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Female Scripture Biography:

Including an Essay on What Christianity Has Done for Women.

By Francis Augustus Cox, A.M.



"It is a necessary charity to the (female) sex to acquaint them with their
own value, to animate them to some higher thoughts of themselves, not to
yield their suffrage to those injurious estimates the world hath made of
them, and from a supposed incapacity of noble things, to neglect the
pursuit of them, from which God and nature have no more precluded the
feminine than the masculine part of mankind."

The Ladies' Calling, Pref.



VOL. II.

BOSTON:
LINCOLN & EDMANDS.
1831.




Contents of Vol. I.



Essay


The Virgin Mary--Chapter I.

Section I.

  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 son,
  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 remarks

Section II.

  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 III.

  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 scene

Section IV.

  Brief account of the extravagant regard which has been paid to the
  Virgin Mary at different periods--the names by which she has been
  addressed, and the festivals instituted to honour her memory--general
  remarks on the nature and character of superstition, particularly that
  of the Catholics


Elizabeth--Chapter II.

  The angelic appearance to Zacharias--birth of John characters of
  Elizabeth and Zacharias--importance of domestic union being founded on
  religion, 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 III.

  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 IV.

  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 Messiah, which she
  reports in the city--the great and good effect--reflections


The Woman Who Was a Sinner--Chapter V.

  Jesus and John contrasted--the former goes to dine at the house of a
  Pharisee--a notorious woman introduces herself, and weeps at his
  feet--remarks on true repentance and faith, 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 VI.

  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 restoration,


Martha and Mary--Chapter VII.

  Bethany distinguished as the residence of a pious family, which
  consisted of Lazarus and his two sisters--their diversity of
  character--the faults of Martha, 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 Jesus, and his
  vindication of her conduct,


The Poor Widow--Chapter VIII.

  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 others, the promises of God, and the cross of Jesus,


Sapphira--Chapter IX.

  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 Christians,


Dorcas--Chapter X.

  Joppa illustrious on many accounts, 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
  liberality, 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 distribution,


Lydia--Chapter XI.

  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 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 mind, namely, attention to the word of God and the ordinances
  of the Gospel, 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

Vol. II




The Virgin Mary.

Chapter I.


Section I.


  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 Son,
  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 Remarks.


"HAIL, THOU THAT ART HIGHLY FAVOURED, THE LORD IS WITH THEE! BLESSED ART
THOU AMONG WOMEN!"

Such was the congratulatory language in which the commissioned angel
addressed the virgin of Nazareth, when about to announce the intention of
Heaven, that she should become the mother of Jesus; and such the strain
which we cannot help feeling disposed to adopt, while recording her
illustrious name, and contemplating this wonderful transaction.

On Mary devolved the blessing which the most pious of women had for a
long succession of ages so eagerly desired, and which had often created
such an impatience for the birth of children, in some of whom they
indulged the sublime hope of seeing the promised Messiah. 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 man; and which, like a bright track extending through the moral
night, and shining amidst the typical shadows of the Mosaic dispensation,
fixed the attention of patriarchs, and prophets, and saints, for four
thousand years:--and upon this otherwise obscure and insignificant female
beamed the first ray of that evangelical morning which rose upon the world
with such blissful radiance, and is increasing to the "perfect day."

Infidels may contemplate the manifestation with unholy ridicule or vain
indifference; but we will neither consent to renounce the evidence
afforded to the historic fact, nor cease to celebrate the mysterious
miracle. We will unite with the impassioned angel, at least in the
sentiment and spirit of his address; and join the high praises of the
midnight anthem, sung by descending spirits in the fields of Bethlehem:
"GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN!"

In the course of Scripture history, we are now advanced to that period
which the apostle emphatically denominates "the last days," in which "God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past, unto the
fathers by the prophets," speaks to us "by his Son, whom he hath appointed
heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Let us hear his
voice, admit his claims, and bow to his dictates. As truth arises upon us
with greater splendour, we shall find that character is formed to greater
maturity under the immediate influence of "the ministration of
righteousness" which "exceeds in glory." By the unparalleled transactions
of this age we shall see the whole energy of the human mind drawn forth,
and furnished with ample scope for exercise; all the faculties become
ennobled and purified; and the female sex especially, from the days of
Elizabeth and Mary to the close of the sacred record, becomes marked with
a holy singularity. By the starlight of the former dispensation, we have
discovered many women of superior excellence, availing themselves of all
the means they enjoyed, and presenting a pre-eminence of character
proportioned to their comparatively few advantages and imperfect
revelation; but amidst the splendours of