B.C. 1452. Dr. N. Bisbie (1684); on v. 10, a as, when he has fallen, to help him up again; when he is wounded, to help to cure him; when he hath broken a bone, him out; when flower and the pod in embryo; and I am sure, when I plant it, that 12-18. (12, 13) sons. . families, see Ex. vi. 15. (14) these, etc., decrease of 37,100. (15-17) the.. families, see Ge. xlvi. 16. (18) numbered, decrease 5,150. The stream of humanity.-Doubtless, if we could stand-as so "A good man is many brave hearts have striven to do beside the fount of the like the day, en- Nile, it would be hard to think that little trickling stream was lightening and actually the same as the great river of Egypt, and that it should warming all he grow and swell deeper and stronger, receiving the floods of shines on, and is heaven and the tribute of earth, till at last it should roll in always ascending upwards to a re-resistless seas of water, bearing fertility and blessing over all the gion of more land. Hardly could we bring ourselves to call that poor weak constant purity rill the Nile! But before one Eye at least in the universe the like the night, feeble spring and the mighty river are one. He sees it all mapped dark, and scatter-out from its source in weakness, to its end in power. And can The bad man is wholesome VЯ ing fears and un- we never rise high enough into the upper air of thought to see pours upon all like Him our human fellow-rivers, not only in their feeble which rest be- struggles through the rocks and stones in their path, but as they neath."-Fell-shall be hereafter, far away, perhaps a thousand years to come, down cataracts of death, and past long deserts of unknown worlds vv. 17, 19. J. Alt--but as they shall surely be at last, each flowing on, a majestic ing, Op. ii. Pt. benediction through the universe, reflecting on his ever-swelling bosom the infinite glory of God?a tham. 76. a Miss Cobbe. Judah numbered that his great 19-22: (19-21) the.. Judah, see Ge. xlvi. 12. (22) numbered, increase 1,900. The human race.-The human race may be compared to an "Man is so great, immense temple ruined, but now rebuilding, the numerous comness appears partments of which represent the several nations of the earth. even in his know- True, the different portions of the edifice present great anomalies: ing himself to be but yet the foundation and the corner-stone are the same. All true, that to know spring from the same level, and all should be directed to the same our misery is to end. The walls of the building have been thrown down, and the be miserable; but stones scattered by a great earthquake; yet a mighty Architect it is also great to has appeared, and His powerful hand is gradually raising the Thus his great-temple-walls. The only difference between one side of the edifice miserable. It is know our misery. B.C. 1452. are the а and the other is, that here the restoration is somewhat further advanced, while there it is less forward. Alas! some places are ness is shown by still overgrown with thorns, where not a single stone appears. his miseries. Yet the great Architect may one day look down on these desolate They miseries of spots, and there the building may suddenly and rapidly spring prince, the miseup, reaching the summit long before those lofty walls which ries of a king deseem to have outgrown the others, but which are still standing throned."-Pascal. half-raised and incomplete. "The last shall be first." The discriminating features of the several families of mankind, the "He is a lowly regenerating principle among the numberless races of the earth, valley, sweetly do not consist in a greater or less proportion of natural talent, in different degrees of political advancement, or in closeness of attachment to their ancient national traditions. All these may indeed be of some consequence; but the essential point is their degree of participation in those heavenly influences which alone can call the dead mass of humanity to life; and, in short, their interest in the person and work of the Redeemer, The heathen are on the lowest steps; next come the Moslem; then those Christian nations most unacquainted with the doctrine of free grace; and, lastly, those among which there is a people who are able to say, "The foundation is Jesus Christ." These evangelical nations are the capital of humanity—a capital, alas! still meagre and incomplete !a planted, and well watered; the proud man's earth, whereon secretly full of wealthy mines, more worth than he trampleth, but he that walks over them; a rich stone set in lead; and lastly, a true temple of God roof."-Bp. Hall. built with a low a Merle d' Aubigné. numbered 23-27. (23, 24) of . . Issachar, see Ge. xlvi. 13. (25) Issachar numbered, increase 8,900. (26) of.. Zebulun, see Ge. xlvi. 14. (27) numbered, increase 3,100. "The man who ventures to say, roborated it,' cumbent upon us Man, the great mystery.-The whole creation is a mystery, My moral eduand particularly that of man. At the blast of His mouth were cation is comthe rest of the creatures made; and at His bare word they were pleted, and my started out of nothing: but in the frame of man (as the text works have cordescribes it) He played the sensible operator, and seemed not so assuredly demuch to create as to make him. When He had separated the ceives himself. materials of other creatures, there consequently resulted a form It is always inand soul, but having raised the walls of man, he was driven to a to learn how to second and harder creation-of a substance like Himself-an regulate our conincorruptible and immortal spirit. In our study of anatomy there duct for each is a mass of mysterious philosophy, and such as reduced the very days which are day, and those heathens to divinity; yet amongst all those rare discoveries and to come: we are curious pieces I find in the fabric of man I do not so much con- under obligation tent myself as in that I find not-that is, no organ or instrument to preserve our virtue invariably for the rational soul: for in the brain, which we term the seat of on the alert, reason, there is not anything of moment more than I can dis- urging us to new cover in the crany of a beast; and this is a sensible and no actions; and we inconsiderable argument of the inorganity of the soul-at least, bound to are equally in that sense we usually receive it. Thus we are men, and we collect our faults, know not how; there is something in us that can be without us, and to repent of them."-Silvio and will be after us, though it is strange that it hath no history what it was before us, nor cannot tell how it entered in us." Pellico. a Bacon. re 28-34. (28) the.. Joseph, see Ge. xlviii. 1. (29) Machir, Joseph Ge. 1. 23. Gileada (hard, rough), grandfa. of Zelophehad. His numbered mo. or grandmo. was an Aramite; hence, prob. his name. (30) Jeezer, contr. fr. Abiezer (father of help). Gideon desc. fr. him. a Nu. xxvii. 1, Helek (portion). (31) Asriel (row of God). Shechem (the xxxvi. 1; Jos. shoulder-blade). (32) Shemida (fame of wisdom). Hepher . 21-23, vii. 14, (a pit, or well). (33) Zelophehad (? firstborn). had xvii. 1, 3; 1 Ch. 17. B.C. 1452. b Nu. xxvii. 1, Xxxvi. 2-11; Jos. xvii. 3; 1 Ch. vii. 15. beautiful in the the pened field." the daughters, hence the laws relating to heiresses were made. Mahlah (disease). Noah (motion). Hoglah (partridge). Milcah (queen, or counsel). Tirzah (delight). (34) numbered, increase 20,500. Man in ruins.-That God hath withdrawn Himself, and left this His temple desolate, we have many sad and plain proofs be"Men's lives fore us. The stately ruins are visible to every eye, that bear in should be like their front, yet extant, their doleful inscription, "Here God once the day, more dwelt." Enough appears of the admirable frame and structure evening; or like of the soul of man to show the Divine Presence did some time summer, reside in it; more than enough of vicious deformity to complain aglow with pro- He is now retired and gone. The lamps are extinct, the altar mise; and the autumn, rich overturned, the light and love are now vanished, which did the with the golden one shine with so heavenly brightness, the other burn with so sheaves, where pious fervour; the golden candlestick is displaced, and thrown good works and away as a useless thing, to make room for the throne of the deeds have riPrince of Darkness; the sacred incense, which sent rolling up in on clouds its rich perfume, is exchanged for a poisonous, hellish vapour, and here is, "instead of a sweet savour, a stench." The "Mankind in the comely order of this house is turned all into confusion; the gross is a gaping" beauties of holiness" into noisome impurities; the house of monster, that prayer into a den of thieves: for every lust is a thief; and every ceived, and has theft, sacrilege. He that invites you to take a view of the soul seldom been dis- of man, gives you but such another prospect, and doth but say to appointed." you, "Behold the desolation!" all things rude and waste. So that, should there be any pretence to the Divine Presence, it might be said, "If God be here, why is it thus?" The faded glory, the darkness, the disorder, the impurity, the decayed state. in all respects, of this temple, too plainly show the great Inhabitant is gone. loves to be de Mackenzie. c J. Howe. Ephraim and Benjamin numbered 35-41. (35) Shuthelaha (noise of breaking). Becher (firstborn, or young camel). Tahan (camp, station). (36) Eran (watchful). (37) numbered, decrease 8,000. (38) Bela (dea 1 Ch. vii. 20-struction), Ashbel (? determination of God). Ahiram (brother of the high), or Ehi. (39) Shupham (? serpent), also Muppim. Hupham (? coastman), also Huppim. (40) Ard (fugitive). Naaman (pleasantness). (41) numbered, increase 10,200. 29. b Ge. xlvi. 21. What a piece How noble in reason; how in of work is man! Man and geology.-None of the researches of geology in any part of the globe have succeeded in bringing to light one single fragment of the fossilised frame of man in any undisturbed geological formation; by which is meant those portions of the earth's finite in facul- crust to which, though the most recent formations in geology. ties; in form and geologists assign a higher antiquity than any reached by history. moving, how express and admi- It is true that a solitary specimen of a petrified skeleton, found in rable! In action, the island of Guadaloupe, is to be seen in the British Museum, how like an an- and which, on account of certain peculiarities in the pelvis, is gel; in apprehension, how regarded as having been the skeleton of a negro. If this be so. like a god; the its date must be, of course, subsequent to the discovery of Guadabeauty of the loupe by Europeans, A.D. 1493. It is not, in other words, the world-the para- skeleton of one of the Caribs, the original inhabitants, and cangon of animals! not be more than between two and three hundred years old. Thus, then, the new and brilliant science of geology attests that man was the last of created beings on this planet. If her data be consistent and true, and worthy of scientific consideration, she affords conclusive evidence that, as we are told in Scripture, he cannot have occupied the earth longer than six thousand years. And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?" Shakespeare. c Dr. Hitchcock. B.C. 1452. opening of the be three fierce creatures of this description! Nothing is more common in Egyptian monuments than representations of this sort; and the serpents have very often the symbols of govern- inner-Hengment and royalty upon their heads, denoting the important niche stenberg. which they occupy in the mysterious pantheism of that people. "It profiteth us A learned work was published not long since, entitled, Serpent peaceful towards nothing to Worship Universal, which proves very clearly that almost every all men, if we be nation has fallen into the awful error of doing homage to the at war with God; it is no good to very symbol of the prince of darkness! But this fact, whilst it us if all men apexhibits very forcibly the lamentable extent of sinful principle, shows us not only the value of that Word which teaches us to deny ungodliness, but proves that it was known in very remote times, and is consequently as ancient as we believe it to be, since the practices of which we have just spoken seem to have originated in mistaken and perverted views of those matters which it contains. prove, and the Lord be offended; neither is there any danger, though all shun and hate us, if with God we find acceptance and love."-St. Chrysostom. Israel 5-9. (5) goodly, in appearance, order, number; in the eye of God. (6) valleys.. forth, wide-reaching; fruitful. gar- Balaam once dens.. side, cultivated, well situated. trees.. aloes, i.e. more blesses trees of aloe-wood. Ref. to fragrance, incense, sacrifice. cedar, strength, majestic beauty, durability. (7) buckets, lit. his two a Ge. xxvii. 27; buckets all. to unfailing and Divine sources of blessing. seeds. i. 3; Je. xvii. ..waters, overspreading and fertilising the country. Agag Lign-aloes, fire, flaming), prob. a gen. title of kings of Amalekites. exalted,d Lat. lignum, Israel to bec. a great political power among the nations. (8) Prob. the fraunicorn, see xxiii. 22. (9) who.. up? i.e. none shall have grant wood of the temerity to provoke the wrath of Israel. blessed, etc., Aquilaria Agallothe relation of men to God's people involves their own weal or woe. 8; Ps. civ. 16, 17. fr. wood; and aloes. "The chum. when it becomes The wood is used in the E. for scenting dresses and rooms, is given Balaam blessing Israel.---Consider these words in reference to -I. The Jewish nation. To them, in their primary sense, the words must certainly refer. But, when we read such a solemn declaration respecting them, we are naturally led to ask-1. How can we account for it? 2. How was it fulfilled? II. The spiritual Israel. If only we reflect, that this declaration was a repetition of the promise made to Abraham and to Jacob, its application to the spiritual seed of Abraham will be obvious and undeniable. Let us consider, then-1. What is implied in this declaration; 2. The ground on which we may expect its accomplishment. fainting or epiLearn-(1) The importance of ascertaining our true character; (2) The blessedness of being Israelites indeed." Hints for teachers.-1. The Church a beautiful garden, Num. 40. See Topics, i. xxiv. 6. The Christian a tree, Ps. i. 3. 2. The Star. The polar Plants of Bible, star guiding over the sea of life. 3. Sceptre and Star Divine, Who in Thine inmost shrine Hast made us worshippers. O claim Thine own; More than Thy seers we know— O teach our love to grow Up to Thy heavenly light, and reap what Thou hast sown.i 4. H. Kirke White's "Star of Bethlehem." 5. Sceptre. Compare with Queen Esther's approach to the king, Esther iv. 11, v. 1-4. The lign-aloe.-Gabriel Sionita, a learned Syrian Maronite, thus describes the cedars of Mount Lebanon, which he had examined on the spot. "The cedar-tree grows on the most elevated part of as a cordial in leptic fits; also used in embalm ing. Jo. xix. 39, 87; also Balfour, 87; cf. Ps. xlv. S; Pr. vii. 17; Song, iv. 14. b In B.'s country c 1 S. xv. 32, 33. B.C. 1452. b Nu. xxvii. 1, Xxxvi. 2-11; Jos. xvii. 3; 1 Ch. vii. 15. daughters, hence the laws relating to heiresses were made.' Mahlah (disease). Noah (motion). Hoglah (partridge). Milcah (queen, or counsel). Tirzah (delight). (34) numbered, increase 20,500. Man in ruins.-That God hath withdrawn Himself, and left this His temple desolate, we have many sad and plain proofs be"Men's lives fore us. The stately ruins are visible to every eye, that bear in should be like their front, yet extant, their doleful inscription, "Here God once the day, more dwelt." Enough appears of the admirable frame and structure evening; or like of the soul of man to show the Divine Presence did some time the summer, reside in it; more than enough of vicious deformity to complain aglow with pro- He is now retired and gone. The lamps are extinct, the altar beautiful in the mise; and the overturned, the light and love are now vanished, which did the autumn, rich good works and field." on "Mankind in the gross is a gaping monster, that loves to be de with the golden one shine with so heavenly brightness, the other burn with so sheaves, where pious fervour; the golden candlestick is displaced, and thrown deeds have ri- away as a useless thing, to make room for the throne of the pened the Prince of Darkness; the sacred incense, which sent rolling up in clouds its rich perfume, is exchanged for a poisonous, hellish vapour, and here is, "instead of a sweet savour, a stench." The comely order of this house is turned all into confusion; the "beauties of holiness" into noisome impurities; the house of prayer into a den of thieves: for every lust is a thief; and every theft, sacrilege. He that invites you to take a view of the soul of man, gives you but such another prospect, and doth but say to you, "Behold the desolation!" all things rude and waste. So that, should there be any pretence to the Divine Presence, it might be said, "If God be here, why is it thus?" The faded glory, the darkness, the disorder, the impurity, the decayed state. in all respects, of this temple, too plainly show the great Inhabitant is gone.c ceived, and has seldom been disappointed."Mackenzie. c J. Howe. Ephraim and Benjamin numbered 35–41. (35) Shuthelaha (noise of breaking). Becher (firstborn, or young camel). Tahan (camp, station). (36) Eran (watchful). (37) numbered, decrease 8,000. (38) Bela (dea 1 Ch. vii. 20-struction). Ashbel (? determination of God). Ahiram (brother of the high), or Ehi.b (39) Shupham (? serpent), also Muppim. Hupham (? coastman), also Huppim." (40) Ard (fugitive). Naaman (pleasantness). (41) numbered, increase 10,200. 29. b Ge. xlvi. 21. What a piece of work is man! moving, how ex Man and geology.-None of the researches of geology in any part of the globe have succeeded in bringing to light one single How noble in fragment of the fossilised frame of man in any undisturbed georeason; how in- logical formation; by which is meant those portions of the earth's finite in facul- crust to which, though the most recent formations in geology. ties; in form and geologists assign a higher antiquity than any reached by history. press and admi- It is true that a solitary specimen of a petrified skeleton, found in rable! In action, the island of Guadaloupe, is to be seen in the British Museum. how like an an- and which, on account of certain peculiarities in the pelvis, is gel; in apprehension, how regarded as having been the skeleton of a negro. If this be so. like a god; the its date must be, of course, subsequent to the discovery of Guadabeauty of the loupe by Europeans, A.D. 1493. It is not, in other words, the world-the para- skeleton of one of the Caribs, the original inhabitants, and cannot be more than between two and three hundred years old. Thus, then, the new and brilliant science of geology attests that man was the last of created beings on this planet. If her data be consistent and true, and worthy of scientific consideration, she affords conclusive evidence that, as we are told in Scripture, he cannot have occupied the earth longer than six thousand years. gon of animals! And yet, to me, c Dr. Hitchcock. |