an awful confirmation of prophecy, and a glorious display of the sovereign and discriminating grace of Jehovah !

Having already, probably too long, exercised the patience of your readers, I forbear, Mr. Editor, any enlargement on the benefits flowing to sinners through the medium of the cross of Christ. Allow me, however, just to mention what appear to me fair and legitimate deductions from the foregoing fact. They are the following: That we may by this test judge, with tolerable accuracy, what was genuine primitive Christianity; and who make the nearest approaches to it in our own day: that the unlearned have equal moral capabilities of understanding and receiving the true doctrines of Christianity as the most profound scholars that there may be many moral hindrances to the proper reception of Christian truth, united with extensive learning, various talent, high estimation with the world, and great literary fame: that such in reality has been the case since the introduction of the Christian dispensation: that this, so far from being prima facie evidence of the falsehood of any particular form of Christianity, is a strong presumption in its favour, as being the genuine primitive system: that as wilful error on such a subject involves the most awful consequences, we should seriously and diligently cultivate a spirit of humble enquiry and ardent prayer to Him who has promised, That the meek he will guide in judgment, and teach his way.' Whether that system, the principal character of which lies in undervaluing the sacred writings, or that which regards them as the only and sufficient rule of faith and practice, be best calculated to promote such a spirit, all must judge for themselves. I remain yours, &c.

W. E.

ANECDOTES.

Translated from a respectable Publication at Basle.

A PERSON who worked in a brewery quarrelled with one of his fellow-workmen, and struck him in such a manner that he died upon the spot. No other person was witness to the deed. He then took the dead body and threw it into a large fire under the boiling-vat, where it was in a short time so completely consumed that no traces of its existence remained. On the following day, when the man was missed, the murderer observed very coolly, that he had perceived his fellow-servant to have been intoxicated; and that he had therefore probably fallen from a bridge which he had to cross in his way home, and been drowned. For the space of seven years after, no one entertained any suspicions of the real state of the fact. At the end of this period, the murderer was again employed in the same brewery, He was then induced to reflect on the singularity of the circum

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stance that his crime had remained so long concealed. Having retired one evening to rest, one of the other workmen who slept with him, hearing him say in his sleep, It is now full seven years ago,'-asked him, "What was it you did seven years ago?" I put him,' he replied, still speaking in his sleep, under the boiling vat.'-As the affair was not yet entirely forgotten, it immediately occurred to the man that his bed-fellow must allude to the person who had been missing about that time; and he accordingly gave information of what he had heard to a magistrate. The murderer was apprehended; and though at first he denied that he knew any thing of the matter, a confession of his crime was at length obtained from him, for which he suffered condign punishment.

SOMETIME since, the writer of this article was preaching in a country village, in Lincolnshire, from 1 Kings x. 7,- The half. was not told me.' The words were considered in an accommodated view, as appropriate to the felicity of the righteous, and also as awfully applicable to the case of the ungodly, throughout the endless ages of eternity! When speaking upon the latter head, a man exceedingly intoxicated rushed into the room, and sat down; who, nevertheless behaved with decorum during service. After service was concluded, it was found that he had thus intruded himself in consequence of a wager.-Some one offered to lay him a tankard of ale that he dared not venture in.--'Yes,' added he with an oath; and if Hell-door was open I would go in.'-Solemn reflection! in a few days, and, I think, before the next time of preaching,-Death, the king of terrors, arrested his awful progress, cut the brittle thread of life, and consigned him over to the retributions of eternity.-I sit not in judgment; but surely the wicked is driven away in his wicked Ress;' sometimes in a very exemplary manner.

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Evangelicana.

ILUSTRATION OF SCRIPTURE.

ARMSBY.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished, and bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.-John xix. 30.

COMMENTATORS have agreed to understand the last words of our Redeemer upon the cross, as expressive of the accomplishment of our redemption by him; but they have neither explained the necessity of his using such a phrase, nor the necessity of his uttering it with a loud voice: whereas, since all that he said at his death, this phrase excepted, yea, every circumstance of that great event has been acknowledged to have been necessary; because they were all either foretold or typified in the Scriptures concerning him, it seems reasonable to think that this expression likewise is an allusion to, or is the fulfilment of, some Old Testament type. Per. haps, the following thought may serve to explain it:

it is well known, that the Jews were commanded to observe the first day

of every new moon as an holy day to the Lord; for which purpose, it was necessary carefully to observe the change of the moon, that the people might have timely notice of that event. Accordingly, the men that had understanding of the times,' who observed the new moon, were to repair, with all speed, to the grand council, and to give notice of it. The President proclaimed the new moon, by saying, wp [Mekudesh]—it is consecrated; which word was twice repeated aloud by the people; after which it was ordered to be proclaimed everywhere by the sound of the trumpet, &c.

Now, if we consider the new moon as typical of the gospel-day, the new dispensation of grace, and the change of the moon as typical of the death of Christ, or the time when he died, if, moreover, we consider Christ as the Grand President of the Gospel Council, to whom all power in Heaven and on earth is committed, we shall find his last words full of meaning, and evidently analogous to that word which intimated the change of the moon. We may date the commencement of the gospel dispensation from the death of the Lord of Glory. This was a change indeed! Then • old things passed away, and all things become new.` This change was intimated by the great Governor among the nations. finished.' The Old Testament economy is come to its end, and the New is just about to appear.

He cried,' It is

It is very observable, that the original word reteλsal, rendered in our translation It is finished,' is of the same import with the word Melcudesh. Either of them may be rendered 'It is consecrated,' or 'It is finished *. This may shew us, not only that Christ finished the work of redemption on the Cross, but that the gospel requires us to be holiness to the Lord.' The great Redeemer cried, It is consecrated; that is, The time is now come when holiness shall more universally prevail, and when the spirit of holiness shall be poured out upon all nations.

It may be added, that in imitation of the President of the Jewish Council, Christ uttered his last words with a loud voice t; and, in a short time after, he ordered this great change to be proclaimed by the sound of the

gospel-trumpet through all the world. Go ye,' said he to his apostles, into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.'

Tell them that the old ceremonies and ritual institutions are abolished; and that henceforth, the kingdom of God consists not in meats and driaks, but in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Sir,

To the Editor.

What follows, is a description of the manner in which was kept what the Roman Catholics call Corpus Christi Day, at Valencia, in Spain, in 1803; and its insertion would perhaps increase the zeal of some of your readers, to spread the Scriptures in Spain at this favourable time. Yours, &c.

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THE day was ushered in by violent ring of bells; and the streets were thronged with people of all ranks in the gala clothes, and many in masquerade dresses. In the cathedral were a number of gigantic and ridiculous figures opposite to the saints, and were carried in the same procession. The church was filled with people, the Sacrament exposed on the altar, the canons in the choir, habited in purple soutans and hoods, sung to a noble organ, assisted by a powerful baad of other instruments. The archbishop presided. Smail processions kept moving to the cathedral, carrying the images of the different parish churches and convents to the general rendezvous. Every house had its saints new dressed, and placed in conspicuous situations. The soldiers, with difficulty, made a passage thro

the crowd for the triumphal cars. The first contained a representation of the Trinity, and of Adam and Eve expelled from Paradise. Between these effigies, a set of boys danced with hoops and bells. The second had the Virgin; the third, Faith; the fourth, St. Vincent, by whose interposition Valencia is supposed to have been delivered from the Moors; the fifth, St. Michael; and the sixth, the Devil, who had differeut accompanyments from the rest. On his stage the seven mortal sins were represented by masks; the foremost among them was Fornication, dancing to a fiddle, and exhibiting every sort of indecency. A cart, filled with orangeleaves, preceded the procession, which were scattered before it; and it made the tour of the whole city. It appeared nearly in the following order: - Gigantic figures of gentlemen, ladies, Moors, and Egyptians, preceded by outre characters, with enormous heads; saints from the parishchurches, attended by the priests and chief inhabitants in full dress, together with dancing boys and music. Scripture characters : — · Moses with the law; Aaron, in pontifical robes, with the budding rod; David with the harp, Sampson with Goliah's head, Joshua with the sun in his hand, Abraham with Isaac bearing the faggots, Noah carrying the dove, and Balaam on his ass. Then followed the convents of the city, all carrying their saints and candles, and chanting as they walked. four Evangelists in masquerade : - St. Luke had a bull's head. Priests again; three large gilt eagles walking; priests and canons of the cathedral, carrying solid gold and silver statues of saints; noblemen and gentlemen in full dress; the Host (or Corpus Christi) in a high Gothic frame-work of gold, under a rich canopy, surrounded by a blaze of candles; the four senior canons of the cathedral; the mitre on a crimson cushion; the archbishop walking bare-headed, with his crosier in his hand; gentlemen of the archbishop, carrying his red velvet chair of state; nobles of the city; the governor and general with candles. The procession concluded with a detachment of soldiers. On the entrance of the Host into the church there was a discharge of artillery; and the building was lighted up in the most fanciful and richest manner. A loud and noisy chorus of rejoicing was sung, accompanied with orgars, fiddles, bells, &c.; and when this confusion of tongues and sounds had finished, the archbishop ate the object of adoration, the Corpus Christi, having previously elevated it before the people. He was surrounded by tapers, incense, and priests in glittering robes; and seemed enveloped in a flood of light! He then assumed his mitre, gave the benediction, and the piece concluded.'

Papal Curse on Holy Thursday.

Priests:

- The

We are informed, that the present mild and virtuous Head of the Roman Church' (as some style the Pope) still continues, in the service of Holy Thursday,' to pronounce his anathema against all heretics, and especially against the Lutherans, in the following terms : —

We, therefore, following this ancient and solemn custom, excommunicate and anathematize, on the part of Omnipotent God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as well as on our part, all Heretics, who follow the damnable, impious, and abominable heresies of Martin Luther, and all those who foster and receive them, as well as the readers and general defenders of the works of the said Martin, or of any other of them,' &c.

This excommunication is understood, by believers in the Pope, to take place instantly in all parts of the world. Wherever there is any Heretic, he is on this day, subject to cramps, aches, stitches, and other evils, which his Holiness mercifully dispenses from his exalted station in the gallery of the front of St. Peter's church at Rome!

The curse causeless shall nɛt come' (Prov. xxvi. 2); and, thanks be to God, such is the light we now enjoy, that none fears that the curse of the Man of Sin' shall come.

Anecdote of Whiston.

WHISTON being one day in discourse with Lord Chancellor King, who was brought up a Dissenter at Exeter, but had conformed, -a debate arose about signing articles which men do not believe, for the sake of preferiment. This the Chancellor openly justified. Because,' said he,' we must not lose our usefulness for scruples.' Whiston, who was quite of an opposite opinion, asked his Lordship, If in his court they allowed of such prevarication? He answered, We do not.' "Then," said Whiston, suppose God Almighty should be as just in the next world as my Lord Chancellor is in this, where are we then ?"

JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.

A Brief Account of the Death of J. K. G.

aged Nine Years and Seven Months, who died September 6, 1808. For several months previous to his death, he was under great darkness and depression of mind, He often said, he was lost; and there was no

anercy for him. God would never save him, &e. On Sabbath-day, July 8. he was so ill as not to be able to attend at Stepney Meeting, as he had generally done. In the evening of that day, he expressed a desire to go to the chapel in Pell Street, near where he lived. The text was, Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.' He was very septentive and on leaving the place, he said, This was a nice sermon;' and several times after, mentione! the comfort he derived from it: but still this mind continued in a state of darkness and distress. He had great fear of death, nevertheless he was resigned and patient under his very painful affliction. *.

July 31. He desired his mother to give him the Bible; and he selected the third chapter of Job to be read before family-worship (where Job curseth the day of his birth). She asked him if that suited the frame of his mind. He said it did; for that he had no hope. Being asked, by the minister who called to see him, If he should pray with him, and what he should pray for, he answered, That I may have a good hope!' The next morning he told his mother, he was very comfortable. Being questioned as to the foundation of his comfort, he said,' It is Jesus Christ.' What ground have you to hope that he will save you?" He answered, His word: he has said, Come unto me, and I will in nowise cast you .out; and I come.' He mentioned several passages of Scripture, which were very sweel to his mind, particularly,Unto you that believe, he is precious;' and Isaiah xlv. 21, A just God and a Saviour.' This last passage, he often said, afforded him great consolation; and he wished he had strength to write down the thoughis he had upon it. He was desirous of no company but that of serious persons. On being asked, if he would like to get well again, he said, he would rather depart, and be with Christ,' if it was the Lord's will; for while he lived here he should be always sinful; but he would not desire any thing contrary to the will of God.

Sometimes he said, his mind was so happy, that he could not express it, the fear of death was quite taken away Death had lost his sting: but he was not at all times equally comfortable. On one occasion he said to his father, If I was an hypocrite, would Satan tempt me to think so?' The reply was, If he was that awful character, it did not appear to be the interest of Satan to disturb him. What a mercy,' said he, we don't know beforehand what we shall have to suffer!' At another time he said, Father, I hope I can now use the words of good old Simeon: Lord, now ellest thou thy servant depart in peace,' &c.

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