8. The body of Christ having been "once offered," this sacrifice neither needs to be, nor can be, repeated. "The offering of the body of Jesus Christ" having been made "once for all," it cannot be, what Bishop Burnet has styled, "eked out by the superfluities of flesh and blood."

9. Inasmuch as after, and through, "the sacrifice of Christ," "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin," no "altar" is required on which to offer it. We pity both those Judges, who tell others, as well as those Criminals, who are told, to make their peace with God! It is our duty and privilege, our wisdom and happiness, to embrace the peace, which Christ has already made, "by the blood of his cross."

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10. The "altar," which St. Paul (Heb. xiii. 10.) says we have," as Christians, is not the table of the Lord, but the Lord himself," the only true Christian altar;" in whose blessed name, and through faith in whose blood and righteousness, our prayers and praises, our alms and offerings, when so presented, are pardoned and accepted by our Heavenly Father, through his prevailing intercession and session at God's right hand. (To be continued.)

VI.

DIVISIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES.

I. JEWISH (1.) The Law: (2.) The Prophets : (3.) The Hagiographa.

II. CHRISTIAN (1.) The Old Testament: (2.) The New Testament: (3.) The Apocrypha.*

The Apocrypha is uncanonical, being uninspired. See the Thirty-nine Articles, Art. vii.

VII. CANONS OF SACRED CRITICISM ;*

OR, RULES TO BE OBSERVED, IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE.

BEFORE adopting any rules for reading the Scriptures with intelligence, be sure that the book before you is authoritatively printed: it being as notorious, as it is lamentable, that some private editions of the Scriptures are grossly inaccurate. Accept the following directions, at present: more will be given hereafter.

1. Pray to God for the illumination of his Spirit. Psalm cxix. 18. "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law."

2. Exercise a sound mind: " read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest." (Collect for 2d Sunday in Advent.)

3. Examine the context, i.e. the parts before and after. 4. See the marginal readings, (which are to be found in the octavo editions,) with Or, or Heb. prefixed.

5. Consult the references or parallels, i. e. passages, (contained also in the margin,) of the same or similar expression, import, or tendency.

6. Remember the circumstances of the writer or speaker: Age-Station-Character-Time-Place

Country-Object-Occasion.

7. Distinguish between the sayings of Scripture, and sayings in Scripture; i. e. between what God says, and what man says.

8. Refer, if you can, to the original tongue in which the Book, which you are reading, was written: if not, apply to those who are acquainted with it.

(To be continued.)

N.B. This is chiefly addressed to the Reader of the English Bible.

Miscellany.

VIII. BIBLICAL ANECDOTES.

NO. I. THE PUZZLER POSED.

Exodus, xxviii. 34. "A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about." Also, chap. xxxix. 26.

A TALKATIVE Conceited Antinomian came to a young man, when just ordained Deacon, in the year 1811, professedly "to prove him with hard questions." He rapidly ran through several topics, of fearful import; and waded through" the deep things of God" with painful levity; replying to his own questions, almost as soon as propounded, to the young curate's no small annoyance. Election, and even reprobation, had been handled the Church had been abused: the Cherubim had been unriddled, after a fashion. Just as he was about to take his leave, (having drank a mug of" your Honour's ale,") he said, "Well, now, sir, there is one text that I really don't understand; and, as they tell me you're a high larn'd gentleman, I should like to see what you can make of it." "What is the passage ?"

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Why, it's about Aaron's robes, which was to have a bell and a pomegranate, and a bell and a pomegranate: what can it mean?" "But I thought, John, you objected to all robes for ministers;" (alluding to his previous conversation;) "why do you

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trouble yourself about a thing, to which you have so great a dislike?" This was said, partly to evade replying, and partly to get time to think of what to say. "I don't intend to be set down by it, sir, understand me; for it's all abolished. But, mayhap, sir, you'll give up the 'bell and the pomegranate:' you won't be the first, by many a score, as has done that, to my knowledge." Why, no, John, as you have asked me a question; and really, for once, allowed me time to give you an answer; I'll tell you my opinion; but, mind, I dare not say God intended what I am going to say; but I think it is capable of being interpreted, by way of accommodation, to teach you and me, John, this double lesson: the 'bell' (and, remember, it was a pure golden one,) may serve to teach us to make an open, holy, and sincere, profession of religion; but, as there was to be a promegranate to every bell, ‘a bell and a pomegranate,' and 'a bell and a pomegranate;' the pomegranate (a fruit, not more beautiful in colour, than rich in flavor, and almost as exhilarating as wine,) should point out to us both, John, that we must bring forth the fruits of good living: that is, John, we must not only ring the bell, to say, 'Come, see my zeal for God, and love for souls;' but we must also let the light of our works shine, as well as the clapper of our tongues sound; otherwise, we shall be like the foolish virgins, who carried the lamp of profession, but had not the oil of grace; having a form of godliness, but denying its power.' In other words, John, when you think the bell says to you, 'Go to meeting, try your minister, puzzle the

preacher, show off your talents;' the pomegranate says, [his character was too well known,] 'Don't starve or beat your wife:'-here John stared :- don't neglect or swear at your children :'-here John shuffled:-' don't run away from your parish-church; and thereby tell your neighbours, that there is no Gospel in it:'-here it required some strength of lungs, to over-top his voice; —and, I say, John, don't be led home drunk so often, either from the alehouse, or from tossing off mug after mug of the home-brewed of his Honour this, or Madam that."

The effect of this unexpected, home-spun, practical, exposition and application was electrical: John took up his tape-and-thread and "godly-book-” basket, donn'd his hat, "looked daggers, and breathed wrath;" and, forgetting to stoop or limp, shot, unceremoniously, out of the room and the house; nearly throwing down his own daughter, who met him in the passage, being one of the curate's servants; and never again visited the parsonage, or even saw the “conscience-scraping" young minister, except while standing in the porch, one Good Friday, while some of the prayers were read; and hearing as much as he could bear of a practical sermon, (made more so from his being seen there,) on the Crucifixion of our Lord.

[Some of our poetic readers are requested to turn the above into verse.]