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SEEK YE THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, CALL
YE UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAK.

1725. Opportunities neglected.-Some time since a friend called to see a young man in the last stage of disease. "I beheld him lying on the bed," he writes, " with his face concealed so that I was not able to recognise one whom while in health and strength I had seen so often."

After some introductory conversation the important subjects of the soul and eternity, and the necessity of an interest in Christ, were referred to. It was observed to the sufferer, "You have often been in the house of God, listening to the truths of the gospel." He, having lifted his head from the pillow, I saw that face which I had often seen in health, emaciated and distorted by disease and by the near approach of the king of terrors, presenting a striking commentary on the words, "Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away." I said, "What think you of Christ now that you have got death and eternity in immediate prospect?" Never, no, never shall I forget his awful and impressive reply. Those lips which had doubtless united with the congregation in singing praise to the Redeemer, now uttered, "I never knew Him." After reading and prayer we parted, never to meet again till the last day.

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Matthew xxvi. 26.-"THIS IS MY BODY." 1726. Transubstantiation.-I look at a map and say, This is England; that is France." I point to a picture and say, “That is Luther." I show you a bust, and say, This is Julius Cæsar." These things, you know, are nothing more than representations. "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches," Rev. i. 20. “The seven heads are seven mountains," Rev. xvii. 9. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings," ver. 12. These are nothing more than representations. What does Paul say of Ishmael's mother? "For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia,” Gal. iv. 25. He says, too, of the rock that Israel drank from in the wilderness, "And that Rock was Christ," 1 Cor. x. 4. It represented Christ, who was smitten for us. In like manner, how beautifully do the bread and the wine represent His blessed body and blood!-J. D. M.

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Isaiah li. 23.-"THOU HAST LAID THY BODY AS THE GROUND, AND AS THE STREET TO THEM THAT WENT OVER."

1727. The Doseh.-This passage refers to the ancient practice of setting the foot upon the necks of captives and trampling them under feet, an act by which conquerors signalized triumph over their enemies. A custom which would appear to be a relic of this practice exists amongst the Durweeshes of Cairo, and is celebrated at certain periods as a religious ceremony, called the Doseh, or treading. A description of one of these celebrations is given in volume v., article 1031, of which our engraving will be found a good illustration.

Genesis ix. 13.-"I DO SET MY BOW IN THE CLOUD, AND IT SHALL BE FOR A TOKEN OF A COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THE EARTH."

1728. The Bow in the Cloud.-It has frequently been inquired, "How could the rainbow, which must have often been seen before this time, be a token of the covenant which God made with Noah?" To this inquiry two answers have been returned, which in brief and plain terms are subjoined.

First, it has been maintained by several modern writers that there is no certainty that the rainbow was ever visible before this appearance of it to Noah, and that therefore, if this were its first appearance, it would be a striking and expressive token of the covenant which God then made with him. In support of this opinion it is alleged that there is no mention made of rain in the account of the antediluvian world, but that it is expressly said (Gen. ii. 5, 6), "The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth; but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground." Whether this description is to be extended to the period intervening between the creation and the flood cannot now perhaps be decided; but it is important to observe that, in mentioning the manner in which the earth was watered, Moses mentions only the dew. It is further alleged that, in accordance with this representation, it is quite conceivable that the density of the atmosphere around the antediluvian world might have been greatly different from what it was afterwards; that it might have been of such a high degree of density as to have precluded the existence of clouds, and consequently of rain, in the primeval world. The amazing change produced by the breaking up of the fountains of the great deep may SEPTEMBER, 1867.

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have produced a great change of the temperature and of the character of the atmosphere, a change so great that the rainbow might have been visible for the first time when it was pointed out to Noah as the token of the covenant then made with him. It is also stated that this supposed greater density of the atmosphere would account for the longevity of mankind in the antediluvian age, while the change which took place at that period in the average duration of human life would seem to indicate some alteration of a permanent character in the condition of man's abode on earth, less favourable to the continuance of animal life.

[But the progress of scientific discovery has rendered the foregoing opinion untenable. The existence of rain long before man is evidenced by the impressions of raindrops found in several geological formations. And no evidence whatever can be adduced to show that atmospheric conditions were different in antediluvian times from what they have been since.]

The second reply to the question, and which it must be admitted is in accordance with the general opinion of theologians and expositors, is that the rainbow did not then appear visible for the first time, but that it was then set or appointed, or given as the token of the covenant. If it be objected that it would be but poor comfort to Noah and his posterity to see the rainbow if it had been visible before the flood, as a deluge followed notwithstanding; it may be replied that this objection is baseless, because it supposes the comfort to lie in the sight of the rainbow, and not in the promise of which it was the pledge and the token. A rainbow could afford no consolation to them who lived before the flood, because no promise had been connected with it. But after it was made the sign or token of the promise, and reminds us of that promise, which is an infallible security to all who believe the Scriptures, there is undoubtedly all imaginable comfort in it. What the sight of the rainbow wants, the sense of the promise renewed by it supplies. A mere promise, though recorded for the benefit of posterity, would not be so effectual in promoting the end designed as the same promise with a visible sign annexed to it, so that the sight of the one might constantly bring to mind a remembrance of the other.

If it had been said, "As long as the moon shall wax and wane, or the tide shall ebb and flow, the earth shall no more be drowned with a flood," even that would have been more affecting than a bare promise; because then every change of one, or every return of the other, would have been a memorial of the promise. It is not the