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before, they take forth the law, and read a portion, | ruled: to use his own words, "My two first years

which is from the first verse of the twenty-second chapter of Genesis to the end, which treats of Abraham offering his son Isaac; and of God blessing him and his seed for ever; and in his seed all nations of the earth

should be blessed. And as this great event happened on this day (as our received traditions inform us), we therefore read the portion that makes mention thereof; praying and beseeching the Almighty, in remembrance, and through the merits of that great and memorable event, to be propitious unto and bless us, who are the seed which God had promised Abraham to bless and multiply; and which portion is read to five persons, called to the law for that purpose. They then read the Mophter, the same as on the previous day. The portion from the prophets is from the second verse of the thirty-first chapter of Jeremiah, to the end of the twentieth verse of the same. They then say the prayer for the prosperity of the government under which they dwell, and afterwards blow the trumpet, the same as on the first day, saying the same grace before and the verse after it.*

In the afternoon they go to synagogue, when the service is, in all respects, the same as on the first day. These are two days of holy convocation, in which no servile work is to be done. "And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work." Therefore those days are observed with the utmost solemnity, chiefly in prayers and supplications to the Almighty; not doing any manner of work except what relates to the lighting, or touching fire, or dressing their victuals for the festival, which may lawfully

be done.

In the evening they also go to synagogue. The service is the same as on any other of the common days of the week; and which concludes the festival.

Biography.

THE LIFE OF JOSEPH HALL, D.D.

Successively Bishop of Exeter and Norwich.

JOSEPH HALL, designated "the English Seneca," and by Sir H. Wotton "the Christian Seneca," was born in the parish of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, July 5th, 1574. His father was an officer of Henry, earl of Huntingdon, then president of the North; his mother, Winifride, of the Bambridge family, was a woman of the most sterling piety. Having from his earliest years been destined for holy orders, he was educated in the public school of Ashby; and at fifteen sent to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, of which he was chosen scholar and took the degree of B.A. in 1592.

Instead of being sent to the university, he was to have been placed under the tuition of a Mr. Pelset, the public preacher of Leicester; but his elder brother being at Cambridge, and seeing Mr. Nathaniel Gilby, a fellow of Emmanuel, who strongly opposed the notions of Joseph not being sent to college, when he returned home, urgently implored his father to alter this intention, declaring that he would rather that a certain portion of the land, which would be his by inheritance, should be sold, than that Joseph should not go to Emmanuel.

After a residence of two years at the university, he was about to be removed; but this was over

If the first or second day happens on the Sabbath, they do not blow the trumpet, as they reckon it labour, being forbid to do any servile work on the Sabbath.

were necessarily chargeable above the proportion of my father's power, whose not very large cistern was to feed many pipes besides mine, for he had twelve children; his weariness of expense was wrought upon by the counsel of some unwise friends, who persuaded him to fasten me upon that school as master, whereof I was lately a scholar. Now was I fetched home with an heavy heart; and now, this second time, had my hopes been nipped in the blossom, had not God raised me up an unhoped benefactor, Mr. Edmund Sleigh, of Darly (whose pious memory I have cause to love and reverence), out of no other relation to me, save that he married my aunt; pitying my too apparent dejectedness, he voluntarily urged and solicited my father for my return to the university, and offered freely to contribute the one-half of my maintenance there, till I should attain to the degree of master of arts; which he no less freely and lovingly performed." His scholarship expired in three years after his entrance. The statutes allowed of but one fellow of a county. Mr. Hall consequently meditated retiring to Guernsey, having received an appointment in that island. The Earl of Huntingdon, however, prevailed on Mr. Gilby to resign his fellowship, by appointing him his domestic chaplain, and promising him preferment. A vacancy was thus made, which Mr. Hall was appointed to fill.* In 1596, he took the degree of M.A. He read also the rhetoric lecture in the schools for two years, with great credit. Thinking, however, it withdrew him too much from his theological studies, he relinquished it; and, taking holy orders, was a frequent preacher both before the Universities and in the neighbouring villages.

After a residence of six or seven years at college, "with such contentment as the rest of his life in vain strove to yield him," he was recommended by Dr. Chaderton, the master, to Chief-justice Popham for the mastership of the school lately founded by Mr. Peter Blundell at Tiverton, in Devonshire. He had accepted the appointment, and had just left the house of the chief-justice, when a letter was delivered to him in the street from Lady Drury, offering him the rectory of Halsted, near Bury St. Edmunds. This latter preferment he accepted, relinquishing Tiverton school. Thus settled in Suffolk, which he describes as a sweet and civil county, he commenced rebuilding the parsonage-house, now very much out of repair; and after two years married the daughter of Mr. George Winniff, of Bretenham, "a comely and modest gentlewoman;" for he "was weary," as he tells us, the uncouth solitariness of his life." During part of

"of

On the day previous to the election, accounts reached Cambridge of the sudden death of the Earl of Huntingdon, before he had been able to provide for Mr. Gilby. Mr. Hall immediately went to the master of his college, and begged that Mr. Gilby might be restored to his fellowship; but this the statutes of the college would not allow.

The bishop's account of this singular courtship is worthy of record:-" Walking from the church on Monday in the Whitsun week with a grave and reverend minister, Mr. Grandidge, I saw a comely, modest gentlewoman standing at the door of that house where we were invited to a wedding-dinner; and inquiring of that worthy friend, whether he knew her, Yes,' quoth he,' I know her well; and have bespoken her for your wife.' When I further demanded an account of that answer, he told me she was the daughter of a gentleman whom he much respected, Mɛ.

only till some property belonging to the prebend, and which had been fraudulently withheld, was recovered; when he resigned it in favour of another, who was to reside among "the great and long-neglected people."

his residence at Halsted, he was grievously annoyed | Wolverhampton, which dignity, however, he held by the busy interference of "a witty and bold atheist," one Mr. Lilly, who endeavoured by every vile method to impede his ministerial usefulness; but this wretched man going to London was there cut off by the plague. How excessively annoying the interference of such an individual must have been, and how much opposition he may have shewn, and how much injury he may have done, it is impossible here to state. difficult, in fact, to conceive of any more serious drawback to a minister's usefulness and individual comfort than the residence in his parish of a busy, self-satisfied unbeliever, whose delight it is to cast ridicule on all that is sacred, and to put hinderances in the way of the spiritual and temporal interests of the flock.

It is

In 1605 Mr. Hall accompanied Sir Edmund Bacon to Spa, where he composed his Second Century of Meditations. He here became more acquainted with the true character of Romanism; and at Brussels entered into a conference with the Jesuit Coster. About a year and a half after, his patron, Sir Robert Drury, refusing to pay towards the living of Halsted about ten pounds a-year, a large sum in those times, Mr. Hall went to London to expostulate with him on the subject, having meanwhile been offered the preachership of Bury St. Edmunds. While in London he was invited by the tutor of the Earl of Essex to preach before Prince Henry, the heir to the throne, at Richmond, who had been much pleased with his "Meditations." The prince, a religious young man, so much admired his just sermon, that he desired him to preach again before him, and afterwards appointed Mr. Hall one of his chaplains. Sir Robert Drury still refusing to give what Hall conceived to be justly his due, he resolved as soon as possible to leave Halsted, or, as it is generally called, Hawsted; and while he was thus troubled, Edward, lord Denny, afterwards earl of Norwich, presented him to the donative of Waltham Holy Cross, in Essex,* after which he took his degree of D.D.

In the second year of his chaplainship the prince sent for Dr. Hall, after his month of attendance was finished, and invited him to reside constantly at court, promising to obtain high Church preferment for him. But he was unwilling to leave his flock at Waltham, to whom he was devotedly attached. Meanwhile he was made a prebendary of the collegiate church of George Winniff, of Bretenham; that, out of an opinion he had of the fitness of that match for me, he had already treated with her father about it, whom he found very apt to entertain it, advising me not to neglect the opportunity; and not concealing the just praises of the modesty, piety, good disposition, and other virtues, that were lodged in that seemly presence, I listened to the motion as sent from God; and at last, upon due prosecution, happily prevailed, enjoying the comfortable society of that meet help for the space of forty-nine years."

The year 1612 has usually been fixed on as that in which Mr. Hall was presented to Waltham; but Mr. Hone is of opinion, the ground of which he brings forward, that it must have been at an earlier period, probably 1606 or 1607. See Life of Bishop Hall, in the third volume of " Lives of Eminent Christians," by the Rev. Richard B. Hone, M.A., Vicar of Hales Owen, Shropshire. London, J. W. Parker, 1837.-These Lives will be read with peculiar interest and instruction. Many of the Potes are very valuable; and the tone and spirit of the work are good. It is to be hoped that Mr. Hone will go on with successive volumes.

On the 1st of January, 1613, Dr. Hall was called to the melancholy duty of preaching a farewell sermon to the household of the late Prince Henry, his kind patron and warm friend and admirer. That excellent, sweet prince," as Dr. Hall termed him, "the second glory of the nation, the ornament of mankind, and hope of posterity," was removed from this earthly scene on the 6th November, 1612.

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In 1616 Dr. Hall attended the embassy of Viscount Doncaster into France, as chaplain to the embassy. He became dangerously ill at Paris, and was obliged to return: during his absence the king had conferred upon him the deanery of Worcester. His opinions of foreign manners were far from favourable. He conceived that there was much danger likely to result from their contamination. This he publicly stated in a work, entitled "Quo Vadis? a just Censure of Travel, as it is commonly undertaken by the Gentlemen of our Nation." I have now been twice abroad," he there remarks; "both times, as thinking myself worthy of nothing but neglect, I bent my eyes upon others, to sce what they did, what they got. My inquiry found our spiritual loss so palpable, that now at last my heart could not choose but break forth to my hand, and tell my countrymen of the dangerous issue of their curiosity." Is there not reason to fear that there is some danger to be apprehended at the present day by the importation of foreign manners and customs into our country? Is there not reason to fear that the sanctity of the Sabbath in an especial manner will be more habitually violated by those who have been for years accustomed to the fearful desecration of the Lord's day upon the continent, when there is notoriously among many of our countrymen a growing disregard to the requirements of religion, and every inducement held forth to lead them to forget the principles which may have been inculcated upon them in their youth?

In the following year Dr. Hall accompanied the king into Scotland, where he was exceedingly well received. He bore his testimony to the learning and efficiency of the clergy in that part of the kingdom, and endeavoured to bring about the king's project of firmly uniting the Churches of England and Scotland. James returned to London, indeed, without having accomplished, what may be supposed to have been the principal object of his visit, the conformity of the Scottish communion to the worship and ritual of their English brethren. But a convocation of the clergy being holden at Perth, articles were drawn up, adopting, as canons of the Church, the propriety of kneeling at the sacrament of the Lord's supper; of administering the holy communion to the sick; of privately baptising infants in the case of dangerous illness; of confirmation; and the observance of Christmas, and other festivals. It is gratifying to know that Dr. Hall was satisfied with the state of feeling among the clergy at that period, as it has been the aim of many to represent them as very ignorant,

bigoted, and opposed to the saving doctrines of the Gospel.*

[To be continued.]

THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST'S MANI-
FESTATION:

A Sermon,

BY THE REV. S. E. DAY, M.A., Vicar of St. Philip and St. Jacob, Bristol. 1 JOHN, iii. 8.

0.

was the end of Christ's manifestation upon earth.

I. What is intended by the "works of the devil." These works may all be comprised within the single term-sin. Sin comprehends the whole of those injurious and evil works which are styled the devil's, because they originated with him, and are still performed through his influence. Inflated with pride, he rebelled against his Sovereign; and, inflamed with the hatred of God his Sovereign's just and holy laws, he has ever since endeavoured to undermine his authority, and subvert his throne. Not content with the seduction of apostate angels, whom he involved with himself in misery and woe, he has too successfully exerted his utmost power to withdraw us from our allegiance to God, and make us enemies to him by wicked works.

ment against the rectitude of the Divine proceedings. That the permitted power of Satan is consistent with God's perfections of justice and goodness, is evident: had it not been so, his omnipotence would have prevented its existence. Of this we may be assured, the Judge of all the earth must do right; and what we know not now, we shall know hereafter. Great, however, as the influence of

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." THE general idea which the Jews entertained of the Messiah, was that of a temporal conqueror and deliverer. Their minds, contracted by sensual enjoyments and earthly possessions, could not extend beyond the land which flowed with milk and honey. Hence they anxiously waited for the Messiah, in Is it matter of surprise that an omnipotent expectation that he would regain their lost Jehovah should ever have suffered the existauthority, and restore the privileges they had ence of such an enemy as the devil? Truly, been deprived of by the Roman power. But brethren, we must freely acknowledge our their ideas were delusive and unscriptural, and inability herein to fathom the depths of God's their hopes were proved utterly vain. Jesus designs, or at present fully to explain his Christ came, indeed, as a Prince; but his king-ways to man; but our darkness is no argudom was not of this world. He appeared as a Redeemer; but his redemption was very different in its nature, and far more important, than deliverance from human tyranny would have been. He was, as prophecy foretold, to be a Conqueror; but his conquests were not to be marked with desolation and misery, or traced by slaughter and ruin: they were to be spiritual conquests, and developed alone in the freedom, the peace, the prosperity of mankind. The government was placed upon his shoulder, and the sword of victory and dominion wielded by his power, that we might recover privileges of infinitely higher value than any of an earthly kind, however precious; and enjoy a liberty of far greater consequence to us than any freedom from earthly bondage. "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." Thus, brethren, speaks the voice of inspiration, and therein discloses the designs of Christ's appearing, and the objects of his conquests. May the Holy Spirit of light and grace enlighten our minds and hearts, and enable us to discover and improve the truth contained in the text!

Let us meditate upon

I. What is intended by the works of the devil;

II. How the Son of God destroys them; and

III. That the destruction of these works • The various circumstances connected with the decisions of

the clergy at that time, and a full account of what are termed the Articles of Perth, will be found in Bishop Russell's "History of the Church of Scotland."

Satan may be, it is a highly consolatory and supporting consideration, that he cannot se

duce man to evil without the consent of man's own will. He may tempt man to do iniquity; but his temptation cannot compel him to the commission of sin. No; the commission of sin must be the result of our own inclination a voluntary act.

The works of the devil (which, in the passage I have read, appear to be intended) are those of which he is continually guilty, and continually soliciting man to commit. Whether all wickedness may be considered as the consequence of his immediate temptation and influence, is not now the question; nor shall I venture upon the decision. part I purpose here to adopt is, to consider those works which, upon Scripture testimony, we are authorised to say proceed from Satan's solicitation, or which he tempts men to perform.

The

1. Unbelief, that fruitful source of all the works of darkness, is pre-eminently Satan's work-the grand sin he strives to draw us into; because, where unbelief prevails, he has the man at all times subservient to his evil designs. The firm belief of God's being,

and the persuasion that the description of his nature, and the revelation of his will, as con.. tained in the Bible, is true, become a shield sufficient to repel the fiery darts of the wicked one; but the insinuation that God is such an one as ourselves-that he does not regard sin—that he is too merciful to execute his threatenings upon sinners,-when once admitted, exposes us defenceless to all attacks. Satan (well aware of this) attempts to shake and overthrow our belief of God's veracity; or he suggests doubts of the truth of revelation. This was the method adopted when he seduced our first parents: "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" intending, by this question, to render the command doubtful; as if he had said, Surely it is not to be believed that the bountiful Father of all goodness could ever have enacted such a law, to deprive his creature of any comfort and delight. After this, he peremptorily denies the truth of the Divine threatening, and suggests that it was not only false, but designed to withhold them from peculiar happiness: "Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that, in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened."

The same device he still practises, and insinuates doubts in our minds of the veracity of God. To this father of lies may be traced up all the false reasonings of infidels, and the no less destructive suspicions of many professing Christians. His evil suggestions it is which so often embarrass the sincere believer, and which no less serve to dispel the fears and silence the convictions of ungodly sinners. How often is his argument of old repeated by the sensualist and voluptuary, God is too good to punish us for this trifling gratification: he will not call us to strict, or any, account for following the dictates of our senses, or yielding to a little self-enjoyment. Are not these the means by which the many stifle the feelings of conscience, while engaged in the indulgence of sinful desires? Do they not thus reject the truth of God? Surely, if men did not disbelieve what God has said, they could neither pursue their sinful course with peace, nor, while the punishment of eternal woe is set before them, live in neglect of the great salvation of Christ.

2. Pride is another distinguishing work of Satan. This, indeed, appears to have been peculiarly his sin, and which stirred him up to rebel against God. Hereto he tempted Eve-" Ye shall be," said he, "as gods." Where once his temptation to pride succeeds, so powerfully is the mind inflated, that self is placed upon the throne of God; and, in opposition to his sacred will, our own wills are made the rule of our actions. Hence man's lofty ideas of his own dignity, and wisdom,

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and virtue; so that he cannot submit his reason to Divine revelation, nor yield to the sacred doctrines of the Gospel. Hence he views himself as rich, and needing nothing, while poor, and blind, and miserable, and naked; and sacrifices to his own infantile knowledge, and burns incense to his own righteousness, and almost fancies God his debtor. Hence the righteousness of Christ, his grace, his atonement, are slighted and despised; and many dream of heaven as their future portion, because they are either not so bad as others, or have at times, when agreeable to their own inclinations, attended to the dictates of prudence and charity. Scarcely possible is it to follow the workings of pride through all the mazes of the heart, or even point out its various appearances in the life; but, however secret its influence, or extensive its operation, it may ever be known by its opposition to the humiliating doctrines of the Gospel, or its contrariety to the lowly situation becoming a creature and a sinner. Pride casts contempt upon the Gospel; renders man ungrateful to, and causes him to act as though he were independent of, God: it makes him self-righteous, self-conceited, and self-sufficient.

3. Presumption may be specified as another work of Satan, though closely united with unbelief and pride. To the commission of this sin Satan too easily prevailed with our first parents, though foiled in his effort when, with the same temptation, he attacked the Son of God. Presumption is discovered in the often undisturbed manner with which sinners pursue their ungodly ways, and promise themselves that all will be well with them at last. It encourages vain hopes of unconditional mercy, which compose the stupified conscience, while the way of opposition to the Divine commands is pursued; and flatters with safety, though the path of duty is rejected.

4. The love of this present evil world, which influences mankind to worship and serve the creature more than the Creator, and cleave to the world instead of to God, may be also considered as an effect of Satan's delusion. Satan is emphatically styled the god of this world; and this not only because he too generally prevails in the hearts of the men of this world, but also because his dominion is supported by the things of this world. By this means he drew aside Eve and Adam; and in the same way he assailed the purity and virtue of the Redeemer. When he had shewn to him the kingdoms of the world and their glory, he promised to give him all these things, if he would fall down and worship him. Jesus withstood the tempter; but to what an extent is Satan worshipped by man for the sake of worldly gain and pleasure! How readily, to

procure riches, honours, and pleasures, are human honesty, virtue, time, and powers sacrificed upon his altar! If there be a prospect of what may be deemed sufficient profit, then how little is religion and the soul thought of! Insensible to his immortal and spiritual interests, and the gracious exhortations and entreaties of infinite wisdom, man, for the sake of the world, acts again the part of Judas, and betrays his Saviour: he drowns the voice of reason, and, in the spirit of those of old, cries, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" or, like Ananias and Sapphira, he hesitates not to lie to the Holy Ghost, or to act with insincerity and hypocrisy.

5. Errors, deceit, slander, and hatred appear peculiarly to be the result of his operation in the heart. Satan is said to blind the mind of unbelievers, "lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine into them." The antichrist is said to come "after the working of Satan, with lying wonders." It is by his devices and wiles he frequently obtains his advantage; and no art is more effective than his transformation of himself into an angel of light, or giving to error the specious gloss of truth. Hence the apostle St. Paul feared lest the Corinthians, "by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Satan filled the heart of Ananias to lie to the Holy Ghost; he put it into the heart of Judas to betray his Master; his temptations seduced Peter from maintaining his confident avowal, and caused him, with oaths and curses, to deny that Saviour whom he solemnly declared he never would deny. He is represented as a liar, and the father of it, -as a murderer from the beginning, in whom is no truth, and of whom was Cain, that slew his brother. He is spoken of as the adversary, the accuser of the brethren,as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; and can we forbear to notice his image, where we discern the features of envy, hatred, malice, and uncharitableness, and hear the voice of fraud and slander. The members of the children of disobedience, in whom Satan is declared to work, are fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy communication. He that hateth his brother, we are assured, is a murderer and Satan's child, who was a murderer from the beginning, and who through enmity strives to promote our destruction.

In short, St. John declares," he who committeth sin is of the devil;" and therefore every work which tends to subdue the reigning influence of the law of God in our hearts -which opposes the merciful designs of Dithe merciful designs of Di

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II. How the design Christ proposed by his manifestation in the flesh was fulfilled.

Our text states the design to have been to "destroy the works of the devil." The word destroy signifies (in the original), to loose or dissolve; and has reference to the miserable state of bondage to which man is subject, by means of his corrupt nature being enslaved by the prince of darkness; and in which bondage Satan retains him by ensnaring de vices and diabolical influence. Sin is the chain whereby we are tied and bound. This is the result of Satan's temptation, and is said to be loosed or dissolved by the Lord Jesus Christ.

This end appears to be effected by what Christ hath done for, and is engaged to do in, his people. Experience, indeed, clearly proves that the works of Satan are not fully destroyed; for we see, we feel them every where, and have to lament continually their extensive and fatal influence. But Jesus, the mighty Conqueror, hath given Satan's power the death-wound; and though there are remains of life and energy with him, yet is the wound mortal; and this grand enemy must at length be bereft of his control over the redeemed of the Lord. Christ died for sin. "He was made sin for us, though he knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." He has freed his people from the curse of the law, and blotted out the handwriting which was against them. He has reconciled us to God; and by this work he has destroyed the grand means by which Satan's usurpation was maintained. This remedy for guilt delivers us from despair; and the peace which was made between heaven and earth encourages our hope, and emboldens us to draw nigh to that God who is able to bruise Satan under our feet. By death," says the Scripture, "he destroyed death, and him that had the power of death, that is the devil."

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But this truth is discovered more clearly in the rich provision which Christ has made for the destruction of sin, and the renewal of a divine nature in us. "He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works;" and again, "He gave himself for his Church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word; that it should be holy, and without blemish." The Holy Spirit, who came in consequence of Christ's obedience unto death, when, in his influence, he enters

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