66 Jerusalem to Galilee, and rested at the well, while "his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat1." All this answers exactly to the present character of the ground. The well, too, was Jacob's well, a known and venerated spot, probably the very one dug by him in the parcel of ground" bought of Hamor the father of Shechem, which he gave to his son Joseph, and in which Joseph, and probably his brethren, were buried'. The practice of the patriarchs to dig wells wherever they sojourned is well known. I think we may thus rest with confidence in the opinion, that this is Jacob's well, and here the parcel of ground which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Here the Saviour, wearied with his journey, sat upon the well, and taught the poor Samaritan woman those great truths, which have broken down the separating wall between Jews and Gentiles: "God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." It was half past eight o'clock when we returned to our tent; wearied indeed in body, but refreshed in spirit, as we read anew, and in the midst of the very scenes, the account of our Saviour's visit and sublime teaching. Sent by J. A. SIR MATTHEW HALE ON CHRISTMAS-DAY. "SIR Matthew Hale had for many years a particular devotion for Christmas-day; and after he had received the sacrament, and been in the performance of the public worship of that day, he commonly wrote a copy of verses on the honour of his Saviour, as a fit expression of the joy he felt in his soul at the return of that glorious anniversary. There are seventeen of those copies printed, which he writ on seventeen several Christmas-days, by which the world has a taste of his poetical genius; in which, if he had thought it worth his while to have excelled, he might have been eminent, as well as in other things: but he writ them rather to entertain and edify himself, than to merit the laurel. I shall here add one which has not been yet printed; and it is not unlikely it was the last he 1 John iv. 3. 8. 2 Gen. xxxiii. 19; Josh. xxiv. 32; John iv. 5; Acts vii. 15, 16. Gen. xxi. 25. 30; xxvi. 15. 18-32. writ. It is a paraphrase on Simeon's Song. I take it from his blotted copy, not at all finished; so the reader is to make allowance for any imperfection he may find in it. BLESSED Creator, who before the birth Of time, or ere the pillars of the earth Were fix'd or form'd, didst lay that great design In thine eternal counsels all the scene Of that stupendous business, and when It should appear and though the very day Within thy mind, yet Thou wert pleased to show In visions, types, and prophecies; as we But Thou wert pleased to let thy servant know Should see the day when Jacob's Star should rise. And let my aged body now return To rest, and dust; For I have lived enough; mine eyes have seen Of Jewish Church unravell'd, and the bright To Gentiles, and the joy of Israel, The world's Redeemer, blest Emanuel. Let this sight close mine eyes; 'tis loss to see, Sent by Rev. T. FARLEY. Life by Bishop Burnett. EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS, &c. AN HONEST THIEF.-One day last week, a miserable looking wretch accosted one of our police, and informed him where some stolen property was to be found, at the same time confessing that he was the thief. It appeared that, pinched with hunger, and having in vain applied to the union and the relieving officer, he stole a piece of sheeting from a draper's door, and was about to carry it out of the town, when honesty got the better of hunger, and induced him to give himself up.-Maidstone Journal. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. We have received the communications of Y. H.; R. A. S.; H.; Rev. T. Farley; A.; T. B.; and several anonymous correspondents. |