bless this kingdom, and restore them to their rights in their king, that he and they may join hand in hand to settle truth and peace; and the Lord bless this country, and this town, and this people. The Lord comfort my sad wife and children, and reward all my friends with peace and happiness, both here and hereafter; and the Lord forgive them who were the cause and authors of this my sad end and unjust death; for so it is to mankind, though before God I deserve much worse: but I hope my sins are all bathed in the blood of Jesus Christ. So laying his neck upon the block, and his arms stretched out, he said these words: Blessed be God's glorious name for ever and ever. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, amen. At which words he gave the headsman the sign; but he either not observing it, or not being ready, stayed too long, so that his Lordship rose up again, saying, Why do you keep me from my Saviour? What have I done that I die not, and that I may live with him? Once more I will lay myself down in peace, and so take my everlasting rest." Then saying, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, he stretched out his arms, and gave the sign, repeating the same words: Blessed be God's glorious name for ever and ever. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, amen. Then lifting up his hand, the executioner did his work at one blow, all the people weeping and crying, and giving all expressions of grief and lamentation. For the Christian Observer. ON THE PASSOVER OF THE PASSION WEEK. در To an attentive reader, a difficulty presents itself in the text of John xviii. 28. "They themselves (viz. the chief priests and elders of the people) went not into the judgment-hull, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.' Whereas it is evident that our Lord had kept the passover the preceding night with his apostles. Some have, indeed, to clear the difficulty, supposed that the offerings, which belonged to the feast of unleavened bread, are here meant as what the priests, &c. were to eat; but besides the impropriety of calling these the passover, satisfactory arguments may, I think, be brought to prove, that the Sanhedrim did not peace keep the passover till the Friday evening. Had they eaten the paschal lamb on the Thursday night, the following day being the first of the feast of unleavened bread would have been a day of holy convocation, in which no servile work might be done: (see Lev. xxiii. 7.), it would, therefore, have been not only improper, but unlawful, to have spent the time in trying a criminal, bringing the accusation before the Roman governor, and being present at the execution; instead of attending to the solemn ritual of the day: not to urge, from Luke xxii. 52. that they must have come forth to seize the Lord Jesus immediately upon rising from the paschal supper. But by attending to the narration, we perceive that they were obliged to hold their council late at night, renew it very early in the morning, and hasten the conclusion of the trial before Pilate, because it was the preparation of the passover." The killing of the paschal lambs * commenced soon after the declination of the sun at noon, when the evening sacrifice had first been killed, namely, between the two evenings, (Exodus xii, 6.) the first of which was reckoned to begin as soon as the sun had passed the meridian, and the second, at sun-set. It was evidently contrary to the intention of the chief priests, that our Saviour was put to death at this time; for they had determined "not on the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people," Mark xiv. 2. But our Lord's open declaration at the paschal supper of the treachery of Judas, which he had before only confi dentially intimated to St. John (chap. xiii. 26.) on a former night+, rendered it necessary for the traitor to hasten the execution of his design; since he *The vast number of lambs sacrificed at the passover may be gathered from the answer of the priests to the enquiry of Cestius, viz. twenty-five myriads five thou sand and six hundred! It may be very satisfactorily proved, that the supper, John xiii. 1. was not the paschal supper, but a private one distinct from that when our Lord was anointed at the house of Simon. St. John neither the Eucharist, both having been done by mentions the passover nor the institution of the three preceding evangelists. It may found on.examination that St. Peter was, not be improper to note, that it will be at least, twice warned by his Lord of his fall, first at the supper, John xiii. and after at the paschal supper, Luke xxi. could no more appear among the disciples. I apprehend that Judas abruptly quitted the chamber, before the institution of the Eucharist, when our Lord replied in express terms to his enquiry," Master is it I?" On the former night, the rest of the disciples had only expressed their anxiety and surprise by their looks; but when their master repeated his assertion that one should betray him, they severally put the question, "Is it I?" and, therefore, Judas was obliged to do the same, or by silence confess his consciousness of guilt. His confusion and indignation at being thus discovered urged him to an immediate perpetration of the crime he had premeditated: he went immediately to the chief priests to inform them no time was to be lost, and, by their orders, procured the band of soldiers, But it ought to be noted, that if the Sanhedrim had kept the passover that night, Judas would have had no opportunity of making his application to them, since each master of a house would have been engaged in his own family according to the law. But it is obvious, if this statement be admitted, that a considerable difficulty will occur respecting our Lord's anticipation of the passover; since the paschal lambs might be slain only at the temple where the blood was to be offered, consequently no private passover could be kept; and since the three Evangelists who recount the celebration, all speak of it as the day on which the passover was properly to be killed. Dr. Cudworth has very ably discussed this point in a small treatise, intitled, The true notion of the Lord's Supper, as a feast upon sacrifice, from which, it being less known than it deserves, I will as briefly as possible state the argument. "The Greek Church held in opposition to the Latins, that the passover was kept the year of our Saviour's death on two days together; many learned men, as Munster, Scaliger, Causabon, &c. have since closed with the Greeks. The question is, how this might legally be done? and the true answer must be derived from the manner of determining the beginning of their months in use at that time, which was according to the phasis of the moon; for they had then no calendar as a rule to sanctify their feasts: but they were sanctified by the heavens, as the misna speaks. This is clearly stated by Maimon, (Kiddush Hucchodesh), who having spoken of the rules of observing the phasis, adds, that these were never made use of since the Sanhedrim ceased in Israel after the destruction of the temple: since that time they have used a calendar calculated according to the middle motion of the moon, except the Karraites, who preserve the ancient custom as sacred, in opposition to the Rabbinists, whom they abhor for giving it up. "The manner of reckoning by the phasis is thus described in the Talmud of Babylon in Rosh Hashanah, and by Maimon in Kiddosh Hachad. "In the great or outer court of the temple, there was a house called Beth-Jazek, where the senate sat all the 30th day of every month to receive the witnesses of the moon's appearance, and to examine them; entertainment being provided to encourage men to come the more willingly. If there came approved witnesses on the thirtieth day of the phasis being seen, then the chief men of the senate stood up and pronounced mekuddash, it is sanctified, and the people standing by repeated it; whereupon notice was presently given to all the country. But if, when the consistory had sat all the thirtieth day, there came no approved witnesses, then they made an intercalation of one day in the former month, and decreed the following one and thirtieth day to be the calends. And yet notwithstanding, if afterwards witnesses came from afar, and testified that they had seen the phasis in due time, and after all possible trial of their integrity if they remained constant in their testimony, the senate was bound to alter the beginning of the month, and reckon it a day sooner, viz. from the thirtieth day. Here we see how the difference of a day might arise about the calends of a month, on which the feasts depended. Now it was a custom among the Jews, in such doubtful cases, to permit the feasts to be solemnized, or passovers killed, on two several days together. Maimon affirmeth, that in the remoter parts of the land of Israel they kept the feast of the new moons two days together; nay, in Jerusalem itself, they kept the new moon of Tisri, which was the beginning of the year, twice, lest they should be mistaken in it; and in the Talmud (Gemarah Rosh Hashanah, cap. 1.), we have an instance of the passovers being kept two days together, because the new moon was doubtful; nay, the rabbinical Jews themselves, in imitation hereof, still observe to keep the passover two days together iisdem ceremoniis, as the learned author of the Jewish synagogue reports, and Scaliger also, not only of that but also of the other feasts; Judæi post institutionem hodierni computi eandem solennitatem celebrant biduo, propterea luid: itaque dubinu conjunt mensem incipiunt à medio motu tionis luminarium, Pascha celebrant 15 et 16 Nisam, Pentecosten 6 et 7 Sivan, Scenopegia 15 et 16 Tisri; idque vocant, festum secundum exsiliorum. " From hence it appears how our Saviour, according to his desire exprest Luke xxii. 15, could eat the passover with his disciples, and yet be himself offered up at the very time when the paschal lambs were sacrificed at the temple. St. Mark notes, chap. xv. 25." It was the third hour," i. e. nine in the morning, (the time of offering the lamb of the daily burntsacrifice,) when he was nailed to the cross; "and when the sixth hour was come (i. e. noon) there was darkness over the whole land till the ninth hour." On the passover day, they anticipated the killing of the evening sacrifice, which, on other days, was done at half past two, and offered at half past three; but now, on account of the number of paschal lambs to be slain, was hastened, as soon as the sun declined to the west, because the blood of the daily sacrifice must be sprinkled before that of the paschal. This supernatural darkness, therefore, took place whilst the blood of the evening sacrifice, and of the paschal lambs, was offering; and may be considered a token of the divine dereliction of the legal sacrifices, as their being consumed by fire from heaven, (2Chron. vii. 1.) when the first temple was dedicated, was of their acceptance. And at the ninth hour," when the incense was to be burnt on the golden altar, (which was done when the evening sacrifice was wholly consumed on the altar of burnt-offering), “Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished," bowed his head, and gave up the ghost, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour;" upon which the vail of the temple was rent, before which the golden altar stood, where the priest was officiating. St. John remarks, chap. xix. 31. that the following sabbath (during which the body of Jesus lay in the grave) was an high day. The same word translated chap. vii. 37, great day is the word used by the Septuagint, Isaiah i. 13. for the "calling of assemblies," namely, on the first and last days of the solemn feasts; which plainly points out this sabbath as being the first day of unleavened bread, and, consequently, the preceding night. It was, therefore, this year, on two accounts, a sabbath, or day of rest, of divine appointment; prepared by him "who hath put the times and seasons in his own power," as fitly typifying that rest which followed the great work of redemption. The next day, when our Lord rose from the grave, was the second day of unleavened bread, (the 16th of Nisam), on which the wave sheaf, the first fruits of the harvest, was to be presented before God. The words of the law, Lev. xxiii. 11. are, "Ye shall wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath, (i. e. the rest of the holy convocation on the festival day) the priest shall wave it." They were then to reckon seven sabbaths, and on the morrow of the seventh sabbath was the feast of weeks or of pentecost: on that day the wave loaves were offered, called Exodus xxiii. 16. The first fruits of thy labours. On this day was the promised effusion of the spirit, by which the disciples were anointed as "first fruits," at once the earnest and the means of fulfilling that glorious prophecy, "He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied," Isaiah liii. (comp. Matt. xiii. 33.) The clearing any seeming difficulties in the narration of the evange lists is of real importance in any controversy with the Jews; they have not failed to urge what they supposed might impeach the veracity of the sacred historians, and they have, from the passages which have now been un *Ye shall bring two wave loaves of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven, they are the first fruits unto the Lord. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs, &c. See Lev. xxiii. v. 15—22. der consideration, too often perplexed an unprepared opponent. On the other hand, no Christian can meditate on this exact conformity to the ancient types, (whose fulfilment the Jewish priesthood were certainly very far from studying thus to accomplish), but he must find his faith confirmed, and his devotion animated; and even a rational sceptic must be constrained to acknowledge, if he admit the facts, that these are coincidences which no human foresight could preconcert, and no human power could bring to pass. C. L. EXTRACTS FROM DR. NOWELL'S (Continued from p. 269.) THE SECOND PART, CONTAINING THE HAVING Considered the law, we come now to speak of the Gospel, which holds forth to the violators of the divine law God's mercy through Christ, the principal object of faith. As an abridgment of the Gospel and the Christian faith, there is none more suitable than that which is called the apostles' creed, comprising in a short compass the chief heads of our holy religion. By believing, or faith, in its most common acceptation, is meant an assent to the truth of God's word; which admits as true whatever is contained in scripture. True Christian faith, however, while it holds, as most certain, all the revelations God has made in his word, embraces also the promises of divine mercy and forgiveness set forth in Christ. Faith, in short, is the sure persuasion of God's paternal love towards us through Christ, and a confidence in the same, as it is attested in the Gospel; and is always accompanied with a careful attention to piety, and a desire of following the will of God through life. Master. Having now explained the creed*, that is, the summary of Chris tian faith, tell me what advantage we derive from this faith? Pupil. We obtain righteousness in the sight of God, by which we are rendered heirs of eternal life. M. But will not our piety towards *The explanation of the creed it does not seem necessary to insert. CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 18. God, and our just conduct towards men, make us righteous before God? P. Could any man live in all respects agreeably to the divine law, he would be esteemed righteous according to the law; but since we are all at the greatest distance from such perfection in life, and consequently lie under the accusations of a guilty conscience, some other way must be invented besides our own merit, whereby God may again receive us into favour. We must flee to the mercy of God, by which he graciously receives us in Christ, and with love and affection embraces us without any respect to our works or deservings. After this manner he forgives us our trespasses, and accepts us through the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith, no less than if we were righteous in ourselves. Therefore we owe all our acceptance with God, to his mercy in Christ. M. Do you not then maintain, that tification, so as to make us righteous faith is the principal cause of our jusbefore God by its own merit? P. By no means; for this would be to substitute faith in the room of Christ. God's mercy is the spring of our justification, which flows to us through Christ; it is offered us, however, by the Gospel, and apprehended or laid hold of by faith; faith, not being a cause, but an instrument of our justification, because it embraces Christ who is our righteousness, and so unites us to him as to render us partakers of all his benefits. M. But may this justification be at all separated from good works? P. No, truly; for by faith we receive Christ, such as he offers himself to us. He, however, not only delivers us from sin and death, but also by the divine influence and power of the holy spirit he begets us again, and forms our hearts to the love of innocence and purity, which we term newness of life. Therefore justification, faith, and good works, are so connected with each other, that nothing may separate them. M. This doctrine then of faith, in no respects draws men off from pious labours and duties? P. Far otherwise; for good works and instead of retarding our prorest upon faith as their foundation; pal means of exciting us therein. He gress in piety, faith is the princi therefore cannot be reckoned a true U u believer who does not avoid sin, and follow after righteousness to the utmost of his power; so conducting himself at all times, as one that has to give account of himself before God. In order, however, to our works being accepted, it is requisite that they be of that kind which the divine law prescribes; and that they be done from pure motives, and by that faith which God exacts: for none of our thoughts or actions, which do not spring from faith, are capable of pleasing God. It is evident, therefore, that all the works we perform, before we are regenerated and renewed by the spirit of God, are corrupt; for whatever appearance of beauty or dignity they may assume and hold forth in the eyes of men, since they come from a vicious and depraved heart to which God principally looks, they cannot but be polluted and impure, and, consequently, exceedingly offensive in his sight. M. Are there no good works, then, and merits, by which we may procure the love and favour of God, and induce him to deal kindly with us? P. No; for God has prevented us with his mercy, by loving us when we were his enemies and chusing us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Here is the spring of our justification. M. But what do you think of the works we do after we are restored to the favour of God, and are under the influence of the divine spirit? P. Those pious duties which spring from faith working by love, are pleasing to God, not for their own merit, but because God graciously deigns to regard them. For although they flow from a divine principle, yet they never fail to contract a pollution from the intermixture of our carnal affections. M. In what way then do you maintain, that they are pleasing to God? P. Faith is the means of procuring our works acceptance with God, and of inspiring us with a humble confidence in him; while it assures us, that he will not be strict to mark what is done amiss, but will forgive our sins and infirmities through the me rits of Christ, and deal with us as though we were perfectly righteous. M. It is impossible, therefore, to End favour with God and be treated as righteous by the merit of works? P. The word of God thus determines; and his holy spirit, directs us to pray for his pardoning mercy; because the righteousness which God may accept must be complete in all respects, corresponding with the rule of the divine law, and falling short, in no particular, of the most consummate rectitude. But our best works are wholly defective, and come not up to the standard laid down in the word of truth, but on many accounts are deserving of condemnation: we are, consequently, excluded from all hope of justification by the works of the law. M. But does not this doctrine draw off men's minds from religious duties, and render them less prompt to do good, and more indifferent and slothful in the discharge of pious offices? P. No: it does not follow that good works are of no importance, because inefficacious to our justification. They conduce to the welfare of our neigh bour and the glory of God. (Mat. v. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 12.) They become evidences of God's loving-kindness towards us; and, on the other hand, of our faith in God and of our love for his name, and thus give us assurance of our salvation; and it is altogether proper, that we who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and loaded with innumerable mercies, should live conformably to the will of our Redeemer, never forgetting the obligations under which we are laid, and always studying to win others to him by our example. While any one considers these things with himself, he may very well rejoice in his works of faith, and labours of love. (To be continued)}. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. Your correspondent Amicus, (page 137-139 of the number for March), has furnished us with the answers which a clergyman returned to some questions put to him by a lady. The clergyman appears to be scriptural in stating, that whoever is enabled by divine grace to exhibit the genuine evidences of a regenerate state, is scripturally authorized to consider himself in a state of salvation; and he is, undoubtedly, right in referring his reader to scripture for the marks of a regenerate state, or, in other words, of a state of salvation. But, in his deduction of these marks from scripture, he appears to me të |