two other feasts to which all the males of Israel repaired, referred to past time generally, and to future time specifically, there is reason to believe that as the festivals on the first day of every month had only a general reference to time future, they were specific in reference to time past. In short, the reappearing moon, chasing away darkness, is like a new creation of light, and is, therefore, well fitted to be the signal both for an annual and for a monthly commemoration of God's calling light out of darkness on the first day of creation; while the same reappearing luminary is also well adapted to prefigure the Saviour becoming, as stated in Luke ii. 32, a light to enlighten the gentiles, and the glory of God's people Israel." 66 When God said to Moses, in reference to the month called Abib, "It shall be the first month of the year to you," some other beginning of previous years is implied, which beginning, as we ascertain from Josephus, was with the first day of Tisri. And from Josephus, Philo, and holy writ conjointly, we learn that, in a sky cloudless to the Israelites in the wilderness, the evening in which the moon first appeared after change was the evening with which the first day of a month commenced, while out of such first days the first of Tisri was that which was five months and a half after the celebration of the passover on a month's fourteenth day, coinciding with or happening next after the Jewish day of the sun's entrance into Aries. Besides the morning and evening sacrifice on the first of Tisri, as the continual burnt offering, a third service was the annual commemoration of God's calling light out of darkness on the first day of creation, a commemoration which, like the commemoration of God's resting on the seventh day, seems to have existed from the first period of time. Thus, if the writer's chronological series be right, as he has through many years endeavoured to make it on solid grounds, then the day on which Jehovah said, "Let there be light," must have been Sunday, September the 6th, Gregorian style, in the year 4206 before the Christian era. For though, in the Julian style, the said Sunday is accounted the 10th of October, yet the 6th of September is what corresponds, as to the season of the year, with our September the 6th, 1849, just 6054 years after God's saying, "Let light be, and light was." Whether the annual observance on the first of Tisri was more than commemorative till the days of Moses does not appear; but Jehovah's command to the Israelites as recorded in Num. xxix. 1, 2, was,-"In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you. And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish.” Thus, according to the Mosaic ritual, and in reference to futurity, the annual service on the first of Tisri prefigured Him who, in his public ministry, was a light springing up to those sitting in the region and shadow of death, at which time the blowing of trumpets was fulfilled in John the Baptist, when he came into all the country about the Jordan, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world ;" and when he proclaimed, as with sound of trumpet, the remission of sins by one offering, perfecting for ever them that are sanctified. As to any monthly commemoration of God's calling light out of darkness, it seems, as such, to have been unknown in the time of Noah when months were not lunar but consisted of thirty days each, five months being one hundred and fifty days according to Gen. vii. 11, and viii. 3, 4. But, in the last forty years of the life of Moses, not only every month besides Tisri began with a monthly service; but, as stated in Num. xxix. 6, Tisri itself, in addition to its morning and evening sacrifice and its annual service, had, in the fourth place, a monthly service to which the reader's attention is now directed. Though the Saviour, in his own public ministry, was a treasure apart from earthen vessels, like the manna that fell in the wilderness, yet he was subsequently a treasure in earthen vessels, one of which vessels was Peter, to whom, as an under shepherd, Jesus transferred his flock, saying not only, as stated in John xxi. 15, "Feed my lambs," but, as stated in the sixteenth verse, "Tend my sheep," and, as stated in the seventeenth verse, "Feed my sheep." In this work Peter was no lord, since, in the fifth chapter of his first epistle, he says to the elders among those persons he addressed, "Feed the flock of God which is with you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being patterns to the flock." Thus we behold an apostle in such close association with the Saviour as to have the commission to open the kingdom of heaven first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles: and thus we behold what was signified by the monthly service on the first of Tisri, Peter being but a lamp, while to Christ, as the light of the world, is to be ascribed all that was enlightening in that lamp. Peter, however, stood not alone; but, on the memorable day of Pentecost, in the year of our Lord 33, had eleven faithful companions prepared to follow in the same train of usefulness. Thus, the days respectively commencing the eleven months annually following Tisri, not only included a monthly commemo ration of God's calling darkness out of light, but had also reference to Christ in association with the eleven mentioned in Acts ii. 14, who, though not the light of the world themselves, yet, by bearing witness of that light, gave it full effulgence. Under these circumstances we behold in Peter and the eleven acting in concert with him, twelve apostles of the Lamb preaching not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, as the twelve foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem. At length, too, Paul became a thirteenth apostle, with whom apostolical succession ceased.* Paul himself, however, could say, "Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" Nor was he in any respect less adapted for his work than the other apostles were for theirs. Thus, while a thirteenth month, occurring seven times in every nineteen years, was just as proper as any other to commence with a monthly commemoration of God's calling light out of darkness, that thirteenth month was peculiarly adapted to portray the Saviour as a treasure in a thirteenth earthen vessel, or, as Paul styles himself, an apostle born out of due time. In one or more animals from the herd we behold Christ either as rendering to God in unceasing obedience what the law requires from man, or else as Lord of all, while animals from the flock represent him as a suffering substitute in connexion with actual results. Thus, one bullock at the annual service on the first of Tisri prefigured Christ in the days of his unremitting toil, while two bullocks at every monthly service prefigured him no less holy, but at a period when absence from the body had proclaimed him two. Moreover, one *Paul, entering on his apostolic career later than John's brother James whom Herod killed with the sword, may be regarded one with James, as to the inscription on one of the twelve foundations mentioned in Rev. xxi. 14. ram, or lamb of larger growth, pre-gression to an apostate nature, sin after scribed for every new-moon service, the manner of the first Adam. whether annual or monthly, is expressive of what the Saviour is to a remnant of saints in riper years, while the seven lambs prescribed also for every new-moon service, whether annual or monthly, are expressive of what he is, not to a remnant only, but to a race as complete as a week with its seven days, a race comprising all who die before they, by adding actual trans Thus He, who as one animal from the herd is Immanuel among mortals, and who as two animals from the herd is He that liveth and was dead, having the universe and eternity under his control, is also to living saints, and to the dead in Christ both small and great, "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Maryland Point, Stratford, Essex. ON MARRIAGE. In all our ways we are enjoined to "acknowledge the Lord," and are assured that "he shall direct our steps." To do so implies two things. The first is, that we ascertain whether any particular course we propose to follow be in harmony with the divine will. The second, that we ask His direction by prayer. If we thus acknowledge him in sincerity, from a desire to be guided in the way of safety and peace, we may rest confident of enjoying a fulfilment of the promise, "He shall direct thy steps." There is no step in life which involves in it consequences so important to comfort and happiness in the present existence, or so deeply affects our spiritual welfare, as the formation of the marriage union. We are especially called, therefore, to "acknowledge the Lord" in this matter, by consulting his will and soliciting his promised direction. Under every dispensation, whether the patriarchal, the Jewish, or the Christian, it has been the declared will of God that his people should intermarry only with those who fear him; who possess the same religious principles, and the same reverence for the divine commandments as themselves. Although it be the law of God under the gospel that is to regulate the practice of Christians, yet in regard to certain branches of the divine will, his law has necessarily remained the same in every age of the world. Obedience has been followed with happiness, and disobedience with misery. Among the early records of the bible we find that Abraham acted under the influence of a commendable regard to the will of God, and the best interests of his son Isaac, by solemnly binding his servant with an oath, not to take a wife of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom he dwelt; "But," says he, "thou shalt go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac." This example was followed by Isaac himself in reference to Jacob. He and Rebecca had been sorely grieved by the conduct of Esau in connecting himself with the idolaters of the land; so much so that the latter expressed herself thus, "I am weary of my life, because of the daughters of Heth, if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of the land what good shall my life do unto me?" After this we are told that Jacob was called by his father and strictly enjoined not to marry a wife of the daughters of Canaan. These patriarchs were thus most deeply opposition to the truth, it became a question of much practical consequence impressed with the importance of their children forming proper connexions in life, and acting in reference to this sub-how the believing relative should act ject in such a way as to secure the divine blessing; their stedfast adherence to the fear and worship of God, and the enjoyment of the promises which He had made to their fathers. When we proceed from this period to the days of Moses, we observe the strictest injunctions given to the Israelites on the same subject. In Deut. vii. 3, alluding to the inhabitants of the land they were finally to possess, it is said, "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them, thy daughter shalt thou not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son; for they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods. So will the anger of the Lord be kindled against thee, and he shall destroy thee suddenly." There are other passages to the same effect which we shall forbear to quote. They all show that the Lord manifested his concern for the welfare of the people of Israel, and the prosperity of his own worship among them as a distinct and peculiar people, by prohibiting all matrimonial alliances with the heathen around them, lest from the influence of idolatrous relations their hearts should be turned away from following the Lord God of Israel. It was not at all probable that a less degree of interest in the well being of those who are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus should be displayed by withholding directions respecting this important connexion in life. The most explicit injunctions given to Christians on this point are to be found in the conclusion of 1 Cor. vii. When the gospel, at that age of the world, proved instrumental in turning one of the parties united by the tie of marriage to the knowledge and service of God, while the other remained in toward the other. The apostle to whom they had applied for direction, says, in verse 12, "If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away; and the woman that hath a husband that believeth not, if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him." And among other reasons which are given for the two parties remaining together, if the unbelieving one were so disposed, is the possibility of the believing individual being the instru ment of converting the other. "For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?" Now it appears to me very clear, that had it not been understood as the law of Christ that a believer who had been hitherto unmarried was not to enter into this relationship with unbelievers, the question in the case here brought to our view would not have been agitated at all. The rule which the apostle gives was delivered by him as applicable to those connexions that had been formed previous to the reception of the gospel. But in regard to those in the church who might think of forming a marriage union, the injunction to do so with Christians alone is very explicit at the close of the chapter. We read at verse 39, "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth, but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord." So long as the husband lives, whether he be a believer or unbeliever, the wife is to regard the marriage bond as indissoluble; but in case of the death of the husband she is at liberty, if so inclined, to marry whom she will, but her choice to be restricted to a Christian man. She is not at liberty to marry an unbeliever, but to marry only in the Lord. The words "in the Lord," are very frequently employed to denote union with Christ by faith. Hence we read of those who were "in Christ Jesus." The apostle, in his concluding chapter to the Romans, verse 7, says, "Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." And in verse 11, "Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord." The same phrase sometimes occurs in connexion with a particular precept, such as, "Children obey your parents in the Lord," and means that obedience to the injunction is to be rendered from a regard to the authority, and to be regulated by the will of God. Whichever of these two interpretations we give to the words before us, the point is determined, that believers in Jesus Christ are to marry only those who are Christians, and that to depart from this rule is to deviate from the divine will. Although the law of Christ on this subject had not been so perspicuous as it is, yet the very nature and spirit of the exhortations given to the disciples of Christ regarding their association with others would obviously lead them to refrain from union for life with any but the fearers of God. We are reminded that "a companion of fools shall be destroyed," that "evil communications corrupt good manners," and that connexion with the Lord's people is one important means of preserving our own souls in the faith and obedience of the gospel; and can we yet suppose that the word of God could sanction an alliance of the closest and most permanent nature with those who are entirely destitute of the knowledge and influence of the truth? It must be admitted by every reflecting mind that the one is altogether condemnatory of the other. The consideration, there fore, of what the scriptures teach on the subject of the private friendships of Christians confirms the precept, that those who marry are to "marry only in the Lord." We have thus seen, then, from the example of the most approved patriarchs of ancient times, who were directed by the counsel of God-from the express commandments given through Moses to the children of Israel and from the teaching and general spirit of the exhortations delivered to the primitive churches of Christ, that the true fearers of God in forming the matrimonial relation ought to connect themselves exclusively with those of similar principle and character as their own. We are very far from thinking that to comply with this part of the divine will, individuals must necessarily restrict themselves to their own particular profession. However desirable an entire unanimity of views may be in regard to the constitution of a church, the grand point is to unite with those only who give evidence of being believers of the gospel and live under its power. This is essential. If it be connected with unity of views in regard to the other, it is to be preferred. "It is not desirable," says Mr. James, “on a sabbath morning to separate, and go one to one place of worship, and the other to another. The most delightful walk that a holy couple can take is to the house of God in company; and when in reference to the high themes of redemption, and the invisible realities of eternity, they take sweet counsel together- no one would willingly lose But oh, to walk separately in a more important and dreadful sense! To part at the point where the two roads to eternity branch off-the one to heaven the other to hell; and for the believer to travel on to glory with the dreadful consciousness that that. still |