tempests4 ,the present is a  
state of trial for the righteous2 but   
however distressing or obscure our way1 
,jesus has trod it before               
us--sanctifying the path of sorrow by   
his presence1 and plucking up many of   
its thorns4 ,place his example before   
your eyes--observe his humble life--his 

assumed poverty--his unaffected         
condescension6 ,to the poor he          
preached--with the poor he lived--their 
dress he wore--and their lowly sphere he
 chose and honoured6  ,how many of the  
most important events of our lives may  
be traced to trifling circumstances6 ,a 
single step may have a remote1 but very 
obvious connexion with the greatest     
results4 ,a single turn in the journey  
of life may influence the happiness1 and
 direct the course of years6 ,there     
cometh a woman of ,samaria1 to draw     
water4 ,nothing could be more apparently
 incidental2 and yet he who thinks      
rightly will perceive it to be a link in
 the great chain of ,providence1 which  
was absolutely essential to the         
completion of the whole4 ,it was in the 
purpose of ,god1 that many of the       
,samaritans of that city should         
believe--that this conviction should be 
wrought by that woman1 who herself      
should be forcibly impressed by the     
proofs with which she was furnished in  

the relation of her most private        
domestic concerns4 ,had she come earlier
 or later1 ,jesus had not been there6   
,we must trace the links of this chain  
further4 ,the malignity of the          
,pharisees induced ,jesus to leave      
,judea2 and both convenience1 and       
perhaps a moral necessity1 impelled him 
here4 ,his arrival at that hour--his    
stay--the opportunity occasioned by the 
absence of his disciples--were all      
appointed by superintending wisdom4 ,who
 knows what a day or an hour may bring  
forth6 ,little did this ,samaritan woman
 expect such a meeting1 such a          
traveller1 or such a conversation2 so   
wisely and so wonderfully are the plans 
of ,providence arranged6  ,how often has
 the promise been accomplished1 ,i was  
found of them that sought me not6 ,to   
some unforeseen occurrence--some        
accidental meeting--some trifling       
coincidence1 ,christians may often trace
 their first conversion1 and their best 
impressions4 ,a stranger--a word1 a     

casualty1 has proved the means of       
spiritual illumination2 and while the   
recollection of these circumstances     
often solace them in the vale of tears1 
we doubt not but they will furnish a    
subject of pleasing contemplation and   
adorning gratitude1 when they shall have
 attained the perfection of their being 
on the heights of immortality4  ,jesus  
saith unto her1 ,give me to drink3 a    
very natural request from a weary       
stranger1 and one with which1 from the  
common hospitality of the times1 he     
might expect a ready compliance4 ,the   
evil effect of luxury is1 that it has   
multiplied our artificial necessities1  
and diminished our benevolent feelings2 
in a simpler state of society1 the wants
 of mankind are fewer and more easily   
supplied4  ,the woman paused and        
inquired1 ,how is it that thou1 being a 
,jew1 asketh drink of me1 which am a    
woman of ,samaria8 for the ,jews have no
 dealings with the ,samaritans4 ,alas6  
where rancorous animosity exists1 how   

frequently the laws of hospitality1 and 
the principles even of humanity1 are    
sacrificed6 ,the ,sanhedrim interdicted 
any friendly intercourse with the       
,samaritans1 and the ,jews cursed them  
by the secret name of ,god2 and as this 
mutual animosity existed1 the woman     
received our ,saviour's request with a  
reproachful sneer4  ,the enmity         
subsisting between the ,jews and        
,samaritans was very ancient in its     
origin1 and exceedingly inveterate in   
its character4 ,it had also been        
aggravated by different incidents4 ,when
 the ten tribes revolted in the time of 
,jeroboam1 the calves were set up in    
,dan and ,bethel1 with a view to seduce 
the people from worshipping at          
,jerusalem1 which was of course highly  
offensive to ,judah and ,benjamin2 and  
when ,shalmaneser1 the king of ,assyria1
 carried away the ten tribes into       
captivity1 he colonized the cities of   
,samaria with the ,babylonians and      
others1 who carried their false religion

 with them2 in consequence of which they
 became odious to the ,jews4 ,at first1 
the providence of ,god punished these   
idolatrous settlers1 by permitting lions
 to infest the country1 whose ravages   
induced ,shalmaneser to send one of the 
priests to teach them the manner of the 
,god of the land2 when they united the  
worship of the ,jehovah with that of    
their own idols4 ,these people very much
 discouraged the ,jews in the erection  
of the second temple1 after their return
 from captivity4  ,after this1 when     
,alexander had conquered ,syria and     
,palestine1 ,sanballat1 who governed the
 province of ,samaria for ,darius1      
submitted to the conqueror2 and having  
married his daughter to ,manasseh1 the  
brother of ,jaddua the high-priest1 he  
obtained permission from ,alexander to  
build a temple on mount ,gerizzim1 in   
imitation of that which was built at    
,jerusalem4 #bh ,manasseh was           
constituted the high-priest1 a multitude
 of ,jews mixed with the ,samaritans1   

and a distinct service1 after the       
,jewish mode of worship1 was conducted4 
,this occasioned great contentions1 and 
suspended all intercourse between the   
rival nations4 ,the ,samaritans are     
generally said to have admitted little  
more of the ,old ,testament than the    
,pentateuch2 but ,justin ,martyr1 who   
was a native of ,sichem1 affirms that   
they received all the prophetic         
writings4 #bi  ,drop a pitying tear over
 human weakness1 folly1 and crime4 ,what
 divisions separate the human race1 and 
exasperate men against each other6 ,but 
of all others1 they are the most        
inveterate1 which are produced on       
account of religion4 ,the ,samaritan    
appoints ,gerizzim as the place of      
worship1 in opposition to               
,jerusalem--the fires of persecution are
 instantly kindled1 and the victims of  
intolerance suffer martyrdom6  ,to the  
reproachful insinuation of the woman1   
,christ returned no answer1 for it      
kindled no resentment4 ,when he was     

reviled1 he reviled not again3 but with 
his characteristic condescension and    
eagerness to instruct the ignorant1 he  
said1 ,if thou knewest the gift of ,god1
 and who it is that saith to thee1 ,give
 me to drink2 thou wouldest have asked  
of him1 and he would have given thee    
living water4 ,this language was        
expressive of his readiness and ability 
to supply the necessities of the        
destitute1 to console the afflicted1 and
 to save the lost4 ,by the gift of ,god1
 he intended divine bounty in general2  
by living water1 the blessings of       
salvation1 especially the gifts and     
graces of his holy ,spirit4 #cj  ,the   
conciliating and affectionate manner of 
,christ's appeal to the woman1 appears  
to have softened her turbulent spirit1  
and won her respect4 ,she uses an       
epithet of respect previously omitted1  
,sir1--perceiving that1 though          
apparently a ,jew1 he possessed none of 
that rancorous enmity which             
characterizes others1 and cherished     

national antipathies4 ,a soft answer    
turneth away wrath2 but grievous words  
stir up anger4 ,offences are likely to  
arise in the present world2 but let us  
rather aim to disarm malignity by       
conciliation1 than strengthen and       
envenom it by resistance4 ,soft words   
may in time operate on hardened hearts1 
as water continually dropping on the    
rock wears it away4 ,such a mode of     
proceeding costs us little1 but tends   
much to dignify and exalt us4 ,who is a 
wise man and endued with knowledge among
 you8 let him show out of a good        
conversation his works with meekness of 
wisdom4 ,but if ye have bitter envying  
and strife in your hearts1 glory not1   
and lie not against the truth4 ,this    
wisdom descendeth not from above1 but is
 earthly1 sensual1 devilish4 ,for where 
envying and strife is1 there is         
confusion and every evil work4 ,but the 
wisdom that is from above is first pure1
 then peaceable1 gentle1 and easy to be 
entreated1 full of mercy and good       

fruits1 without partiality1 and without 
hypocrisy4 ,and the fruit of            
righteousness is sown in peace of them  
that make peace4  ,our ,saviour's       
discourse was further distinguished by  
exceeding great and precious promises2  
and the woman seems to have partaken of 
similar surprise with those who are said
 to have wondered at the gracious words 
which proceeded out of his mouth4 ,as a 
fountain of living waters1 he was always
 pouring forth refreshing streams2 as   
the depository of wisdom and knowledge1 
he incessantly communicated his         
treasures of sacred instruction2 and as 
the ,sun of righteousness1 he constantly
 imparted his heavenly light and heating
 beams4 ,who could approach him without 
feeling the benign influence1 and being 
benefitted by the rich supply8  ,as the 
term which ,christ had employed in a    
spiritual sense1 simply denoted         
excellent spring water in common        
language1 the woman at present conceived
 no other idea of his meaning2 and      

seeing he was a stranger1 with no       
bucket1 she expressed her astonishment  
at his promise4 ,with some mysterious   
impression1 probably1 of his            
extraordinary character1 blended with   
incredulity1 she proceeded to inquire1  
,art thou greater than our father       
,jacob1 which gave us the well1 and     
drank thereof himself1 and his children1
 and his cattle8  ,this may furnish an  
exemplification of the fact1 that the   
natural man receiveth not the things of 
the ,spirit of ,god3 for they are       
foolishness unto him3 neither can he    
know them1 because they are spiritually 
discerned4 ,the terras of ,christianity 
are mysterious1 because its doctrines   
are misunderstood1 and cannot be        
discerned by him1 the eyes of whose     
understanding are beclouded1 and whose  
heart is sensual4 ,how deplorable the   
effects of sin1 which has drawn a veil  
over the moral perceptions of man2 in   
consequence of which1 he cannot see the 
glories of truth1 the charms of ,jesus1 

the value of his soul1 and the          
importance of its redemption6 ,nothing  
but the glare of earthly grandeur can   
affect him1 while eternity with all its 
vast concerns disappears4  ,though the  
woman at first manifested considerable  
animosity1 and afterward betrayed great 
ignorance1 ,jesus was neither provoked  
by her prejudices1 nor irritated by her 
misconceptions4 ,we must not            
unnecessarily wound the unenlightened1  
nor even the perverse1 by reproaches2   
but aim to win them by kindness and     
forbearance4 ,o for more resemblance to 
the ,lamb of ,god1 and more of the      
temper which the apostle inculcates6    
,and the servant of the ,lord must not  
strive2 but be gentle unto all men1 apt 
to teach1 patient1 in meekness          
instructing those that oppose           
themselves2 if ,god peradventure will   
give them repentance to the             
acknowledging of the truth2 and that    
they may recover themselves out of the  
snare of the devil1 who are taken       

captive by him at his will4  ,it would  
exceedingly conduce to the promotion of 
this spirit1 were we frequently to      
recollect our own former ignorance and  
slowness to apprehend the truth as it is
 in ,jesus2 and the patience we have    
ourselves experienced1 especially from  
our ,master in heaven4 ,we should also  
consider1 that the best and most        
permanent impressions are often the most
 gradual2 and he who advances to        
perfection1 goes on from strength to    
strength4 ,let us not be unduly         
discouraged1 because of our present     
ignorance and darkness of mind3 but     
pursuing our inquiries with a humble and
 teachable disposition1 we may hope by  
copious supplies from the ,source of    
wisdom1 to increase our knowledge1 and  
enlarge our capacities4  ,it appears    
rather surprising1 that instead of      
questioning the pretentions of ,christ1 
this woman did not at once solicit a    
fulfilment of his promise1 and draw     
water from the wells of salvation2 but  

her method of proceeding is illustrative
 of a very common case4 ,religious      
inquirers are full of doubts and        
prejudices2 for though ,jesus invites   
them to participate the blessings he so 
liberally dispenses1 they imagine1      
falsely imagine1 that some previous     
qualification is requisite to justify   
their approach4 ,can such a sinner be   
saved8 ,am ,i indeed invited--after all 
my sins and broken vows8 ,i know not    
whether ,i shall be accepted1 for what  
claim have ,i upon his mercy8  ,yet the 
,saviour still invites--still           
promises--still encourages--still       
instructs--and will not let the weakest 
inquirer go1 but guides his feet into   
the way of peace4  ,whosoever1 said he  
to the woman1 whosoever drinketh of this
 water shall thirst again2 but whosoever
 drinketh of the water that ,i shall    
give him1 shall never thirst3 but the   
water that ,i shall give him1 shall be  
in him a well of water springing up into
 everlasting life4 ,the allusion is     

unquestionably to that principle in the 
heart which is of divine implantation1  
and which however various its names1 and
 diversified its operations1 is uniform 
in its nature and origin4 ,sometimes it 
is represented by the cause1 and        
sometimes the effect4 ,it is the ,spirit
 given to them that ask him1 with regard
 to agency2 it is grace1 in point of    
character2 and it is holiness or        
practical religion1 in reference to its 
outward influence4 ,jesus ,christ       
beautifully describes this principle in 
his metaphorical addresses to the woman 
of ,samaria1 by an allusion to the      
thirst which the water of life assuages1
 the inexhaustible consolation it       
imparts1 as a well of water2 and the    
perpetual and perfect blessedness with  
which it is connected1 as springing up  
into everlasting life4  ,thirst is one  
of the most powerful propensities of    
human nature1 and is therefore adapted  
to represent the intensity of that      
desire with which mankind seek the      

wealth1 the honours1 and the pleasures  
of the world3 and though he that loveth 
silver shall not be satisfied with      
silver2 nor he that loveth abundance    
with increase2 the appetite is still    
insatiable1 and the pursuit continued4  
,when under the influence of violent    
thirst1 it is not unusual for persons to
 avail themselves of the first supply1  
however unwholesome1 and eagerly to     
drink even of a filthy stream2 with     
similar impatience and satisfaction1 the
 carnal mind indulges in its            
sensualities1 seizing forbidden1 and    
contented with polluting joys4 ,but the 
grace of ,god in the heart is           
distinguished for its purifying         
influence3 it cleanses the spirit from  
guilt--sanctifies it by the washing of  
regeneration1 and imparts a new desire1 
a heavenly thirst1 a holy ardour for    
spiritual communications2 so that as the
 hart pants after the water-brooks1 so  
panteth the soul after ,god4  ,this     
woman had a considerable distance to go 

in order to procure the water with which
 it was needful to supply the           
necessities of her household2 and when  
arrived at the spot1 it was a laborious 
service to draw from the well1 and      
return laden into the city4 ,our        
,saviour intimates1 on the contrary1 the
 ease with which his divine blessings   
were attainable1 as well as their       
unfailing abundance4 ,there is imparted 
to every applicant a fund of peace1 in  
consequence of which a good man is      
satisfied from himself4 ,religion       
furnishes consolations of a nature      
precisely adapted to our necessities as 
fallen and miserable creatures2 and it  
affords them in circumstances1 when it  
is obvious that no other resource       
remains4 ,the supplies of this world    
resemble the casual streamlets of       
winter1 cold1 and soon exhausted1 or    
lost in evaporation beneath the         
returning beam of spring3 but amidst the
 vicissitudes of life1 and in the hour  
of dissolution1 religion has            

consolations which never fail4 ,the     
river of a ,christian's consolation runs
 throughout the wilderness of time1 nor 
stays in its course till it expands into
 the boundless and fathomless ocean of  
eternal blessedness4  ,at length1 the   
woman in question is induced to make the
 request which we wonder she did not at 
first present2 though still she         
misapprehends the meaning of her divine 
,teacher1 however plain his sentiment   
may now appear to us2 in consequence of 
which1 he condescended to adopt another 
mode of conveying instruction to her    
mind4 ,he had excited her attention1 he 
now proceeds to address her conscience4 
,we must not overlook the circumstance  
that ,christ was wearied with his       
journey2 but he was not wearied with his
 work--well doing4 ,if he had now       
remained silent1 it would not have been 
wonderful2 or if1 intending to disclose 
his character to this woman1 and by her 
means to the ,samaritans1 he had smitten
 her conscience1 removed her prejudices1

 enlightened her mind1 and won her      
affections1 as we know he could have    
done1 in a moment--as when he said to   
,matthew1 ,follow me1 and immediately he
 left all--or as when he spake from the 
clouds with irresistible effect to      
,saul2--we should not have been         
astonished that he spared his words1    
while we must have admired the mighty   
operation of his grace4 ,but lo6 he     
entered into a long conversation1 though
 in a weary hour1 and took the utmost   
pains to teach her4 ,we have here an    
example for our imitation4 ,ought not we
 to be patient and laborious8 ,ought not
 we to recollect the value of the soul1 
and strive in season and out of season  
to win it1 knowing he that converteth   
the sinner from the error of his way    
shall save a soul from death1 and shall 
hide a multitude of sins8 ,the servant  
of the ,lord must not strive1 nor       
despond2 lest consulting his own        
advantage1 he prejudice the divine      
service2 but he must forget his         

infirmities1 and pursue his work4  ,to  
the request1 ,sir1 give me this water1  
,jesus does not appear to have returned 
any direct answer1 but said1 ,go1 call  
thy husband1 and come hither4 ,the reply
 was1 in one view1 direct1 and he began 
instantly to communicate the living     
water2 for the discourse upon which he  
entered1 though at a superficial glance 
it may appear foreign to the immediate  
purpose of her request1 and might seem  
to point her to a different subject1 was
 really intended to produce deep and    
salutary convictions of sin1 and such as
 were requisite in order to her         
reception of the living water of        
spiritual consolation4 ,nothing in      
reality could display both the wisdom   
and goodness of the great ,teacher in a 
more striking manner1 than this         
proceeding4 ,in effect1 he takes her by 
the hand1 conducts her through the      
narrow path of conviction and           
penetential acknowledgment1 to that     
fountain which has supplied millions1   

and is still inexhaustible2 and by      
whatever mysterious methods he brings   
his people to himself and to their final
 rest1 it will ultimately be found the  
right way to the city of habitation4 ,as
 the woman did not comprehend his       
metaphorical language1 he determined to 
disclose his prophetic character4 ,jesus
 saith unto her1 ,go1 call thy husband1 
and come hither4 ,the woman answered and
 said1 ,i have no husband4 ,jesus said  
unto her1 ,thou hast well said1 ,i have 
no husband3 for thou hast had five      
husbands2 and he whom thou now hast is  
not thy husband3 in that saidst thou    
truly4 ,by divine inspiration1 an       
ordinary prophet might be supposed to   
have been made acquainted with the      
woman's character and domestic          
circumstances2 but we must contemplate  
the ,saviour on this occasion as        
supporting his claim to a higher        
distinction1 such as none of them could 
possess4 ,it is a solemn consideration  
that we are perpetually inspected by    

those eyes which are upon the ways of   
man1 and by him who seeth all his       
goings1 his most retired moments1 most  
secret sins1 most private affairs1 and  
most latent thoughts4 ,even though we   
should not live in that excess of       
sensuality which existed in this case1  
how important is the apostolic entreaty1
 to abstain from fleshly lusts2 and how 
just the assurance1 they war against the
 soul6  ,at length the woman's eyes were
 opened2 she had a glimpse of the glory 
of her divine ,instructer through the   
influence of that grace which is        
effectual in its operations1 and imparts
 those perceptions which cannot be      
otherwise possessed4 ,happy for us if we
 have been led to discern the exalted   
character and excellencies of the ,son  
of ,god6 ,sir1 said she1 ,i perceive    
that thou art a prophet2 and availing   
herself of the present favourable       
opportunity1 she proposes a question    
much and violently agitated between the 
,jews and ,samaritans4 ,when the        

passions are inflamed by controversial  
discussion1 how apt are we to be mislead
 by the opinions of men rather than     
guided by the oppointments of ,god2 and 
how frequently convenience1 instead of  
conscience1 dictates the conduct of     
religious professors6 ,the ,samaritan   
woman pleads the authority of the       
fathers for worshipping at mount        
,gerizzim rather than repairing to      
,jerusalem4 ,this has frequently proved 
a source of error2 and the history of   
mankind will furnish ample evidence1    
that in departing from ,scripture1 the  
only sure word of prophecy1 we shall    
inevitably wander into an endless       
labyrinth of mistake1 and be lost amidst
 the intricacies of delusion4  ,our     
,lord intimates the improper proceedings
 of the ,samaritans in consequence of   
being thus misled by prejudice and by   
the example of others1 and shows that   
,jerusalem was certainly the ancient    
place of appointed worship1 and the     
,jews the depositaries of celestial     

wisdom4 ,from that illustrious people   
issued the word of the ,lord which      
contained the doctrine of salvation1    
which descended like the dew from       
heaven1 and was calculated to diffuse   
spiritual fertility through the earth1  
and impart universal joy4 ,woman1       
believe me1 the hour cometh1 when ye    
shall neither in this mountain1 nor yet 
at ,jerusalem1 worship the ,father4 ,ye 
worship ye know not what3 we know what  
we worship1 for salvation is of the     
,jews4 ,but the hour cometh1 and now is1
 when the true worshippers shall worship
 the ,father in ,spirit and in truth3   
for the ,father seeketh such to worship 
him4 ,god is a spirit3 and they that    
worship him must worship him in spirit  
and in truth4 ,in this passage ,jesus   
points out the superior nature of the   
worship which was now required1 and     
which he was about to introduce to the  
world4 ,in the former controversy the   
,jews were certainly right2 but the     
designs of mercy being now accomplished 

in the mission of the ,son of ,god1 and 
the fulness of time being come1 it was  
determined to spread the blessings of   
the everlasting ,gospel to the widest   
possible extent1 and to render1 in      
honour of the mediation of ,christ1 the 
whole earth an universal temple1 in     
which the sacrifice of humble and       
contrite hearts should be always        
acceptable4  ,two great effects were    
produced by the introduction of the     
,christian dispensation4 ,the one       
respected the mode of worship4 ,it was  
now no longer to be ceremonial1 but     
spiritual2 it was no longer to be       
conducted in types and shadows1 but in  
truth4 ,in compassion to human          
infirmity1 numerous ceremonies were     
originally appointed1 to impress awe1   
and to fill the mind of man with a sense
 of the majesty of ,god4 ,the           
conceptions of a fallen creature being  
too grovelling at first to comprehend   
the invisible realities of religion1 a  
system of service was admitted which    

tended to produce general impressions by
 an appeal to the external senses1 and  
thus slowly to insinuate sublimer facts1
 and prepare for more noble             
manifestations2 but when the ,lord came 
to his temple1 and made the place of his
 feet glorious1 darkness vanished1 truth
 shone with effulgent brightness1 and   
simplicity rose to the dominion which   
ceremony and complexity had assumed3 at 
his presence the new creation smiled1   
and the ,lord of the universe again     
descended to pronounce upon another     
series of wonderful works1 that all was 
very good4  ,another effect resulting   
from the introduction of the ,christian 
age concerned the variety and number of 
worshippers4 ,the limitations which had 
hitherto prevailed in communicating     
truth to the world were to be           
superseded2 for1 though the commissioned
 apostles were to deliver their message 
to the ,jew first1 they were expressly  
directed to convey it also to the       
,gentiles4 ,how calculated is this      

precedure to allay animosities and unite
 hearts6 and what a motive is here      
presented to us to dismiss every        
petulant and revengeful disposition from
 the ,christian sanctuary1 remembering  
that whether ,jew or ,gentile1 rich or  
poor1 bond or free1 every one is        
accepted of ,god only as he is a        
,,spiritual ,,worshipper6  ,as ,god is a
 spirit1 witnessing our movements and   
acquainted with our thoughts at all     
times and in every place1 we should     
often consecrate our moments to his     
service4 ,in the hour of seclusion and  
retirement1 as well as on public        
occasions and in religious assemblies1  
it becomes us to direct our meditations 
to him by whom we are encircled4 ,let us
 contemplate ,,god1 and feel his awful  
presence4 ,he is on heaven and on earth2
 his eyes behold us amidst the shades of
 midnight as well as in the brightest   
noon of day2 he pervades all space1 is  
in all time1 above all creatures1 before
 all being1 and through all eternity4   

,canst thou by searching find out ,god8 
canst thou find out the ,almighty unto  
perfection8  ,at the period of this     
conversation at ,jacob's well1 a very   
general expectation of the speedy       
appearance of the ,messiah was          
prevalent1 and the woman was aware of   
the reference in the words1 ,the hour   
cometh1 and now is1 when the true       
worshippers shall worship the ,father2  
although at present her eyes were       
holden1 that she did not know him       
through the concealment of his mean     
attire and unstately solitariness4      
,this1 however1 was wisely planned2 and 
while it tended to cast contempt on     
worldly glory1 it enabled him to become 
a fellow-sufferer with his people1 and  
to cherish a holy familiarity with his  
disciples4 ,hence we find him not in    
palaces1 but in cottages--on the        
highways of common resort--healing the  
sick at the pool of ,bethesda1          
conversing with a poor woman at ,jacob's
 well1 and in other similar situations3 

and never shall we be worthy to bear his
 name till we imitate his conduct4 ,the 
woman saith unto him1 ,i know that      
,messias cometh1 which is called        
,christ3 when he is come1 he will tell  
us all things4 ,jesus saith unto her1 ,i
 that speak unto thee am he4 ,this was  
the point to which all his discourse was
 directed1 this the revelation he       
intended from the first to disclose2 but
 how wisely was it delayed6 ,such an    
assertion at the commencement of the    
conversation would have kindled         
animosity or excited ridicule2 but that 
mind which was originally so prejudiced 
and so resentful1 is brought to receive 
the most glorious and spiritual         
discovery4 ,if we wonder at her         
ignorance1 and lament her prejudices    
previously to this declaration1 how much
 more criminal would she have now been  
had she persisted in unbelief6 ,yet1    
alas1 how often is ,christ proclaimed1  
all his glories revealed1 and all his   
truth exhibited1 by the ministry of the 

,gospel1 and nevertheless rejected6     
,upon ,christ's explanation of his true 
character1 the ,samaritan woman         
immediately left her water-pot1 and went
 into the city1 to announce her         
discoveries to the neighbourhood1 and   
invite her fellow citizens to the       
,messiah4 ,glowing with zeal for others1
 she said1 ,come1 see a man which told  
me all things that ever ,i did3 is not  
this the ,christ8 ,and the historian    
records the success of her efforts2 for 
they went out of the city1 and came unto
 him2 and many of the ,samaritans of    
that city believed on him4 ,this induced
 them to solicit his continuance for    
some time amongst them1 and he abode    
there two days4 ,and many more believed 
because of his own word2 and said unto  
the woman1 ,now we believe1 not because 
of thy saying3 for we have heard him    
ourselves1 and know that this is indeed 
the ,christ1 the ,saviour of the world4 
,gratitude becomes us in reflecting upon
 that diversity of means which divine   

wisdom uses to promote the circulation  
of his truth1 and win souls to ,christ4 
,the greatest beings are at his control1
 and are sometimes commissioned to visit
 the heirs of salvation--,bless the     
,lord1 ye his angels1 that excel in     
strength1 that do his commandments1     
hearkening unto the voice of his word2  
while on other occasions he employs the 
most unlikely agents1 or the feeblest   
instrumentality1 to do his pleasure4 ,he
 can from the very stones raise up      
children unto ,abraham1 convert an      
infuriated persecutor into an apostle of
 the ,gentiles1 or change a ,samaritan  
into a ,christian1 an infidel ,gentile  
into a child of ,abraham by faith1 and a
 woman coming casually to draw water for
 her household1 into an instrument of   
dispensing the living streams of        
salvation to a perishing vicinity4  ,the
 early part of the narrative before us1 
is sufficient to show1 that however slow
 persons whom we have an opportunity of 
instructing in religious truth may seem 

in understanding1 or however reluctant  
to obey it1 we ought never either to    
despair of success1 or be weary of      
repeating our instruction4 ,i charge    
thee1 says ,paul in addressing ,timothy1
 before ,god and the ,lord ,jesus       
,christ1 who shall judge the quick and  
the dead at his appearing and his       
kingdom2 preach the word2 be instant in 
season1 out of season2 reprove1 rebuke1 
exhort with all long-suffering and      
doctrine4 ,who can tell the favoured    
period8 ,who can calculate the extent of
 the benefit conferred when one sinner  
is converted from the error of his ways8
 ,and who would not rejoice at the      
thought of having his final hour cheered
 by the recollection of having been the 
means of letting in the light of an     
eternal day even upon an individual of  
the human race1 who was once sitting in 
the darkness of spiritual delusion1 and 
pining in the dungeon of guilt1 and     
misery1 and helplessness8  ,many things 
in religion1 which we at present        

misunderstand1 may probably become      
intelligible in the course of future    
experience1 and a great variety of      
interesting truths now unknown will     
certainly be revealed in another world4 
,the woman of ,samaria could not for a  
considerable time comprehend the        
metaphorical allusions of ,christ2 but  
when she had found the ,messiah1 she was
 no longer at a loss to ascertain the   
signification of the stranger's         
assurance1 that he could have given her1
 had she requested it1 living water4    
,the disclosure of one fact1 illustrated
 another1 and in spiritual knowledge and
 attainment she went on doubtless with a
 rapidity proportioned to her           
extraordinary advantages4  ,with what   
deep interest1 at every subsequent      
period of her life1 would this woman    
recollect the conversation at ,jacob's  
well6 ,never1 surely1 would she repair  
again to that spot1 without presenting  
to her imagination the image of ,jesus  
sitting there1 like a weary traveller1  

asking for water to refresh his         
pilgrimage1 incidentally adverting to   
topics of supreme importance1 addressing
 her conscience1 and gradually unveiling
 his character to her view--first as a  
prophet1 then as the ,messiah of the    
,jews1 and the glory of the ,gentiles6  
,never could she forget that wonderful  
morning--a morning which shone with such
 glory in the annals of her existence1  
and was destined to occupy a conspicuous
 place in the recollections of eternity6
 ,and it is our privilege1 as well as   
duty1 to remember the place of our      
spiritual birth1 the instructer of our  
infant piety1 the guide of our religious
 inquiries1 and all the way in which the
 ,lord our ,god has led us in the       
wilderness4 ,experience will rivet our  
affections to every circumstance2 life  
will derive a charm1 in many of its     
future years1 from such welcome         
reflections2 and memory will not        
discard1 amidst the ineffable joys of   
paradise1 the well--the stranger--the   

converse--the whole scene of those first
 impressions1 which ripened into        
religion and were the seeds of          
immortality4  ,in a sense more important
 than that in which the subject of this 
narrative originally employed the words1
 each reader may feel encouraged to     
address the ,saviour1 ,give me this     
water1 that ,i thirst not4 ,holy        
prophets concur with the evangelical    
publishers of glad tidings1 in urging   
you to partake of the heavenly supply1  
which is dispensed with perfect         
freeness1 and in undiminishing          
abundance4 ,ho1 everyone that thirsteth1
 come ye to the waters1 and he that hath
 no money2 come ye1 buy1 and eat2 yea1  
come1 buy wine and milk without money   
and without price4    ,the ,woman ,who  
,was a ,sinner4  ,chapter ,v4     ,jesus
 and ,john contrasted--the former goes  
to dine at the ,house of a              
,pharisee--a notorious ,woman introduces
 herself1 and weeps at his              
,feet--,remarks on true ,repentance and 

,faith1 as exemplified in her           
,conduct--,surmises of ,simon the       
,pharisee--the ,answer of ,jesus--the   
,woman   assured of                     
,forgiveness--,instructions deducible   
from the ,parable4  ,there was a        
remarkable dissimilarity between ,christ
 and his celebrated precursor4 ,the     
latter was unbending in his manners1    
austere in his mode of living1 and      
abrupt in his public discourses3 in     
fact1 ,john was distinguished by all    
those qualities of a great reformer1    
which fitted him for the service        
assigned him by ,providence2 zealous1   
eloquent1 intrepid1 inconsiderate of    
himself1 and resolutely exposing the    
vices of those around him1 to whom he   
pointed out a more excellent way4 ,the  
wildness of the wilderness seemed to    
accord with the singularity of his      
character2 and the rocky standing from  
which he might probably often address   
his auditors1 was well adapted to the   
design of his preaching1 and the mode of

 his appearance4 ,his ,divine ,master   
gave ample testimony to his             
excellence--,what went ye out for to    
see8 a prophet8 ,yea1 ,i say unto you1  
and more than a prophet4 ,for this is he
 of whom it is written1 ,behold1 ,i send
 my messenger before thy face1 which    
shall prepare thy way before thee4      
,verily ,i say unto you1 ,among them    
that are born of women1 there has not   
arisen a greater than ,john the         
,baptist4  ,but the character of the    
,son of man differed in many respects   
from that of his forerunner4 ,he was    
familiar1 affable1 and ready to         
associate with others2 he assumed no    
austerity of manners1 and no reserve of 
behaviour4 ,the cast of his public      
preaching1 too1 was of a milder and more
 winning strain1 suited to his character
 as the image of the ,god who is love1  
and adapted to the merciful nature of   
that dispensation which he came to      
introduce4  ,it was this diversity which
 excited the malignant revilings of the 

,jews1 who said of ,john1 he hath a     
devil2 and of ,christ1 ,behold a man    
gluttonous1 and a wine-bibber1 a friend 
of publicans and sinners3 but the       
success of the means has fully justified
 the use of them1 as the prescriptions  
of the physician are justified by the   
restoration of health to the diseased1  
and the mode adopted by the             
agriculturist in cultivating his soil is
 effectually vindicated by its          
fertility4 ,god bestows upon his church 
a diversity of gifts1 and upon men a    
variety of qualities1 that different    
stations may be occupied to the best    
advantage1 and his cause promoted in the
 most effectual manner4 ,the formation  
of suitable instruments to accomplish   
his purposes1 is one of those           
arrangements of ,providence which we can
 never sufficiently admire4 ,whatever   
peculiarities exist1 they are all made  
to concur to the same end1 and are all  
regulated by the same influence3 the    
gifts and the operations are diverse1   

but it is the same ,god which worketh   
all in all4  ,happily for mankind1 there
 was a sense in which a part of the     
accusation preferred against ,jesus     
,christ held true4 ,he was indeed a     
friend of publicans and sinners--if he  
had not been1 what would have been the  
situation of a ,matthew1 whom he called 
from the receipt of custom to follow    
him2 or of a ,zaccheus1 whom he         
addressed in the sycamore tree1 and to  
whose house he that day conveyed        
salvation2 or of a ,bartimeus1 blind and
 sitting by the highway-side1 begging1  
whose eyes he opened1 and to whose mind 
he imparted faith8 ,if he had not been a
 friend of publicans and sinners the    
songs of descending spirits would never 
have charmed the shepherds of           
,bethlehem--a church would never have   
been formed on earth and ultimately     
taken to heaven--the mansions of        
eternity would never have been peopled  
by the children of transgression--the   
hymns of human gratitude would never    

have mingled with the hallelujahs of the
 blessed--nor would the sacred writings 
have contained such a history as that   
before us of the penitent sinner4  ,it  
is introduced by an account of one of   
the ,pharisees having solicited the     
company of ,jesus to dinner1 and of his 
having accepted his invitation4 ,the    
,pharisees were amongst his bitterest   
enemies1 and yet here is one who        
courteously introduces him into his     
house4 ,he might have been affected by  
his discourses or miracles2 and it is   
pleasing to recollect1 that divine grace
 is not limited in its operations to one
 community1 class1 or age1 but peoples  
the heavenly world by the redemption of 
sinners of every rank in life1 every    
period of time1 every degree of moral   
corruption1 and every nation of the     
globe4  ,our ,saviour's visit to the    
,pharisee is related for the sake of the
 incident and discourse with which it   
was connected1 and which are given in   
the following words3 ,behold1 a woman in

 the city1 which was a sinner1 when she 
knew that ,jesus sat at meat in the     
,pharisee's house1 brought an alabaster 
box of ointment1 and stood at his feet  
behind him weeping1 and began to wash   
his feet with tears1 and did wipe them  
with the hairs of her head1 and kissed  
his feet1 and anointed them with the    
ointment4 ,now when the ,pharisee which 
had bidden him saw it1 he spake within  
himself1 saying1 ,this man1 if he were a
 prophet1 would have known who and what 
manner of woman this is that toucheth   
him3 for she is a sinner4 ,and ,jesus   
answering1 said unto him1 ,simon1 ,i    
have somewhat to say unto thee4 ,and he 
saith1 ,master1 say on4 ,there was a    
certain creditor which had two debtors2 
the one owed five hundred pence1 and the
 other fifty4 ,and when they had nothing
 to pay1 he frankly forgave them both4  
,tell me1 therefore1 which of them will 
love him most8 ,simon answered and said1
 ,i suppose that he to whom he forgave  
most4 ,and he said unto him1 ,thou hast 

rightly judged4 ,and he turned to the   
woman1 and said unto ,simon1 seest thou 
this woman8 ,i entered into thine house1
 thou gavest me no water for my feet2   
but she hath washed my feet with tears1 
and wiped them with the hairs of her    
head4 ,thou gavest me no kiss2 but this 
woman1 since the time ,i came in1 hath  
not ceased to kiss my feet4 ,my head    
with oil thou didst not anoint2 but this
 woman hath anointed my feet with       
ointment4 ,wherefore ,i say unto thee1  
her sins1 which are many1 are forgiven2 
for she loved much3 but to whom little  
is forgiven1 the same loveth little4    
,and he said unto her1 ,thy sins are    
forgiven4 ,and they that sat at meat    
with him began to say within themselves1
 ,who is this that forgiveth sins also8 
,and he said to the woman1 ,thy faith   
hath saved thee3 go in peace4  ,the     
woman is denominated a sinner1 because  
incontinency was her trade and the means
 of her subsistence4 ,her character is  
branded with merited infamy1 but her    

name is mercifully veiled4 ,she was     
notorious in the city2 and one would    
have imagined that as it could be no    
defamation to name her1 the sacred      
historian need not have manifested any  
scrupulousness upon the point2          
nevertheless1 as justice did not require
 it1 and as it was the writer's purpose 
rather to record her penitence than to  
expose her crimes1 she is mentioned only
 in general terms1 as a sinner1 a woman 
in the city4  ,what compassionate mind  
can help deploring the immoralities of  
populous towns and crowded cities6 ,what
 an illustration of human depravity does
 it afford1 that wherever mankind resort
 in great multitudes1 vice is           
proportionably varied in its nature1    
atrocious in its character1 and         
barefaced in its practice--as if it were
 thought that the numbers who           
perpetrated wickedness1 tended to       
conceal from the view of ,omniscience   
individual delinquency6 ,it is common to
 acquire boldness by association2 and   

society1 which ought rather to purify   
the mind1 is often the means of its     
pollution4 ,the facilities for secrecy  
in sin which exist in considerable      
places1 the incalculable variety of     
forms in which temptation appears1 the  
force of example operating upon an      
extensive scale1 and enhanced by a      
thousand tributary streams that pour    
into the tide of transgression flowing  
down the streets1 concur to involve the 
inhabitants of populous vicinities in   
circumstances of great moral danger4    
,apart from all persuasion or direct    
influence1 the very sight of            
immoralities is liable to injure that   
delicate sensibility to wrong which it  
is of the utmost importance to preserve 
in a pure and uncontaminated state4 ,the
 nicely polished mind is susceptible of 
the breath of impurity2 and when it once
 becomes dim and obscure in its         
perceptions1 it is difficult to restore 
it4 ,many have on this account withdrawn
 into retirement1 supposing that they   

should be able to secure that leisure   
for devotional exercises which they have
 believed conducive to religious        
eminence4 ,but they have forgotten that 
the human heart is sown with unholy     
principles1 which will spring up in     
solitude as well as in society2 that in 
avoiding dissipation1 they are liable to
 be narrowed into selfishness2 and that 
the honourable and heroic part which    
,christianity requires1 is not to fly   
from difficulties1 but1 in the grace    
that is in ,christ ,jesus1 to contend   
with1 and conquer them4  ,in the woman  
whose brief but instructive history is  
to be reviewed1 we see indications of a 
repentance that needeth not to be       
repented of4 ,it is to be traced1 in the
 first place1 in the posture she        
assumed1 and the tears she shed4 ,when  
she found that ,jesus was dining in the 
house of ,simon1 she went and stood at  
his feet behind him weeping4 ,she who   
had known no shame1 but whose unblushing
 impudence and obtrusive familiarities  

had so often scandalized the city1 now  
avoids a look1 shrinks even from        
respectful notice1 and is overwhelmed   
with a consciousness of guilt4  ,this   
conduct bespeaks the most pungent and   
unaffected sorrow4 ,her sins present    
themselves in array before her mind1 and
 she abhors herself1 and repents in dust
 and ashes4 ,though all around was      
festivity1 her heart was sad--she wept  
as in secret2 and those eloquent tears  
bespoke the ,saviour's pity1 in a manner
 more powerful than the most studied    
language could have done6 ,those tears  
were precious in his sight--that silence
 expressed the depth and sincerity of   
her grief--and he approved it6  ,with   
what pleasure must holy angels have     
contemplated from their radiant spheres 
this impressive scene2 for there is joy 
in the presence of the angels of ,god   
over one sinner that repenteth6 ,the    
gayeties of life1 and the appearances of
 worldly grandeur1 excite no            
satisfaction in them2 they are not      

attracted by those tinsel shows and     
glittering nonentities which fill the   
circle of human vanity1 and fire the    
ardent wishes of mankind2 the most      
splendid titles1 the most opulent       
condition1 the most celebrated heroes1  
pass before them like shadows that haste
 away1 unregretted and in quick         
succession2 but they bend from their    
thrones of light to witness the sorrows 
of the meanest penitent1 and listen to  
his secret moanings4  ,it is to be      
apprehended that many substitute an     
external reformation of manners for     
solid repentance towards ,god4 ,they lay
 aside the filthy garments of gross     
immorality1 and invest themselves in the
 decent attire of correct conduct2 but  
the principle of genuine penitence      
consists in a just estimate of the      
perfections of that ,being whom we have 
offended1 and of the nature of sin1 as  
violating those obligations which       
devolve on us as creatures4 ,it is an   
humbling consideration1 that ,god must  

perceive the guilt of sin with          
infinitely greater distinctness than is 
possible to the most self-examining     
penitent2 and that their number and     
variety must be perfectly discerned by  
the eyes of his purity4 ,we are apt to  
throw them together1 as in a confused   
heap2 and instead of realizing them in  
detail1 to contemplate them only in the 
aggregate and mass1 by which their      
individual atrocity is overlooked4  ,the
 true penitent views sin in connexion   
with his personal obligations1 and the  
requirements of the divine law4 ,the    
,being against whom he rebels1 has1 he  
knows1 conferred upon him all the       
blessings of existence2 and has1        
consequently1 the most indisputable     
claim upon his entire obedience--an     
obedience1 however1 which1 in his       
presumption and folly1 he has refused to
 render4  ,it may be remarked1 also of  
repentance1 that it possesses a         
character of universality4 ,its regrets 
extend to every sin1 without exception  

or excuse3 it has no apologies to offer1
 and cannot hold the balance to measure 
with cold and calculating nicety1 the   
respective demerits of the offences     
which have been committed1 with a view  
to conciliate the mercy of heaven1 or   
institute a plea in mitigation of       
punishment4 ,it is1 besides1 a deep and 
permanent impression1 which is          
perpetually renewed by reflection1 and  
by witnessing the transgressions of a   
degenerate world4 ,what are the         
sacrifices of ,god1 but a broken spirit8
 verily1 a broken and a contrite heart1 
,o ,god1 thou wilt not despise4  ,we    
observe1 in the next place1 if not the  
words1 certainly the very spirit of     
confession in this once profligate but  
now penitent woman4 ,it is impossible to
 imagine a finer or more complete       
specimen of self-debasement than that   
which she exhibited upon this occasion4 
,how easily could she have avoided such 
an exposure of herself1 and spared those
 lamentations6 ,she was under no        

necessity to introduce herself into the 
presence of that holy man1 whose looks  
would condemn her immoralities1 and     
whose words1 should he condescend to    
address her1 might be expected to convey
 severe reproof4 ,surely she might have 
remained at home3--no--it could not     
be--she was unable to avoid this        
exposure1 and to spare those            
lamentations2 she was under a most      
imperious necessity to go to the house  
of ,simon--she could not have remained  
at home3 the irresistible influence of  
godly sorrow urged her in to these      
circumstances1 and her bursting heart   
was forced to seek relief at the feet of
 ,jesus1 ,her own vileness tormented her
 recollections2 her views of sin were of
 the most tragic and affecting kind2 in 
the depths of humiliation1 the waves and
 billows rolled over her2 and her tears 
were confessions of guilt1 which he who 
was perfectly acquainted with the       
emotions of her spirit1 know how to     
interpret4  ,how common is it for       

persons suffering pain of conscience1 to
 plunge into new excesses1 in order to  
disengage themselves from wretchedness  
of remorse1 and1 as they hope1 to divert
 their sorrows6 ,this infatuation is    
attended with mischievous effects3 it   
diminishes sensibility to sin1 and      
confirms the habit4 ,the thorns which at
 first grew in the path of indulgence1  
are trampled down by frequent passage2  
and a return to ,god becomes every day  
less and less probable4 ,familiarity    
with the various modes of vice weakens  
the impression of disgust which is      
originally felt2 as we lose by degrees  
the horror with which an unsightly      
countenance was beheld at the first     
interview1 till at length we can more   
than tolerate distortion1 and even court
 deformity4 ,never was a more important 
maxim delivered by the ,saviour for the 
guidance of his disciples1 than that    
which respected their avoidance of the  
first step in transgression4 ,watch ye  
and pray1 said he1 lest ye enter into   

temptation4 ,the fence which is placed  
around the forbidden fruit-tree1 by the 
interdictions of ,heaven1 being once    
violated1 the most alarming consequences
 ensue2 and1 unless grace prevent1 the  
transgressor must inevitably perish4    
,avoid then1 studiously avoid1 whatever 
leads to the way of death4 ,escape for  
thy life1 ,o sinner1 from the brink of  
transgression1 if thou hast unhappily   
ventured so far2 and tremble at the     
yawning gulf below4 ,if thou hast       
fallen1 while thou hast not yet passed  
the boundaries of life1 thou art not    
irrecoverably lost2 but1 ,o let a sense 
of thy danger induce thee to lift up    
thine eyes to view the weeping penitent 
standing in the presence of ,jesus      
,christ1 of whom she is accepted1 and   
open thine ears to hear the voice of    
kind invitation3 ,return1 thou          
backsliding ,israel1 saith the ,lord2   
and ,i will not cause mine anger to fall
 upon you3 for ,i am merciful1 saith the
 ,lord1 and ,i will not keep anger      

forever4 ,only acknowledge thine        
iniquity1 that thou hast transgressed   
against the ,lord thy ,god1 and hast    
scattered thy ways to the strangers     
under every green tree1 and ye have not 
obeyed my voice1 saith the ,lord4444    
,return1 ye backsliding children1 and ,i
 will heal your backslidings4444 ,he    
that covereth his sins shall not        
prosper3 but whoso confesseth and       
forsaketh them1 shall have mercy4       
,further1 this woman1 who went into     
,simon's house at ,nain1 upon the       
occasion already mentioned1 is          
celebrated by ,jesus himself for her    
faith1 which worked by love4 ,addressing
 her in the presence of the astonished  
company1 he said1 ,thy faith hath saved 
thee1 go in peace4  ,the ,pharisees     
treated others with scornful contempt1  
especially those whom they deemed to be 
of notorious character4 ,theirs was not 
like ,christianity1 the religion of     
compassion--the religion1 that1 deriving
 its characteristic peculiarities from  

its ,author1 pities the deluded1        
sympathises with the miserable1 seeks to
 reclaim the criminal1 and marks the    
tears of the penitent2 but trusting in  
themselves that they were righteous1    
they despised others4 ,disregardful1    
however1 of the sneers or reproaches    
which she might have to encounter1 this 
penitent woman presses to the house of  
the ,pharisee1 because ,jesus was a     
guest4 ,her object was not concealment1 
but forgiveness2 she was willing to be  
rebuked1 so that she might be saved2 and
 while by obtruding in this manner into 
the house of ,simon1 she exposed herself
 to the insults which her dissolute     
habits would be likely to incur1 she    
courageously adopted a course of        
proceeding which brought her under the  
most solemn obligations to future       
chastity and holiness of life4 ,she was 
willing that the whole assembly or city 
should witness her change1 and that the 
reality of her penitence1 and the       
strength of her attachment to ,christ1  

should be as notorious as her former    
irregularities4 ,her courage1 then1     
demands notice1 and deserves imitation4 
,what might be the opinion of the motley
 assemblage who were the spectators of  
her conduct1 seemed to have had no      
influence upon her mind2 but obeying the
 impulse of sorrow for sin1 and hope in 
,jesus1 she dismissed every thought of  
personal exposure1 and with tears of    
undissembled grief1 hastened to him who 
was full of grace and truth4            
,timorousness1 arising from an undue    
regard to the world1 is too often a     
hinderance to religious profession4     
,persons who have been awakened to some 
sense of the evil of sin1 and have      
perceived the importance1 while they    
have felt in some degree the claims of  
piety1 frequently1 alas6 have been      
deterred from that avowal of their      
sentiments1 which is essential to verify
 their convictions1 and to honour ,god  
in the eyes of men4 ,they would be      
servants of ,christ1 if they were not   

slaves to human opinion3 they would go  
to ,jesus1 if it were not in the        
observers who stand around3 they would  
renounce the world1 if they could avoid 
reproach3 they would1 in a word1 be     
decided1 but they dare not be singular6 
,we are required to confess ,christ     
before men1 and it is only by such a    
confession we can evince the sincerity  
of our attachment4 ,jesus ,christ was   
not ashamed to call us brethren1 to     
assume our nature1 to fill our humble   
station1 to suffer our sorrows1 and to  
die an ignominious death3--he is not    
ashamed to own his connexion with us1   
now he is ascended into the highest     
heavens1 or to be engaged in preparing a
 place for us amidst the mansions of    
glory4 ,shall we be ashamed of him1 or  
his cause8 ,shall we be afraid to avow  
our regard1 if we feel it8  ,it is the  
design of ,christ to establish an       
interest in the world which shall be    
universally prevalent1 and this cause is
 rendered visible by the public         

profession of its adherents4 ,in the    
apostolic age1 therefore1 to embrace    
,christianity1 and to profess it1 were  
considered as inseparably connected2 and
 why should they now be separated8 ,then
 they that gladly received the word were
 baptized4  ,do any circumstances now   
exist to render it proper to act        
contrary to apostolical example and     
precept8 ,is not the world the same8 is 
not the command of ,jesus the same8 is  
not his religion the same as in         
primitive ages8 ,this cause is to be now
 maintained as then2 not by fear1 but by
 firmness--not by compliance with the   
world1 but by resisting it--not by      
sloth1 inactivity1 and shrinking into a 
corner1 but by putting on the whole     
armour of ,god1 and pressing to the     
field of battle4 ,not to be for ,christ1
 is to be against him2 inactivity is    
enmity2 a dread of standing in the      
ranks1 or a refusal to enlist under the 
banners of ,immanuel1 are indications of
 disloyalty1 rebellion1 and treason4    

,the territories of his grace are       
invaded by the troops of hell--the great
 power that ruleth in the children of   
disobedience is opposing the kingdom of 
the ,redeemer1 and extending his        
influence over the hearts of men4 ,not  
to resist his encroachments1 therefore1 
not to withstand in our own person his  
dominion1 and declare our cause1 is1 in 
fact1 to favour his designs1 and betray 
him whom we profess to love4 ,it is     
stated1 that at the second appearance of
 ,christ he will be glorified in his    
saints1 and admired in all them that    
believe2 and it is in them he expects   
now to be glorified before men2 and the 
most effectual way to honour him is to  
confess him1 to avow before the world   
our determination to be on the ,lord's  
side4  ,perfect love1 remarks an        
apostle1 casteth out fear2 of which we  
have a striking exemplification in this 
woman of ,nain4 ,the expressions of her 
attachment to ,jesus were such as could 
not be mistaken1 for she not only       

caressed him1 but made considerable     
sacrifices to show her love4 ,the gifts 
of nature had been the instruments of   
dissipation4 ,with what care had she    
been accustomed to adjust her smiles1 to
 throw fascination into her countenance1
 to beautify her person1 to arrange her 
dress and her hair1 and to cultivate    
every exterior charm6 ,what sums of     
money had she lavished upon herself1    
with a view to attract admiration6      
,behold her now at the feet of ,jesus1  
careless of her personal attractions1   
and absorbed in the contemplation of her
 ,saviour3 she washes his feet with her 
tears1 wipes them with the hairs of her 
head1 kisses his feet1 #ca and even     
expends an alabaster box of ointment1   
very precious and costly1 in anointing  
them4 ,whatever has been the occasion or
 the means of transgression1 becomes an 
object of dislike2 and in the true      
spirit of penitence1 she not only       
deserts what is obviously criminal1 but 
detests and relinquishes whatever may   

tend to renew the remembrance of        
indulgence1 or rekindle the expiring    
flame of desire4 ,she renounces every   
superfluity1 submits cheerfully to every
 privation1 and slays at once with      
unreluctant severity1 the dearest lusts 
that twine about her heart4 ,it is thus 
that a sincere ,christian will abandon  
both the practice and principle of sin1 
and aware of his peculiar propensities1 
he will watch with a scrupulousness     
proportioned to his sense of danger1    
over those sins to which he knows       
himself to have been most inclined in   
the days of his unregeneracy4 ,if thy   
right eye offend thee1 pluck it out1 and
 cast it from thee3 for it is profitable
 for thee that one of thy members should
 perish1 and not that thy whole body    
should be cast into hell4 ,and if thy   
right hand offend thee1 cut it off1 and 
cast it from thee3 for it is profitable 
for thee that one of thy members should 
perish1 and not that thy whole body     
should be cast into hell4  ,reader6     

examine into the state of thy mind1 the 
propensities that reign within1 and the 
principles that predominate in thy      
heart6 ,hast thou professed an          
attachment to ,jesus ,christ8 ,dost thou
 believe in the ,son of ,god8 ,what     
sacrifices hast thou made1 tending to   
evince the sincerity of thy             
declarations1 and the ardour of thy     
love8 ,hast thou braved reproach--stood 
firm amidst opposition--abandoned       
criminal practices and guilty           
associates--assisted the cause of thy   
,lord--encouraged and supplied his      
disciples--and for his sake been willing
 even to renounce indulgences1 which1 if
 they were innocent1 might have proved  
offensive to others1 or ensnaring to    
thyself4 ,decision of character is      
important1 both as a proof of our own   
sincerity1 and as a means of confirming 
others in religion2 for neutrality1     
which ,christ himself has so pointedly  
condemned1 is even more prejudicial than
 hostility4  ,but it is not sufficient  

to inquire into the extent of those     
sacrifices which may have been offered  
to the service of religion1 the nature  
of those sacrifices must be             
investigated2 otherwise there may be a  
fair show in the flesh1 while the       
individual is destitute of the essential
 principles of ,christianity4 ,the love 
of the world1 and indulgence in secret  
sin1 may be compatible with an          
ostentatious religion4 ,what is         
difficult to some1 may prove            
comparatively easy to others1 whose     
constitutional tendencies or mental     
prepossessions are of another           
description4 ,the sacrifice1 for        
example1 of a spendthrift to religion   
must be of a different kind from that of
 a miser2 otherwise the one may obtain  
undue credit for splendid charities1 and
 the other for pious scrupulosity4 ,in  
estimating1 therefore1 the characters of
 men1 or apportioning their duties1 the 
respective casts of mind1 habits1 and   
inclinations1 are to be investigated1 in

 order to judge of the one1 or prescribe
 the other4 ,to gain advantage from a   
course of self-inspection1 it is        
requisite to study the peculiarities of 
our own mind1 and to ascertain what is  
really a sacrifice to ourselves1 and how
 far we have made it1 or are prepared to
 offer it1 to ,christ4 ,what            
gratifications have we relinquished8    
what sins have we resisted8 what lusts  
have we overcome8 ,where are we in point
 of moral progress8 ,has our professed  
penitence led us to ,christ8 ,what      
degree of assimilation to him have we   
attained8 ,have we1 in fact1 devoted to 
life service our ,,entire ,,being--and  
do we feel that    ,our lives and       
thousand lives of ours  can neither     
discharge our obligations1 nor repay his
 love8  ,the state of the mind is often 
indicated by trifles1 better than by    
what appears to be of greater magnitude 
and importance4 ,there are1 certain     
actions not intended for the public1    
and1 therefore1 not dressed up for      

inspection1 which mark the feelings of  
the heart1 and the meaning of which no  
vigilant observer can mistake4 ,there is
 a truth and a certainty about them     
sufficiently obvious2 they as infallibly
 show the state of the man1 as the index
 points to the hour of the day4 ,in the 
history of the penitent sinner1 the     
negligence of her dress and hair1 which 
had doubtless before been decorated1    
according to the habit of the age1 with 
jewels1 was such an indication4 ,some   
professed penitents would have given1   
perhaps1 the costly presentation of the 
alabaster box of ointment1 but would    
have found it infinitely more difficult 
to renounce their vanity3 but here the  
sacrifice was complete2 her best        
affections were engrossed with the new  
object of her delight1 and she virtually
 said1 ,perish1 thou love of the world2 
perish1 thou fond and criminal passion  
for show2 perish1 all ye ministers of   
iniquity1 at the feet of ,jesus6 ,i     
willingly exchange masters2 and         

henceforth ,i shall be regardless of    
personal attractions1 solicitous only of
 participating the blessings of         
salvation6  ,simon1 during all this     
time1 was an attentive observer of what 
passed2 but rashly concluded within     
himself that ,jesus could not be a      
prophet1 as he seemed ignorant of the   
character of the woman whom he admitted 
to such familiarity4 ,he mistook both   
the character of the woman1 and that of 
his divine guest4 ,she was not1 in his  
sense of the term1 a sinner1 but a      
penitent and a believer2 nor was ,jesus 
capable of contamination by her touch4  
,he knew perfectly1 who and what manner 
of woman it was1 though the ,pharisee   
was too proud to see or acknowledge it4 
,the important change which had been    
produced upon her1 essentially altered  
the case4 ,she was no longer what she   
had been1 and what ,simon supposed her4 
,grace had constituted her a chosen     
vessel1 and purified her heart by the   
impartation of heavenly principles4 ,the

 impurities of her life were rectified  
by the renewal of a right spirit within 
her4 ,she had been snatched from the    
jaws of destruction2 she had resorted to
 the fountain opened for sin and        
uncleanness1 and proved that she was one
 of those lost sheep which ,jesus came  
into the wilderness to seek and to save4
  ,simon had not expressed his ideas1   
but the ,saviour knew them with perfect 
certainty1 and answered them with       
unerring wisdom4 ,having first claimed  
the attention of his host1 which was    
respectfully conceded1 ,jesus delivered 
a parable respecting a creditor having  
two debtors1 who owed1 the one five     
hundred1 and the other fifty pence1 but 
were both forgiven in consideration of  
their poverty2 and he put it to the     
,pharisee1 which of them would love him 
most8 he properly answered1 he to whom  
he forgave most4 ,then turning to the   
woman--and1 ,o what sensations of joy   
must have thrilled through her agitated 
bosom6--he continued to direct his      

discourse to ,simon2 ,seest thou this   
woman8 q4d4 ,art thou aware of the      
extent and value of those sacrifices she
 has made to me8 ,hast thou observed the
 tears she has shed1 and the love she   
has manifested8 ,has it struck thy mind1
 that the conduct of this woman1 whom   
thou art despising in thy heart1 is far 
more deserving of my approbation than   
thine8 ,mark1 with what punctuality and 
detail he proceeds to enumerate every   
act of kindness6 ,he mentions her tears1
 her caresses1 the kisses1 and the      
ointment which she had lavished upon his
 feet--nothing is forgotten or          
omitted--everything is distinctly       
told--her love is extolled1 and her sins
 are pardoned3 ,simon1 her sins1 which  
are many1 are forgiven--,woman1 thy sins
 are forgiven4 ,there is a beauty and a 
propriety in this repetition1 which was 
well calculated to stimulate the        
inquiries1 and to correct the errors of 
the ,pharisee1 while it ministered      
consolation to the weeping penitent4    

,ah6 our secret desires1 our silent     
tears1 our meanest services1 are noticed
 by our ,master and ,lord6 ,he will     
reward us openly having given the grace 
of penitence1 he will bestow the joys of
 faith2 our many sins shall be          
overlooked and forgiven2 our few        
services remembered and recorded for his
 sake6  ,this parable is illustrative of
 our moral obligations1 and of our total
 incapacity to discharge them4 ,we are  
all debtors--to ,god2 we are so1 it is  
true1 in different proportions--some owe
 five hundred and some fifty pence4 ,a  
difference exists in the nature and     
atrocity of our respective crimes--we   
have run to greater or less             
extravagances of iniquity--our sins are 
more or less notorious1 more or less    
limited or extensive in their influence 
on others2 more or less aggravated by   
knowledge1 by vows1 and by              
repetition--indulged in for a longer or 
a shorter period1 as there was a great  
diversity of moral character between the

 ,pharisee and the woman2 but all have  
sinned1 and1 come short of the glory of 
,god--all have incurred debt--and it is 
important to remark1 that all are       
equally incapable of discharging it--of 
atoning for their guilt1 or rescuing    
themselves from the pains and penalties 
they have incurred4  ,however plain this
 statement1 and however frequently      
repeated1 it is but little believed and 
felt4 ,if it were--if mankind were      
actually convinced of the utter         
inefficiency of every attempt to        
recommend themselves to ,god1 and regain
 his forfeited favour2 whence is it that
 they are perpetually going about to    
establish their own righteousness8 ,why 
do they endeavour to persuade themselves
 that sin is a trifling concern1 or that
 at least their sins are trivial and    
excusable8 ,it is obvious1 that they    
form very low and inadequate ideas of   
the greatness of their debt1 and the    
utter worthlessness of their own        
merit--they do not realize their ruined 

and bankrupt condition1 nor are they    
sufficiently persuaded that they have   
nothing to pay not an atom of           
righteousness1 not a grain of inherent  
goodness1 not a particle of real virtue6
  ,sinner1 come to the test4 ,hear the  
indictment1 and see if thou hast any    
defence1 if thou hast any plea1 or if   
thou canst put in any just demurrer to  
stay the proceedings of eternal justice 
and equity4 ,but how shall human        
language express the debt8 ,thou hast   
violated every divine precept1 pursued a
 course diametrically opposite to the   
commandments of ,god1 trampled on his   
authority1 and lived to thyself4 ,every 
action1 word1 and thought1 has augmented
 the already incalculable debt4 ,god has
 called1 but thou hast refused2 his     
providence has warned thee1 but thou    
hast despised it1 and made a covenant   
with hell4 ,while thy personal          
transgressions have abounded like the   
drops of the ocean1 or the sands upon   
the shore1 thy example has perniciously 

influenced others4 ,thou owest thy whole
 existence and all thy faculties1 thy   
entire obedience and constant affection1
 to ,god4 ,he is thy ,father--thy       
,creator--thy ,benefactor1 and what hast
 thou to pay8 what are thy resources8   
,future obedience1 supposing it perfect1
 could not expiate past offences4       
,pains1 prostrations1 pilgrimages1      
penances1 and mortifications1 can be of 
no avail4 ,hecatombs of animals would   
not suffice1 or ten thousand rivers of  
oil2 but1 if they would1 the treasures  
are not thine3 for every beast of the   
forest is mine1 and the cattle upon a   
thousand hills4 ,i know all the fowls of
 the mountains3 and the wild beasts of  
the field are mine4 ,if ,i were hungry1 
,i would not tell thee3 for the world is
 mine1 and the fulness thereof4 ,will ,i
 eat the flesh of bulls1 or drink the   
blood of goats8 ,what then hast thou to 
pay8--,nothing6 absolutely nothing6     
,but the parable in question represents 
the free pardon1 which it is the        

privilege of the vilest transgressors to
 participate upon their return to ,god1 
,and we should mark the sovereignty1    
blended with the mercy of this          
procedure4 ,it is not supposed that the 
recipients of divine bounty and blessing
 have any claim upon such favors2 nor1  
indeed1 that they can plead any         
extenuating circumstance to conciliate  
offended justice4 ,the debtors had      
nothing to pay1 and their impoverished  
condition was a sufficient excitement to
 their creditor to remit his dues4 ,he  
remembered them in their low estate2    
and1 with a liberality characteristic of
 him to whom we are so deeply indebted  
in a moral sense1 he discharged them    
from every obligation4 ,there is not the
 slightest intimation of any urgency or 
solicitation on their part2 but he      
frankly forgave them4 ,if sinners had   
any just conception of their state1 they
 would indeed seek mercy with the utmost
 importunity1 and relinquish their      
present courses with the most fixed     

resolution of mind2 but the grace of    
,god operates in calling men to         
repentance1 as well as in constraining  
their attention and acquiescence4 ,they 
are made willing in the day of his      
power2 and1 like a gale that rises upon 
a vessel drifting to a rocky shore1 and 
bears it from destruction1 this         
influence effectually propels them to   
the hope set before them in the ,gospel4
  ,the exercise of mercy is             
distinguished also for its extensive and
 diversified application4 ,simon the    
,pharisee1 and the woman who was a      
sinner1 differed in the nature and      
proportion of their guilt4 ,he was as   
much condemned for self-righteousness1  
as she for impurity--he transgressed by 
pride1 and she by rebellion3 but he     
frankly forgave them both4 ,who is a    
,god like unto thee1 that pardoneth     
iniquity1 and passeth by the            
transgression of the remnant of his     
heritage8 he retaineth not his anger for
 ever1 because he delighteth in mercy6  

,he will turn again1 he will have       
compassion upon us2 he will subdue our  
iniquities2 and thou wilt cast all their
 sins into the depths of the sea4  ,if1 
reader1 thou art impressed with a sense 
of guilt1 and ready to exclaim1 ,what   
must ,i do to be saved8 it is with      
unspeakable satisfaction and confidence 
we point to the ,lamb of ,god that      
taketh away the sins of the world4 ,that
 heart which was melted by the tears of 
this woman1 is not closed against thee6 
,that ,saviour who was all pity and     
benevolence in the days of his          
humiliation1 still waits to be gracious 
now he is exalted to his throne6  ,hast 
thou experienced the efficacy of his    
grace1 and the joys of his salvation8   
,be stimulated to love him much4 ,what  
sins1 what rebellions1 what broken vows1
 what ingratitude has he forgiven thee6 
,all are obliterated from the book of   
his remembrance2 all are lost and buried
 in the ocean of his grace2 and he has  
fixed thy name amongst a thousand       

promises1 and in a page which his eye   
never peruses but with ineffable        
complacency6  ,the plan upon which      
forgiveness is dispensed to a sinful    
world1 and which is now more fully      
developed1 demands our admiration1 as it
 glorifies ,god1 exalts the sinner1 and 
harmonizes the universe4  ,it glorifies 
,god4 ,the work of redemption by our    
,lord ,jesus ,christ is the central     
point1 where all the perfections of     
,deity assemble and meet4 ,every        
attribute of ,god pointing to ,calvary1 
seems to devout believers to say1 as    
,jesus did to his disciples1 with       
reference to their last interview on a  
mountain in ,galilee1 ,there shall ye   
see me4 ,his perfections had hitherto   
appeared in the world in their distinct 
forms4--,justice in its inflexible      
decisions1 ,truth in its firm decrees1  
,holiness in its terrible inflictions1  
operated powerfully1 but often          
separately--as in the destruction of    
,pharaoh1 and the deliverance of        

,israel--in the earthquake that devoured
 the rebels who presented strange       
fire--in the deluge that overwhelmed the
 world--in the burning tempest that     
descended upon ,sodom1 and the sword    
that scattered the nations of ,canaan2  
but round the brink of that fountain    
which was opened on ,calvary for sin and
 uncleanness1 they seem to unite and    
say1 ,glory to ,god in the highest4     
,this is the common and sacred ground1  
on which mercy and truth can meet       
together4 ,inflexible justice does not  
remit her claims1 but the ,lamb that was
 slain satisfies them--she still demands
 blood--and blood is shed--she demands  
the life of the guilty1 and the guilty  
are furnished with a victim who can     
endure the curse and suffer the         
chastisement--she requires a recompense 
for the violated law2 and he hath       
magnified the law and made it honorable1
 by becoming obedient unto death1 even  
the death of the cross6  ,this plan of  
mercy exalts the sinner4 ,if the        

requisitions of justice were strictly   
personal1 and the economy of ,heaven    
such as to admit of no substitute1 the  
sinner's salvation would have been      
impossible2 because his individual      
sufferings1 though the just consequence 
of his guilt1 could never become the    
meritorious means of its removal4       
,suffering1 extreme in its nature1 and  
perpetual in its duration1 was the      
desert of transgression2 but it could   
neither repair the injury which sin had 
done1 nor constitute a claim upon divine
 forgiveness2 or1 if it could--by the   
very supposition there would be no      
possibility of any period arriving when 
that mercy could be enjoyed1 because the
 suffering must be eternal4 ,such1      
however1 was the infinite merit of the  
,saviour1 that in the plan of forgiving 
mercy1 his death was accepted as an     
equivalent for the sufferings of        
creatures4 ,by exercising faith in his  
name1 we transfer the burden of our     
debt1 and he liquidates it3 we confess  

we have nothing to pay1 and wholly      
confide in his ability to discharge on  
our behalf every obligation2 in         
consequence of which the transgressor is
 treated as innocent2 he is             
released--the door is opened1 his chains
 are broken off1 and he is exalted to   
the favour and friendship of ,god2 and  
,who1 he inquires1 shall lay any thing  
to the charge of ,god's elect8 ,it is   
,god that justifieth4 ,who is he that   
condemneth8 ,it is ,christ that died1   
yea rather1 that is risen again1 who is 
even at the right hand of ,god1 who also
 maketh intercession for us  ,this plan 
of mercy harmonizes the universe4 ,sin  
has separated chief friends--it has     
divided man from ,god1 man from angels1 
and man from his neighbour4 ,it has     
introduced a general war1 and generated 
universal anarchy and strife4 ,but      
redemption is the great work that       
restores order and promotes concord4 ,it
 is on ,calvary the terms are made1 and 
the great treaty ratified--divided      

interests are reunited1 and peace on    
earth proclaimed4 ,it is there ,god is  
in ,christ reconciling the world to     
himself2 and there1 realizing the       
efficacy of atoning blood1 and weeping  
over the follies and criminality of past
 rebellion1 the penitent exclaims1      
,abba1 ,father6 ,thus ,god and man are  
united4 ,it is there holy angels1       
instead of being executioners of        
vengeance1 become ministering spirits to
 the heirs of salvation2 while every    
,lazarus begins to anticipate the period
 of absence from the body1 when he shall
 be carried by angels to ,abraham's     
bosom1 and be ever present with the     
,lord4 ,thus men and angels become one4 
,it is there also before the cross1     
having tasted that the ,lord is         
gracious1 the brother of low degree     
rejoices in that he is exalted1 and the 
rich in that he is made low4 ,there the 
murderer ,saul meets his victim         
,stephen1 with all who in every place   
call on the name of the ,lord2 and 7,o  

happy change67 embraces as a brother him
 whom he believed a foe6 ,there the     
turbulence of passion is allayed--the   
violence of animosity ceases--the battle
 of conflicting interests and petty     
selfishness rages no more4 ,those who   
were enemies in the world1 become       
friends at the cross4 ,the barbarian1   
,scythian1 bond1 and free1 drink        
together the cup of blessing1 partake   
the common salvation1 and imbibe the    
fraternal spirit4 ,thus man and man     
unite1 while ,christ is all and in all4 
,religion1 in all its parts1 requires   
the exercise of forgiveness4 ,it is     
required by its precepts1 its spirit1   
and its prospects4 ,its precepts--we are
 not to render evil for evil1 but       
contrariwise blessing3 we are to love   
our enemies1 to forgive our brother as  
often as he returns acknowledging his   
misconduct1 and saying1 ',i repent4'    
,its spirit2 the ,gospel1 or the        
religion of ,jesus1 is emphatically     
styled 'the ministry of reconciliation4'

 ,its prospects2 we are members of the  
same family1 heirs of the same kingdom1 
and going to the same heaven4 ,heaven is
 a state of perfect and universal       
harmony and love4 ,nothing must enter   
there1 either to defile or disturb4     
,there must be no little disputes1 no   
rising resentment1 no shadow of reserve4
 ,all must be of one heart and of one   
soul4 ,yes1 if we both be ,christians   
indeed1 there we must meet our brother1 
with whom wo have been angry1 and       
towards whom we have even indulged our  
anger2 an anger upon which not only the 
'sun went down1' but over which life    
itself passed4 ,yes1 happy necessity6   
there we must meet him6 ,there will be  
no passing' by on the other side1 no    
refusing to go into his company4        
,countenance must sparkle to            
countenance1 thought must meet thought1 
bosom must expand to bosom1 and heart   
bound to heart forever1    ,the         
,syrophenician2 or ,canaanitish ,woman4 
,chapter ,,vi4     ,introductory        

,observations--,christ could not be     
concealed--the   ,syrophenician ,woman  
goes to him on ,account of her          
,daughter--her                          
,humility--,earnestness--,faith--the    
,silence of ,christ upon her            
,application   to him--the ,disciples   
repulsed--the ,woman's renewed          
,importunity--the   apparent ,scorn with
 which it is treated--her ,admission of 
the   contemptuous ,insinuation--her    
persevering ,ardour--her ultimate       
,success--the ,necessity of being       
,importunate in ,prayer--,remarks on the
   ,woman's national                    
,character--,present ,state of the      
,jews--the ,hope of their   final       
,restoration4  ,the facts and incidents 
of the ,new ,testament furnish the best 
exposition of its doctrines4 ,owing to  
the imperfection of human language1 as a
 medium of communicating truth1 and1 the
 very limited capacities of the human   
mind1 as well as the numerous prejudices
 that darken our understandings in the  

present state1 some obscurities will    
always attend even the clearest         
revelations of ,heaven4 ,touched with a 
feeling of our infirmities1 our blessed 
,saviour often adopted a parabolic      
method of instruction1 which was        
calculated to awaken attention and to   
stimulate inquiry1 as well as to        
simplify the great principles he was    
perpetually inculcating2 and he has     
caused those frequent conversations into
 which he entered with different        
individuals during his personal         
ministry1 to be transmitted to          
succeeding times for their instruction4 
,we have by this means an opportunity of
 witnessing the diversified modes in    
which truth operates on men2 we see the 
various workings of the passions1 the   
progress of conviction1 the development 
of character1 and the designs of        
,infinite ,mercy4 ,the sublimest        
doctrines and the finest precepts are   
taught by example2 and we are shown what
 they are1 by seeing what they          

accomplish4 ,the sacred history         
introduces us to persons of like        
passions with ourselves1 and1 by its    
interesting details1 gives us a         
participation of their hopes and fears1 
their joys and sorrows1 their           
difficulties and their successes4 ,we   
are not introduced into the school of   
,socrates1 the academy of ,plato1 or the
 ,lyceum of ,aristotle1 where some wise 
maxims were undoubtedly dictated to the 
respective admirers of these eminent    
men2 but we are conducted from the      
region of abstractions to real life4    
,christianity is taught1 by showing us1 
,christians--humility by holding up to  
view the humble--repentance by          
exhibiting the penitent--charity by     
pointing out the benevolent--faith by   
displaying1 as in the narrative before  
us1 the true believer4  ,the case was   
this4 ,jesus went into the coasts of    
,tyre and ,sidon1 where1 having entered 
into a house1 he intimated his wish for 
privacy and concealment1 but he could   

not be hid2 upon which an ingenious     
writer #cb observes3 ,i think ,i see    
three principal reasons for the conduct 
of our ,saviour2 ',he would have no man 
know it4' ,why8 because he would fulfil 
the prophecy--explain his own           
character--and leave us an example of   
virtue4 ,once1 'when great multitudes   
followed him and he healed them all1 he 
charged them that they should not make  
him known2 that it might be fulfilled   
which was spoken by ,esaias the prophet1
 saying1 ,behold1 my servant shall not  
cause his voice to be heard in the      
streets2' that is1 he shall not affect  
popularity1 nor stoop to use any        
artifice to make proselytes4 ,most      
likely this was one reason of our       
,lord's desiring to be concealed on this
 occasion4 ,probably1 he intended also  
to explain his own character to the     
family where he was4 ,jesus was a person
 of singular modesty1 and a high degree 
of every virtue that can adorn a man1   
was a character of the promised         

,messiah4 ,it was necessary to give     
frequent proofs by his actions of the   
frame and temper of his heart1 and he   
discovered the tenderness of a friend to
 the family where he was1 and to his    
disciples1 who were along with him1 just
 as he had done before1 when there were 
so many coming and going1 that they had 
no leisure so much as to eat4' ,then 'he
 said unto his apostles1 ,come ye       
yourselves apart into a desert place1   
and rest awhile4 ,and they departed into
 a desert place by ship privately4'     
,further1 in the case before us we have 
a fine example of the conduct proper for
 men exalted above their fellows4 ,they 
ought not to make a public show of      
themselves1 nor to display their        
abilities in vain ostentation4 ,all     
their abilities should scent of piety   
and the fear of ,god4 ,the apostle ,paul
 reproved the ,corinthians for abusing  
extraordinary gifts to make the people  
think them prophets and spiritual       
persons1 while they ought to have       

applied them to the 'edifying of the    
church4' ',god1' adds this apostle1 'is 
not the author of confusion1 but of     
peace4' ,for such reasons we suppose our
 blessed ,saviour desired concealment in
 this house2 and so much right had he to
 rest after a journey1 to refresh       
himself with food and sleep1 to retire  
from the malice of his enemies1 and to  
enjoy all the uninterrupted sweets of   
privacy1 that had not his presence been 
indispensably necessary to the relief   
and happiness of mankind1 one would have
 wished to have hushed every breath1 and
 to have banished every foot1 lest he   
should have been disturbed2 but he could
 not be hid4  ,having heard of the      
miracles which ,christ performed1 for   
long since his fame had gone throughout 
all ,syria1 a woman of ,canaan1 a       
,syrophenician by birth1 and a ,greek by
 religion1 #cc repaired to the house    
with haste1 under the pressure of a     
severe domestic calamity4 ,her young    
daughter had an unclean spirit1 or1 as  

she expressed it1 was grievously vexed  
with a devil4 ,there was something      
peculiarly awful and mysterious in the  
nature of this affliction1 which was    
very prevalent in the days of ,christ1  
and is frequently mentioned by the      
historians of the ,new ,testament4 ,it  
does not appear any longer to afflict   
mankind1 and if the reason be inquired1 
perhaps it is that the victorious power 
of ,messiah might he displayed in the   
expulsion of evil spirits1 by his       
presence upon the earth4  ,this         
,syrophenician woman then was induced to
 hasten to ,jesus1 in consequence of the
 distressing situation of her poor      
possessed daughter4 #cd ,how often has  
affliction proved the successful        
messenger of ,providence1 when every    
other failed6 ,it has gone out into the 
highways and hedges1 and compelled them 
to come in1 when no entreaty or         
remonstrance could overcome the obduracy
 of sinners1 and thus has replenished   
the table of mercy with thankful guests4

 ,it cannot be doubted1 that a part of  
the felicity of glorified spirits in    
eternity will consist in tracing the    
mysterious goodness of ,god in          
conducting them through a variety of    
painful dispensations in the present    
world2 and it is by no means improbable1
 that the very events of life1 which    
once occasioned the greatest perplexity1
 and filled the mind with the most      
overwhelming anxieties1 will hereafter  
prove the noblest sources of gratitude1 
and the strongest incentives to praise4 
,a personal or a relative affliction1   
which agonizes the soul by the          
suddenness of its occurrence1 or by its 
dreadful nature1 which embitters life1  
distracts the mind1 confuses every      
scheme1 and confounds every hope1 has   
often proved the real1 though perhaps   
unknown or unacknowledged means of      
turning the feet of the transgressor    
into the way of peace4 ,it has led the  
wayward mind to reflection1 and the     
wandering heart to its rest4 ,it has    

proved the first effectual means of     
exciting attention to religion2 it has  
subdued and softened the mind1 and      
subjected it to divine teachings2 and   
the once untractable rebel has become   
tamed into submission1 penitence1 and   
obedience4 ,in this manner affliction is
 often essentially connected with       
salvation1 and the apostolic statement  
pleasingly realized2 ,our light         
affliction1 which is but for a moment1  
worketh for us a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory4  ,when this    
poor woman came to ,jesus1 she fell at  
his feet1 explained her situation1 and  
earnestly entreated his kind interposal4
 ,disregarding every spectator1 waiting 
for no formal introduction1 and         
convinced of his mighty power1 she      
rushed into his presence1 and with all  
the vehemence of maternal agony1 urged  
her suit4  ,her conduct evinced great   
humility4 ,she not only assumed the     
attitude1 but felt the spirit of a      
suppliant4 ,it does not appear that the 

external appearance of ,jesus was in any
 respect remarkable1 for on some        
occasions where he was unknown1 he was  
equally unnoticed4 ,when he sat over    
against the treasury observing the poor 
widow1 he attracted no particular       
attention--when he visited the sick and 
dying at the pool of ,bethesda1 he was  
not at first recognized as any          
extraordinary personage1 and the prophet
 intimates that he possessed no form nor
 comeliness3 but his visage was marred  
more than any man1 and his form more    
than the sons of men4 ,it was before the
 majesty of his character this          
,syrophenician woman bowed with holy    
reverence and humble admiration4        
,conscious of having no claim upon his  
notice1 but such as her affliction      
conferred--and this indeed was to him1  
who went about doing good1 no           
insignificant recommendation--and       
overawed by a deep sense both of her own
 unworthiness1 and his greatness and    
goodness1 she fell at his feet4 ,o1 that

 with genuine prostration of spirit1 we 
always presented ourselves before the   
,lord6 ,this is essential to success in 
all our applications to the throne of   
grace4 ,divested of this quality1 our   
best services will prove but religious  
mockery and useless parade2 for ,god    
resisteth the proud1 but giveth grace   
unto the humble4  ,the language of this 
woman is highly impassioned1 and        
indicative of extreme earnestness4 ,she 
besought him that he would cast forth   
the devil out of her daughter2 she cried
 out1 like one overwhelmed with grief1  
,have mercy on me1 ,o ,lord1 thou ,son  
of ,david6 ,the case is completely her  
own4 ,the precious life for which she   
pleads is dear as her own existence4    
,but who can realize1 or what language  
can express her feelings8 ,the          
affectionate mother alone1 who has      
watched over the sick or dying bed of a 
languishing daughter1 or the agonized   
parent who has seen some mighty and     
incurable disorder befall his           

child--some member withered--some       
essential faculty enfeebled or          
destroyed--perhaps reason distracted2   
can imagine the emotions of that moment 
when the woman exclaimed1 ,have mercy on
 me66 ,what reason have we to be        
grateful for domestic health1 while many
 are afflicted by the severest trials6  
,we have here a remarkable specimen of  
faith4 ,when1 the father of the young   
man who had a dumb spirit brought him to
 ,jesus1 ,if1 said he1 after describing 
his case1 if thou canst do any thing1   
have compassion on us1 and help us4     
,this was an implication deregatory to  
the glory1 and disparaging to the power 
of the ,son of ,god4 ,it implied at     
least a doubt of his capacity to afford 
the requisite assistance1 and           
consequently occasioned the             
remonstrance2 ,if thou canst believe1   
all things are possible to him that     
believeth4 q4d4 ,the question is not    
whether ,i possess power1 but whether   
you can exercise faith4 ,nothing        

obstructs my benevolent exertion but    
human infidelity4 ,this1 and this only1 
is the great barrier1 the insurmountable
 impediment to the more universal       
display of my character1 and the        
multiplication of my wonderful works    
,this woman1 however1 expressed no      
suspicion1 intimated no doubt2 but1 with
 unhesitating confidence1 addressed him 
as the ,lord1 the ,son of ,david4  ,o   
blessed ,syrophenician1 who taught thee 
this abstract of divinity8 ,what can we 
,christians confess more than the       
,deity1 the humanity1 and the           
,messiahship of our glorious ,saviour8  
,his ,deity as ,lord1 his humanity as a 
son1 his ,messiahship as the son of     
,david4 ,of all the famous progenitors  
of ,christ1 two are singled out by way  
of eminence1 ,david and ,abraham1 a king
 and a patriarch2 and though the        
patriarch was first in time1 yet the    
king is first in place2 not so much for 
the dignity of his person1 as the       
excellence of the promise1 which1 as it 

was both later and fresher in memory1 so
 more honorable4 ,to ,abraham was       
promised multitude and blessing of seed1
 to ,david perpetuity of dominion4 ,so  
as1 when ,god promiseth not to destroy  
his people1 it is for ,abraham's sake2  
when not to extinguish the kingdom1 it  
is for ,david's sake4 ,had she said1    
'the ,son of ,abraham1' she had not come
 home to this acknowledgment4 ,abraham  
is the father of the faithful1 ,david of
 the kings of ,judea and ,israel2 there 
are many faithful1 there is but one     
king2 so as in this title she doth      
proclaim him the perpetual king of his  
church1 the rod or flower which should  
come from the root of ,jesse1 the true  
and only ,saviour of the world4 ,whoso  
shall come unto ,christ to purpose1 must
 come in the right style2 apprehending a
 true ,god1 a true man1 a true ,god and 
man3 any of these severed from other1   
makes ,christ an idol1 and our prayers  
sin4 #ce  ,the disadvantageous          
circumstances of this woman illustrate  

the superiority of her faith4 ,there is 
no evidence of her having seen the      
,saviour before1 much less of her having
 been a witness of his miraculous works4
 ,she had only heard the report of them 
in her distant residence1 and yet1 under
 the guidance of that ,spirit who       
wrought conviction in her mind1 hastened
 to cast herself at his feet4 ,hers was 
the blessedness of those who have not   
seen1 and yet have believed4 ,what a    
fine contrast do her faith and zeal     
exhibit to the conduct of the ,scribes  
and ,pharisees of the ,jewish nation1   
who in defiance of evidence1 of signs   
and wonders daily performed before their
 eyes1 persisted not only in rejecting  
,christ as the ,messiah1 but in plotting
 against his life4 ,she beheld the      
rising brightness of the ,sun of        
,righteousness1 and was attracted by his
 glory1 though at a distance2 whilst    
they who were near shut their eyes      
against his heavenly light4 ,she was1   
therefore1 not only distinguished from  

her fellow-countrywomen1 but from the   
mass of the ,jewish people1 who         
voluntarily forfeited their noblest     
privileges2 and1 under the influence of 
the basest prejudice1 eventually        
completed the long train of their       
iniquities in rejecting and stoning the 
prophets1 by crucifying the ,son of     
,god4  ,happy would it be for the best  
interests of mankind1 did the annals of 
succeeding ages present no other        
specimens of the same infatuation6 ,but1
 alas6 similar follies are reacted every
 day4 ,amidst the most favourable       
circumstances for spiritual improvement1
 what awful degeneracy of character     
exists6 ,multitudes who have enjoyed the
 best means1 who have been religiously  
educated1 repeatedly admonished1 and    
carefully superintended2 who have been  
taught the holy ,scriptures from their  
youth--who have been led to the house of
 ,god1 and had line upon line1 and      
precept upon precept--on whose behalf a 
thousand supplications have been        

presented to heaven1 and over whom ten  
thousand thousand tears have been       
shed--have continued to manifest an     
aversion against the claims of truth1   
and the disobedience of spirit to the   
commands of ,christ4 ,like the barren   
fig-tree1 they have remained            
unproductive of any good fruits1        
notwithstanding unusual cultivation2 and
 have been unsightly as well as useless 
cumberers of the ground2--on the other  
hand1 some whose early habits and       
irreligious connections were singularly 
unfavorable to piety1 have nevertheless 
been brought out of darkness into       
marvellous light ,our privileges enhance
 our responsibility3 let us1 therefore1 
anxiously avoid the misconduct of the   
,jews1 and beware lest those who have   
fewer means of improvement1 advance1    
through a better use of them1 to higher 
degrees of spiritual attainment and     
excellence4  ,the humility1 the         
earnestness1 and the faith we have been 
contemplating1 it is natural to expect1 

met with a welcome reception4 ,it is    
true that mankind often repay confidence
 with coldness1 and shut the hand and   
the heart against the most importunate  
entreaties4 ,it is true there are wolves
 in sheep's clothing1 monsters in human 
form1 who aggravate by unkindness the   
wounds which ,providence has inflicted1 
and who tear and devour as their prey   
those whom they should supply as their  
pensioners2 but ,jesus was the ,lamb of 
,god--he was touched with the feeling of
 our infirmities--he went about doing   
good--he pronounced blessings on the    
merciful--he was no stranger to personal
 suffering--it was his nature to        
sympathize--his element to relieve--the 
grand predicted feature of his gentle   
character1 that he should come down like
 rain upon the mown grass1 and should   
spare the poor and needy4 ,who can      
express the tenderness of that spirit   
which cherished pity for us in our low  
estate while surrounded by the glories  
of his ,father's throne1 and charmed    

with the harps of heaven1 voluntarily   
descending into this vale of affliction 
to dry up the tears that flow so        
copiously from the mourner's eye6 ,we   
are prepared then1 to witness the       
overflowings of tenderness in his       
reception of this afflicted mother6     
,but1 lo6 he answered her not a word4   
,mysterious silence6 ,and what were thy 
feelings1 ,o thou agonized stranger1 in 
these moments of sad suspense8 ,and what
 explanation can be offered for this    
extraordinary conduct8 ,had she escaped 
his notice amidst the crowd8 ,had she   
fallen unobserved at his feet8 ,did he  
not then hear that piercing cry--that   
powerful appeal--that humble            
entreaty--those words of agony and of   
faith8--,yes--but he answered her not ,a
 ,,word6  ,this is not1 indeed1 a       
solitary instance4 ,when the adulterous 
transgressor was brought into his       
presence by the ,scribes and ,pharisees1
 ,jesus stooped down1 and with his      
finger wrote on the ground as though he 

heard them not2 but this was to         
disappoint their malice1 whose sole     
purpose was to obtain some materials for
 his accusation4 ,when he was attacked  
by reiterated calumnies in the presence 
of ,pilate1 he answered nothing2 because
 he would manifest a holy indignation   
against their unreasonable and          
exasperating conduct4 ,the railing of   
the impenitent malefactor1 who was his  
fellow-sufferer on the cross1 could     
provoke no reply2 although this         
dignified reserve was instantly changed 
into language of gracious promise1 when 
the other entreated his mercy4 ,he could
 not remain a moment inattentive to the 
penitent's petition1 and far exceeded   
his desires2 for he requested only a    
place in his memory1 but he gave him a  
place in his kingdom4 ,delightful       
pledge1 that he will do for us exceeding
 abundantly above all we ask or think4  
,if we were unable to discover any      
satisfactory reason for his silence1    
when in the most supplicating attitude  

and with the profoundest humility the   
,syrophenician woman besought him to    
restore her daughter1 it would he the   
height of imprudence to impeach his     
benevolence4 ,his general conduct1 the  
kindness of all his other actions1 the  
gentleness of his words1 the universal  
benignity of his deportment1 would      
forbid our imputing this apparent       
deviation from his general goodness to  
any other than some latent cause1 which 
it might not have been necessary or     
proper to disclose1 or the statement of 
which the brevity of the inspired       
narrative precluded4 ,but too frequently
 we misjudge1 and even murmur against   
the divine proceedings1 because our     
limited capacities cannot trace their   
ultimate design1 or even their present  
connections and combinations4 ,with a   
characteristic presumption we act as if 
we expected that the plans of ,heaven   
ought to be submitted to our inspection1
 or stopped in their progress to await  
our approval2 whereas it is neither     

proper nor possible to disclose to us   
more than parts of his ways6  ,many     
reasons1 however1 might be assigned for 
this remarkable silence4 ,the principal 
one was probably the purpose of proving 
her character1 and encouraging a        
perseverance1 which from the strength of
 her faith he knew would be the result1 
and which would eventually illustrate   
both her character and his own4 ,how    
many1 had they even advanced to this    
point of submission1 would have         
withdrawn in disgust1 and misrepresented
 the conduct they could not comprehend6 
,but she is not offended at this seeming
 neglect4 ,she does not exclaim1 with   
the sarcastic vehemence of disappointed 
hope1 ,is this ,son of ,david--the      
wonder-worker of ,israel--the meek1 the 
compassionate1 the condescending person 
of whom we have heard such extraordinary
 reports8--,am ,i to be neglected while 
others are relieved8--but patiently     
waits the result1 still persevering in  
her suit4 ,o woman1 great is thy faith6 

,of this we may be fully assured on     
every occasion of supplicating the      
throne of mercy1 that if the cry of the 
humble he deferred1 it is not forgotten1
 and that the trials to which we are    
exposed always bear a well-adjusted     
proportion both to the necessity of the 
case and to our capacity of endurance4  
,in this interval the disciples         
interceded for her dismission with the  
answer she requested4 ,they pleaded her 
vehement importunity2 and1 as ,christ   
had expressed a wish for concealment1   
they probably supposed her cries would  
excite an unwelcome degree of popular   
observation4 ,to this he answered1 ,i am
 not sent1 but unto the lost sheep of   
the house of ,israel4 ,as this was said 
in the hearing of this distressed woman1
 it was not only calculated to silence  
the disciples1 but to discourage the    
suppliant4 ,a mere inattention to her   
urgent plea might have been imputed to  
some deep abstraction of mind1 which we 
know sometimes renders a person in the  

full exercise of his faculties as       
indifferent and insensible to external  
objects or sounds as if he were in a    
profound sleep2 or he might have been   
supposed to be occupied in meditating   
upon the woman's distress1 and devising 
means to afford her an effectual and    
speedy assistance3 but his language is  
an argument to justify his disregard1   
rather than to solicit time for         
consideration4 ,his commission was to   
,israel2 he was a minister of the       
circumcision2 and that period was not   
yet arrived when the ,gentiles were to  
be brought to his light1 and kings to   
the brightness of his rising4 ,that     
favoured people1 who were for so many   
ages distinguished by celestial         
visitations1 were destined              
notwithstanding their ingratitude1 to   
receive the first communications of the 
,son of ,god4 ,amongst them he came to  
labour1 to preach1 and to die6  ,the    
solicitude of the disciples on this     
occasion was highly laudable4 ,it       

becomes the fellow-members of the great 
mystical body to sympathize with each   
other4 ,by this we fulfil the law of    
nature1 but especially the law of       
,christ3 and in nothing can this        
sentiment be better expressed than in   
fervent available prayers4 ,as the body 
is one1 and hath many members1 and all  
the members of that one body1 being     
many1 are one body2 so also is ,christ4 
,for by one ,spirit are we all baptized 
into one body1 whether we be ,jews or   
,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2  
and have been all made to drink into one
 ,spirit4444 ,and whether one member    
suffer1 all the members suffer with it1 
or one member be honoured1 all the      
members rejoice with it4 ,now ye are the
 body of ,christ and members in         
particular4  ,driven perhaps to the very
 borders of despondency1 and yet        
unwilling to relinquish every hope1 this
 agonizing mother again rushed forward1 
prostrated herself at the ,saviour's    
feet1 and with impetuous zeal earnestly 

cried out1 ,lord1 help me6 ,she seemed  
reduced to the last extremity2 and yet1 
like ,esther1 who resolved to go in to  
the king1 whether she perished or not1  
and like ,jonah1 tossing about amongst  
the waves of the ocean1 determining to  
look again towards the holy temple of   
,jehovah1 she ventured to renew her     
application1 and in language implying   
her conviction of his ability1 and a    
glimmering hope of his willingness1 she 
does not merely say1 ,lord1 deign some  
answer--even if it be a refusal1 but    
,lord1 help me6 ,she was vigorous in    
faith4 ,she laid hold of the horns of   
the altar--she cleaved to the ,lord with
 full purpose of heart4 ,reader1 what   
shall we say8--,go thou and do likewise4
  ,her entreaties obtain an answer1     
,jesus turns to address the suppliant4  
,he is no longer deaf to her petitions  
or blind to her tears4 ,her throbbing   
heart beats with unutterable emotion1   
and at that glad moment she is all ear  
to the long-sought reply4 ,who now can  

expect other than a fair and yielding   
answer to so humble1 so faithful1 so    
patient a suppliant8 ,what can speed    
well1 if a prayer of faith from the     
knees of humility succeeds not8 ,and yet
 behold1 the further she goes the worse 
she fares3 her discouragement is doubled
 with her suit4 ',it is not meet to take
 the children's bread and to cast it to 
dogs4' ,first1 his silence implied a    
contempt1 then his answer defended his  
silence2 now his speech expresses and   
defends his contempt4 ,lo1 he hath      
turned her from a woman to a dog1 and1  
as it were1 spurns her from his feet    
with a harsh repulse4 ,what shall we    
say8--,is the ,lamb of ,god turned lion8
 ,doth that clear fountain of mercy run 
blood8 ,o ,saviour1 did ever so hard a  
word fall from those mild lips8 ,thou   
calledst ,herod fox--most worthily1 he  
was crafty and wicked2 the ,scribes and 
,pharisees a generation of vipers1 they 
were venomous and cruel2 ,judas a devil1
 he was both covetous and treacherous4  

,but here was a woman in distress1 and  
distress challenges mercy2 a good woman1
 a faithful suppliant1 a ,canaanitish   
disciple1 a ,christian ,canaanite1 yet  
rated and whipped out for a dog by thee 
who wert all goodness and mercy6 ,how   
different are thy ways from ours6 ,even 
thy severity argues favour4 ,the trial  
had not been so sharp if thou hadst not 
found the faith so strong1 if thou hadst
 not meant the issue so happy4 ,thou    
hadst not driven her away as a dog1 if  
thou hadst not intended to admit her for
 a saint2 and to advance her so much for
 a pattern of faith1 as thou depressedst
 her for a spectacle of contempt4 #cf   
,in nothing is the preposterous         
arrogance of mankind more apparent than 
in the violence of their national       
antipathies4 ,did not the history of all
 ages and countries furnish an ample    
catalogue of opprobrious epithets1 which
 they have not scrupled to bestow upon  
each other1 we might wonder that the    
,jews should have accustomed themselves 

to speak so contemptuously of others as 
to call them dogs4 ,owing to the natural
 propensity of human nature to villify  
and degrade1 the vocabularies of all    
languages have been swelled with such   
odious terms2 and till the principles of
 the ,gospel have been universally      
disseminated1 we cannot indulge the hope
 of seeing the animosities of mankind   
removed4 ,then only will they love their
 neighbours as themselves4 ,it is to be 
most deeply lamented1 that even where   
,christianity has taken root in the     
mind1 this unholy leaven does not seem  
to be entirely purged away2 and mutual  
jealousies1 bickerings1 and             
recriminations exist1 where love should 
be the ruling principle and bond of     
union4 ,o1 when will the reign of       
perfect charity1 that thinketh no evil1 
commence6 ,when will the whole earth be 
filled with the glory of the ,lord6     
,when will men of every rank and class  
associate as ,christians1 and           
,christians of every order unite as     

brethren6  ,the term dog in the mouth of
 our ,saviour1 and as applied to this   
distressed supplicant1 must not1        
however1 be considered as used in       
conformity to the vulgar prejudices of  
his countrymen1 but for the double      
purpose of a sarcastic allusion to the  
unreasonableness of their degrading     
views of others1 who were ,gentiles by  
birth1 and to try still further a faith 
which he knew would endure the test1 and
 display this persevering woman to the  
greatest advantage4 ,jesus ,christ must 
necessarily1 in point of personal       
feeling1 have been infinitely superior  
to all those unworthy littlenesses which
 were conspicuous in the multitude      
around him2 and as he was acting for the
 moment1 to answer an important purpose1
 in an assumed character1 we cannot be  
surprised that he should personate a    
,jew elated with self-conscious         
superiority1 by saying1 it is not meet  
to take the children's bread1 and to    
cast it to dogs4 ,we are reminded of    

,joseph1 an eminent antitype of ,christ1
 who1 though he knew his brethren1 and  
was overflowing with fraternal          
tenderness1 made himself strange unto   
them1 and spake roughly unto them2 and  
we are led to reflect also on the       
impenetrable darkness which1 to the     
human eye1 sometimes envelopes the      
dispensations of ,heaven2 when1 as a    
pious poet represents it1    ,behind a  
frowning providence   ,he hides a       
smiling face4  ,the woman at once       
acknowledges the charge1 but instantly  
extracts an argument from her very      
discouragements4 ,truth1 ,lord--the dogs
 ought not to be fed with the supply    
designed for the children4 ,i own the   
general fact1 and humbly submit to the  
painful but obvious application4 ,it is 
not from any conviction of meriting thy 
interposing mercy1 that ,i have ventured
 to solicit it1 and to reiterate my     
plea4 ,i am indeed a sinner--a          
,gentile--a dog4 ',and yet1'if ,i may   
pursue the allusion1 'the dogs eat of   

the crumbs which fall from their        
masters' table4' ,one act of kindness ,i
 entreat amidst thy boundless           
liberalities--one word of consolation   
from thy lips1 which drop as the honey  
and the honeycomb--one1 only one supply 
from thine inexhaustible plenitude of   
grace and power--one fragment from the  
table6  ,it is done6--,joseph unveils   
himself6 ,jesus reassumes his proper    
character6 ,the stern air and attitude  
of repulsion is dismissed--he smiles    
with ineffable affection--commends her  
faith1 and with commanding authority    
bestows the wished-for blessing2 and    
though at so great distance1 expels the 
demon from the afflicted daughter4 ,then
 ,jesus answered and said unto her1 ,o  
woman1 great is thy faith2 he it unto   
thee even as thou wilt4 ,and her        
daughter was made whole from that very  
hour4  ,such was the result of          
persevering importunity1 which must ever
 characterize successful prayer1 and    
will necessarily spring from a genuine  

and deep-rooted faith4 ,we have been    
contemplating one of the finest         
specimens of it that ever occurred in   
the world2 and we are solemnly exhorted 
to the practice of it in the            
introductory passage to one of our      
,lord's parables--,men ought always to  
pray1 and not to faint4  ,sometimes     
people are under the influence of very  
needless discouragements4 ,they grow    
weary and faint in their minds1 because 
they do not meet with immediate success2
 though this consideration constitutes  
no essential part of the divine         
promises1 would in many cases be        
injurious to our best interests1 and is 
by no means characteristic of some of   
the most remarkable examples of         
successful prayer4 ,at other times      
impatience arises from observing that   
the ,father of lights1 to whose wisdom  
it becomes us to refer every petition1  
does not answer our requests in the     
manner which we had anticipated1 and1   
perhaps1 dared presumptuously to        

prescribe4 ,but while in this1 or in any
 other way1 we approach ,god in the     
spirit of dictation1 rather than of     
faith and submission1 we virtually      
renounce the blessing even whilst we    
solicit it4 ,from the history of the    
,syrophenician woman we may learn1 that 
our applications for mercy must be      
sincere1 fervent1 and incessant4        
,whatever delays may occur1 it is our   
happiness to be assured that the ear of 
,infinite ,goodness is always open2 the 
throne of grace1 to which we may        
approach boldly1 is always accessible4  
,the petitions of faith cannot escape   
the notice1 or be obliterated from the  
memory1 of him to whom they are         
presented1 but will prove ultimately    
effectual2 and1 as prayer is the        
appointed means of divine communication1
 it is necessary to obtain the blessings
 of ,heaven4 ,whosoever asketh1         
receiveth4  ,the value of the mercies we
 are required to seek is such as ought  
to excite our utmost importunity4 ,if   

the ,syrophenician woman were so eager  
and so persevering in order to obtain a 
temporal blessing1 surely it becomes us 
to manifest at least an equal zeal for  
spiritual good4 ,she entreated the cure 
of her possessed daughter2 we are       
assured that ,,all things whatsoever we 
ask in prayer1 believing1 we shall      
receive4 ,at the voice of prayer the    
treasures of grace are unlocked1 the    
windows of heaven opened1 the riches of 
eternity dispensed4 ,the language of    
petition ascends above the language of  
praise1 and is heard amidst the songs of
 angels4 ,o thou that hearest prayer1   
unto thee shall all flesh come4  ,the   
interesting consideration1 that this    
woman was a ,canaanite1 ought not to be 
overlooked4 ,this people was            
particularly denounced by ,noah in the  
person of their guilty progenitor1 and  
in the following terms3 ,cursed be      
,canaan2 a servant of servants shall he 
be unto his brethren4 ,the descendants  
of ,canaan1 that is1 primarily of ,ham1 

were remarkably wicked and idolatrous4  
,their religion1 as bishop ,newton      
observes1 was bad1 and their morality1  
if possible1 worse2 for corrupt religion
 and corrupt morals usually generate    
each other1 and go hand in hand         
together4 ,some centuries after their   
predicted subjugation to the yoke of    
,shem and ,japheth1 the ,israelites1    
under the command of ,joshua1 smote     
thirty of their kings1 and ,solomon made
 such as were not before extirpated or  
enslaved his tributaries4 ,the ,greeks  
and ,romans afterward subdued ,syria and
 ,palestine1 and conquered the ,tyrians 
and ,carthaginians4 ,subsequently to    
this period1 the ,saracens1 and finally 
the ,turks1 fastened upon them the iron 
yoke of servitude4  ,behold1 then1 from 
among the accursed ,canaanites1 a woman 
outstrips in zeal and faith thousands1  
and tens of thousands1 who were her     
superiors in birth and privilege2 and   
,jesus withholds not his blessing from  
this insignificant ,gentile6 ,what an   

encouragement to the meanest1 the       
obscurest1 and the most unworthy1 to    
apply with instant haste to this        
,almighty ,saviour6 ,his free and       
abundant salvation is dispensed to      
penitents irrespectively of national    
distinctions or individual demerit2 and1
 instead of its being derogatory to his 
dignity to condescend to persons of low 
estate1 he chose to publish his ,gospel 
to the poor1 and to save the children of
 the needy4 ,his blood cleanseth from   
all sin4 ,he came not to call the       
righteous1 but sinners to repentance4   
,we have here a specimen and pledge of  
the influence of ,christ and his        
salvation4 ,he is become the centre of  
universal attraction1 the powerful      
magnet of the world1 pervading by his   
influence the moral creation1 and       
gradually drawing all into himself4 ,the
 designs of mercy were now enlarging1   
the scale of its operations extending1  
and the ancient lines of demarcation    
between ,jew and ,gentile were          

overstepped by the zeal of the ,lord of 
,hosts4 ,in the person of this          
,canaanite we witness the first lively  
stone brought from the ,gentile quarry1 
and placed on the chief corner-stone of 
the great spiritual edifice of the      
,christian church4 ,they shall come1    
said our ,saviour1 from the east and    
from the west1 from the north and from  
the south4  ,the present condition of   
the ,jews forms an awful contrast1 to   
those clays of boasted pre-eminence1    
,how are they1 who once regarded all    
other nations as dogs1 become           
contemptible in consequence of their    
treatment of the ,son of ,god1 while the
 cordial reception given him by many    
,gentile nations has elevated them into 
the dignity of children6 ,for nearly    
eighteen centuries the once honored     
people of the ,jews have been dispersed 
in every direction upon the surface of  
the globe4 ,they furnish an example of  
one of these dreadful recriminations of 
,providence which have sometimes been   

inflicted on atrocious sinners in their 
collective and national capacities4     
,never did the universe before witness  
so astonishing a spectacle1 as a nation 
destroyed as a nation1 but preserved as 
individuals--preserved to suffer1 and to
 be accounted the offscouring of all    
things4 ,at this moment they are        
destitute of a temple1 a priest1 a      
sacrifice1 a country1 and a king4 ,the  
temporal dominion of their rulers and   
the succession of their priests have    
ceased since the destruction of         
,jerusalem4 ,no oblations and sacrifices
 now exist4 ,the fire burns no longer on
 the holy altar--the incense ascends no 
more from the demolished temple--the    
flood of ages has swept away the sacred 
edifices1 and ,desolation sits enthroned
 upon their ruins4 ,the house of ,israel
 is1 in consequence of the rejection of 
,christ1 become a spectacle to angels   
and to men--a melancholy monument of wo1
 on which the hand of recriminating     
justice has inscribed in legible        

characters a condemnatory sentence1     
which is read with silent awe by the    
inhabitants of heaven1 and by every     
king1 and people1 and nation of the     
globe4--,but the period of ,jewish      
dispersion is hasting to its close4     
,party names and ancient prejudices     
shall soon disappear1 and mankind of    
every class and country be eternally    
united in one blessed fraternity4 ,and  
it shall come to pass in that day1 that 
the ,lord shall set his hand again the  
second time to recover the remnant of   
his people1 which shall be left1 from   
,assyria1 and from ,egypt1 and from     
,pathros1 and from ,cush1 and from      
,elam1 and from ,shinah1 and from       
,hamath1 and from the islands of the    
sea4 ,and he shall set up an ensign for 
the nations1 and shall assemble the     
outcasts of ,israel1 and gather together
 the dispersed of ,judah from the four  
corners of the earth4 ,the envy also of 
,ephraim shall depart1 and the          
adversaries of ,judah shall be cut off3 

,ephraim shall not envy ,judah1 and     
,judah shall not vex ,ephraim4--,other  
sheep1 said ,christ1 ,i have1 which are 
not of this fold2 them also ,i must     
bring1 and they shall hear my voice3 and
 there shall be one fold and one        
shepherd1    ,martha and ,mary4         
,chapter ,,vii4     ,bethany            
distinguished as the ,residence of a    
pious ,family1 which   consisted of     
,lazarus and his two ,sisters--their    
diversity of   ,character--the ,faults  
of ,martha1 domestic ,vanity and        
fretfulness of   ,temper--her           
counterbalancing ,excellences--,mary's  
,choice and ,christ's                   
,commendation--,decease of ,lazarus--his
 ,restoration to ,life at the ,voice    
of ,jesus--,remarks on ,death being     
inflicted upon the ,people of ,god as   
well as others--the ,triumph which      
,christianity affords over this         
terrible ,evil--,account of ,mary's     
anointing the ,feet of ,jesus1 and his  
,vindication of her ,conduct4  ,almost  

every spot in the vicinity of ,jerusalem
 may be regarded as holy ground4 ,the   
enraptured imagination cannot traverse  
this district without recalling the many
 wonderful transactions that occurred   
there in different periods of the       
,jewish history1 but especially during  
the personal residence of the ,son of   
,god upon the earth4 ,within the small  
circumference of a few miles round the  
city1 what a multitude of great events  
have taken place6 ,what miracles have   
been wrought6 ,what mercies have been   
distributed6 ,what doctrines have been  
revealed6 ,what characters have         
appeared6 ,what a development has been  
made of human nature6 ,what a surprising
 display of the perfections of the      
blessed ,god6 ,what an exhibition of the
 love of the incarnate ,redeemer6 ,who1 
then1 can think without emotion1 of     
,bethlehem--of ,bethpage--of            
,bethany--of ,mount ,olivet--of the     
brook ,kedron--of ,emmaus--and of       
,calvary8  ,excepting only that mountain

 where ,jesus suffered1 the just for the
 unjust1 that he might bring us to ,god1
 and where once in the end of the world 
he put away sin by the sacrifice of     
himself1 the village of ,bethany may1   
perhaps1 be considered as the most      
interesting point in this all-attractive
 scene4 ,it is situated at the foot of  
the ,mount of ,olives1 on the way to    
,jericho4 ,to this neighborhood the ,son
 of ,god frequently retired for         
meditation and prayer2 thence he began  
to ride in triumph to ,jerusalem2       
thither he repaired after eating the    
last supper with his disciples1 and     
there they witnessed his ascending glory
 and heard his last benediction--for he 
led them out as far as to ,bethany2 and 
he lifted up his hands and blessed them4
 ,and it came to pass1 while he blessed 
them1 he was parted from them1 and      
carried up into heaven4 ,and they       
worshipped him1 and returned to         
,jerusalem with great joy2 and were     
continually in the temple1 praising and 

blessing ,god4  ,bethany1 however1      
claims our present attention chiefly as 
being the residence of one of the       
households of faith1 with whom our      
,saviour was particularly intimate1 and 
with whose history some remarkable      
circumstances are connected4 ,it was a  
small but happy family1 consisting of   
only three members1 ,lazarus1 ,martha1  
and ,mary4 ,the two sisters1 though     
united by the ties of nature1 and the   
still dearer bond of grace1 were        
distinguished by a considerable         
dissimilarity of character1 which will  
furnish us with some instruction4 ,while
 charmed into an effort to imitate      
remarkable persons by a description of  
their excellences1 it is of great       
importance to notice their defects1 not 
only for the purpose of avoiding them1  
but that we may not be overawed into    
despondency and paralyzed into inaction 
by their superiority4 ,biography1 to be 
useful1 must be brought to our level1   
capacities1 and circumstances4 ,we must 

see excellence that is attainable1 and  
view the same infirmities which are     
incident to our nature1 acting in our   
sphere1 and struggling with             
perplexities1 resistance1 vicissitude1  
and trial1 similar to what we ourselves 
experience4 ,the appeal is powerful when
 we are called upon to be followers of  
them who1 though circumstanced as we    
are1 through faith and patience inherit 
the promises4    ,once they were        
mourners here below4     ,and wet their 
couch with tears2   ,they wrestled hard1
 as we do now1     ,with sins1 and      
doubts1 and fears4  ,a history of angels
 might1 indeed1 excite our admiration1  
but would conduce less to our real      
improvement than a history of our       
fellow-creatures4 ,we wish to witness   
the actions1 and to be admitted into the
 secret feelings1 of those who1 whatever
 elevation they may have since obtained1
 were once in the same probationary     
state with ourselves1 and subjected to  
the same course of moral discipline4 ,in

 this view it is desirable to be        
introduced into the privacies of        
domestic life4 ,it is in the family and 
at the fireside we all occupy some      
station1 and have some appropriate      
duties to discharge2 and on this account
 the narrative before us is             
pre-eminently attractive4 ,we are led to
 the native village--the chosen         
residence--the family--the fireside--the
 home--of ,martha and ,mary4 ,we see    
them in all the undisguised reality of  
private life1 and participate at once   
their pleasures and their pains4 ,we    
join the social circle4 ,we hear the    
,saviour conversing with them4 ,we see  
them in affliction--the common lot1 the 
patrimony to which are all born--and    
while we participate their sorrows1     
learn to sustain and profit by our own4 
,in vain1 to the great purposes of      
spiritual improvement1 do we read the   
lives of statesmen1 heroes princes1     
philosophers1 poets1 orators1 and the   
mighty dead that emblazon the historic  

page4 ,they excite our astonishment1 and
 perhaps our pity1 and some moral       
lessons may be gained from their        
reverses or the varieties of their      
characters2 but the most useful history 
is the history of religion--religion in 
the village1 and in the family--religion
 as exhibited at ,bethany1 in the house 
of ,martha and ,mary4  ,it is a pleasing
 peculiarity of this household1 that    
they were all the devoted disciples of  
,jesus ,christ4 ,lazarus appears to have
 been a solid1 established professor of 
religion1 and of the two sisters it is  
recorded1 they sat at ,jesus's feet4 ,we
 do not hear of another disciple in the 
whole village1 and all ,judea could     
furnish but few1 if any1 similar        
instances of three in a single dwelling2
 three solitary lights amidst           
surrounding darkness2 three flowers     
expanding to the newly risen ,sun of    
,righteousness1 and blooming in a       
desolate wilderness4 ,the dispensations 
of providence and of grace are sometimes

 mysterious to the human eye1 and we    
feel disposed to inquire into the       
reasons why so few were touched by      
divine influences1 and bidden to follow 
,christ during his incarnation8 ,could  
not that same commanding authority which
 drew twelve apostles and seventy       
disciples into his train1 and that same 
power which kindled the lamp of truth in
 one village or city1 and left another  
in moral darkness1 have filled ,judea   
and the world with the glory of the     
,lord8 ,could not that energy which     
pervades the universe1 and imparts such 
inconceivable fleetness to the morning  
beam when it irradiates the earth1 have 
spread the knowledge of salvation with  
equal rapidity1 and multiplied the      
disciples like the drops of             
dew8--,undoubtedly4 ,no limits can be   
assigned to divine efficiency2 but in   
the present state no explanations are   
afforded of the secret principles of his
 eternal government4 ,curiosity may     
often be disposed to inquire1 with one  

of the hearers of ,christ1 ,lord1 are   
there few that shall be saved8 ,but     
,scripture checks such investigations1  
and admonishes us rather to cherish an  
availing solicitude for our personal    
salvation3 ,strive to enter in at the   
strait gate4  ,the state even of the    
civilized world at this day is truly    
deplorable4 ,although whole nations     
profess the ,christian faith1 yet every 
city1 every village1 and almost every   
hamlet1 contains families in which there
 is not a single disciple of ,jesus4    
,the sun rises and sets upon a          
prayerless roof4 ,no altar is erected to
 ,god--no love exists to the            
,saviour--nothing to attract his        
attachment or to furnish a subject for  
angelic joy--no repentance--no          
faith--and none of the peace of ,god    
which passeth all understanding4        
,whatever may be the temporal           
circumstances of such families1         
,christian benevolence cannot avoid     
weeping over their spiritual condition4 

,in many cases1 the society admitted    
into their houses is of a most          
pernicious class4 ,uninfluenced by the  
sentiments of ,david1 who said1 ,i am a 
companion of all them that fear thee1   
the friendships they form are but too   
plainly indicative of their own         
principles4 ,you will not see them1 like
 ,martha and ,mary1 choosing the        
excellent of the earth1 and welcoming   
,christ or his disciples to their       
tables1 to share their comforts1 to     
refine and improve their intercourse2   
but if they occupy a high station in    
life1 the gay1 the dissipated1 or the   
thoughtless--if in an inferior          
situation1 the vulgar1 the sordid1 the  
intemperate1 and the profane1 frequent  
their dwellings4 ,religion is in both   
cases too often treated with ridicule   
and contempt1 vilified as mean-spirited 
in its principle1 and enthusiastic in   
its pretensions2 and the truth of the   
,gospel treated1 as its ,author was when
 upon earth1 and would be were he still 

incarnate1 with contemptuous rejection4 
,some pleasing exceptions may be found  
to these observations4 ,in many families
 exist at least one example of genuine  
piety--an ,abijah in the impious family 
of a ,jeroboam4 ,there is reason to     
congratulate young persons especially   
who dare to be singular1 to incur       
reproach1 and to dismiss prejudices4    
,the conquest in such instances is      
proportionably honorable as the         
propensity in human nature is powerful  
to follow a multitude to do evil4 ,such 
holy daring possesses great attractions1
 and the most beneficial consequences   
have been known to result4 ,the child   
has become instrumental to the          
conversion of the parent1 the parent to 
that of the child2 the brother has      
proved a blessing to the sister1 the    
wife to her husband3 for what knowest   
thou1 ,o wife1 whether thou shall save  
thy husband8 or how knowest thou1 ,o    
man1 whether thou shall save thy wife8  
,in other instances the sword of        

division is sharpened1 and the          
discordances already existing become    
more settled1 more irreconcileable1 and 
more violent4 ,the natural mind betrays 
its malignant animosity against the     
spiritual principle1 and he that is born
 after the flesh persecutes him that is 
born after the ,spirit4 ,but here the   
whole family was of one heart and of one
 soul4 ,religion was the law of the     
family1 and the bond of delightful      
union4 ,they were possessed of one      
spirit2 and1 as ,bishop ,hall observes1 
jointly agreed to entertain ,christ4    
,can it be doubted1 that the favored    
dwelling of ,martha and ,mary contained 
a very large portion of domestic        
felicity--a felicity founded on the     
noblest basis1 cemented by the tenderest
 affection1 and stamped with an immortal
 character8 ,the religion of ,jesus is  
indeed calculated to diffuse real       
happiness wherever it prevails2         
although1 as we have intimated1 it may  
become the occasion of discord in       

consequence of the perverseness of human
 nature4 ,sin has disordered the mental 
and moral constitution of man1 and      
thrown the world into a state of        
anarchy4 ,the unbridled dominion of the 
passions disturbs the peace of the      
individual1 and the harmony of society4 
,sin makes a man at variance with       
himself1 with his neighbors1 with his   
nearest connections1 and with the whole 
constitution of the universe4 ,he       
becomes restless as the ocean1 impelled 
by every contrary wind1 and tost about  
by every sportive billow4 ,the desire of
 happiness exists1 but he is ignorant   
how to obtain it1 and pursues those     
means which only plunge him into greater
 misery4 ,to this cause may be          
attributed all the mental distresses and
 all the bodily afflictions of          
individuals--the disturbances which too 
often prevent domestic enjoyment--the   
bickerings and jealousies of families   
with their various alliances--the       
animosities that annoy social life--the 

intestine broils1 ambitious emulations1 
and endless contentions1 that distract a
 state1 with every other form and mode  
of evil4 ,hence the importance of       
promoting that kingdom which is         
righteousness1 and peace1 and joy in the
 ,holy ,ghost2 the basis of which is the
 truth which ,christ came into the world
 to propagate4 ,it is this1 and this    
only1 which renders mankind happy in    
every connection4 ,it will harmonize and
 felicitate to whatever extent it is    
diffused4 ,it will allay the discord of 
families1 pacify the turbulence of      
nations1 and silence the din of war4    
,there will be great joy in the heart1  
in the family1 in the city1 and in the  
world4 ,under this influence the wolf   
shall dwell with the lamb1 and the      
leopard shall lie down with the kid2 and
 the calf1 and the young lion1 and the  
fattling together1 and a little child   
shall lead them4444 ,they shall not hurt
 nor destroy in all ,god's holy         
mountain4  ,one1 however1 as ,martha and

 ,mary were in principle1 they differed 
in character4 ,when our ,saviour first  
entered the house1 it appears that they 
both welcomed him1 and listened for a   
time to his instructions4 ,he was in no 
haste for any refreshment1 but eagerly  
improved every moment to benefit his    
beloved friends4 ,it was his meat and   
drink to do the ,father's will1 and no  
kindness could afford him such          
satisfaction as a devout attention to   
his words4 ,it was1 in fact1 less to    
receive than to communicate that he     
turned aside on his journey to visit    
these happy sisters4 ,but if1 at first1 
they both attended to the gracious words
 that proceeded out of his mouth1       
,martha1 anxious to furnish a suitable  
repast for their guest1 withdrew to make
 what she deemed the necessary          
preparations4 ,mary continued riveted to
 the spot by a conversation which she   
could on no terms relinquish4 ,she would
 not lose a word4 ,every faculty was    
absorbed in attention4 ,her eldest      

sister busied herself for sometime with 
her preparations1 till at length        
becoming impatient1 she hastily demanded
 of ,jesus to send ,mary to her         
assistance4 ,this intrusion incurred the
 memorable censure1 ,martha1 ,martha1   
thou art careful and troubled about many
 things1 but one thing is needful2 and  
,mary hath chosen that good part which  
shall not be taken away from her4  ,the 
defective points of ,martha's character 
seem to have been two4 ,the first of    
these was domestic vanity and parade4   
,upon the arrival of her divine guest   
she is cumbered about much serving1     
anxious not only to show a becoming     
hospitality1 but to provide a great     
entertainment4 ,in this she betrayed a  
false estimate of our ,saviour's spirit4
 ,he who willingly submitted to every   
deprivation during his earthly          
career--who suffered hunger1 and thirst1
 and peril1 and wretchedness1 in every  
form1 although he could have commanded  
ten legions of angels to guard his life1

 or to supply his necessities1 could not
 have felt a moment's anxiety respecting
 the abundance or the quality of the    
provision4 ,this worthy woman not only  
knew that he could have turned every    
stone of the wilderness into bread1 had 
he wished to pamper his appetite by     
luxurious living1 but she had surely    
sufficient opportunities to perceive his
 disposition1 and the perfect exemption 
of his mind from any kind of concern    
about his own accommodation4 ,her       
anxiety was therefore mistaken in its   
object1 as well as excessive in its     
degree4 ,and while remarking upon this  
subject1 ,o that we could impress upon  
all the ministers of his word the       
necessity of imitating the conduct of   
their ,master6 ,it becomes them1 as his 
avowed disciples1 and as persons who are
 perpetually exhorting others to        
self-denial and courteousness1 to       
manifest no care about their own        
convenience1 to give as little trouble  
as possible to those who1 for the sake  

of their office and their ,master1 treat
 tthemwith kind hospitality1 and to     
receive even a cup of cold water in a   
spirit corresponding to that in which   
humble piety bestows it4  ,while thus   
betraying a false estimate of ,christ1  
,martha's principal fault becomes       
glaringly conspicuous4 ,she is full of  
bustle1 full of eagerness4 ,her servants
 were1 probably1 dispatched in every    
direction to prepare a sumptuous meal4  
,every thing must be in order2 every    
dish in place4 ,the food1 the           
arrangement1 the preparation of every   
description1 she was probably solicitous
 should do her credit1 as well as       
display the undoubted affection which   
she cherished for her ,lord4 ,who can   
tell what she lost by her excessive     
care6 ,he1 in whom dwelt all the        
treasures of wisdom and knowledge1 was1 
during all this time1 conversing with   
her sister2 and would have freely       
communicated the same instructions to   
her1 had not she precluded herself by   

needless anxieties4  ,but while we      
wonder at this voluntary sacrifice of   
spiritual advantages1 advantages too1   
which1 generally speaking1 she did not  
undervalue1 let us ask ourselves whether
 we have never merited a similar        
censure1 whether we have not been       
seduced by our worldly cares into a     
similar and culpable remissness in      
religious duties8 ,happily1 perhaps1    
like ,martha1 we love the ,saviour1 we  
avow our attachment1 we welcome him in  
the persons of his representatives into 
our families2 hut1 at the same time1    
forfeit our privileges1 lose our        
opportunities1 and suffer temporal      
concerns to supersede the habitual      
impression of spiritual realities4 ,let 
pious women1 especially1 take a lesson  
from this incident4 ,martha was by no   
means an unique4 ,she represents a very 
numerous class of female professors4    
,here is a glass into which they may    
look and see a perfect reflection of    
themselves2 and we trust they will not  

retire from the salutary exhibition of  
their own blemishes1 forgetting what    
manner of persons they are4 ,domestic   
care1 like every other1 is liable to    
degenerate into excess4 ,there are many 
ladies whose piety excites universal    
admiration1 but who1 from some          
constitutional proneness or some        
acquired habit1 bestow a                
disproportionate1 and therefore1 on many
 accounts1 highly pernicious concern    
upon their household arrangements4 ,we  
are not the apologists of uncleanliness 
or disorder2 but it is possible to be   
over nice and over anxious3 by the      
former1 we may injure the comfort of    
others1 as well as become burdensome    
even to ourselves2 by the latter1 we may
 soon interfere with the superior claims
 of religion4 ,the care of a family     
cannot extenuate the guilt of neglecting
 private devotion or public duties2 it  
cannot exculpate a neglect of the word  
or the ordinances of ,god2 and to be    
cumbered about much serving1 is not only

 waste of time1 but unfits the mind for 
profitable intercourse1 and is likely to
 produce an unhappy effect upon the     
disposition4  ,this leads us to notice  
the second great defect in ,martha1     
which the present occasion tended to    
illustrate4 ,this was fretfulness of    
temper4 ,her language indicates extreme 
irritation4 ,lord1 dost thou not care   
that my sister hath left me to serve    
alone8 ,bid her1 therefore1 that she    
help me4 ,it might be expected1 that1   
overawed by the dignified and holy      
presence of the ,son of ,god1 this woman
 would have felt ashamed to show her    
impatience1 and have been contented to  
remain silent4 ,but nothing could       
restrain her4 ,something went wrong4    
,there was some mistake1 some confusion1
 or perhaps some dish out of order4 ,she
 was bustling about to make preparations
 upon a scale which no necessity existed
 to justify1 and she wanted the         
assistance of ,mary4 ,but ,mary was     
bettor employed4 ,she sat at ,jesus's   

feet1 and heard his word4  ,let pious   
women beware of that anxiety which      
generates peevishness4 ,it is a greater 
fault than any which servants can commit
 by mere negligence1 to allow of those  
intemperate sallies against their       
misconduct1 which1 by degrading their   
mistresses in their eyes1 diminish the  
good effect a genuine piety might       
otherwise produce4 ,it is a weakness to 
be excessively rigid about trifles--to  
be always contending1 morose1 and       
dissatisfied4 ,the particular sphere in 
which a woman is called to act1 seems   
indeed beset with temptations to this   
evil2 but this consideration should     
serve to awaken care and circumspection4
 ,religion ought to be exemplified in   
overcoming the difficulties of our      
situation1 whatever they maybe2 and the 
more numerous they are1 the more        
honourable the resistance4 ,private life
 is a sphere of useful exertion4 ,though
 retired1 it is important4 ,if it be not
 a field of valour1 it is one for       

patience4 ,if women cannot obtain the   
laurels of heroism1 they may win the    
better trophies of general esteem and   
domestic attachment4  ,the              
animadversions we have thought proper to
 make upon the faults of ,martha1 ought 
not however to obscure the view of her  
excellences4 ,jesus ,christ did not     
censure her concern1 but the excess of  
it4 ,it was the unnecessary trouble she 
took1 and as a consequence the extreme  
impatience of temper she manifested1    
that produced this solemn remonstrance1 
and led him to contrast her conduct with
 the silent piety of her sister4 ,we    
must still admire her generous          
hospitality1 and her warm affection for 
,christ1 although her natural temperment
 and mistaken views betrayed her into an
 improper mode of expressing it4 ,she   
presents a lively contrast to those who 
manifest no regard to religion or its   
ministers1 and whose errors originate   
not in mistake1 but in cherished        
hostility and inveterate prejudice4 ,her

 ,master knew how to appreciate her     
character3 and if he censured her with a
 seriousness proportionable to her      
fault1 the rebuke was attempered with a 
kindness expressive of his friendship4  
,the historian distinctly records his   
personal affection for each member of   
this happy family4 ,now1 ,jesus loved   
,martha and her sister1 and ,lazarus4   
,let us remember1 then1 that the real   
followers of ,christ have their defects1
 defects which perhaps appear the more  
conspicuous from their association with 
such opposite excellences3 and let us   
learn1 like our divine ,master1 to      
esteem even imperfect goodness1 while we
 take every suitable opportunity of     
affectionately1 yet faithfully1         
correcting its follies4  ,reader6 pause 
for a few moments1 to reflect upon the  
important apophthegm pronounced by      
,christ upon this occasion1 and the     
benediction upon ,mary1 with which it   
was accompanied3 ,one thing is needful6 
,this was virtually pronouncing         

religion1 which involves a pre-eminent  
regard to the eternal interests of the  
soul1 to be supremely important--a      
principle of holiness1 a source of      
peace1 and a pledge of immortal joy4 ,it
 is1 besides1 of universal concern1 and 
comprehends whatever is essential to the
 present and future felicity of a       
rational creature4 ,we should judge very
 ill of the nature of this care1 if we  
imagined that it consisted merely in    
acts of devotion or religious           
contemplation2 it comprehends all the   
lovely and harmonious band of social and
 humane virtues4 ,it requires a care1 of
 society1 a care of our bodies and of   
our temporal concerns2 but then all is  
to be regulated1 directed1 and animated 
by proper regards to ,god1 ,christ1 and 
immortality4 ,our food and our rest1 our
 trades and our labors1 are to be       
attended to2 and all the offices of     
humanity performed in obedience to the  
will of ,god1 for the glory of ,christ1 
and in a view to the improving of the   

mind in a growing meetness for astate of
 complete perfection4 ,name any thing   
which has no reference at all to this1  
and you name a worthless trifle1 however
 it may be gilded to allure the eye1    
however it may be sweetened to gratify  
the taste4 ,name a thing1 which1 instead
 of thus improving the soul1 has a      
tendency to debase and pollute1 to      
enslave and endanger it1 and you name   
what is most unprofitable and           
mischievous1 be the wages of iniquity   
ever so great2 most foul and deformed1  
be it in the eyes of men ever so        
honorable1 or in their customs ever so  
fashionable4 #cg  ,how important is it1 
that we should make a similar choice    
with that of ,mary6 ,this is obvious    
from the words of ,christ1 who          
represents it as that good part which   
shall not be taken away from her4       
,genuine piety is calculated to prevent 
innumerable evils and sources of misery1
 by preventing those indulgences which  
pollute while they gratify1 poisoning   

the constitution1 impairing the         
reputation1 and displeasing ,god3 and by
 elevating the affections to the purity 
of heaven4 ,it augments incalculably the
 pleasure which is derived from the     
possession of all other good of a       
subordinate nature4 ,while it possesses 
the power of extracting the distasteful 
ingredients that imbitter the cup of    
adversity1 it sweetens the sweetest     
portion of prosperous life2 and such is 
its prevailing efficacy1 that no changes
 can possibly deprive us of its         
consolations4 ,it shall not be taken    
away4 ,how strange1 then1 is the        
infatuation of such as make a different 
choice1 and how unfounded their seasons 
for such a guilty preference6 ,however  
their conduct may be artfully varnished 
over with fair pretences1 they betray   
consummate folly4 ,the very foundation  
of all their hopes will fail1 the       
specious appearances of the world will  
prove deceptive1 like the rainbow that  
stretches its radiant curve over half   

the heavens1 but vanishes as you        
approach it into mist and nothingness1  
and their condemnation will be no less  
remarkable than their ultimate          
disappointment4 ,o that1 with ,mary1 we 
may sit at the feet of ,jesus1 and by a 
prompt obedience to his comments find   
rest to our souls4  ,scarcely have we   
read of the privileges of the two       
sisters at ,bethany1 when we are        
introduced to an account of their       
trials3 so closely do pleasures and     
pains follow each other in the train of 
human events6 ,the fairest fruit is     
often beset with thorns1 the clearest   
day liable to be overcast with clouds2  
and should the morning of life rise in  
brightness1 and the evening set in      
serenity1 who can reasonably hope that  
no changes shall occur in its           
intermediate hours8 ,religion indeed    
promises consolation amidst afflictions1
 but not exemption from them3 she is the
 guardian of our spiritual interests1   
but not the disposer of our terrestrial 

condition4 ,how happily was the previous
 intercourse of ,martha and ,mary with  
,jesus calculated to prepare them for   
their more gloomy visiter1 ,,death6     
,lazarus1 the brother of these excellent
 women1 was taken ill1 upon which they  
immediately sent to inform their divine 
,friend of the distressing circumstance4
 ,as soon as he heard it1 he remarked to
 his disciples that this event would    
prove the occasion of enhancing his own 
and his ,father's glory2 but            
notwithstanding the ardent friendship   
which he cherished for the family1 and  
which the evangelist particularly       
notices1 #ch he did not hasten1 as it   
seemed natural he should1 to ,bethany1  
but remained where he was two days      
longer4 ,it was his intention1          
doubtless1 to prove the faith of his    
disciples1 to try the spirit of the two 
sisters1 and to furnish an opportunity  
of working the miracle with which he    
afterward astonished the ,jews4 ,after  
this mysterious delay1 he announced his 

purpose of proceeding into ,judea3 upon 
which his disciples remonstrated with   
him1 representing the persecuting spirit
 of the people1 which of late had been  
displayed in attempts upon his life4 ,to
 this he answered there were twelve     
hours in the day1 and consequently it   
was requisite to use despatch in the    
performance of the labour assigned to   
him who would not stumble in the night1 
or leave his work unfinished2 and then  
intimating the departure of their friend
 ,lazarus1 he said1 ,i go that ,i may   
awake him out of sleep4 ,mistaking his  
meaning1 and imagining that he had been 
speaking only of taking rest1 in natural
 sleep1 the disciples replied1 that if  
this were the case1 it was probable he  
would soon recover1 and therefore it was
 unnecessary to go to ,bethany4 ,jesus  
then said plainly1 ,lazarus is dead4    
,seeing the intrepidity of their        
,master1 the disciples1 stimulated by   
,thomas1 resolved to accompany him into 
,judea1 and encounter every danger to   

which their attachment might expose     
them4  ,when ,jesus had arrived in the  
vicinity of ,bethany1 he found that his 
beloved friend had been interred four   
days2 and as this village was not more  
than two miles from ,jerusalem1 many of 
the inhabitants who were acquainted with
 the family1 were come to condole with  
them upon their loss4 ,martha hastened  
to meet ,jesus1 as soon as she heard of 
his approach2 but ,mary1 who perhaps was
 not yet informed of it1 continued      
sitting upon the ground1 in the usual   
posture of mourners4  ,having expressed 
her surprise at his delay1 ,martha      
intimated to ,jesus that she well knew  
that ,god would now grant every thing he
 might see fit to request1 and if he had
 been present before1 the death of her  
brother might have been prevented4      
,compassionating her distress1 he       
replied1 ,thy brother shall rise again2 
to which she answered1 that she had the 
fullest conviction of this fact1 as she 
believed the doctrine of the final      

resurrection4 ,her heart1 however1 was  
still overwhelmed with grief at her     
present calamitous bereavement2 and it  
was not without extreme reluctance1 that
 she admitted the idea of never seeing  
him more till that distant period4      
,jesus then gave her the assurance of   
his being the resurrection and the life1
 and of the mighty power which he as the
 agent in accomplishing this work1 would
 display in elevating all his people to 
the felicities of another and a better  
existence2 in consequence of which death
 ought not to be regarded with terror1  
but merely as the season of repose      
previous to the morning of eternity1    
which would soon break with ineffable   
splendour upon the tomb4 ,martha        
declared her full persuasion of this    
sublime truth1 founded upon her         
knowledge of him who addressed her as   
the true ,messiah1 the ,son of ,god1 to 
whom all power in heaven and earth was  
intrusted4  ,upon this1 she went by     
desire of ,jesus to call her sister4 ,as

 she had communicated the information to
 ,mary in a whisper1 her friends who    
were present supposed1 when she rose up 
hastily1 that she was going to visit the
 sepulchre of ,lazarus1 there to renew  
her griefs and bewail her bereavement4  
,as soon as she found ,jesus1 she       
prostrated herself at his feet1 and     
expressed herself in terms similar to   
those of ,martha1 indicative of a       
conviction that the death of her beloved
 relative might have been prevented1 if 
he had but hastened to ,bethany upon the
 news of his dangerous illness4 ,this   
afflicting scene excited the deepest    
concern in him1 who1 though he had every
 passion under the most perfect control1
 now chose to indulge and to manifest   
his tenderness for ,lazarus4 ,he        
inquired where they had laid him1 and1  
as they conducted him to the spot1 he   
wept4 ,remembrance of the dead1 sympathy
 for the living1 and pity for the       
impenitent ,jews1 drew forth his tears1 
which1 while they sanction the grief of 

his people at the loss of earthly       
connections1 do not justify its excess4 
,the spectators1 in general1 were       
affected with this testimony of         
friendship3 but some of them inquired   
among themselves1 whether he who had    
opened the eyes of the blind1 could not 
have prevented the calamity which he    
appeared so deeply to deplore4 ,this was
 a very natural question2 and he was    
about to convince them that he could1 by
 performing a miracle far more splendid 
and important than such an              
interposition4 ,the sepulchre of        
,lazarus was a cave1 with a large stone 
upon its mouth4 ,jesus commanded them to
 remove this stone1 not choosing to do  
it miraculously1 in order to avoid      
unnecessary parade4 ,martha1 who seems  
to have been agitated by a great        
conflict of feelings1 very improperly   
exclaimed against this proceeding2 and  
alleged1 that as he had been interred   
four days1 the corpse must have become  
offensive4 ,jesus with his              

characteristic gentleness1 reminded her 
that he knew well what he had ordered3  
and that his previous assurance1 that if
 she would only believe she should see  
the glory of ,god1 ought to have sealed 
her lips in silence4  ,the stone being  
removed according to the request of     
,jesus1 he uttered a short but          
expressive prayer to ,heaven2 and then  
with a loud voice1 cried out1 ,lazarus1 
come forth4 ,the realms of death heard  
his sovereign mandate1 and their gloomy 
monarch yielded up his captive2 and he  
that was dead came forth1 bound hand and
 foot1 with grave clothes3 and his face 
was bound about with a napkin4 ,jesus   
saith unto them1 ,loose him1 and let him
 go4 ,the effect of this miracle was    
considerable2 for many of the ,jews1 who
 had come to sympathize with the        
bereaved sister1 believed in ,christ1   
though others instantly repaired to the 
,pharisees1 to inflame their malignity  
by reciting what they had witnessed4    
,with similar diversity of effect1 is   

the ,gospel now proclaimed to men2 its  
facts and evidences kindling the        
resentment of some1 or hardening them   
into increased obduracy2 while they     
convince the minds of others1           
interesting their best affections1      
conquering their prejudices1 and        
operating their salvation4  ,if there   
were any exception to that universal law
 which consigns man to the grave1 it    
might be hoped that such as compose the 
church of ,god1 being redeemed by the   
blood of his ,son1 called according to  
his purpose1 and sealed by his ,spirit  
to the day of redemption1 would be freed
 from this calamity2 but death extends  
his dreadful dominion over the families 
of the righteous1 as well as the        
impious4 ,the people of ,god might1 if  
he pleased1 have been delivered from the
 present curse3 his goodness might have 
indemnified them from the common evils  
which afflict human life1 and appointed 
them some favoured region1 the ,goshen  
of the universe1 where they should have 

passed their days in a state of rich    
possession and unmolested tranquillity2 
but1 if he have ordained otherwise1 it  
is for wise reasons2 some of which1     
perhaps1 we may succeed in explaining4  
,is not such a dispensation1 for        
instance1 calculated to impress an awful
 sense of the malignity of sin8 ,so     
abominable is it1 that the blessed ,god1
 who has made an ample provision for the
 future1 felicity of his saints1 and who
 is daily imparting to them on earth the
 invaluable blessings of his grace1     
cannot1 it seems1 consistently with his 
perfection1 exempt them from the stroke 
of death4 ,it is requisite that his     
detestation of it should be evinced in a
 complete and undistinguishing overthrow
 of the race of mortals1 amongst whom   
even those whose names are written in   
the book of life1 on account of their   
nature being contaminated with depravity
 must suffer the punishment of temporal 
death1 and show to admiring immortals1  
that ,god is of purer eyes than to      

behold iniquity1 and cannot look upon   
sin4  ,besides1 this demolition of the  
corporeal frame is an essential means of
 its purification4 ,the leprosy has     
infected every part of the building1 the
 members of the body have become        
instrumental to the working of          
unrighteousness2 and1 consequently1 the 
earthly house of this tabernacle must be
 dissolved4  ,the infliction of this    
calamity upon believers in ,christ as   
well as upon others1 is calculated also 
to maintain their faith in vigorous and 
perpetual exercise4 ,were it permitted  
to them to pass into another world1 as  
,enoch or ,elijah did1 by a sudden      
transportation beyond the regions of    
mortality to those of undecaying        
existence1 without undergoing the pains1
 the groans1 the dying strife1 or       
without experiencing the frightful      
alteration that occurs in other human   
beings1 there would no longer exist the 
same opportunity as at present for the  
display of one of the noblest principles

 of a renewed mind4 ,who can contemplate
 the debased condition of the body1 who 
can realize the amazing change which    
flesh and blood is heir to--the icy     
coldness1 the stony insensibility1 the  
universal inanimation that pervades the 
whole frame1 the putrefaction to which  
it is subject1 and the general          
loathsomeness of that which once        
appeared the fairest structure amongst  
the works of ,god1 without an           
instinctive shuddering1 and without     
perceiving that faith alone can give the
 victory over death8 ,there is nothing  
surely in the state of the body after   
this event to indicate a future         
existence1 but rather every thing to    
perplex such a sentiment1 and to        
confound such an expectation4 ,there is 
nothing in its aspect which seems to    
foretel life--nothing to predict        
resuscitation4 ,in general1 however     
desperate the case1 hope is sustained by
 the most trifling circumstances1 the   
feeblest glimmerings of the yet         

unextinguished lamp2 if there be the    
gentlest breath1 or the slightest       
motion1 the solicitude of wakeful       
tenderness is still maintained1 and the 
possibility at least of a return to     
health is admitted as a welcome and not 
irrational idea2 but when the breath    
entirely fails1 when motion is          
paralyzed1 when the lamp is extinct1    
whence can any thought of a revival be  
obtained8 ,what succeeds the fatal      
moment1 but progressive decay8 ,and who 
can discover the least trace of an      
indication that the departed friend will
 resume his life8 ,every hour seems to  
widen the breach1 to increase the       
distance that separates the dead from   
the living1 and to complete the triumph 
of our mortal foe4 ,all the powers of   
nature in combination would prove       
incompetent to produce life in the      
smallest particle--the most             
insignificant atom of dust2 and hope    
naturally expires when animation ceases4
 ,when ,christians1 therefore1 are      

required to part with their companions1 
or to die themselves1 their only        
confidence must be in ,god2 and whoever 
cannot receive his word1 and rely upon  
the assurances which he has given with  
regard to the exercise of divine power  
in the recovery of man from the grave1  
has no adequate consolation amidst the  
desolations that await him4  ,christians
 also must pass through the change of   
death1 because the glory of ,jesus      
,christ in the resurrection could not   
otherwise be so illustriously displayed4
 ,never did the character of the ,son of
 ,god appear with more commanding       
majesty than when he recalled the spirit
 of ,lazarus from the invisible state1  
and at a word raised his body from the  
sepulchre4 ,lazarus1 said he1 come      
forth3 the summons entered the ear of   
death1 and the last enemy felt himself  
destroyed4  ,the scene is infinitely    
cheering4 ,though we fade as a leaf1    
dropping one by one into the tomb like  
the foliage of autumn2 the eternal      

spring advances1 when they that are in  
the grave shall hear his voice1 and     
shall come forth--renewed in vigour1    
purified in character1 perfected in     
felicity--to return no more to this     
sublunary sphere1 to descend no more to 
the dust1 to struggle no more with sin  
and sorrow1 to be assaulted no more with
 the fiery darts of the devil4  ,death  
is so truly alarming to human nature and
 to shortsighted reason1 so calculated  
by its external appearances to fill the 
mind with anxiety1 that in order to     
suppress our fears and cherish our      
hopes1 it seemed requisite to bring     
another existence into the nearest      
possible view1 to render it in a sense  
visible1 and to embody immortality4 ,in 
the resurrection of ,lazarus1 as well as
 by other miraculous manifestations1    
this great purpose was effected4 ,we    
perceive incontestably that death is not
 annihilation1 and that the appearance  
which it assumes of an extinction of    
being is not a reality4 ,that power     

which was exerted in one case1 reason   
says may1 and revelation declares shall1
 be exerted in another2 and that1 by the
 voice of ,omnipotence1 all the saints  
shall be raised at the last day from the
 abodes of darkness and silence4 ,it is 
here ,christianity takes her firmest    
stand--here she discloses her brightest 
scenes6 ,glorious expectation of rising 
to eternal life1 and through ,jesus1 the
 first begotten of the dead1 becoming   
superior to our most formidable enemy6  
,what a train of happy beings will then 
be witnesses of his glory1 trophies of  
his power1 and inhabitants of his       
kingdom6 ,this will be the jubilee of   
all ages1 the anticipation of which is  
well calculated to suppress our         
anxieties1 and quicken us to every duty4
  ,what mutual congratulations must have
 circulated through the family of       
,lazarus1 when he was restored to the   
affectionate embraces of his sisters6   
,what a renewal of love would take place
 on that happy day6 ,how was their      

sorrow turned into joy1 and their       
lamentations info praises6 ,what a      
triumph of mind did they feel over the  
grave1 and what expressions of gratitude
 to their ,deliverer burst from every   
heart6 ,but who can imagine the         
transports of that moment1 when the same
 power that raised ,lazarus from the    
tomb1 shall be exerted upon every       
believer in ,jesus1 who shall meet the  
,lord in the air1 and be introduced to  
the eternal society of kindred minds2   
when the redeemed world shall assemble  
on the celestial shore1 to recount their
 past labours and mercies1 to renew     
their spiritual fellowship1 to hail each
 other's escape from the conflicts1 the 
temptations1 and the diversified evils  
of mortal life1 to behold the glory of  
,him who has washed them in his blood   
and saved them by his grace1 to take    
possession of their destined thrones1   
and to mingle their strains of          
acknowledgment with the holy by innings 
of the blest6  ,how terrible then is    

death1 but how delightful6 ,death is the
 end of life2 death is the beginning of 
existence6 ,death closes our prospects1 
and death opens them6 ,death debases our
 nature--death purifies and exalts it6  
,let me die the death of the righteous1 
and let my last end be like his6        
,curiosity1 ever disposed to pry into   
what the wisdom of ,god has not thought 
proper to reveal1 has frequently        
inquired into the history of ,lazarus   
after his resurrection4 ,it has been    
asked1 what were his feelings1 what the 
nature of his recollections1 and what   
the topics of his conversation8 ,did he 
communicate to his sisters any important
 intelligence from the invisible state1 
or was he withheld by any divine        
interdiction from explaining the secrets
 of his prison-house8 ,was it not to be 
expected that some record of those      
transactions in which he afterward      
engaged1 or of the manner in which he   
was at last removed from the world1     
should have been given in ,scripture1 or

 of the impressions of his mind         
respecting the amazing changes which he 
had experienced8  ,the probability is1  
that ,lazarus had no remembrance of the 
state into which he had passed during   
the four days of his interment2 and     
that1 as it could answer no good purpose
 to himself or others to perpetuate in  
this world impressions suited only to   
the spirit in another condition of      
existence1 the images of those realities
 were obliterated from his mind1 like   
the visions of a dream that have for    
ever vanished away4 ,it is sufficient   
for us1 as it was enough for him1 to    
know that the doctrine of the           
resurrection was exhibited to the ,jews1
 with an evidence which1 but for the    
violence of their prejudices1 must have 
proved to all1 as it did to many of     
them1 irresistibly convincing4  ,six    
days before the passover1 ,lazarus      
appears again upon the page of          
,scripture history1 at supper with      
,jesus at ,bethany2 but our attention is

 less directed to him than to his       
sisters and their divine ,guest4        
,martha1 as usual1 was busied with      
domestic preparations2 and ,mary1 with  
her characteristic zeal and affection1  
took a pound of ointment of spikenard1  
very costly1 and anointed the feet of   
,jesus1 and wiped his feet with her     
hair3 and the house was filled with the 
odour of the ointment4  ,the disciples  
were displeased at what they deemed this
 waste of the rich balsam1 and murmured 
against her4 ,one of them especially1   
,judas ,iscariot1 exclaimed1 ,why was   
not this ointment sold for three hundred
 pence1 and given to the poor8 #ci ,but 
this objection1 so far from being       
dictated by any kindness for the needy1 
arose entirely from his eagerness to    
increase the store with which he was    
intrusted1 and which he was intending to
 appropriate to himself4 ,aware of this 
design1 and disapproving the            
uncharitable disposition manifested by  
his disciples1 ,jesus reproved them2 and

 expressed his satisfaction with ,mary's
 conduct as indicative of a regard for  
which she should hereafter be celebrated
 throughout the world4 ,he intimated    
that he should soon leave them1 and that
 this might be considered as an         
expression of fondness towards a friend 
who might be almost viewed as already   
dead1 and to whom she would have few    
other opportunities of testifying her   
affection4  ,and shall not we be ready  
to consecrate our most valued           
possessions to the service of such a    
,master8 ,shall we hesitate to devote to
 him whatever he claims1 or whatever we 
can bestow8 ,shall we feel a moment's   
reluctance to aid his cause by the      
application of some considerable part of
 our pecuniary resources to his church  
and people8 ,he has bequeathed his poor 
to our care1 and it is a solemn charge2 
neglecting which we shall miss the honor
 of his final benediction2 but          
fulfilling it1 we may indulge the       
delightful hope that he will recompense 

even the most trifling attention1 and   
inscribe upon each future crown1 in     
characters visible to the whole         
intelligent universe1 he or she ,,hath  
,,done ,,what ,,she ,,could4      ,the  
,poor ,widow4  ,chapter ,,viii4         
,account of ,christ's sitting over      
against the ,treasury--,he particularly 
notices the ,conduct of an obscure      
,individual--,she casts in two          
,mites--it   is to be viewed as a       
religious ,offering--the ,ground on     
which it is   eulogized by ,christ--the 
,example honorable to the female        
,sex--,people   charitable from         
different ,motives--two ,reasons which  
might have been   pleaded as an ,apology
 for withholding this ,donation1 she was
 poor and a   ,widow--,her pious        
,liberality notwithstanding--all have   
,something to   give--the most trifling 
,sum of ,importance--the ,habit of      
bestowing in   pious ,charity           
beneficial--,motives to ,gratitude      
deduced from the   ,wretchedness of     

others1 the ,promises of ,god1 and the  
,cross of ,jesus4   ,uncharitableness   
does not seem to have been              
characteristic of the ,jews at any      
period of their history1 who erred      
rather on the side of ostentation than  
of parsimony4 ,during the three great   
annual festivals1 the offerings to the  
temple were very considerable1 and of   
various kinds2 although1 in the time of 
,christ1 the country was in a state of  
comparative depression1 as tributary to 
the ,roman empire4 ,many individuals1   
however1 were no less distinguished for 
their liberality than their opulence4   
,but it is common to be deceived by     
appearances2 and an action which we may 
estimate as good1 may be of little value
 in the sight of that ,being who        
searcheth the reins and hearts1 and who 
will give to every one according to     
their works4  ,in the history before us 
our ,saviour is represented as sitting  
over against the treasury2 for though on
 every proper1 and almost on every      

possible occasion1 he addicted himself  
to solitude1 both for the purpose of    
exemplifying the propriety of frequent  
retirement1 and of obtaining spiritual  
refreshment2 yet1 at other times1 he    
mixed with society to notice and to     
correct the follies of mankind4 ,his    
observant eye could not overlook the    
minutest diversities of human character2
 and he never permitted a favorable     
opportunity of deducing from these      
appearances salutary lessons for his    
disciples1 to pass unimproved4 ,happy1  
thrice happy men1 to have such an       
,instructer at hand--to live so near the
 ,light of the world--to have constant  
and intimate access to him1 in whom     
dwelt all the treasures of wisdom and   
knowledge6 ,and happy1 thrice happy we1 
notwithstanding our comparative         
disadvantages of time and circumstance1 
who possess the recorded instructions of
 the faithful and true ,witness1 in the 
page of inspiration1 while darkness     
covers so vast a proportion of the      

earth1 and gross darkness the people6   
,in the situation which ,jesus had      
chosen1 he distinctly saw the people    
casting money into the treasury1 and    
particularly noticed the large sums     
which many rich persons contributed to  
this sacred fund4 ,little did they      
suspect what an eye was upon them1      
watching their movements1 and estimating
 their motives6 ,it is probable that the
 majority of those who came to present  
their gifts on this occasion1 had no    
personal knowledge of the ,saviour1 who 
assumed no extraordinary appearance1    
excepting that of extreme poverty of    
condition and deep humiliation of       
spirit2 and that of those who might     
recognize him1 some had been so         
discomfited by his superior wisdom in   
the field of argument1 as to feel no    
inclination either to dare another      
contest1 or to submit to his decisions2 
others were too indolent to make        
inquiries after heavenly truth1 too     
ignorant to penetrate beyond his humble 

exterior1 or too fearful to incur the   
censure of ecclesiastical authority1 for
 seeming by a respectful approach to    
become his disciples2 while few1 if any1
 who passed by1 were aware that he knew 
what was in man4  ,if there were many   
among the wealthy contributors to the   
treasury who gave from motives of vanity
 and ostentation1 it is reasonable to   
believe that others were characterized  
by genuine benevolence1 and as such     
approved by their unknown observer4     
,they were not influenced either by a   
spirit of rivalry or pride1 but devoutly
 wished to be serviceable to religion   
and acceptable to ,god4 ,if some came in
 the temper of the boasting ,pharisee1  
who is represented as professing to pray
 in these words1 ,god1 ,i thank thee    
that ,i am not as other men are1        
extortioners1 unjust1 adulterers1 or    
even as this publican3 ,i fast twice in 
the week1 ,i give tithes of all that ,i 
possess--others1 no doubt1 as they cast 
in the liberal offering1 felt if they   

did not exclaim with the publican1 ,god1
 be merciful to me a sinner4  ,although 
the ,son of ,god has reassumed his      
glory1 being exalted far above all      
principality1 and power1 and might1 and 
dominion1 and every name that is named1 
not only in this world1 but also in that
 which is to come2 he minutely          
investigates the characters and actions 
of men1 and will hereafter appear in the
 clouds of heaven with power and great  
glory1 for the purpose of rendering to  
every man according to his deeds4 ,the  
proceedings of that day will be marked  
by the utmost impartiality and justice1 
founded upon a perpetual and complete   
inspection of all human actions1 and a  
most perfect knowledge of their motives4
  ,can we think1 ,o ,saviour1 that thy  
glory hath diminished aught of thy      
gracious respects to our beneficence8 or
 that thine acceptance of our charity   
was confined to the earth8 ,even now    
that thou sittest at the right hand of  
thy ,father's glory1 thou seest every   

hand that is stretched out to the relief
 of thy poor saints here below4 ,and if 
vanity have power to stir up our        
liberality1 out of a conceit to be seen 
of men2 how shall faith encourage our   
bounty in knowing that we are seen of   
thee1 and accepted by thee8 ,alas6 what1
 are we the better for the notice of    
those perishing and impotent eyes1 which
 can only view the outside of our       
actions2 or for that waste wind of      
applause1 which vanisheth in the lips of
 the speaker8 ,thine eye1 ,o ,lord1 is  
piercing and retributive4 ,as to see    
thee is perfect happiness1 so to be seen
 of thee is true contentment and glory4 
,and dost thou1 ,o ,god1 see what we    
give thee1 and not see what we take away
 from thee8 ,are our offerings more     
noted than our sacrileges8 ,surely1 thy 
mercy is not more quicksighted than thy 
justice4 ,in both kinds our actions are 
viewed1 our account is kept2 and we are 
as sure to receive rewards for what we  
have given1 as vengeance for what we    

have defaulted4 ,with thine eye of      
knowledge1 thou seest all we do2 but we 
do well1 thou seest with an eye of      
approbation6 #dj  ,after stating the    
general notice which ,jesus ,christ took
 of the variety of opulent contributors 
to the treasury1 the sacred narrative   
informs us of his particularly remarking
 the offering of a certain individual1  
whom he exhibited to his disciples as a 
pattern of unrivalled generosity4 ,the  
comparative value and magnitude of this 
gift are recorded2 and though the name  
of this honorable character is          
concealed1 the benevolent deed can never
 be forgotten4  ,we are not informed of 
the sums given respectively by wealthy  
persons upon this occasion1 but only in 
general that they were very             
considerable3 many that were rich cast  
in much4 ,it is astonishing what large  
contributions have been sometimes       
advanced for charitable and other       
religious purposes3 and from knowing    
that ,jesus ,christ selected for remark1

 and distinguished by an extraordinary  
eulogium1 the offering of a certain     
woman to the treasury1 we are eager to  
inquire who was the donor1 and what the 
gift so celebrated4  ,but we must       
suspend our prejudices4 ,let us         
remember1 that ,god seeth not as man    
seeth--that our calculations of value   
and of magnitude are often false1       
because we do not use the balances of   
the sanctuary1 but are governed by the  
erroneous opinions of mankind--and then 
we shall be prepared to learn1 that on  
that memorable day1 when ,jesus sat over
 against the treasury beholding the     
numerous and splendid donations of the  
rich1 a female1 a widow1 cast in more   
than they all--more than any one        
individually1 and more than all         
collectively6  ,what then were her      
resources8 ,was she some ,eastern       
potentate1 who1 like the queen of       
,sheba1 came to ,jerusalem with a very  
great train1 with camels that bare      
spices1 and very much gold and precious 

stones--a queen who was able to present 
,solomon with a hundred and twenty      
talents of gold1 and of spices very     
great store1 and precious stones8 ,no1  
she was a poor widow6 ,our astonishment 
increases4 ,but some poor persons have  
great future prospects1 or great present
 connections4 ,had she then sold an     
hereditary reversion1 or borrowed       
extensively of some wealthy friends1 and
 impelled by a zeal for ,god1 given it  
to the treasury8 ,no--she gave only out 
of her poverty--she threw in two mites1 
which make a ,,farthing1 or about two   
pence1 according to the proportionate   
value of ,english money4 #da ,this was  
the donation that led ,jesus to call his
 disciples1 and address them thus1      
,verily1 ,i say unto you1 that this poor
 widow hath cast more in than all they  
which have cast into the treasury3 for  
all they did cast in of their abundance2
 but she of her want did cast in all    
that she had1 even all her living4  ,it 
is proper to remark1 that this gift was 

rather religious than charitable1 the   
offering of piety as distinguished from 
that of almsgiving4 ,this will be       
obvious1 upon considering that the      
contributions to the treasury were not  
for the support of the poor1 but for the
 supply of sacrifices and other         
necessary services4 ,dr4 ,lightfoot     
states that there were thirteen         
treasure-chests1 called ,shopheroth1 and
 collectively ,corban or ,corbonah1     
which were placed in that part of the   
temple denominated the ,court of the    
,women4 ,two of these chests were for   
the half shekel1 which every ,israelite 
was to pay according to the law2 and    
eleven others were appropriated to the  
uses specified in their respective      
inscriptions4 #a4 ,for the price of the 
two turtle-doves1 or two young pigeons4 
#b4 ,for the burnt-offering of birds4   
#c4 ,for the money offered to buy wood  
for the altar4 #d4 ,for those who gave  
money to buy frankincense4 #e4 ,for     
those who offered gold for the          

mercy-seat4 #f4 ,for the residue of the 
money for the sin-offering4 #g4 ,for the
 residue of the money for a             
trespass-offering4 #h4 ,for the residue 
of an offering of birds4 #i4 ,for the   
surplus of a ,nazarite's offering4 #aj4 
,for the residue of a leper's           
trespass-offering4 #aa4 ,for whosoever  
would offer an offering of the herds4   
,our ,saviour eulogized the gift of this
 good woman less1 probably1 on account  
of its comparative superiority to the   
more splendid donations of opulent      
contributors to the treasury1 whose     
circumstances were so widely different  
from hers1 than because her motives were
 more pure and pious4 ,the intention to 
purchase renown or self-approbation1    
diminishes the excellence of the most   
costly offering2 while the simple desire
 to honour ,god and promote his cause1  
superadds substantial worth to the      
meanest donation4 ,jesus ,christ        
perceived the workings of genuine faith 
and love in this woman's heart1 and     

estimated them at a price above the     
choicest jewels or the purest gold4  ,he
 saw and he approved the holy zeal of   
her mind1 and well knew that the        
operations of her benevolence were      
restricted solely by the limitation of  
her means4 ,these alone presented an    
impassable barrier to a liberality of   
spirit which impelled her far beyond the
 allowance of a timid policy1 or a      
calculating prudence2 and we may        
reasonably conclude1 that she knew no   
regret at the scantiness of her         
pecuniary resources1 and the            
inferiority1 of her condition1 save what
 originated in perceiving her small     
capacity of usefulness4 ,she who could  
cast into the treasury the only two     
mites that she possessed1 would have    
adorned a higher station4 ,had          
,providence placed her amongst the      
princesses of the earth1 while she      
retained such a disposition1 what an    
extensive blessing to society would she 
have proved6 ,such1 however1 in two many

 instances1 is the corrupting influence 
of large possessions1 that it is always 
questionable1 whether in the very great 
majority of cases an increase of riches 
would not deteriorate the principle of  
benevolence2 and whether1 if placed     
amidst the splendid scenes of elevated  
rank1 our eyes would not be soon so     
dazzled1 as to incapacitate us either   
for seeing the wants of the poor1 or the
 necessities of the church of ,christ4  
,how exquisite and how enviable must    
have been the feelings of this pious    
woman1 when she cast her last two mites 
into the treasury6 ,what a noble        
generosity6 what disinterested zeal6    
,she could not delay a moment to inquire
 respecting the means of her future     
subsistence1 or the comfort of the      
present day2 the impulse was too        
powerful to be resisted1 and was amply  
recompensed by an instantaneous         
enhancement of her happiness4  ,this    
example is highly honorable to the      
female sex4 ,it is not the language of  

flattery1 but of truth1 to say that they
 are distinguished by acute sensibility1
 quick sympathy1 and persevering        
patience in doing good4 ,they are       
naturally compassionate1 and have the   
best opportunities of gratifying a      
charitable disposition4 ,from           
constitution they are more susceptible1 
from habit more considerate1 and from   
character more prompt than the other sex
 in promoting benevolent purposes4 ,they
 generally require less urging to useful
 measures1 and the flame of charity     
often burns with more brightness and    
perpetuity in their bosoms4  ,in the    
church of ,christ1 women have ever been 
pre-eminent in numbers and in character2
 they have been the first to profess    
,christ1 and the last to dishonour him2 
they have joined the train of his       
followers1 borne the reproach of his    
accusers1 sustained the cross of        
self-denial1 and aspired to the crown of
 martyrdom2 they are recorded with      
marked distinction by an apostolic pen1 

,women received their dead raised to    
life again1 and others were tortured1   
not accepting deliverance1 that they    
might obtain a better resurrection2--in 
a word1 whenever they have been required
 to suffer for ,christ1 they have       
willingly surrendered life with all its 
joys2 and whenever called to maintain   
his cause by pecuniary supplies1 they   
have been found ready1 like the poor    
widow1 to give even to their last two   
mites4  ,some persons will not be       
liberal1 unless they can be praised4    
,they are anxious to see their names    
exciting public attention1 and their    
benefactions proclaimed upon some public
 list4 ,if you will allow them to be    
seen of men1 they will reconcile        
themselves to make some sacrifice for   
the good of others2 and overcome their  
heartfelt reluctance to give1 when they 
are assured of being repaid in a        
proportionate measure of fame4 ,and     
thus1 in fact1 their charity is nothing 
but a sordid traffic2 they barter for   

renown1 and aim to insure the recompense
 before they hazard the gift4 ,but we   
may be assured1 that this is of all     
speculations the meanest1 the most      
detestable1 and ultimately the most     
ruinous4 ,the poor widow had no         
suspicion of the kind of observance to  
which she was exposed1 and no wish to   
attract attention4 ,she silently dropped
 her money into the chest1 and departed4
 ,the whole world was1 in her           
estimation1 ignorant of the deed2 and   
the whole world could not have bestowed 
upon her so rich a gratification4       
,persons of the class alluded to will   
sometimes admit of concealment4 ,they   
adopt many measures to hide their virtue
 from the eyes of others2 they will by  
no means court public attention1 or     
allow a formal publication of their     
deeds3 but if perchance they are        
whispered abroad1 if any indiscretion   
betrays them1 if though not written1    
they are stated2 they are the last      
persons on earth to feel any offence1   

and congratulate themselves on having   
effectually secured the applauses of    
mankind4  ,good actions1 as the         
admirable ,achbishop ,leighton remarks1 
cannot well be hid2 and it may sometimes
 be necessary for example and exciting  
others1 that they know of it2 but take  
heed that vanity creep not in under     
this4 ,and further than either          
unavoidable necessity1 or some evident  
further good of thy neighbour carries   
it1 desire to be unknown and unseen in  
this4 ,when it must be public1 let thy  
intention be secret2 take no delight in 
the eyes of men on thee2 yea1 rather    
count it a pain2 and still eye ,god     
alone1 for he eyes thee4 ,and remember  
it even in public acts of charity1 and  
other such like1 he sees in secret2     
though the action be no secret1 the     
spring1 the source of it1 is2 and he    
sees by what weights the wheels go1 and 
he still looks upon that1 views thy     
heart1 the bidden bent and intention of 
it1 which man cannot see4 ,so then1     

though in some cases thou must be seen  
to do1 yet in no case do to be seen3    
that differs much2 and where that is1   
even the other will be as little as it  
may be4  ,there are other persons who1  
though they cannot in all cases be      
censured for penuriousness1 have imbibed
 a very pernicious error4 ,they plead   
that they have scarcely sufficient for  
themselves1 that they cannot therefore  
afford to contribute even to a good     
cause2 and that if they were to do any  
thing1 it must necessarily be so little 
as to be useless4 ,what1 say they1 could
 our insignificant donations avail in   
aid of a fund which requires the most   
liberal and constant supplies8 ,could   
our drop of charity materially increase 
the tide1 or swell the ocean8 ,would it 
become us to take from our few          
necessities1 what could not much augment
 the comforter minister to the wants of 
others8 ,or does ,god require that his  
cause should be sustained by the poor1  
and the poorest of the poor1 when he can

 command the purses of the opulent1 or  
turn the stones of the desert into gold4
  ,to this reasoning the instructive    
history we are considering is a direct  
reply4 ,there were two circumstances in 
her lot1 which not only merited         
compassion1 but would have furnished as 
strong arguments against her            
contributing to the treasury as it is   
perhaps possible to adduce4  ,she was in
 the first place ,,poor--poor in the    
extreme2 for when she cast in two mites 
it was all her living ,poverty is       
helpless4 ,it does not possess the means
 of alleviating its own distresses1 much
 less of assisting others to any        
considerable extent4 ,wealth1 says      
,solomon1 maketh many friends1 but the  
poor is separated from his              
neighbour--separated by his neighbour's 
selfishness1 who is too much occupied   
with his own concerns to cast his eyes  
beyond the narrow limits of personal    
interest--separated by his neighbour's  
insensibility1 whose heart is often cold

 and motionless to pity as the stone    
which paves his doorway--separated by   
his neighbor's avarice1 who idolizes    
gold1 and grasps it with unyielding     
tenacity--separated by his neighbour's  
pride1 who looks with contempt upon his 
unoffending inferior--separated by his  
neighbour's servility1 who flatters     
greatness even by acquiescing in its    
unfounded dislike of the poor--ah6 the  
poor is separated from his neighbour6   
,you plead poverty as an excuse for     
disregarding every claim upon you2 but  
are you as destitute as this obscure yet
 excellent woman1 who had but a         
farthing1 and gave it even without      
solicitation8 ,be encouraged by         
recollecting who observes and who can   
repay you4 ,indeed the poor of every    
class were the particular objects of the
 ,saviour's attention during his        
residence on earth2 and he has rendered 
the tattered garment of poverty         
respectable by having worn it himself4  
,there is one consideration1 above all  

others1 which seems to appeal most      
forcibly to the inferior classes of     
society in behalf especially of the     
cause of ,christ1 and to urge some1 even
 the smallest donations1 to the         
treasurer1 of the ,christian temple1    
however incapacitated they may be for   
other benevolent exertions1 namely1 that
 poverty appears to be the peculiar     
object of divine complacency and        
provision4 ,it is the common condition  
of the people of ,god1 who hath chosen  
the poor of this world1 rich in faith   
and heirs of the kingdom which he hath  
promised to them that love him4 ,the    
vale of poverty seems to be the         
favourite walk of celestial mercy4 ,here
 she distributes her charities--here she
 spreads her table--here she sends her  
ministers of grace4 ,it was here the    
,saviour went about doing good4 ,the    
discourses he delivered were adapted to 
the poor--he consulted their capacities1
 instructed their minds1 felt for their 
circumstances1 and relieved their       

necessities4 ,whom others despised he   
honored--whom others forsook he         
sought--whom others suffered without a  
sigh to perish1 he supplied1 and        
comforted1 and saved6  ,the ,gospel     
itself was expressly addressed to the   
poor1 and is peculiarly suited to their 
condition2 and the messengers of heaven 
are directed to go out into the highways
 and hedges to compel men to come in4   
,the promises of ,scripture are         
peculiarly appropriated to the          
necessities of the poor4 ,they have no  
money2 hence the blessings of the       
everlasting covenant are described as   
wine and milk1 and are to be procured   
without money and without price4 ,the   
poor are subject to fatigue through     
excess of labor2 hence it is the weary  
and heavy-laden1 whom ,christ invites to
 come to him1 promising them rest4 ,the 
poor1 being deprived of those means of  
mental cultivation which the rich enjoy1
 are usually ignorant2 hence the source 
of the ,redeemer's grateful appeal to   

the ,father1 ,thou has hid these things 
from the wise and prudent1 and hast     
revealed them unto babes4 ,the poor are 
the servants of others2 hence we read of
 the liberty wherewith ,christ hath made
 us free1 and if the ,son make you free 
ye shall be free indeed4 ,the felicities
 of the invisible state are represented 
in terms which form a complete contrast 
to the present condition of the poor4   
,are they now the tenants of the lowly  
cottage8 ,in my ,father's house are many
 mansions--we have a building of ,god1 a
 house not made with hands1 eternal in  
the heavens4 ,must they now look on all 
the fields around them1 and sigh to     
think that they belong to another8'     
,through the grace of the ,gospel they  
anticipate an inheritance incorruptible1
 undefiled1 and that fadeth not away4   
,are they now clothed in wretched       
attire8--they may expect to be adorned  
with white robes and a crown of glory4  
,are they now in a state of             
obscurity--their names unknown--their   

condition mean and despised8--hereafter 
they shall have a name better than of   
sons and daughters2 they shall shine as 
the brightness of the firmament1 and as 
the stars1 for ever and ever4 ,is their 
condition on earth eminently the house  
of mourning8 ,do a scanty meal1 a       
starving family1 a pining partner1 a    
wasting disease for which poverty       
forbids their procuring the most skilful
 means1 frequently excite the bitter1   
the burning1 the unavailing tear8 ,in   
heaven the days of our mourning shall be
 ended1 and ,god himself shall wipe away
 all tears from our eyes4  ,had this    
poor woman been disposed rather to have 
evaded the gift to the treasury than to 
have volunteered so large a donation as 
that of all her living1 the circumstance
 of her being ,a ,,widow would seem to  
have been a sufficient apology4 ,no     
condition of life can be conceived more 
wretched4 ,a widow is deprived2 of the  
object of tenderest regard1 the soother 
of her cares1 the defence of her        

weakness1 and the staff of her life4    
,she is left to bewail in solitude--to  
suffer alone2 or1 if her children       
surround her1 by tracing in their       
features the resemblance of her departed
 husband1 she perpetually opens afresh  
the wound that time was kindly healing1 
and blends her fond caresses with tears 
of unavailing regret4 ,she must now     
support herself--and perhaps struggle to
 supply them1 whose childhood both      
disqualifies them from affording any    
assistance1 and renders the incessant   
vigilance of maternal care essential to 
their very preservation4 ,if1 in        
addition to this1 her poverty           
incapacitates her for resisting the arm 
of oppression1 or vindicating herself   
against the unmerited reproaches of the 
censorious and the impious1 her         
situation is inconceivably deplorable4  
,some part of this description certainly
 applies1 and perhaps all1 to the       
character under consideration4 ,she was 
a poor widow3 and yet the miseries of   

her own state did not prevent her       
casting in a liberal supply1 even all   
her living1 into the treasury of ,god4  
,she trusted for to-morrow to that      
,providence which had supplied her      
to-day2 a confidence which we cannot    
doubt experienced its appropriate       
reward4  ,in addition to these          
considerations1 and as a reply to the   
sophisms already adverted to1 by which  
so many in far superior circumstances to
 this good woman endeavour to fence     
themselves against the charge of        
illiberality1 we remark--  #a4 ,it is by
 no means evident that you have         
absolutely nothing that can be applied  
to the purposes of a pious charity4 ,in 
order to prove this1 it would be        
requisite to show that all your labour  
is scarcely sufficient to procure your  
subsistence--a subsistence that does not
 require or admit the smallest          
redundancy or the least indulgence4 ,you
 must prove that you never pamper one   
appetite or gratify one lust2 and that1 

in compliance with the exhortation of   
,christ1 you take no thought for the    
morrow4 ,this is a case of so extreme a 
nature that its occurrence seems a bare 
possibility1 and will not surely        
exonerate those who1 if they are but    
scantily supplied in comparison with the
 ample abundance which enriches the     
condition of others1 have nevertheless  
the means of a sufficient and perhaps a 
comfortable support4 ,from those who    
possess much1 much is required2 and of  
those who have little something--to     
prove that the spirit of benevolence is 
not extinct1 nor the claims of humanity 
and religion disregarded4 ,you may be   
unable to pour in gold and silver1 but  
surely you can contribute two miles'4   
,it is an excellent piece of advice1 ,if
 thou have but a little1 be not afraid  
to give according to that little2 for   
thou layest up a good treasure for      
thyself against the day of necessity4   
#b4 ,whatever may be our estimate of the
 merit or utility of a small donation1  

the most trifling addition is of some   
importance4 ,the seed which is sown in  
the field of benevolence will bear some 
fruit and help to swell the harvest4    
,the immeasurable extent of sand upon   
the sea-shore is made up of grains1 and 
the loftiest mountains are composed of  
diminutive particles of dust4 ,if the   
millions who are able to contribute     
their mites could be induced to do so1  
the treasury would soon be full2 but if 
they withhold them1 the uncertain1      
capricious1 and ostentatious1 though    
large contributions of the opulent1 may 
fail to replenish it4  #c4 ,the habit of
 giving1 however small the sum1 is      
inconceivably beneficial to the         
contributor himself4 ,it is an important
 means of cherishing in the breast that 
divine principle1 which without exercise
 and use would be likely to languish3   
for whatever sentiments we feel1        
whatever theories we adopt1 and in      
whatever eloquence of language and      
warmth of spirit we expatiate upon the  

excellences of liberality1 unless we    
give to the necessitous ourselves1 the  
heart will become hardened and cold2 and
 a theoretical religion can never       
preserve us from a real impiety4  ,the  
peculiar nature of our religion1        
observes ,dr4 ,barrow1 #db specially    
requires it1 and the honour thereof     
exacts it from us2 nothing better suits 
,christianity1 nothing more graces it1  
than liberality2 nothing is more        
inconsistent therewith1 or more         
disparageth it1 than being miserable and
 sordid4 ,a ,christian niggard is the   
veriest nonsense that can be2 for what  
is a ,christian8 ,what but a man who    
adores ,god alone1 who loves ,god above 
all things1 who reposes all his trust   
and confidence in ,god8 ,what is he1 but
 one who undertaketh to imitate the most
 good and bountiful ,god2 to follow1 as 
the best pattern of his practice1 the   
most benign and charitable ,,jesus1 the 
,son of ,god2 to obey the laws of ,god  
and his ,christ1 the sum and substance  

of which is charity2 half whose religion
 doth consist in loving his neighbour as
 himself6 ,what is he further1 but one  
who hath renounced this world1 with all 
the vain pomps and pleasures of it2 who 
professes himself in disposition and    
affection of mind to forsake all things 
for ,christ's sake2 who pretends little 
to value1 affect1 or care for any thing 
under heaven1 having all his main       
concernments and treasures--his heart1  
his hopes1 and his happiness1 in another
 world8 ,such is a ,christian3 and what 
is a niggard8 ,all things quite         
contrary4 ,one whose practice manifestly
 shows him another thing besides and    
before ,god2 to love mammon above ,god1 
and more to confide in it than in him2  
one who bears small goodwill1 kindness1 
or pity towards his brother2 who is     
little affected or concerned with things
 future or celestial2 whose mind and    
heart are rivetted to this world2 whose 
hopes and happiness are settled here    
below2 whose soul is deeply immersed and

 buried in earth2 one who1 according to 
constant habit1 notoriously breaketh the
 two great heads of ,christian duty1    
'loving ,god with all his heart1 and his
 neighbour as himself4 ,it is1          
therefore1 by comparing those things    
very plain1 that we pretend to reconcile
 gross contradictions and               
inconsistences1 if we profess ourselves 
to be ,christians and are illiberal4 ,it
 is indeed the special grace and glory  
of our religion1 that it consisteth not 
in barren speculations1 or empty        
formalities1 or forward professions2 not
 in fancying curiously1 or speaking     
zealously1 or looking demurely2 but in  
really producing sensible fruits of     
goodness1 in doing 7as ,st4 ,paul       
signifies7 things good and profitable1  
unto men4  ,the story of the poor widow 
is eminently calculated to inspire      
gratitude in the hearts of those who are
 mercifully exempted from the           
wretchedness of such extreme poverty1   
which exposes to the temptation of      

repining at the dispensations of        
,heaven1 and of pursuing improper       
measures for obtaining relief4 ,nor is  
its least evil that of cherishing an    
envious spirit towards those who are in 
superior circumstances4 ,from the abodes
 of penury and want it is indeed a      
pleasing fact that ,divine ,grace has   
chosen its objects1 and from lowly vales
 and humble cottages elevated them to   
thrones of immortality4 ,we hear        
apostles saying1 ,silver and gold have  
we none2 and ,bartimeus1 brought into   
the train of disciples from the         
highway-side1 where he was blind and    
begging4 ,and though it is a delightful 
consideration1 that religion ,can       
alleviate the rigours of want1 and      
infuse sweetness into the bitterest     
waters of sorrow2 yet poverty1 with its 
concomitant evils1 is an affliction from
 which1 in its extreme form1 we may pray
 to be relieved4 ,though in the         
strictest sense1 the ,christian1 like   
the apostle1 while having nothing1 may  

yet be said to possess all things2 yet  
that degree of necessity which arises   
from extreme poverty is far from being  
desirable either for the body or the    
soul4  ,in the most destitute           
circumstances1 however1 the promises of 
our ,father in heaven1 and the examples 
which we find upon sacred record1 are   
encouraging4 ,i have never seen the     
righteous forsaken1 nor his seed begging
 bread--,he causeth the grass to grow   
for the cattle1 and herb for the service
 of man3 that he may bring forth food   
out of the earth2 and wine that maketh  
glad the heart of man1 and oil to make  
his face to shine1 and bread which      
strengtheneth man's heart4 ,of ,zion it 
is asserted1 ,i will abundantly bless   
her provision2 ,i will satisfy her poor 
with bread3 and ,he that walketh        
righteously1 and speaketh uprightly2 he 
that despiseth the gain of oppressions1 
that shaketh his hands from holding of  
bribery1 that stoppeth his ears from    
hearing of blood1 and shutteth his eyes 

from seeing evil2 he shall dwell on     
high3 his place of defence shall be the 
munitions of rocks3 bread shall be given
 him2 his waters shall be sure4         
,remember the interpositions of ,god to 
supply the necessities of the destitute4
 ,go to ,egypt and ,canaan1 and trace   
the wonderful appointments of that      
providence which supplied the famished  
household of ,jacob6 ,go into the       
wilderness of ,sin1 and behold an       
extraordinary kind of dew covering the  
camp of ,israel and sparkling in the    
morning sun1 in fulfilment of the       
prediction1 ,i will rain bread from     
heaven for you6 ,observe the famished   
prophet at the brook ,cherith1 that is  
before ,jordan1 and see the ravens of   
heaven descending with bread and flesh  
to supply ,elijah6 ,follow ,jesus into a
 desert place1 where five thousand      
weary1 wayworn strangers1 besides women 
and children1 are fed by his liberal    
hand and his miraculous power6 ,behold  
the fowls of the air2 for they sow not1 

neither do they reap1 nor gather into   
barns2 yet your heavenly ,father feedeth
 them4 ,are ye not much better than     
they8 ,which of you by taking thought   
can add one cubit unto his stature8 and 
why take1 ye thought for raiment8       
,consider the lilies of the field how   
they grow2 they toil not1 neither do    
they spin3 and yet ,i say unto you1 that
 even ,solomon in all his glory was not 
arrayed like one of these4 ,wherefore1  
if ,god so clothe the grass of the      
field1 which to-day is1 and to-morrow is
 cast into the oven1 shall he not much  
more clothe you1 ,o ye of little faith8 
,therefore take no thought1 saying1     
,what shall we eat8 or ,what shall we   
drink8 or ,wherewithal shall we he      
clothed8 7,for after all these things do
 the ,gentiles seek37 for your heavenly 
,father knoweth that ye have need of all
 these things4  ,o1 how sweetly does    
that spirit rest which reclines upon the
 lap of providence1 and feeds           
contentedly on daily bread6 ,the storms 

may rise and the winds may blow--the    
clamours of human competition may fill  
the air2 but nothing can disturb his    
repose4 ,thou wilt keep him in perfect  
peace1 whose mind is stayed on thee3    
because he trusteth in thee4 ,when      
,solomon was about to ascend his throne1
 how earnestly did he implore superior  
wisdom1 and how readily leave the       
disposal of earthly good to his ,god and
 ,father6 ,and what was the consequence8
 ,god said unto him1 ,because thou hast 
asked this thing1 and hast not asked for
 thyself long life2 neither hast asked  
riches for thyself1 nor hast asked the  
life of thine enemies2 but hast asked   
for thyself understanding to discern    
judgment2 behold1 ,i have done according
 to thy ,words3 lo1 ,i have given thee a
 wise and an understanding heart2 so    
that there was none like thee before1   
neither after thee shall any arise like 
unto thee4 ,and ,i have also given thee 
that which thou hast not asked1 both    
riches and honour3 so that there shall  

not be any among the kings like unto    
thee all thy days4  ,finally1 let us    
deduce motives for consolation under the
 pressure of sorrow1 and for the        
limitation of our wishes to the         
necessary subsistence of life1 from a   
greater than ,solomon4 ,who was it that 
stooped to a manger and a cross8 ,who   
fasted forty days and forty nights in   
the desert1 refusing to employ his power
 in furnishing a miraculous table8 ,who 
had not where to lay his head8 ,who     
lived on the scanty fare of a small     
purse in common with the family of his  
disciples8 ,who withdrew from the       
entertainments of ,jerusalem to the     
humble cottage of ,mary and ,martha1    
cheerfully subsisting on the most homely
 and casual provision8--,,he1 who has   
taught us to limit our desires of       
temporal good within the narrow circle  
of one short request--,,give ,,us ,,this
 ,,day ,,our ,,daily ,,bread4           
,sapphira4  ,chapter ,,ix4      ,mixed  
,constitution of the ,church of         

,christ--benevolent ,spirit of the      
primitive ,believers at                 
,jerusalem--,anxiety of ,ananias and    
,sapphira to   appear as zealous and    
liberal as others--,ananias repairs to  
the ,apostles   to deposit the price of 
his ,possessions--is detected in        
,deception and   dies--similar ,deceit  
and ,death of ,sapphira--,nature and    
,progress of   ,apostasy--peculiar      
,guilt of ,sapphira--,agency of ,satan  
distinctly   marked--diabolical         
influence ascertained--consolatory      
,sentiments   suggested to ,christians4 
,the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a
 man which sowed good seed in his field3
 but while men slept1 his enemy came and
 sowed tares among the wheat1 and went  
his way4 ,but when the blade was sprung 
up1 and brought forth fruit1 then       
appeared the tares also4 ,so the        
servants of the householder came and    
said unto him1 ,sir1 didst thou not sow 
good seed in thy field8 from whence then
 hath it tares8 ,he said unto them1 ,an 

enemy hath done this4444 ,the field is  
the world2 the good seed are the        
children of the kingdom2 but the tares  
are the children of the wicked one2 the 
enemy that sowed them is the devil4     
,this parable1 so descriptive of the    
mixed constitution of the church of     
,christ1 from the primitive times down  
to the present age1 is strikingly       
exemplified in the history of ,ananias  
and ,sapphira4 ,these were some of the  
first tares that appeared in the        
apostolic field of labour2 and we should
 feel grateful that their names and     
characters are transmitted to us upon   
whom the ends of the world are come1 for
 the purpose of salutary warning4 ,their
 singular atrocity was but a more full  
development of the very same evil       
principles that exist in embryo in the  
hearts of mankind in general2 and their 
signal and immediate punishment1 which  
was some deviation from the more        
ordinary methods of ,providence1 which  
permits the tares and the wheat to grow 

together till the harvest or end of the 
world1 was1 under all the circumstances1
 a necessary expression of divine       
displeasure4  ,during the first age of  
,christianity1 when it was propagated by
 apostles and their holy coadjutors1 and
 when ,jesus ,christ1 having so recently
 departed from the world1 had left an   
unusual glow of ardor and affection in  
their minds1 it seems natural to        
anticipate not only extensive success in
 the establishment of ,christian        
churches1 but a peculiar purity in the  
sentiments and conduct of their members4
 ,and where shall we find such union1   
such fervour1 such simplicity1 such     
energy1 as prevailed in that golden age8
 ,persecution separated them indeed1 but
 could not dissolve their attachment    
either to the cause or to each other2 it
 could not extinguish their ever-burning
 zeal4 ,but in vain should we hope for  
perfection even in the purest societies 
on earth4 ,if a ,judas insinuated       
himself amongst the apostles during the 

personal residence of ,christ on earth1 
and under his immediate eye1 it is not  
surprising that an ,ananias and a       
,sapphira intruded into the earliest and
 best of his churches2 nor should it    
prove unduly discouraging to his        
ministers or people at any period1 when 
they witness similar instances of deceit
 and impiety4 ,the more valuable the    
coin1 the greater is the reason to      
apprehend its being counterfeited2 and  
the more excellent religion appears1 and
 the more highly it is esteemed1 the    
greater will be the probable number of  
hypocritical professors4  ,the history  
of these two offenders is intimately    
blended4 ,their sin and punishment were 
similar2 but there1 were some           
circumstances connected with the        
transaction which exhibit the guilt of  
,sapphira in characters of more         
conspicuous enormity4 ,while reviewing  
the inspired narrative1 let us not      
cherish the feeling of ,hazael1 who     
indignantly demanded of the prophet1 ,is

 thy servant a dog1 that he should do   
this6 but1 deeply aware of our inward   
propensities and our moral dangers1 let 
us unite fervent prayer with sleepless  
circumspection1 lest we enter into      
temptation4  ,the church at ,jerusalem  
possessed one peculiarity1 resulting    
from the remarkable exercise of a pure1 
exalted1 disinterested benevolence4     
,rising superior to every selfish       
interest1 and1 in the spirit of         
unbounded love and liberality1          
concurring in every measure that was    
devised to promote the general good2 as 
many as were possessors of lands or     
houses1 sold them1 and brought the      
prices of the things that were sold1 and
 laid them down at the apostles' feet2  
and distribution was made to every man  
according as he had need4 ,the great    
proportion of converts were probably    
indigent1 for in no age have the mighty 
and the noble been attracted by the     
unostentatious simplicity of the        
religion of ,jesus2 but some were       

persons of property4 ,they had lands and
 houses1 with which1 however1 they      
willingly parted to supply the          
necessities of their poorer             
fellow-,christians4 ,this was a         
generosity which could not fail of      
exciting the admiration of the whole    
society1 and of acquiring for them      
considerable influence4 ,while the      
apostles approved their                 
disinterestedness1 the widows1 the      
orphans1 and the indigent of every      
class1 would pour their best            
benedictions upon their heads1 and look 
up lo them as the ministering angels of 
,providence4 ,too often1 indeed1 the    
supplies of benevolence are received    
with a coldness which is truly          
repulsive1 and which bespeaks a secret  
conviction in the minds of the wretched1
 that they have a right to expect1 and  
that the opulent are bound to bestow    
them2 but these were ,christian poor1   
and were influenced1 we should hope1 by 
a gratitude which such benefactions were

 calculated to inspire4 ,at the same    
time1 even the unthankfulness of the    
recipient ought not to shut up our      
bowels of compassion4  ,ananias and     
,sapphira were anxious1 amidst such fine
 specimens of disinterested goodness1   
not to appear backward4 ,they might be  
conscious that the respectability of    
their situation1 and the zeal of their  
profession1 excited expectations amongst
 the other disciples2 and though they   
were certainly under no obligation to   
practise this profuse charity1 they     
seemed unwilling to lose the opportunity
 of enhancing their fame3 ,we may justly
 suspect1 that a long struggle was      
maintained between the love of money and
 the love of applause4 ,they consulted  
together2--they were anxious to devise  
an expedient by which they might gratify
 their vanity1 and yet retain at least  
the principal part of their property4   
,ambition and avarice were to be alike  
gratified1 but they were to contrive the
 concealment of their hypocrisy4 ,with  

this view1 they agreed upon a course of 
meanness and dissimulation1 which       
involved the most tragical consequences4
 ,ananias seems to have proposed1 and   
,sapphira to have abetted1 the          
transaction4 ,with her consent1 which he
 chose to obtain1 and which might have  
been legally necessary1 their estate was
 sold2 and part only of the             
purchase-money was laid at the apostles'
 feet1 as if it were the whole1 and as  
if ,christian charity had dictated this 
liberal distribution of it4             
,hypocrites1 we perceive1 are frequently
 very much influenced by example and    
popular applause4 ,how many ostentatious
 charities may be traced to this        
polluted source6 ,it is not to do good1 
to assist the needy1 to promote the     
cause of ,jesus ,christ2 but to escape  
censure1 or to purchase renown1 that men
 often unite in pious contributions4    
,they will slot be outshone by others1  
or submit to the dishonor of being      
reputed niggardly and ungenerous4 ,but  

however such persons abound in visible  
acts of benevolence1 their charity does 
not resemble the subterraneous rivulet1 
that revives the drooping flower1 and   
refreshes the languishing herb1 wherever
 it directs its secret and silent       
course4  ,what a fine opportunity was   
afforded on this occasion to ,sapphira1 
for fulfilling the high but difficult   
duties of her situation6 ,how would she 
have immortalized her name1 had she     
suggested proper advice to her husband1 
and acted with an upright firmness      
herself6 ,if1 instead of coinciding with
 his impious plan1 she had objected to  
the proposal1 and warned him of the     
probable consequences of his            
dissimulation1 a strong remonstrance    
from so dear a relative might have      
produced the happiest effect upon his   
mind2 and had he still persisted1 would 
at least have vindicated her refusal4   
,wives are indeed required to submit to 
their husbands1 but there are cases in  
which resistance is a virtue of the     

noblest class4 ,if1 transgressing the   
proper bounds of civil dominion1 he     
attempts to lord it over her conscience1
 and urges1 however authoritatively1 her
 concurrence in iniquity1 she must      
steadfastly oppose temptation4 ,however 
painful the contest1 it is honourable4  
,it will be owned in heaven as a war of 
duty and necessity4  ,in some cases1 the
 woman proves the first instigator to   
evil1 or the prime coadjutor in         
mischief2 but1 in others1 her sentiments
 may be sought with advantage4 ,a wise  
man will seldom engage in an affair of  
considerable importance without         
soliciting advice1 for in the multitude 
of counsellors there #es safety2 but who
 so naturally expects1 or who so much   
deserves to be consulted1 as the wife of
 the bosom8 ,her opinion is likely to be
 the most disinterested and the most    
affectionate of any that can be         
obtained2 and if we could obtain a      
faithful history of domestic life1 it   
would appear that a consultation so     

natural and proper1 has often proved the
 means of guiding in perplexity and     
rescuing from error4  ,in the full      
confidence that their scheme had been   
concerted with the utmost privacy1      
,ananias1 after the sale of his         
possessions1 hastened to deposit a part 
of the price in the hands of the        
apostles4 ,he1 no doubt1 expected to be 
welcomed in the warmest terms of        
commendation4 ,with what astonishment   
and horror1 therefore1 must be have     
heard the terrible appeal of ,peter1    
,why bath ,satan filled thine heart to  
lie to the ,holy ,ghost1 and to keep    
back part of the price of the land8     
,whiles it remained1 was it not thine   
own8 and after it was sold1 was it not  
in thine own power8 ,why hast thou      
conceived this thing in thine heart8    
,thou hast not lied unto men1 but unto  
,god6 ,instantaneous as the lightning of
 heaven1 ,almighty vengeance descended  
upon the unhappy criminal1 and withered 
him in a moment4 ,ananias hearing these 

words1 fell down and gave up the ghost2 
and great fear came on all them that    
heard these things4 ,he was immediately 
buried1 and about three hours afterward1
 his wife1 totally unacquainted with the
 melancholy fate of her infatuated      
husband1 and glowing with expectation of
 sharing the praises which the assembled
 disciples1 as she supposed1 were       
bestowing upon their generosity1        
presented herself to the apostles4      
,peter immediately demanded an explicit 
answer to the question1 whether the sum 
which ,ananias had subscribed were the  
real purchase-money of their estate8 ,to
 this she deliberately replied in the   
affirmative4 ,how is it1 said ,peter1   
excited to holy indignation1 how is it  
that ye have agreed together to tempt   
the ,spirit of the ,lord8 ,behold1 the  
feet of them which have buried thy      
husband are at the door1 and shall carry
 thee out4 ,immediately1 to the         
universal astonishment and terror of all
 the spectators1 she fell down at his   

feet and yielded up the ghost2 and the  
young men came in and found her dead1   
and carrying her forth1 buried her by   
her husband4  ,the apostle1 by          
representing the atrocious sin of these 
offenders as lying unto ,god1 and       
tempting the ,spirit of the ,lord1      
intended to intimate that as the        
ambassadors of heaven1 and endowed with 
miraculous powers and discernment1 they 
who attempted to deceive them1 virtually
 offered an insult to that ,holy ,spirit
 that resided in them4 ,they were his   
representatives and agents1 acting by   
his authority and under his influence4  
,god was present with the apostles in a 
manner totally different from the mode  
of his manifestation to any other       
persons2 and in attempting to deceive   
them1 they virtually denied the agency  
of the ,omniscient ,spirit1 in          
communicating to them a capacity to     
discern the inmost motives of the mind4 
,it is not with a view to extenuate the 
guilt of ,ananias or ,sapphira1 but     

merely to detect character and          
illustrate the progress of sin1 that we 
suggest the probability that when they  
first determined upon the sale of their 
estate1 it might be under the impulse of
 a momentary benevolence1 and that the  
device of retaining a part of the price 
was a subsequent consideration4         
,hypocrites are not profoundly          
acquainted with their own hearts1 or    
with all the secret operations of a     
spirit of self-delusion4 ,a sinner does 
not always1 nor perhaps often1 imagine  
the extreme lengths of impiety to which 
one erroneous step may ultimately       
conduct him4 ,if he could be brought to 
see at the period of first indulgence   
the odious outline1 not to say the      
finished picture1 of his future self1 he
 would start with instinctive horror1   
and blush with unutterable confusion4   
,secret wickedness is frequently long   
concealed from all but the eyes of ,god1
 by a religious deportment4 ,it remains 
buried deep in the recesses of the soul 

till occasion exhibits it1 as the needle
 continues at rest till the magnetic    
influence approaches4 ,hence the church 
of ,christ is sometimes astonished and  
alarmed by the misconduct of a character
 in whom1 perhaps1 it had reposed the   
utmost confidence1 or placed the warmest
 affection2 and which1 though           
immediately produced by some sudden     
temptation1 was really the result1 the  
natural1 easy1 and almost necessary     
result of a previous course of secret   
iniquity4 ,the train had been long      
preparing1 but it required some kindling
 touch to produce the explosion4  ,the  
progress to apostacy is1 indeed1 usually
 gradual1 though rapid1 resembling the  
irresistible haste of persons travelling
 down a precipitous path1 or the descent
 of a heavy body towards the earth1     
whose velocity is accelerated in        
proportion as it approaches its         
destination4 ,the first compliance with 
temptation is accompanied with          
misgivings--trembling--                 

restlessness--the very thought of sin is
 admitted with difficulty1 and the      
determination to practise it1 is formed 
amidst a thousand relentings and        
prickings of conscience4 ,still the mind
 lingers with the object--still the     
fancy plays about the forbidden fruit1  
till the hand is stretched forth to     
gather it--an increased appetite is     
superinduced1 accompanied with a        
diminished resolution4 ,how many        
youthful persons1 deterred for a time by
 a religious education and sedate       
habits1 have paused--and paused--and    
paused on the brink of danger2 like     
,csar ere he crossed the ,rubicon2 their
 passions and their conscience have held
 a warm debate--till induced in some    
fatal hour of illusion to comply1 they  
have progressively advanced to a state  
of confirmation in guilt1 and have made 
a covenant with hell6  ,the character of
 ,sapphira seems marked with even a     
deeper stain of guilt than that of her  
husband4 ,she had more time for         

reflection1 and received a salutary     
premonition by the question of ,peter4  
,not to advert to the period in which   
she might probably be left alone during 
the various transactions of the sale of 
the estate1 three hours elapsed between 
the infliction of judgment upon         
,ananias1 and her coming to the         
apostolic assembly4 ,if her concurrence 
in this base action had resulted in any 
degree from mistake1 from momentary     
illusion1 or from mere persuasion1 she  
had time to correct her error by        
immediate repentance3 or if she had     
hitherto sinned with deliberation1 it   
was a time in which conscience might    
hive been heard1 and the wretched       
backslider have yet been reclaimed4     
,this was the golden moment1 the period 
of long-suffering and mercy1 the        
accepted time6 ,repentance was not yet  
too late--return to reason and duty was 
not even now impossible--she might still
 have retracted her steps1 though her   
worthless husband had suffered for his  

iniquity1 and had passed the boundaries 
of time1 the sacred enclosure1 the      
hallowed ground where celestial mercy   
dispenses her pardons4 ,every thing was 
favourable to penitence4 ,she was alone1
 and solitude has sometimes shaken the  
purpose of the sinner1 and opened his   
eyes to an awful perception of the      
atrociousness of guilt4 ,but ,sapphira  
was hardened through the deceitfulness  
of sin4 ,long since she had dismissed   
every compunctious feeling1 and was     
hurried on to perdition by the fiends of
 avarice and vanity1 to whom she had    
resigned the dominion of her soul4 ,the 
inquiry of ,peter1 pointed and          
abrupt--,tell me whether ye sold the    
land for so much8 ,would have startled  
an ordinary transgressor1 and produced  
those sensations of shame and confusion 
which a consciousness of detection is   
calculated to excite--,o1 if she had    
even then trembled1 confessed her       
iniquity1 and sought forgiveness through
 the blood which cleanseth from all sin1

 who will affirm that she could not have
 obtained mercy1 and perhaps escaped    
both temporal and eternal punishment6   
,but she was obdurate4 ,the falsehood   
which ,ananias had acted1 she           
deliberately affirmed1 and justice      
instantly dismissed her to the society  
of her kindred transgressor in a state  
of condemnation4 ,here1 then1 we read in
 characters too legible to be mistaken1 
that it is a fearful thing to fall into 
the hands of the living ,god4  ,if we   
pursue this subject1 it will conduct us 
far beyond the sight of mere temporal   
punishment4 ,sin not only incurs present
 misery1 but has opened the gates of    
despair1 and kindled inextinguishable   
flames4 ,that wrath which must have     
inevitably consumed the whole of ,adam's
 posterity1 but for the ,redeemer's     
interposition1 will rage forever against
 the impenitent and the apostate4 ,thine
 hand shall find out all thine enemies2 
thy right hand shall find out those that
 hate thee4 ,thou shall make them as a  

fiery oven in the time of thine anger2  
the ,lord shall swallow them up in his  
wrath1 and the fire shall devour them4  
,upon the wicked he shall rain snares1  
fire and brimstone1 and a horrible      
tempest2 this shall be the portion of   
their cup4  ,it is surely wonderful to  
holy angels1 that by persevering acts of
 impiety and rebellion1 men should      
voluntarily reduce themselves to a state
 in which it had been good for them if  
they had never been born4 ,can there be 
a more important gift than life1 or a   
more valuable quality attached to it    
than immortality8 ,yet apostates1 by    
their degeneracy1 convert this greatest 
of blessings into a curse--this noblest 
good into an infinite evil4 ,as         
righteousness tendeth to life1 so he    
that pursueth evil1 pursueth it to his  
own death4 ,who can paint the horror of 
that moment1 when the final1 the        
irrevocable sentence will be passed upon
 a guilty race--when ,,infinite ,,love  
will denounce ,,infinite ,,wo--when     

every word proceeding from the mouth of 
eternal justice will prove a poisoned   
arrow1 struck into the destiny of       
transgressors--when that face which has 
always illuminated the regions of glory 
with smiles of ineffable grace1 will    
gather blackness and look despair6 ,o   
what a crush6--what a ruin6--what a     
wreck6--,how many human temples1 defiled
 by intolerable abominations1 will in a 
moment fall into the gulf of perdition  
to supply its everlasting fires6--,what 
lightnings will accompany the thunder of
 his power6--,what fervid heat will melt
 these elements--what terror shake the  
lowest abyss of hell6 ,o1 could we      
descend to the regions of despair1      
whence the smoke of their torment       
ascendeth up forever and ever2 or1      
transported on a seraph's wing1 rise to 
listen only for a single moment1 to     
those rapturous sounds which warble from
 immortal harps1 and bespeak infinite   
felicity--with what feelings should we  
return to this probationary state6 ,how 

should we be alarmed and                
allured--terrified and                  
enraptured--deterred by sights of wo1   
excited by scenes of glory6 but1 if we  
hear not ,moses and the prophets1       
,christ and the apostles3 if ,god who at
 sundry times1 and in divers manners    
spake in times past unto the fathers by 
the prophets1 hath in these last days   
spoken unto us by his ,son1 to no       
purpose3 neither should we be persuaded 
though one rose from the dead4  ,this   
dreadful history ought not to excite    
despondency in trembling saints4        
,ministerial anxieties are principally  
excited by a presumptuous state of mind4
 ,it is not the timid1 the diffident1   
the cautious1 that awaken apprehensions1
 but the forward1 the fearless1 the     
bold4 ,that solicitude which agitates   
the pious mind1 is an effectual antidote
 against the evil it dreads1 while that 
confidence which possesses the          
hypocrite1 prevents the good it         
anticipates4 ,the one obtains through   

fear1 the other loses through           
presumption4 ,the one is victorious1 by 
maintaining a constant petty warfare    
with all his corruptions2 the other is  
over-thrown through rushing fearlessly  
forward1 and falling into the ambuscade 
which ,satan has prepared for him4      
,hypocrisy is contriving1 full of       
artifice1 and arrogant--sincerity is    
quite the reverse1 aiming to be         
right--fearing mistake--avoiding even   
trifling deviations and slight          
compliances-- sitting at the feet of    
,jesus--clothed with humility1--and in a
 right mind6  ,let us adore the grace   
which has hitherto prevented our        
falling1 and humbly depend upon it for  
future preservation4 ,conscious of our  
infantine weakness1 let us lean upon the
 arm of ,omnipotence4 ,under the conduct
 of him who directed the march of       
ancient ,israel by the pillar of cloud  
by day and of fire by night1 wo may hope
 to be upheld1 protected1 and guided in 
our journey to ,canaan4 ,hail1 happy    

hour1 which shall put us in possession  
of our rest6 ,hail1 celestial morning1  
whose bright beams shall disperse the   
shadows of death1 and diffuse the       
splendours of immortal day upon our     
inheritance6  ,in the account of the    
crime by which ,ananias and ,sapphira   
have acquired such an awful celebrity1  
the agency of ,,satan is distinctly     
marked--,why1 said ,peter1 hath ,satan  
filled thine heart8--,this a subject so 
seldom treated1 and yet of such great   
importance1 that it seems proper to     
avail ourselves of this statement1 in   
order to examine it with some attention1
 and to suggest some consolatory        
reflections to the timid ,christian4    
,the earliest mention we have of        
,satanic influence is at the fall4      
,assuming the body of a serpent1 this   
evil spirit attacked the first woman and
 seduced her into a transgression which 
brought death into the world1 and all   
our wo4 ,if ,satan were permitted to    
practise his detestable machinations in 

the earthly paradise1 who will presume  
to say that it is improbable he may yet 
be able to tempt man in the wilderness8 
,he knew the position of human affairs1 
he manifested extraordinary skill in the
 adaptation of the means which he       
employed to promote his purposes1 and in
 the incidental conversation1 which he  
contrived with our first parent2 and    
although ,christians have run into great
 extremes in their estimate of his      
powers1 he unquestionably possesses     
superior knowledge and capacity4 ,his   
talents like those of other wicked      
beings1 are probably not impaired by his
 fall1 but even sharpened and           
invigorated by malignant practice4 ,in  
the aspect of this creation1 and in the 
character of a degenerate world1 we may 
perceive the infernal fiend4 ,we may see
 his dark hand in the strifes of        
society1 supplying the burning fuel to  
intemperate passions and discordant     
societies4 ,we may mark his detestable  
footsteps in the field of death1        

staining provinces with blood1 where    
human brothers are polluted with the    
guilty spirit of assassination1 and     
sacrifice to the glory of war1 the hopes
 of nations1 the comforts of life1 and  
the earthly existence of infuriated     
millions1 unprepared to enter an eternal
 state4 ,in these mighty tempests and   
desolating whirlwinds1 we may hear the  
hissing breath of his malice1 and the   
yell of his infernal joy4 ,if he seduced
 our parent in innocency1 is it         
incredible he should seduce her race in 
their apostasy8 if he were the chief    
agent in the first of sins1 is it       
improbable that he should instigate     
other crimes peculiarly connected with  
human misery and degradation8           
,scripture1 which we take as the lamp to
 our feet1 and light to our path1       
represents delusion as the appropriate  
work of the arch-fiend4 ,it is not for  
us to inquire by what means he operates 
upon the mind1 because we know so little
 of the economy of the spiritual world1 

of the manner in which spirit can       
operate on spirit1 and consequently of  
the nature of that influence which      
superior beings are capable of          
exercising upon others in this world1   
that we could at best only make a vague 
conjecture4 ,it is sufficient for all   
moral purposes to ascertain the fact1   
that such an influence is possible to   
evil spirits1 and permitted by          
,providence1 that it forms a part of the
 trial of good men in this state of     
existence1 and often tends to accelerate
 the too rapid progress of human        
impiety4  ,satan then is possessed of   
great subtlety1 and addicted to wiles1  
snares1 and devices1 for the purpose of 
deluding mankind4 ,he is thus described 
by ,christ3 ,he was a murderer from the 
beginning1 and abode not in the truth1  
because there is no truth in him4 ,when 
he speaketh a lie1 he speaketh of his   
own2 for he is a liar1 and the father of
 it4 ,peter1 in addressing ,ananias     
said1 ,why hath ,satan filled thine     

heart to lie to the ,holy ,ghost8 ,we   
are not ignorant1 says the same apostle1
 of ,satan's devices4 ,if our ,gospel be
 hid1 it is hid to them that are lost3  
in whom the god of this world hath      
blinded the minds of them which believe 
not1 lest the light of the glorious     
,gospel of ,christ1 who is the image of 
,god1 should shine unto them4  ,i fear1 
lest by any means1 as the serpent       
beguiled ,eve through his subtlety1 so  
your minds should be corrupted from the 
simplicity that is in ,christ4 ,in      
speaking of the deceptive practices of  
false apostles1 he thus alludes to      
infernal power--,no marvel2 for ,satan  
himself is transformed into an angel of 
light4 ,and in writing to the           
,ephesians1 ,paul exhorts-- ,put on the 
whole armour of ,god1 that ye may be    
able to stand against the wiles of the  
devil4 ,antichrist is described by a    
similar allusion3 ,even him1 whose      
coming is after the working of ,satan1  
with all power1 and signs1 and lying    

wonders1 and with all deceivableness of 
unrighteousness4 ,and ,i saw an angel   
come down from heaven1 having the key of
 the bottomless pit1 and a great chain  
in his hand4 ,and he laid hold on the   
dragon1 that old serpent1 which is the  
devil1 and ,satan1 and bound him a      
thousand years1 and cast him into the   
bottomless pit1 and shut him up1 and set
 a seal upon him1 that he should deceive
 the nations no more1 till the thousand 
years should be fulfilled2 and after    
that he must be loosed a little season4 
,satan doubtless attacks mankind by     
diversified modes of operation1 and     
deceives them on various occasions and  
by different means4 ,in the parabolical 
representations of our ,lord1 he is     
described as sowing tares in the field1 
and as coming immediately where the word
 is sown1 to take away the word that was
 sown in their hearts4 ,this is indeed a
 figurative statement1 but nevertheless 
descriptive of a fact4 ,the essence of  
the representation is real1 though      

decked out in the attractive garb of    
imagery1 to win attention and to excite 
inquiry4 ,to suppose otherwise in this  
or in other cases1 would be to reduce   
,scripture to the standard of ,tales for
 ,children1 or ,arabian ,nights'        
,entertainments4 ,what1 then1 is the    
truth intended to be conveyed here8 ,it 
is that ,satan possesses some mode of   
access to the human mind1 that he is    
peculiarly attentive to the impression  
which the ministry of the word is       
producing1 and that he uses his utmost  
skill to neutralize its effect3         
probably1 by tempting the hearer to     
doubt its truth1 to dispute its         
importance1 or to defer immediate regard
 to its holy requisitions4 ,and in the  
human heart there is such an ample      
supply of materials upon which to       
work--such a tendency to evil--such     
depravity of spirit--such corruption of 
nature--such love of the world--such    
enmity against ,god1 that he soon       
succeeds in erecting an edifice of      

delusory hope1 in which the deluded soul
 takes shelter from the sharp-pointed   
arrows of ministerial fidelity and      
scriptural appeal4  ,your adversary the 
devil1 is represented as walking about1 
seeking whom he may devour2 which       
intimates the settled enmity of this    
spirit4 ,he is your adversary--at once  
the most malignant1 most subtle1 most   
invisible1 and often least suspected of 
all others4 ,this passage describes his 
powerful superiority2 he is a roaring   
lion--remarkable for fury1 strength1 and
 zeal4 ,it represents his incessant     
activity1 secrecy1 and watchfulness2 he 
walketh about4 ,it proclaims his        
destructive purpose--to devour4 ,he is  
not1 it seems1 confined to place1 but   
fixed in torment1 and destined in all   
ages to suffer a perpetual aggravation  
of his misery1 in consequence of the    
increase of his guilt1 and the frequent 
discomfiture of his devices4  ,the      
severest contests of the ,christian are 
with this adversary1 who1 being         

possessed of insinuating subtlety1      
powerful resources1 constant vigilance1 
distinguished sagacity1 and invisible   
means of operation1 combined with       
infernal malignity1 must be acknowledged
 to be a most formidable foe4 ,it is    
both needless and unscriptural to assign
 ubiquity to ,satan1 but by himself and 
his emissaries he undoubtedly possesses 
a very extensive range in this lower    
world1 and his favourite employment is  
to cherish the rebellious principle1 to 
perpetuate the backsliding character1   
and thus to form the finished apostate4 
,he observes with a vigilant inspection 
every tree planted in the garden of the 
,lord1 and provided there be no real    
fruits of righteousness1 he is not      
displeased at the leaves of profession4 
,he knows this will never prevent the   
decree1 ,cut it down1 why cumbereth it  
the ground8  ,pregnant with horrors as  
this subject appears to be1 the         
,scriptures supply two most desirable   
sources of consolation1 with the mention

 of which ,i shall hasten to conclude   
it4  #a4 ,while considering the terrific
 facts of the existence and works of the
 devil1 recollect the limitation of his 
agency4 ,if no kind of restraint were   
imposed upon his efforts1 if his        
untractable malice were allowed to act  
with all its diabolical force1 and were 
absolutely under no restrictions1 the   
idea of his being and of his malignity  
would be unutterably appalling3 but the 
giant foe is held in the mighty grasp of
 ,omnipotence4 ,his power is only       
permitted to operate to a certain       
extent1 and under the regulations of    
certain laws ordained by the eternal    
mind4 ,he who says to the raging ocean1 
,here shall thy proud waves be stayed1  
assigns the sphere of infernal          
influence1 and places impassable        
barriers of a moral nature to his       
further encroachment4 ,evil of every    
description1 and evil beings of every   
order1 are under divine superintendence 
and control4 ,the lion is chained--the  

dragon cannot add one cubit to his      
stature--a point to his tongue--or a    
drop to his venom4 ,the serpent may     
hiss1 but he cannot devour4  ,the       
influence of ,satan resembles every     
other test that ,divine ,wisdom sees fit
 to apply to human character4 ,it is    
probationary4 ,the people of ,god are   
put to the proof1 and their principles  
subjected to fiery trials4 ,but gold    
will endure the furnace1 and real piety 
will resist the devil1 and he will flee4
 ,he could tempt the ,son of ,god1 and  
he can torment his followers2 but he    
possesses no compulsory power4 ,his     
attacks can never be successful1 unless 
we give them efficacy by our criminal   
negligence and compliance4  ,nor is it  
just to suppose1 as many good people do 
to their inexpressible but useless      
alarm1 that every individual is under   
his constant power1 or every moment     
exposed to his incessant attacks4 ,this 
would be to assign him a degree of      
omnipresence wholly incompatible with   

his nature and the economy of           
providence4 ,like other evil beings he  
walketh about4 ,his movements may be    
more rapid as a spirit1 and his         
capacities more extended and certainly  
his malignity more violent1 than those  
of other wicked beings2 still he is hut 
a creature--he has his appointed sphere 
of exertion--his capacities are         
finite--and he is observed by the       
unsleeping eye of ,god4 ,he may prowl   
around the sheepfold of ,christ1 but the
 guard is too strong for him2 and if he 
seize1 or attempt the feeblest of the   
flock1 ,omnipotence will ultimately     
rescue the prey from the hand of the    
terrible4  #b4 ,let us realize with holy
 satisfaction the destruction of        
,satanic power4 ,for this purpose the   
,son of ,god was manifested1 that he    
might destroy the works of the devil4   
,the apostle ,john1 in his ,revelation1 
describes the devil as cast into the    
lake of fire and brimstone1 where the   
beast and the false prophet are1 and    

shall be tormented day and night forever
 and ever4  ,in conceiving of the       
destruction of this hateful dominion1 we
 may realize it as certain4 ,although   
the issue of the war between good and   
evil1 ,christ and ,belial1 heaven and   
hell1 be deferred to a distant age1 it  
is not doubtful or precarious4 ,it is   
ever present in the eye of ,god1 and    
forms a part of that irresistible       
destiny which infernal power cannot     
avert4 ,there is no escape from the     
chains of darkness which ,omnipotence   
will finally rivet on2 and this         
irreversible doom of fallen spirits is  
essential to the final arrangements of  
that wonderful period1 which will       
develope the consummation of all things4
  ,it is the glory of the religion of   
,christ1 that none of its promises or   
plans are precarious4 ,the hopes of     
,christians cannot be lost in the crush 
of nature or the wreck of the world2 and
 the condemnation of impenitent sinners 
and of ,satan cannot be averted by any  

mistake of evidence1 by any confusion1  
of multitude1 or by any unevenness of   
balance in the scales of justice in the 
day of judgment4  ,the destruction of   
,satan and his power may be considered  
as gradual in the mode of its           
accomplishment4 ,the whole system of    
revealed truth1 from the period of the  
first prediction1 points to this        
predestined end2 and the whole scheme of
 ,providence1 including the rise and    
fall of empires1 the work of ,christ1   
and all the events of time through      
successive generations1 respects this   
mighty and this marvellous result--a    
result connected so essentially with the
 glory of ,god1 the honour of ,christ1  
and the felicity of a redeemed universe4
  ,for this purpose the ,son of ,god was
 manifested that he might destroy the   
works of the devil4 ,but it was not     
deemed fit to do it at once1 and at a   
single blow2 if it had1 he who commanded
 the boisterous winds and the raging    
seas1 and they were still--he who       

expelled demons at a word1 and cured    
diseases by a touch--he whose creative  
energy restored lost limbs to the       
victims of misery--who reanimated the   
dead and the putrifying1 and remanded   
their spirits from an invisible         
state--could have withered at a touch   
the power of hell1 crushed in a moment  
the throne of diabolical authority1 and 
bound the dragon himself in his eternal 
chain4 ,but the wisdom of ,god1 which at
 first permitted evil to stain his moral
 creation1 designs to admit the reign or
 influence of ,satan for an appointed   
period1 and to overturn his dominion by 
a gradual establishment of truth and    
righteousness in the earth4 ,the great  
adversary was smitten by his hand when  
the first promise of salvation was given
 to our race2 the stroke was repeated1  
in successive predictions to ,abraham1  
,isaac1 and ,jacob2 and the death-blow  
inflicted when the expiring ,redeemer   
exclaimed on the cross1 ,it is finished6
 ,still1 like a dying monster1 who raves

 amidst his agonies1 and terrifies      
spectators by his terrific aspect and   
more terrific efforts1 and destroys or  
mangles all who venture within the reach
 of his arm1 ,satan still rages and     
raves--sometimes languishing into       
comparative inaction1 at other times    
breathing out threatening and slaughter 
against the church of ,god--still       
conscious that his power is declining1  
and that the whole system of providence 
is preparing for his final overthrow4   
,this overthrow will be complete4 ,he   
will never more ascend from his         
confinement1 to fill the earth with     
plagues or the church of ,christ with   
terror4 ,the new heaven and earth       
wherein dwelleth righteousness1 will    
never be exposed to his awful           
revisitings--the contest will have for  
ever ended--the struggle eternally      
ceased2 and the harps of angels1 with   
the holy hymnings of ten thousand times 
ten thousand before the throne--        
,blest voices1 uttering praise6  will   

proclaim the full1 the final1 the       
everlasting victory4 ,and in the        
heavenly city there shall be no more    
curse2 but the throne of ,god and of the
 ,lamb shall be in it2 and his servants 
shall serve him3 and they shall see his 
face2 and his name shall be in their    
foreheads4 ,and there shall be no night 
there2 and they need no candle1 neither 
light of the sun2 for the ,lord ,god    
giveth them light3 and they shall reign 
for ever and ever4 7,see ,,appendix47   
,dorcas4  ,chapter ,x4      ,joppa      
illustrious on many accounts1           
particularly as the residence of        
,dorcas--she was a ,disciple of         
,christ--,faith described as the        
,principle   of ,discipleship--the      
inspired ,testimony to the ,character of
 ,dorcas--she   was probably a ,widow or
 an aged ,maiden--,remarks on the       
,reproaches   commonly cast upon the    
latter ,class of ,women--,dorcas        
exhibited as a   ,pattern of liberality1
 being prompt in the ,relief she        

afforded--her   ,charities abundant--and
 personally bestowed--,observations on  
the   ,propriety of visiting the        
,poor--the ,charities of ,dorcas often  
free and   unsolicited--wise and        
conducted upon a ,plan--the ,pretences  
of the   uncharitable stated and        
confuted--,riches only valuable as they 
are used   in bountiful ,distribution4  
,seven of the most celebrated cities of 
antiquity 7,smyrna1 ,rhodes1 ,colophon1 
,salamis1 ,chios1 ,argos1 and ,athens7  
are said to have disputed the glory of  
having given birth to ,homer2 and it    
must be admitted that places and        
families acquire an importance from     
their connection with names which appear
 conspicuous on the page of history1 and
 have been praised by the united voices 
of successive generations4 ,we cannot   
hear1 without an instinctive glow1 of   
the cities of ,rome1 ,athens1 ,sparta1  
,syracuse1 and others which respectively
 produced a ,csar1 a ,demosthenes1 a    
,lycurgus1 and an ,archimedes2 of the   

islands of ,samos and gina1 whence      
emanated the resplendent genius of a    
,pythagoras and a ,plato2 of the        
villages of ,alopece and ,andes1        
immortalized as having produced a       
,socrates and a ,virgil4  ,but let not  
the enchanting annals of ,roman         
literature or ,grecian wisdom detach our
 minds from the nobler records of       
inspiration1 or diminish the conviction 
which religion must ever inspire1 that  
the birth place of benevolence and piety
 is more illustrious than the birthplace
 of genius and philosophy4 ,on this     
principle we look with admiration upon  
the town of ,joppa1 which1 if it cannot 
boast a prodigy of valour1 talent1 or   
learning1 is nevertheless conspicuous as
 the residence of one of whom the world 
was not worthy4 ,she was not1 indeed1   
rich in wealth1 but in good works4 ,she 
was not a conqueror of nations or a     
distributor of crowns1 but a giver of   
alms4 ,she had no name on earth beyond  
the limits of a small ,christian church1

 but her record was on high1 and her    
memorial has not perished with her4     
,joppa was the nearest seaport to       
,jerusalem on the ,mediterranean4 ,it   
was situated in the tribe of ,dan in a  
fine plain1 and has acquired the modern 
name of ,jaffa4 ,this place is          
frequently mentioned in ,scripture4 ,the
 materials for the construction of      
,solomon's temple were sent thither in  
floats1 by ,hiram1 the king of ,tyre1   
whence they were easily conveyed by land
 to ,jerusalem4 ,jonah1 in his flight   
from the presence of the ,lord1 embarked
 at this port1 and gave occasion to the 
mythological fable of ,andromeda4 ,here 
the apostle ,peter enjoyed that         
remarkable vision1 in which he saw      
heaven opened1 and a great sheet        
descending to the earth1 which seemed to
 contain every variety of beasts1 and   
creeping things1 and fowls of the air2  
intimating to him the abolition of the  
,mosaic law1 and the removal of those   
distinctions which had so long separated

 the ,jews and the ,gentiles4 ,it is    
probable ,philip preached the ,gospel   
here in his progress through various    
cities to ,cesarea2 but the history of  
,dorcas1 or1 as she was originally      
called in the ,syriac dialect1 ,tabitha1
 has given it peculiar prominence in the
 sacred page4  ,the memorial of this    
excellent woman is short1 but replete   
with instruction4 ,her character is     
sketched at a stroke1 and by the        
introduction of an incident as full of  
significance and interest as can well be
 imagined4 ,dropping those minute       
details and accidental circumstances    
which are not necessary to character1   
and which the ,new ,testament so seldom 
mentions1 the most instructive part of  
her story is preserved and set in the   
most brilliant point of light4  ,she is 
simply announced1 in the first place1 as
 a certain disciple1 or one that        
embraced the faith of ,christ1 and      
professed it by baptism and a public    
union with his church4 ,whatever might  

be her situation in other respects was  
of little consequence2 this was her     
best1 her most substantial distinction4 
,it invested her with a real glory1     
which however overlooked by those who   
are chiefly attracted by exterior       
splendour1 surpassed every vain and     
glittering honour of the world4 ,it     
raised her to the dignity of a name in  
the volume of inspiration1 and the      
unfading distinction of a place in the  
annals of eternity4  ,how poor and how  
perishable is human fame2 and yet with  
what eagerness is it universally sought6
 ,what is it but like a bubble1 excited 
by some accidental cause1 to sparkle for
 a moment on the stream of passing ages1
 and then to disappear for ever6 ,and   
yet the love of fame has been called1   
and perhaps with propriety1 the ruling  
passion2 for so much does it blend      
itself with human motives1 that there   
are comparatively few of our actions1 at
 least such as are visible to the public
 eye1 which may not be traced to this   

feeling1 or which do not receive a tone 
from its influence4  ,but how shall we  
describe that faith which is often      
mentioned in the ,new ,testament1 which 
so marked the character of ,dorcas1 and 
which1 perhaps1 may not be inaptly      
called the principle of discipleship8   
,this term is of various import1 and of 
very extensive application in           
,scripture4 ,it signifies belief1 and   
refers to testimony either human or     
divine2 but is restricted in its        
evangelical use to the latter4          
,revelation in general is the object of 
faith3 and those invisible realities    
which it discloses to the mental eye are
 seen with equal distinctness1 and      
believed with equal conviction1 as if   
they were capable1 from possessing some 
material quality1 of impressing the     
corporeal senses4 ,faith glorifies its  
great ,object and ,author by paying an  
implicit deference to his authority4 ,it
 asks no other bond than his promise1 no
 other evidence or attestation than his 

veracity4 ,it not only ranges through   
worlds which mortal eye could never     
explore1 but which human reason could   
never discover3 and as by transgression 
man has fallen under the dominion of his
 senses1 it delivers its happy possessor
 from this state of degradation and     
wretchedness4  ,but though this be a    
general signification of the word1 its  
more precise and appropriate use in the 
,gospel is expressed by the phrase1     
believing that ,jesus is the ,christ1   
the ,son of ,god4 ,here the general and 
the particular use are necessarily      
blended4 ,faith is belief--but belief in
 the truth as it is in ,jesus4 ,to      
believe1 in the ordinary sense1 is to   
admit a fact1 to assent to the statement
 of an accredited or respectable        
witness2 to believe in ,jesus as the    
,son of ,god1 is to acknowledge his real
 character1 to perceive his true        
dignity1 to view and to love him1 not   
only as distinguished by perfect        
excellence2 but as specifically the     

,saviour of lost sinners2 for whosoever 
believeth that ,jesus is the ,christ1 is
 born of ,god4 ,faith comprehends what  
he is1 contemplates him in all his      
glorious offices1 and from the manger of
 meanness traces him to the throne of   
power1 relying upon what he has suffered
 and said as the infallible pledge of   
what he will accomplish4 ,it is not only
 well informed1 but humble4 ,it resided 
in his heart who exclaimed1 ,lord1 save 
me6 ,it dictated his language who cried 
out1 ,lord1 remember me when thou comest
 into thy kingdom4 ,it gave efficacy to 
the prayer of that humble petitioner who
 said1 ,speak the word only1 and my     
servant shall be healed4 ,it is pleasing
 to ,god1 essential to salvation1 and   
his own gift3 for ,enoch had this       
testimony1 that he pleased ,god--a man  
is justified by faith--and by grace ye  
are saved through faith1 and that not of
 yourselves1 it is the gift of ,god4    
,faith is not dormant1 but active and   
operative4 ,it resembles good seed sown 

in the cultivated soil1 which expands1  
and grows1 and produces fruit4 ,this    
holy vegetation exists in very different
 degrees of vigour1 according to the    
diversities of ,christian character1 but
 it is apparent in all--the mark of true
 religion1 the pleasing verdant hue that
 covers the whole surface of the        
spiritual creation4 ,we cannot point to 
every pious person as a ,dorcas1 who    
presents a singular fertility of some of
 the noblest graces2 but of all it may  
be said1 the root of the matter is found
 in them1 and their root shall not be   
rottenness1 nor their blossom go up as  
dust4  ,it is the nature of genuine     
faith to stimulate to the most laborious
 duties1 to sustain amidst the most     
poignant sufferings1 to produce the     
greatest purity of character1 to        
communicate the noblest kind of         
happiness of which a creature in the    
present state can be susceptible1 to    
nerve the feeblest arm with strength1 to
 give the dullest eye perception1 above 

all1 to work by love4 ,for these        
reasons1 and because of its transforming
 influence1 we denominated it the       
principle of discipleship4 ,it operates 
by love to its object and to all its    
subjects1 as well as to the divine      
commandments in general2 and influences 
its possessor to practise universal     
philanthropy4 ,to the latter our        
particular attention is now directed by 
the example of ,dorcas2 but it must not 
be forgotten1 that though the particular
 specimen of her excellence be taken    
from the common offices of kindness and 
the act of almsgiving1 the existence and
 proportionate vigour of the great      
principle from which her minor charities
 resulted must be presupposed1 as by    
observing the fertility of a branch1 or 
the verdure of a twig1 or even the      
greenness of a leaf1 we infer the growth
 of the tree1 its root1 its stem1 and   
all its various ramifications4 ,while we
 contemplate this flourishing plant of  
grace1 we know that it was deeply rooted

 and grounded in faith4  ,the inspired  
testimony is as follows3 ,this woman was
 full of good works and alms-deeds1     
which she did4 ,amongst other acts of   
beneficence1 she was accustomed to make 
coats and garments for the widows4 ,her 
own circumstances are not specified4 ,if
 she were poor1 as the mass of          
,christian converts in the apostolic    
times appears to have been1 her         
readiness in furnishing these supplies  
was admirable indeed4 ,as ,paul         
testified of the ,macedonian believers1 
she contributed to the utmost1 yea1 and 
beyond her power3 nor are these solitary
 instances of persons willingly         
impoverishing themselves in obedience to
 the fine impulse of a pious sympathy4  
,while others have calculated1 they have
 acted1 incapable of a cold arithmetic  
and a measured benevolence4 ,if ,dorcas 
were rich1 she is perhaps entitled to a 
still higher commendation4 ,so many are 
the obstructions which great possessions
 cast in the way of charity1 so many    

temptations to a lavish expenditure1    
beset the opulent1 and to support this1 
on the other hand1 to a parsimonious1   
saving habit2 so easy is it to frame    
excuses1 and by trifling precautions to 
escape importunity1 or at once to silent
 it2 that it may well excite both wonder
 and delight to find charity associated 
with splendour4 ,it is surprising1      
however1 and no less deplorable than    
surprising1 that persons of this class  
will not consider for a moment1 how     
easily1 with how few sacrifices even of 
time or money1 they might be extensively
 useful4 ,a single drop of supply from  
their replenished cup of worldly        
prosperity1 would often make the widow's
 heart sing for joy1 and prove a healing
 cordial to the sufferings of perishing 
humanity4 ,a slight taxation upon even  
acknowledged superfluity1 would in some 
cases produce an ample revenue for many 
indigent families1 although religion    
claims on their behalf more than a      
scanty and unwilling pittance2 for he   

which soweth sparingly shall reap also  
sparingly2 and he which soweth          
bountifully1 shall reap also            
bountifully4 ,every man according as he 
purposeth in his heart1 so let him give2
 not grudgingly or of necessity1 for    
,god loveth a cheerful giver4  ,from the
 sacred narrative1 we are led to infer  
that ,dorcas was either a widow herself1
 possessed perhaps of a moderate        
competence1 a state which seems of all  
others the most favourable to a         
benevolent disposition2 or one of the   
class of females1 sometimes designated  
by the reproachful epithet of old maids4
 ,and having introduced the term1 it may
 not be improper to make a short        
digression upon this subject4  ,it      
cannot be doubted that a life of        
celibacy is unnatural1 and contrary to  
the general appointment of ,infinite    
,wisdom2 consequently1 a voluntary      
seclusion of this kind from the duties  
of our proper sphere as social beings1  
unless the case be very remarkable1 and 

the counteracting obligation singularly 
clear1 must deserve censure4 ,by this   
conduct whatever important results are  
connected with the marriage union by the
 law of ,providence1 are deliberately   
opposed1 and the principle is no less   
sinful than it is pernicious4 ,but the  
case of determined celibacy is far less 
common among females than with the other
 sex1 and where it does exist1 is       
usually attended with less evil effects 
upon the good of society4  ,in respect  
to the two most frequent occasions of   
continuing single1 among women of piety1
 the one demands admiration1 the other  
pity2 but neither can1 without a total  
dereliction of all reason and propriety1
 excite ridicule4 ,the first which has  
been made1 is that of a voluntary       
resignation of the pleasures and        
solicitudes of matrimony1 for the sake  
of more extensive usefulness1 and at the
 call of duty4 ,such is the case of     
women who deem themselves required1 or  
are considered by others as remarkably  

qualified for foreign and missionary    
service in the cause of ,god1 or who1   
from the high tone of their irreligious 
feeling1 have ascended to an unusual    
degree of spiritual elevation of        
character1 and whether called to labour 
abroad or at home1 are desirous of an   
entire and incessant self-devotement to 
,jesus ,christ4 ,these instances are    
indeed rare1 and can scarcely be        
estimated by ordinary rules1 but they   
were not unprecedented in the primitive 
age of ,christianity4 ,dorcas might     
possibly be a woman of this             
extraordinary character4 ,her works were
 at least worthy of one who was thus    
bearing the cross1 for the kingdom of   
heaven's sake4  ,the second class of    
aged single females presents a subject  
for compassionate sympathy4 ,they are   
not solitaries by choice1 but necessity3
 and whoever sports with their destiny1 
betrays a cruel1 if not a wicked mind4  
,they have already been the prey of     
disappointments the most agonizing to   

the mind2 let them not be the objects of
 unmeaning contempt or impious sarcasm4 
,there was a time when the morning of   
life rose upon them in all its          
enchantment and beauty4 ,every thing    
around them smiled1 and their yet       
unwithered hopes were alive to every    
delightful impression4 ,who knows but   
the object of their tenderest earthly   
affection was severed from them by      
death1 whose murderous instrument       
inflicted an incurable wound8 ,who can  
say1 but that the very sex which dares  
to load them with contumely for their   
solitary condition1 was1 by its base    
flatteries and delusive promises1 the   
very occasion of their unhappiness8 ,who
 can deny1 but that religion itself     
might have been honoured by their noble 
heroism1 in refusing the solicitations  
of some1 who1 although distinguished for
 many accomplishments1 possessions1 and 
connexions1 were either enemies to the  
,gospel or indifferent about it8 ,they  
trembled1 perhaps1 to please their      

taste1 and lose their own souls4        
,nameless and numberless may be the     
occasion of an involuntary1 and         
therefore justifiable celibacy4         
,besides1 how has this condition been   
improved6 ,how have some of these       
venerable women gone about doing good6  
,what a wise and holy improvement have  
they made of the dispensations of       
providence6 ,their very disappointments 
have become the means of increased zeal 
in the best of causes1 and given an     
impulse to their activity4 ,they have   
arisen from the golden dreams of        
pleasure and promotion1 to the dignity  
of the saint indeed4 ,their temporal    
sorrows have awakened their spiritual   
energies4 ,they have lost the blessings 
of a family1 but have from that moment  
adopted1 under that sacred name1 the    
whole community of mankind4 ,let        
ridicule be abashed before the majesty  
of such characters6  ,the excellent     
woman in question seems to have partaken
 much of the spirit which pervaded the  

church at ,jerusalem in these times of  
primitive simplicity and zeal1 when all 
temporal considerations appear to have  
been overwhelmed by the hope of eternal 
blessedness4 ,and the multitude of them 
that believed were of one heart and of  
one soul2 neither said any of them that 
aught of the things which be possessed  
was his own2 but they had all things in 
common4444 ,neither was there any among 
them that lacked2 for as many as were   
possessors of lands or houses1 sold     
them1 and brought the prices of the     
things that were sold1 and laid them    
down at the apostles' feet2 and         
distribution was made unto every man1   
according as he had need4  ,although    
this community of goods is not to be    
regarded as an absolute precedent for   
our imitation1 considering that it is   
impracticable in all cases1 was chiefly 
restricted to one ,christian society in 
a very peculiar situation1 and is never 
enjoined upon others2 yet1 no duty is   
more expressly commanded1 or more       

solemnly inculcated in ,scripture1 than 
that of liberality to the poor4 ,in the 
enactments of ,moses it is vigorously   
enforced1 it is urged by the prophets   
and apostles2 and represented by ,christ
 himself as an evidence of the highest  
perfection of character2 ,if thou wilt  
be perfect1 go and sell that thou hast1 
and give to the poor4 ,in those passages
 where a summary of religion is         
presented by an enumeration of its most 
important points1 this virtue is        
distinctly mentioned4 ,it is stated as  
an invariable characteristic of the most
 eminent saints1 as ,abraham1 ,job1 and 
others2 it is often called              
righteousness1 is represented as a      
fulfilment of the divine law1 or the    
best expression of our love to ,god2 and
 while tremendous judgments are         
threatened to those who disregard this  
sacred duty1 the most ample rewards are 
promised to the pious benefactors of    
mankind4 ,blessed1 said ,christ1 are the
 merciful1 for they shall obtain mercy4 

,to do good and communicate forget not1 
for with such sacrifices ,god is well   
pleased4 ,such persons are described as 
making themselves bags which wax not    
old1 a treasure in the heavens that     
faileth not--as making themselves       
friends of the mammon of                
unrighteousness1 that when they fail1   
they may he received into everlasting   
habitations--and as laying up in store  
for themselves a good foundation against
 the time to come1 that they may lay    
hold on eternal life4 ,the equitable    
decisions of the last day are to be     
founded upon a reference to these       
principles1 as the basis of that        
sentence which will irreversibly fix our
 destinies4 ,when the ,son of man shall 
come in his glory1 and all the holy     
angels with him1 then shall he sit upon 
the throne of his glory3 ,and before him
 shall be gathered all nations3 and he  
shall separate them one from another1 as
 a shepherd divideth his sheep from the 
goats3 ,and he shall set the sheep on   

his right hand1 but the goats on the    
left4 ,then shall the ,king say unto    
them on his right hand1 ,come1 ye       
blessed of my ,father1 inherit the      
kingdom prepared for you from the       
foundation of the world4 ,for ,i was an 
hungered1 and ye gave me meat3 ,i was   
thirsty1 and ye gave me drink2 ,i was a 
stranger1 and ye took me in3 naked1 and 
ye clothed me3 ,i was sick1 and ye      
visited me3 ,i was in prison1 and ye    
came unto me4 ,then shall the righteous 
answer him1 saying1 ,lord1 when saw we  
thee an hungered1 and fed thee8 or      
thirsty1 and gave thee drink8 ,when saw 
we thee a stranger1 and took thee in8 or
 naked1 and clothed thee8 ,or when saw  
we thee sick1 or in prison1 and came    
unto thee8 ,and the ,king shall answer  
and say unto them1 ,verily ,i say unto  
you1 ,inasmuch as ye have done it unto  
one of the least of these my brethren1  
ye have done it unto me4 ,then shall he 
say also unto them on the left hand1    
,depart from me1 ye cursed1 into        

everlasting fire1 prepared for the devil
 and his angels3 ,for ,i was an         
hungered1 and ye gave me no meat3 ,i was
 thirsty1 and ye gave me no drink3 ,i   
was a stranger1 and ye took me not in3  
naked1 and ye clothed me not3 sick1 and 
in prison1 and ye visited me not4 ,then 
shall they also answer him1 saying1     
,lord1 when saw we thee an hungered1 or 
athirst1 or a stranger1 or naked1 or    
sick1 or in prison1 and did not minister
 unto thee8 ,then shall he answer them1 
saying1 ,verily ,i say unto you1        
,inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
 least of these1 ye did it not to me4   
,and these shall go away into           
everlasting punishment3 but the         
righteousness into life eternal4  ,the  
history of ,dorcas is very instructive  
as to the genuine character of charity1 
and the best mode of distribution4 ,it  
teaches us not only to cultivate this   
heavenly temper1 but in what manner it  
may become most useful4 ,we have here1  
indeed1 a fine and finished picture2 and

 we cannot do better than study it      
closely1 and copy it with all possible  
accuracy4  ,this venerable woman was    
prompt and undelaying in the relief she 
afforded to the necessitous4 ,she was   
not all promise and all tardiness1 quick
 to feel but slow to succour4 ,it is not
 uncommon for the most parsimonious     
persons to be liberal in good words1 and
 to superadd the pang of disappointment 
to the already almost insupportable     
sufferings of the destitute4 ,what is   
the language of commiseration           
unaccompanied with substantial          
assistance1 but a drop of burning       
caustic poured into the wounded heart1  
instead of a healing cordial8 ,to listen
 to the tale of wo1 and to solicit by   
apparent kindness its minute and        
tragical details1 only to mock          
expectation by professed incapacity1 is 
the very perfection of cruelty1 the     
forfeiture of a solemn pledge which is  
given in the very assumption of a       
listening attitude1 and highly          

dishonourable2 for we have no right to  
know the history of distress1 if we feel
 indisposed to relieve it4 ,if a brother
 or sister be naked1 and destitute of   
daily food1 and one of you say unto     
them1 ,depart in peace1 be ye warmed and
 filled1 notwithstanding ye give them   
not those things which are needful to   
the body2 what doth it profit8  ,there  
is a posthumous charity which often     
purchases to the dispenser considerable 
reputation when he little deserves it1  
and which is utterly vain to him who is 
inevitably beyond the reach of human    
applause or censure4 ,if the charity of 
,dorcas had been of this questionable   
nature1 we should not have read of the  
widows that stood ,weeping by her       
death-bed1 and exhibiting the various   
articles of clothing she made while she 
was with them4 ,assured that life was   
the proper time of action1 and that     
opportunities of usefulness could never 
be recalled1 she did with her might     
whatever her hands found to do4 ,it is  

deplorable to see the numbers who1 while
 possessing ample means and rich        
opportunities of feeding the hungry1    
clothing the naked1 and visiting the    
sick1 consume their lives in forming    
their plans1 or proclaiming their       
intentions4 ,they are indeed great      
benefactors in their wills1 and with    
unsparing liberality distribute their   
wealth1 when they can no longer keep it4
 ,they were bountiful1 only because they
 were mortal2 and notwithstanding the   
misplaced commendations of their        
survivors1 bestow reluctantly what death
 extorts4 ,dorcas was full of good works
 and alms-deeds which she ,,did4 ,a     
person1 with whom the writer is         
acquainted1 had specified a large sum in
 his will to be appropriated to the     
purpose of erecting convenient          
alms-houses for the poor2 but bethinking
 himself of the possibility that his    
life might be extended to a distant     
period1 and that in the meantime the    
poor would continue to buffer1 and many 

of them perish without the projected    
aid1 he became the instant executor of  
his own will1 and lived for years to be 
a gratified witness of that comfort     
which must otherwise have been so long  
delayed4 ,it is descriptive of the good 
man1 that he ,,hath dispersed1 he ,,hath
 given to the poor4  ,another feature in
 the beautiful portrait of female       
excellence before us1 is the abundance  
and variety of her charities4 ,dorcas is
 represented as4 full of good works and 
alms-deeds8 and though ,i the coats and 
garments which she gave to the widows   
are only mentioned1 they are to be      
considered as one specimen only of a    
very extended system of benevolence4    
,she was neither capricious1 nor merely 
occasional in her bounty2 but glorified 
the ,father1 by bearing much fruit4     
,some persons are the mere creatures of 
impulse4 ,when affected by any violently
 exciting cause1 they start into        
momentary vigour1 and by a kind of      
convulsive effort resist the inwrought  

habit of their minds1 but instantly     
relapse into greater insensibility4 ,if 
a necessitous case be presented to their
 attention under deeply afflicting      
circumstances1 with powerful            
recommendations1 especially from those  
whom they are solicitous of pleasing1 or
 with whom they expect to be enrolled in
 the popular and widely circulated list 
of donations1 they may at times he found
 willing to communicate1 but even then  
never attain the noble pre-eminence of a
 cheerful giver4 ,it would have pleased 
them1 however1 to have remained unasked2
 and if by any petty artifice they could
 have evaded the application1 they would
 most readily have adopted it1 provided 
they could have saved their reputation  
as well as their pence4  ,you may       
sometimes meet with persons who are     
indeed charitable1 but their charity is 
sectarian4 ,they do good within certain 
limits1 but never take a wider range2   
and if they do not forbid others1 who   
follow not with them1 they afford no    

encouragement to their exertions4 ,they 
have chosen a particular spot to        
cultivate1 and beyond the encircling    
fence which bigotry has marked out1 they
 cannot he persuaded to impart even a   
drop of refreshing supply4 ,what they do
 seems1 in some measure1 an apology for 
what they omit2 but what they omit      
detracts from the value of what they do4
 ,they are not ,,full of good works4    
,others have certain stated charities2  
and though they have passed the narrow  
boundary of party prejudice1 have made  
no provision in their plans for cases of
 singular and sudden calamity4 ,their   
charity walks in particular districts1  
and cannot go a step out of the beaten  
track4 ,they have allotted a certain    
portion of their income to the regular  
calls of necessity1 which cannot be     
exceeded1 and have a specified circle of
 objects which cannot be changed2 and1  
if one may judge by their comparative   
callousness to all other claims1 it     
would be natural to infer that they had 

taken a certain quantum sufficit from   
their stock of sensibility1 which bore  
an invariable proportion to their       
calculations4 ,in vain you plead for the
 most urgent distress1 in vain you      
solicit the smallest contribution2 they 
have no sympathies left2 and1 beyond u  
certain sphere1 they are relentless1    
impenetrable1 and cruel4  ,in proportion
 as charity is methodical1 it is apt to 
become cold2 and though we cannot plead 
for that diffusiveness which is bounded 
by no prescribed limits1 regulated by no
 order1 or influenced by no preferences1
 yet care should be taken lest it suffer
 by restriction4 ,if this holy fire be  
too much confined1 it will be in danger 
of extinction4  ,another and a pleasing 
peculiarity in the benevolence of       
,dorcas1 is1 that1 so far as appears    
from her brief history1 her benefactions
 were personally bestowed4 ,she is      
represented as making the garments given
 to the poor widows herself2 and        
doubtless to ascertain what they wanted1

 and the proportion of their respective 
necessities1 she was in the habit of    
visiting their habitations1 for the     
purposes of inquiry and inspection4     
,these visits1 besides1 would afford    
favourable opportunities for pious      
conversation4 ,how often she wept over  
their sorrows--what words of peace and  
consolation she uttered--what salutary  
instructions she communicated--what     
fervent petitions she uttered1 cannot   
indeed now be ascertained2 but there is 
a book which has recorded them in       
imperishable characters1 and a day      
approaching when they shall be disclosed
 and rewarded4 ,for we must all appear  
before the judgment-seat of ,christ1    
that every one may receive the things   
done in his body1 according to that he  
hath done1 whether it be good or bad4   
,it would be easy to specify many       
reasons why the charitable should visit 
the poor4 ,independently of the         
inferiority of the impression which is  
produced on the mind by the mere recital

 of the sufferings of others1 it is     
scarcely possible to obtain correct     
information respecting their actual and 
diversified necessities1 without        
repairing to their cottages4 ,the most  
faithful narrator will not deem it      
necessary or proper to enter into       
certain particulars1 which the vigilant 
eye of sympathizing benevolence would at
 once discover1 and the heart of pity   
must deeply feel4 ,owing to the         
different effects which the same        
distress produces on persons whose      
natural constitutions are dissimilar1 it
 may often happen that the most         
afflicting part of their condition is   
overlooked2 and the prompt assistance   
which would otherwise be afforded1 is   
lost through some omission or           
unintentional misstatement4 ,to visit   
the fatherless and the widows in their  
affliction1 is no less represented by an
 apostle as constituting the best       
exemplification of pure religion1 than  
to keep himself unspotted from the      

world2 and in the transactions of the   
final judgment1 the supreme ,arbiter is 
described as noticing with peculiar     
approbation1 as even making the very    
determining point of his people's       
character and destiny1 their visiting   
the sick and those in a state of        
imprisonment1 in order to supply them   
with the necessaries or comforts of     
existence4  ,ladies are respectfully    
urged to these labours of love1 from the
 consideration that they possess the    
most leisure and the best opportunities 
of doing them4 ,it would prove a wise   
and pleasurable mode of employing some  
of the intervals of domestic engagement1
 and furnish both useful and interesting
 subjects of reflection to fill up the  
vacuities of thought4 ,but if the       
multiplicity of their concerns furnish  
some plausible excuse for1 at least1 a  
less constant and busy attention to the 
wants of poverty2 single ladies1 on whom
 the cares of a family have not yet     
devolved1 should feel it their duty1 and

 will ever find it their privilege1 to  
be thus devoted to the cause of         
suffering humanity4 ,their time is their
 own1 their property at their command4  
,they are responsible alone to ,god and 
their own consciences2 and by these     
services to the community are every day 
and hour giving a practical and         
unanswerable reply to the scoffings of  
an illiberal world4 ,how much better are
 these visits of mercy than visits of   
ceremony1 in which useless hours are    
squandered away amidst the butterflies  
of fashion1 insufferable fatigue is     
sustained1 scandal circulated1 and      
religion outraged6 ,sweet and refreshing
 is the sleep of active benevolence3 it 
knows no tossings1 is visited by no     
bitter compunctions or terrific visions2
 it is cradled in innocence1 lulled to  
rest by the music of gratitude1 and     
guarded by the sleepless eye of         
,providence4  ,the habit of visiting the
 abodes of misery is an important means 
of improving our sympathies4 ,they will 

become less sickly and less capricious4 
,those who have only wept over          
fictitious sorrow1 will learn to shed   
tears of real feeling at the sight of   
real grief2 and will gradually associate
 the idea of doing good with the strong 
emotions of a genuine liberality4 ,it is
 of importance for our own sakes1 as    
well as for the welfare of others1 that 
sentiments of this kind should fill the 
mind1 and that the fine edge of         
sensibility should never be blunted4    
,some1 it is true1 are very little      
solicitous for the improvement of any of
 their faculties2 but let them remember 
that the faculty which is not improved1 
usually and almost necessarily suffers  
deterioration2 and that he who does not 
warm and expand into benevolence1 is    
likely to contract into contemptible    
selfishness4  ,mere pecuniary aid1 or   
indeed any other form of donation1 is   
after all a cheap description of        
charity4 ,the most avaricious persons   
may sometimes4 resort to annual or other

 stated contributions1 as expedients to 
save trouble and to pacify conscience2  
and while we duly appreciate this       
periodical goodness1 it is insufficient 
as the basis of a claim to philanthropy 
of spirit4 ,how many in the carpeted    
walks of wealth will readily purchase1  
by this means1 an exemption from the    
inconvenience of soiling their shoes1 or
 hurting their delicacy1 by going to    
witness scenes of real distress4        
,ladies of opulence or of leisure should
 reflect further1 that in paying an     
occasional visit to the dwellings of    
poverty and suffering1 they are not only
 likely to discover many cases of       
silent1 unobtrusive wretchedness1 which 
but for their personal inquiries and    
researches might sink into the grave    
without the smallest relief1 while      
clamorous wo sometimes gains the ear of 
the most thoughtless passenger1 but they
 become the means of imparting a twofold
 blessing4 ,in addition to what they    
give1 the sense of their sympathy       

enhances the favour1 and it is received 
with double pleasure4 ,man is possessed 
of a social principle1 which operates   
with peculiar energy in cases of        
affliction4 ,as a consciousness of      
neglect excites disgust and resentment1 
so a conviction of being the object of  
solicitude and sympathy produces the    
most grateful emotions4 ,it may1        
therefore be safely asserted1 that a    
donation to the poor1 when personally   
bestowed by the donor1 is1 in           
consequence of the effect produced on   
the mind of the sufferer1 of            
incalculably greater importance and use 
than the same or even a superior sum    
contributed by the cold agency of some  
unfeeling distributor4 ,besides1 a      
charitable soul has a perpetual feast4  
,who can remain an unaffected spectator 
of the tearful eye--the speaking        
look--the thankful smile8 ,the very     
silence which an overwhelming sense of  
kindness imposes1 is more delightful to 
a benevolent spirit than dainties to the

 taste or music to the ear4  ,in        
dispensing charity1 many valuable       
acquisitions may be gained4 ,it is1 in  
fact1 a profitable service2 and he makes
 an excellent exchange indeed1 who1     
while bestowing money or goods to assist
 the poor1 obtains substantial          
instruction4 ,here then1 in the meanest 
hovel1 in the most shattered and        
weather-beaten shed1 amidst cries of    
distress and sights of sorrow1 the      
wisest may gain knowledge4 ,what a      
lesson of gratitude is taught in every  
scene and circumstance6 ,who maketh thee
 to differ from another in point of     
temporal possession1 mental superiority1
 or religious distinction8 ,what hast   
thou1 that thou hast not received8 ,that
 humble cottager is human1 like thyself6
 ,that nest of callowness and weakness  
contains the same species with thyself1 
on whom ,providence has bestowed wings  
to soar to heights of prosperity and    
enjoyment4 ,thou art descended from the 
same common ,father1 and art heir of the

 same common dust6 ,thy life is no less 
precarious1 if it be less wretched1 than
 that which animates a meaner clay1 and 
breathes in a less decorated exterior6  
,if the one be porcelain1 and the other 
earthen ware1 both are brittle6 ,god    
hath made of one blood all nations of   
men4 ,sometimes a cottage furnishes an  
impressive lesson respecting the        
independence of happiness upon external 
circumstances4 ,it teaches the salutary 
truth1 that it is in the power of       
religion to impart substantial felicity 
in every condition1 to communicate      
exalted enjoyment1 to form an ennobled  
character in the meanest habitation1 and
 to inspire the sublime sentiment of the
 poet3    ,give what thou wilt1 without 
thee ,i am poor1   ,and with thee rich1 
take what thou wilt away4    ,,cowper4  
,poverty has been the lot of the most   
distinguished of the human species2 and 
if ever the vanity of riches1 and the   
incurable emptiness of temporal         
splendour are felt1 surely it must be   

when visiting the dwellings of the pious
 poor4 ,no riches can inspire their     
songs of praise1 or purchase a title to 
their immortal inheritance4 ,no rank or 
dignity can attract the eyes of those   
holy spirits that hover round the spot  
to which affliction has confined an     
outcast ,lazarus1 or kindle such        
rapturous sensations and holy           
congratulations1 as they manifest at the
 repentance of a sinner4 ,piety hallows 
the dwelling which it inhabits1 and     
felicitates as well as sanctifies the   
heart1 the family1 and the city which it
 pervades4 ,in the primitive ages of    
,christianity1 the disciples of our     
,lord could see the rapacious oppressor 
seize the last portion of their worldly 
goods1 and take it joyfully2 they could 
most gladly glory in their infirmities1 
that the power of ,christ might rest    
upon them2 they could hail the martyr's 
stake1 while they anticipated the       
martyr's crown2 and1 in the days of     
,paul and ,silas1 if there were a spot  

on earth where celestial joy took up her
 residence1 it was1 at least for one    
happy night1 in the very dungeon of     
persecution4  ,to return to ,dorcas4    
,her character is so described1 as to   
imply that hers were free1 and often    
unsolicited charities4 ,she did not     
indolently wait for applications1 or    
contrive a thousand delays1 while misery
 was pining into the grave2 but1 like   
her ,divine ,master1 went about doing   
good4 ,she penetrated the obscurest     
retreats1 not waiting to be pressed and 
urged to afford a trifling relief2 but  
her benevolence resembled the course of 
the sun1 which pours its beneficent     
radiance upon the earth with            
undistinguishing liberality4 ,it ought  
not to be forgotten1 that sometimes     
minds of the most delicate constitution 
are involved in all the miseries of     
poverty1 and placed in a situation of   
all others the most painful1 that of    
persons reduced from former competency  
and comfort4 ,the privations of life are

 far more sensibly felt by those who    
have once known plenteousness4 ,to them 
the wind of adversity blows with tenfold
 keenness1 and the crust of want seems  
peculiarly unpalatable4 ,they are       
reluctant1 not to say ashamed1 to beg4  
,the blushes of an instinctive          
sensibility suffuse their countenances1 
and petitions for assistance falter on  
their tongues4 ,they have to contend not
 only with the afflictions of poverty1  
but with all the timidity which a       
consciousness of degradation            
superinduces4 ,in many cases of this    
description1 persons of eminent worth   
have been found1 who could not overcome 
their scruples1 till absolute want      
forced them abroad to suffer the rebuffs
 of an unfeeling world1 or to gain the  
scanty pittance which mere importunity  
extorted from reluctant opulence4       
,dorcas is celebrated for having        
particularly selected such a class of   
sufferers4 ,she had sought out the      
widows1 who had lost their dearest      

relatives1 by whose daily and cheerful  
labours they were perhaps enabled to    
live in decent sufficiency1 or by whose 
sympathizing tenderness they were at    
least consoled amidst inevitable        
sorrows4 ,the weakness of their sex1 or 
the infirmities of their advanced age1  
prevented their contending with the     
storms of life2 and1 no doubt1 many of  
them surrounded by a numerous family1 at
 the decease of the beloved of their    
hearts1 were left to struggle with      
accumulated difficulties4  ,women on    
whom ,providence has bestowed a         
sufficiency1 might here find ample means
 of usefulness among persons of their   
own sex4 ,a helping hand might rescue   
many a widow from the deep waters of    
overwhelming grief3 a trifling sum would
 in many cases prove an inestimable     
boon2 and a very small expense of time  
and trouble might produce the most      
valuable results4 ,a well-constructed   
system of benevolence resembles a fine  
adjustment of mechanism3 by a gentle    

force or a moderate supply1 judiciously 
applied1 the whole machinery is kept in 
motion1 and the greatest burdens are    
removed4  ,this leads us to remark      
another characteristic feature in the   
charity of ,dorcas4 ,it was wise and    
prudential4 ,she had a plan which was   
not only unexceptionable1 but singularly
 excellent and worthy of imitation4     
,this consisted in furnishing the poor  
with substantial assistance1 and        
providing for the proper application of 
her aid to their real and most pressing 
necessities4 ,she made coats and        
garments for widows4 ,it is to be       
feared1 that the good intentions of     
persons charitably disposed are often   
frustrated by the improper manner in    
which they render assistance to the     
poor4 ,they fulfil the impulse of a     
benevolent spirit by sending or giving  
their money1 leaving the mode of its    
expenditure to their own judgment4 ,but 
it is notorious1 that such as are in    
reduced circumstances1 and who feel the 

particular pressure of the moment which 
they are most anxious to relieve1 have  
very little sense of the real value of  
money and of the propriety of providing 
against the difficulties of futurity4   
,they take the cordial to-day1 draining 
out every drop1 forgetting that the     
phial will be empty to-morrow4 ,in      
consequence of this extreme improvidence
 and inconsideration1 the pecuniary help
 they receive frequently does little    
good1 and fails of all the purposes     
which a pious charity intended4  ,the   
depravity of mankind1 which must be     
expected to operate in the poor as well 
as in the rich1 is another occasion of  
the misuse of benevolent aid4 ,the      
friendly supply is consumed upon their  
lusts4 ,abandoned in character and      
selfish in principle1 many heads of poor
 families addict themselves to bad      
company1 despoiling their families of   
their earnings and of charitable        
supplies1 and stupifying their          
consciences in the cup of intoxication4 

,the discovery of such a misapplication 
ought not to extinguish the feeling of  
sympathy1 but rather excite it afresh2  
both because the individuals themselves 
are to be doubly pitied for their       
destitution of moral feeling and want of
 religion1 as well as of necessary      
subsistence1 and because their outraged 
families demand renewed attention4 ,it  
ought also to render liberal persons    
particularly watchful of the use which  
is made of their benefactions4 ,it      
should not shut the heart1 but regulate 
the course of feeling4 ,the sin of      
others does not exempt us from the duty 
of contributing to the alleviation of   
their miseries1 though it ought to      
induce us to study the best expedients  
for counteracting it4 ,it is in fact    
quite as requisite that we should see to
 the application of what is given as to 
give1 in all cases where this is        
possible or convenient4 ,dorcas appears 
to have adopted the useful plan of      
expending the money which she           

appropriated to the poor widows1 for    
them2 partly because she was probably   
better able to judge of the most useful 
mode of assisting them1 and partly      
because the very same sum would prove   
doubly efficient in consequence of the  
savings which would acrue from working  
with her own hands4  ,the pretences by  
which men excuse themselves from giving 
to the poor are stated1 and             
satisfactorily answered1 by ,dr4 ,paley1
 #dc in the following words3 #a4 ',that 
they have nothing to spare1' i4e4       
nothing for which they have not provided
 some other use3 nothing which their    
plan or expense1 together with the      
savings they have resolved to lay by1   
will not exhaust3 never reflecting      
whether it be in their power1 or that it
 is their duty1 to retrench their       
expenses1 and contract their plan1 'that
 they may give to them that need3 or    
rather that this ought to have been part
 of their plan originally4  #b4 ',that  
they have families of their own1 and    

that charity begins at home4' ,the      
extent of this plea will be considered  
when we come to explain the duty of     
parents4  ,n4 ,b4 ,the explanation is1  
that the duties of parents comprehend   
maintenance1 education1 and a reasonable
 provision for the child's happiness in 
respect to outward condition4444 ,a     
father of a family is bound to adjust   
his economy with a view to these demands
 upon his fortune2 and until a          
sufficiency for these ends is acquired1 
or in due time probably will be acquired
 7for in human affairs probability ought
 to content us17 frugality and exertions
 of industry are duties4 ,he is also    
justified in declining expensive        
liberality3 for1 to take from those who 
want1 to give to those who want1 adds   
nothing to the stock of public          
happiness4 ,thus far1 therefore1 and no 
farther1 the plea of 'children1' of     
'large families1' charity begins at     
home1' c4 is an excuse for parsimony1   
and an answer to those who solicit our  

bounty4 ,beyond this point1 as the use  
of riches becomes less1 the desire of   
laying up should abate proportionably4  
#c4 ',that charity does not consist in  
giving money1 but in benevolence1       
philanthropy1 love to all mankind1      
goodness of heart1' c4 ,hear ,st4       
,james3 ,if a brother or sister be      
naked1 and destitute of daily food1 and 
one of you say unto them1 ,depart in    
peace2 be ye warmed and filled2         
notwithstanding ye give them not those  
things which are needful to the body2   
what doth it profit8 ,james ii4 #ae1    
#af4  #d4 ',that giving to the poor is  
not mentioned in ,st4 ,paul's           
description of charity in the thirteenth
 chapter of his first epistle to the    
,corinthians4' ,this is not a           
description of charity1 but of good     
nature2 and it is not necessary that    
every duty be mentioned in every place4 
#e4 ',that they pay the poor-rates4'    
,they might as well allege that they pay
 their debts3 for the poor have the same

 right to that portion of a man's       
property which the laws assign to them1 
that the man himself has to the         
remainder4  #f4 ',that they employ many 
poor persons3'--for their own sake1 not 
the poor's2--otherwise it is a good     
plea4  #g4 ',that the poor do not suffer
 so much as we imagine2 that education  
and habit have reconciled them to the   
evils of their condition1 and make them 
easy under it4' ,habit can never        
reconcile human nature to the           
extremities of cold1 hunger1 and thirst1
 any more than it can reconcile the hand
 to the touch of a red hot iron2        
besides1 the question is not1 how       
unhappy any one is1 but how much more   
happy we can make him4  #h4 ',that these
 people1 give them what you will1 will  
never thank you1 or think of you for    
it4' ,in the first place1 this is not   
true2 in the second place1 it was not   
for the sake of their thanks that you   
relieved them4  #i4 ',that we are liable
 to be imposed upon4' ,if a due inquiry 

be made1 our merit is the same2 besides 
that the distress is generally real1    
although the cause be untruly stated4   
#aj4 ',that they should apply to their  
parishes4' ,this is not always          
practicable3 to which we may add1 that  
there are many requisites to a          
comfortable subsistence which parish    
relief does not supply2 and that there  
are some1 who would suffer almost as    
much from receiving parish relief as by 
the want of it2 and lastly1 that there  
are many modes of charity to which this 
answer does not relate at all4  #aa4    
',that giving money encourages idleness 
and vagrancy4' ,this is true only of    
injudicious and indiscriminate          
generosity4  #ab4 ',that we have too    
many objects of charity at home1 to     
bestow any thing upon strangers2 or that
 there are other charities1 which are   
more useful1 or stand in greater need4' 
,the value of this excuse depends       
entirely upon the fact1 whether we      
actually relieve those neighbouring     

objects1 and contribute to those other  
charities4  ,besides all these excuses1 
pride1 or prudery1 or delicacy1 or love 
of ease1 keep one half of the world out 
of the way of observing what the other  
half suffer4  ,the sentiments expressed 
by the profound ,dr4 ,barrow #dd will   
form an appropriate conclusion to the   
present chapter4  ,if we contemplate our
 wealth itself1 we may therein descry   
great motives to bounty4 ,thus to employ
 our riches1 is really the best use they
 are capable of2 not only the most      
innocent1 most worthy1 most plausible2  
but the most safe1 most pleasant1 most  
advantageous1 and consequently in all   
respects most prudent way of disposing  
of them4 ,to keep them close1 without   
using or enjoying them at all1 is a most
 sottish extravagance or a strange kind 
of madness2 a man thence affecting to be
 rich1 quite impoverished himself1      
dispossesseth himself of all1 and       
alienateth from himself his estate2 his 
gold is no more his than when it was in 

the ,indies1 or lay hid in the mines2   
his corn is no more his than if it stood
 growing in ,arabia or ,china2 he is no 
more owner of his lands than he is      
master of ,jerusalem or ,grand ,cairo2  
for what difference is there1 whether   
distance of place or baseness of mind   
sever things from him8 whether his own  
heart or another man's hand detain them 
from his use8 whether he hath them not  
at all1 or hath them to no purpose8     
whether one is a beggar out of necessity
 or choice8 is pressed to want1 or a    
volunteer thereto8 ,such an one may     
fancy himself rich1 and others1 as wise 
as himself1 may repute him so2 but so   
distracted persons1 to themselves and to
 one another do seem great princes1 and 
style themselves such2 with as much     
reason almost he might pretend to be    
wise or to be good4 ,riches are  things 
whose nature consists in usefulness2    
abstract that1 they become nothing1     
things of no consideration or value2 he 
that hath them is no more concerned in  

them than he that hath them not4 ,it is 
the heart1 and skill to use affluence of
 things wisely and nobly1 which makes it
 wealth1 and constitutes him rich that  
hath it2 otherwise the chests may be    
crammed1 and the barns stuffed full1    
while the man is miserably poor and     
beggarly2 'tis in this sense true which 
the wise man says1 ',there is that      
maketh himself rich1 yet hath nothing'  
,lydia4  ,chapter ,,xi4      ,account of
 ,paul and his ,companions meeting with 
,lydia by the ,river-side   at          
,philippi--the ,impression produced upon
 her ,heart by the ,preaching of        
,paul--,remarks on ,conversion as       
exemplified in the ,case of this        
,disciple--its ,seat the ,heart--its    
,accomplishment the ,result of divine   
,agency--the ,manner of it noticed--the 
,effects of a divine ,influence upon    
the human ,mind1 namely1 attention to   
the ,word of ,god and the ,ordinances   
of the ,gospel1 and affectionate ,regard
 to the ,servants of   ,christ--,remarks

 on the ,paucity of real                
,christians--the multiplying ,power   of
 ,christianity--its present ,state in   
,britain--,efforts of the   ,bible      
,society4  ,the historical part of the  
,new ,testament1 called the ,,acts or   
,,the ,,apostles1 contains a faithful   
record of the early propagation of the  
,gospel and the incessant exertions of  
the first labourers in the vineyard4    
,they were not men who wasted their     
strength in strenuous idleness1 or      
dissipated the time of action in        
laboriously doing nothing2 but were     
endowed with extraordinary              
qualifications and an inextinguishable  
zeal for their novel and interesting    
employment4 ,they reflected the light of
 the ,sun of ,righteousness upon a dark 
age1 and glowed with the very spirit of 
their ascended ,lord4 ,remarkable       
effects were produced upon the moral    
world1 notwithstanding the counteracting
 influence of human prejudice and       
opposition2 and as they quitted the     

world1 amidst the whirlwinds of         
persecution and in the flames of        
martyrdom1 they dropped from their      
ascending chariots the mantle upon their
 successors in office1 who entered into 
their labours1 and continued with great 
power to give witness of the            
resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus2 and   
great grace was upon them all4  ,so     
wonderful are the appointments of       
,providence1 that we find a youth who   
took an active part in the murder of the
 first martyr to the ,christian cause1  
and afterward breathed forth an         
unrelenting hostility against all its   
adherents1 selected as the chief        
instrument of its extension in various  
countries4 ,that mighty energy which    
commanded the light to shine out of     
darkness1 as he was on a persecuting    
expedition to ,damascus1 shined into his
 heart1 and by a miraculous             
interposition not only checked him in   
his career1 but communicated to him the 
light of the knowledge of the glory of  

,god in the face of ,christ ,jesus1 and 
turned all the energies of his character
 into a new and most important course of
 exertion4 ,he became a ,christian1 a   
preacher1 an apostle1 and a missionary  
to the ,gentile world3 and while by his 
indefatigable labours he benefitted so  
large a proportion of his               
contemporaries1 by his inspired epistles
 he has instructed the church 'of ,god  
in every succeeding age of the world4   
,paul appears to have travelled over a  
considerable portion of ,asia and part  
of ,europe4 ,barnabas1 and afterward    
,silas and ,timotheus1 accompanied him4 
,in many places he suffered great       
personal injury1 and his valuable life  
was repeatedly endangered4 ,having      
passed through ,phrygia and the         
proconsular province of ,asia1 of which 
,ephesus was the capital1 ,paul and     
,silas came at length to ,troas1 where  
the former had a vision1 in which he saw
 an inhabitant of ,macedonia standing   
before him1 and uttering this request1  

,come over and help us4 ,this impressed 
his mind with a conviction that he was  
called in providence to preach the      
gospel in that part of ,greece2 and he  
immediately sailed down the ,aegean ,sea
 by the island of ,samothracia and the  
port of ,neapolis1 and from thence to   
,philippi1 which was a ,roman colony4   
#de  ,in this city1 whither it seems    
probable from the history1 that ,luke   
had accompanied them1 they remained some
 days2 and here we are introduced to the
 brief but instructive account of the   
excellent woman whose name is prefixed  
to this chapter4  ,paul1 and the        
companions of his missionary tour1 first
 met with ,lydia at one of the ,jewish  
places of prayer by the river-side1     
which ran near the city4 ,the ,temple at
 ,jerusalem1 and previously the         
,tabernacle1 were the appointed places  
for the public worship of ,god1 in the  
open court of which1 before the altar1  
the people assembled4 ,but such as lived
 at a distance1 or from local           

inconveniences could not constantly     
repair to the place of general          
association1 were allowed to build      
,proseuchi1 or ,oratories1 in one of    
which our ,saviour continued all night  
in prayer4 ,they had no covering like   
synagogues1 but were surrounded by      
porticoes1 to afford shelter from the   
inclemency of the weather1 and were     
erected in the suburbs of a city1 by the
 baths or near rivers1 on account of the
 purifications so frequent with the     
,jews1 and usually on very elevated     
spots of ground4 ,the proseucha         
signalized by the devotions of ,christ  
was on a mountain4 ,some have supposed  
that ,isaac went out to meditate in the 
evening in a place of this description4 
,these were probably the high places of 
ancient times1 in or near which groves  
were planted1 and which are only        
condemned in ,scripture when            
appropriated to idolatrous purposes4 ,i 
am like a green olive tree1 says the    
,psalmist1 in the house of ,god4        

,availing themselves of the opportunity 
afforded by the resort of devout persons
 to these religious retirements1 these  
zealous ministers of the ,gospel        
conversed and preached to the people1   
who on this occasion were chiefly women4
 ,but though many were addressed1 it    
does not appear that more than one was  
substantially benefitted4 ,her attention
 was excited1 her heart opened1 and her 
profession of the name of ,jesus        
immediate and public4 ,the several      
points of her character deserve         
particular and distinct illustration4   
,lydia is said to have been of the city 
of ,thyatira2 but whether she had       
removed to ,philippi1 or was only come  
for the purpose of trade1 is not        
certain4 ,she was one who worshipped    
,god1 that is1 one who1 in distinction  
from the heathen around her1 had learned
 the character of ,jehovah1 and was     
probably a ,jewish proselyte4 #df       
,instructed in the ancient records of   
that extraordinary nation1 which had    

been so many past ages the only         
depository of divine truth1 she was     
expecting the predicted ,messiah2 and   
while1 from the natural aversion of     
mankind to the humiliating doctrine of  
salvation through a crucified person1   
the greater proportion of ,jews rejected
 him1 she experienced a true conversion1
 not only from the principles of        
heathenism1 but from those of ,judaism1 
to the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,a few
 instances of this description occur in 
the evangelical record to show the      
sovereignty and diversified operations  
of the grace of ,god4  ,that moral      
change1 that spiritual renovation1 which
 has been called ,,conversion1 is1 we   
are aware1 and ever will be1 the subject
 of profane ridicule amongst            
unbelievers4 ,it does not indeed produce
 any astonishment1 although it awakens  
extreme regret1 that one of the most    
obvious effects resulting from the      
publication of the ,gospel of ,christ   
should be so unblushingly denied by this

 class of mankind4 ,the natural man     
discerneth not the things of the ,spirit
 of ,god1 because they are spiritually  
discerned4 ,the scriptures themselves   
predict this incapacity1 even in some of
 the most refined and intellectual of   
our species1 to form a conception of    
this marvellous change2 and experience  
evinces the truth of what they affirm1  
and which originates in the very nature 
of things4 ,it is characteristic of     
human perversity to disbelieve what is  
imperceptible to reason or invisible to 
sense1 and to vaunt itself upon that    
very infidelity as a distinctive mark of
 pre-eminence1 which is1 in fact1 a     
proof of debasement and guilt4 ,if a    
system of religion were to be so        
constructed as to be exempt from the    
ridicule of the profane1 it must be     
itself ridiculous2 because their        
distorted minds cannot discern the      
beauties of truth1 and their depraved   
feelings will not admit her claims4 ,to 
secure their approbation religion must  

change her character1 alter her         
doctrines1 new cast her precepts1 and   
new modify her principles4  ,lydia      
presents an interesting specimen not    
only of the reality but of the nature of
 the great work of conversion2 and1     
however contemptible the subject may    
appear in the eye of a dissipated world1
 or to the mind of a prejudiced reader1 
we hesitate not to state the sentiments 
which necessarily arise out of the      
present example respecting the seat and 
source of this change1 the agent by whom
 it is accomplished1 and the            
corresponding effects produced4  #a4    
,our attention is1 in the first place1  
to be directed to the seat of this      
spiritual renovation4 ,it is said of    
,lydia1 that her ,,heart was opened4    
,this change1 therefore1 is of a moral  
nature1 not merely circumstantial1 but  
radical4 ,it does not consist in        
assuming a new name1 professing new     
opinions1 using a new language1         
performing a few rites and ceremonies1  

or reforming a few exterior vices1      
,these are only branches--the tree      
itself must be made good--the crab stock
 of nature must be grafted with         
spiritual principles1 and by being      
planted in the garden of the ,lord be   
brought under a heavenly culture4 ,it is
 then only the fruits of righteousness  
may be anticipated1 which are to the    
glory and praise of ,god4  ,the         
disordered state of the passions is a   
striking evidence of human degeneracy4  
,in consequence of this a thousand      
mistakes are committed1 and a thousand  
follies practised4 ,each passion is     
fixed on a wrong object1 pursues an     
unworthy end1 and is susceptible of     
false impressions4 ,indeed1 the will is 
totally perverted1 and chooses1 with    
obstinate resolution1 whatever is       
erroneous and criminal2 on which account
 men are represented in the metaphorical
 language of ,scripture1 as loving      
darkness rather than light4 ,so         
astonishing is the degree of this       

perversion1 that the ,supreme ,good is  
dreaded and avoided as if he were the   
only evil in the universe2 and1 however 
vain the attempt1 guilt is continually  
seeking concealment in some secret      
covert1 some supposed security from his 
omniscient inspection4 ,captivated by   
deceitful appearances1 human confidence 
is perpetually misplaced1 and therefore 
perpetually betrayed2 the siren song of 
pleasure soothes the unhappy captives of
 her bewitching charms into the bosom of
 destruction--the splendour of earthly  
distinctions dims the eye of sense1 and 
prevents its perception of the bright   
realities of heaven4 ,in fact1 such has 
been the melancholy effect of sin upon  
the perceptions of the human soul1 that 
every thing is seen through the medium  
of sensual passions in an inverted      
position--good seems evil1 and evil     
good--and till this disorder become     
rectified by a divine touch1 the heart  
will remain at enmity against ,god1 the 
refuge and resort of the worst          

dispositions1 and the great central     
pandemonium of every diabolical         
affection4 ,such is the statement of    
,jesus ,christ himself1 ,from within1   
out of the heart of men1 proceed evil   
thoughts1 adulteries1 fornications1     
murders1 thefts1 covetousness1          
wickedness1 deceit1 lasciviousness1 an  
evil eye1 blasphemy1 pride1 foolishness2
 all these things come from within1 and 
defile the man4  ,as the intellectual   
and moral state of man are1 in a        
religious view1 closely connected1 the  
renovation of the heart is essentially  
connected with an important change in   
the understanding4 ,the latter may1     
indeed1 be considerably improved and    
informed when no spiritual effect is    
produced upon the former1 but the former
 cannot be renewed without corresponding
 and coincident effects on the latter2  
and the illumination of the             
understanding is so universal1 that     
believers are said to be light in the   
,lord4 ,their perceptions of truth are  

not mere gleamings and streaks of divine
 radiance thrown across the obscurity of
 the mind1 but all is light4 ,nor is it 
merely new light diffused over objects  
familiar to the thoughts1 but a         
discovery of new scenes4 ,the soul1 in a
 sense1 changes its hemisphere1 emerges 
from darkness1 ascends to the summits of
 ,pisgah1 and contemplates the ineffable
 glories of a new creation4 ,if any man 
be in ,christ1 he is a new creature2 old
 things are passed away1 behold all     
things are become new4 ,how touching and
 how worthy of adoption the poet's      
language3    ,celestial light   ,shine  
inward1 and the mind through all her    
powers   ,irradiate2 there plant eyes1  
all mist from thence   ,purge and       
disperse6    ,,milton4  ,the total      
renovation of the heart is evinced by   
susceptibility of conscience4 ,this     
moral faculty1 in an unregenerate state1
 is either perverted or hardened4 ,in   
the former case1 our obligations are not
 clearly discerned1 or are easily       

dispensed with2 in the latter1 the most 
powerful appeals to love or fear are    
resisted4 ,in the progress of sin to its
 most awful consummation1 those gentle  
whispers which were at first noticed1   
and made the transgressor tremble till  
he sometimes let fall the forbidden     
fruit1 are at length unheard4 ,every    
intimation is silenced by guilty        
merriment1 which perhaps was at first   
forced1 but soon becomes habitual4      
,where conscience is not lulled into    
total inaction1 it is1 in this state of 
character1 violated with little remorse4
 ,the mind loses sight of the glory of  
,god1 its best regulating principle2 it 
is alive to personal interests only1 and
 discards every thing of a nobler       
nature4 ,but1 in the sincere and humble 
,christian1 conscience is tender1 easily
 offended with evil1 and gradually      
approximating that state of susceptibly 
in respect to sin1 in which it resembles
 a well-polished mirror1 that shows the 
slightest particle of dust or damp upon 

its surface4 ,such a conscience is no   
less rigorous than it is tender1 and    
repels temptation with persevering      
energy4 ,it will hold no debate with the
 tempter2 and so far from seeking to    
ascertain how far it may advance towards
 sinful compliances without contracting 
actual guilt1 it will abstain from all  
appearance of evil4  ,in stating that   
the heart is the seat of those          
principles and the source of that       
transformation of character which is    
comprehended in the term conversion1 it 
is intended to express the permanent    
nature of the change4 ,it is not an     
opinion or an emotions resembling the   
morning cloud and early dew that pass   
away1 but an abiding and deep-wrought   
alteration4 ,he which hath begun a good 
work in you1 will carry it on until the 
day of ,christ ,jesus2 in consequence of
 which1 the path of the just is as the  
shining light that shineth more and more
 unto the perfect day4  ,that such      
improvements of character often have    

occurred1 and are often taking place    
now1 cannot be denied by any philosophic
 observer of human nature3 to disregard 
them1 or to neglect an investigation of 
their use1 is to neglect one of the most
 interesting classes of facts observable
 amongst mankind4 ,who has not either   
heard of or witnessed the most          
extraordinary changes of conduct1       
produced through the apparent influence 
7to say the least7 of religious motives8
 ,i say nothing here of the three       
thousand converted in one day at the    
feast of ,pentecost--of the conversion  
of ,st4 ,paul and others mentioned in   
the ,acts of the ,apostles--because     
those are usually ascribed to the       
miraculous and extraordinary influences 
of the ,holy ,spirit in the apostolic   
times4 ,but ,i may call your attention  
ttomatters of more recent occurrence4   
,you have witnessed instances of men    
running eagerly the career of folly and 
dissipation1 who have been suddenly     
arrested1 and changed from 'lovers of   

pleasure' to 'lovers of ,god4' ,you have
 known others who have devoted          
themselves early to the military        
profession1 who literally knew no fear1 
who have spent their lives in the       
pursuit of glory1 who have approached   
the verge of life full of scars and full
 of honours1 still panting after 'glory1
 honour1 immortality1' but thinking     
nothing of 'eternal life2' till1 touched
 by an irresistible hand1 they have been
 transformed from good soldiers to 'good
 soldiers of ,jesus ,christ1' have      
buckled on 'the armour of ,god1' 'fought
 the good fight of faith1' and following
 'the ,captain of their salvation1' have
 obtained 'the victory1' and been       
rewarded with unfading laurels4 ,others 
again1 you have known1 who have been    
strong and high-minded1 professing never
 to be subdued but by the force of      
argument1 and dexterously evading an    
argument when it was forcible1 if it    
were calculated to expose the sophistry 
of 'free-thinking1' 7as it is called17  

or to exhibit the reasonableness and    
advantages of being pious2 you have seen
 them increase in the dexterity of      
unbelief1 and in callousness to moral   
impression1 year after year1            
',gleaning the blunted shafts that have 
recoil'd1   ,aiming them at the shield  
of truth again2'  and when a band of    
them has gone to church for the purpose 
of quizzing1 or of staring out of       
countenance some preacher of rather more
 than usual energy and zeal1 have known 
one of this band pierced by 'a dart from
 the archer1' convinced that religion is
 'the one thing needful1' and though he 
came 'to scoff1 remaining to pray4' #dg 
,,ii4 ,the second observable            
circumstance in the inspired account of 
,lydia's conversion is1 its             
accomplishment by divine agency4 ,it is 
stated that the ,,lord opened her heart4
 ,the effect is not ascribed to the     
apostle ,paul1 or his illustrious       
coadjutors in the ,christian ministry4  
,they might speak with the tongue of    

angels1 and hum with the zeal of        
seraphs2 to them might be given in trust
 the everlasting ,gospel1 which1 like   
the apocalyptic angel1 they were        
carrying through the midst of heaven to 
the inhabitants of the earth1 to every  
nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and    
people2 they might indeed possess the   
power not only of placing facts in the  
clearest light1 or urging arguments in  
the most forcible manner1 but even of   
working miracles2 still they could not  
open the heart4 ,indefatigable as they  
were in their labours1 they could not   
command success4 ,at this precise point 
human instrumentality ceases1 and divine
 agency commences4  ,it is by no means  
an unfrequent effect of ministerial     
fidelity1 to confirm the native aversion
 of the impenitent to the doctrines of  
,christ4 ,pride resists conviction1 and 
fosters prejudice2 and however          
unanswerable the statements1 or fervent 
the appeals which may be addressed to   
them1 the mind still remains unsubdued1 

the heart is still unopened4 ,it        
requires the interposal of a mightier   
power than either reason1 remonstrance1 
or miracle1 to accomplish this wonderful
 transformation of character4 ,hosts of 
apostles and legions of angels would be 
incompetent by their own unaided        
exertions1 to do any thing as of        
themselves2 to give light to one blind  
eye1 or to rectify one prejudiced heart4
  ,human agency1 then1 cannot be of     
itself effectual4 ,it is the ,lord who  
opens the ear1 the eye1 the conscience1 
the understanding1 and the heart4 ,the  
weapons of that spiritual warfare1 in   
which ,christian ministers are engaged1 
can alone pull down strong holds1 cast  
down imaginations1 and every high thing 
that exalteth itself against the        
knowledge of ,god1 and bring into       
captivity every thought to the obedience
 of ,christ1 being mighty through ,god4 
,what would the weapon accomplish1 if   
the hand of ,almighty power were not to 
grasp and wield it8 ,the experience of  

modern preachers1 no doubt1 resembles   
that of their apostolic predecessors in 
the same field of holy labour4 ,when    
stout-hearted sinners have been attacked
 by all the force of argument1 all the  
power of eloquence1 all the fire of     
zeal1 all the holy violence of appeal1  
all the tenderness of tears1 and all the
 terrors of denunciation--and when it   
might have been expected that a heart of
 marble thus smitten must yield and     
break1 and yet no emotion1 at least no  
repentance1 no relinquishment of sin1   
and no obedience to ,christ has         
resulted--how often have they retired   
exclaiming1 ,o the impotence of human   
instrumentality6 ,but when returning to 
their work1 desponding or deeply        
apprehensive1 going forth weeping1      
bearing precious seed1 they have at     
length seen the rebel struck1 and in a  
moment abashed1 humbled1                
penitent--melted at a word--his         
prejudices dashed to the ground1 like   
,lucifer from heaven--his heart opened1 

like that of ,lydia1 and the bitter     
stream of his enmity turned into the    
sweetness of ,christian love--,they have
 paused--inquired--wondered--beheld the 
excellency of the power1 which was not  
of man1 but of ,god2 and have retired   
exclaiming1 ,o the omnipotence of divine
 grace6  ,it is an extraordinary        
circumstance1 that the agency of ,god1  
in the production of the natural world1 
should be universally admitted1 because 
no other adequate cause can be assigned2
 and yet that it should1 with so little 
hesitation1 be denied in the moral      
world4 ,why is ,god to be excluded from 
this superior creation1 but because men 
do not like to retain him in their      
knowledge1 and because corrupted reason 
would deify itself and dethrone the     
,almighty8--,and here we have the       
characteristic distinction between      
religion and irreligion4 ,the former    
assigns ,god as the cause and agent in  
every thing1 born interior and exterior 
to us4 ,it places him upon the throne1  

subordinates every thing to his will1   
attributes every thing to his influence4
 ,it contemplates his dominion as       
infinite1 and his will as the law of    
nature and of nations4 ,it fully        
believes1 that naturally and spiritually
 in him we live1 and move1 and have our 
being4 ,irreligion--and we may          
comprehend in the term1 not only        
extravagant immorality or gross impiety1
 but a system which is found to exist   
under the cloak of religion1 and the    
pretence of doing ,god                  
service--irreligion of every class and  
in every form is perpetually limiting   
the empire of the ,deity1 prescribing   
bounds to his influence1 criticising and
 defining his prerogatives1 and refusing
 him the right to reign over us4  ,the  
,scriptures uniformly ascribe the first 
principle1 all the successive actions1  
and the final consummation of religion  
in the heart1 to the ,spirit of ,god4   
,it is the subject of express promise3  
,and the ,lord thy ,god will circumcise 

thine heart1 and the heart of thy seed1 
to love the ,lord thy ,god with all     
thine heart and with all thy soul1 that 
thou mayest live4--,this shall be the   
covenant that ,i will make with the     
house of ,israel3 ,after those days1    
saith the ,lord1 ,i will put my law in  
their inward parts1 and write it in     
their hearts1 and will be their ,god1   
and they shall be my people4--,a new    
heart also will ,i give you1 and a new  
spirit will ,i put within you2 and ,i   
will take away the stony heart out of   
your flesh1 and ,i will give you a heart
 of flesh2 and ,i will put my ,spirit   
within you1 and cause you to walk in my 
statutes1 and ye shall keep my judgments
 and do them4 ,the nature of this moral 
transformation is distinctly stated in  
such passages as the following--,born1  
not of blood1 nor of the will of the    
flesh1 nor of the will of man1 but of   
,god--,ye are not in the flesh1 but in  
the spirit1 if so be the ,spirit of ,god
 dwell in you4 ,but if any man have not 

the ,spirit of ,god1 he is none of      
his--,as many as are led by the ,spirit 
of ,god1 they are the sons of ,god--,we 
are his workmanship1 created in ,christ 
,jesus unto good works1 which ,god hath 
ordained1 that we should walk in them4  
,in the same manner1 the increase of    
religion is ascribed to the ,spirit4 ,he
 which hath begun a good work in you1   
will perform it unto the day of ,jesus  
,christ--,now the ,god of peace1 that   
brought again from the dead our ,lord   
,jesus1 that great ,shepherd of the     
sheep1 through the blood of the         
everlasting covenant1 make you perfect  
in every good work to do his will1      
working in you that which is well       
pleasing in his sight1 through ,jesus   
,christ4 ,let us then1 as ,moses        
expresses it respecting the bush which  
he saw at the back of ,horeb1 burning1  
but still unconsumed1 turn aside and see
 this great sight4 ,god is every where  
by his power4 ,he rolls the orbs of     
heaven with his hand1 he fixes the earth

 in its place with his foot1 he guides  
all the creatures with his eye1 and     
refreshes them with his influence2 he   
makes the powers of bell to shake with  
his terrors1 and binds the devils with  
his word1 and throws them out with his  
command1 and sends the angels on        
embassies with his decrees4444 ,god is  
especially present in the hearts of his 
people1 by his ,holy ,spirit2 and indeed
 the hearts of holy men are temples in  
the truth of things1 and in type and    
shadow they are heaven itself4 ,for ,god
 reigns in the hearts of his servants3  
there is his kingdom4 ,the energy of    
grace hath subdued all his enemies2 this
 is his power4 ,they serve him night and
 day1 and give him thanks and praise2   
that is his glory4 ,the temple itself is
 the heart of man2 ,christ is the high  
priest1 who from thence sends up the    
incense of prayers1 and joins them to   
his own intercession1 and presents all  
together to his ,father2 and the ,holy  
,ghost1 by his dwelling there1 hath also

 consecrated it into a temple2 and ,god 
dwells in our hearts by faith1 and      
,christ by his ,spirit1 and the ,spirit 
by his purities2 so that we are also    
cabinets of the mysterious ,trinity2 and
 what is short of heaven itself1 but as 
infancy is short of manhood1 and letters
 of words8 #dh  ,how inconceivably      
glorious is the beauty of holiness in   
the renovated soul6 ,that ,god1 who     
commanded the light to shine out of     
darkness1 should shine into our hearts1 
to give the light of the knowledge of   
the glory of ,god in the face of ,christ
 ,jesus--that the vileness of our nature
 should be superseded by the purity of  
grace--that sinners should be pardoned  
and sin subdued--that the good seed     
should vegetate in such a barren and    
overgrown wilderness of desolation--that
 we who were sometime darkness should   
become light in the ,lord1 is truly     
marvellous4 ,this establishment of the  
kingdom of ,god within us1 excites the  
gratitude of saints1 the wonder of      

angels1 and the loud anthems of triumph 
that vibrate from the harps of heaven4  
,when ,god made a fair world from a     
formless mass of matter1 the morning    
stars sang together1 and all the sons of
 ,god shouted for joy2 but when he      
devised the plan to make a holy human   
being from a base and fallen rebel1 they
 sung ,glory to ,god in the ,,highest4  
,how animating the consideration1 that  
the hope of salvation inspired in the   
soul by the ,spirit of ,god1 can never  
be extinguished6 ,the grace that        
powerfully impels him to take the first 
step in the ,christian life1 as forcibly
 urges him forward to the end of his    
course4 ,the light which is kindled in  
his bosom will burn and brighten1 and   
consummate his immortal bliss4 ,it is   
itself the pledge of this increase and  
perfection4 ,the felicity of the        
,christian here is similar in its       
essence to his glory hereafter1 as the  
first ray of morning is the same in     
nature with the noontide brightness4 ,it

 may struggle through obscurities1 but  
will rise to perfect day4 ,death indeed 
is rapidly approaching3 but as the solar
 orb plunges for a short season into    
darkness1 to reappear with new          
splendour2 so will the righteous        
eventually ascend above the tomb and1   
the worm1 to shine forth as the sun in  
the kingdom of their ,father4  ,the     
manner of ,lydia's conversion ought not 
to be overlooked4 ,her heart was opened4
 ,there is something gentle1 as well as 
effectual1 in the representation4 ,the  
,spirit of ,god not only operates by a  
variety of instruments1 but by a        
considerable diversity of modes4 ,he    
descends on ,sinai in tempests1 and on  
,calvary in smiles4 ,sometimes his      
manifestations are terrible1 and        
sometimes soothing2 sometimes he breaks1
 and sometimes opens the heart4 ,in     
scripture we are furnished with         
illustrations of this diversified       
operation4 ,manasseh1 who made ,judah   
and the inhabitants of ,jerusalem to    

err1 and to do worse than the heathen1  
and who would not hearken to divine     
monitions1 was taken by the ,assyrians  
among the thorns1 and bound with        
fetters1 and carried to ,babylon4 ,he   
who was unaffected1 either by mercies or
 menaces1 in his prosperity1 when he was
 in affliction1 besought the ,lord his  
,god1 and humbled himself greatly before
 the ,god of his fathers1 and prayed    
unto him2 and he was entreated of him   
and heard his supplication1 and brought 
him again to ,jerusalem into his        
kingdom4 ,then ,manasseh knew that the  
,lord he was ,god4 ,paul1 who breathed  
out threatening and slaughter against   
the ,christian church1 was suddenly     
struck to the earth by a miraculous     
light from heaven1 and from a persecutor
 transformed into an apostle4 ,the      
,philippian jailer exclaimed amidst his 
terrors1 ,what must ,i do to be saved8  
and was not only prevented from         
committing suicide1 but directed to     
heaven by the doctrine of his apostolic 

prisoner1 which through grace he        
cordially received3 ,believe on the     
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shall be 
saved1 and thine house4 ,on the other   
hand1 ,samuel1 ,timothy1 and ,lydia1    
were drawn with bands of love4 ,they    
heard the whispers of mercy1 and felt   
the attractions of grace4 ,each of their
 hearts1 like that of ,lydia1 was       
opened4 ,passion subsided1 prejudice    
withdrew1 ignorance melted away4 ,they  
were not taken by storm1 but made       
willing in the day of his power4  ,the  
importance of this change is intimated  
in the remarkable declaration of ,jesus 
,christ to ,nicodemus1 ,except a man be 
born again1 he cannot see the kingdom of
 heaven4 ,it is essential to the        
possession of paradise2 it constitutes  
the very basis of the ,christian        
character2 and to be indifferent to it  
is a mark of condemnation4 ,its present 
influence1 and its future consequences1 
are so wonderful1 that it becomes us to 
cherish an immediate and incessant      

solicitude upon the subject4 ,look      
upward--,almighty love waits to be      
gracious--,is it not recorded1 and can  
it ever be forgotten1 that every one    
that asketh receiveth2 and he that      
seeketh findeth2 and to him that        
knocketh it shall be opened8 ,if a son  
shall ask bread of any of you that is a 
father1 will he give him a stone8 or if 
he ask a fish1 will he for a fish give  
him a serpent8 or if he shall ask an    
egg1 will he offer him a scorpion8 ,if  
ye then1 being evil1 know how to give   
good gifts unto your children1 how much 
more shall your heavenly ,father give   
the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask him8 
,,iii4 ,the account of ,lydia is further
 illustrative of the effects resulting  
from a divine influence upon the human  
heart4  ,the first of these effects is  
intimated by the statement1 that she    
attended unto the things which were     
spoken of ,paul4 ,her spirit was        
exceedingly different from that of the  
hearers of ,ezekiel3 ,thou son of man1  

the children of thy people still are    
talking against thee by the walls and in
 the doors of the houses1 and speak one 
to another1 every one to his brother1   
saying1 ,come1 ,i pray you1 and hear    
what is the word that cometh forth from 
the ,lord4 ,and they come unto thee as  
the people cometh1 and they sit before  
thee as my people1 and they hear thy    
words1 but they will not do them2 for   
with their mouth they show much love1   
but their heart goeth after their       
covetousness ,and lo1 thou art unto them
 as a very lovely song of one that hath 
a pleasant voice1 and can play well on  
an instrument2 for they hear thy words1 
but they do them not4 ,lydia1 on the    
contrary1 heard to profit4 ,she         
listened1 reflected1 and inwardly       
digested1 the truths of the ,gospel4    
,she heard with seriousness and with    
self-application4 ,the doctrine was to  
her novel and interesting4 ,the ,gospel 
came to her1 not in word only1 but also 
in power1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 and  

in much assurance2 for she received the 
word of ,god which she heard1 not as the
 word of men1 but1 as it is in truth1   
the word of ,god1 which effectually     
worketh in believers4  ,and is this     
descriptive of our views and feelings8  
,do we pay attention to divine          
instructions1 and hear so that our souls
 may live8 ,is the word of ,god to us   
like descending manna from the skies1   
which we go forth with eager haste to   
gather for our spiritual subsistence8   
,whenever we repair to the house of     
,god1 are we more ready to hear1 than to
 give the sacrifice of fools8 ,do we    
dwell upon the lips of the preacher8 ,do
 we aim to remember1 seek to understand1
 and humbly resolve to practise what is 
taught8 ,or1 do we go to public worship 
with reluctant and hesitating steps1    
compelled alone by the force of habit1  
education1 example1 or terror8 ,when    
arrived1 do we enter with irreverence1  
assume a careless and familiar attitude1
 give the rein to our wandering         

thoughts1 resign our bodies or our      
consciences to unhallowed slumber1 or   
watch with frequent glances the slowly  
revolving hour that will free us from an
 irksome service8 ,when retired from    
public engagements1 do we forget ,god   
our ,maker1 dissipate consecrated hours1
 and at length lose every salutary      
impression amidst the cares of life1 and
 the subordinate concerns of a moment8  
,it is possible you may even plead      
temporal anxieties and business1 as an  
extenuation of the guilt of religious   
negligences1 or as a sufficient ground  
of exemption from the claims of piety4  
,you are forsooth too busy1 too needy1  
too perplexed in establishing           
connections or conducting commercial    
transactions1 to pay an immediate regard
 to the interests of the soul and       
eternity2 and although you at present   
defer such considerations1 you apologize
 for your folly by saying1 it does not  
arise from aversion1 but inconvenience4 
,you do not deny1 you only              

procrastinate4 ,but who has insured your
 life8 ,who has perused for you the page
 of destiny1 which numbers the years of 
your mortal existence8 ,who has given   
you any evidence1 that the distant day  
of intentional repentance1 shall be a   
day of health1 seriousness1 and leisure8
 ,who can tell that the sun1 which      
illumines the path of your prosperity at
 this period of irresolution1 will not1 
upon the arrival of the predicted hour  
of penitence1 shine only upon your      
grave8 ,who has given you authority to  
invert the order which ,christ has      
established in the admonition1 ,seek ye 
,,first the kingdom of ,god and his     
righteousness8  ,but we have a valuable 
example to cite4 ,go to ,philippi4      
,learn of a woman1 whose name cannot    
perish1 though generations pass away1   
and the stars become extinct4 ,lydia was
 not a person of leisure2 she was a     
seller of purple1 or cloths1 which were 
died of a purple colour1 or purple      
silks4 #di ,she had surely sufficient   

occupation1 and yet she has no apologies
 at hand4 ,she was not too much engaged 
to be concerned about her eternal       
salvation2 but when the apostle of the  
,gentiles preaches1 she must go1 she    
must hear1 she must attend4 ,she was    
diligent in business1 but this did not  
preclude her being fervent in spirit4   
,as a seller of purple she could only   
have become rich--the acm1 indeed1 and  
summit of human wishes1 but a miserable 
barter for real and everlasting         
happiness2 as a hearer of ,paul1 she    
might and did become wise to salvation4 
,every thing is beautiful in its season4
 ,we must not wander from our proper    
business under pretence of religion1 nor
 must we neglect religion upon a plea of
 business4 ,religion does not require a 
relinquishment of our calling and       
station in society1 but no civil        
engagements can justify a disregard of  
religion4 ,we may sell our purple--but  
we must also attend to the instructions 
of the ministry and the word of ,god4   

,if we imitate ,lydia in diligence1 let 
us not forget to imitate her in piety4  
,it is vain and wicked to aver1 that1   
the concerns of this world and those of 
another interfere2 because an ardent    
religion is not only compatible with    
worldly occupations1 but promotes both  
their purity and integrity1 if it do not
 secure their success4  ,another effect 
of divine influence upon the heart of   
,lydia1 and essentially connected with  
her reception of the great principles of
 ,christianity1 was an immediate        
attention to the ordinance of baptism4  
,she was baptized and her household4 ,in
 the true spirit of that apostle from   
whose lips she received the truth of    
heaven1 and by whom she was directed to 
the ,lamb of ,god that taketh away the  
sin of the world1 she conferred not with
 flesh1 and blood4 ,with a promptitude  
which was at once expressive of the     
sincerity of her faith and the zeal of  
her mind1 she did not hesitate to       
observe the baptismal institution of her

 ,lord and ,saviour4 ,what were to her  
the wonder of ignorant spectators--the  
ridicule of her fellow-traders--the     
reflections of her heathen              
neighbours--when balanced against the   
approbation of ,god and her own         
conscience8 ,she had bought the truth1  
and would not sell it--she had found the
 pearl of great price1 and went and     
sacrificed every temporal consideration 
for it--she had found the ,messiah1 and 
was resolved to follow his foot-steps   
whithersoever they conducted her4 ,she  
did not dispute or hesitate1 but she    
obeyed4 ,may the bright example of      
,lydia stimulate us to a similar        
conduct6  ,in the primitive times it is 
obvious that whoever received the       
,gospel was baptized in the name of     
,christ1 and to express a resolution to 
adhere to him4 ,and this obedience is a 
part of that decision of character which
 should distinguish the genuine disciple
 of ,christ4 ,he demands it as a proof  
of love1 and by virtue of his supreme   

authority in the church4 ,the command to
 be baptized is1 in the ,new ,testament1
 usually connected with the exhortation 
to repent1 because this is the order of 
things which the ,son of ,god has       
established1 and the most convincing    
evidence that we have voluntarily       
devoted ourselves to his service4       
,baptism was significant of a burial and
 resurrection with ,christ1 of being    
regenerated by his ,spirit1 renewed by  
his influence1 and separated from all   
the unholy principles of a depraved     
nature1 and from the sinful practices of
 a corrupt world4 ,the abundant use of  
water in this institution was considered
 as illustrative of the purifying       
influences of the ,holy ,spirit1 of his 
miraculous descent on the day of        
,pentecost1 and of the overwhelming     
sufferings of the crucifixion4 ,the     
precursor of our ,lord predicted ,christ
 as coming to baptize them with the     
,holy ,ghost and with fire4 ,john       
immersed our ,saviour himself in the    

river ,jordan2 when1 as he went up      
straightway out of the water1 he beheld 
the heavens opened unto him1 saw the    
descending ,spirit of ,god like a dove1 
lighting upon him1 and heard a voice    
saying1 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in    
whom ,i am well pleased4 ,viewing in    
awful perspective the tragical scenes of
 his life1 which were to terminate in   
the more tragical sufferings of his last
 hour1 he exclaimed1 ,i have a baptism  
to be baptized with1 and how am ,i      
straitened till it be accomplished6     
,happily1 ,lydia was not alone in her   
public profession of religion4 ,she had 
the satisfaction of seeing her household
 introduced by baptism into the church  
of ,christ4 ,we are not informed either 
of their number1 sex1 or age4 ,the      
circumstances of the case seem most     
naturally to point out her servants or  
adult children1 to whom1 as in the      
instance of the jailer1 the word of the 
,lord might be addressed4 ,she no doubt 
felt extreme solicitude for their       

spiritual interests1 and from the moment
 of her own conversion would give them  
every opportunity of attending the      
apostolic instruction4 ,to have         
witnessed in them the kindlings of      
divine love1 the workings of genuine    
penitence1 the dawnings of true         
religion1 must have afforded her the    
richest pleasure1 in comparison with    
which all the accumulations of trade and
 commerce dwindled into perfect         
insignificance4  ,but let us inquire    
whether we resemble ,lydia4 ,do we      
monopolize the hopes of salvation and   
the cup of spiritual blessing8 or are we
 active distributors of the heavenly    
bounty8 ,what do we feel for our        
families1 our children1 our domestics1  
our dependants1 our friends and         
connections8 ,what have we done for     
them8 ,they need instruction--they      
possess souls to be saved1 or lost--they
 are responsible creatures--they are    
given us in charge by providence1 and   
will finally meet us at the tribunal of 

,god4 ,should it not awaken alarm to be 
accessary in any degree to their        
destruction by negligence1 if not by    
compulsion or by bad example8 ,is it not
 worthy of a holy ambition to become    
instrumental to their eternal welfare8  
,do you lead them to the domestic altar8
 ,do you watch over their conduct with a
 vigilant and paternal eye8 ,do you     
guide them to the house of ,god8--,to   
show them the path to heaven--to be     
instrumental in lodging one important   
sentiment in their minds--to sow1 if but
 a single grain1 that may vegetate and  
rise into a tree of holiness1 is        
incalculably more satisfactory and more 
honourable than to obtain the victories 
of an ,alexander1 or the riches of a    
,croesus4 ,o1 let us never remain       
content with a solitary religion2 but   
aim1 like ,lydia1 to multiply our       
satisfactions1 and in the spirit of an  
exalted charity1 to distribute happiness
 in the earth6 ,none of us liveth to    
himself1 and no man 7as a ,christian17  

dieth to himself4  ,a third and most    
visible effect of ,lydia's conversion1  
was an affectionate regard to the       
servants of ,christ4 ,with the zeal of a
 new convert and the generosity of a    
genuine ,christian1 she invited ,paul   
and the companions of his labours to    
come into her house and abide there4    
,she thus proved herself a lover of     
hospitality1 a lover of good men2 which 
although it be one of the appropriate   
characteristics of a bishop1 or         
spiritual overseer and pastor1 enters   
into the very elements of a religious   
character in every station4 ,we are     
exhorted to do good to all men1         
especially to them that are of the      
household of faith3 and ,jesus ,christ  
has represented love to the brethren as 
an indication of discipleship4  ,the    
invitation of ,lydia was not cold and   
formal4 ,she did not merely pass the    
compliment of asking these holy guests  
to her board1 but solicited it as a     
favour1 and with an unusual degree of   

importunity4 ,she entreated--she        
constrained them4 ,her plea was modest1 
but so expressed as to be irresistible4 
,they could not deny her request when   
put upon this basis3 ,if ye have judged 
me to be faithful to the ,lord1 come    
into my house4  ,gratitude was          
undoubtedly a principal occasion of this
 urgency4 ,she had received through     
their instrumentality the best gift of  
,heaven4 ,the eyes of her understanding 
had been enlightened--the affections of 
her heart had been excited and          
sanctified to a noble purpose4 ,they had
 proclaimed to her with surprising      
effect1 ,jesus and the resurrection2    
and1 although she had been a devout     
proselyte of the ,jewish religion1 she  
would not1 humanly speaking but for     
them1 have become acquainted with the   
,christian1 of which the former was only
 a pre-figurative shadow4 ,they had     
unlocked the door of wisdom1 and put her
 in possession of the ample treasures of
 truth2 they had taught her the evil of 

sin1 and shown her the ,lord our        
righteousness2 they had dispersed her   
doubts1 dispelled her fears1 removed her
 darkness1 satisfied her inquiries1 and 
conducted her to the light of the world1
 new risen upon benighted nations1 and  
whose blessed radiance was already      
diffused in every direction4 ,lydia was 
anxious to repay these benefits1 or     
rather to testify her overwhelming sense
 of their immensity4 ,what could she do 
but invite them home8 ,they were        
strangers1 amongst senseless idolaters  
and persecuting foes1 and she took them 
in1 conscious of having incurred an     
obligation which she could but          
imperfectly discharge4 ,and have we     
cherished similar sentiments8 ,have we  
revered and ministered to the servants  
of our ,lord8 ,have we supplied their   
necessities--cherished their            
persons--guarded their reputation8 ,have
 we thus rendered honour to whom honour 
is due--esteeming them very highly in   
love for their work's sake--and having  

made partakers of their spiritual       
things1 considered it our duty to       
minister unto them in carnal things8    
,respect for the truth itself ought to  
generate a suitable predilection for    
such as faithfully dispense it4 ,we     
should value the earthen vessels for the
 sake of the heavenly treasure they     
contain4 ,if in any instances the       
professed ministers of the ,gospel act  
inconsistently with their character1 a  
mind like that of ,lydia1 would not     
become dissatisfied with the truth      
itself1 nor hastily utter extravagant   
censure4 ,we have known persons take an 
apparent pleasure in detailing the      
faults of persons eminent either for    
character1 or for official situation4   
,they have betrayed1 by their triumphant
 air1 significant inuendoes1 or needless
 circumstantiality1 a secret and        
criminal gratification1 whilst loudly   
protesting their sorrow4 ,but a sincere 
piety1 which sympathises with all the   
adversities and prosperities of the     

,christian cause1 and knows the general 
and especially the personal consequences
 of such deplorable inconsistencies1    
will commiserate1 and weep1 and pray4   
,the importunity of ,lydia was no less  
honorable to ,paul and his coadjutors   
than to herself4 ,it proves their       
delicacy and consideration4 ,they felt  
unwilling to accept her hospitality1    
lest it should prove burdensome or      
troublesome4 ,these were not men to take
 advantage of the impressions they      
produced1 and to gain a subsistence by  
art and fraudulence4 ,they knew how to  
use prosperity1 and how to sustain      
adversity1 how to abound1 and to suffer 
want4 ,they were not ashamed of poverty1
 nor afraid of labour4 ,hardship1       
imprisonments1 scourgings1 and even     
death1 had lost their terrors2 and on   
every occasion they were solicitous of  
evincing a disinterestedness of spirit  
that might compel their bitterest       
enemies to attest the purity of their   
motives4 ,hence ,paul could appeal to   

the elders of the ,ephesian church1 ,i  
have coveted no man's silver1 or gold1  
or apparel4 ,yea1 you yourselves know1  
that these hands have ministered unto my
 necessities1 and to them that were with
 me2 and to the ,corinthian believers1  
what is my reward then8 ,verily1 that   
when ,i preach the gospel1 ,i may make  
the gospel of ,christ without charge2   
that ,i abuse not my power in the       
gospel4 ,his language to the            
,thessalonians is still more remarkable3
 ,we did not eat any man's bread for    
nought2 but wrought with labour and     
travel night and day that we might not  
be chargeable to any of you4  ,lydia    
might probably be influenced in making  
this request by another consideration4  
,she expected great advantage from more 
familiar intercourse with her guests4   
,in the social hour--at the friendly    
table--in the retirement of home--she   
could propose inquiries1 which such a   
man as ,paul would be happy to hear1 and
 ready to answer4 ,he who could thus    

address the saints at ,rome--,i long to 
see you1 that ,i may impart unto you    
some spiritual gift1 to the end ye may  
be established2 that is1 that ,i may be 
comforted together with you1 by the     
mutual faith both of you and me--must   
have proved an interesting companion to 
so pious and inquisitive a woman4 ,she  
would receive him as a father and honour
 him as an apostle4 ,happy1 thrice happy
 for us1 when we make a proper selection
 of our bosom friends1 and improve the  
hours of social intercourse to the      
purposes of spiritual improvement6      
,nothing is more advantageous than      
reciprocal communication2 it elicits    
truth1 corrects mistake1 improves       
character1 conduces to happiness1       
animates to diligence1 and gives anew   
impulse to our moral energies4 ,then    
they that feared the ,lord spake often  
one to another1 and the ,lord hearkened 
and heard it2 and a book of remembrance 
was written before him for them that    
feared the ,lord and that thought upon  

his name4 ,and they shall be mine1 saith
 the ,lord of hosts in that day when ,i 
make up my jewels2 and ,i will spare    
them as a man spareth his own son that  
serveth him4 ,then shall ye return and  
discern between the righteous and the   
wicked2 between him that serveth ,god   
and him that serveth him not4  ,in      
reviewing this history1 we cannot help  
regreting the specimen it affords of the
 paucity of real ,christians4 ,the whole
 city of ,philippi furnished only       
,lydia1 the jailer1 and a few others1   
who attended to the preaching of ,paul4 
,immersed in business1 devoted to       
superstition1 or depraved by sensuality1
 the glad tidings of salvation were     
despised or disregarded4 ,they had      
neither eyes to see1 ears to hear1 nor  
hearts to feel4 ,the ,god of this world 
blinded them1 that they did not believe4
 ,there was not even a ,jewish synagogue
 in ,philippi--not one altar erected to 
the true ,god--and only a small retreat 
by the river-side1 to which a few female

 inquirers resorted unnoticed or        
abhorred4 ,such is the world in         
miniature6 ,in reviewing the long track 
of ages1 we can observe but here and    
there a traveller along the road to     
,zion4 ,the narrow way appears an       
unfrequented path1 while thousands and  
myriads crowd the broad road that       
leadeth to destruction4 ,the page of    
history is not adorned with the names of
 saints1 but1 blessed be ,god1 they are 
recorded in ,scripture1 and will shine  
forever in the annals of eternity4  ,the
 subject1 however1 presents another     
aspect4 ,lydia was the first convert to 
the ,christian faith in ,,europe6 ,in   
her heart was deposited the first seed  
that was sown in this new field of      
labour1 in which so rich and extensive a
 harvest has since sprung up4 ,it was   
then1 indeed1 according to the          
parabolical representations of ,christ1 
but as a grain of mustard seed1 which is
 the least of all seeds2 but what a     
plant has it since become1 striking deep

 its roots1 and waving wide its         
branches1 so that the nations recline   
beneath its refreshing shade1 and feel  
the healing virtue of its sacred leaves6
 ,at that distant period1 while ,asia   
was under spiritual culture1 ,europe    
presented nothing to the eye but an     
outstretched wilderness of              
desolation--ignorance spread over her   
fairest regions gross darkness1 and the 
very shadow of death--and superstition  
reigned upon his gloomy throne with     
triumphant and universal dominion4 ,the 
particular state of ,britain may be     
inferred from the general condition of  
the world2 but if any difference        
existed1 there is reason to suppose1    
from its peculiar disadvantages and     
insular situation1 that a blacker       
midnight enveloped this region1 than    
spread over the more civilized provinces
 of the ,roman empire4 ,there was1      
indeed1 no nation in which the grossest 
practices of idolatry did not prevail1  
and where human nature did not appear in

 a state of awful degeneracy4 ,their    
very reason was folly2 their very       
religion impiety4 ,let us1 then1 be     
unceasingly grateful to that providence1
 which has not only sent the gospel to  
,europe1 but has caused the light to    
shine with peculiar glory in this       
favoured land1 which1 at its first      
promulgation1 was in a state of singular
 depravity2 fixed1 so to speak1 in the  
very meridian of the benighted          
hemisphere4  ,britain has now emerged   
into day2 and has not only caught the   
rising beam of mercy1 but is becoming   
the very centre of illumination to every
 kindred and people of the globe4 ,the  
different orders of ,christians engaged 
in missionary under-takings--,moravian1 
,baptist1 ,independent1 and ,church     
,societies1 ought to be mentioned with  
distinguished approbation1 and hailed as
 ,,fellow ,,labourers in the vineyard4  
,may they ever co-operate and not       
control each other6 ,may they be one in 
spirit1 though diverse in operation6    

,may they unite their respective        
energies in one common cause1 while     
bigotry retires abashed from the glory  
of such a scene6  ,above all1 the       
,united ,kingdoms may fairly claim1 what
 has been freely and cheerfully accorded
 by foreign nations1 the honor of giving
 birth to an institution1 7the ,british 
and ,foreign ,bible ,society17 the most 
efficacious ever devised1 for diffusing 
that knowledge which was given to make  
men wise unto salvation4  ,but although 
the approbation so generally bestowed on
 the ,british and ,foreign ,bible       
,society1 may be received as a          
gratifying homage to the simplicity1    
purity1 benevolence1 and importance of  
its design1 it is not to the praise of  
men1 but to the improvement of their    
moral and religious state1 that the     
,society aspires4 ,acting under the     
influence of an ardent desire to promote
 the glory of ,god1 and adopting the    
spirit of the apostolic injunction1 ',as
 we have opportunity let us do good unto

 all men1 especially to those who are of
 the household of faith2' its object is 
to administer comfort to the afflicted1 
and rest to the weary and heavy-laden2  
to dispense the bread and water of life 
to those who hunger and thirst after    
righteousness2 to feed the flock of     
,christ at home and abroad2 and to      
impart to those who sit in darkness the 
cheering rays of the ,sun of            
,righteousness4  ,the theatre on which  
the ,society displays its operations1 is
 that of the whole world4 ,considering  
all the races of men as children of one 
common ,father1 who 'maketh his sun to  
rise on the evil and on the good1 and   
sendeth rain on the just and on the     
unjust2' and who wills 'that all men    
should come to the knowledge of the     
truth2' the ,british and ,foreign ,bible
 ,society offers the records of eternal 
life to the bond and the free1 to       
,heathens and ,christians1--in the      
earnest hope that they may become a lamp
 unto the feet1 and a light unto the    

paths of those who now receive them1 and
 of generations yet unborn4  ,to support
 the character which the ,british and   
,foreign ,bible ,society has assumed1 to
 realize the hopes which it has excited1
 to foster and enlarge the zeal which it
 has inspired1 are obligations of no    
common magnitude1 and which cannot be   
discharged without correspondent        
exertions4 ',as a city that is set on a 
hill cannot be hid1' the eyes of nations
 look up to it with expectation4        
,immense portions of the globe1 now the 
domains of idolatry and superstition2   
regions where the light of ,christianity
 once shone1 but is now dim or          
extinguished2 and countries where the   
heavenly manna is so scarce1 that       
thousands live and die without the means
 of tasting it1--point out the existing 
claims on the benevolence of the        
,society4  ,to supply these wants1 fill 
up these voids1 and display the light of
 revelation amidst the realms of        
darkness1 will long require a           

continuance of that support which the   
,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society   
has derived from the public piety and   
liberality1 and perhaps the persevering 
efforts of succeeding generations4 ,let 
us not1 however1 be weary in well doing2
 'for in due season we shall reap1 if we
 faint not4'  ,whatever may be the      
extent of the existing or increasing    
claims on the ,british and ,foreign     
,bible ,society1 it has ample           
encouragement to proceed in its sacred  
duty of disseminating the ,word of      
,life4  ',i will bring the blind by a   
way that they knew not2 ,i will lead    
them in paths that they have not known2 
,i will make darkness light before them1
 and crooked things straight4'  ,these  
are the words of the ,almighty himself4 
,let the ,british and ,foreign ,bible   
,society1 uniting its prayers with those
 that are daily offered up at home and  
abroad for the blessing of ,god on its  
proceedings1 humbly hope that it may    
become the instrument of his providence1

 for accomplishing his gracious         
promises2 and that1 by means of the     
,scriptures distributed through its     
exertions1 or by its influence and      
encouragement1 nations now ignorant of  
the true1 ,god1 may learn 'to draw water
 from the wells of salvation4' ,the     
prospect is animating1 the object holy1 
its accomplishment glorious2 for the    
prospective efforts of the ,society are 
directed to a consummation1 7whether    
attainable by them or not1 is only known
 to ,him who knoweth all things17 when  
all the ends of the earth1 adopting the 
language of inspiration1 shall unite    
their voices in the sublime strains of  
heavenly adoration3 ',blessing and      
honour1 and glory and power1 be unto    
,him that sitteth upon the throne1 and  
unto the ,lamb for ever and ever3       
,hallelujah6 for the ,lord ,god         
,omnipotent reigneth6' #ej     ,essay on
 ,what ,christianity ,has ,done for     
,women4    ,at this distance of time1   
and possessing only the very brief      

information with which it has pleased   
,infinite ,wisdom to furnish us in the  
commencing chapters of the book of      
,genesis1 it is impossible to ascertain 
with precision the nature of that       
disparity which originally subsisted    
between the first parents of mankind4   
,the evidence does not seem to be       
decisive1 whether their characteristic  
differences were merely corporeal or    
mental1 exterior or internal1 natural   
and essential1 or accidental4 ,it is    
questionable whether the superiority of 
,adam arose out of the revelations he   
received1 and the priority of his       
existence to his fair partner ,eve1 or  
from an innate pre-eminence which marked
 him1 not only as the head of the       
inferior creation1 but as the appointed 
lord of the woman4 ,a close examination 
of the subject1 perhaps1 would lead us  
to infer1 that an equality subsisted in 
all those respects which are not        
strictly classed under the epithet      
constitutional2 and that the authority  

which revelation has conceded to the    
man1 results from his present fallen    
condition4  ,it is indeed observable1   
that when ,god determined upon the      
creation of the woman1 because it was   
not deemed good that the man should be  
alone1 she is represented as the        
intended help meet for him2 but this    
expression is not perhaps to be         
understood1 as referring so much to     
subserviency as to suitability4 ,the    
capacity of one being to promote the    
happiness of another1 depends on its    
adaptation4 ,the virtuous and the       
vicious1 the feeble and the strong1 the 
majestic and the mean1 cannot be        
associated together to any advantage1   
and a general equality appears          
requisite1 to render any being capable  
of becoming the help meet to a perfect  
creature4 ,this idea of his new-formed  
companion pervades the language of      
,adam1 when she was first brought to him
 by her ,almighty ,creator3 ,this1 said 
he1 is now bone of my bone1 and flesh of

 my flesh2 she shall be called ,woman1  
because she was taken out of man4       
,therefore shall a man leave his father 
and mother1 and shall cleave unto his   
wife1 and they shall be one flesh4  ,to 
this it may be added1 that subjection to
 the man is expressly enjoined as a part
 of the original curse upon the female4 
,this infliction necessarily implies a  
previous equality in rank and station4  
,there was evidently before1 no         
competition1 no struggle for dominion1  
and no sense of inferiority or          
pre-eminence4 ,the language of ,jehovah 
in denouncing the respective destinies  
of these transgressors1 unquestionably  
conferred a power or claim upon man1    
which he did not originally possess1 and
 which was intended as a perpetual      
memento of the woman having been the    
first to disobey her ,maker4 ,unto the  
woman he said1 ,i will greatly multiply 
thy sorrow and thy conception2 in sorrow
 thou shall bring forth children2 and   
thy desire shall be to thy husband1 and 

he shall ride over thee4  ,but1 whatever
 were the original equalities or        
inequalities of the human race1 this1 at
 least1 is certain1 that the influence  
of depraved passions since the fall1 is 
sufficiently conspicuous in rendering   
the claims and duties of both sexes more
 and more ambiguous1 and disarranging   
the harmonies of the first creation4 ,in
 proportion to the degree in which      
society is corrupt1 power will assume an
 authority over weakness1 and they who  
ought to be help meets will become      
competitors4 ,opposition generates      
dislike1 and dislike1 when associated   
with power1 will produce oppression4 ,it
 is in vain to plead the principle of   
right1 to solicit attention to the voice
 of reason1 or to attempt to define the 
boundaries of influence1 when no means  
exist of enforcing the attention of him 
who can command obedience4 ,there is no 
alternative but submission or           
punishment4 ,upon this principle1 the   
female sex may be expected to become the

 sport of human caprice1 folly1 and     
guilt4 ,but ,christianity tends to      
rectify the disorders which sin has     
introduced into the universe1 and both  
in a natural and moral sense1 to restore
 a lost paradise4 ,like that mighty     
,spirit1 which in the beginning moved   
upon the surface of the waters1 when the
 earth was without form and void1 and   
darkness was upon the face of the deep1 
it corrects the confusion of the moral  
system1 pervades and reorganizes the    
formless mass of depraved society1 and  
pacifies the turbulence of human        
passions4 ,with a majesty that overawes1
 a voice that will be heard1 an         
influence that cannot be resisted1 it   
renews the world1 and will eventually   
diffuse its unsetting glory through     
every part of the habitual globe4  ,the 
subject before us presents a large field
 of research1 and it would well repay   
the labour to walk with a deliberate    
step around its spacious borders and    
throughout its ample extent2 but we must

 content ourselves with tracing out some
 of its principal varieties1 and        
collecting comparatively a few of its   
productions4  ,our plan will require the
 induction of facts1 as the necessary   
basis of argument or illustration2 and  
these refer to the state of women1 in   
countries and during periods in which   
the religion of the ,bible was wholly   
unknown1 as in the nations of ,pagan    
antiquity1 in ,greece and ,rome2 in     
savage1 superstitious1 and ,mahometan   
regions2 and their condition previously 
to the establishment of ,christianity1  
in patriarchal time and places1 or      
during the ,jewish theocracy4  ,i4 ,the 
,pagan ,nations of ,antiquity demand the
 first consideration4  ,our knowledge of
 the ancient ,egyptians is extremely    
limited1 being derived from the ,greek  
writers1 whose accounts are often       
contradictory4 ,their testimony1        
however1 is sufficiently precise        
respecting the prevalence of domestic   
servitude4 ,the ,egyptians were a people

 remarkable for jealousy1 which was     
carried to such an extreme1 that after  
the death of their wives1 they even     
entertained apprehensions respecting the
 embalmers4 #ea ,having decreed it to be
 indecent in women to go abroad without 
shoes1 they deprived them of the means  
of wearing them1 by threatening with    
death any one who should make shoes for 
a woman4 ,they were forbidden music1    
probably with a view of preventing their
 possessing so dangerous an attraction  
as that of an elegant accomplishment4   
,with regard to the ,celtic nations1 it 
is true1 that the ,romans were surprised
 at the degree of estimation in which   
these barbarous tribes held their women1
 and the privileges which they conceded 
to them2 and it must be admitted that   
certain stern virtues characterized     
those who were addicted to military     
achievements1 resulting partly from     
their incessant occupation as warriors1 
and partly from some indefinite but     
splendid ideas of fame and glory4       

,seduction and adultery were vices of   
rare occurrence2 the bridegroom bestowed
 a dowery upon the bride1 consisting of 
flocks1 a horse ready bridled and       
saddled1 a shield1 a lance1 and a sword2
 #eb and they were often stimulated by  
their presence and excitement in their  
warlike expeditions4 ,but though        
generally contented with one wife1 the  
nobles were allowed a plurality1 either 
for pleasure or show2 the labours of the
 field1 as well as domestic toil1       
devolved on the women2 which1 though    
practised in very ancient times1 even by
 females of the most exalted rank1      
evidently originated in the general     
impression of their inferiority in the  
scale of existence4 ,their great ,odin1 
or ,odinus1 excluded from his paradise  
all who did not by some violent death   
follow their deceased husbands2 and in  
time they were so degraded1 that by an  
old ,saxon law1 he that hurt or killed a
 woman was to pay only half the fine    
exacted for injuring or killing a man4  

,but the argument in favour of          
,christianity1 as assigning women their 
proper place in society1 is corroborated
 by observing the extremes of oppression
 and adulation1 to which the            
,scandinavian nations alternately       
veered4 ,while polygamy and infanticide 
prevailed1 the practice of raising into 
heroines1 prophetesses1 and goddesses1  
some of their women1 was no less        
indicative of a very imperfect sense of 
the true character of the female sex4   
#ec ,the public and domestic life of the
 ,greeks exhibit unquestionable         
evidences of barbarity in the treatment 
of women4 ,homer1 and all their         
subsequent writers1 show that they were 
subjected to those restrictions1 which  
infallibly indicate their being regarded
 only as the property of men1 to be     
disposed of according to their will4    
,hence they were bought and sold1 made  
to perform the most menial offices1 and 
exposed to all the miseries and         
degradation of concubinage4 ,the        

daughters1 even of persons of           
distinction1 were married without any   
consultation of their wishes1 to men    
whom1 frequently1 they had never seen1  
and at the early age of fourteen or     
fifteen2 previous to which period1 the  
,athenian females were kept in a state  
of as great seclusion as possible4      
,their study was dress2 and slaves1     
their mothers excepted1 were their only 
companions4 ,the duties of a good wife  
were1 in the opinion of the wisest of   
the ,greeks1 comprised in going abroad  
to expose herself as little as possible 
to strangers1 taking care of what her   
husband acquired1 superintending the    
younger children1 and maintaining a     
perpetual vigilance over the adult      
daughters4 ,after marriage1 some time   
elapsed before they ventured to speak to
 their husbands1 or the latter entered  
into conversation with them4 ,at no time
 were wives intrusted with any knowledge
 of their husbands' affairs1 much less  
was their opinion or advice solicited2  

and they were totally excluded from     
mixed society4 ,one of the most         
excellent of the ,athenians admitted1   
there were few friends with whom1 he    
conversed so seldom as with his wife4   
#ed  ,solon1 in his laws1 is silent with
 regard to the education of girls1      
though he gave very precise regulations 
for that of boys4 ,that legislator      
imagined that women were not            
sufficiently secluded1 and therefore    
directed that they should not go abroad 
in the daytime1 except it were in full  
dress2 or at night1 but with torches and
 in a chariot4 ,he prohibited their     
taking eatables out of the houses of    
their husbands of more value than an    
obolus1 or carrying a basket more than a
 cubit in length4 #ee ,the ,athenians   
had previously possessed the power of   
selling their children and sisters2 and 
even ,solon allowed fathers1 brothers1  
and guardians1 this right1 if their     
daughters1 sisters1 and wards1 had lost 
their innocence4 ,from various          

enactments1 it appears that adultery was
 extremely common1 and female modesty   
could not be preserved even by          
legislative restraint4 ,most of the     
,greeks1 and even their philosophers1   
concurred with the ,eastern nations in  
general in associating with courtesans2 
who were1 indeed1 honoured with the     
highest distinctions4 ,the ,corinthians 
ascribed their deliverance1 and that of 
the rest of ,greece1 from the power of  
,xerxes1 to the intercession of the     
priestess of ,venus1 and the protection 
of the goddess4 ,at all the festivals of
 ,venus1 the people applied to the      
courtesans as the most efficacious      
intercessors2 and ,solon deemed it      
advantageous to ,athens1 to introduce   
the worship of that goddess1 and to     
constitute them her priestesses4 ,in the
 age of ,pericles1 and still more       
afterward1 prostitution1 thus yoked with
 superstition1 and sanctioned by its    
solemnities1 produced the most baneful  
effects upon public morals4 ,from       

idolatrous temples1 the great reservoirs
 of pollution1 a thousand streams poured
 into every condition of life1 and      
rolling over the whole of this          
cultivated region1 deposited the black  
sediment of impurity upon the once      
polished surface of society1 despoiling 
its beauty1 discolouring its character1 
and ruining its glory4  ,the ,athenians 
did not hesitate to take their wives and
 daughters to visit the notorious       
,aspasia in the house of ,pericles1     
though she was the teacher of intrigue1 
and the destroyer of morals4 ,the most  
celebrated men lived in celibacy1 only  
to secure the better opportunities of   
practising vice1 which however did not  
conceal her hideous deformity in the    
shades1 but stalked forth at noonday1   
emblazoned by the eloquence of a        
,demosthenes1 and enriched by treasuries
 of opulence4  ,in many respects the    
,spartans differed from the other       
,greeks in their treatment of the female
 sex4 ,the women were as shamefully     

exposed as those of the other states    
were secluded2 being introduced to all  
the exercises of the public gymnasium at
 an early age1 no less than the other   
sex1 and taught the most shameless      
practices4 ,the laws of ,lycurgus were  
in many instances utterly subversive of 
morality1 and too outrageous for        
citation4 ,the depravity of the sex was 
extreme even at an early period1 and    
,xenophon1 ,plutarch1 and ,aristotle1   
impute to this cause the ultimate       
subversion of the ,spartan state4  ,the 
,romans differed materially from the    
,greeks and the oriental nations in one 
point with regard to their treatment of 
women2 namely1 in never keeping them in 
a state of seclusion from the society of
 men3 but the husbands were very        
incommunicative3 and it seems at least  
to have been an understood1 if not a    
written law1 that they should avoid all 
inquisitiveness1 and speak only in the  
presence of their husbands4 ,in the     
second ,punic war1 the ,oppian law      

prohibited the women1 from riding in    
carriages and wearing certain articles  
of dress2 which was1 however1 afterward 
repealed4 ,the ancient laws considered  
children as slaves1 and women as        
children who ought to remain in a state 
of perpetual tutelage4 ,according to the
 laws of ,romulus and ,numa1 a husband's
 authority over his wife was equal to   
that of a father over his children1     
excepting only that he could not sell   
her4 ,the wife was stated to be in      
servitude1 though she had in name the   
rights of a ,roman citizen4 ,from the   
moment of her marriage she was looked   
upon as the daughter of her husband and 
heir of his property1 if he had no      
children2 otherwise she was considered  
as his sister1 and shared an equal      
portion with the children4 ,wives had no
 right to make wills1 nor durst they    
prefer complaints against their         
husbands2 and the power of the latter   
over them was as unrestricted as that   
which they possessed over their         

children3 in fact1 the husband could    
even put his wife to death1 not only for
 gross immoralities1 but for excess in  
wine4 #ef  ,considerable changes took   
place in the laws after the period of   
the destruction of ,carthage1 some of   
which allowed greater privileges to     
females2 but as divorces became more    
frequent1 crimes multiplied4 ,in the    
latter periods of the republic women had
 the principal share in public plots and
 private assassinations1 and practised  
the worst of sins with the most         
barefaced audacity4  ,the morals of     
women are indicative of the state of    
society in general1 and of the          
estimation in which they are held in    
particular4 ,if the other sex treat them
 as slaves1 they will become servile and
 contemptible1 a certain degree of      
self-respect being essential to the     
preservation of real dignity of         
character4 ,the way to render human     
beings of any class despicable is to    
undervalue them2 for disesteem will     

superinduce degeneracy4 ,if this be the 
case1 then the state of women in any age
 or country is a criterion of public    
opinion1 since the vices of their lives 
indicate their condition2 upon which    
principle1 ,greece and ,rome exhibit    
wretched specimens of female            
degradation4  ,but there is one         
circumstance in the history of the      
,romans which must not be wholly        
overlooked4 ,their conduct was marked by
 capriciousness4 ,though the usual      
treatment of their women resembled that 
of other ,pagan nations in barbarity1   
like some of them1 too1 they frequently 
rendered them extraordinary honours4 ,on
 some occasions they even transferred to
 their principal slaves the right of    
chastising their wives2 and yet1 on     
others they paid them distinguished     
deference3 as in the case of vestals1   
and the privileges conceded to them     
after the negotiation between the       
,romans and ,sabines4 ,various          
individual exceptions to a barbarous    

usage might be adduced2 sufficient1     
however1 only to evince the general     
debasement of the female sex1 and the   
total absence of all fixed principles of
 moral action in unchristianized man4   
,,ii4 ,next to the nations of antiquity1
 the state of women in ,,savage1        
,,superstitious1 ,,and ,,mahometan      
,,countries1 comes under review4  ,in   
treating this part of the subject1 it   
will be necessary to make a rapid       
circumnavigation of the globe1 touching 
at least at the most remarkable places4 
,,europe4   ,,greenland4 ,the situation 
of females in this country might well   
justify the exclamation of an ancient   
philosopher1 who thanked ,god that he   
was born a man and not a woman4 ,the    
only employment of girls1 till their    
fourteenth year1 is singing1 dancing1   
amusements1 attending on children1 and  
fetching water2 #eg after which they are
 taught1 by their mothers1 to sew1 cook1
 tan the skins of animals1 construct    
houses1 and navigate boats4 ,it is      

common for the men to stand by as idle  
spectators1 while the women are carrying
 the heaviest materials for building2   
the former never attempting to do any   
thing but the carpenter's work4 ,parents
 frequently betroth their daughters in  
infancy1 and never consult their wishes 
respecting marriage2 if no previous     
pledge be given1 they are disposed of to
 the first suiter that chances to make  
the application4 ,from their twentieth  
year1 the usual period of marriage1 the 
lives of the women1 says ,cranz1 are a  
continued series of hardships and       
misery4 ,the occupations of the men     
solely consist in hunting and fishing2  
but so far from giving themselves the   
trouble to carry home the fish they have
 caught1 they would think themselves    
eternally disgraced by such a           
condescension4  ,the ,greenlanders have 
two kinds of boats1 adapted to procure  
subsistence4 ,one of them is the great  
woman's boat called the umiak1 from     
twelve to eighteen yards in length1 and 

four or five in width4 ,these boats are 
rowed by four women1 and steered by a   
fifth1 without any assistance from the  
men1 excepting in cases of emergency4   
,if the coast will not allow them to    
pass1 six or eight women take the boat  
upon their heads1 and carry it over land
 to a navigable place4  ,mothers-in-law 
are absolute mistresses in the houses of
 their married sons1 who frequently     
ill-treat them2 and the poor women are  
sometimes obliged to live with          
quarrelsome favourites1 and may be      
corrected or divorced at pleasure4      
,widows who have no friends1 are        
commonly robbed of a considerable       
portion of their property by those who  
come to sympathize with them by an      
affected condolence2 and can obtain no  
redress1--on the contrary1 they are     
obliged to conciliate their kindness by 
the utmost obsequiousness4 ,after a     
precarious subsistence in different     
families1 and being driven from one hut 
to another1 they are suffered to expire 

without help or notice4 ,when widows    
have grown-up sons1 their condition is  
much superior to that in which they     
formerly lived with their husbands4     
,when aged women pretend to practise1 or
 are suspected of witchcraft--if the    
wife or child of a ,greenlander happen  
to die--if his fowling piece miss fire1 
or his arrow the mark at which it was   
shot--the supposed sorceress is         
instantly stoned1 thrown into the sea1  
or cut in pieces by the angekoks or male
 magicians4 ,there have even been       
instances of sons killing their mothers1
 and brothers their sisters4 ,the       
infirmities of age expose women to      
violent deaths1 being sometimes with    
their own consent1 and sometimes        
forcibly1 interred alive by their own   
offspring4  ,,russia4 ,over this        
extensive empire1 including sixteen     
different nations1 the condition of     
women is such as equally to evince the  
degraded character of the men4 ,among   
the ,siberians1 an opinion is           

entertained that they are impure beings1
 and odious to the gods2 in consequence 
of which1 they are not permitted to     
approach the sacred fire1 or the places 
of sacrifice4 ,in the eastern islands1  
in particular1 there exists tribes to   
whom the nuptial ceremony is unknown2   
and in cases where the daughters are    
purchased by goods1 money1 or services1 
their fathers never consult their       
children1 and their husbands treat them 
as slaves or beasts of burden4 ,in      
,siberia1 conjugal fidelity is bartered 
for gain1 or sacrificed at the shrine of
 imaginary hospitality4 ,the sale of    
their wives is by no means uncommon1 for
 a little train oil1 or other paltry    
considerations4 ,to this the women offer
 no objection1 and at an advanced age   
frequently seek younger wives for their 
husbands1 and devote themselves to      
domestic drudgery4 #eh ,the same        
degrading facts apply to the ,tungusians
 and other tribes4 ,in some respects the
 ,kamtschadales differ from the rest1   

but the extreme debasement arising from 
their libidinous brutality must not be  
described1 and can scarcely be credited4
 #ei  ,among all the ,slavon nations of 
,europe1 wives and daughters have ever  
been kept in a state of exclusion4      
,brides are purchased1 and instantly    
become slaves4 ,formerly sons were      
compelled by blows to marry1 and        
daughters dragged by their hair to the  
altars2 and the paternal authority is   
still unbounded4 ,the lower classes are 
doomed to incessant labour1 and are     
obliged to submit to the utmost         
indignities4 #fj  ,the picture of       
,russian manners varies little with     
reference to the prince or the          
peasant4444 ,they are all1 high and low1
 rich and poor1 alike servile to        
superiors2 haughty and cruel to their   
dependants1 ignorant1 superstitions1    
cunning1 brutal1 barbarous1 dirty1 mean4
 ,the emperor canes the first of his    
grandees2 princes and nobles cane their 
slaves2 and the slaves their wives and  

daughters4 #fa  ,,italy ,,and ,,spain4  
,these two countries may be classed     
together1 because the condition of the  
female sex is very similar in both3 the 
education of woman is totally neglected1
 and they are not ashamed of committing 
the grossest blunders in common         
conversation4 ,such is their situation  
that they cannot intermeddle with the   
concerns of their husbands1 without     
exciting their jealousy4 ,girls are in  
early years left to the care of servants
 who are both ill educated and immoral2 
the same may be said of their mothers1  
whose conversation and public conduct   
tend to perfect the growth of           
licentiousness in their uncultivated    
children4  ,,portugal4 ,young women in  
this kingdom are not instructed in any  
thing truly useful or ornamental2 and   
even those who belong to respectable    
families1 are often ignorant of reading 
and writing4 ,parents keep their        
daughters in the most rigid confinement1
 frequently not allowing them even to go

 abroad to church to hear mass1 and     
never unattended4 ,they are secluded    
from all young persons of the other sex1
 who are not permitted to visit families
 where there are unmarried females4 ,the
 consequence of this austerity is an    
extended system of intrigue1 for the    
purpose of evading all this             
circumspection--by which means they are 
full of cunning and deceit4  ,,turkey4  
,women1 in ,constantinople1 are confined
 in seraglios for life1 or shut up in   
their apartments4 ,they are not         
permitted to appear in public without a 
vail1 and can only obtain their freedom 
by devoting themselves to prostitution4 
,the slave market1 says ,mr4 ,thornton1 
is a quadrangle1 surrounded by a covered
 gallery1 and ranges of small and       
separate apartments4 ,the manner of     
purchasing slaves is described in the   
plain and unaffected narrative of a     
,german merchant1 which1 as ,i have been
 able to ascertain its general          
authenticity1 may be relied on as       

correct in this particular4 ,he arrived 
at ,kaffa1 in the ,crimea1 which was    
formerly the principal mart of slaves2  
and hearing that an ,armenian had a     
,georgian and two ,circassian girls to  
dispose of1 feigned an intention of     
purchasing them1 in order to gratify his
 curiosity1 and to ascertain the mode of
 conducting such bargains4 ,a           
,circassian maiden1 eighteen years old1 
was the first who presented herself2 she
 was well dressed1 and her face was     
covered with a vail4 ,she advanced      
towards the ,german1 bowed down1 and    
kissed his hand3 by order of her master1
 she walked backwards and forwards in   
the chamber to show her shape1 and the  
easiness of her gait and carriage3 her  
foot was small1 and her gesture         
agreeable4 ,when she took off her vail1 
she displayed a bust of the most        
attractive beauty4 ,she rubbed her      
cheeks with a wet napkin1 to prove that 
she had not used art to heighten her    
complexion2 and she opened her inviting 

lips1 to show a regular set of teeth of 
pearly whiteness4 ,the ,german was      
permitted to feel her pulse1 that he    
might be convinced of the good state of 
her health and constitution4 ,she was   
then ordered to retire1 while the       
merchants deliberated upon the bargain4 
,the price of this beautiful girl was   
four thousand piastres1 equal to four   
thousand five hundred florins of        
,vienna4 #fb  ,,greece4 ,the condition  
of females1 in ,modern ,greece1 may be  
inferred from an anecdote or two related
 by ,lieutenant ,collins4 ,he and his   
friends were approaching ,macri1 on the 
coast of ,asia ,minor4 ,encouraged to   
proceed1 he remarks1 we approached the  
second groupe1 which we passed in a     
similar manner2 but some woman1 who were
 near them1 appeared to fly at our      
approach1 and view us at a distance with
 astonishment and fear4 ,but no sooner  
had we advanced1 than1 as with general  
consent1 they all caught their children 
in their arms1 and with the fears of a  

mother apprehensive for the safety of a 
beloved child1 flew to their houses1 and
 shut themselves in1 and we saw no more 
of them till our return4  ,our company  
during dinner consisted of ,greeks      
only--it was served up by the women1    
attended by one of her children1 who    
with all the family appeared in an      
abject state2 for on offering her a     
little of the wine1 which they so kindly
 furnished us with1 she shrunk back1    
with an expression of surprise at our   
condescension1 which excited ours also2 
and the man understanding a little      
,italian1 we inquired the reason2       
',such1' says he1 is the inferiority and
 oppression we labour under1 that it is 
in general thought too great honour for 
a ,turk to present a person of this     
description with1 any token of respect1 
and forward in her to accept it1 which  
is the reason of her timidity1 in not   
accepting the wine from you4' #fc  ,in  
,greece1 the women are closely confined 
at home2 they do not even appear at     

church till they are married4 ,the      
female slaves are not ,greeks1 but such 
as are either taken in war or stolen by 
the ,tartars from ,russia1 ,circassia1  
or ,georgia4 ,many thousands were       
formerly taken in the ,morea1 but most  
of them have been redeemed by the       
charitable contributions of the         
,christians1 or ransomed by their own   
relations4 ,the fine slaves that wait   
upon great ladies1 are bought at the age
 of eight or nine years1 and educated   
with great care to accomplish them in   
singing1 dancing1 embroidery1 c4 ,they  
are commonly ,circassian1 and their     
patron rarely ever sells them1 but if   
they grow weary of them1 they either    
present them to a friend1 or give them  
their freedom4    ,,asia4   ,,tartary4  
,this immense country1 in its utmost    
limits1 reaches from the ,eastern ,ocean
 to the ,caspian ,sea2 and from ,corea1 
,china1 ,thibet1 ,hindoostan1 and       
,persia1 to ,russia1 and ,siberia2      
including a space of three thousand six 

hundred miles in length1 and nine       
hundred and sixty in width1 and         
comprehending all the middle region of  
,asia4 ,its two great divisions are into
 ,eastern and ,western2 the former      
chiefly belongs to the emperor of       
,china1 the latter to ,russia4  ,the    
,mahometan ,tartars are continually     
waging war against their neighbours for 
the purpose of procuring slaves4 ,when  
they cannot obtain adults1 they steal   
children to sell1 and even make no      
scruple of selling their own1 especially
 daughters4 ,in case of any disgust1    
their wives share a similar fate4 ,among
 the pagan ,tartars incestuous practices
 are prevalent1 and their wives are     
generally dismissed at1 or previous to1 
the age of forty4 ,the mothers of       
sultans1 among the ,crim ,tartars1      
neither eat with their sons1 nor sit in 
their presence4 ,they are1 in fact1 the 
slaves of their caprice1 often          
ill-treated by them1 and sometimes even 
put to death4 #fd  ,the ,calmucks are   

considered as remarkably lenient in     
their conduct to the women3 but fathers 
dispose of their daughters without their
 consent1 and even antecedently to their
 birth4 ,their chiefs and princes have1 
besides1 large harems or seraglios where
 domestic rivalship imbitters existence4
 ,they are1 moreover1 regarded in       
general as servants1 and infidelity is  
compensated by a trifling offering to   
their mercenary rapacity4  ,the         
,georgians and ,circassians are         
celebrated for their surpassing beauty1 
and their young women are brought up to 
some industrious habits4 ,the daughters 
of slaves receive a similar education1  
and are sold according to their beauty1 
at from twenty to a hundred pounds each1
 or upwards4 ,they consider all their   
children in the light of property1      
exposing them to sale as they would     
their cattle1 and too often obtain large
 sums from the agents of despotism and  
depravity4  ,,china4 ,in this1 and      
almost all the countries of ,southern   

,asia1 the condition of women is truly  
deplorable4 ,forced marriages and sales 
are universal1 and the ,chinese are so  
excessively jealous1 that they do not   
permit their wives to receive any       
visitors of the other sex1 and transport
 them from place to place in vehicles   
secured by iron bars4 ,their concubines 
are not only treated with the most      
degrading inhumanity1 but are slaves to 
the wives1 who never fail to sway a     
despotic sceptre2 they are besides      
liable at any time to be sold4 ,the     
children of concubines are regarded as  
the offspring of the legitimate wife2   
hence they manifest no affection for    
their real mothers1 but often treat them
 with the most marked disrespect4 ,the  
laws of ,china and ,siam allow the      
lawful wives and sons1 after the death  
of their husbands and fathers1 to       
exclude concubines and their children   
from all share in the property of the   
deceased1 and to dispose of their       
persons by public or private sale4  ,the

 wives of people of rank are always     
confined to their apartments from       
motives of jealousy2 those of a middle  
class are a kind of upper servants      
deprived of liberty2 and the wives of   
the lower orders are mere domestic      
drudges4 ,the handsomest women are      
usually purchased for the courts and    
principal mandarins4  ,we can readily1  
says a respectable writer1 give credit  
to the custom of a landlord taking the  
wife of a ryat or peasant1 as a pledge  
for rent1 and keeping her till the debt 
is discharged 7in the kingdom of        
,nepaul27 since we know1 on the best    
authority1 that their wise polished     
neighbours1 the ,chinese1 have found it 
necessary to enact a prohibitory statute
 against lending wives and daughters on 
hire4 #fe  ,another writer observes1    
,since the philosophical inquiry into   
the condition of the weaker sex1 in the 
different stages of society1 published  
by ,millar1 #ff it has been universally 
considered as an infallible criterion of

 barbarous society1 to find the women in
 a state of great degradation4 ,scarcely
 among savages themselves is the        
condition of women more wretched and    
humiliating than among the ,chinese4 ,a 
very striking picture of the slavery and
 oppression to which they are doomed1   
but too long for insertion in this      
place1 is drawn by ,m4 ,vanbraam4 #fg   
,mr4 ,barrow informs us1 that among the 
rich1 the women are imprisoned slaves2  
among the poor1 drudges2 'many being1'  
says he1 'compelled to work with an     
infant upon the back1 while the husband1
 in all probability1 is gaming1--,i have
 frequently seen women1' he adds1       
'assisting to drag a sort of light      
plough1 and the harrow4 ,the easier     
task1 that of directing the machine1 is 
left to the husband4' #fh ,the ,chinese 
value their daughters so little1 that   
when they have more children than they  
can easily maintain1 they hire the      
midwives to stifle the females in a     
basin of water as soon as they are      

born4' #fi ,nothing can exceed the      
contempt towards women which the maxims 
of the most celebrated of their         
lawgivers express4 ',it is very         
difficult1' said ,confucius himself1 'to
 govern women and servants2 for if you  
treat them with gentleness and          
familiarity1 they lose all respect2 if  
with rigour1 you will have continual    
disturbance4'  ,women are debarred      
almost entirely from the rights of      
property2 and they never inherit4 ,among
 the worst savage nations1 their        
daughters are sold to their husbands1   
and are received and treated as slaves4 
#gj ,when society has made a little     
progress1 the purchase-money is received
 only as a present1 and the wife1       
nominally at least1 is not received as a
 slave4 ,among the ,chinese1 the        
daughter1 with whom no dowry is given1  
it uniformly exchanged for a present2   
and so little is the transaction1 even  
on a purchase1 disguised1 that ,mr4     
,barrow has no scruple to say1 'the     

daughters may be said to be invariably  
sold4' #ga ,he assures us1 that 'it is  
even a common practice among the        
,chinese to sell their daughters1 that  
they may he brought up as prostitutes4' 
#gb #gc  ,,birman ,,empire4 ,this       
extensive dominion comprehends the state
 of ,pegu1 ,ava1 ,arracan1 and ,siam4   
,women are not secluded from the society
 of men1 but they are held in great     
contempt4 ,their evidence is undervalued
 in judicial proceedings4 ,the lower    
classes sell their women to strangers1  
who do not1 however1 seem to feel       
themselves degraded4 ,in ,pegu1 ,siam1  
,cochin ,china1 and other districts1    
adultery is regarded as honourable4     
,herodotus mentions a people called     
,gendanes1 where the debasement of the  
female character is such1 that their    
misconduct is an occasion of boasting   
and a source of distinction4            
,,hindoostan4 ,the following extracts1  
from the letters of the ,baptist        
missionaries1 in ,india1 will speak     

volumes1 and might1 if it were          
necessary1 be corroborated by a thousand
 similar citations4  ,at an early period
 of the ,baptist mission to ,india1 ,dr4
 ,carey communicated the following      
interesting account to a friend3--,as   
the burning of women with their husbands
 is one of the most singular and        
striking customs of this people1 and    
also very ancient1 as you will see by   
the ,reek ,bede1 which contains a law   
relating to it1 ,i shall begin with     
this4 ,having just read a ,shanscrit    
book1 called ,soordhee ,sungraha1 which 
is a collection of laws from the various
 ,shasters1 arranged under their proper 
heads1 ,i shall give you an extract from
 it1 omitting some sentences1 which are 
mere verbal repetitions4 ,otherwise1 the
 translation may be depended on as      
exact4 ,the words prefixed to some of   
the sentences are the names of the      
original books from which the extracts  
are made4  ,angeera4 ,after the         
husband's death1 the virtuous wife who  

burns herself with him1 #gd is like an  
,asoondhatee1 #ge and will go to        
bliss4--,if she be within one day's     
journey of the place where he dies1 and 
indeed virtuous1 the burning of his     
corpse shall be deferred one day for her
 arrival4  ,brahma ,pooran4 ,if the     
husband die in another country1 the     
virtuous wife shall take any of his     
effects2 for instance1 a sandal1 and    
binding it on her thigh1 shall enter the
 fire with it4 #gf  ,reek1 ,bede4 ,if a 
wife thus burn with her husband1 it is  
not suicide2 and her relations shall    
observe three days' uncleanness for her2
 after which her ,shraddha #gg must he  
properly performed4--,if she cannot come
 to the place1 or does not receive an   
account of her husband's death1 she     
shall wait the appointed ten days of    
uncleanness1 #gh and may afterwards die 
in a separate fire4--,if she die in a   
separate fire1 three days' uncleanness  
will be observed2 after which the ,pinda
 must be performed4--,after the         

uncleanness on account of the husband is
 over1 the ,shraddha must be performed  
according to the commandment4--,three   
days after his death1 the ,dospinda #gi 
must be made1 and after ten days the    
regular ,shraddha4  ,goutam4 ,brahmmanee
 can only die with her husband1 on which
 account she cannot burn in another     
fire4 ,when a woman dies with her       
husband1 the eldest son1 or nearest     
relation1 shall set fire to the pile2   
whose office also it is to perform the  
,dospinda1 and all the obsequies4 ,he   
who kindles the fire shall perform the  
,dospinda3 #hj but her own son1 or      
nearest relations1 must perform the     
,shraddha4--,if a woman burn separately1
 only three days' uncleanness will be   
observed for her2 but if in the same    
fire ten days4  ,asouch ,shunkar4 ,if   
another person die before the last day  
of uncleanness for a death or birth1    
then the uncleanness on account of the  
second person's death will be included  
in the first1 and the time not          

lengthened out4  ,bishnoo ,pooran4 ,if  
the husband die in war1 only present    
uncleanness1 or till bathing1 will be   
observed for him3 if1 therefore1 the    
wife burn with him only one night's     
uncleanness will be observed for her2   
but1 if in a separate fire1 three days2 
and in that case the husband's ,pinda   
will be at the end of three days4--,if  
the husband and wife burn in one fire1  
they will obtain separate offerings of  
the ,shraddha4--,if a woman die with her
 husband voluntarily1 the offerings to  
her1 and all her obsequies will be equal
 to his4--,if they die within a ,tithee1
 or lunar day1 the offerings will be    
made to both at the same time4--,if the 
person be ,potect1 or sinful2 that is1  
has killed a ,brahmman1 or drinks       
spirituous liquors1 or has committed    
some sin in his former life1 on account 
of which he is afflicted with           
elephantiasis1 consumption1 leprosy1 c4 
#ha all will be blotted out by his wife 
burning with him1 after proper atonement

 has been made4 #hb--;,a woman with a   
young child1 or being pregnant1 cannot  
burn with her husband4--,if there be a  
proper person to educate the infant1 she
 may be permitted to burn4--,if any     
woman ascend the pile1 and should       
afterward decline to burn1 through love 
of life or earthly things1 she shall    
perform the penance ,prazapatya1 and    
will then be free from sin4' #hc  ,the  
following statement is taken from the   
more recent communication of another of 
the ,baptist missionaries to ,india3--  
,jan4 #i1 #ahjg4 ,a person informing us 
that a woman was about to be burnt with 
the corpse of her husband near our      
house1 ,i1 with several of our brethren1
 hastened to the place2 but1 before we  
could arrive1 the pile was in flames4   
,it was a horrible sight4 ,the most     
shocking indifference and levity        
appeared among those who were present3  
,i never saw anything more brutal than  
their behaviour4 ,the dreadful scene had
 not the least appearance of a religious

 ceremony1 ,it resembled an abandoned   
rabble of boys in ,england1 collected   
for the purpose of worrying to death a  
cat or a dog4 ,a bamboo1 perhaps twenty 
feet long1 had been fastened at one end 
to a stake driven in the ground1 and    
held down over the fire by men at the   
other4 ,such were the confusion1 the    
levity1 the bursts of brutal laughter1  
while the poor woman was burning alive  
before their eyes1 that it seemed as if 
every spark of humanity was extinguished
 by this cruel superstition4 ,that which
 added to the cruelty was1 the smallness
 of the fire4 ,it did not consist of so 
much wood as we consume in dressing a   
dinner3 no1 not this fire that was to   
consume the living and the dead6 ,i saw 
the legs of the poor creature hanging   
out of the fire1 while her body was in  
flames4 ,after a while they took a      
bamboo1 ten or twelve feet long1 and    
stirred it1 pushing and beating the     
half-consumed corpse1 as you would      
repair a fire of green wood1 by throwing

 the unconsumed pieces into the middle4 
,perceiving the legs hanging out1 they  
beat them with the bamboo for some time1
 in order to break the ligatures which  
fastened them at the knees2 7for they   
would not have come near to touch them  
for the world47 ,at length1 they        
succeeded in binding them upwards into  
the fire2 the skin and muscles giving   
way1 and discovering the knee-sockets   
bare1 with the balls of the leg bones2 a
 sight this1 which1 ,i need not say1    
made me thrill with horror2 especially  
when ,i recollected that this hopeless  
victim of superstition was alive but a  
few minutes before4 ,to have seen savage
 wolves thus tearing a human body limb  
from limb1 would have been shocking2 but
 to see relations and neighbours do this
 to one with whom they had familiarly   
conversed not an hour before1 and to do 
it with an air of levity1 was almost too
 much for me to bear6 ,turning to the   
,brahmman who was the chief actor in    
this horrid tragedy1 a young fellow of  

about twenty-two1 and one of the most   
hardened that ever ,i accosted1 ,i told 
him that the system which allowed of    
these cruelties1 could no more proceed  
from ,god than darkness from the sun2   
and warned him1 that he must appear at  
the judgment-seat of ,god1 to answer for
 this murder4 ,he1 with a grin1 full of 
savage contempt1 told me that 'he       
gloried in it1 and felt the highest     
pleasure in performing the deed4' ,i    
replied1 'that his pleasure might be    
less than that of his ,master2 but      
seeing it was in vain to reason with    
him1 ,i turned to the people1 and       
expostulated with them4 ,one of them    
answered1 that 'the woman had burnt     
herself of her own free choice1 and that
 she went to the pile as a matter of    
pleasure4'--',why1 then1 did you confine
 her down with that large bamboo8'--',if
 we had not1 she would have run         
away'--',what1 run away from pleasure6' 
,i then addressed the poor lad1 who had 
been thus induced to set fire to his    

mother4 ,he appeared about nineteen4    
',you have murdered your mother6 your   
sin is great4 ,the sin of the ,brahmman1
 who urged you to it1 is greater2 but   
yours is very great4'--',what could ,i  
do8 ,it is the custom4'--',true1 but    
this custom is not of ,god2 but         
proceedeth from the devil1 who wishes to
 destroy mankind4 ,how will you bear the
 reflection that you have murdered your 
only surviving parent8' ,he seemed to   
feel what was said to him2 but1 just at 
this instant1 that hardened wretch1 the 
,brahmman1 rushed in1 and drew him away1
 while the tears were standing in his   
eyes4 ,after reasoning with some others1
 and telling them of the ,saviour of the
 world1 ,i returned home with a mind    
full of horror and disgust4  ,you       
expect1 perhaps1 to hear that this      
unhappy victim was the wife of some     
,brahmman of high cast4 ,she was the    
wife of a barber who dwelt at           
,serampore1 and had died that morning1  
leaving the son ,i have mentioned1 and a

 daughter about eleven years of age4    
,thus has this infernal superstition    
aggravated the common miseries of life1 
and left these children stripped of both
 their parents in one day6 ,nor is this 
an uncommon case4 ,it often happens to  
children far more helpless than these2  
sometimes to children possessed of      
property1 which is then left1 as well as
 themselves1 to the mercy of those who  
have decoyed their mother to their      
father's funeral pile4 #hd  ,,ceylon4   
,idolatrous procession4 ,each carriage  
has four wheels of solid wood1 and      
requires two hundred men to drag it4    
,when they are dragged along the        
streets1 on occasions of great          
solemnity1 women1 in the phrensy of     
false devotion1 throw themselves down   
before the wheels1 and are crushed to   
death by their tremendous weight2 the   
same superstitious madness preventing   
the ignorant crowd from making any      
attempt to save them4 #he  ,,sumatra4   
,the modes of marriage1 says ,mr4       

,marsden1 according to the original     
institutions of these people1 are by    
jujur1 by arnbel anak1 or by ,semando4  
,the jujur is a certain sum of money1   
given by one man to another1 as a       
consideration for the person of his     
daughter1 whose situation1 in this case1
 differs not much from that of a slave  
to the man she marries1 and to his      
family2 his absolute property in her    
depends1 however1 upon some nice        
circumstances4 ,besides the botang jupu1
 7or main sum17 there are certain       
appendages1 or branches1 one of which1  
the tali kulo1 or five dollars1 is      
usually1 from motives of delicacy or    
friendship1 left unpaid2 and so long as 
that is the case1 a relationship is     
understood to subsist between the two   
families1 and the parents of the woman  
have a right to interfere on occasions  
of ill treatment2 the husband is also   
liable to be fined for wounding her3    
with other limitations of absolute      
right4 ,when that sum is finally paid1  

which seldom happens but in cases of    
violent quarrel1 the tali kulo1 7tie of 
relationship17 is said to be putus1     
7broken17 and the woman becomes to all  
intents the slave of her lord4 ,she has 
then no title to claim a divorce in any 
predicament2 and he may sell her1 making
 only the first offer to her relations4 
,speaking of another part of the        
country1 7,batta17 he says1 the men are 
allowed to marry as many wives as they  
please or can afford1 and to have half a
 dozen is not uncommon4 ,the condition  
of the women appears to be no other than
 that of slaves1 the husbands having the
 power of selling their wives and       
children4 #hf  ,,java4 ,at ,bantam1 and 
in other parts of the island1 fathers   
betroth their children at a very early  
age1 lest they should be taken from them
 to supply the harems of kings1 or be   
sold for slaves on the death of the     
fathers by the monarch1 who is heir of  
all his subjects4 #hg  ,among all the   
nations of ,southern ,asia1 and the     

,east ,indian and ,south ,sea ,islands1 
the women are despised and oppressed2   
the wives and daughters of every class  
are offered to strangers1 and compelled 
to prostitute themselves4 ,they are     
moreover used with the utmost cruelty by
 their husbands1 and not permitted to   
eat1 or even to sit down1 in the        
presence of the men2 and yet1 with      
marvellous inconsistency1 many nations  
allow themselves to be governed by      
women1 who sometimes reign with despotic
 authority4  ,,new ,,holland4 ,the      
aboriginal inhabitants of this distant  
region are1 indeed1 beyond comparison1  
the most barbarous on the surface of the
 globe4 ,the residence of ,europeans has
 been wholly ineffectual2 the natives   
are still in the same state as at our   
first settlement4 ,every day are men and
 women to be seen in the streets of     
,sydney and ,paramatta naked as in the  
moment of their birth4 ,in vain have the
 more humane of the officers of the     
colony endeavoured to improve their     

condition3 they still persist in the    
enjoyment of their ease and liberty in  
their own way1 and turn a deaf ear to   
any advice upon this subject4 #hh  ,they
 observe no particular ceremony in their
 marriages1 though their mode of        
courtship is not without its            
singularity4 ,when a young man sees a   
female to his fancy1 he informs her she 
must accompany him home2 the lady       
refuses2 he not only enforces compliance
 with threats1 but blows2 thus the      
gallant1 according to the custom1 never 
fails to gain the victory1 and bears off
 the willing1 though struggling         
pugilist4 ,the colonists1 for some time1
 entertained the idea that the women    
were compelled1 and forced away against 
their inclinations2 but the young ladies
 informed them1 that this mode of       
gallantry was the custom1 and perfectly 
to their taste4 #hi  ,,persia4 ,women   
are not allowed to join in the public   
prayers at the mosques4 ,they are       
directed to offer up their devotions at 

home1 or if they attend the place of    
public worship1 it must be at a period  
when the male sex are not there4 ,this  
practice is founded upon the authority  
of the traditionary sayings of the      
prophet1 and is calculated to confirm   
that inferiority and seclusion1 to which
 the female sex are doomed by the laws  
of ,mahomed4  ,in ,persia1 women are    
seldom publicly executed2 nor can their 
crimes1 from their condition in society1
 be often of a nature to demand such    
examples2 but they are exposed to all   
the violence and injustice of domestic  
tyranny2 and innocent females are too   
often included in the punishment of     
their husbands and fathers1 particularly
 where those are of high rank4          
,instances frequently occur where women 
are tortured1 to make them reveal the   
concealed wealth of which they are      
supposed to have a knowledge2 and when a
 nobleman or minister is put to death1  
it is not unusual to give away his wives
 and daughters as slaves2 and sometimes 

7though rarely7 they are bestowed on the
 lowest classes in the community4 ,there
 are instances of the wives of men of   
high rank being given to mule-drivers4  
#ij  ,,arabia4 ,the ancient ,arabs      
considered the birth of a daughter as a 
misfortune1 and they frequently buried  
daughters alive as soon as they were    
born1 lest they should be impoverished  
by having to provide for them1 or should
 suffer disgrace on their account4 #ia  
,the horrid practice of female          
infanticide has been an usage of many   
nations4 ,among the ancient ,arabs1 as  
among the ,rajpoots of the present day1 
it proceeded as much from a jealous     
sense of honour1 as the pressure of     
want4 #ib  ,of eastern manners1 in      
general1 it has been remarked1 that     
excepting the ,chinese and ,javanese1   
all the nations of the south of ,asia1  
and all the inhabitants of the ,east    
,indian and ,south ,sea islands1 offer  
the ,europeans their wives and          
daughters1 or compel them to prostitute 

themselves to strangers4 #ic  ,a man1 in
 the ,east1 dares not inquire concerning
 the health of the wife or daughter of  
his most intimate friend1 because this  
would instantly excite suspicion of     
illicit views and connections2 neither  
does etiquette permit him to make       
mention himself of his own wife or      
daughter4 ,they are included among the  
domestic animals1 or comprehended in the
 general denomination of the house or   
the family4 ,when1 however1 an ,oriental
 is obliged to mention his wife or his  
daughter1 in conversation with a        
physician1 or any other person whom he  
wishes to treat with deference and      
respect1 he always introduces the       
subject with some such apology as we    
make in ,europe1 when we are obliged to 
speak of things which are regarded as   
disgusting or obscene4 ,conformably with
 this ,asiatic prejudice1 ,tamerlane was
 highly affronted with the vanquished   
,turkish emperor ,bajazet1 for          
mentioning1 in his presence1 such impure

 creatures as women are considered by   
the ,orientals4 #id    ,,america4       
,,northern ,,indians4     ,here all the 
gentle morals1 such as play   ,through  
life's more cultur'd walks1 and charm   
the way2   ,these far dispers'd1 on     
tim'rous pinions fly1   ,to sport and   
flutter in a kinder sky4    ,,goldsmith4
  ,the women cook the victuals1 but     
though of the highest rank1 they are    
never permitted to partake of it1 till  
all the males1 even the servants1 have  
eaten what they think proper2 and in    
times of scarcity1 it is frequently     
their lot to be left without a single   
morsel2 and should they be detected in  
helping themselves during the business  
of cookery1 they would be subject to a  
severe beating2 and be considered       
afterward1 through life1 as having      
forfeited their character4  ,the        
accounts we have had of the effects of  
the small pox on that nation 7the ,maha 
,indians7 are most distressing2 it is   
not known in what way it was first      

communicated to them1 though probably by
 some war party4 ,they had been a       
military and powerful people2 but when  
these warriors saw their strength       
wasting before a malady which they could
 not resist1 their phrensy was extreme2 
they burnt their village1 and many of   
them put to death their wives and       
children1 to save them from so cruel an 
affliction1 and that all might go       
together to some better country4 #ie    
,,west ,,indies4 ,hayti 7late ,st4      
,domingo47 ,extract of a letter1 dated  
,nov4 #ahaj4 ,the ,indigenes1 or natives
 of ,hayti1 are extremely ignorant2 but 
few can read3 their religion is         
,catholic2 but neither it1 or its       
priests1 are much respected4 ,that they 
are in a most awful state of darkness1  
is but too evident3 mothers are actually
 panders to their own daughters1 and    
reap the fruit of their prostitution4   
,the endearing name of father is        
scarcely ever heard1 as the children but
 rarely know to whom they are indebted  

for existence4 #if  ,,south ,,america4  
,in this region there are whole nations 
of cannibals1 who devour their captives4
 ,sometimes they slay their own wives1  
and invite their neighbours to the      
repast4  ,,new ,,zealand4 ,tippechu1 the
 chieftain1 says ,mr4 ,savage1 has a    
well-constructed dwelling on this       
island1 and a large collection of       
spears1 war-mail1 and other valuables4  
,a short distance1 from the residence of
 the chief is an edifice1 every way     
similar to a dove-cote1 standing upon a 
single post1 and not larger than        
dove-cotes usually are4 ,in this1       
,tippechu confined one of his daughters 
several years2 we understood she had    
fallen in love with a person of inferior
 condition1 and that these means were   
adopted to prevent her from bringing    
disgrace upon her family4 ,the space    
alloted to the lady would neither allow 
of her standing up1 or stretching at her
 length2 she had a trough1 in which her 
food was deposited as often as was      

thought necessary1 during her           
confinement2 and ,i could not find that 
she was allowed any other accommodation4
 ,these privations1 and all converse    
being denied her1 proves that ,tippechu 
was determined to exhibit a severe      
example to his subjects2 at least to    
such of the young ladies of this part of
 ,new ,zealand1 as might be inclined to 
degrade themselves and their families by
 unsuitable alliances4 ,the long        
confinement with all its inconveniences1
 produced the desired effect1 in        
rendering the princess obedient to the  
wishes of her royal parent4 ,this       
barbarous case1 which is ornamented with
 much grotesque carving1 still remains  
as a memento in terrorem to all the     
young ladies under ,tippechu's          
government4 #ig    ,,africa4   ,,tunis4 
,the ,tunisines have a curious custom of
 fattening up their young ladies for    
marriage4 ,a girl1 after she is         
betrothed1 is cooped up in a small room2
 shackles of silver and gold are put    

upon her ancles and wrists1 as a piece  
of dress4 ,if she is to be married to a 
man who has discharged1 despatched1 or  
lost a former wife1 the shackles which  
the former wife wore1 are put upon the  
new bride's limbs3 and she is fed1 until
 they are filled up to the proper       
thickness4 ,this is sometimes no easy   
matter1 particularly if the former wife 
was fat1 and the present should be of a 
slender form4 ,the food used for this   
custom1 worthy of barbarians1 is a seed 
called drough2 which is of an           
extraordinary fattening quality1 and    
also famous for rendering the milk of   
nurses rich and abundant4 ,with this    
seed1 and their national dish 'cuscusu1'
 the bride is literally crammed1 and    
many actually die under the spoon4 #ih  
,,morocco4 ,when an ill-disposed husband
 becomes jealous or discontented with   
his wife1 he has too many opportunities 
of treating her cruelly2 he may         
tyrannize over her without control2 no  
one can go to her assistance1 for no one

 is authorized to enter his harem       
without permission4 ,jealousy or hatred 
rises so high in the breast of a ,moor1 
that death is often the consequence to  
the wretched female1 who has excited1   
perhaps innocently1 the anger of her    
husband4 ,a father1 however fond of his 
daughter1 cannot assist her even if     
informed of the ill treatment she       
suffers2 the husband alone is lord      
paramount2 if1 however1 he should he    
convicted of murdering his wife1 he     
would suffer death2 but this is         
difficult to ascertain1 even should she 
bear the marks of his cruelty or        
dastardly conduct1 for who is to detect 
it8 ,instances have been known1 when the
 woman has been cruelly beaten and put  
to death1 and the parents have been     
informed of her decease as if it had    
been occasioned by sickness1 and she has
 been buried accordingly2 but this      
difficulty of bringing men to justice1  
holds only among the powerful bashaws1  
and persons in the highest stations2 and

 these1 to avoid a retaliation of       
similar practices on their children1    
sometimes prefer giving their daughters 
in marriage to men of an inferior       
station in life1 who are more amenable  
to justice4 #ii  ,this writer informs us
 also1 that in ,morocco1 slaves are     
placed in the public market-place1 and  
there turned about and examined1 in     
order to ascertain their value4 p4 #bdi4
 ,a young girl of ,houssa1 of exquisite 
beauty1 was once sold at ,morocco1      
whilst ,i was there1 for four hundred   
ducats of #cs4 #h;d4 sterling1 whilst   
the average price of slaves is about one
 hundred2 so much depends on the fancy  
or the imagination of the purchaser4 p4 
#bdg4  ,,darfor4 ,slaves indeed1 both   
male and female1 rarely draw near their 
master1 if he be seated1 except creeping
 on their knees4 ,a man1 who is         
possessed of several women1 rarely      
enters the apartments of any of them1   
hut sends for one or more of them at a  
time to his own4 ,whether free or       

slaves1 they enter it on their knees1   
and with indications of timidity and    
respect4444 ,the slaves are rarely      
allowed to wear any covering on their   
feet4 ,free women1 on the contrary1 are 
ordinarily distinguished by a kind of   
sandal2 which1 however1 is always taken 
off when they come into the presence of1
 or have occasion to pass1 a person of  
any consideration of the other sex4 ,it 
is not uncommon to see a man on a       
journey1 mounted idly on an ass2 whilst 
his wife is pacing many a weary step on 
foot behind him2 and moreover1 perhaps1 
carrying a supply of provisions or      
culinary utensils4 ,yet it is not to be 
supposed1 that the man is despotic in   
his house2 the voice of the female has  
its full weight4 #ajj  ,,mandingoes4    
,about noon1 says ,mr4 ,park1 ,i arrived
 at ,kolor1 a considerable town2 near   
the entrance into which ,i observed1    
hanging upon a tree1 a sort of          
masquerade habit1 made of the bark of   
trees2 which1 ,i was told on inquiry1   

belonged to ,,mumbo ,,jumbo4 ,this is a 
strange bugbear1 common to all the      
,mandingo towns1 and much employed by   
the ,pagan natives in keeping their     
women in subjection2 for as the ,kafas  
are not restricted in the number of     
their wives1 every one marries as many  
as he can conveniently maintain2 and as 
it frequently happens that the ladies   
disagree among themselves1 family       
quarrels sometimes rise to such a       
height1 that the authority of the       
husband can no longer preserve peace in 
his household4 ,in such cases1 the      
interposition of ,mumbo ,jumbo is called
 in and is always decisive4  ,this      
strange minister of justice 7who is     
supposed to be either the husband       
himself1 or some person instructed by   
him17 disguised in the dress that has   
been mentioned1 and armed with the rod  
of public authority1 announces his      
coming 7whenever his services are       
required7 by loud and dismal screams in 
the woods near the town4 ,he begins the 

pantomime at the approach of night2 and1
 as soon as it is dark1 he enters the   
town1 and proceeds to the ,bentang1 at  
which all the inhabitants immediately   
assemble4  ,it may easily be supposed1  
that this exhibition is not much        
relished by the women2 for as the person
 in disguise is entirely unknown to     
them1 every married female suspects that
 the visit may possibly be intended for 
herself3 but they dare not refuse to    
appear1 when they are summoned2 and the 
ceremony commences with songs and       
dances1 which continue till midnight1   
about which time ,mumbo fixes on the    
offender4 ,this unfortunate victim being
 thereupon immediately seized1 is       
stripped naked1 tied to a post1 and     
severely scourged with ,mumbo's rod1    
amidst the shouts and derision of the   
whole assembly2 and it is remarkable1   
that the rest of the women are the      
loudest in their exclamations on this   
occasion against their unhappy sister4  
,daylight puts an end to this indecent  

and unmanly revel4 #aja  ,in the        
,mandingo countries1 says ,durand1 there
 is a mosque in every town1 from the    
steeple of which the people are called  
to prayers1 the same as in ,turkey4     
,polygamy is practised in these regions 
in its utmost latitude4 ,the women are  
frequently hostages for alliance and    
peace2 and the chiefs of two tribes1 who
 have been at war1 cement their treaties
 by an exchange of their daughters3     
private individuals do the same2 and    
this circumstance may be the reason why 
the chiefs1 in particular1 have such a  
great number of women4 ,a girl is       
frequently betrothed to a man as soon as
 she is born4 ,on the day agreed on for 
the marriage1 the bridegroom places on  
the road which the bride has to pass1   
several of his people at different      
distances1 with brandy and other        
refreshments2 for if these articles be  
not furnished in abundance1 the         
conductors of the bride will not advance
 a step further1 though they may have   

got three parts of the way on their     
journey4 ,on approaching the town1 they 
stop1 and are joined by the friends of  
the bridegroom1 who testify their joy by
 shouting1 drinking1 and letting off    
their pieces4 #ajb  ,,moors ,,of        
,,benorom1 c4 ,the education of the     
girls is neglected altogether3 mental   
accomplishments are but little attended 
to by the women2 nor is the want of them
 considered1 by the men1 as a defect in 
the female character4 ,they are         
regarded1 ,i believe1 as an inferior    
species of animals2 and seem to be      
brought up for no other purpose1 than   
that of administering to the sensual    
pleasures of their imperious masters4   
,voluptuousness is1 therefore1          
considered as their chief               
accomplishment1 and slavish submission  
as their indispensable duty4 #ajc       
,,kamalia4 ,if a man takes a fancy to   
any one of the young women1 it is not   
considered as absolutely necessary1 that
 he should make an overture to the girl 

herself4 ,the first object is to agree  
with the parents1 concerning the        
recompense to be given them for the loss
 of the company and services of their   
daughter4 ,the value of two slaves is a 
common price1 unless the girl is thought
 very handsome2 in which case1 the      
parents will raise their demand very    
considerably4 ,if the lover is rich     
enough and willing to give the sum      
demanded1 he then communicates his      
wishes to the damsel2 but her consent   
is1 by no means1 necessary to the match2
 for if the parents agree to it1 and eat
 a few kolla-nuts1 which are presented  
by the suiter as an earnest of the      
bargain1 the young lady must either have
 the man of their choice1 or continue   
unmarried1 for she cannot after be given
 to another4 ,if the parents should     
attempt it1 the lover is then           
authorized1 by the laws of the country1 
to seize upon the girl as his slave4    
,the negroes1 whether ,mahomedan or     
,pagan1 allow a plurality of wives4 ,the

 ,mahomedans alone are1 by their        
religion1 confined to four2 and as the  
husband commonly pays a great price for 
each1 he requires from all of them the  
utmost deference and submission1 and    
beats them more like hired servants than
 companions4 #ajd  ,,baniserile4 ,one of
 our slatus was a native of this place1 
from which he had been absent three     
years4 ,this man invited me to go with  
him to his house2 at the gate of which  
his friends met him with many           
expressions of joy1 shaking hands with  
him1 embracing him1 and singing and     
dancing before him4 ,as soon as he had  
seated himself upon a mat1 by the       
threshold of his door1 a young woman    
7his intended bride7 brought a little   
water in a calabash1 and kneeling down  
before him1 desired him to wash his     
hands2 when he had done this1 the girl1 
with a tear of joy sparkling in her     
eyes1 drank the water2 this being       
considered as the greatest proof she    
could possibly give him of her fidelity 

and attachment4 #aje  ,,the ,,kaffers4  
,the principal article of their trade   
with the ,tambookie nation1 is the      
exchange of cattle for their young      
women4 ,almost every chief has          
,tambookie wives1 though they pay much  
dearer for them than for those of their 
own people4 ,polygamy is allowed in its 
fullest extent1 and without any         
inconvenience resulting from the        
practice1 as it is confined nearly to   
the chiefs4 ,the circumstances of the   
common people will rarely allow them the
 indulgence of more than one wife1 as   
women are not to be obtained without    
purchase4 ,the females being considered 
as the property of their parents1 are   
invariably disposed of by sale4 ,the    
common price of a wife is an ox1 or a   
couple of cows4 ,love with them is a    
very confined passion1 taking but little
 hold on the mind4 ,when an offer is    
made for the purchase of a daughter1 she
 feels little inclination to refuse2 she
 considers herself as an article in the 

market1 and is neither surprised1 nor   
unhappy1 nor interested1 on being told  
that she is about to be disposed of4    
,there is no previous courtship1 no     
exchange of fine sentiments1 no nice    
feelings1 nor little kind attentions1   
which catch the affections and attach   
the heart4 #ajf  ,,the ,,people ,,of    
,,sneuwberg1 ,,graaff ,,regnet1 ,the    
only grievance of which ,i ever heard   
them complain1 says ,mr4 ,barrow1 and   
which appears to be a real inconvenience
 to all who inhabit the remote parts of 
the colony1 is a ridiculous and absurd  
law respecting marriage3 and as it seems
 to have no foundation in reason1 and   
little in policy1 except1 indeed1 like  
the marriage-acts in other countries1 it
 be intended as a check to population1  
it ought to be repealed4 ,by this law1  
the parties are both obliged to be      
present at the ,cape1 in order to answer
 certain interrogatories1 and pass the  
forms of office there1 the chief        
intention of which seems to be that of  

preventing improper marriages from being
 contracted2 as if the commissaries     
appointed to this office1 at the        
distance of five or six hundred miles1  
should be better acquainted with the    
connexions and other circumstances      
regarding the parties2 than the         
landrost1 the clergyman1 and the members
 of the council residing upon the spot4 
,the expense of the journey to the young
 couple is greater than they can        
frequently well afford4 ,for decency's  
sake they must set out in two wagons1   
though in the course of a month's       
journey across a desert country1 it is  
said they generally make one serve the  
purpose2 the consequence of which is1   
that nine times out of ten the          
consummation of the marriage precedes   
the ceremony4 ,this naturally produces  
another bad effect4 ,the poor girl1     
after the familiarities of a long       
journey1 lies entirely at the mercy of  
the man1 who1 having satisfied his      
curiosity or his passion1 sometimes     

deserts her before their arrival at the 
altar2 and it has sometimes happened1   
that the lady has repented of her choice
 in the course of the journey1 and      
driven home again in her own wagon4     
,though1 in our own country1 a trip to  
,scotland be sometimes taken1 when      
obstacles at a nearer distance could not
 safely be surmounted1 yet it would be  
considered as a very ridiculous1 as well
 as vexatious law1 that should oblige   
the parties intending to marry1 to      
proceed from the ,laud's ,end to ,london
 to carry their purpose into execution4 
,the inhabitants of ,graaff ,regnet must
 travel twice that distance1 in order to
 be married4 #ajg  ,,negro ,,nations4   
,it is a practice equally1 nay1 perhaps 
still more common among the negroes than
 among the ,americans1 to offer their   
wives and daughters to ,europeans4 #ajh 
,parents sell their daughters not only  
to lovers1 but to suiters of any kind1  
without doubting or even asking their   
consent4 ,the negroes in general1       

receive for their daughters a few       
bottles of brandy1 and at the furthest1 
a few articles of wearing apparel2 and  
when these prices are paid1 the fathers 
conduct their willing children to the   
huts of the purchasers4 #aji ,a negro   
may love his wife with all the affection
 that is possible for a negro to        
possess1 but he never permits her to eat
 with him1 because he would imagine     
himself contaminated1 or his dignity    
lessened1 by such a condescension2 and  
at this degrading distance1 the very    
negro-slaves in the ,west ,indies keep  
their wives1 though it might be presumed
 that the hardships of their common lot 
would have tended to unite them in the  
closest manner4 #aaj ,the poorest and   
meanest negro1 even though he be a      
slave1 is generally waited upon by his  
wife as by a subordinate being1 on her  
knees4 ,on their knees the negro women  
are obliged to present to their husbands
 tobacco and drink2 on their knees they 
salute them when they return from       

hunting1 or any other expedition2       
lastly1 on their knees1 they drive away 
the flies from their lords and masters  
while they sleep4 #aaa  ,,gagers4       
,various writers of credit and veracity 
report1 that in the southern portion of 
,africa1 many princes and chieftains    
keep great numbers of young girls1 not  
merely to gratify their passions1 but to
 satiate their tigerlike appetite for   
human flesh4 ,in order to convince      
ourselves1 that the fate of the black   
women of ,africa is not less severe than
 the condition of the brown females of  
the ,american continent1 it is          
sufficient to state1 that among the     
negro-women1 to whom ,cavazzi           
administered baptism1 some acknowledged 
with tears that they had killed five1   
others seven1 and others again ten      
children1 with their own hands4         
,notwithstanding the despotic authority 
of the legislatrix of the ,gagers1 she  
was unable1 even by the strictest       
prohibition1 to restrain her warriors   

from regaling themselves with the flesh 
of women4 ,rich and powerful chieftains 
continued to keep whole flocks of young 
girls1 as they would of lambs1 calves1  
or any other animals1 and had some of   
them daily slaughtered for the table2   
for the ,gagers prefer human flesh to   
every other species of animal food1 and 
among the different classes of human    
kind1 they hold that of young females in
 particular estimation4 #aab  ,,iii4    
,,patriarchal ,,times1 ,,and ,,the      
,,period ,,of ,,the ,,jewish            
,,theocracy1 require a brief            
examination1 as a necessary means of    
elucidating the general subject4        
,having already1 in the preceding       
inquiries1 ascended to an early date1   
and traced the condition of women       
through a long series of historic record
 to the present age1 it may seem an     
imperfection in the plan to conduct the 
reader back to a still more remote      
antiquity than has hitherto been        
noticed2 but this arrangement will be   

allowed1 perhaps1 to be founded in      
propriety1 upon observing that the      
design was first to exhibit a complete  
series of illustrations1 derived from a 
view of the circumstances of mankind as 
destitute of the light of revelation1   
and then to compare the condition of the
 female sex under the influence of a    
precursory and imperfect system of the  
true religion1 with their actual state1 
or with the privileges secured to them  
by the nobler manifestations of         
,,christianity4 ,by this mode of        
conducting the argument we trace the    
great epochs in the history of female   
melioration3 the glory of woman appears 
at first eclipsed1 as behind a dark     
cloud1 which the passions of a          
degenerate race had interposed to hide  
and debase her3 she then emerges1 though
 partially1 to view1 through the mists  
and obscurities of a temporary          
dispensation1 adapting itself to the    
circumstances of mankind as they then   
existed1 but unsuited to what they were 

destined to become--till at length1 fair
 as the moon1 ascending to the noon of  
her glory1 and tinging with the mildness
 of her beam every earthly object1 woman
 attains her undisputed eminence1 and   
diffuses her benignant influence in     
society4  ,were we to attach entire     
credit to the pleasing descriptions of  
the muses1 we must admit1 that the      
earliest ages of the world deserved the 
epithet of golden as exhibiting man     
devoid of those artificial wants which  
refinement and luxury have superinduced1
 and divested of those violent          
prejudices1 that selfishness and that   
arrogance1 which have filled the cup of 
human wo to the brim3 we should see him 
inhabiting a tent of the simplest       
construction1 furnishing himself with   
necessary subsistence with his own      
hands1 sharing with his companion the   
services of domestic life1 breathing the
 very soul of hospitality1 and adorned  
with the most attractive manners3 we    
should even see princes and princesses  

devoting themselves to what we are      
accustomed to denominate the menial     
offices both of husbandry and           
house-keeping1 but without any sense of 
degradation in the one sex1 or any      
tyrannical assumption in the other4     
,the authority of the sacred writings   
also upon this point is express and     
decisive4 ,the most distinguished of the
 human race were1 in patriarchal times1 
devoted to rural occupations and to     
plain habits2 and it is not easy1 nor is
 it altogether desirable1 to divest     
oneself of those feelings of enchantment
 which the view of such scenes and      
manners naturally inspires4 ,who can    
remain unaffected at the recital of the 
story of an ,abraham1 running to the    
herd and fetching a young and tender    
calf to refresh his angelic visiters2 or
 at the various memorable instances of  
simplicity that occur in the stories of 
,isaac1 ,jacob1 and their               
contemporaries8  ,but the question is1  
whether the actual condition of women   

did or did not indicate the lordly views
 of their husbands1 and a general state 
of slavish subordination8 ,what can be  
said to the practices of polygamy and   
concubinage1 which prevailed even in    
these golden times and in pious         
families8 ,do they evince any proper    
estimate of the character of women8 or  
have they not an evident tendency to    
degrade them8 ,does not their very      
institution assert the subserviency of  
the one sex to the will and pleasure of 
the other8 #aac ,the state of women may 
not only be inferred under such         
circumstances1 but is clearly seen4     
,wives possessed no other advantages    
over concubines than the right of       
inheriting2 and domestic unions were    
formed without any reference to the     
nobler felicities of social intercourse4
 ,hence infertility not only excited    
dislike1 but was held to justify        
repudiation4 ,in the earliest ages1     
marriage was not only very unceremonious
 with regaird to the mode in which it   

was conducted1 but this important union 
was arranged without any previous       
agreement between the parties1 and wives
 were often purchased4 ,men had the     
right of annulling all the oaths and    
engagements of their daughters and      
wives1 if they had1 not been present    
when they were contracted4 ,we can      
discover1 says ,segur1 in these first   
ages1 nothing worthy of the title of    
'golden1' which has been applied to     
them4 ,abraham and ,isaac were          
continually afraid of being assassinated
 for their wives2 and the oath which    
they enacted from their neighbours not  
to attempt their lives1 savoured little 
of a golden age4  ,under the ,jewish    
theocracy the ,levitical law appointed a
 variety of regulations which evinced   
their imperfect emancipation from a     
state of inferiority4 ,they were in     
particular subjected to the trial of the
 waters of jealousy1 not only in cases  
of real departure from conjugal         
fidelity1 but when a suspicion existed  

in the mind of the husband1 even though 
it were without any foundation3 and     
there were cases in which misconduct of 
a similar natute exposed them to be     
stoned to death4 ,the doctrine of vows  
also1 in the cases of daughters1 wives1 
and widows1 corroborates the general    
argument1 by evincing the marked        
subordination of the woman to the man4  
,if a woman also vow a vow unto the     
,lord1 and bind herself by a bond1 being
 in her father's house in her youth2 and
 her father hear her vow1 and her bond  
wherewith she hath bound her soul1 and  
her father shall hold his peace at her3 
then all her vows shall stand1 and every
 bond wherewith she hath bound her soul 
shall stand4 ,but if her father disallow
 her in the day that he heareth2 not any
 of her vows1 or of her bonds1 wherewith
 she hath bound her soul1 shall stand3  
and the ,lord shall forgive her1 because
 her father disallowed her4 ,and if she 
had at all an husband1 when she vowed1  
or uttered aught out of her lips1       

wherewith she bound her soul2 and her   
husband heard it1 and held his peace at 
her in the day that he heard it3 then   
her vows shall stand1 and her bonds     
wherewith she bound her soul shall      
stand4 ,but if her husband disallowed   
her on the day that he heard it2 then he
 shall make her vow which she vowed1 and
 that which she uttered with her lips1  
wherewith she bound her soul1 of none   
effect3 and the ,lord shall forgive her4
 ,but every vow of a widow1 and of her  
that is divorced1 wherewith they have   
bound their souls1 shall stand against  
her4 ,and if she vowed in her husband's 
house1 or bound her soul by a bond with 
an oath2 and her husband heard it1 and  
held his peace at her1 and disallowed   
her not3 then all her vows shall stand1 
and every bond wherewith she bound her  
soul shall stand4 ,but if her husband   
hath utterly made them void on the day  
he heard them2 then whatsoever proceeded
 out of her lips concerning her vows1 or
 concerning the bond of her soul1 shall 

not stand3 her husband hath made them   
void2 and the ,lord shall forgive her4  
,every vow1 and every binding oath to   
afflict the soul1 her husband may       
establish it1 or her husband may make it
 void4 ,but if her husband altogether   
hold his peace at her from day to day2  
then he establisheth all her vows1 or   
all her bonds1 which are upon her3 he   
confirmeth them1 because he held his    
peace at her in the day that he heard   
them4 ,but if he shall any ways make    
them void after that he hath heard them1
 then he shall bear her iniquity4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,from the dark and deeply shaded        
back-ground of the picture of female    
degradation1 formed by the facts which  
have now been adduced1 and which might  
easily be corroborated by an immense    
accumulation of evidence1 ,christianity 
is brought forward with conspicuous     
prominence1 and in all her gracefulness4
 ,the contrast is at once striking and  
affecting3 the moral scene brightens    

upon the view as we contemplate this    
attractive figure combining majesty and 
mildness--fascination in her smiles and 
heaven in her eye4  ,the superiority    
which the religion of ,jesus has secured
 to women above the state of barbaric   
degradation1 ,mahometan slavery1 and    
,jewish subjection1 proclaims the glory 
of that system1 which has already       
meliorated society to its minutest      
subdivisions1 and will eventually       
transform the moral desert of human     
being into a paradise of beauty and     
bliss4 ,the argument1 however1 will be  
seen with more distinctness1 by the     
following brief detail4  #a4 ,the       
personal conduct of the divine ,author  
of ,christianity1 tended to elevate the 
female sex to a degree of consideration 
in society before unknown4 ,during the  
life of our ,lord1 women were admitted  
to a holy familiarity with him1 attended
 his public labours1 ministered to his  
wants1 and adhered to him with heroic   
zeal1 when their attachment exposed them

 to insult1 danger and death4           
,immediately after the marriage of ,cana
 in ,galilee1 where he attended with his
 mother1 he accompanied her with his    
brethren and disciples to ,capernaum4   
,that excellent spirit1 for which he was
 remarkable from his earliest years1    
continued to influence his mind in      
maturer life1 and taught him justly to  
appreciate and perfectly to exemplify   
the domestic and social duties4 ,he did 
not scruple to converse with a          
,samaritan woman1 who came to draw water
 at ,jacob's well1 though his disciples1
 in whose minds ,jewish prejudices      
continued to prevail1 expressed their   
astonishment at his condescension4      
,never was there so fine a specimen of  
patience1 gentleness1 and humility1     
blended with true dignity1 as upon that 
remarkable occasion4 ,he instructed her 
ignorance1 endured her petulance1       
corrected her mistakes1 awakened her    
conscience1 converted her heart1 and    
eventually honoured her as a messenger  

of mercy and salvation to her ,samaritan
 friends4 ,at another time1 when the    
disciples rebuked those who brought     
their little children to him1 that he   
might put his hands on them and pray1 he
 kindly interposed2 and evincing the    
most sympathetic tenderness towards the 
solicitudes which1 on such an occasion1 
would necessarily pervade the maternal  
bosom1 he said1 ,suffer little children1
 and forbid them not to come unto me2   
for of such is the kingdom of heaven3   
and he laid his hands on them4 ,on      
various occasions1 when he performed    
some of his most illustrious miracles1  
females were personally concerned1 and  
shared his distinguished notice and     
condolence4 ,such particularly was the  
case when he met the funeral procession 
at ,nain3 it was that of a young man1   
represented in the simple and affecting 
language of the evangelist1 as the only 
son of his mother1 and she was a widow4 
,the meeting was apparently casual2 but 
,jesus was instantly and deeply         

impressed with the circumstances3 he in 
particular felt compassion for the      
weeping parent--addressed her in kind   
and gentle terms--remanded the spirit   
from its eternal flight1 to inhabit     
again for a season the body from which  
it had so lately departed1 and delivered
 the reanimated youth to his mother4 ,he
 blended his tears with those of ,martha
 and ,mary1 at the sepulchre of their   
brother2 and after instructing them upon
 the subject of the resurrection from   
the dead1 restored him to their wishes  
and affections4 ,women ministered unto  
,jesus of their substance1--the         
daughters of ,jerusalem bewailed him    
when he was led to crucifixion--and the 
women that followed him from ,galilee   
were deeply interested spectators of his
 sufferings1 observed his sepulchre1 and
 prepared spices and ointments4 ,it was 
,mary ,magdalene who enjoyed the honour 
and happiness of a first manifestation  
after ,jesus was risen from the dead1   
and she was commissioned to go and      

inform the rest of his sorrowing        
disciples4 ,the frequent mention1 says  
,doddridge which is made in the         
evangelists of the generous and         
courageous zeal of some pious women in  
the service of ,christ1 and especially  
of the faithful and resolute constancy  
with which they attended him in those   
last scenes of his suffering1 might very
 possibly be intended to obviate that   
haughty and senseless contempt1 which   
the pride of men1 often irritated by    
those vexations to which their own      
irregular passions have exposed them1   
has in all ages affected to throw on    
that sex1 which probably1 in the sight  
of ,god1 constitute by far the better   
half of mankind2 and to whose care and  
tenderness the wisest and best of men   
generally owe and ascribe much of the   
daily comfort and enjoyment of their    
lives4  #b4 ,as the conduct of ,christ  
naturally induced his disciples to      
imitate the example of their illustrious
 ,master1 the subsequent admission of   

women to all the privileges of the      
,christian ,church1 tended exceedingly  
to confirm their elevation1 and evince  
their importance in society4 ,when the  
primitive converts to the ,christian    
faith wished publicly to avow their     
dereliction of heathen idolatry1 and    
their emancipation from the bondage of  
,judaism1 by being baptized in water1   
both sexes were admitted without        
distinction to this solemn rite4 ,at a  
very early period of the primitive      
church1 when the city of ,samaria       
received the word of ,god by the        
preaching of ,philip1 which with its    
accompanying miracles1 diffused an      
universal joy1 they were baptized1 both 
,,men and ,,women2 and the apostle      
,paul1 in writing to the ,galatians1    
expresses himself in this triumphant    
strain3 ,for ye are all the children of 
,god by faith in ,christ ,jesus4 ,for as
 many of you as have been baptized into 
,christ1 have put on ,christ4 ,there is 
neither ,jew nor ,greek1 there is       

neither bond nor free1 there is neither 
,,male nor ,,female1 for ye are ,,all   
,,one in ,christ ,jesus4  ,sentiments   
like these1 combined with the practice  
of an institution so expressive and so  
remarkable1 tended to circulate among   
the primitive ,christians those feelings
 of respect and affection for women1    
which1 by elevating them to their proper
 rank in society1 must necessarily      
purify the public morals1 meliorate     
individual character1 and ennoble the   
intercourse of life4 ,admitted to an    
equal participation of the privileges of
 ,god's house1 where every minor        
distinction is annihilated by the       
predominance of a diffusive charity1 and
 feeling that their present joys and    
future destinies were blended with those
 of the holy brethren1 partakers of the 
heavenly calling2 the female part of the
 community rose into importance as      
rational1 but especially as immortal    
beings4  ,after the ascension of        
,christ1 the historian of the ,acts of  

the ,apostles informs us1 that the      
,,women1 and ,mary1 the mother of       
,jesus1 assembled with the apostles to  
worship in the upper room at ,jerusalem2
 being equally interested in the great  
events which had recently occurred1 and 
in the devotional services in which they
 now engaged4 ,paul directs ,timothy to 
treat the elder women as mothers1 the   
younger as sisters1 with all purity4 ,he
 also desires him to honour widows that 
are widows indeed1 and to afford them   
all proper relief by charitable         
contributions1 a practice for which the 
first ,christians were highly           
distinguished4 ,women are represented by
 an apostle himself as fellow-labourers 
in the ,gospel1 assisting them1 not only
 by their example1 to which he willingly
 pointed the attention of the churches1 
but by their prayers1 their visits of   
mercy1 and other similar methods of     
co-operatiug in the propagation of the  
truth1 and the promotion of individual  
happiness4  ,as the immediate effects of

 original transgression upon the woman  
were most obvious and most deplorable1  
and as her debasement from the eminence 
assigned her by the ,creator has been   
completed by the misrule of passion1 and
 the gradual advancement of human       
degeneracy3 so the direct operation of  
,christianity is apparent1 according to 
the degree of its prevalence1 in        
elevating her to a state which was known
 before only in the garden of ,eden--a  
state in which she again assumes a rank1
 which regenerated man cheerfully       
concedes1 wherein she regains the lost  
paradise of love and tenderness2 while  
the more remote influence of this system
 is discernible in the recognition of   
her rights1 wherever its benign dominion
 extends4 ,now she ascends to the glory 
of an intelligent creature1 gladdens by 
her presence the solitary hours of      
existence1 beguiles by her converse and 
sympathy the rough and tedious paths of 
life1 and not only acquires personal    
dignity and importance1 but in some     

measure new modifies1 purifies1 and     
exalts the character of man4 ,if we     
cannot but weep over the affecting      
representation of the departure of ,adam
 and ,eve from the scene of innocence   
and of celestial manifestation1 when    
,the brandish'd sword of ,god before    
them blaz'd   ,fierce as a comet3 which 
with torrid heat   ,and vapours1 as the 
,libyan air adust1   ,begun to parch    
that temperate clime2 whereat   ,in     
either hand the hast'ning angel caught  
,our ling'ring parents1 and to the      
eastern gate   ,led them direct1 and    
down the cliff as fast   ,to the        
subjected plain----  and when1 taking a 
hasty retrospect of their lost felicity1
 in consequence of transgression1 and   
cherishing gloomy forebodings of that   
melancholy futurity1 which seemed       
already to pour from its dark clouds the
 deluging rain of grief and misery--    
,some natural tears they dropp'd1 but   
wip'd them soon2   ,the world was all   
before them1 where to choose   ,their   

place of rest1 and ,providence their    
guide2   ,they1 hand in hand1 with      
wand'ring steps and slow   ,through     
,eden took their solitary way2----  --if
 we must mourn over so sad a scene1     
,christianity a wakens sympathies of an 
opposite description1 by exhibiting a   
goodly number of their descendants as   
inhabitants of the ,,christian          
,,church--the grand repository of       
heavenly blessings1 and the             
dwelling-place of peace--at whose holy  
altar of truth souls are wedded1 and at 
whose sacramental board they celebrate  
an everlasting union4 ,nothing can      
present a scene more worthy the         
attention of mankind1 or more attractive
 to the eyes of witnessing angels1 than 
this association of persons in pious    
fellowship1 without distinction of birth
 or country1 age or sex2 participators  
in equal proportions of the same        
happiness1 children of one common       
parent1 and heirs of one rich           
inheritance6  #c4 ,the1 great principles

 asserted by the religion of ,jesus1    
secure to women1 as an unquestionable   
right1 that exaltation in society1 which
 his conduct1 and that of his followers 
conferred4 ,these principles may he     
traced in the ,new ,testament1 either as
 necessarily comprehending1 by their    
generality1 a proper treatment of the   
female sex1 or as developing themselves 
in particular regulations and           
enactments4  ,christianity breathes a   
spirit of the most diffusive charity and
 good will3 and wherever its power is   
felt1 it moulds the character into the  
image of benevolence4 ,love is the      
beauty and the strength of this         
spiritual building2 a love1 at once     
comprehensive in its range1 and minute  
in its ramifications3 adjusting the     
diversified claims of society and       
religion with perfect exactness1 and    
directing the exercise of all the social
 affections4 ,the fountain being        
purified1 the streams become pure2 the  
heart1 which is the centre mid spring of

 moral action1 being renewed1 the       
conduct will be distinguished by a      
corresponding degree of virtue1         
goodness1 and sanctity4 ,but as         
,christianity produces a general        
transformation of character1 by subduing
 the ferocious and brutal propensities  
of man2 clearing away the rank and      
noxious weeds that overspread human     
nature1 and sowing the seeds of moral   
excellence1 the effect must be          
discernible in the whole intercourse of 
life4 ,immorality trembles1 domestic    
tyranny retires abashed before the      
majesty of religion1 and peace pervades 
that dwelling where power was law1 and  
woman a slave4 ,in fact1 every precept  
of the ,gospel that inculcates kindness1
 sympathy1 gentleness1 meekness1        
courtesy1 and all the other graces that 
bloom in the garden of the              
,lord--indirectly1 and by no            
unintelligible or forced application1   
provides for the honour and glory of the
 female sex4 ,if the most effectual     

method of degrading woman be to         
barbarize man1 the certain means of     
dignifying her is to christianize him4  
,it is to be noticed also1 that there is
 no sex in conscience1 and that for the 
discharge of the duties of piety1 each  
is equally capacitated1 and therefore   
equally responsible4 ,if men were to    
give an account at the tribunal of      
heaven1 not only for their personal     
actions and principles1 but for those of
 women1 to whom they are related by the 
ties of consanguinity1 or with whom they
 are connected by circumstances1 there  
would be some reason in assuming a      
jurisdiction over their faith1 and      
disputing their claims to rationality   
and to respectful treatment2 but not to 
insist upon the moral constitution of   
the female sex1 and the whole drift of  
divine revelation1 the very terms of the
 initiatory ordinance of the ,christian 
church1 to which they are equally       
entitled1 illustrates and secures their 
prerogatives--for it is the answer of a 

good conscience towards ,god4 ,when men 
impose fetters upon other men1          
condemning1 imprisoning1 fining1        
scourging1 burning1 and anathematizing  
them1 merely because they dare to think 
for themselves in matters which can only
 concern ,god and their own souls1 and  
will not have their faith decreed by    
arbitrary power and exasperated         
ignorance1 it need not excite surprise1 
that they should assume the right of    
behaving to the weaker sex with all the 
capriciousness of despotism2 and no     
authority but that of ,scripture1 which 
maintains the privileges of all thinking
 beings1 can effectually restrain the   
wickedness of man's ,,unmanly           
usurpation4  ,the precepts of           
,christianity bespeak its characteristic
 regard to the reciprocal duties and    
respective rank of the sexes1 adjusting 
their claims with a nicety that         
precludes disputation1 and an authority 
that commands assent4 ,they are not     
arbitrary enactments2 but being founded 

in the highest reason1 and connected    
with individual felicity1 approve       
themselves to every well-regulated mind4
 ,in our behaviour to others1 we are not
 only prohibited from indulging the     
vindictive and malignant passions1 but  
exhorted to do them good by the         
employment of our pecuniary resources1  
social opportunities1 and moral means1  
to advance both their temporal and      
eternal interests4 ,while these         
principles necessarily comprise the     
discharge of all relative duties1 these 
are besides specifically enumerated and 
enforced4 ,husbands1 in whose hands     
barbarism had placed a tyrannic sceptre1
 are required by the religion of ,jesus 
to renounce their unjust domination1 and
 to descend to the regulated and        
affectionate intercourse of the domestic
 hearth4 ,it is expressly enjoined upon 
them to love their wives1 and not to be 
bitter against them4 ,let every one of  
you in particular so love his wife even 
as himself3 so ought men to love their  

wives as their own bodies4--,ye         
husbands1 dwell with your wives         
according to knowledge1 giving honour   
unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel1
 and as being heirs together of the     
grace of life4 ,let one of you in       
particular so love his wife as himself1 
and the wife see that she reverence her 
husband4  ,christianity also expressly  
abolishes1 at least by necessary        
implication1 polygamy and the power of  
divorce1 as they existed among barbarous
 nations1 perpetuating the degradation  
of women1 and spreading confusion in    
society4 ,whosoever shall put away his  
wife1 except it be for fornication1 and 
shall marry another1 committeth         
adultery3 and whoso marrieth her which  
is put away1 doth commit adultery4 ,know
 ye not1 brethren1 7for ,i speak to them
 that know the law47 how that the law   
hath dominion over a man as long as he  
liveth8 ,for the woman which hath an    
husband is bound by the law to her      
husband so long as be liveth2 but if the

 husband be dead1 she is loosed from the
 law of her husband4 ,and1 ,let every   
man have his own wife1 and let every    
woman have her own husband4 ,paley      
remarks1 ,the manners of different      
countries have varied in nothing more   
than in their domestic constitutions4   
,less polished and more luxurious       
nations have either not perceived the   
bad effects of polygamy1 or1 if they did
 perceive them1 they who in such        
countries possessed the power of        
reforming the laws1 have been unwilling 
to resign their own gratifications4     
,polygamy is retained at this day among 
the ,turks1 and throughout every part of
 ,asia in which ,christianity is not    
professed4 ,in ,christian countries it  
is universally prohibited4 ,in ,sweden  
it is punished with death4 ,in ,england1
 besides the nullity of the second      
marriage1 it subjects the offender to   
transportation1 or imprisonment and     
branding1 for the first offence1 and to 
capital punishment for the second4 ,and 

whatever may be said in behalf of       
polygamy when it is authorized by the   
law of the land1 the marriage of a      
second wife during the lifetime of the  
first1 in countries where such a second 
marriage is void1 must be ranked with   
the most dangerous and cruel of those   
frauds by which a woman is cheated out  
of her fortune1 her person1 and her     
happiness4  ,the ancient ,medes         
compelled their citizens1 in one canton1
 to take seven wives2 in another1 each  
woman to receive five husbands2         
according as war had made1 in one       
quarter of their country1 an            
extraordinary havoc among the men1 or   
the women had been carried away by an   
enemy from another4 ,this regulation1 so
 far as it was adapted to the proportion
 which subsisted between the number of  
males and females1 was founded in the   
reason upon which the most improved     
nations of ,europe proceed at present4  
,csar found among the inhabitants of    
this island a species of polygamy1 if it

 may be so called1 which was perfectly  
singular4 ,uxores1 says he1 habent deni 
duodenique inter se communes2 et maxime 
fratres cum fratribus1 parentesque cum  
liberis3 sed si qui sint ex his nati1   
corum habentur liberi1 quo primum virgo 
quaque deducta est4  ,the same          
perspicuous writer adds1 upon the       
subject of divorce1 ,the ,scriptures    
seem to have drawn the obligation       
tighter than the law of nature left it4 
',whosoever1' saith ,christ1 'shall put 
away his wife1 except it be for         
fornication1 and shall marry another1   
committeth adultery3 and whoso marrieth 
her which is put away1 doth commit      
adultery4' ,the law of ,moses1 for      
reasons of local expediency1 permitted  
the ,jewish husband to put away his     
wife2 but whether for every cause1 or   
for what causes1 appears to have been   
controverted amongst the interpreters of
 those times4 ,christ1 the precepts of  
whose religion were calculated for more 
general use and observation1 revokes    

this permission1 7as given to the ,jews 
'for the hardness of their hearts1'7 and
 promulges a law which was thenceforward
 to confine divorces to the single cause
 of adultery in the wife4 ,and ,i see no
 sufficient reason to depart from the   
plain and strict meaning of ,christ's   
words4 ,the rule was new4 ,it both      
surprised and offended his disciples1   
yet ,christ added nothing to relax or   
explain it4  ,inferior causes may       
justify the separation of husband and   
wife1 although they will not authorize  
such a dissolution of the marriage      
contract as would leave either party at 
liberty to marry again2 for it is that  
liberty1 in which the danger and        
mischief of divorces principally        
consist4 ,if the care of children does  
not require that they should live       
together1 and it is become1 in the      
serious judgment of both1 necessary for 
their mutual happiness that they should 
separate1 let them separate by consent4 
,nevertheless1 this necessity can hardly

 exist1 without guilt and misconduct on 
one side or on both4 ,moreover1 cruelty1
 ill usage1 extreme violence1 or        
moroseness of temper1 or other great and
 continual provocations1 make it lawful 
for the party aggrieved to withdraw from
 the society of the offender1 without   
his or her consent4 ,the law which      
imposes the marriage vow1 whereby the   
parties promise to 'keep to each other1'
 or in other words to live together1    
must be understood to impose it with a  
silent reservation of these cases2      
because the same law has constituted a  
judicial relief from the tyranny of her 
husband1 by the divorce  mensa et toro1 
and by the provision which it makes for 
the separate maintenance of the injured 
wife4 ,st4 ,paul1 likewise1             
distinguishes between a wife merely     
separating herself from the family of   
her husband1 and her marrying again3    
',let not the wife depart from her      
husband2 but1 and if she do depart1 let 
her remain unmarried4' #aad             

,notwithstanding the survey we have     
taken of the general degradation of the 
female sex1 where the benign influences 
of ,christianity have been unfelt1 the  
argument may be confronted by a         
formidable array of plausible           
objections4 ,it may be said1 that amidst
 the barbarity of the ,,scandinavian    
,,nations1 they treated their women with
 extraordinary respect4 ,the ,scythians 
exempted the daughter from the          
punishment in which the son was obliged 
to partake with the father1 and the     
,german women even inherited the throne4
 ,some of the laws1 among the ,goths1   
respecting illicit intercourse1 were    
highly reasonable and just1 and our     
remote ancestors may be cited as        
examples of treating women with the     
utmost veneration4 ,it may seem         
indicative also of the prevalence of    
similar sentiments1 that the ancient    
mythologies abound in female divinities3
 the ,phoenicians worshipped the goddess
 ,astarte1 the ,scythians1 ,appia1 the  

,scandinavians1 ,friggia1 the wife of   
,odin4 ,it may be further urged1 with   
regard to the ,,greeks and ,,romans1    
that though the melancholy picture we   
have already drawn of their conduct be  
true1 yet their history presents some   
remarkable evidences of the elevated    
condition of their women1 and the       
honourable regard which they obtained4  
,among the former1 indeed1 few instances
 can be adduced1 in addition to that of 
,areta1 the daughter of ,aristippus1 who
 fixed upon her son the surname of 1 or 
disciple of his mother1 in consequence  
of her having been his instructer in the
 sciences and philosophy4 ,the ,romans1 
at some periods of their history1 paid  
extraordinary respect to their women2   
the institution of the vestals is a     
memorial of the estimation in which     
female virtue was held1 and the emperor 
,heliogabalus was desirous that his wife
 should have a voice in the senate4     
,they allowed their women to celebrate  
an annual feast1 to commemorate the     

reconciliation between them and the     
,sabines1 by means of their wives2 and  
they erected an equestrian statue to    
,cloelia1 and a temple to ,fortune1 in  
honour of the sex2 because the mother   
and wife of ,coriolanus had caused that 
hero to retire weeping from his native  
country1 when he was irresistible by    
arms4 #aae ,but the most plausible      
objection to the general argument seems 
derivable from the history of           
,,chivalry1 under whose influence it is 
alleged that women were not only not    
degraded1 but were actually advanced to 
the highest condition1 and possessed the
 most commanding influence4 ,the        
knights1 at their installation1 took    
solemn vows of self-devotement to the   
cause of female honour2 and ladies were 
constantly engaged as umpires at        
tournaments1 took off the armour of the 
conquerors1 and irivested them with     
magnificent robes4 ,the middle ages     
witnessed the extraordinary sight of    
knight-errants wandering over distant   

countries1 with their sword and lance in
 hand1 to contest the point of the      
beauty and virtue of their ladies1 with 
all who ventured to intimate the        
slightest doubt or suspicion on the     
subject4 ,their expeditions were usually
 made in consequence of some requisition
 on the part of their mistresses1 or to 
fulfil a vow voluntarily incurred in a  
moment of intoxication and excitement4  
,the reply to these general objections  
has been in part anticipated4           
,christianity assigns to women their    
proper place in society1 neither        
admitting of their being tyrannized over
 by despotic authority1 nor impiously   
honoured by a ridiculous adulation4     
,they are to be viewed as help meets1   
not1 as slaves2 to be respected and     
loved1 but not deified4 ,while the      
religion of ,jesus raises them to great 
consideration in the scale of society1  
it imposes a salutary restraint upon    
human passions1 and checks every        
approach to the assumption of an        

unnatural superiority4 ,it bestows a    
rank which secures them from contempt or
 disregard1 while it equally prevents a 
senseless adoration3 so that its        
principles disallow the barbaric        
treatment of uncivilized nations and the
 follies of the chivalrous ages4  ,in   
the different periods and places to     
which the objection refers1 the conduct 
of mankind was marked with              
inconsistency4 ,greece and ,rome exhibit
 ample specimens of this nature2 and the
 time of chivalry afford illustrations  
equally remarkable4 ,the knights of the 
order were not distinguished by fidelity
 to their wives1 or by a concern for the
 education of their daughters3 their    
devotion to the female sex was1 in fact1
 without principle and without love2    
they fought1 from vanity and fashion1   
for persons whom they had basely        
dishonoured and secretly despised2 and  
while their flattery and folly were     
sufficiently discreditable to their own 
understandings and hearts1 they tended  

in a deplorable degree to corrupt the   
principles of those whom they professed 
to value4  ,it is further obvious1 that 
in the very best periods of ,greek and  
,roman history there existed no security
 against a change in the treatment of   
women1 arising from the general         
recognition of any of those great       
principles of moral conduct which       
constitute the basis of good government 
and of well-regulated society4 ,passion 
predominated above reason1 and received 
its impulse solely from casual          
circumstances4 ,it was1 in fact1        
accidental1 whether it should operate   
amiably or malignantly2 and the felicity
 of one half of the human species       
depended upon the precarious and ever   
vacillating humour of the other4 ,virtue
 was scarcely seen upon the earth1      
except at occasional and often distant  
visitations1 or as she shed a fitful and
 flickering light into the retreats of  
systematic philosophy4 ,woman was at the
 mercy of every wind--to-day            

honoured--to-morrow despised--now a     
goddess--and anon a slave6 ,viewing     
heathen countries in the most favourable
 aspect in which history presents them1 
and admitting to the fullest extent the 
correctness of those details of virtue  
and valour which she has transmitted to 
us1 the conduct of the ,celtic and      
,scandinavian nations1 and instances    
deduced from cultivated and classic     
regions1 or from modern times1 can only 
be considered as exceptions which do not
 impugn the general alignment1          
corroborated as it has been by a        
historical and geographical delineation 
of society in every age of the world1   
and every quarter of the globe4  ,behold
 ,christianity1 then1 walking forth in  
her purity and greatness to bless the   
earth1 diffusing her light in every     
direction1 distributing her charities on
 either hand1 quenching the flames of   
lust and the fires of ambition1         
silencing discord1 spreading peace1 and 
creating all things new6 ,angels watch  

her progress1 celebrate her influence1  
and anticipate her final triumphs6 ,the 
moral creation brightens beneath her    
smiles1 and owns her renovating power2  
at her approach man loses his fierceness
 and woman her chains2 each becomes     
blessed in the other1 and ,god glorified
 in both6     ,appendix4    7,,see p4   
#cbj47  ,the concurrent evidence of a   
variety of passages of ,scripture       
respecting the existence of ,satan1 ind 
his interference in human concerns1 have
 been rejected with singular and        
pertinacious audacity1 solely upon the  
ground that the whole of these          
representations must be figurative1     
because they are not consonant to human 
reason--which seems to be a very        
dignified sort of personage1 assuming to
 herself the right of calling revelation
 to her bar1 and disposing at pleasure  
of the doctrines of ,heaven4 ,as1       
however1 truth will always bear         
investigation1 it may not be improper to
 devote a few additional pages to this  

subject1 with a view of satisfying2 the 
humble inquirer1 that sound sense and   
divine testimony are really and entirely
 coincident4  ,whatever is revealed it  
becomes us to believe1 and simply on    
this account1 that it is revealed2 if   
the subject of the revelation be        
mysterious or incomprehensible1 this    
does not annul our obligation implicitly
 to believe it1 because sufficient      
reasons may exist in the ,eternal ,mind 
for the concealment of its nature1 or it
 may surpass the comprehension of our   
limited capacities2 but if it be        
naturally capable of investigation--if  
it be not only a fact1 but a fact in    
proof of which evidences may be adduced1
 and explanations furnished1 our minds  
cannot be better employed1 than in thus 
superinducing substantial evidence or   
vivid probability upon the testimony of 
divine inspiration4  ,i4 ,it is highly  
reasonable to suppose1 that there are   
beings of a distinct and superior order 
to ourselves in the universe4 ,nothing  

can be more improbable than to imagine  
that this earth is the only inhabited   
region of universal empire1 the only    
peopled province in the creation of     
,god2 especially when we observe that it
 forms but one1 and that a small globe  
of matter belonging to a system in which
 others1 and some very superior bodies1 
are found moving round the came centre1 
and legulated by similar laws2 and that 
this whole system itself is but one out 
of ten thousand others that constitute  
the heavenly constellations1 and pave   
the shining way to the divine abode4    
,the productions of ,infinite ,wisdom   
are wonderfully diversified4 ,in the    
present world we have an opportunity of 
observing them only in the descending   
scale1 from man1 the summit of creation1
 down through all the gradations of     
animal existence1 to the scarcely       
discernible insects that flit in the    
summer sunbeams1 and to the minuter     
world of microscopic discovery4 ,but    
analogy would lead us to infer1 that    

there may be beings in the vast dominion
 of universal space as much superior to 
man as man himself is superior to       
insects or animalcul4 ,it is not        
probable that creative power should     
cease to operate precisely at the point 
where human existence commences2 and    
especially as mind admits of            
incalculable diversity in the extent of 
its energies and capacities1 and as it  
is found in all cases to possess a power
 of improvement and expansion1 it is    
likely1 under other circumstances and in
 other worlds1 it may he inconceivably  
superior to the highest elevation it his
 ever attained in this lower region4    
,hence we infer the great probabilily of
 angelic existence4  ,,ii4 ,it is       
reasonable to suppose1 that superior    
intelligences were constituted free     
agents1 and capable therefore of        
retaining or forfeiting their primeval  
character and happiness1 for this is the
 evident lay of the rational creation1  
so far it comes within the limits of our

 observation4 ,if this be the case1 some
 of these beings may probably have      
misused their liberty1 and become       
depraved and corrupt4 ,it is essential  
to the notion of free agency1 to suppose
 this possible1 and though from the     
infinite benignity of the ,divine       
,being1 we should infer that he would   
create them holy and happy1 we cannot   
conclude they must necessarily be       
preserved in such a state4 ,there is    
nothing in the nature of the blessed    
,god1 as a just and holy ,being1 to     
require this1 no obligation to do so    
resulting from the mere circumstance of 
their being thus created1 and nothing1  
in a perfect system of holy government1 
to demand it4 ,indeed1 quite the        
reverse1 because it is natural to infer1
 that the subjects of divine government1
 however elevated in character and      
condition1 should be responsible to     
their ,ruler1 and liberty of thought and
 action1 the power of choice1 and       
refusal of obedience and disobedience1  

is essential to responsibility4 ,there  
may1 therefore1 probably exist unholy or
 evil spirits1 such as have not kept    
their first estate1 and consequently    
amenable to righteous laws1 and proper  
objects of punishment4  ,,iii4 ,as it is
 reasonable to suppose that the         
government of ,god may admit of the     
existence of fallen and evil spirits1 as
 well as those of a more honourable     
class1 it is equally so to conclude1    
that a similar or analogous variety of  
talent1 capacity1 and guilt may obtain  
to that which we observe in the         
constitution of other intelligent       
creatures both good and evil1 in this   
world4 ,wicked men are not satisfied to 
be sought by criminals1 they have no    
wish to be alone in sin but are         
uniformly anxious to seduce others into 
the perpetration of those iniquities    
which they themselves have dared to     
commit4 ,the first action of ,eve after 
her transgression1 was to hand the      
forbidden fruit to her husband1 and     

persuade him to eat1 and it is the      
earliest wish of a rebellious heart to  
involve others in the guilt and misery  
of their own deeds1 partly for the sake 
of concealing their enormity1 by        
diverting the eye from observing the    
awful proportions of then individual    
offences1 and partly to acquire         
encouragement and support in the        
commission of yet unpractised crimes4   
,hence one sinner destroyeth much good4 
,according to his capacity or           
opportunity he becomes the centre of a  
large circle of impious association1 he 
sways inferior minds1 and forms them    
into so many satellites round his       
person1 who individually acquire a      
lustre from his pre-eminence1 and feel  
the attraction of his base superiority4 
,hence the world of wickedness is ruled 
by an incalculable number of petty      
princes1 who each assume independent    
empire1 but all combine to carry on     
eternal war against the order of        
providence1 the good of society1 and the

 glory of ,god1  ,it is not absurd1     
then1 to conclude1 that a similar       
diversity prevails amongst evil beings  
of a superior class1 that some may be   
far more atrocious in their characters  
than others1 and more capacitated to do 
extensive mischief4 ,it is equally      
likely1 that their influence over other 
evil spirits may be proportioned to     
these circumstances1 and that their     
example or advice may excite to deeds of
 infernal daring4 ,these considerations 
would eventually conduct us to the      
probability of the existence of one1    
pre-eminent above the rest in crime and 
in capacity1 who may influence the      
several chiefs of the infernal empire1  
as they exercise a power over inferior  
demons2 or that ,satan1 or the devil1 is
 the prince of the power of the air4    
,,iv4 ,the invisible nature of          
diabolical agency can be no sufficient  
objection to its existence4 ,admitting  
that there are other proofs1 this       
circumstance could not diminish their   

force1 much less destroy their evidence4
 ,it must be granted1 that without other
 proofs it would be a radical objection1
 because in such a case the whole       
statement would he gratuitous and       
conjectural4 ,if it were allowable to   
suppose such an agency1 it might be     
equally so to refuse admitting it2 every
 one may be amused or not with a pure   
fiction1 an imaginary creation4 ,but do 
not plead1 that the invisibility of     
diabolical agency is any proof or any   
presumption of its reality2 but simply  
that it is no objection1 that it has no 
power to neutralize the evidence        
produced1 and that unbelievers have no  
authority1 on this account1 to treat the
 subject with that profane and          
impertinent ridicule1 which is a mere   
commonplace artifice to evade unwelcome 
convictions4  ,god is invisible--but is 
this any argument against his being8    
,the human soul is invisible--is this a 
proof that it does not exist8 ,the      
magnetic influence cannot be seen--is   

this a reason that it does not operate8 
,are the opinions or philosophers       
deduced from the analogies of nature1   
that suns and stars and systems occupy  
the distant regions of space1 which have
 never yet been penetrated by the best  
constructed telescopes1 rendered        
improbable by the allegation1 that no   
eye and no instrument can discern them8 
,the existence and operations of the    
devil are admitted to be invisible to   
sense1 and in many cases1 perhaps1      
difficult of investigation by           
reason--what then8 ,nothing4  ,v4 ,the  
supposition that the operation of       
invisible spirits is secret and         
imperceptible to ourselves1 cannot be   
adduced as demonstrative against its    
reality4 ,what is more difficult to     
ascertain than the operation of our own 
minds1 and the motives by which we are  
impelled8 ,nor is it difficult only to  
trace the process of reasoning that has 
led us to any particular conclusion1 and
 to recall the fleeting thoughts flinch 

have passed through the mind in rapid   
succession1 so as to tell how we came to
 be influenced to a certain conclusion2 
but we often cannot discover what       
external objects or what incidental     
circumstances1 first directed us into   
the inquiry1 or led to the result4      
,still more inconceivable is the manner 
in which spirit operates upon spirit1   
where there is no external agency2 and  
it is inconceivable1 because of our     
little experience on the subject1 and   
because the usual modes of impression   
are through the medium of sense4 ,the   
ear1 the eye1 the touch1 convey         
impressions to the spirit2 but when     
neither are sensibly affected1 we cannot
 trace the influence exercised upon us1 
although it is highly irrational to deny
 its possibility4 ,besides1 we know that
 ,god1 who is a ,spirit1 operates upon  
our souls at times and under            
circumstances1 when we are unconscious  
of this influence2 and1 if we had no    
evidence from ,scripture1 reason must   

admit that such an operation is not     
improbable4  ,the only objection which  
can arise here1 is that of supposing the
 evil spirit in any respects independent
 of ,god2 a supposition1 however1 which 
is not to be charged upon the advocates 
of diabolical agency4 ,it is evident1   
says ,dr4 ,leland1 to the common sense  
of mankind1 that there is a vast        
difference between the supposition of an
 almighty and independent evil being1 a 
supposition full of absurdity and       
horror2 and that of an inferior         
dependent being1 who was made originally
 pure and upright1 but fell by his own  
voluntary defection into vice and       
wickedness2 and who1 though permitted in
 many instances to do mischief1 and to  
act according to his evil inclinations1 
as wicked men are often permitted to do 
in this present state1 yet are still    
under the sovereign control of the most 
holy1 wise1 and powerful ,governor of   
the world4 ,for1 in this case1 we may be
 sure1 from the divine wisdom1 justice1 

and goodness1 that ,god will1 in the    
fittest season1 inflict a punishment    
upon that evil being and his associates1
 proportionable to their crimes2 and    
that in the mean time1 he setteth bounds
 to their malice and rage1 and provideth
 sufficient assistance for those whom   
they endeavour to seduce to evil1       
whereby they may be enabled to repel    
their temptations1 if it be not their   
own faults2 and that he will in his     
superior wisdom bring good out of their 
evil1 and overrule even their malice and
 wickedness1 for promoting the great    
ends of his government1 ,this is the    
representation made to us of this matter
 in the ,holy ,scripture1 nor is there  
any thing in this that can be proved to 
be contrary to sound reason4 ,and we may
 justly conclude1 that in the final     
issue of things1 the wisdom as well as  
righteousness of this part of the divine
 administration will most illustriously 
appear4    ,,end4       ,footnotes      
#a3 ,compare ,ps4 cxxxii4 #aa4 ,isa4 xi4

 #a4 ,jer4 xxiii #e1 and xxxiii4 #ae4   
,gen4 xii4 #c1 xxii4 #ah1 xxvi4 #d1 and 
xxviii4 #ad4  #b3 ,lowth's ,isaiah1 ch4 
xi4 translation and notes1 ,,vol4 ,,ii4 
#c3 ,,doddridge4  #d3 ,there are1       
according to the ,jews1 four angels that
 surround the throne of ,god--,michael1 
,uriel1 ,raphael1 and ,gabriel4 ,the    
latter they place1 conformably with his 
expression to ,zacharias1 ,hebrew1      
before him1 or in his presence4  #e3    
,the ,ethiopic version1 instead of in   
those days1 renders the expression in   
the thirty-ninth verse of #ast chap4 of 
,luke1 in that day4  #f3 ,selden4 ,uxor4
 ,heb4 lib4 ii4 cap4 #a4  #g3 ,this     
remarkable time cannot be stated with   
any certainty4 ,the earliest antiquity  
determines nothing upon the subject4    
,towards the end of the second1 or      
beginning of the third century only1 was
 this attempted2 when those who were    
most curious in their researches fixed  
it about the twentieth of ,may4 ,clemens
 ,alexandrinus thinks that it was the   

twenty-eighth year after the battle of  
,actium2 that is1 the #dast year of     
,augustus2 but ,joseph ,scaliger places 
it in his forty-second year2 and1 after 
a most laborious investigation1 shows   
that ,christ was born about the autumnal
 equinox1 the latter end of ,september1 
or beginning of ,october4 ,,scalig4     
,animad4 ad ,chron4 ,euseb4 p4 #agd1 et 
seq4--,it was not till the fourth       
century that this great event was       
believed to have occurred on the        
twenty-fifth of ,december4 ,they have   
not failed to assign what they deemed   
important reasons for this decision4 ,as
 the sun1 they say1 is then beginning to
 rise on our hemisphere1 and again to   
approach our pole1 it is the proper     
period to which the rising of the ,sun  
of ,righteousness should be referred4   
,the ,romans have another reason1       
deduced from the preceding4 ,at the     
return of the sun the feast of the      
,saturnalia was celebrated at ,rome4 ,it
 was thought proper to substitute in the

 place of this feast1 which was         
distinguished by its profane rejoicings1
 that of our ,saviour's birth1 for the  
purpose of inducing the people to       
separate joy from riot4 ,it is1 however1
 the event1 and not the day1 we         
celebrate4 ,comp4 ,,saurin1 ,discours   
,historiques1 ,critiques1 c4 continuez  
par ,beausobre1 tom4 ix4 p4 #adf-adh1   
#hvo4  #h3 ,compare ,lev4 xii4 #b1 #d1  
#f1 #h4 ,numb4 viii4 #af1 #ag4 xviii4   
#ae1 #af4 ,five shekels amounted to     
about twelve shillings and sixpence of  
our money4  #i3 ,this 7wise men from the
 ,east7 is not only an indefinite1 but  
an improper version of the term4 ,it is 
indefinite1 because those called  were a
 particular class1 party1 or profession 
among the ,orientals1 as much as        
,stoics1 ,peripatetics1 and ,epicureans 
were among the ,greeks4 ,they originated
 in ,persia1 but afterward spread into  
other countries1 particularly into      
,assyria and ,arabia1 bordering upon    
,judea on the ,east4 ,it is probable    

that the ,magians here mentioned came   
from ,arabia4 ,now to employ a term for 
specifying one sect1 which may with     
equal propriety be applied to fifty1 of 
totally different1 or even contrary     
opinions1 is surely a vague way of      
translating4 ,it is also1 in the present
 acceptation of the word1 improper4     
,formerly the term wise men denoted     
philosophers1 or men of science and     
erudition3 it is hardly ever used so    
now1 unless in burlesque4 ,some say     
,magi2 but ,magians is better1 as having
 more the form of an ,english word4     
,,campbell',s ,translation of the ,four 
,gospels1 vol4 ii4 notes4  #aj3         
,salvete1 flores ,martyrum1   ,quos1    
lusis ipso in limine1   ,christi        
insecutor sustulit1   ,ceu turbo        
nascentes rosas4    ,vos1 prima ,christi
 victima1   ,grex immolatorum tener1    
,aram ante ipsam1 simplices1   ,palma et
 coronis luditis4  #aa3 ,bishop ,horne4 
#ab3 ,josephus has given an affecting   
account of this awful death4 ,vide      

,joseph4 ,antiq4 lib4 xvii4 cap4 #f4 and
 ,bell4 ,jud4 lib4 i4 cap4 #cc4  #ac3   
,so say the ,jews1 ,hebrew the passover 
of women is arbitrary4  #ad3 ,misn4     
,sanhedrin c4 v4 sec4 #d4 ap4 ,,gill in 
loc4  #ae3 ,at my ,father's      ,syriac
 ,hebrew1 in domo patris mei4 ,the      
,armenian version renders the words in  
the same manner4 ,it has been justly    
observed that    is a ,greek idiom1 not 
only with classical writers1 but with   
the sacred penmen1 for denoting the     
house of such a person4444 ,campbell4   
#af3 ,judg4 xi4 #ab4 #b ,sam4 xvi4 #aj4 
,i ,kings xvii4 #ah4 #b ,kings iii4 #ac4
 and ix4 #ai4 ,sept4 translation1  #ag3 
,blackwall observes1 ',tis the opinion  
of some learned men1 that the holy      
,jesus1 the most tender and dutiful ,son
 that ever was born1 when he called his 
mother plainly woman1 declared against  
those idolatrous honours which he       
foresaw would be paid her in latter     
ages1 which is no improbable guess4 ,but
 in the more plain and unceremonious    

times it was a title applied to ladies  
of the greatest quality and merit by    
people of the greatest humanity and     
exactness of behaviour4 ,so ,cyrus the  
,great says to the queen of the         
,armenians1    3 and servants addressed 
queens and their mistresses in the same 
language4 ,blackwall's ,sacred          
,classics1 ,v4 ii4 p4 #bjf4 second edit4
  #ah3 ,these water-pots contained two  
or three baths apiece4 ,a bath was about
 seven gallons and a half4  #ai3 ,bishop
 ,hall4  #bj3 ,mosheim's ,eccl4 ,hist4  
vol4 i4 p4 #dcb4 ii4 #ef1 #ga4  #ba3    
,bossuet1 ,serm4 pour la ,fte de la     
,conception4  #bb3 ,the bishop of ,meux1
 who has been already quoted1 does not  
fail to suggest some delectable         
additions to her titles4 ,he speaks in  
one of his discourses of her sacred     
body1 the throne of chastity1 the temple
 of incarnate wisdom1 c4 but the whole  
paragraph shall be introduced1 though   
perhaps it had better remain            
untranslated3--,le corps sacr de ,marie1

 le trne de la chastit1 le temple de la 
sagesse incarne1 l'organe du            
,saint-,esprit1 et le sige de la vertu  
du ,trs-,haut1 n'a pas d demeurer dans  
le tombeau2 et le triomphe de ,marie    
seroit imperfait1 s'il s'accomplissoit  
sans sa sainte chair1 qui a t comme la  
source de sa gloire4 ,venez done1       
,vierges de ,jsus ,christ1 chastes      
pouses du ,sauveur des ames1 venez      
admirer les beauts de cette chair       
virginale1 et contempler trois          
merveilles que la sainte virginit opre  
sur elle4 ,la sainte virginit la prserve
 de corruption2 et ainsi elle lui       
conserve l'tre3 la sainte virginit lui  
attire une influence cleste1 qui la fait
 ressusciter avant le temps3 ainsi elle 
lui rend la vie3 la sainte virginit     
rpand sur elle de toutes parts une      
lumire divine2 et ainsi elle lui donne  
la gloire4 ,c'est ce qu'il nous faut    
expliquer par ordre2 and he does explain
 these trois merveilles in a manner well
 calculated to satisfy every ,papist1   

and to sicken every ,protestant4 ,vide  
,serm4 pour l',assumpt4 de la ,vierge1  
,p4 #b4  #bc3 ,quoted by ,m4 ,pascal1 in
 the ninth of his ,lettres              
,provinciales4 ,consult also the ,life  
of ,melancthon1 by the author of this   
work1 chap4 iii4  #bd3 ,picart1         
,ceremonies et ,coutumes de tous les    
,peuples da ,monde1 tom4 i4  #be3 ,dr4  
,johnson  #bf3 ,dr4 ,johnson4  #bg3     
,gen4 xxxiii4 #ah1 #ai1 ,josh4 xxiv4    
#cb4 ,this place was the metropolis of  
the tribe of ,ephraim4 ,it was destroyed
 by ,abimelech1 but rebuilt by          
,jeroboam1 who made it the seat of the  
kingdom of ,israel4 ,it was afterward   
called ,neapolis2 and ,vespasian or     
,domitian having established a colony   
there1 it received the ,roman           
appellation of ,flavia ,cesarea4 ,herod 
gave it the name of ,sebaste4  #bh3 ,it 
stood two hundred years4 ,,joseph4      
,antiq4 lib4 xiii4 cap4 #ah4  #bi3      
,,just4 ,,mart4 ,apol4 ,,ii4  #cj3      
,living water1  4 ,it may surprise an   

,english reader1 unacquainted with the  
,oriental idiom1 that this woman1 who   
appears by the sequel to have totally   
misunderstood our ,lord1 did not ask    
what he meant by living water1 but      
proceeded on the supposition that she   
understood him perfectly2 and only did  
not conceive how1 without some vessel   
for drawing and containing that water1  
he could provide her with it to drink4  
,the truth is1 the expression is        
ambiguous4 ,in the most familiar        
acceptation1 living water meant no more 
than running water4 ,in this sense1 the 
water of springs and rivers would be    
denominated living1 as that of cisterns 
and lakes would be called dead1 because 
motionless4 ,thus1 ,gen4 xxvi4 #ai4 we  
are told1 that ,isaac's servants digged 
in the valley1 and found there a well of
 springing water4 ,it is living water1  
both in the ,hebrew and the ,greek1 as  
marked on the margin of our ,bibles4    
,thus also ,lev4 xiv4 #e4 what is       
rendered running water in the ,english  

,bible1 is in both these languages      
living water4 ,nay1 this use was not    
unknown to the ,latins1 as may be proved
 from ,virgil and ,ovid4 ,in this       
passage1 however1 our ,lord uses the    
expression in the more sublime sense of 
divine teaching1 but was mistaken by the
 woman as using it in the popular       
acceptation4 ,,campbell',s ,trans4 of   
the ,four ,gospels1 vol4 ii4 p4 #eah1   
notes4  #ca3 ,it is no unusual practice 
with the ,jews2 we often have heard of  
it4 ,r4 ,jonathan and ,r4 ,jannai were  
sitting together2 there came a certain  
man1 ,hebrew1 and kissed the feet of ,r4
 ,jonathan4 ,again1 ,r4 ,meir stood up1 
and ,bar ,chama1 ,hebrew1 kissed his    
knees1 or feet4 ,this custom was also   
used by the ,greeks and ,romans1 among  
their civilities and in their           
salutations4 ,,gill in loc4 ,consult    
also ,,harmer',s ,observations1 vol4 ii4
 chap4 #f4  #cb3 ,,robinson4  #cc3      
,there is in these denominations no     
inconsistency4 ,by birth she was of     

,syrophenicia1 so the country about     
,tyre and ,sidon was denominated1 by    
descent of ,canaan1 as most of the      
,tyrians and ,sidonians originally were2
 and by religion a ,greek1 according to 
the ,jewish manner of distinguishing    
between themselves and idolaters4 ,ever 
since the ,macedonian conquests1 ,greek 
became a common name for idolater1 or at
 least one uncircumcised1 and was held  
equivalent to ,gentile4 ,of this we have
 many examples in ,paul's epistles1 and 
in the ,acts4 ,jews and ,greeks1 1 are  
the same with ,jews and ,gentiles       
,,campbell',s ,transl4 of the ,gospels  
in loc4 notes4  #cd3 ,the question has  
been often agitated1 whether the        
possessions of the ,new ,testament are  
to be ascribed to demoniacal influence1 
or whether they are so represented in   
conformity to the popular prejudices of 
the age1 being in reality nothing more  
than diseases4 ,surely a distinct       
existence must be attributed to these1  
as evil spirits1 when we consider their 

number1 the actions particularly        
ascribed to them1 the conversation which
 they held respecting themselves1 the   
,son of ,god1 and their own destiny1 the
 desires and passions they are          
represented as manifesting1 and various 
other circumstances of their history4   
,is it credible1 that a mere disease    
should be said to have addressed ,christ
 in such language as the following3     
,what have we to do with thee1 ,jesus1  
thou ,son of ,god8 ,art thou come hither
 to torment us before the time8 ,comp4  
,matt4 viii4 #bi1 and the succeeding    
verses4  #ce3 ,bishop ,hall4  #cf3      
,bishop ,hall  #cg3 ,doddridge on the   
,care of the ,soul4  #ch3 ,the whole    
narrative is contained in the eleventh  
chapter of ,john1 and this reference in 
the fifth verse4  #ci3 ,three hundred   
,roman pence1 or denarii1 amount to     
about nine pounds seven shillings and   
sixpence sterling4  #dj3 ,bishop ,hall4 
#da3 ,the farthing was a quadrant1 or   
fourth part of a ,roman assis1 a coin of

 similar value with the  of the ,greeks1
 or the fourth part of an obolus 7the   
least ,athenian coin17 that is1 two     
brass pieces4 ,these were the same with 
the prutas of the ,jews1 two of which   
make a quardrant4  #db3 ,barrow's       
,works1 vol4 i4 p4 #deg1 fol4  #dc3     
,paley's ,moral ,philosophy1 vol4 i4 p4 
#bed--beg4  #dd3 ,sermon on the ,duty   
and ,reward of ,bounty to the ,poor4    
#de3 ,acts xvi4 ,philippi was a city of 
,macedonia near the confines of ,thrace4
 ,it lies near the sea1 as it were at   
the head of the ,archipelago4 ,it was so
 named from ,philip1 king' of ,macedon1 
who repaired and enlarged it2 but its   
more ancient name was ,dathos4 ,it was  
also called ,crenides from its numerous 
springs1 whence flowed the river        
mentioned ,acts xvi4 #ac2 1 kreenee1 in 
,greek meaning a spring4 ,julius ,csar  
is said to have planted there a ,roman  
colony2 and the neighbourhood of        
,philippi was the scene of conflict     
between him and ,pompey1 and afterward  

between his assassinators1 ,brutus and  
,cassius1 and his partizans1 ,antony and
 ,octavius4 ,it is said still to retain 
some monuments of its former splendour1 
although it is much depopulated and sunk
 to decay4 ,bevan's ,life of the        
,apostle ,paul1 p4 #cfg4  #df3 ,for     
information on the subject of           
proselytes1 consult ,dr4 ,gill's        
,dissertation concerning the ,baptism of
 ,jewish ,proselytes1 chap4 i4 in vol4  
iii1 of his ,body of ,divinity4  #dg3   
,,gregory',s ,evidences1 ,doctrines1 and
 ,duties of the ,christian ,religion1   
vol4 ii4 pp4 #abg1 #abh4  #dh3 ,bp4     
,taylor's ,holy ,living1 ,chap4 i4 sect4
 #c4  #di3 ,the purple die is called in 
,i ,maccab4 iv4 #bc1 purple of the sea1 
or sea purple2 it being the blood or    
juice of a turbinated shell-fish1 which 
the ,jews call ,hebrew ,chalson2 this   
they speak of as a shell-fish4 ,hence   
those words ',go and learn of the       
,chalson1 for all the while it grows1   
its shell grows with it3' and that      

purple was died with the blood of it1   
appears from the following instances3   
,the best fruits in the land1 ,gen4     
xliii4 #aa1 are interpreted1 the things 
that are the most famous in the world1  
as the ,chalson1 c1 with whose blood1 as
 the gloss on the passage says1 they die
 purple3 and the purple died with this  
was very valuable1 and fetched a good   
price4 ,the tribe of ,zebulon is        
represented as complaining to ,god1 that
 he had given to their brethren fields  
and vineyards1 to them mountains and    
hills2 to their brethren lands1 to them 
seas and rivers3 to which it is replied1
 ,all will stand in need of thee because
 of ,chalson2 as it is said1 ,deut4     
xxxiii4 #ai ,they shall suck of the     
abundance of the seas2 the gloss upon   
it1 interpreting the word ,chalson is1  
it comes out of the sea to the          
mountains1 and with its blood they die  
purple1 which is sold at a very dear    
price4444 ,it may be further observed1  
that the fringes which the ,jews wore   

upon their garments1 had on them a      
riband of blue or purple4 ,numb4 xv4    
#ch1 for the word there used is by the  
,septuagint rendered the purple1 in     
,numb4 iv4 #g1 and sometimes hyacinth2  
and the whole fringe was by the ,jews   
called ,hebrew1 purple4 ,hence it is    
said1 ',does not every one that puts on 
the purple 7i4e4 the fringes on his     
garments7 in ,jerusalem make men to     
wonder8 and a little after1 the former  
saints or religious men1 when they had  
wove in it 7the garment7 three parts1   
they put on it ,hebrew1 the purple4 ,and
 there were persons who traded in these 
things1 and were called1 ,hebrew1       
sellers of purple1 as here2 that is1 for
 the tzitzith1 or fringes for the       
borders of the garments1 on which the   
riband of blue or purple was put1 as the
 gloss explains it4 ,the ,jews were very
 curious about the colour and the dying 
of it1 that it should be a colour that  
would hold and not change1 and that the 
riband be died on purpose for that use4 

,maimonides gives rules for the dying of
 it1 and they were no less careful of   
whom they bought it2 for they say that  
the purple was not to be bought1 but of 
an approved person1 or one that was     
authorized for that purpose2 and a      
scruple is raised by one1 whether he had
 done right or no in buying it of the   
family of a doctor deceased4 ,now1 since
 ,lydia might be a ,jewess1 or1 at      
least1 as appears by what follows1 was a
 proselytess of the ,jewish religion1   
this might he her business1 to sell the 
purple for their fringes1 and1 it may   
be1 the fringes themselves4 ,,gill in   
loc4  #ej3 ,eighth ,report of the       
,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4  
#ea3 ,herod4 ,euterpe4  #eb3 ,tacit4 de 
,moribus ,germanoram1 chap1 xviii4 xix4 
#ec3 ,tacit4 ,hist4  #ed3 ,xenophon4    
#ee3 ,plut4 in ,solone4  #ef3 ,,dionysus
 ,,halicarn4 ii4 c4 #be4  #eg3 ,cranz's 
,greenland4  #eh3 ,georgi's ,description
 of the ,russian ,nations4 ,weber's     
,russia4  #ei3 ,consult ,steller4  #fj3 

,weber and ,georgi4  #fa3 ,clarke's     
,travels1 part i4 p4 #ce1 #dto4  #fb3   
,thornton's ,present ,state of ,turkey1 
7#ahjg7 #dto4 p4 #cgf4  #fc3 ,collin's  
,voyages1 #ahjg1 p4 #aeb4  #fd3         
,peyssonel ,,ii4 p4 #bdf4  #fe3 ,quart4 
,rev4 ,may1 #ahaa1 p4 #ccj4  #ff3       
,inquiry into the ,origin of ,ranks4    
#fg3 ,voyage en ,chine de l',ambassade  
,hollandaise1 vol4 ii4 p4 #aaf1 et seq4 
#fh3 ,barrow's ,china1 p4 #ada1 #eda4   
#fi3 ,p4 ,du ,halde1 vol4 i4 #bgh4  #gj3
 ,p1 ,du ,halde1 vol4 in4 p4 #baa4  #ga3
 ,barrow's ,china1 p4 #ade4  #gb3 ,ibid4
 p4 #eah4  #gc3 ,edinburgh ,rev4 ,july1 
#ahji1 p4 #dbh1 #dbi4  #gd3 ,it may be  
proper to observe1 that the ,hindoos    
never bury their dead2 but if they can  
afford it1 always burn them4 ,if they be
 too poor1 or the person be rendered    
unclean by some incurable disease1 they 
are either thrown into a river or left  
on the ground to be devoured4  #ge3 ,a  
kind of celestial beings1 which are     
fabled by the ,hindoos4  #gf3 it is not 

generally known1 that women1 in certain 
cases1 burn themselves with any part of 
their husbands' effects1 as a substitute
 for him2 but on inquiry of my ,pundit1 
whether this be now practised1 he       
assured me it was1 and that he had      
himself seen many instances of it4  #gg3
 ,shraddha1 or ,pinda1 is an offering   
made to the manes of any deceased       
person1 on an appointed day after his or
 her death4 ,it consists of rice1 and   
other article1 often made into cakes1   
and is continued annually for seven     
generations by all his or her           
descendants1 called ,sapinda1 and in    
some cases to fourteen generations by   
all the descendants1 who1 when beyond   
the seventh generation1 are called      
,sakoolya4  #gh3 ,the following law1    
from the same book1 will show how       
uncleanness for death or birth must be  
observed in the different casts3 viz4   
,if a person die1 or if a child be born1
 the ,sapinda shall be unclean ten days 
for a ,brahmman1 twelve for a ,kshetra1 

fifteen for a ,bysha1 and one month for 
a ,soodra3 during which time they can   
make no offering to their ancestors or  
the gods4  #gi3 ,dospinda an inferior   
offering made to the manes4  #hj3 ,this 
may happen if her own son be an infant1 
or very far off1 or if she have no son4 
#ha3 ,the ,hindoos believe the          
metemphsychosis1 and say that certain   
diseases1 as mahabhead1 consumptions1   
and some others2 also dreadful          
accidents1 such as being killed by a    
,brahmman2 and great sin1 such as       
killing a ,brahmman1 are the fruit of   
sins committed in a former life4  #hb3  
,a person with such diseases1 accidents1
 or sins cannot have the rite of burning
 his body performed till an offering of 
atonement has been made1 which qualifies
 him for having his obsequies performed2
 viz4 ,dahon or burning 7in which case  
the wife may die with him17 and the     
,shraddha1 or ,pinda4 ,this1 however1   
does not gain such on one admission into
 bliss1 which is only done by the       

,sahemaron1 or the wife's dying with    
him4  #hc3 ,bap4 ,period4 ,accounts1    
vol4 i4 ,no4 #f1 p4 #dgc-dgf4  #hd3     
,bapt4 ,period4 ,accounts1 ,no4 xvii4 p4
 #cbd4  #he3 ,cordiner's ,description of
 ,ceylon1 vol4 ii4 p4 #af4  #hf3        
,history of ,sumatra1 #dto4 #ahaa1 p4   
#beg1 #cha1 #chb4  #hg3 ,vogel1 p4 #fdi4
 ,voyages des ,hollandois1 i4 #cdi4     
#hh3 ,turnbull's ,voyage round the      
,world1 p4 #f4  #hi3 ,turnbull1 p4 #aa4 
#ij3 ,malcolm's ,history of ,persia1    
vol4 ii4 p4 #ccc1 #dcd1 #dee1 #dto4     
#ahae4  #ia3 ,sale's ,koran1 vol4 ii4 p4
 #gi1 n4 and #dgb1 n4  #ib3 ,malcolm's  
,history of ,persia1 vol4 i4 p4 #agc1 n4
  #ic3 ,dampier1 ii4 p4 #f4 #hf4        
,forster's ,voyage1 i4 p4 #bab4 ii4 p4  
#ga4 ,meiners1 vol4 i4 p4 #hj4  #id3    
,arvieux1 i4 p4 #bbi1 #bcj4 ,meiners1   
vol4 i4 p4 #if4  #ie3 ,lewis and        
,clark's ,travels up the ,missouri1 p4  
#cc1 #cd4 #dto4 #ahad4  #if3 ,seventh   
,report of the ,british and ,foreign    
,bible ,society1 #ahaa1 p4 #ei4  #ig3   

,some ,account of ,new ,zealand1 #ahjg1 
p4 #ac4  #ih3 ,maggil's ,account of     
,tunis1 p4 #ib4  #ii3 ,jackson's        
,account of the ,empire of ,morocco1    
#dto1 #ahji1 p4 #aeb4  #ajj3 ,brown's   
,travels in ,africa1 c4 #b;d ed4 #dto4  
#ahjf1 p4 #cce1 #cci4  #aja3 ,park's    
,travels in the ,interior ,districts of 
,africa1 ,sic4 #dto4 #agii1 p4 #ci4     
#ajb3 ,durand's ,voyage to ,senegal1 p4 
#ajd1 #aje4  #ajc3 ,park's ,travels1 p4 
#aeg4  #ajd3 ,park's ,travels1 p4 #bbf1 
#bfg4  #aje3 ,park's ,travels p4 #cdg4  
#ajf3 ,barrow's ,travels in ,southern   
,africa1 second edit4 #ahjf1 vol4 i4 p4 
#aei4  #ajg3 ,barrow's ,travels1 vol4 i4
 p4 #bjf4  #ajh3 ,dampier1 ii4 p4 #hf4  
#aji3 ,des ,marchais1 ii4 p4 #agh4      
#aaj3 ,labat1 ii4 p4 #bii4 ,adanson1 p4 
#cb4 ,oldendorp1 i4 p4 #cgf4  #aaa3     
,meiners1 i4 p4 #eb--ed4  #aab3         
,cavazzi1 ii4 p4 #abc4 ,meiners1 i4 p4  
#ei1 #fi4 ,see also ,rees's ,cyclopdie1 
and ,encyclop4 ,brit1 under the word's  
,ansiko1 ,anthropophagi1 ,batta4        

,marsden's ,hist1 of ,sumatra1 #c;d ed4 
#dto4 #ahaa1 p4 #cij-cie1  #dfc4  #aac3 
,this subject has been already more than
 once remarked upon this work4 ,see vol4
 i4 p4 #ba and #bee4  #aad3 ,paley's    
,mor4 ,philos4 vol4 i4 p4 #c4 ch4 vi4   
vii4  #aae3 ,plutarch in ,rom4 ,i4 p4   
#abc4 ,livy ,,ii4 p4 #ac1 #dj4