the subjects of his regenerating mercy, that you have forsaken all things, and that you constitute a part of his new creation. You avow that you are "created anew in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which were before ordained that you should walk in them." You say that you owe this mighty change to the sovereign grace of heaven. You solemnly profess that you have given your hearts, your lives, your all to the Redeemer of your souls; and that you are no longer your own, being bought with the infinite price of his blood. You tell us that Christ is your great example, and that your glory is to imitate. him; and after all this, you venture to set a limit to the obedience you will render to the divine law. When a difficulty occurs, where some inconvenience might attend obedience, you venture to deal with your Redeemer differently, far worse than you would with a fellow sinner, and practically to say in reference to requirements which come from his cross, "O, it is not essential to obey them, -I may neglect them if I like." And "is this," O Christian, "is this thy kindness to thy friend?" What part of the divine law did Jesus neglect; and is your license to disobey greater than his? You surely cannot discover or describe the boundary line between the essential and the non-essential points of obedience; or even if you could, would you not tremble to approach it, lest you might unhappily overstep it? You know that when you are nearest to Jesus, when your fellowship with him is most close, when you breathe most of his temper, you are most desirous in all things to obey him, and to fulfil his claims on you to the utmost extent. Christian consistency demands that you fully sustain the character you profess as the followers of Christ, or that you lay your profession aside.

If the consideration of the topics we have already referred to be insufficient to remove the impression that Christians may disobey what portions of the law of God may appear to them inconvenient or non-essential, we would entreat them—

III. To regard the sentiment in the light of the influence they exert on others. Every thing that we do has a bearing on the character and the destiny of those by whom we are surrounded, as well as on our own. Christians, like cities on hills, cannot be hid; they are

lights that must be seen;-salt, the influence of which must pervade the neighborhood in which they reside. They live not for themselves only, nor can any action or word terminate on themselves. Of Achan it is recorded, "and that man perished not alone in his iniquity;" multitudes came under his influence, imbibed his spirit, and died with him. What we do, good or ill, has a sort of immortality, and operates after we are dead. Hence the sacred writers still live in their works; hence the holy eloquence of Whitefield, and the infidelity of Byron are yet producing mighty effects, and will continue to do so for ages yet to come. And every Christian in his own circle is, by his every word and action, sowing seed for a long, even an endless futurity. Especially is this the case in our comparatively new country, where more directly than in older communities we have influence on coming generations. Let this fact have its full weight with professing Christians, and let them ask themselves, are they prepared to answer to society for all time to come for encouraging the neglect of the least of the commandments of Jesus Christ?

But laying aside this larger and more comprehensive view of the subject, has the man who can cherish the sentiment now under review forgotten the direct and immediate influence of his conduct? If his children, be it remembered, perceive, that he selects some parts of the law of God to which he renders obedience, and neglects others taught with equal clearness, will they not suppose that they also may do the same; or even, if they prefer it, without any great danger neglect the whole? Is not the impiety of many of the children of professing parents to be traced directly to this source? And as keen-sighted infidels look at your conduct, and remember the principles on which you profess to found it, will they not ridicule the idea of your piety, and spurn the religion you so inconsistently, and therefore so feebly recommend? A cold-hearted, partial religion, almost as much as open sin on the part of Christian professors, tends to harden the sinner in the way of transgression. Let us entreat these persons,

IV. To examine this subject in the light of the solemnities of a future judgment. All we say and do will be reviewed in the solemn day of account to which we are

passing. At the bar of the Eternal, Christians, as well as their ungodly neighbors, shall stand. Are you prepared for the solemn review of your whole conduct? Will you meet the judge of the earth, him who you humbly hope is your Saviour, with cheerful confidence, or with sorrowful shame? Have you a blessed persuasion that you have "followed the Lamb whithersoever he went," and do you expect him to say to you, "Ye have done whatsoever I commanded you ?" Will you boldly tell the infinite Lawgiver that you disobeyed some of his commands, because you did not regard their observance essential to the enjoyment of his smiles? And do you suppose that he will listen to this statement with complacency? We can scarcely imagine, if in heaven we shall have recollections of earth, how we can avoid the blush of shame, whenever we shall think of the excuses we now make for the neglect of duty. O that all the followers of the Lord Jesus could be induced always to act "as seeing him who is invisible," and in full view of the solemn account they shall hereafter render to him for the whole of their conduct.

Let it ever be remembered that love to Christ-supreme-pure-increasing love to Christ, is essential to salvation; and that this love can only be proved by prompt, cheerful and entire obedience to his requirements. Study his will, and advance his honor. Surrender yourselves wholly to his government, and live only for his service. Practically remember that all you do should tend to his glory, and "let your light so shine before men, that they shall glorify your Father in heaven." Never trifle with any divine command, nor teach others to do so. Remember, "ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's."

ARTICLE II.

HISTORY OF THE STUDY OF HEBREW IN ENGLAND UNTIL THE ACCESSION OF JAMES I.

THE destruction of the Western Empire by the incursion of northern barbarians, tended, for ages, to repress the spirit of literary inquiry. In the East, however, which was less exposed to attack, attention was still paid. to learning, and by none more than by the Jews, whose schools flourished most in the darkest period of the history of Europe. True it is that during the centuries immediately succeeding the Christian era, the talmudical doctors, though they spoke and wrote Hebrew with astonishing facility, were ignorant of the laws of construction or the formation of the language; yet subsequently their successors, impelled by a desire to imitate the scholars of Arabia, prosecuted the study of grammar with so much assiduity and success as to leave the Church ages behind them in their literary pursuits. "The rising sun of grammatical learning," says the celebrated philologist Delitzsch, "which appeared in Persia, passed over in its course to Africa and to Spain; and, illuminating with its radiance. the remotest countries of the earth, penetrated even to Germany, where the Nakdani, awaking from the sleep of former ages, and disregarding the adverse state of the times, gave themselves up to grammatical and critical studies."*

By the aid of these teachers, scholars in Italy, Spain and elsewhere obtained some acquaintance with the Hebrew language. Cassiodorus, who erected a monastery in Italy, A. D. 582, took a deep interest in this study; as did Columbanus in the next century, as appears from a letter of his to Boniface. To England, however, must be ascribed the honor of giving birth to

Delitzsch's Jesurun, Book I. Luzzatto, Proleg. ad una Gram. Rag. etc. Ulrich, De Ling. Heb. inter Christianos, etc.

the greatest Christian Hebraists of the age. Bede, justly called the venerable, who was born A. D. 673, in Northumberland, had a skill in that language, at that time truly remarkable. His fellow-countryman, Alcuin, who flourished in the close of the eighth and the beginning of the ninth centuries, who was, as he himself informs us, nourished and educated at York, at which city he acquired the elements of the Hebrew language, ultimately became the most learned man of his age. Although in his edition of the Vulgate, this eminent scholar does not seem to have emended that text from the Hebrew, notwithstanding the assertion of Baronius to the contrary; yet in his commentaries, he often makes good use of his oriental acquirements.*

Although Bede instructed many scholars, some of whom doubtless obtained an acquaintance with Hebrew, nothing more is heard of the study of that language in England till the time of Athelstan. Leland in his "Newe Yeares Gyfte," says," As concernynge the Hebrew, it is to be thought that many were therin well learned in the dayes of Kynge Athelstane. For, at the instaunt request of his prelates, he caused the Scriptures out of that tongue to be by certen doctours translated into the Saxonysh or Englyshe speche, as in the Chronycles is mencyoned." Usher places this circumstance in the year 930. Hody, however, doubts the truth of the fact.

The disturbed state of England during the incursions of the Danes and Normans, proved so detrimental to the interests of literature that Ordericus Vitalis, himself a native, describes his countrymen in general as having been, at the time of the Conquest, "agrestes et pene illiteratos." Subsequent to that event, the claims of literature were less disregarded. The particular study with which we are now more especially engaged, was re-introduced into England by the Jews who came over from Rouen, and settled in the island during the reign of the first William. Vast numbers soon spread themselves throughout most of the cities and capital towns. There were, in the year 1189, fifteen hundred in York alone. Indeed, it appears that the Jews formed so important a art of the community as to have a ruling priest, either

* Hody, p. 409. Hug's Introd. § 121-123.