decent behaviour in public worship; and concludes (c. 12.) with a series of scriptural quotations applicable to every situation in life, and the subjoined prayer to the Pædagogue, in which the doctrine of the Trinity is clearly and explicitly recognized. Ἴλαθι τοῖς σοῖς, παιδαγωγὲ, παιδίοις, πατὴρ, ἡνίοχε Ἰσραὴλ, υἱὲ καὶ πατὴρ, ἓν ἄμφω, Κύριε. Δὸς δὲ ἡμῖν, τοῖς σοῖς ἑπομένοις παραγγέλμασι, τὸ ὁμοίωμα πληρῶσαι τῆς εἰκόνος, αἰσθάνεσθαί τε κατὰ κράτος, ἀγαθοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κριτοῦ τε μὴ πικροῦ· καὶ παρασχε ἅπαντα αὐτὸς, ἐν εἰρήνῃ τῇ σῇ πολιτευομένους, ἐν τῇ σῇ μετατιθεμένους πόλει, ἀκυμάντως τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν κλύδωνα διαπλεύσαντας, γαληνιῶντας ἁγίῳ συμφέρεσθαι Πνεύματι σοφίᾳ τῇ ἀνεκφράστῳ, νύκτωρ, μεθ ̓ ἡμέραν, εἰς τὴν τελείαν ἡμέραν εύχαριστοῦντας αἰνεῖν, αἰνοῦντας εὐχαριστεῖν, τῷ μόνῳ πατρὶ καὶ υἱῷ, υἱῷ καὶ πατρὶ, παιδαγωγῷ καὶ διδασκάλῳ υἱῷ, σὺν καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι πάντα τῷ ἑνί· ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντα· δι ̓ ὃν τὰ πάντα ἕν· δι' ὃν τὸ ἀεί· οὗ μέλη πάντες οὗ δόξα, αἰῶνες. Πάντα τῷ ἀγαθῷ, πάντα τῷ καλῷ, πάντα τῷ σοφῷ· τῷ δικαίῳ τὰ πάντα. Ὧι ἡ δόξα καὶ νῦν, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ̓Αμήν. The most elaborate of Clement's works consists of a series of disquisitions on a variety of subjects, sacred and profane; thrown together, like pieces of tapestry of divers colours, with little regard to order or connexion. Hence the title Stromata, of which the following explanation is given by Casaubon, in his Animadversions on Athenæus, (Lib. I. c. 6. p. 4.):-Constat ex veterum lectione, et stragula superiora, et involucrum istud, quod antiquiores στρωματόδεσμον, recentiores στρωματεῖς vocarunt, variis coloribus distincta fere fuisse. Inde translatæ ea dictiones ad res significandas varietate insignes: cujusmodi fuit piscis σrpwμarevs dictus, ob coloris aurei virgas per totum illius corpus perductas; inquit Athenaus, lib. 7. Similiter et viri docti Excerpta sua ex variis auctoribus, aut proprie etiam scripta, sed veterum referta testimoniis, soliti στρωματόθεσμα vel στρωματεῖς appellare ; ut Clemens Alexandrinus, &c. Nicephorus translates the word Contexta, with an explanation to the same effect:-In Contextorum libris non solum pleraque ex divinis literis sternit et contexit, verum etiam si quid apud Græcos est scitu dignum affert. Et simul Græcorum atque barbarorum dogmata, necnon falso nominatæ scientiæ, hæresiarcharum et philosophorum opiniones explicans, multivagam omnis generis doctrinæ exhibet institutionem. Quapropter ex varietate materiæ merito illi talem sortiti sunt inscriptionem. The beginning of the first book is unfortunately lost, and with it probably the writer's own definition of the term. There is, however, a graphic illustration of the nature and intent of the work at the close of the seventh book, which may be here appropriately subjoined. Ἐοίκασι δέ πως οἱ Στρωματεῖς οὐ παραδείσοις ἐξησκημένοις, ἐκείνοις τοῖς ἐν στοιχείῳ καταπεφυτευμένοις εἰς ἡδονὴν ὄψεως· ὄρει δὲ μᾶλλον συσκίω τινὶ καὶ δασεῖ, κυπαρίσσοις καὶ πλατάνοις, δάφνῃ τε καὶ κισσῷ, μηλαίαις τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἐλαίαις, καὶ συκαῖς καταπεφυτευμένῳ, ἐξεπίτηδες ἀναμεμιγμένης τῆς φυτείας καρποφόρων τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀκάρπων δένδρων, διὰ τοὺς ὑφαιρεῖσθαι καὶ κλέπτειν τολμῶντας τὰ ὥρια, ἐθελούσης λανθάνειν τῆς γραφῆς. Ἐξ ὧν δὴ μεταμοσχεύσας καὶ μεταφυτεύσας ὁ γεωργὸς, ὡραῖον κατακοσμήσει παράδεισον, καὶ ἄλσος ἐπιτερπές. Οὔτ ̓ οὖν τῆς τάξεως οὔτε τῆς φράσεως στο χάζονται οι Στρωματεῖς· ὅπου γε ἐπίτηδες καὶ τὸν λέξιν οὐχ Ελληνες εἶναι βούλονται, καὶ τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ἐγκατασπορὰν λεληθότως, καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν πεποίηνται, φιλοπόνους καὶ εὑρετικοὺς εἶναι τοὺς εἴ τινες τύχοιεν παρασκευάζοντες. To enter into a fu!' analysis of the Stromata in the present number, would far exceed our allotted limits. We must, therefore, reserve the continuation of the article till next month. LAST WORDS OF THE DYING. LADY JANE GREY.-This excellent but unfortunate lady, who was one of the first victims to the popish prejudices of Queen Mary, concluded her address to the spectators of her execution in the following words." I beseech you all to bear me witness, that I here die a true Christian woman, professing and avouching from my soul, that I trust to be saved by the blood, passion, and merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour only, and by no other means; casting far behind me all the works and merits of mine own actions, as things so far short of the true duty I owe, that I quake to think how much they stand up against me. And now I pray you all pray for me and with me." Then, kneeling down, she said the Miserere in English; and, shortly, placing her head upon the block, added, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit." At this signal, her head was severed from her body at one stroke by the executioner, to the universal regret of the English nation, even those most attached to Queen Mary. HOBART, BISHOP OF NEW YORK, UNITED STATES.-It having been announced to this truly Christian Prelate, that no hope could be entertained of his recovery, he with a firmness and composure that melted every heart, said, "Well, God's will be done." After a short pause he exclaimed, "The sacrament, the sacrament! that is the last thing that is all-let me have it!" Preparations were accordingly made; and the officiating minister had reached that part of the confession, where we" acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time have committed by thought, word, and deed,” when he was interrupted by the Bishop observing, "You know the Church expects us to pause over these words; pause now, repeating one of the words at a time till I request you to go on." This was done; and the pauses in each case were so long, that a fear was entertained that he had lost his recollection or fallen asleep. This, however, was not the case; he repeated each word, and after the third pause, added, "Proceed, I will interrupt you no more." The prayer of consecration being ended, in compliance with the American rubric, he asked to hear read the ninety-third hymn. As soon as this was done, he sang clearly the second and third verses; received the blessed elements typical of a Saviour's love, and took his farewell of the world. HYMNS. FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. MORNING. ISAIAH, CHAP. V. SET in a high and favoured place, But where are found the heavenly fruits Pardon, O God, our deep offence! Spare thy unworthy creatures still; EVENING. ISAIAH, CHAP. XXIV. Lo, from His place, with glorious state surrounded, Vengeance and wrath shall break her strong foundation! Triumph, ye saints! proclaim the awful story! Falmouth. E. O. MR. EDITOR, CURE EXEGETICE. SWEDENBORGIANISM. YOUR readiness, at all times, to come forward in the defence of truth, has induced me to transmit for refutation, the following views of the atonement, as given out by those who assume not a little, by styling themselves members of the "New Church;" the doctrines of which they aver, and that too most confidently, to be irrefragable. I. The scape goat is the one only instance, specifically detailed, of a simultaneous representative transfer of sins, with the application of the priest's HAND to the HEAD of the victim. The pollution it contracted, and its consequent unfitness for the altar, is the strongest possible negative evidence that the animals were slain as immaculate as they were selected, (Lev. xvi. 21-26.) The sacrifices, besides, prefigure a feast-were presented, As upon a TABLE, for the Lord to eat, which he was supposed to do upon their consumption by fire; hence the expression, sweet-smelling savour, the Lord's bread and his meat, (Mal. i. 7, 12.) Can what the Deity accepts as food, be the punishments and torments of sinners? Could it be the punishments and torments of His own Son? II. The prophets of the Old Testament carried our griefs and bore our sorrows, (Isaiah xx. 2, 3; Hosea i. 2-9; iii. 1, 2; 1 Kings xx. 35-38; Ezek. xii.3-9.) And the iniquities of the two houses of Judah and Israel are expressly stated to have been laid on Ezekiel (chap. iv. 4-6); but no atonement for, no removal of, sin, either then, or since, has happened, as the after awful denunciation, (Ezek. iv. 16,17,) and the present prevalency of it, too sadly testify: it was the "nonreception of their God-breathed truths, the prophets represented,” thus becoming visible signs of the woeful degeneracy and impending destruction of their countrymen, (Ezek. xii. 11.) So our Lord not only verified Isaiah's prediction, (liii. 4, 11); but "as no less a being " than the "Grand Prophet," the "Lord of the prophets," the "very, or Divine, Truth," the "Word Incarnate," he submitted even to the cross; thus, in the most signal manner possible, "exhibiting, in an external and visible manner, their blasphemous treatment," both "in life and doctrine," of the biblical truths-of the word-of himself—and of his very self, as an object alike of their "corporeal and spiritual vision." III. But, surely, neither the blood of this innocent person, shed 1800 years ago, nor a belief in this transaction, has, or can procure for us the blessings of redemption. With equal reason may it be insisted, that "to eat his natural flesh," or "to drink his natural blood," is indispensably necessary for salvation, (John vi. 53-56); or that "the robes of the saints are literally washed in blood;" and that by such a process they are made white. It is not natural, or material, blood which is here meant, but the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and contained in his holy word; for as the blood of the human body, by its circulation, imparts health and strength, vigour and beauty, to the whole bodily system, so the blood of Christ, "the spiritual truth of his word," imparts to his "mystical body, the Church," health and strength, vigour and beauty, to its every member in their varied stations and degrees. Is not blood the life of ALL flesh? (Levit. xvii. 14.) So the blood of Christ-of the Lamb-of the Son of man, denote "the spiritual, the Divine life of the Lord," consequently, "of his word, since the words of the Lord, like the Lord himself, are Spirit, Truth, and Life," (John vi. 63; xiv. 6.) It is this spiritual blood, and this alone, that cleanses, purifies, sanctifies, regenerates. Hear the Saviour's words: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth: for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through thy truth." (John xvii. 17, 19.) IV. In the Jewish sacrifices the death of the victim was not regarded as to the idea of punishment, nor is its dying ever spoken of in the appointment of the ceremonial; but the slaying of it was merely considered as a necessary part of its preparation for food, and no more conveyed the idea of the punishment due to the offerer than "the reaping of the corn," which, in the offering of the first fruits, was presented, "as well as the animal sacrifices," to be "consumed upon the altar," sheerly and barely considered as viands of which the Lord was invited to partake. V. To sacrifice did not originally mean to slay, to kill, to deprive of life; but to make sacred, devote, and dedicate. When Aaron offered the Levites for an offering of the children of Israel, he did not put them to death, but "purified, cleansed, and set them apart," for "the ministry;" and thus sacrificed or consecrated them to the perpetual priesthood, (Numbers viii. 11,) that they might execute the service of the Lord, (Isaiah lxvi. 20, 21.) The process which constituted them an offering, is minutely mentioned, Numbers viii. 6-11. In chapter vi. 18, we learn how they became "a burnt offering." As such a burnt offering, Jephthah's daughter was consecrated to serve in a state of perpetual virginity," in the tabernacle, in holy things." A belief in her natural death has originated in a mistranslation of Thaneh, which is to rehearse with, (see Judges v. 11,) not to lament, (Judges xi. 40.) "Slain and dead she was to temporal concerns, but alive to the service of the Deity and the interests of religion." By some process, vaguely denominated "passing through the fire," Ahaz devoted his son as a "burnt offering to the impure service of Moloch, the idol god of the Ammonites;" it is certain, however, he did not kill him, from the fact that after the death of Ahaz, his son Hezekiah reigned in his stead, (2 Kings xvi. 3, 30.) VI. Sacrifices and burnt offerings were only by Divine permission, most decidedly not by the Divine concurrence, (Jer. vii. 22, 23; Ps. li. 7); it was to check among the Jews the Gentile propensity to homicide; they were permitted, they were tolerated, (Deut. xxxii. 17; Ps. cvi. 36-38; Gen. xxii. 10); as well as to answer, "in the counsels of infinite wisdom," the "further use" (by being slain, as well as selected, without blemish) of becoming representatives of the clean and harmless affections of the righteous man, which should be offered upon "the altar of a consecrated and renewed heart;" typifying thus that presentation of our bodies, as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, which is man's only reasonable service, (Rom. xii. 1.) |