Page images
PDF
EPUB

greatest authority with the people, Joseph of Arimathæa, rich and honourable, and inferior to Nicodemus, one of the great Council of the Sanhedrim: these two, though fearful while he lived to acknowledge him, are brought by the hand of Providence to inter him; that so the prediction might be fulfilled which was delivered by Isaiah to this purpose. The counsel of his enemies, the design of the Jews, " made his grave with the wicked," that he might be buried with them which were crucified with him: but "because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit within his mouth;" because he was no ways guilty of those crimes for which they justly suffered; that there might be a difference after their death, though there appeared little distinction in it; the counsel of the Father, the design of Heaven, put him "with the rich in his death," and caused a counsellor and a ruler of the Jews to bury him! BISHOP PEARSON.

Behold the restless and implacable malice of Christ's enemies, which pursued him even to his tomb, and there endeavoured to blast his memory by fixing upon him the character of an impostor. They demanded and procured a guard for his sepulchre. And here also we have a repeated instance of God's taking the wise in their own craftiness.-Job v. 13. Some have conjectured that they might also cement it with lead, or bind it with iron, but the sabbath would hardly have allowed this. The guard would prevent violence, and the seal would be a security against any fraud of theirs in confederacy with the disciples, if that could possibly have been suspected. This precaution might prevent any attempt, not only to remove the body, but to embalm it. For it is to be considered, that they had great reason to believe that, when two such eminent persons as Joseph and Nicodemus had already paid such a public honour to the corpse, they would desire also to embalm it; which accordingly they did really design. This would be such an additional reflection on the proceedings of the sanhedrim, as they would certainly desire to prevent. A mandate from Pilate for this purpose they could not be sure of obtaining, had they asked it; nor would an act of their own court have been free from uncertainty and inconvenience. This method of sealing the stone was, therefore, the most artful expedient that could be imagined; which would effectually prevent it, without letting it be publicly known that they had the least suspicion of any such design. Probably their design was on the fourth day to have opened the sepulchre, and have exposed the corpse to public view; which, had it been in their power, had been the most prudent step they could have taken. But they do not seem to have been mad enough to think, that if Jesus rose from the dead, it must be just when they thought fit to attend. DR. DODDRidge.

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.-Psal. xvi. 10.

It was a part of the covenant of grace, and promised by the mouth of God's prophets, that after the death of the Messiah, his animal frame, W, NEPHESH, should not continue, like those of other men, in the grave,

NW, SHEOL, nor should corruption be permitted to seize on the body, by which all others were to be raised to incorruption and immortality. As members of Christ, this same promise and assurance is so far ours, that although our mortal part must see corruption, yet it shall not be finally left under the power of the enemy, but shall be raised again, and reunited to its old companion the soul, which exists, meanwhile, in secret and undiscerned regions, there waiting for the day when its Redeemer shall triumph over corruption, in his mystical, as he hath already done in his natural, body. BISHOP HORNE.

"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and he was buried."-1. Cor. xv. 3, 4. Who begged his body for interment ? It was Joseph and Nicodemus. And, here we cannot help remarking these petitioners themselves. "Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called," but these men were of distinguished rank and condition in life. A few of these there have been in every age of the church: sufficient-to show, not that the cause of God depends upon them, but to redeem religion from the prejudice, that it suits the vulgar only, and also to prove the power of Divine grace, in counteracting temptation. Yet down to this period, Joseph and Nicodemus had not been persons of much promise: so far from it, they were ashamed and afraid to have their regard to our Lord known, when his disciples were professing their resolution to follow him to prison and to death. Behold the change! Who attended as mourners? "The women, also, who came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid." With us, some days elapse before interment; but here, only two hours were allowed between his execution and his burial. If, indeed, his body had not been implored by Joseph and Nicodemus, it would have been interred at Golgotha-thrown into a hole, dug under the cross! Who carried the sacred corpse, we know not; but they had not far to bear it," for the sepulchre was nigh at hand." This was not a grave of earth, but of stone, and hewn out of a rock. Thus there was only one avenue leading to it; no one, therefore, could approach it from the sides, or behind; and the entrance was watched, guarded, and sealed. It was also a new tomb, in which never man was laid. And here, again, we see the hand of God: for had there been other bodies, some would have pretended collusion, and the evidence could not have been so simple and complete as it now was, when the body lay alone there. Finally; it was not his own. His followers are mad after the honours and riches of the world; but, living and dying, he had not where to lay his head. He was born in another man's house, and buried in another man's grave!

But why was he buried at all? First.-His burial was an additional confirmation of his death, upon which everything depended. An examination was made while he was upon the cross; and finding him dead already, they brake not his legs; but a soldier pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. But now his mouth, and nostrils, and ears were all filled with the odours and spices—and who can question

a man's death when he is buried? Secondly.-It was the completion of his humiliation. 66 They have brought me into the dust of death." "Now that he ascended, what is it but that he descended first into the lowest parts of the earth?" Thirdly.-By this he sanctified the grave, and prepared it for his people. They would have been afraid to go in, but he entered it before them. They can lie in his bed, after him. He has freed it from every horror. He has softened it, and made it easy for them.

"And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre." Let us sit by them, and contemplate. There lies in that rock, He who made it. There are sealed up the lips which said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." There are closed the eyes which always beamed compassion, and wept for human woe. There, cold, are the hands which were laid on little children, to bless them, and that delivered the widow's son to his mother. There lies the Life of the world, and the Hope of Israel. He was "fairer than the children of men." "He was "the image of the invisible God."-" He went about doing good." "He was rich, and for our sakes,

became poor."

"Come saints, and drop a tear or two,
For him who groaned beneath your
He shed a thousand drops for you,
A thousand drops of richer blood."

load:

REV. WILLIAM JAY.

[graphic]

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE GRAPHIC LIBRARY FOR DOMESTIC INSTRUCTION.

DOMESTIC INSTRUCTION is universally acknowledged to be of the highest importance, both personal and social. Conducted on Christian principles, it has ever been the means of forming the most virtuous and useful characters. General history concurs with the Holy Scriptures in supporting this representation; and it must necessarily be founded in truth, because such is the wise and gracious ordination of God. Domestic Instruction, therefore, needs the choicest materials for its assistance; and to prepare these the most powerful claim may be made upon the best consideration of the patriot, the philosopher, and the Christian.

Education, to accomplish its professed design, must be religious: and a religious education, to secure its moral advantages and its imperishable blessings, must be based upon the Bible. Such is the universal sentiment of all believers in the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.

Christian Parents, in our favoured times, possess a thousand advantages, which were unknown forty, or even twenty years ago, to aid them in carrying on their plans of education: but, notwithstanding the multiplication of new works in every department of knowledge, there is still felt to be a deficiency of good religious books adapted for domestic instruction.

Graphic Illustrations are now universally acknowledged to be desirable, as amongst the most rational and efficient means of mental improvement, and these are found to be peculiarly valuable in promoting religious instruction. Divine Revelation receives many of its most splendid evidences from the continued existence of ancient monumental remains; and their exhibition to the population of the western regions, by the ingenuity of our artists, in confirmation of Christianity,—like the mysterious preservation of the Jews, as a distinct and separate people, appears to have been one reason of their preservation by the same infinitely wise and Almighty Providence!

[ocr errors]

Oriental customs also, described and delineated in every page of the Sacred Scriptures, have now become familiar to our recent intelligent travellers and missionaries in Egypt, Arabia, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, India, &c. &c. Past stores, therefore, the accumulations of ages, yet unused, at least, for the benefit of the multitude, lie at the command of the Christian artist, to furnish the theologian with illustrations in expounding more clearly the sublime and saving doctrines of the Word of God.

"BALL'S GRAPHIC LIBRARY FOR DOMESTIC INSTRUCTION" designs to supply some of the deficiencies thus acknowledged, making use of ample materials which have been collected for this purpose. Sacred Biography, Biblical Antiquities, and Geography, &c. &c. will form some of the earliest subjects contemplated in this series, embracing most of the nobler branches of Christian knowledge; while typography and paper, in their most improved state, and wood-engraving in its advanced state of perfection, will be employed to enrich these works, their elegance, beauty, and religious excellency, for which a confident reference is made to the "LIFE OF CHRIST ILLusTRATED," as a specimen,-it is presumed, will secure, according to their merit, the patronage of every Christian family in the BRITISH Empire.

Each volume will be complete in itself, and the size and price will vary according to the subject.

ADVERTISEMENT.

LIFE OF

CHRIST ILLUSTRATED.

CHRISTIANITY is seen illustrated in its perfect excellency only in the Life of our blessed Lord and Saviour. His wonderful character, as the " Holy One of God," must be contemplated as a paramount duty, and it will be, with supreme delight, by every Christian.

Divine Goodness has supplied abundant materials for this transforming exercise, in the four Gospels, written by the Evangelists; and these inspired volumes are composed in a style worthy of their heavenly origin, and adapted to the capacities of all classes of society. Hence their unparalleled variety of incident, and the powerful -instruction afforded by the extraordinary details of the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Jeremy Taylor, Dr. Fleetwood, Dr. Wright, Dr. Malham, and other distinguished Divines, have laboured worthily in compiling from the writings of the Four Evangelists, harmonies of the history of our Saviour; and the large success those works have enjoyed, has evidenced in the religious world the existence of an almost universal desire to possess, as a sacred household volume, a copy of the "Life of Christ."

Every upright mind will cheerfully acknowledge the instructiveness of these excellent works : but no intelligent judicious Christian will pretend that either of them is perfect;—or so complete as to supersede any further attempt to illustrate the Character, Ministry, and Virtues of the Divine Founder of our religion. Without referring in this place to the deficiencies of these compilations, it is presumed that there is not only room for a new work of this class, but that in the present state of the Arts, and in the peculiar circumstances of Great Britain, there exists a demand for a “ LIFE OF CHRIST ILLUSTRATED," which none of these publications meet.

We have therefore determined on the production of a work, in which both the pen and the pencil shall equally combine to exhibit the character of our Lord and Saviour in the following order:

I. THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST.
II.—THE HUMILIATION OF CHRIST.
III. THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST.
IV. THE DISCOURSES OF CHRIST.
V. THE PARABLES OF CHRIST.
VI. THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST.

The text will consist of the words of the authorized version of the sacred narrative, with а commentary of the choicest and most beautiful passages selected from the writings of about one hundred celebrated Divines of every Christian denomination; and the cuts, taken from the greatest works of the ancient and modern masters, will be drawn, engraved, and printed in a style of art which, it is confidently hoped, will be in advance of our beautiful and improving pictorial contemporaries, and which shall be worthy of the great subject of our illustrations. The complete work will contain eighty-four engravings: thirty-six representing the grand incidents of "The Life," and forty-eight head and tail-pieces. The "Life of Christ Illustrated" will thus for the first time associate the noblest productions of fine art with the brightest gems of sacred literature, and together form a Family book, equally adapted for the drawing-room, the closet, and the sick chamber of the Christian.

This work will be completed in six parts, forming one handsome volume.

London: Printed by S. BENTLEY, Dorset Street, Fleet Street.

« EelmineJätka »