图书图片
PDF
ePub

fully supplied. Let us look at our venerable old churches, founded and endowed by our forefathers, and we are confident that the present generation of churchmen will gladly follow their good example, whereby "every district in our land shall have its church, and every man will thankfully acknowledge the pastoral care of his own authorized minister." April 7, 1840. W. M.

THE BIBLE.

MIRACLES.

MIRACLES are wonderful acts or effects, superior or contrary to the known laws of nature. Such are the miracles of the Bible. Their truth is supported by the strongest evidence. They prove to us the Divine mission of those by whom they were wrought. "No man," saith Nicodemus to Christ, " can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." The truth of the Scripture miracles was never denied in the ages when they were performed. Moses appeals to those that knew them, as being themselves witnesses of the truth of what he relates, and the apostles of Christ do the same. Thus the miracles, when properly considered, confirm and strengthen our faith in the Bible, and in the Saviour's power and love.

There were certain peculiarities in the miracles of the Lord Jesus, which marked his divine nature in the performance of them in a way and manner different from all his servants. They performed all the miracles they wrought by the appointment and in the name of the Lord; Jesus wrought his in his own name. This contrast might be drawn out into a more lengthened detail were it necessary.

The evangelist St. John is careful to inform the Church, that "the beginning of miracles in Cana of Galilee" was shown in converting water into wine; as if to say such are the blessings of the Gospel. Our common mercies will be made rich mercies; and the nether springs in Jesus, if for his personal glory, shall become upper springs in Jesus. And this is still the more striking, because under the law the first miracle of his servant Moses was manifested in converting water into blood; but Jesus's first miracle is converting water into wine. What an argument of the most persuasive kind arises hence to look unto Him in every exercise, and to wait His grace in every dispensation.

The following is a tabular arrangement of the miracles of

our Lord and Saviour:-He turns water into wine, John ii. 1-11. Raises the dead, Luke vii. 11-17; viii. 40-56; John xi. 1-57; Matt. ix. 18-26. Heals the sick, Mark iii. 1-6; Luke iv. 38-14; v. 17-26; vii. 1-10; viii. 43-48; xiii. 10-17; John iv. 43-54; v. 1-16; Luke xxii. 49-51; Mark i. 30-31; Matt. viii. 5-13; ix. 1-8; xii. 10-13; xv. 22-28; Luke xiv. 1-6; xxii. 50, 51. Cleanses the lepers, Matt. viii. 1-4; Luke xvii. 11-19; Mark i. 40-45. Casts out devils, Luke iv. 31-37; Matt. viii. 28-34; Luke viii. 1-3; Matt. xv. 21-28; xvii. 14-21; Mark i. 22-28; Matt. xii. 22, 23. Makes the deaf to hear, Mark vii. 31-37. The dumb to speak, Matt. ix. 32-38; xii. 22, 23. The blind to see, Matt. ix. 27-31; xx. 29-34; John ix. 1-7; Mark viii. 22-26. Walks on the sea, Matt. xiv. 22-23. Calms the tempest, Matt. viii. 18-27. Feeds five thousand, John vi. 14; Matt. xiv. 1:5-21. Feeds four thousand, Matt. xv. 32-39. Procures tribute money, Matt. xvii. 24-27. Escapes the Jews, John viii. 59. Drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple, John . 13-17. Causes the barren fig-tree to wither, Matt. xxi. 18-22. Causes a miraculous draught of fishes, Luke v. 1-4; John xxi. 1-4.

THE LITURGY.

[From Wheatley's Remarks on the Common Prayer.]

Of the Order of Morning and Evening Prayer Daily throughout the Year.

THE LITANY.

WE now proceed to take a view of the Litany, which, though it may seem to be embodied with the Morning Service, yet it is a distinct and separate office in the intention of the Church, as is evident from the rubric before it, which appoints it to be be sung or said after Morning Prayer." Besides, it is an office of so different and peculiar a form, that it requires and deserves to be considered separately, and to be viewed in its own perfection; for it is so complete a form of Christian worship, that it may in a manner be called a lesser Liturgy, and ought to be esteemed as the best of offices in the best of Churches. The people have so great a share in the Litany, that they ought to understand it so that it may be a reasonable service. The word " Litany," means a supplication," (see rubric) so called, as being the most earnest kind of praying, expressed by way of beseeching or entreating, and it was anciently accompanied with fasting by the primitive Church; and thus our Litany is appointed to be

66

used on Wednesdays and Fridays, the two ancient fastingdays kept by the first Christians, because the bridegrom was then taken away; the death of Christ being designed on the Wednesday, when he was sold by Judas, and accomplished on the Friday, when he died on the cross. It is appointed also to be used on the Lord's day, though a festival, because there is the greatest assembly to join in so important a supplication, and partly that no day might seem to have a more solemn office than the Lord's day.

The Litany may be divided into four parts :

I. INVOCATION.

II. DEPRECATION.

III. INTERCESSION.

IV. SUPPLICATION.

We propose to explain it in this order :—

I. AN INVOCATION.-We have a divine command to call upon God for mercy in the time of trouble (James v. 13.) and all the Litanies I have seen (says Wheatley) begin with this solemn word, Lord have mercy upon us. So that this invocation is the sum of the whole Litany, being a particular address for mercy, first, to each person in the glorious Trinity, and then to them altogether. The address being urged by two motives, viz., first, because we are miserable; and secondly, because we are sinners; upon both which accounts we extremely need mercy.

The design of the people's repeating these whole verses after the minister is, that every one may first crave to be heard in his own words; which, when they have obtained, they may leave it to the priest to set forth all their needs to Almighty God, provided that they declare their assent to every petition as he delivers it.

(To be continued.)

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

Extracts from Holy Writ. &c. By Capt. Sir N. J. Willoughby, R.N., C.B., K.C.K. Second Edition. London: Burns. It is with peculiar pleasure that we call the attention of our readers to this interesting volume of Extracts, published gratuitously for the benefit of soldiers and seamen. The spirit of deep-toned piety which breathes through every page of this work is truly delightful, and we are assured must infuse its sacred leaven amongst the numerous class for whom the "Extracts" are chiefly intended. Sir N. J. Willoughby is descended from one of the most ancient and noble families in the land. His exploits and daring in defence of his country will be handed down from generation to generation, but that

which will most add to his glory is, this attempt to lead his fellow countrymen to take arms under the banner of the Prince of Peace. May the great Head of the Church render it an extensive blessing. We purpose on another occasion to speak more at large. For a specimen of its style, see the Treasury for the present month. We cordially hope that the compiler will permit it to be sold so that it may be widely known

The Duties of Woman, arising from her obligations to Christianity, by Mrs. Riley. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co.

WE cannot speak too highly of this little volume. We wish it were widely circulated, as it is eminently calculated, under the blessing of God, to be of immense service in diffusing a spirit of deep and fervent piety. The work is published at so low a price as to be within the range of many to procure it. We give it unqualified approbation, and allow it to speak for itself in an extract to be found in the Treasury for this month.

Plain Sermons, &c. By Francis Foreman Clark, A.B. London: Hatchards. 1840.

To those Christian householders who wish to procure a volume of sermons for reading in their families, we should be glad to recommend the one here mentioned. The style of writing is simple, yet elevated; deeply experimental, and yet plain to the very babe in divine things; the subjects selected are all of a practical character, and yet founded upon the great doctrines which are essential to salvation. We refer to the Treasury in the present number of the Village Churchman for a sample of the writer's mode of treating his subject, the one selected being an extract from a Sermon on the Ascension.

The Protestant Exiles of Zillerthal; their persecutions and expatriation from the Romish Church, and embracing the Reformed Faith. Translated from the German of Dr. Rheinwald, of Berlin. By John B. Saunders.

We have already (in our number for March) introduced this interesting little work to the notice of our readers, and are glad to have another opportunity of doing so, in announcing a Second Edition. Apart from all polemical considerations, we are convinced that it is well calculated, under God's blessing to subserve the interests of truth and piety, for it is scarcely

possible for any one to rise unimproved from the contemplation of so holy and edifying an example. Having so recently given extracts, we shall abstain from doing so on the present occassion, but instead, earnestly commend the entire narrative to the attention of our readers.

SPONSORS FOR THE POOR.*

THE Rev. Hugh M‘Neile, in opening his last lecture on the Church of England before the numerous and distinguished audience that had assembled to hear him in the Hanover Square Rooms, observed, that—

"There were persons whose attachment to the Church amounted almost to idolatry. In their admiration of the general excellence of our Establishment, they seemed to forget that it was human in its arrangement, and they would not be induced to believe that there was any defect or even a single error of judgment in any part of her polity, and therefore for any one to admit that any thing required amelioration, sounded to them little less than profanation."

[ocr errors]

Now, we love the Church, and believe her to be the means best suited for the instruction and national renovation of the people of this country; but for this very reason, we are anxious to look with a closely scrutinizing eye upon every imperfection which the human infirmity of her materials may have introduced into her system. And we cannot help adverting with the eloquent advocate for the Church of England, whose sentiments we have just quoted, to the lamentable state of disorder into which the administration of baptism has fallen in the parish churches of large towns and populous districts. Viewing these ordinances as they usually take place, we feel almost constrained to say with him, that "that which is held to be the highest exercise of our faith, is reduced to a lifeless, superstitious ceremony.

There is something exceedingly beautiful in the pictures which are called up in our minds by the thoughts of a village baptism.

"The priest in his simple dress of linen, clean and white; mothers come to return thanks for their deliverance from the great pain and peril of child-birth; little children brought to be washed in the waters of baptism, and presented in faith and hope to their merciful Saviour; grave fathers thinking, perhaps, of new exertions to be made in answer to the calls of an increased family; and young sponsors, serious, yet evidently pleased to discharge their interesting office."

But a still deeper interest hallows the scene when those who bring the little stranger for admission into the fold of Christ are duly affected by the profound spirituality of the sacrament, and can answer with adoring reverence, but firm faith, to the solemn questions which are addressed to them as sponsors for

"Sponsors for the Poor," by the Rev. Montague Hawtrey, M. A. Hatchard and Son, London.

« 上一页继续 »