תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors][ocr errors]

This is exactly the process used with our Indian torch; only here the oil is enriched into a chrism, either for scent, or finer light, by the solution of some preparation kept in the royal store for this purpose. But the ananas anyopia, or cherishing revivals, with which the instrument is anointed, answer remarkably to our application of the oil."*

BOOK OF LIFE.

"The Scripture makes frequent mention of "the book of life;' and several affirm, that those who are written in it are absolutely predestinated to salvation. But this way of speaking can have no such signification, else we shall make Moses to desire a thing which was impossible even to God, Exod. xxxii. 32. What could he understand by this book,' but the scroll where the names of all the Israelites were written that were to enter into Canaan? This way of speaking is evidently grounded upon the numbering of the people of Israel, at their coming out of Egypt, and the registering of their names in a scroll, or register, as may be seen Numb. chap. i. The same method was likewise taken at the return from the Babylonian captivity, as may be seen in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah; and those who were enrolled in this book are said to be written for life, or among the living, (Isa. iv. 3); whereas they blotted out every year, out of this catalogue, the names of those who died."-Essay for a New Translation of the Bible, p. 300.

From the Friendly Visiter.

A FEW RULES FOR PRACTICE.
BY LADY ELIZABETH BROOKE.

I. Let love and charity be universal; for no pretence whatever, no, not of religion and zeal for God, can justify you not loving any person in the world. Treat all men with kindness, and wish them well. Do them good according to their need, and your power and opportunity. If persons be above you, express your love to them by paying them the honour and respect their place and authority call for. If they are in worldly respects beneath you, manifest your love, by kindness and granting them an easy access to you. If they excel in natural or acquired endowments of mind, express your love to them by a due esteem of them. If they be rather wanting, than excelling, show your love by pitying them; and despise not their weakness. If any be in affliction, compassionate them; pray for them; comfort them with your presence, if you can reach them; and relieve them according to your power. If any be defamed, show your love by stopping and rebuking the defamation.

II. Be very careful not to harbour any evil affection in your heart against any person whatever; for though you may be far from intending any act of unkindness, vet vou tempt God

[ocr errors]

are aware, you may be drawn to an act you never before thought of. Besides by indulging an evil disposition towards any one, you grieve the Spirit of God, and open a wide door for the entrance of the devil into your soul. And indeed, an unkind disposition towards any man is so much akin to Satan, that if you admit the one, you cannot exclude the other.

III. Despise none; for love never rides in triumph over inferiors.

IV. Look upon temptations, as opportunities for a high exercise of grace. Are you injured? Be sorry for him who has done the wrong, and bless God for the opportunity of showing yourself hereby to be a Christian, by patient bearing, forgiving, doing good against evil, treating your adversary with meekness, and breaking his heart with love. Every provocation is a prize in your hand: get an heart to improve it.

V. Be clothed with humility; and let repentance follow all your religious services. This will prove your religion is inward: for if it be deep in the heart, it will always find work for repentance, while we are in this state of imperfection.

VI. Love nothing above God and Christ; for to love any thing more than God or Christ, is the way, either never to enjoy it, or soon to be deprived of it; or else to find yourself deceived in it.

VII. Do nothing upon which you dare not ask God's blessing.

VIII. Esteem time as your most precious talent; which when you bestow it upon any, you give them more than you can understand the value of, and than all the power of men and angels can ever restore to you again.

IX. Never speak of religion for the mere sake of discourse, but for the purpose of piety.

X. Upon the Lord's day, consider in private the love of God in the several instances of it to yourself and the world: in creation and redemption, the promises of eternal life, his providences and mercies to you, your friends and family; and stay upon these considerations, till your heart be lifted up in his praise, and can say with David," now will I go to God, my exceeding joy."

From the Critica Biblica. REMARKABLE JEWISH SECT. THE New Baptist Magazine for April, 1827, contains a letter from M. Mayers, at Vienna, giving an account of a most remarkable sect of Jewish believers in Poland, called Sabbathians, from their founder, Sabbathia Zewy, and also Soharites, on account of their veneration for the book of Sohar, the principal cabbalistical work, and which they receive as the highest authority and word of revelation, to the prejudice of the Holy Scriptures, which are considered subordinate to the Cabbala, by many of which they are to be explained.

On their settlement in Poland, they declared their total rejection of the Talmud, and pub

[graphic]

432

God at all times, as well by positive doctrines
as traditions; and we do not only consider our-
selves in duty bound to obey all precepts and
omit all prohibitions contained in this law, but
also to enter minutely into the examination of
these doctrines, in order to comprehend the
mysteries hidden under the letter. To this end
God said to Abraham, I am the Almighty
God, walk before me and be thou perfect.'
Gen. xvii. 1; and to Moses, And now Israel
what doth the Lord thy God require of thee,'
&c. Deut. x. 12, 13. This proves, that it is
our duty to obey the Lord and his precepts and
statutes, and to seek to comprehend the truth
Next to
of his doctrines without any error.
this, it becomes us to fear and honour the Lord,
according to the words of the Psalmist, the
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,'
Ps cxi. 10. Yet this alone, the fear and love
of the Lord, is not sufficient; we must also
acknowledge the power and greatness of God
by his works. Therefore David said on his
death-bed to his son, Know thou the God of
thy father and serve him,' 1 Chron. xxviii. 9.
Upon these words in Samuel, (1 Sam. ii. 30,)
"Them that honour me, I will honour, and they
that despise me shall be lightly esteemed;' the
Sohar comments, that it were better for that
man not to have been created, who does not
comprehend to magnify the name of the Lord,
for we are created and put into this world, for
no other purpose than to seek to understand
the mysteries comprehended in the Divine
name. David says, 'The Lord is nigh unto
all them that call upon him in truth,' Ps. cxlv.
18; upon which the Sohar asks, Can we then
call upon God in untruth?' answer, yes: all
those who call upon God without knowing
him, call upon him in untruth. From the pre-
ceding, it is therefore plainly to be seen, that
each man is in duty bound to believe in God,
and in law, to acknowledge Him, as well as his
statutes and justice, and to search deeply into

[ocr errors]

Those

|

.תורה the mysteries of the Thorah

whose belief is conformable to this, fulfil the
will and commands of God which He has pro-
mulgated by Moses, and these only, deserve
the name of true Israelites.

mine eyes, that I may behold
out of thy law,' Ps. cxix. 18.
had been able to understand
by his own inquiries, he woul
prayed; but his supplication
hend the secret and hidden
Thorah. To this effect are a
the Sohar: Wo to the man
the Thorah is a mere record o
of ancient times, and contain
of common things; if this w
might also be composed in t
But the narratives and subje
the holy writings, are only u
the mysteries deeply hidden
And whoever considers the
the principal object of the Sc
of death, and forfeits all claim
Therefore, says the Psalmis
eyes,' Ps. xiii. 3; (that is to
discern the secrets hidden u
the law,) 'lest I sleep the sle
another passage, it is remark
If the Thorah were only to
ral sense, why should David
the Lord is perfect, more to
gold, yea, than much fine go
therefore undeniable, that gre
teries are hidden under the let
to inquire into which, it is
one who wishes to become or

3d. "We believe, the best
terpretation of the Thorah,
the Sohar; but that the Rabb
have in many places, fals
Holy Scriptures, by many
have given of the Divine a
tradicting the fundamental
to our neighbour. [Here
quotations from the Talm
which I have omitted trans
of their prolixity.]

4th. "We believe in one out beginning or end, the o universe and all it contains invisible; according to the rah, Hear, O Israel, the L art great, and doest wondro Lord,' Deut. vi. 4; and in t God alone,' Psalm lxxxvi. 10 like earthly kings who cann mands executed without h God created heaven and ear

dence alone directs and gove
operation of any other beir

5th. "We believe, that th
one God, yet that there
'13 in the Deity, which
ration or distinction from
in the books of Moses, but a
perfect unity. This truth is

2d. "We believe, that the writings of Moses,
the prophets, and all earlier teachers, are not
to be taken literally, but figuratively; and as
containing a secret sense hid under the mere
letter. These writings are to be compared to
a beautiful woman, who hides her charms under
a veil, and expects her admirers to take the
trouble of lifting it; which is also the case with
the word of God, being hidden under the veil
of a figurative sense, which cannot be lifted
even with the highest human ingenuity, and
greatest degree of wisdom, without the assist-
ance of Divine grace. In other words, the
things spoken of in the Thorah, must not be
taken literally, according to the mere phraseo-ings of the prophets and
logy, but we must pray for the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. It is s
'that the Thorah begins
Divine Spirit, to be enabled to discern the ker-
nel which lies hid under the mere shell or husk Beth, which is formed by t
of the letter. We therefore believe, that it is and one vertical, that point
not sufficient merely to read the words of the Three. This belief in a 7
prophets to know the literal meaning, but that founded upon the Holy Scr
doctrine is plainly taught

understand

L

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

2, the Spirit of Elohim, in the plural, moved upon the face of the waters;' were there but one person in the Deity, Moses would have expressed himself thus, the Spirit of Jehovah or El, moved; from this it plainly appears, that it was his object at the outset of his writings, to inculcate the doctrine of a Trinity of Parzufim, Persons, in the Deity. He says further, God said, let US make man in OUR image after OUR likeness,' Gen. i. 26, upon which the Sohar comments, Two there are and One, which makes Three, and these Three are One.' Again it is said, Gen. iii. 22, Jehovah Elohim spoke, behold the man is like one of US.' If there were not three Parzufim (Persons) in the Deity, why does it say Jehovah Elohim, in the plural, Jehovah alone would have sufficed; it was unquestionably thus put to prove the Trinity. It being said, the Lord came down to see the city and the tower;' and further, Go, let US go down and there confound their language,' Gen. xi. 5, 7; the question naturally occurs, to whom did Jehovah speak this? He would not have thus familiarly spoken to the angels, who are his ministering servants, to whom he would have addressed himself in the language of command, and not in a way of request; we conclude therefore, that God spoke to his co-equals, the other Parzufim, of the same authority and dignity with himself. We find it further recorded, that three men appeared unto Abraham, Gen. xviii. 2, and yet on seeing them, he said, My Lord,' xviii. 3. How can it otherwise be explained, that he should have seen three and only addressed one, if these three were not one. Moses commands the Israelites to take the blood of the paschal lamb, and strike it on the two side posts, and on the upper door post,' Exod. xiii. 7; upon which the Sohar asks, why is this to be done just upon three places?' 'In order,' it is answered, that we should behold on these three places, our perfect faith in the Triune and holy name of God; which is another proof of the three Parzufim (Persons) in the Deity.' It is said by Moses, Deut. iv. 7, What nation is there so great who hath Elohim so nigh (p) unto them as Jehovah our God? If there were not a plurality of Parzufim (Persons) in the Deity, he would have put instead of Elohim and Dp in the plural, El and

קרוב

[ocr errors]

6

[ocr errors]

in the singular. Again, it is said by Moses, Gen. xix. 24, And Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah,' which is another proof of a plurality of Persons in Jehovah. On one occasion God said unto Moses, 'Come up unto the Lord,' Exod. xxiv. 1; if there were not a plurality of Parzufim in the Deity, God would have said come up unto me.' On the passage, Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Lord,' Deut. vi. 4, the Sohar comments on the following words: three are one,' (n). It is written, Exod. iii. 6, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;'

4

[blocks in formation]

Jehovah is first put and then Elohim, and hol in the plural, which is another proof of the plu rality in the Divine Being, a Trinity in Unity

[ocr errors]

6th. "We believe, that God appears inca nate upon earth; that he eats, and drinks, an performs other human functions, but that he perfectly free from all sins. The proof of th is contained in these words, For that he als is flesh,' (Gen. vi. 3,) which the Sohar thus ex plains: God appears in the flesh and adapt himself to the body; that is to say, at the crea tion, God was incarnate in Adam, but after hi fall, he withdrew himself again, and remaine thus divested of the body, until he again wa incarnate in this body. The Sohar furthe remarks upon the four elements of fire, water air, and earth, that God clothed himself i these, and was incarnate. Where Moses says (Exod. xx. 18.) The people saw the voice. he ought, properly speaking, to have said, the people heard, instead of saw; but God showed himself at that time to the Israelites in a hu man form, and taught them by it, that at th advent of the Messiah he could come again in a human form. Upon the words of Jehovah (Lev. xxvi. 12) I will walk among you,' the book Yalkut observes, this may be compared to an earthly king, who walks about his garden from which the gardener is about retiring out of respect to his Lord, in order not to intrude himself upon his privacy, but the king addresses his servant in a condescending tone, saying 'Be not alarmed at my presence my friend, am but a man like thyself, and will walk by the side of thee.' In the same manner God has promised to clothe himself in the flesh, and ap pear among men, to teach and instruct them in divine things; it is therefore said by the prophet, (Isaiah xxv. 20,) Thine eyes shall see thy teachers.' When God said, (Deut xxxii. 40.) I lift up mine hand to heaven,' he would not have thus expressed himself at any other time, except when he walked upon earth in human form. [Here are many other passages of Scripture quoted, from which similar conclusions are drawn.]

[ocr errors]

7th. "We believe that Jerusalem will never be rebuilt; because it is written, (Dan. ix. 26,) And the people of the prince, that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood, perfectly;" and the prophet Jeremiah declares that the sin of the city of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, destroyed of a sudden.' If, then, Sodom is no more to be rebuilt, how much less Jerusalem, as the prophet declares the sin of that city to be greater than that of the former.

8th. "We believe that the Jews in vain ex

pect the arrival (or advent) of a human Messiah, who, according to their opinion, is to redeem them from their temporal captivity, exalt them above all other nations, and load them with riches and honours. But we believe that God himself will become incarnate, and

1

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

6

[ocr errors]

be consigned to eternal damnation. If the
Jews believe that they can be redeemed in any
other way than by the Lord himself, they de-
ceive themselves, and do not obey the Holy
Scriptures, but the Talmud, which is false, and
which we reject. To maintain our opinion and
belief, we appeal to numerous passages of the
Holy Scriptures; but especially to the prophet
Isaiah, who says in one place, God will come
and save you,' (Isaiah xxxv. 4); and in another,
'I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there
is no Saviour,' (chap. xliii. 11); again, All
flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Sa-
viour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of
Jacob,' (chap. xlix. 26); As for our Redeemer,
the Holy One
the Lord of Hosts is his name,
of Israel.' (chap. xlvii. 4.) The prophet Jere-
miah says, (Jer. 1. 34,)Their Redeemer is
strong, the Lord of Hosts is his name.' Job
declares, (Job xix. 25,) I know that my Re-
deemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon earth.' Who else except the
Lord can be this Redeemer, who existed at
the time of Job, and will be upon earth at the
latter day? It cannot be any other than God,
who, by the mouth of the prophet, says, 'I am
the first and the last, and besides me there is no
other.' Nay, the Talmud admits the truth,
that God is the Messiah and only Redeemer:
we find it written in Section Sanhedrin. Rabbi
Hillel said, the Israelites have not to expect
But as this contradicts the
any Messiah.
Scriptures, Rashi comments on this passage in
the following words: Rabbi H. means to say,
the Jews have not to expect a human Messiah,
as God himself is their Redeemer.

dividual," without cherishing a
and unmixed pity; and when
idle habits he forms, of the in
tions he cultivates, of the un
pernicious pleasures he purs
amount of good he might be
mental in securing, were he
principles of the Gospel, the
duced on my mind, is at onc
overpowering." This remark
and incontrovertible, though a
it is scarcely possible for us
truth, without being the subje
and painful emotions. I do n
to lessen the dignity of youth
beauty and tarnish the lustre
character; or to indulge in
splenetic remarks, in relatio
the conversation, the deportm
ling passions" of young peop
excite the profound and unm
every person of sober and ac
and especially of enlightened
ing, to perceive so very incon
ber of those, who are encircle
ty, richness, and splendour of
son of life," sitting at the feet
ing the lovely and celestial s
pel; discovering that humilit
gy, sweet simplicity of char
consecration of their powers,
resources, to the divine Red
commanding features a child
beautified and distinguished.
a minister of Christ in ming
particularly when the faciliti
which he enjoys, are conten
mand ample opportunities,
satisfactory and a comprehe

"These are the principal articles of confession of this remarkable sect of Jews, who are very promising to go over en masse to the Christian Church: one of them lately pub-this subject; and if the result lished a letter by way of appeal to his brethren, to embrace Christianity."

From the Winter's Wreath.
SONNET

ADDRESSED TO HANNAH MORE.
A SHOCK of corn in the autumnal fields
Bending beneath the weight of yellow grain,
Matured by storms, by suns, and gentle rain,
Sweet food for thought, pure contemplation
yields.

Yet when we see a Christian's reverend head
Silvery with time-and mark redeeming grace
Touching with heavenly light the placid face,
As evening sunbeams o'er the waters shed;-
This is superior joy!-fulfilled in thee!
Whose life a "city on a hill" hath been,

Pointing forever to Eternity!
Thy wisdom luring minds to worlds unseen.
That life may Israel's Shepherd yet prolong,
Himself thy morning Light-thy evening Song.

A. H.

observation and most extens
inquired of him, he will unh
the most unqualified manne
people who have left' vanity
versation is emphatically i
tone of hallowed and devout
unequivocal and commandi
the mind of Christ wherever
are unceasingly solicitous to
less beauty and the unsearch
sus to those around them, w
to age, sex, or capacity, are,
though the most painful ser
the earth"-resembling gree
in the desert of human life
are beauteous and luxuriant,
vers complete drought, aridit

It is calculated to awaken
tonishment, to find how very
who are at all acquainted wi
excellency of the Gospel, of
rendered sensible of its vast
portance. The mind of the
A judgment or a capacity fo
ciating the value of "divine
ing. There is no life of God
perimental and vital godlin
once dark and inexplicable:
interesting and beauteous fea
are not unfrequently develop
attractions" are very rarel
Sous and estimable in-conformity to the world-hab

From the Youth's Magazine.
THE CHARACTER AND MISERY OF

AN IRRELIGIOUS YOUTH.
"I NEVER look at an irreligious young per-

regard for the divine honour-and a concentration of the powers and resources to the great Head of the church. Now all this is deeply affecting, because, till these principles be implanted-these habits be formed and cultivatedand these dispositions be beauteously and uniformly expressed-youth will be destitute of its greatest ornament, and its most powerful and fascinating charm; the end of human existence will not be secured; the peculiar dignity of man, namely assimilation to the likeness of Jesus will not be unfolded; nor will those important and invaluable blessings, which flow to us exclusively through the mediation and atonement of the Son of God ever be enjoyed. The great excellence that a good man feels solicitous for young people to possess is, a temper or frame of mind, in unison with the principles and requisitions of the Gospel. They must not be governed by the policy of the world-by the idle forms and ceremonies of the world-by the reigning follies of fashionable life-by the superficial and pernicious maxims and principles of those who deem this world their rest, and who are perfectly satisfied with the pleasures it imparts, with the honours it confers, and with the spirit it breathes; but there must be a devout and a commanding regard discovered, to conform to the standard of revelation, and to observe its wise, its pure, and its unqualified directions.

As a minister of Christ, when I meet with young persons, I do not feel desirous of knowing, in the first place, whether they possess a variety of exterior or minor attractions. I like to meet with a youth of intelligence, who is extensively acquainted with literature and science, and who has perused with attention and delight, the productions of our best authors. I like to converse with a young person of genuine talent, whose taste has been diligently cultivated, whose judgment is vigorous; whose understanding is comprehensive, and whose tone of thinking is manly and powerful. I like to meet with an amiable youth, who discovers the utmost urbanity of manners, kindliness of feeling, and loveliness of disposition towards all with whom he associates. I am happy in meeting with an accomplished and interesting female, who is conversant with the polite arts, and who blends simplicity and modesty with all her accomplishments; but if the spirit of the Saviour be wanting, we may most appropriately and emphatically apply the language of the wise man, “vanity of vanities, all is vanity." That is wanted, without which young people, however intelligent, gifted, amiable, and accomplished, are poor and miserable, blind and naked-in a state of complete spiritual destitution-of mournful wretchedness-of deep and fatal ignorance-and without any provision for life, death, or eternity. An irreligious youth is a pitiable object, because he is devoid of that,

which he indispensably and uniformly requires.

and numerous recesses, and to escape the imminent and fearful dangers by which he is encompassed, unless one be with him, who is perfectly acquainted with the intricacies of the way, and who can follow all its windings, and avert all its evils. A young person while ho continues below, is in the enemy's country, where there are numerous snares laid; the most subtle temptations presented; and the most alluring and fascinating inducements held out; consequently he requires "the wisdom which cometh down from above;" which is divine in its nature, unerring in its directions, and most efficacious in its influence. He wants armour, and the Christian panoply is the only defence that will render him invulnerable. He wants "the sword of the Spirit," and the shield of faith, or else he will be easily vanquished by his deadly foes.

If these remarks be accurate, the writer of this unpretending essay is perfectly warranted in affirming, that an irreligious youth is, morally and spiritually, in a state of utter and dreadful destitution. He wants the best principles to govern him; the best feelings to purify him; the best motives to incite him; the best guide to direct him; the best friend to cheer and invigorate him; the best arinour to constitute a sure and constant defence; the best enjoyments to compose and animate him; amidst all the afflictions and calamities of time; and the best hopes to brighten the passage that conducts to the tomb, and to unfold to his astonished and enraptured view, the unclouded splendours of immortality. My beloved young friends, be assured by one, who writes at least in his own humble estimation sincerely and experimentally on this subject, that it is the approving and benignant smile of Jesus, which constitutes the felicity of earth, and the unmingled bliss of the celestial Paradise; and if you feel any solicitude that moral beauty should be imparted to your character; that a halo of pure and resplendent glory should encircle your brow; that true, indeed divine, dignity, should be associated with your plans, habits and proceedings; that substantial and exquisite enjoyment should be realized, amidst all the fluctations of time, and all the calamities that are incident to mortality; that perfect security should be possessed in the season of difficulty, in the period of temptation, in the chamber of suffering, and in the article of nature's dissolution, you must bear an evident and a striking resemblance to that matchless Saviour, who is emphatically "the chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely." I uniformly commiserate the mournful condition of a man devoid of the spirit of the Gospel, because I know, that if he is not wretched now, the period will speedily arrive, when wretchedness will be his portion for ever; but when I see a profane or an impious youth, my feelings of commiseration are, if pos

sible still more nowerfully excited. T.G.P.

« הקודםהמשך »