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relating the particulars to Sir Eardley, he asked, if he did not think it would be "manly" to resent it? Yes, said Sir Eardley, certainly it would be "manly" to resent it: but, added he, it would be "Godlike" to forgive it. This the gentleman declared had such an instantaneous effect upon him, that he came away quite a different man, and in a totally different temper from that in which he went."

I beg, Mr. Editor, to repeat at the close of this anecdote, Solomon's remark, with Mr. Job Orton's paraphrase upon it: "A word fitly spoken, is like apples of gold in pictures of silver; or rather, 'like oranges in a basket of wrought silver;' which must look extremely beautiful. Such words as these have a rich and valuable meaning, besides the handsome manner in which they are spoken." Yours, &c. J. A.

FARTHER ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCRIPTURE.

No. I.

The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits, Gen. vi. 15.

THAT the ark was sufficiently capacious to contain the great number of animals, with their provisions, which Moses tells us went into it, has been shewn by differ ent commentators; and that the proportion of the ark was the most just and regular for the purpose for which it was designed, will appear from the following extract:

'About the beginning of the seventeenth century, Peter Jansen, a Dutch merchant, caused a ship to be built for him, answering in its proportions to those of Noah's ark; the length of it being 120 feet, the breadth of it 20, and the depth of it 12. At first this was looked upon as no better than a fanatical vision of this Jansen, who was by profession a Mennonist; and, while it was building, Jansen and his ship were made all the sport and laughter of the seamen, as much as Noah and his ark could be. But afterwards, it was found that ships built in this fashion were, in the time of peace, beyond all others, most commodious for commerce, because they would hold a third part more, without requiring any more hands; and were found far better runners than any made before. Accordingly, the name of Navis Noachica is given by some to this sort of vessel.' Parker's Bibliotheca Biblica, vol. i. p. 235, 236, cited in Parkhurst's Hebrew Lexicon, p. 64, 3d edit.

The reader will perceive that the objections of infidels against this part of sacred history, are founded in ignorance as well as in wickedness; and will find his faith in the word of God confirmed by an impartial examination of the wonderful facts which it records; and while he believes the truth of Scripture, may he recollect that the ark of Noah was a significant type of salvation by Jesus Christ!* and seriously inquire whether he has entered by faith into this ark of safety, from the deluge of Divine wrath, which will shortly overwhelm impenitent and unbelieving sinners.

* Pet. iii; 20, 21.

No. II.

Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest; in earing time, and in harvest time thou shalt rest, Ex. xxxiv. 21.

IT is probable that many readers may consider earing time in this passage, as referring to the time when the corn begins to appear in the ear. Lest any readers of their Bible should be misled by such an interpretation, they may be informed, that earing is an old English word for ploughing; and that the original Hebrew word charash, here used, is, in other passages, rendered to plough. The ploughers ploughed upon my back,' Psalm cxxix. 3. This will help us to understand 1 Sam. viii. 12, 'He will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest.' See also Gen. xlv. 6. Deut. xxi. 4. Is. xxx. 24. These remarks may help to rectify a mistake in Bailey's Dictionary, sixth edition; in which, earing time is explained to be harvest; notwithstanding, he says, just before, very rightly, that to ear or are (from the Latin arare) signifies to till, or plough the ground. Tremellius and Junius translate earing time, by in ipsa aratione, ploughing-time. Wickliff, in his New Testament (Luke xvii. 7.) has 'But who of you hath a servaunt eringe?' where the Vulgate, from which he made his translation, has arantem. What we now call arable land, Greenway, in his translation of Tacitus, De Mor. Germ. calls earable land, from the Latin arabilis.

And his commandments are not grievous, 1 John v. 3.
I have

paused, on purpose to give you time to exercise your
own thoughts upon this text, before I give you mine.
I believe, I could guess at what hath passed in your
minds during this little interval. Will you tell me if I
am right? Why, then, I believe that some of you, when
you heard me say, "His commandments are not griev
ous," thought within yourselves, 'That, sure, is more
than you can prove.
I am sure I find it otherwise. It
may do well enough for those who are shut up in a
monastery; they may be as religious as they please:
there is nobody to hinder them, and they have nothing.
else to do; but the case is different with me.
I am
called to mix with a great variety of company, and to
engage in a great variety of business; and it is not for
me to turn reformer. I must take the world as I find
it, and do as others do, be it what it will; for I hate sin-
gularity. If I might be allowed to pick and choose,
there are two or three of the commandments that I
might perhaps consent to observe; but to keep them all,
when many of them bear so hard upon flesh and blood,
and are so contrary to the prevailing taste of the times,
is impossible! and, say what you will of the command-
ments, I shall always think them grievous.' But then,

I believe, there are a few who, when you heard the text, thought within themselves, No indeed, they are not. I can speak of it from my own experience, 'that his yoke is easy and his burden light.' I am never so happy as when employed in his service. It is meat and drink to be doing the will of my God; and I am glad the Lord. VOL. III.

* 33

hath directed the minister to this subject; for, though I have been long convinced of this truth myself, yet hope it will now be proved to the conviction of the young people, that "wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness;" and that in keeping God's commandments there is great reward. These, perhaps, have been your private comments on this text. Now then it is my turn to speak, and tell you what I think of the commandments: and I must pronounce them holy, just, and good. Not merely reasonable, but pleasant; not only not prejudicial, but productive of the best and happiest effects.

O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord!

Jer. xxii; 29.

WHAT, then, are all the inhabitants of the earth dead or deaf? As if they were more stupid than the ground they trod on, the blessed God, wearied out by their provoking inattention to his repeated calls, turns from them, and addresses himself to the earth, as if that would hear him when they would not. God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. Awful and angry have been the messages that we have lately received from him; and some specimens he hath given of what he can do when his wrath is kindled but a little; what then would become of us, if he should be provoked to stir up all his wrath?

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