NOTES, &c.

NOTE A. Page 13.

THIS reluctance to the study of the word of God, which is so generally felt, both by the learned and those who are not learned, and the readiness with which they severally make excuses for the neglect of this imperative duty, are well described in the following passage of Isaiah, 11th and 12th verses of the 29th chapter:

11th." And the vision of all is become unto

you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed:

12th." And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned."

And the denunciations in the two verses which follow, against this neglect and indifference, are severe, but just :

13th. "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men,

14th. "Therefore behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."

NOTE B. Page 15.

The reader will perceive that we have adopted the generally received opinion that Mary Magdalene and the penitent sinner are one and the same person, although the point cannot be clearly established from the words of Scripture.

NOTE C. Page 34.

St. John affirms that the Word, which was afterwards "made flesh and dwelt among us," was in the beginning with God and was God; and we likewise find that, according to the account given us in the Old Testament, even before the actual incarnation of the Deity, God took upon himself the form of man, and as man was seen by some of his chosen and highly favoured servants. As man He appeared to Jacob, "and Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled with him a Man until the breaking of the day, and He (the Man) said let me go, for the day breaketh, but Jacob said, I will not let thee go until thou bless me, and He blessed him there; and Jacob said, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." He appeared as man to Moses, for we are told that He spoke to Moses face to face," as a man with his friend;" and further, God declares of Moses, "With him I will speak mouth to mouth, even apparently," "and the similitude of the Lord shall

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1 See Exodus xxxii.

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he behold." He appeared as man to Joshua ;

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And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there stood a man over against him, with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And He said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come: and Joshua fell on his face and worshipped, and said unto Him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? (like St. Paul's Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?') and the captain of the Lord's host said, loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest is holy; and Joshua did so." The wrestling of Jacob was the combat of faith; the strife remained while the darkness lasted; but at the "breaking of the day," having fought the good fight, never having once given way throughout the long dark night in which he knew not, saw not, the mysterious Being with whom he had been

Numbers xii. Moses declared to the Israelites, Ye heard the voice of the Words, but saw no similitude.— Deut. iv. 6. St. Paul declares that the Saviour was not only the brightness of the Father's glory, but the image of his person.

2 Joshua v.

struggling, having literally held fast by Jesus, he would not let Him go until He blessed him, and was rewarded for his perseverance by the gracious assurance that he had prevailed with "God and man." He fought the good fight, and received the crown-the blessing of the Almighty. To Jacob the Deity appeared as the God of the Old Testament, an antagonist to prove him, wrestling with his servant from the darkness in which it then pleased Him to dwell. To Moses He was the God of the New Testament, appearing as a friend to encourage him, and though He could not shew him his glory, yet made He all his goodness to pass before him. To Joshua He appeared as the God of the Revelations, "Going forth conquering and to conquer;" his right hand teaching terrible things to the enemies of his people, and leading his faithful followers into that Paradise which He had re-opened for them. If we pursue the enquiry, we shall find that, as man, God appeared to Daniel, to Ezekiel, to Jeremiah; and that as man only has He ever been seen by his people.

The Scriptures affirm that no man had seen or could see God, except in the face of Jesus Christ; and the reason is obvious; the impos

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