THE BIBLE. THE PENTATEUCH. HAVING given a brief sketch of the general design and argument of the five books of Moses separately, we proceed to present our readers with a few remarks upon them collectively, and the term Pentateuch, by which they are designated. This word is of Greek origin, and literally (signifies five books or volumes. The Pentateuch forms, to this day, but one roll or volume in the Jewish manuscripts, being divided only into paraschioth and siderim, or larger and smaller sections. This collective designation of the books of Moses is of very considerable antiquity, though we have no certain information when it was first introduced. This division of the Bible, commonly called the Law of Moses, is a work in every respect worthy of God, its Author, and next in importance to the New Testament, the law and gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Its antiquity places it at the head of all the writings in the world; and the various subjects it embraces render it of the utmost value to every part of the civilized world. These books embrace a period of 2,553 years, and bring down the history of the world to the year before the birth of Christ, 1451. It concerns us to be mighty in the Scriptures, as Apollos was (Acts xviii. 24); that is, to be thoroughly acquainted with the true intent and meaning of them, that we may understand what we read, and may not misinterpret or misapply it; but by the conduct of the blessed Spirit may be led into all truth (John xvi. 13), and may hold it fast in faith and love, and put every part of Scripture to that use for which it was intended. The letter, either of law or gospel, profits little without the Spirit. THE LITURGY. [From Wheatley's Remarks on the Common Prayer.] Of the Order of Morning and Evening Prayer Daily throughout the Year. OF THE OCCASIONAL PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS. Sect. IV. Of the Thanksgivings. PRAISE is one of the most essential parts of God's worship, by which not only all the Christian world, but the Jews and Gentiles also, paid their homage to the Divine Majesty; as might be showed by innumerable testimonies. It is pleasant in the performance, as David says, in Ps. cxlvii. 1 :—“ It is good to sing praises unto our God: for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. And it is profitable in the event; for it engages our great Benefactor to continue the mercies we have, and as well inclines him to give, as fits us to receive more. "Thus again (says David), in Ps. lxvii. 5-7, "Let the people praise thee, O God: let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the world shall fear him." Therefore, for the performance of this duty, the reverend compilers of our Liturgy had appropriated the Hallelujah, the Gloria Patri, and the daily psalms and hymns. But because some thought that we did not praise God so particularly as we ought to have done upon extraordinary occasions, some particular thanksgivings upon deliverance from drought, rain, famine, war, tumults, and pestilence, were added in the time of King James I. And to give more satisfaction still, by removing all shadows of defect from our Liturgy, there was one general thanksgiving added to the last review for daily use, drawn up (as it is said) by Bishop Sanderson, and so admirably composed, that it is fit to be said by all men who would give God thanks for common blessings, and yet peculiarly provided with a proper clause for those who, having received some eminent personal mercy, desire to offer up their public praise: a duty which none that have had the prayers of the Church should ever omit after their recovery, lest they incur the reprehension given by our Saviour to the ungrateful lepers, recorded in the Gospel :- "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?"-Luke xvii. 17. NOTICES OF BOOKS. The Protestant Almanack for 1841. Compiled by Mr. Joseph Crisp, 38, Church-street, Liverpool. To be had of all Booksellers. On a sheet. WE understand that there is also an edition of this almanack stitched in a neat cover. No Protestant ought to be without this almanack. There is a great mass of information in it which renders it highly valuable, and the cheap rate at which it may be procured places it within the reach of the humblest classes of society. In addition to a large mass of letterpress, it is illustrated with engravings of Wickliff, Luther, Latimer, Cranmer, Ridley, &c. The Stolen Gods; or, Popery Exposed in the Vanity of her Idols. Pp. 12. Seeley, London: 1840. THIS interesting little tract deserves to be extensively known. We hope it will be widely circulated. MISCELLANEA. CHURCH BELLS.-A correspondent having requested of the editor of The Village Churchman a translation of the Latin inscriptions given last month (p.257), it is here supplied. The reader is requested to read "UNUS" for "ANUS," in the VIIth inscription : VIII. Thomas Mears, Founder, London. 1840. Joshua Fawcett, Master of Arts, Pastor of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Wibsey. Francis Barraclough, Churchwardens. I call. Come. To pray. Charles Oliver, Bell-hanger. VII. O Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy upon us. VI. Hail, Father, King, Creator, V. Hail, Son, Light, Saviour, LOVE FOR 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 time to have excelled, he might have been eminent, as well as in other things; but he writ them rather to entertain himself than to merit the laurel. (And he died on Christmas-day, 1676.) Thus he used to sing on the former Christmas-days, but now he was to be admitted to bear his part in the new songs above; so that day which he had spent in so much spiritual joy, proved to be indeed the day of his jubilee and deliverance; for between two and three in the afternoon he breathed out his righteous and pious soul. His end was peace: he had no struggling, nor seemed to be in any pangs in his last moments. He was buried on the 4th of January, Mr. Griffith preaching the funeral sermon: bis text was the 57th of Isaiah, first verse, "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." Which how fitly it was applicable upon this occasion, all that consider the course of his life will easily conclude. He was interred in the churchyard of Alderley, among his ancestors.-Bishop Burnet's Life of Sir Matthew Hale. A little before Dr. Johnson died, he said to Dr. Brocklesby, This physician, "Doctor, you are a worthy man, and my friend, but I am afraid you are not a Christian! What can I do better for you than offer up in your presence a prayer to the great God that you may become a Christian in my sense of the word." Instantly he fell on his knees and put up a Fervent prayer; when he got up he caught hold of his hand with great earnestness, and cried, "Doctor, you do not say, amen. The Doctor looked foolish, but after a pause, cried, amen! Johnson said, "My dear Doctor, believe a dying man; there is no salvation but in the sacrifice of the Lamb of God ; go home, write down my prayer, and every word I have said, and bring it to me to-morrow." Brocklesby did so.-Mrs. Hannah More's Letters. EXTRACT FROM THE BISHOP OF LONDON'S SPEECH AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY." The use of ardent spirits has increased within the last few years to an extent, which it is almost appalling to state! In the year 1820, the amount of ardent spirits, on which duty was paid for home consumption, was 12,894,895 gallons. In 1836, the amount of gallons consumed, on which duty was paid, was 31,402,417. The net amount of duties paid to the government of this Christian country for the manufacture of this article of commerce, so destructive to the morals and health of its population, was, in 1820, 6,719,4567; in 1836, 8,444,5007. Of this enormous quantity of ardent spirits, this enormous quantity of poison, how very minute a portion can by pos sibility have been used for purposes purely medicinal! and whatever was not used for that object must have been used for the purposes of destruction, and to the moral injury of the community. This enormous amount of duty, nearly 8,500,000, would have sufficed to erect no less than one thousand seven hundred churches, and to diffuse no less than one thousand seven hundred additional teachers of religion throughout the country. Observe, this is merely for one year, so that every year upwards of a thousand additional places of worship might be built, and a thousand additional teachers of religion, dispensers of truth and promoters of morality, might be sustained on the watch towers throughout the country for a less sum than is paid to the government of a Christian country, for the manufacture of an article which is ruining the bodies and souls of the community." A sailor recently returned from a whaling voyage, and in conversation with a pious friend, spoke of the enjoyment he had in prayer while far on the deep. "But (enquired his friend) in the midst of the confusion on ship-board where could you find a place to pray?" "O (said he) I always went to the mast head." I have heard of closets in private places, but never of one more peculiar than this. Peter went upon the house-top to pray, others have sought the shades of the forest. I remember hearing of a youth who came home from the camp during the last year, and his pious mother, asked him, "Where, John, could you find a place to pray?" He answered, "Where there is a heart to pray, mother, it is easy to find a place." A. D. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. (Concluded from page 261.) 1536 Tyndal put to death at Vilvorde, near Brussels. 1539 Six hundred and forty-five monasteries and religious houses suppressed in England and Wales. 1547 Accession of King Edward VI. He commissions Cranmer, Ridley, and others, to draw up the English Liturgy; having a regard to the direction of Scripture, and the usages of the primitive Church.” 66 1548 A Liturgy prepared, presented to the King, and ratified by Parliament. 1552 An improved edition of the Liturgy ordered to be used in all Churches. (Revised in the times of Elizabeth, James the First, and Charles the Second.) |