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the sepulchre before the women. the mother of James, and other Matt. xxviii, 11.--I think it there-, women, which told these things to fore highly probable that Mary the Apostles. What things? The Magdalene left the sepulchre before things, clearly, which he had just the angel's address; and particularly written. Now Matthew tells us, when I reflect on the following xxvii. 55, 56, and Mark xv. 40, 41. reasons:

that these same women followed 1. She could not know, certainly, Jesus from Galilee; Matthew xxvii. that the angel was about to speak 61, the very position of the two to them; and she was too much Marys when Joseph entombed the alarmed perhaps, even to advert to body; and Mark xv, 47, who they the probability of such an event. were that saw the spot, and whose

2. She might easily see, the names, therefore, Luke omits. instant the stone was removed, if Mark also gives the names of those not by the first rays of the sun, as who purchased the spices, and whom the sepulchre stood east and west, Luke very naturally mentions not yet by the illumination of the by name; and they are the very angel's presence, or by the lamp same two women. of the guard in the outer chamber, I hope the probability that Mary that the body was not in the place Magdalene separated from her comwhich she knew so well.

panions immediately before the 3. Mary Magdalene's notion that angel's address is now established; the body had been removed else. and the consistency also of the where is more natural on the sup- hypothesis, that the Evangelists position of her not having heard relate one and the same visit. the address of the aagel.

It is unnecessary to examine the 4. If she had heard from an barmony of G. H. R. for if the angel this positive declaration, He hypothesis of but one visit by is risen, would she bave dared to the women be substantiated, the tell the same angel, They have other hypothesis necessarily fails. taken away my Lord ?

I am indebted to your correspond5. And is it not doubtful, at the ent both for his Christian kindness least, whether the other women in offering the harmony contained participated in her erroneous belief, in his letter; and for the occasion if they went with fear, and GREAT which it has been of a still closer JOY?

examination of the subject, attended 6. And if she had gone away by still happier results in the renewwith great joy from the sepul- ed convictions of the writer's mind chre, why should she, subsequently, that Jesus Christ our Lord is have stood there weeping ?

declared to be the Son of God with I cannot think St. Luke's account power, according to the Spirit of other than favourable to the suppo holiness, by THE RESURRECTION sition of Mary Magdalene having FROM "TIE DEAD." been with the women, Joanna and

I am, Sir, others. For he says, (Luke xxiii.

Your's faithfully, 55.) that the women who had fol- Wistaston Rectory.

T. B. lowed him from Galilee, bad seen the sepulchre, and particularly how His body was laid. That these women had prepared spices and ** We trust our valuable Cor. ointments; that they, these same respondents will excuse our inserting women, came into the sepul- any further explanations on this chre very early in the morning subject; as they most probably (xxiv. 1.) and that it was Mary would not be generally interesting Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary to our readers.-ED.

THE TWO HEARTS.

Some time ago, I dreamt that I “But cannot this heart be recti. was in a kind of laboratory, in the fied ?' asked I eagerly. midst of which sat a venerable man, •No,' replied the old man, but deeply occupied in examining some- a new one may be substituted. thing on a table near him. I drew There is but one wbo can effec. near, and on looking closer, dis- tually change it, and He promises covered he was employed in the to give new hearts to those who dissection of a human heart. It seek them.--I have a heart of his the first glance, it appeared fair to workmanship, if you like I will the view ; but the operator, whose show it to you. name was Truth, applied to it a He then produced in careful presmall mirror of exquisite workman- servation, a heart widely different ship, and invited me to examine from the other, in fair colour, and it. I did so, and was surprised to soft to the touch ; appearing in some find the heart of a very dark colour, parts, as though it had been broker. and in many places deformed; it On inspecting it more narrowly felt also, when I touched it, very for the words I had seen on the hard and cold. You seem asto other, I found in large letters (what nished,' said the surgeon, Know the surgeon informed me was the you not that the heart is deceitful first impression the Maker stamped above all things, and desperately on it, and with his own private seal) wicked ; and this is a heart in its the word Love. Below indeed I natural state. The name of this perceived Self, but on a level with mirror is the Law of God, and it is it was Neighbour. And while in 80 perfect, as invariably to detect the former every thing relating to the slightest flaw. He then pointed God was omitted, here in every part, out to me certain words engraven in the most inward recesses, I met very legibly on the surface of the with His name. Faith, hope, heart. In the most prominent devotion, humility, and many other part, I distinctly read (for it was in graces were there; but I should strong characters) the word Self. bave very imperfectly distinguished Lower down were Pride, Anger, them, without the assistance of a Hypocrisy, Ambition, Craft, Avarice, lamp, called good works. and many others of a similar kind. I noticed however a few spots In one corner my director informed here and there which I remarked to me I should find the motives : but my companion. they were so heaped together, and "These,' said he, ‘are the cause in such a confused state, that I was of great sorrow to the owner of the unable to distinguish them. He heart, for they open again those then took a sharp kind of probe, wounds in it which you have percalled the word of God, and by it ceived. and often erase the word dividing the mass, laid them out in Peace which had been stamped upon order before me. Heb. iv. 12.

it. In spite of all his efforts tbese I turned away from the picture stains are ever-contracting; there is in sadness and disgust, ‘Yes, replied but one fountaip in which they can he, as in water face answereth to be cleansed—a fountain rising in face, so the heart of man to man. Mouut Calvary, and called the The dim light afforded by reason blood of Christ. and conscience is too often obscured I was proceeding to make further by the shades of passion and self- inquiries, when, to my sorrow, love; no light but that of Truth suddenly awoke, and found that it is adequate to the discovery, was only a dream.

E. H. REVIEW OF BOOKS.

An Appendir to the Hora Homile- and reciprocal effects of Bible,

tica, or Discourses (in the form Missionary, Jewish, and similar of Skeletons) upon the whole Societies in diffusing religious Scriptures : containing nine Ser knowledge, are great beyond conmons before the University, on the ception. Their numerous public Law and Gospel. By the Rev. meetings attract attention, elicit C. Simeon, M. A. Fellow of talent, correct erroneous impresKing's College, Cambridge 6 vol. sions, remove prejudice, stimulate 8vo. Cadell, 1828.

enquiry, excite to action, perbaps occasionally provoke to emulation,

Thirty years ago a few thousand Few points will, we apprehend, Bibles, Testaments, and Prayer be more generally conceded than Books issued from the Society for this, that a very considerable im- Promoting Christian Knowledge, provement in our pulpit addresses were adequate to the demands for the has taken place since the com- poor, for schools, &c. while tens, we mencement of the present century. might even add hundreds of thouWe may not be able, indeed, to sands are at present required; and produce so many learned, eloquent, saturated as some would supposé, impassioned, pathetic preachers, as the Christian world must be with

the Christian world must have existed in some bighly favored the extended issues of later years, places and periods, though even it is still found that the utmost this is not absolutely certain, but exertions of the British and Foreign the general strain of preaching, is Bible Society, the Naval and Milidecidedly superior to that which tary Bible Society, the Prayer Book existed within our own recollection and Homily Society, are necesThe leading and distinguishing sary in order to assist in that truths of the gospel are more clearly work to which the rapidly increasing exhibited ; the doctrines of justific funds, and proportionally extensive cation by faith, and of the Holy issues of thc Society for Promoting Spirit's influence, are more expli. Christian Knowledge, are obviously citly stated ; and a higher tone both unequal; while the extension o of principle and practice is exten- education by the National and vasively prevalent ;-is, we trust, rap- rious other School Societies, must idly advancing. To what it may necessarily increase, still farther the be asked is this improvement owing? demand for Bibles, Testaments, and and in reply, numerous causes may Prayer Books. Thus many have be assigned. Much is doubtless run to and fro, and knowledge has owing to the general progress of increased. Its increase has apscience and literature; to the spirit peared in the demand for religious of enquiry which has from various instruction, and religious instruction causes been excited, and the nume- has in its turn stimulated to farther rous controversies on religious inquiry. topics, which, however painful in În contemplating, however, the themselves, and injurious in some exertions and the effects of Societies, respects, have yet powerfully tended we must not overlook the labours to diffuse truth, and detect the of individuals; and, recurring to fallacies and sophistry of error. the point from which we have Far more improvement, however, somewhat digressed, there is perhas been produced by causes which haps no individual who can be many overlook, and some loudly named, to whom the obvious censure and condemn. The direct improvement in public preaching is SEPT. 1829.

2 Y

so unquestionably to be attributed improvement of public preaching, as the author before us.

more than many others who have For nearly half a century, our laboured in either University, or valued and revered friend, the Rev. in other important and public staCharles Simeon, has devoted his tions during a course of years ? talents and energies,--talents and Our answer is, simply because he energies of no ordinary kind, to this has directed all his efforts to this one grand object. In very early life, one point. Some five and thirty he became possessed of the paltry years ago, he published Claude's living of the Holy Trinity in Essay on the Composition of a Cambridge. He at once saw the Sermon, purged from all the value and importance of the station. monstrous farrago with which Year after year has passed on-the Robert Robinson had disgraced its companions of his youth, the friends pages; he illustrated this Essay by of his riper years, have gradually a small collection of skeletons; and moved away from the University- he thus proceeded, from less to but Mr. Simeon is still there; the more: not only so, but be collected valuable livings and important around him a number of bopeful situations in the gift of the royal youths, ingenuous and well-disposed foundation of King's College have students, desirous of coming forth passed in review before him, but as workmen that needed not to be hie has not been moved from his ashamed, rightly dividing the word one object; to that object he has of truth; to them he kindly, devoted his time, his talents, his regularly, disinterestedly communiproperty, his unwearied, his, in this cated advice and assistance, directworld, unrewarded labours; we saying their efforts, correcting their unrewarded, for we know that for mistakes, encouraging and animany years the whole, or even mating their exertions. One more than the whole amount of his generation has passed away, and little living was paid to bis curates; another generation come, for a and we question even now, if his Cambridge generation lasts only private charities to his parishioners three or four years, but our valued are taken into account, whether he friend has still remained at his bas really received one single post, repeating to many a son the farthing for forty or fifty years' instructions which he had formerly labours as incumbent of the Holy communicated to his father. Trinity, Cambridge; though during But it has been especially in that the whole period he has been, on our valued friend has been himan average, preaching two or three self a living lesson of the truths he sermons per week; and though taught,' that he has so powerfully the work before us, the appendix contributed to pulpit eloquence. to eleven volumes previously pub. One maxim he has steadily and inlished--a trifling appendix of above variably kept in view, namely, To seven hundred skeletons or ser- exhibit in every discourse the mons; making, with his former identical proposition contained in publications, some two thousand his text. His sermons are never outlines of discourses, most clearly essays to which the text is merely demonstrates that he has not offered a motto prefixed. They always to his flock that which cost him rise fairly from the subject proposed. nothing; but that as a good house. You may doubt whether the author holder, he hath brought forth out " has taken a correct view of his text, of his treasures things new and but his sermon always explains, old.

illustrates, enforces, applies that But how, it may be said, has view which he has taken of the Mr. Simeon thus conduced to the meaning of the passage; and hence

he has for many years been most mature consideration, is deemed fit patiently and attentively listened to to see the light, it is deposited with by persons of widely different sen- the utmost care timents, and has, by the close

In ponderous iron chest, ness of his arguments, the power Whose grating hinge doth far and wide of his illustration, the liveliness

resound, of his images, the eloquence and and where retained, as old Horace pathos of his delivery, been, under advises, for some nine years, it the divine blessing, most extensively waits the slow accumulation of useful. In early days he endured successive leaves, until the mighty much pitiless pelting, but now, even mass is formed, and the printers his enemies are at peace.

aid is called to send the goodly But all this is about the man, volumes through the world.' and not about the work. Be it so, Of these discourses it may be we love the man, and have no observed, that they are all carefully inclination to cavil at his work. In divided, subdivided, applied, or good truth, we have nothing to improved. Possibly some may cavil at. There are spots in the desire greater diversity in the numsun, but we have no disposition to ber of divisions and the mode of blind our eyes in order to descry application. In practice, however, them, It is quite possible there three or four heads are as many as may be some half dozen positions can conveniently be discussed in the in these six volumes from which prescribed time, and are more we dissent, but as we are fully easily remembered than a greater satisfied there are some six hundred number, and by bringing forth the in which we agree, and as we have application in distinct propositions, really not discovered any marks of a more permanent effect is produced. heretical pravity, we can with a Sermons without divisions afford very safe conscience recommend the greater scope for eloquent display, work as a whole, to the serious but are far less adapted to general perusal of every reader.

utility. We feel, however, somewhat We must not however dismiss disposed to demonstrate our superior these volumes without inserting a information by letting out a little specimen. And though a single of the secret history of these skeleton can convey no more idea volumes. Know then, that Mr. of the work itself than the brick Simeon rises early of a morning, which we are told was once carried and especially of a Sunday morning, out as the sample of a house, yet and having arranged and prepared still it may exhibit our author's the outline of his sermon, proceeds sentiinents on a subject of much in due time to the church of the discussion, and very general interHoly Trinity, and delivers the same est in the present day. to a numerous and attentive

CHRIST'S REIGN ON EARTH. congregation. Then, when other Zech. xiv, ..

Zech, xiv. 9. The Lord shall be King preachers have done with the ser.

over all the earth: in that day shall

- there be one Lord, and his name one. mon, our venerable friend resumes.

Under the Jewish Dispensation, the his labour; he reviews his own saints looked forward to the first coming discourse, commits it carefully to of our Lord; at the prospect of which, paper, weighs it with jealous and though at the distance of two thousand scrupulous care in his most correct years, Abraham exulted, and leaped for and critical balance; if light, he

joy. Under the Christian Dispensation, sacrifices it without mercy, and

we look forward to this second advent;

when he shall take to him his great scatters the disjointed fragments to

power, and reign over the face of the the four winds of heaven; but if it whole earth. The near approach of this possess the due weight, and on great event should make us more intent

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