ter in that sex which has to bear the largest burden of natural grief. Woman "first in the transgression," is foremost also in endurance of the earthly penalties attached to it. It is true to this hour that man has to "eat all the days of his life in sorrow:" but the sorrows of the woman are 66 greatly multiplied:" and as those modes of torture are most intense, which are applied to parts remotest from the seat of life; so are the minor trials and vexations which assail the woman, sharper, and more difficult to meet and overcome, than the "thorns and thistles" with which man has to contend: and by so much the more (when they are improved to the purposes of grace) do they tend to produce that true spirit of self-denial:-that daily martyrdom for duty's sake; whose conflicts are all unseen, unheard of; and whose praise is not of men but of God.

If there be a vigour and firmness, a depth and amplitude in masculine piety to which the weaker sex can never attain, it must also be allowed that of those who are subject to the law of Christ, by far the greater proportion are women. If (as a poet has sweetly versified a truth the Great Teacher Himself propounded)

"The path of sorrow and that path alone,

Leads to the land where sorrows are unknown,"

we see one reason why those who have the largest share of sorrow should furnish the largest proportion of travellers on the narrow way. And have they not the largest share? One might almost be tempted to paraphrase the record given by a Great Apostle of his sufferings as a "nursing father" of the church, in exemplification of what many a Christian wife and mother endures in the care of her household,

"In much patience: in afflictions, in distresses: in labours, in watchings, in tossings to and fro: in all things approving herself the servant of God, by pureness, by long-suffering, by kindness: as unknown and yet well known; as chastened and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing." It is in such a school as this, that some of the choice disciples of the Redeemer are formed :-formed from the meditative Marys, who steal from the strife and bustle of life to drink deep of the lessons of inspiration and from the much cumbered Marthas, who, nevertheless, welcome their Saviour as a guest, and seek, (albeit not advisedly) to do him honor.

In the pages of the Old Testament, we have a pleasing and instructive picture of two believers of the Jewish church, united by the closest tie of sacred relationship; living under the same economy of religious truth; having faith in God and love towards each other; but exhibiting a diversity of progress: the wife displaying a firmer confidence in God, and desires less alloyed with earthliness than the husband. Manoah the Danite, honored as the father of one who was "to begin to deliver Israel," had, in the partner whom God had given him, a pattern and examplar of a faith purer and more steadfast than his own, and of a hope that passed over the transient distinctions of this world to fasten on those spiritual gifts after which the pure in heart hunger and thirst intensely. Of this, we have proof in the very first record which is given us of this woman. After the remarkable vision which had revealed to her God's promise of a son to be distinguished from his birth by peculiar dedication to the service of the Lord, and by glorious achievements as deliverer of

His people," Manoah's wife came and told her husband, saying, a man of God came unto me and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: but he said unto me; behold thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and now drink no wine, nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death."

There is a state of mind common in the religious world, which leaves the plain matters of duty, and the good hope of growth in grace and holiness, to fix its inquisitive gaze upon the secret things of God, or upon the triumphs and achievements of His church in future ages: and there is another state (less frequent) which lends a diligent ear to the precepts of the gospel, and sets store by those promises of perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord, which give life and energy to obedience through the power of the Spirit of God. These two differing characteristics are both exemplified in the case of Manoah and his wife. In making known to her husband the revelation which God had vouchsafed to her, the woman confesses her unquestioning belief in the divine message though unattested by any supernatural vouchers beyond the terrible dignity of "the man of God," who brought it: and then, passes on to recapitulate the various restraints which were enjoined upon herself. What is still more remarkable also, she says not a word about the predicted triumphs of the hero to whom she was to give birth; but concludes her narration with that portion of the prophetic word on which the interest of her own mind appears to have fastened" the child shall be

a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death."

Oh! happy state of heart, purified by grace divine; which has learned in simplicity and sincerity to receive the word of God; which asks for no credentials of the message beyond the majesty of its commands and the thrilling import of its promises: which accounts more of the holiness of spiritual Nazariteship; more of "separation unto the Lord," than of honors and victories to be gained as leaders and commanders of his people.

The impression which Manoah received from his wife's relation of the prophecy that went before concerning their child, seems to have been this :—that the treasure about to be committed to their guardianship, was a charge of deep and anxious import; and conscious of insufficiency, "Manoah entreated the Lord and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send, come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. And the woman made haste, and ran and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold the man hath appeared unto me that came unto me the other day. And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said unto him, art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? and he said I am. And Manoah said, now let thy words come to pass; How shall we order the child and how shall we do unto him?" (or as the margin reads) "what shall be the manner of the child, and what shall be his work?"

In the conduct of Manoah, when admitted to an

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equal share in the revelation which had before been vouchsafed to the woman only, we observe first, a restless anxiety as to the truth and fulfilment of the promise, and next, a fixing of the thoughts upon the honors and achievements of the predicted child, rather than upon his state of spiritual privilege. In words half expressive of a wish to find that true which was so much to be desired; and half in doubt as to the credibility of what was foretold; Manoah exclaims, now let thy words come to pass :" and then (as if to draw some more satisfactory evidence from him who brought the message) "what is thy name? that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor." Overlooking the child's privileged state as a Nazarite, he goes on to question of the deeds which were to distinguish him among men: "what shall be the manner of the child and what shall be his work." The answer to these questionings of an infirm faith and a worldly temper is remarkable. The angel deigns no reply in the latter instance, further than a reiteration of the same perceptive restraints which were to insure to the child the condition of a Nazarite, and he reproves with some severity to satisfy the request of a curious incredulity-" why asketh thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?" It formed no part of the revelation vouchsafed to Manoah and his wife, that the messenger should dilate upon the transcendant majesty or the incomprehensible mystery of Him from whom, and by whom it came. To hear, to believe, and to obey was the part of those to whom both promise and precept were given. It was the good part which the wife of Manoah chose: it was what the infirm faith, the doubting spirit, and the worldly temper of her husband, could not receive.