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derstandings against all the evidence of so glorious a change. With these sentiments nothing could be more consistent than the remark of Mary Magdalen. The vague abrupt abrupt term of the expression indicates breathless haste. The anxiety nearest her heart (an anxiety usually very strong in the Eastern world) was to be allowed to pay the last honours to him whom she had loved and venerated in life. When questioned, therefore, by the angel (ver. 13), instead of any expression of fear or wonder, the same complaint as in ver. 2 rushes to her lips; and the third time (ver. 15), in reply to the question of our Lord, she still touches the same chord, with a very slight variation: "Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him," &c. Persons in alarm and perplexity will naturally suppose the first people they meet acquainted with their distress, and able to assist them. A common historian (Josephus for instance) would have studied to introduce expressions the most moving and eloquent, or a discussion of the evidence of the resurrection; but, faithful no less to truth and nature than to the suggestions of his Divine monitor, the Evangelist simply lays before us that unfeigned and unpremeditated language which is wont to be poured forth from the heart to the lips, at periods when the strong affections of the soul are called into action.

A. R. C.

ON READING THE BURIAL SERVICE OVER THE REMAINS OF NOTORIOUSLY IMPENITENT PERSONS.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. As much is said about church reform, and objections are raised against certain parts of the Liturgy of our Church, and especially against some words in the Burial Service; I send you the following passage from Bishop Hoadly, which may be new to many of the clergy. I should be happy to learn, from some of your CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 353.

correspondents, how far they consider the reasoning in it valid, as respects the alleged discretionary power of the clergyman; for though, if such a power exist, it would open up some other important questions, it would at least mitigate the current objections to this sublime, affecting, and, over the earthly remains of the faithful, most appropriate service.

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"I do verily think," says the bishop, "that a minister in the Church of England is under no obligation to use these expressions over notorious, incorrigible, impenitent adulterers, drunkards, blasphemers, murderers, or the like; nor likely to suffer the least inconvenience for omitting them. The omission of these sentences in such cases is not contrary to the original design of the Church in prescribing this form; but more agreeable to it than the using them. I find it almost unanimously affirmed, by as great writers as any that have appeared in this cause, that this office supposes such discipline in the church that all notorious and incorrigible sinners should be excommunicated, and so incapable of this office. If this be so, and yet no such discipline exercised; to what part of his charge, to what part of his vow, is he false, who either denies the office to those of whose acceptance with God there cannot be the least hope, or omits those expressions which render this office so improper on such occasions? I desire it may be remembered, that I am not now encouraging any persons to judge hardly of their neighbours; but speak only of such cases where it is most apparent and undeniable that there is no ground for the lowest fore, a man cut off in the midst of degree of hope. Supposing, theresuch sins as adultery, blasphemy, swearing, drunkenness, without the least sign of repentance, or acceptance with God; were these expressions designed for him? Can the canon which respects this be supposed to command the use of this form, any otherwise than as it was designed by the Church? Do 20

any of our governors, or did they ever, insist upon obedience to the letter of this canon in such cases? Not that I know of: and if they did, I should venture any penalty rather than obey; because my conscience would not let me say, I hoped the dead person rests in Christ, when there cannot be the least ground for hope; and because I cannot reconcile such an obedience with the obligations I am under to the church. But, as for omitting what was never intended by the Church for such occasions, I could do it with a very easy conscience; having by no vow, declaration, or subscription, as I apprehend, obliged myself to the use of any thing against the plain intent of that church in which I minister. And did it appear that it was the design of this church, and of the governors of it, to oblige those who minister in it to declare in public that they hope common swearers, adulterers, drunkards, murderers, blasphemers-that such as these, I say, dying without any sign of acceptance with God, rest in Christ, what man, who had the least sense of religion, could conform as a minister?" Hoadly's Reasonableness of Conformity, pp. 117-120.

I beg also to add a short extract from Dr. Bennett on the "Common Prayer," p. 234.

"It is plain, from the whole tenor of this office, that it was never intended to be used at the burial of such persons as die in a state of notorious impenitence, without any appearance or profession of their return to God. So that those clergymen (if such there be) who read this form at the funeral of the most profligate and debauched sinners, do not only act without authority, but against the manifest design of the Church. I hope, therefore, that none of my brethren will ever prostitute this excellent service to the worst of

purposes, to the encouragement of vice, and the hardening of sinners; and that they will never change the whole of it into one continued and deliberate falsehood, by so scandalous a misapplication.”

THEOGNIS.

For the Christian Observer.

THE following lines, from the pen of Mrs. Sigourney, relate to an Indian church, about to be erected near Norwich, Connecticut, chiefly by the contributions of females.

THE MOHEGAN INDIAN CHURCH.
BEHOLD yon hills in distance fade,
Where erst the red-browed hunter stray'd;
And mark those streamilets, sheen and blue,
Where gliding sped the slight canoe;
While through the forest, swift as light,
The wild deer shunn'd the arrow's flight!

Ask ye for hamlets' peopled bound,
With cane-roof'd cabins circled round?
For chieftain proud? for hoary sire?
Or warrior, terrible in ire?

Ye've seen the shadow quit the vale,
The foam upon the waters fail,
The fleeting vapour leave no trace:
Such was their path-that faded race.

Hark, hark! from yonder darksome field Methought their thund'ring war-shout peal'dMethought I saw in flickering spire

The lightning of their council-fire:

Ah, no! the dust hath check'd their song,
And dimm'd their glorious ray-

But hath it staunch'd their bleeding wrong;
Or quelled remembrance, fierce aud strong ?
Recording angel, say!

Lo where a savage fortress frown'd
Amid you blood.cemented ground,
A hallow'd dome, with peaceful claim,
Shall bear the meek Redeemer's name;
And forms like those that lingering staid
Latest 'neath Calvary's awful shade,
And earliest pierced the gather'd gloom
To watch their Saviour's lowly tomb-
Such gentle forms the Indian's ire
Ilave soothed, and bade that dome aspire.
And now, where rose the murderous yell,
The tuneful hymn to God shall swell;
Where Vengeance spread a fatal snare,
Shall breathe the red man's contrite prayer.

Crushed race! so long condemned to moan,
Scorned, rifled, spiritless, and lone,
From heathen rites, from sorrow's maze,
Turn to these temple gates with praise.
Yes, come; and bless th' usurping band
That rent away your fathers' land:
Forgive the wrong, suppress the blame,
And view your hope, your heaven, the same!

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

WORKS BY DR. WHATELY.

(Concluded from p. 234.)

AMONG the arguments adduced by Dr. Whately for a state of insensibility after death, one is drawn from the silence of the inspired writers on occasions when, as we may think, they might naturally have been expected to speak of the state of the departed; an argument always precarious, unless strongly supported by collateral considerations of a positive nature; and especially precarious in its application to scriptural truths, since we cannot be supposed to know all the reasons which may have caused the omission. At the same time, this silence may, in the present case, admit of explanation. Our author has indeed himself urged one reason why this truth should not have been revealed-namely, that it could be of no practical necessity.

"If, as is quite clear, a man's final condition depends on his conduct in this life, and cannot be altered by any thing that takes place after death, there can be no advantage in his knowing, during his life, or his surviving friends, afterwards, what the intermediate state is." View, p. 80.

But, besides this, if we look to the passage in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, to which in particular Dr. Whately refers, obvious reasons occur to us why no notice should be taken there of the intermediate state, even if such a state of conscious blessedness exists. Dr. Whately ob

serves, that

"The apostle Paul, in comforting the Thessalonians concerning their deceased brethren, does not make any mention of their being at that time actually in a state of enjoyment; but alludes only to the joyful resurrection which awaited them: I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe

that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him; for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive, and remain unto the

coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep; for the Lord

himself shall descend from heaven,--and the dead in Christ shall rise first,' &c. Now this was, to be sure, a very consolatory prospect respecting their departed friends; but if he had known, and had been authorized to reveal, that these very persons were, at that very time, actually admitted to a state of happiness, one cannot but suppose he would have mentioned this as an additional consolation, and one more immediately striking; instead of which, he makes no mention of any such intermediate hope, as state of happiness, but merely speaks of a hope, as of somewhat future, respecting the departed; (Sorrow not as others which have no hope,') the hope, namely, of a glorious resurrection to them that sleep." View, pp. 70, 71.

Now, in reply to these observations we may remark, that, although the

Scriptures do offer to the godly an unspeakably glorious reward; and though there is nothing sordid in appealing to our hopes and fears on subjects connected with God and eternity-the scriptural hope of the enjoyment of the beatific vision and everlasting blessedness in heaven being not a base selfishness, but a sublime and spiritual elevation of soul-yet, connected with this, and inseparable from it, there is the love of God, and a desire to behold him, and to witness his glory; and these appeal to the warmest sympathies of the renewed mind, even independently of the direct anticipation of personal enjoyment. The disciples of Christ have, indeed, a treasure in heaven: their heart is there; they seek the kingdom which is to be inherited by

the faithful: but it is neither their character as pourtrayed in the Bible, nor the state of mind and desire encouraged in the Bible, to attain personal happiness, and then, were it possible, to secure that happiness without anyfurther consequence. No; their hearts are set on promoting the glory of God and performing his will. They are taught to pray first, and before any supplication for personal blessings, that the name of their Father may be hallowed, that his kingdom may come and his will be done: and their notion of heaven,

therefore, is not that of a place where they may enjoy a merely selfish, or even a social happiness; but of a state in which they may enjoy the peculiar happiness of being and doing what their Heavenly Father would have them to be and to do, and thence of promoting his designs with unrestrained affection and delight; and lastly, as our Saviour himself describes the privilege of his people, of being where he is, and seeing his glory. And this consideration, by the way, directly meets and obviates a difficulty which our author else where starts, that

"It seems to be supposed and implied, in the expressions and thoughts of most persons on this subject, that the heavenly life will be one of inactivity, and perfectly stationary ;-that there will be nothing to be done, nothing to be learnt,—no advances to be made;-nothing to be hoped for,-nothing to look forward to, except a continuance in the very state in which the blest will be placed at once." View, p 217. They will have much to look forward to, much to advance in, much to engage their affections and desires, if the infinite designs of the Eternal Mind be the object which they most desire to understand and to promote. The first object of the religion of the Saviour is to set the heart and the affections of his disciples right; to give them a filial confidence in the love and faithfulness of their Father in heaven, through the merit and virtue of his effectual atonement. This purpose effectually accomplished, there is an end to personal anxiety and uneasiness about their own happiness. A good son never doubts whether his interests are secure in the hands of an affectionate father: his concern is rather how he may do the will of his father, and forward whatever he knows to be dear to him. He is aware, indeed, that his father can disinherit him if he will, but he never suspects him of such a design; and, being at ease upon that subject, though he may be sensible that he has too often merited his displeasure, he is solicitous only to shew his respect and gratitude and love hereafter to one whose affection is too well known to him to be doubted,

This establishment of filial confidence supersedes personal apprehension, and imparts a purer and more liberal spirit; it is that perfect love which casts out fear.

Accordingly, the Thessalonian Christians are not represented by the Apostle as alarmed respecting the safety of their departed friends. To that alarm it would, indeed, have been a direct reply, as Dr. Whately remarks, that they were actually admitted to a state of happiness. But their apprehension was, lest those who were called away before the coming of Christ should miss the glory of his advent, and be deprived of the satisfaction of welcoming their glorified Lord when he should come; as they expected him to come speedily, to be admired in all them that believe. They were apprehensive that one great object of Christian hope that of witnessing the Saviour's glory in its chief and highest display-was lost to them and to this apprehension it would have been no answer to say that they are now happy; whereas it was a most complete and satisfactory reply, that those who departed before his return would return with him, and that their resurrection from the dead would actually precede the assumption of the living. Indeed, though the intermediate state be a condition of peace and comfort and joy to the Christian, it is not the joy, the blessedness, the glory, to which he ultimately looks forward. The consummation of the Divine purposes, in the final destruction of sin and triumph of truth and holiness, is reserved for the last day: and to that day, therefore, all his hopes are directed; for till its arrival he does not attain his crown, though even here he possesses a joy unspeakable and full of glory; and hereafter, before the soul and body are reunited, he may enjoy, besides the actual blessedness to the former, whatever it may be, of the intermediate state, the anticipation of that still greater blessedness which shall ensue at the resurrection, when this mortal body shall be made like unto

Christ's glorious body, and body and soul, joined together no more to part, enter upon the full fruition of heavenly felicity. In the mean time the anticipation of this blessedness by the disembodied spirit will itself be blessedness.

This consideration, moreover, silences, if it does not remove, another difficulty alleged by our author, where he says,

"It is indeed very conceivable that the souls of men, in a separate state, should remain in a happy or unhappy condition till the end of the world, and should then, at the resurrection, be re-united to bodies, and enter on a different kind of enjoyment or of suffering; this, I say, is, in itself, very conceivable; but it is hard to conceive how, supposing that to be the case, the day of judgment, at the time of the resurrection, should be spoken of as it is in Scripture; since each man would (in the case just supposed) not only know his final condition, but actually enter upon his reward or punishment before the resurrection, immediately on his death; so that the judgment of the last day would be in fact forestalled." View, p. 73.

This last clause betrays what we humbly conceive to be a confusion in the mind of the learned author. He explains his meaning, however, more distinctly by adding—

"It seems strange that a man should first undergo his sentence, and afterwards be brought to trial;-should first enter upon his reward or punishment, and then (perhaps many centuries after) be tried, and then judged, and acquitted or condemned." pp. 73, 74.

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The absurdity, here suggested, arises from confounding the two ideas of trial and judgment. They commonly, indeed, form but one process upon earth; and there would be the greatest absurdity in rewarding man first, and trying him afterwards, because the trial supposes that the cause has been unheard, that witnesses are yet to be called and facts to be established before it can be determined whether the accused person deserves to be rewarded or punished, praised or blamed. But it is not always held to be so absurd that a man should know, and even feel, something of his sentence before judgment. A man, for instance, who has been tried for a libel, or even for a capital offence, and convicted, may be or

dered to be brought up for judgment at a distant day: and yet in the interval he will feel many of the effects of his conviction, and even anticipate the nature of his sentence: which is strictly analogous to all that is supposed of the intermediate blessedness or misery of the departed. As Dr. Whately himself elsewhere justly observes, "the whole of our life is the period of trial allotted to us." When death arrives the trial is past there remaineth then a looking-for of judgment (Heb. x. 27); and, accordingly, the business of the great day is described to be a revelation-perhaps to all the universeof the righteous judgment of God (Rom. ii. 5), discovered previously (it may be) to the conscience of each individual, but then to be made known, by an authentic publication and a simultaneous execution of the sentence, to all the hosts of creation assembled to witness the award. Nor do we see any thing absurd in "the judgment of the last day being thus forestalled,"-a term, by the way, conveying, though perhaps unintentionally, somewhat of levity not becoming such a subject. Dr. Whately might be more guarded in his epithets. What must the "unlearned" flock, have thought of his calling our as he styles them, at Halesworth, blessed Lord's parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus "a fictitious tale?"

There are still one or two other points, connected with the state of things after death, in which Dr. Whately's sensitiveness to the mistakes of others occasionally seduces him into an error not altogether unlike that which he opposes. He is much disconcerted at a notion, entertained by some persons, "that the saints, or faithful Christians, &c., are to take a share in the general judgment." This doctrine, he remarks, is, he believes, derived chiefly, if not entirely, from a passage in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, chap. vi." But whatever may be the merit of this particular opinion, it does not rest exclusively upon the passage referred to. There is at

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