THE BIBLE, THE BOOK OF GOD. How comes it that this volume, composed by humble men, in a rude age, when art and science were but in their childhood has exerted more influence on the human mind and on the social system than all the other books put together? Whence comes it that this book has achieved such marvellous changes in the opinions of mankind; has banished idol worship; has abolished infanticide; has put down polygamy and divorce; exalted the condition of woman; raised the standard of public morality; created for families that blessed thing, a Christian home; and caused its other triumphs by causing benevolent institutions, open and expansive, to spring up as with the wand of enchantment? What sort of book is this, that even the winds and waves of human passions obey it? What other engine of social, improvement has operated so long, and yet lost none of its virtue? Since it appeared, many boasted plans of ameliora tion have been tried and failed, many codes of jurisprudence have arisen, and run their course and expired. Empire after empire has been launched upon the tide of time, and gone down, leaving no trace upon the waters. But this book is still going about doing good, leavening society with its holy principles; cheering the sorrowful with its consolation; strengthening the tempted; encouraging the penitent: calming the troubled spirit; and smoothing the pillow of death. Can such a book be the offspring of human genius? Does not the vastness of its efforts demonstrate the excel lency of the power to be of God? The only answer is, Yes, it is of God, and it shall endure for ever. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATED. be on the ANCIENT ARMOUR AND WEAPONS. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stani therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having breastplate of righteousness: and your feet shod with the preparation the gospel of peace. Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith r shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word f God." (Ephesians vi. 13-17.) The Christian is a soldier of Jesus Christ, and, as such, he has to maintain a constant warfare with every form of evi slung by a thong over the neck. In times of actual engagement, the shields were either held above the head, or they were placed together, edge to edge, and thus formed a continuous barrier. To lose the shield in battle was considered disgraceful. "The shield of the mighty," says David, "is vilely cast away;" referring to the shield of Saul. In Sparta, to lose the shield was a capital crime. Spartan mothers were accustomed, when their sons went to battle, in order to incite them to courage, to address them in this language: "Either this, or upon this." Bring it home, or be brought home dead upon it. They would rather have seen the son brought home dead upon his shield, than come home without it. 2. The helmet. In the earliest ages, it was made of osier or rushes, in the form of a bee-hive. The skins of the heads! of animals were afterwards adopted, and were adorned with rows of teeth, manes, and bristles. Wood, linen, cloth, felt, and similar materials, were used. But helmets of metal were the most common. In later times, the helmet was furnished with a visor, brought down to protect the face. From the dangerous character of wounds in the head, the helmet was a very important piece of defensive armour. Ezek. xxvii. 10. 3. The coat of mail, or habergeon, or breast-plate. 1 Sam. xvii. 5; Neh. iv. 16; Job xli. 26; Rev. ix. 9. It covered the body upon and below the breast. It consisted of two parts, which were fastened together at the sides. Sometimes it was made of wicker-work, covered with a brass plate. Among early nations it was formed of hides, and of multiplied folds of cloth. The thorax was frequently made of quilted linen. The belt, or baldric, was of leather, studded with metal plates, when the armour was slight, broad, and capable of being girt upon the hips. 4. The greaves. 1 Sam. xvii. 6. They were for the protec tion of the legs. They consisted of a pair of shin-covers, of brass or strong leather, bound with thongs round the calves, and above the ankles. They reached only to the knee, except among the Greeks, whose greaves, elastic behind, caught nearly the whole leg, and were raised in front above the knees. The weapons, or instruments of offence, were, the sword, the spear, javelin, dart or lance, the bow and arrow, the sling the quiver, and the battle-axe, &c. 1. The sword. Gen. xxvii. 40. This was a short twoedged instrument, resembling what we call a dagger. It was carried in a sheath or scabbard, and suspended from a girdle. Jer. xlvii. 6; Judg. iii. 16. 2. The spear. Josh. viii. 18. This differed from the javelin, or lance, principally in size and length. The spear was a long wooden staff, with a metal point at one end. The Grecian spears were sometimes twenty-five feet long, and the Arabs now use them fifteen feet long. They were required to be long enough to reach beyong the front rank, by those who were in the second. The javelin was a short spear, generally thrown with the hand. The dart was still smaller, and used in a similar manner. 3. Bows and arrows. The arrow was a slender missile, shot from the bow, as in modern times. It was first used in hunting, but soon became of so much importance, that care was taken to train the Hebrew youths early to the use of the bow. Arrows were made of reeds, or any light wood, the bows of flexible wood or steel, and the bow-string of leather, horse-hair, or the tendons of animals. Allusions to the bow and arrow are very numerous in the Scriptures. A deceitful bow is one that springs back, and wounds the archer himself; or one which, from weakness or defects, fails to project the arrow. The point of the arrow was barbed, like a fish-hook. Allusion is made in Job vi. 4 to poisoned arrows; and fire was often conveyed by the use of juniper-wood, which kindled upon the baggage of an army. Arrows were used for divination. Ezekiel, chap. xxi. 21, informs us that Nebuchadnezzar, when putting himself at the head of his armies to march against Zedekiah, and against the Ammonites, stood at the parting of two ways, to mingle his arrows together, to divine which way he should march. The quiver, which was slung over the shoulder, contained the arrows. The drawing the bow was a a test of strength. Hence the allusion Psal. xviii. 34. 4. The sling was an early weapon of war, by which stones were thrown with great force, and amazing accuracy of aim. Judg. xx. 16. The Benjamites are celebrated for their equal adroitness with either hand. The sling was made of plaited thongs, somewhat broad in the middle, to lodge the stone or lead. Stones could be cast above four hundred feet, and leaden bullets as far as six hundred feet. 5. The battle-axe. Jer. li. 20. This was evidently a most powerful weapon, but its form cannot now be ascertained. It was probably a mace or club, formed of wood, and plated with metal. The Egyptian battle-axe had also a sword upon it. ous. The allusions to armour in the Scriptures are very numerIn Eph. vi. 11-18, the graces of the Christian character are represented as the armour of God. Believers must see that they abound in these graces, and then they will be able to conquer all their enemies. |