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HORE EVANGELICÆ.

(Continued from p. 308.)

THE GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW.
No. XV.-Chap. xii. 38.

"Then certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master we would see a sign from thee."

exact correspondence with the statement of St. Luke, that they sought a sign from heaven, that fact, I conceive, could not have been inferred from the relation of St. Matthew; and the variations between the two relations, not only as it respects language, but in the number and arrangement of the circumstances narrated, prove that St. Matthew could not have drawn up his account from that of St. Luke. Consequently the coincidence between them is perfectly undesigned, and establishes the truth of the facts narrated.

No. XVI.-Chap. xv. 21. "THEN Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon."

They had already seen a withered hand made whole, (ver. 13.) a devil cast out, and a blind and dumb man both see and speak, (ver. 22.) The sign, therefore, which they now required, must be "a sign FROM HEAVEN," as we learn from St. Luke xi. 16. and which exactly agrees with their request on another occasion, (Matt. xvi. 1.) They seem to have thought, that the wonders he had performed on earth, where there was room This verse would have been for imposture, might be effected by more accurately rendered, as it is slight of hand or magic, or the in the Vulgate, "Then Jesus GOpower of the devil, (ver. 24.); and ING FORTH (¿§‹λ0ùv, egressus,) therefore they asked a sign from from thence, retired, (åvexwpnoεv, heaven, where human art could secessit,) into the coasts of Tyre not reach. Perhaps they meant and Sidon;" which seems to desome such tremendous displays of scribe two distinct actions,—his the Divine glory, as their fathers egress from some place into which had seen from Mount Sinai; or a he had previously entered, and his sign like that of Moses when he departure "into the coasts of Tyre gave manna from heaven; or like and Sidon." It is true that this that of Joshua when at his word Evangelist has not expressly re"the sun stood in the midst of corded his entrance either into a heaven, and hasted not to go down city or house, though it is certainly about a whole day;" or like that implied in the preceding part of of Samuel when he brought forth his narrative. He relates, that thunder and lightning in the time" the Scribes and Pharisees, which of harvest; or rather, "the sign of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven." (Dan. vii. 23.) With the fact of their thus seeking a sign from heaven, corresponds the answer which our Lord made them. They sought a sign from heaven; but he promised them one ab inferis, his resurrection from the dead on the third day, (ver. 39, 40.) which was of all miracles the greatest and most efficacious. Now, while these things furnish an

were of Jerusalem," came to Jesus, saying, "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." (ver. 1, 2.) We may well suppose that they objected this disregard of the traditions of the elders, in consequence of their present neglect in not washing their hands previous to eating, as we are expressly informed by St. Mark, and when they saw some of his disciples eat

I

W. G.

SABBATH OBSERVANCE SOCIETIES.
To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.
DEAR SIR,

bread with defiled, that is to say, | Sidon." It must therefore be inwith unwashen hands, they found ferred, that they wrote indepenfault,” (Mark vii. 2.); and this may dently of each other, and that the be inferred with a considerable de- coincidences between them have gree of certainty to have taken arisen from their both detailing place in a house. After having the particulars of a real fact, each replied to the cavil of the Scribes in his own manner. and Pharisees, and exposed their London. hypocrisy, Jesus appears to have gone out of the house, “and called the multitude," (ver. 10.) or as St. Mark has it, "all the people unto him," in order to caution them against the delusions of their teachers; when, as is implied in the HAVE for some time thought that statement of St. Matthew," then associations might be formed of CAME his disciples, and said unto pious and well disposed persons in him," (ver. 12.) and is expressly every populous town and city, affirmed by St. Mark, he again which by promoting the better ob"ENTERED INTO THE HOUSE servation of the Sabbath day, would from the people." (Mark vii. 17.) greatly advance the interests of And "GOING FORTH from them," religion in this country. Permit he "departed into the coasts of me to embody this idea in a few Tyre and Sidon." What further remarks for the consideration of confirms the accuracy of these coin- your numerous readers. cidences, if they need any further The necessity of some more confirmation, is the fact that our efficient measures for the obserLord had in reality returned to vance of the Sabbath, must long Capernaum, (Jno. vi. 1, 24, 59.) have appeared to every serious and consequently the house into mind. What Nehemiah complainwhich he entered was most proba-ed of, and what he suppressed, in bly that which he usually occupied his day, is seen at the present when in that city. That they are as undesigned as they are minute and perfect, I think is demonstrable from the very nature. St. Mark could not have inferred the circumstances which he details from the implied statements of St. Matthew, and far less from his use of the word ¿¿ɛλ0wv, "GOING FORTH;" and that St. Matthew did not derive his account from that of St. Mark is evident, not only from the absence of any direct reference to these circumstances, but from the fact that St. Mark does not employ the word Ov, "going forth" in relating the departure of Jesus, but says, 66 from thence he arose, and went (καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἀνατὰς, ἀπῆλBev) into the borders of Tyre and

period. "In those days I saw in Judea some bringing in all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do and profane the Sabbath day?" Neh. xiii. 15-21. How greatly is the Sabbath profaned by the sale of meat, fish, bread, vegetables, fruit, &c. by coaches and packets travelling and arriving in our metropolis and

and atoms

Fill the sea."

other cities with all manner of lug-| bath-trade with those whose shops gage; by shops (chiefly of a petty are closed on the Sabbath, &c. description,) selling their respec- and the effect of such a combinative commodities, by cattle dri- tion for the promotion of morality ven to market, by publicans, do- and religion must be felting more business on the Lord's "Worms may join and grasp the poles, day than on any other, (the market day alone excepted.) Thousands and tens of thousands of persons are thus constantly violating the Sabbath, unawed by the judgments of God or the accidents, as they are improperly called, by which so many are injured and even hurried out of time into eternity, while in the actual breach of that holy day. O my country, and is this charge true? "This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation." Would not the establishment of a Sabbath Obser

The writer earnestly requests to make an experiment, form a some influential person or persons society, circulate its plan, and probable utility, and similar institu

tions will soon arise and unite their

aid in the great work. The circulation of pamphlets and tracts on the observance of the Sabbath, which might be purchased with the small subscriptions of the members, and returned at the rate of mote the object of such a Society. subscription, would greatly proPraying that this suggestion may be adopted, and that I may soon hear of the establishment of a Sabbath observance Society,* I am, Yours in the Lord,

Coventry, June.

J. P.

vance Society, in our principal towns, and cities, and even villages, raise up a standard against this increasing and overwhelming flood of impiety so injurious to the interests of religion? It has forcibly impressed my mind that much good would result from such efforts. What would be the beneficial effect of such an association of piety, rank and influence? Some pro- • We have inserted the letter of our reprietors of coaches at their sug- spected Correspondent, leaving our readers gestion, and the promise of their to form their own judgment as to the expesupport, would discontinue running will feel at once the desirableness of the diency of his proposal. Every pious mind their coaches on the Sabbath; the object, but the mode of its attainment is a travelling of vans, boats, &c. might different, and indeed a delicate question. in proportion to the influence of Some, perhaps, may doubt the propriety of such Societies be discontinued ; Christians uniting for the purpose of employing any other than moral means, to effect traffic on the Sabbath might also a morul purpose. "The weapons of our be discountenanced by every mem- warfare," said an apostle, "are not carber, and hence the influence of nal;" and it may admit of a question, whesuch efforts for the better observa-ther, in directing our aim against “spiritual tion of the Sabbath would be found spiritual weapons may be lawfully employed? wickedness in high places," any other thau considerable. Let every city, The importance of the subject, however, town, and village possess such an fully entitles it to the closest consideration. association; let rank, talents, and We wish not to suppress discussion, but to invite it; and in connection with these sugpiety be united to promote the sanctity of the Sabbath; let every member of these institutions, as a sine qua non of membership encourage those coaches, vans, packets, &c. that do not travel on the Sab

gestions, we beg leave to refer our readers
to an article on the subject in the " World”
Paper for July 9, entitled, "The ADDRESS
of the GENERAL UNION for PROMOTING
the OBSERVANCE of the CHRISTIAN SAB-
BATH to the PEOPLE of the UNITED
STATES."
ED.

356

POETRY.

"Man giveth up the ghost, and where is] Thou art not fair, if beauty be replete

he?"-Job xiv. 10.

And where is he? Not by the side

Whose every want he loved to tend; Not o'er those valleys wandering wide,

Where sweetly lost he oft would wend. That form beloved he marks no more, Those scenes admired no more shall see; Those scenes are lovely as before,

And she as fair-but where is he?

No, no, the radiance is not dim,

That used to gild his favourite hill; The pleasures that were dear to bin,

Are dear to life and nature still: But ah! his home is not so fair,

Neglected must his gardens be; The lilies droop and wither there,

And seem to whisper-" Where is he?"

His was the pomp, the crowded ball,

But where is now this proud display? His riches, honours, pleasures-all

Desire could frame-but where are they? And he, as some tall rock that stands

Protected by the circling sea, Surrounded by admiring bands,

Seemed proudly strong-and where is he?

The churchyard bears an added stone,
The fireside shews a vacant chair;
Here sadness dwells and weeps alone,
And death displays his banner there :
The life is gone, the breath has fled,

And what has been, no more shall be ; The well-known form, the welcome tread, Oh! where are they, and where is he?

Love of Fame.

Why do we love thee, Fame? thou art not sweet,

If sweetness dwell with softness and re

pose;

With peace, and tenderness, and ease

from woes.

Thou art not faithful, for thy power and flame

To fierce extremes the maddening votary

urge;

And oft the winds that should his bliss proclaim,

Swell but the chorus of his funeral dirge. Yet we do love thee-love thee till the blood,

Wasted for thee, forsakes the heart

thy shrine:

Till happiness is past, and toil withstood,

And life itself poured idly forth-for thine

Is that mysterious witchery that beguiles The soul it stabs, and murders while it smiles.

On the Flight of Time. Time, alas! how swift it flies, Man is born, and breathes, and dies! As the travelling orb of day, As the rivers glide away,

As the meteor through the skies, Man is born, and breathes, and dies.

Time swiftly flies, and let it fly-
We approach eternity;

Our enjoyment's but begun :
As a taper to the sun,
As a drop unto the sea,
Time is to eternity.

Sorrow's measured by the day,
All our troubles melt away;
But our pleasures are divine,
Heavenly joys can ne'er decline.
Saviour, may we all with thee
Spend a blest eternity!

REVIEW.

effects of that influence which, in every age of the church, the Holy Spirit of God has exerted on the minds of men.

A View of Inspiration; comprehending the Nature and Distinctions of the Spiritual Gifts and Offices of the Apostolic Age. By ALEXANDER MACLEOD. 12mo. pp. 583. Price 7s. 6d. boards. In many instances, we grant, that influGlasgow: Waugh and Innes. Lon-ence has been of a miraculous nature; don: Westley and Davis. 1827. that is, it has been different to the agency he exerts on the minds of all WE Confess that we sat down to read who draw near to him, and who are this volume with very high expectations. prepared by him for heaven; but in all Having been privileged with hearing cases his operations are worthy of himMr. Macleod preach a number of years self, they eminently illustrate his wisago, we were struck with the originality dom, his power, and his love, and are and force of many of his ideas, and full of instruction to those who take prepossessed in favour of whatever pleasure therein. As the miraculous might in future proceed from him; be- influences of the Holy Spirit were chiefly sides which, we had read with great confined to the first age of Christianity, pleasure and advantage his " Essays | and are now withdrawn from the world, and Inquiries respecting the Gifts and the Teachers of the primitive Churches," published in 1813, and favourably noticed in our Number for June of that year; and now we have perused the volume from which we anticipated much satisfaction, we are happy to report that we have not been disappointed. It will long continue to be a standard work on the subject to which it relates.

Whatever view we take of the gifts and offices in the primitive church, the subject must appear of vast importance. The adorable Redeemer, as the reward of his work, and to shew his qualifications for his future engagements, is represented to us as "ascending up on high, as leading captivity captive, and as receiving gifts for men, that the Lord God might dwell among them." What was the nature of those gifts to how great a degree were they confirmations of the truth of Christianity—and what was the effect they produced on the church and the world?

There is another view in which the subject must appear of importance to us. A clear understanding of the sacred volume is both the duty and the privilege of every disciple of Jesus Christ, and no parts of that volume can be more interesting than those on the nature and

and as the line of distinction between his ordinary and extraordinary operations is not very strongly marked in the New Testament, the subject requires to be investigated with great care and patience; and we are glad to see that Mr. Macleod possesses the qualifications which are requisite to the undertaking. To a mind naturally capacious and vigorous, he has united a spirit of ardent piety, correct views of divine truth, considerable learning, and an independence of mind which, while it accepts the assistance of former writers on the subject (which indeed have been very few), is a slave to none of their hypotheses.

The volume is divided into twentyone chapters, the titles of which we shall transcribe, that the reader may see the nature of the entertainment which the author has provided for him. After an Introduction of about twenty pages, in which the writer very clearly and forcibly illustrates the importance of the subject, he proceeds to discuss it.

"Chap. I. On the difference between spiritual gifts and the saving effects of the tions of spiritual gifts and gifted persons.— Holy Spirit.-II. On the several enumeraIII. On the Word of Wisdom-IV. On Prophecy.-V. On the Word of KnowA A

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