merly worshipped. "Thy brother," Any man, especially any fellow-worshipper. "Hath aught." Hath any thing. Is offended, or thinks he has been injured by you in any manner. "First be recon ciled." This means to settle the difficulty; to make proper acknowledgement, or satisfaction, for the injury. If you have wronged him make restitution. If you owe him a debt which ought to be paid, pay it. If you have injured his character, confess it, and seek pardon. If he is under an erroneous impression; if your conduct has been such as to lead him to suspect that you have injured him, make an explanation. Do all in your power, and all you ought to do, to have the matter settled. From this we learn the reason why God often does not accept our offerings; and we go empty away from our devotions. We do not do what we ought to others; we cherish improper feelings, or refuse to make proper acknowledgments, and God will not accept such attempts to worship him. 25. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26. Verily, I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. "Agree with thine adversary quickly." This is still an illustration of the sixth commandment. To be in hostility, to go to law, to be litigious, is a violation always, on one side or the other, of the law requiring us to love our neighbour; and our Saviour regards it as a violation of the sixth commandment. While you are in the way with him, says he, that is, while you are going to the court, before the trial, it is your duty if possible, to come to an agreement. See 1 Cor. vi. 6, 7. The consequence of not being reconciled, he expresses in the language of courts. He did not mean to say, that this would be literally the way with God; but that His dealings with those who harboured these feelings, and would not be reconciled with their brethren, were represented by the punishment inflicted by human tribunals. "Thine adversary." A man that is opposed to us in law. It here means a creditor; a man who has a just claim on us. "In the way with him." While you are going before the court. Before the trial comes on. "The officer." The executioner; as we should say, the sheriff. "The uttermost farthing." The last farthing. All that is due. The farthing was a small coin used in Judea, equal to two mites. It was equal to about three halfpence of our money.' pp. 42-46. Mr. Keyworth's Notes are so concise, that we must, in order to give a fair sample, take in a larger section of the text. 'MATTHEW V. 66 2. Taught them." Our Lord's design in this sermon on the Mount, seems to be, to shew who are the truly blessed, by describing those gracious tempers and actions, which distinguish them from all others. He does not here teach the way of atonement, pardon, and salvation, but the manner in which all should walk who profess to be Christ's disciples. He also corrects the errors of the Pharisees, and shews the extent and spirituality of the holy law of God. 3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit." They who are emptied of spiritual pride, and have an abiding sense of their own unworthiness. Our Lord did not mean that one of his disciples should be poor in spirit; another be a mourner for sin; another be meek; and so on; but he would have every one seek earnestly to be all these; and surely, the man in whom they all meet, must be lovely and blessed! If such only are blessed, opposite characters must be cursed. What is our character at this moment? 4. "Blessed are they that mourn" for sin. 5. “Blessed are the meek," for though they do not always have much earthly good, yet they have most happiness in what they possess, and they will have an eternal inheritance hereafter. 6 6. "Thirst after righteousness." That is, earnestly long for righteousness, in heart and life. See ver. 8; also compare Rom. 6. 18, "Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness ;" and I John 3. 10, "Whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God.” 7. "Blessed are the merciful." What must they expect who oppress poor negro slaves, or who delight in cock-fighting, or the like? 6 9. "Blessed are the peacemakers." They then are cursed, who delight in prize-fights war, and strife. 13. "Ye are the salt." Consider yourselves as called on to be the salt, the means of instruction and purity.- "If the salt have lost his savour." A chemist may object that salt cannot really lose its taste, and hence the traveller Maundrell has been referred to, who mentions a rock of salt, the outside of which, by exposure to the sun and rain, had become tasteless; but it is enough to say, that all the sacred writers speak of things, not as men of science, but as the common people do; and indeed this is evidently a proverbial saying (Luke 14. 34.), and common proverbs often only assume what would be the case if such things were to occur. The comparison before us, is well suited to warn us, that the case of men, enlightened by the gospel, who have lost the savour of divine things, is peculiarly dangerous; see 2 Pet. 2. 20; Luke 14. 34; Mark 9. 50. 15. "Neither do men light a candle," or rather, “a lamp," for candles were not then used. Let Christians remember their cha racter. 6 17. "To fulfil ;" and by doing and suffering what the law and the prophets enjoin, prefigure, or foretell. 18. Till heaven and earth pass." That is, never.--' "One jot." Not even the smallest part of God's commands enjoining holiness, shall fail. See ver. 19. 19. "He shall be called the least." He shall have no place at all in Christ's kingdom." Whosoever shall do them." That is, sincerely; from a right motive, namely, love to God; and to a right end, the glory of God. All Antinomian disregard of the law of God, is here most solemnly condemned. 20. Our "righteousness must "exceed" that of the Scribes and Pharisees, by its being inward, as well as outward; by its being of a more spiritual character than theirs; and by its proceeding from evangelical motives, love to Christ.' Of Mr. Keyworth's " Daily Expositor ", we have reported favourably in our former volumes. Upon the present occasion, we purposely refrain from a critical examination of the several works brought under our notice, as that would have required a series of articles, rather than the general notice which they seemed to claim from us. Art. IX. Illustrations of the Pilgrim's Progress; accompanied with 1836. THESE Illustrations are praised by the Writer of the 'Biographical Sketch', as an exquisite series'; and, with some deductions, we are not disinclined to allow the phrase. They are, it is true, somewhat defective, both in simplicity and originality; but they display considerable richness of fancy, and readiness of adaptation. In point of execution, they prove great manual skill in the artist; and they have been put into the hands of engravers who have done the utmost justice to the glowing and beautiful imaginings of the painter. Altogether, we have seldom seen a more truly ornamental series of designs to a popular work; and we have no doubt that the good taste exhibited by the Publishers, in their selection of Mr. Melville, will meet its ample reward in the extensive popularity of the volume. The vignette is rich and lustrous, but we cannot say that we very clearly understand the meaning of the groupes in the fore-ground. Christian got up to the Gate", is a striking contrast of sunshine and storm; the dark castle and the devilish archery, are well introduced; and though the emblematic figures are, perhaps, not strictly Bunyanesque, we like their effect. "The Palace called Beautiful deserves its name, and the bosky avenue is delightfully treated. Christian passing the cave of Pope and Pagan is a clever design, though the hero advances somewhat too much in a minuet step, instead of with the heavy movement of a man armed cap-à-pie. The escape from giant Despair, Mr. Barton shall describe in his own spirited language. Here they are; the gloomy dungeons of Doubting Castle behind them, the glorious light of day, and the misty mountain tops before them. Still in the enemies' country, a bleak and barren scene; but the star of hope is on his forehead who was rightly named Hopeful, and Christian bears in his hand the unfailing key which has prompted them to burst their bonds. No one was better qualified than Bunyan to draw, to the life, the horrors of Doubting Castle, or had more grateful cause to point out to its all but hopeless captives the irresistible virtues of the Key of Promise. He had himself proved its efficacy, and was well authorized by experience to proclaim, through its use, the opening of the prison-doors to them that are bound!' 'The Delectable Mountains' give the subject of, as we think, the most beautiful design in the volume, the glowing sunset contrasting with the sinking moon-the bright architectural distance -the fountains, flowers, waterfalls, and mountains in the middleground, with the well-grouped figures in the front, are well conceived and excellently managed. Mount Clear comes next, and it is a beautiful design of tree, and rock, and torrent, with that bright yet misty far-off view of the Celestial City, which accords so well with Bunyan's description. The Pilgrims' we like the least, and prefer Bernard Barton's sonnet. 'A band of Pilgrims on their heavenward way Have in their Progress reached a hopeful stage, survey Their birth-place, but the light of purer day Illumes their onward path. Search Bunyan's page, Think it not all a dream; the path they tread, Though now, as then, by flesh and blood abhorr'd, Must by each Christian Pilgrim be explored, Who would escape the peril whence they fled, Whose Builder and whose Maker is the Lord!' 6 6 The Wicket Gate,' with Christiana and her children seeking entrance, is a pleasing design, with well drawn figures. The 'Valley of Humiliation' reminds us of the old school :—the ruined tower, the broken stream, and the rustic bridge are simple, but interestingly brought together. Good, too, is the Destruction of 'Doubting Castle;' the dead giant and his manacled wife tell the story well. The River of the Water of Life' is in truth' a 'calm and quiet scene;' a beautiful sunset on a tranquil stream, with richly wooded banks. The Land of Beulah' is the last; fountains and rich foliage terminating in a mountain path to an architectural distance. Such is the faint outline of a series of plates, respecting which we shall only add that we shall be right glad to look upon their like again.' Bernard Barton has done his part well. He has praised with discrimination, and with fine taste has, in almost every instance, made Bunyan tell his own tale, in a series of exquisitively chosen extracts from his inimitable allegory. 6 But how shall we dispose of the Biographical Sketch? We would fain say something of it, but, for obvious reasons, we are inhibited from the expression of our opinion. We shall, then, make one observation, and give one quotation. There was wanted, in counteraction of the erroneous representations put forward in Dr. Southey's masterly life of Bunyan, such an exposition of conduct and sentiment as should vindicate them both from direct or implied aspersion. Our readers will judge for themselves, from the following sample, of the manner in which this part of Mr. Conder's task has been performed. Of the propriety of Bunyan's conduct, in refusing to desist from preaching, differing opinions will be formed. Dr. Southey, as might be anticipated, takes a decided part with his judges; giving it as his opinion, that in none of Bunyan's writings "does he appear so little reasonable, or so little tolerant, as upon these examinations." In what his intolerance consisted, is not very apparent; but the learned Biographer possibly refers to honest John's objection to using the common-prayer-book, as not being of divine authority. In proof that he was unreasonable, it is urged, that "he was neither called upon to renounce any thing that he did believe, nor to profess any thing that he did not; that the congregation to which he belonged, held at this time their meetings unmolested; that he might have worshipped when he pleased, where he pleased, and how he pleased; and that he was only required not to go about the country holding conventicles." The extreme disingenuousness of this statement will be evident when it is recollected, that the statute under which he was indicted, rendered his nonconformity itself a crime; that his abstaining from coming to church was placed in the front of his offence; and that he was not only required to profess what, in him, would have been hypocrisy, but to renounce what he believed to be his sacred duty. "Sir," said Bunyan, in a subsequent examination, to the clerk of the peace, who tried to persuade him to forbear awhile, "Wicliff saith, that he who leaveth off preaching and hearing of the word of God for fear of excommunication of men, he is already excommunicated of God, and shall in the day of judgement be counted a traitor to Christ." When reminded that the Scripture enjoined obedience to the powers that be, his answer was: "That Paul did own the powers that were in his day to be of God; and yet he was often in prison under them, for all that; and also, though Jesus Christ told Pilate that he had no power against him, but of God, yet he died under the same Pilate. And yet," (he added,) "I hope you will not say that either Paul or Christ were such as did deny magistracy, and so sinned against God in slighting the ordinance. Sir, the law hath provided two ways of obeying the one, to do that which I in my conscience do believe I am bound to do actively; and where I cannot obey actively, there I am willing to lie down, and to suffer what they shall do unto me." Such was the "unreasonable" character of his defence; and because it was, in the opinion of the Apologist for Laud, unreasonable, Bunyan, we have been told, "is most wrongfully represented as having been the victim of intolerant laws and prelatical oppression." Yet, it is admitted, that he evinced at least the strength of will and strength of heart, the fortitude and the patience of a martyr.' pp. 25, 26. We cannot help feeling something like regret that the entire text of the Pilgrim's Progress does not accompany the Illustra'tions; but we understand that an edition to which they will correspond is in preparation. |