would be true if understood of one complete day, and any part, howevever small, of two others. Thus our Saviour, who lay in the tomb from Friday evening to Sunday morning, is said to have lain three days and nights in the grave. So likewise the situation of Jonah is to be considered a type of the Son of Man. (Matt. xii. 40 verse.) What a melancholy state was Jonah's! But he cried unto God who mercifully heard his prayers; -as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so was the Son of Man three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.— From the crucifixion of Christ to his re-appearing on earth, in the space of three days he descended into Hell, which word is properly translated from the Greek" Hades;" not however, that place of torment to which the wicked are to be consigned after the day of judgement-that was not the place for the holy Jesus-that was not the place for the immaculate Son of God, but his soul went into the common receptacle of departed souls in the intermediate time between death and the general resurrection. A clearer proof of this proposition may be found in St. Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost, where he alludes to a passage in the Psalms, and applies it to the resurrection of our Saviour. "Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption :" that is, to lie long enough in the grave to be subject to rottenness.

But what a solemn declaration our Lord gave to the scribes and pharisees, saying, that "the men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it because 'they' upon Jonah's restoration and re-appearance" repented" at his preaching, "and behold a greater than Jonah is here." Surely if the Ninevites repented at the threatenings of Jonah, what must be expected of us in a Christian land, who are alas! frail and sinful. Jonah is not here to warn us; but behold, a greater prophet daily cries," Come unto me that ye may have life," and shall we dare to disobey the call-it is not a call of man's-it is not a call of time, but it is a call from God-a call for eternity. "Work out therefore your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." The queen of the south shall rise up in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold a greater than Solomon is here." The religious advantages and privileges which we as Christians possess are indeed very

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great, and shall we neglect to use them and to value them, How many in heathen countries would be thankful for what we possess. It is deeply to be lamented that so few among us duly appreciate those blessings, which many prophets and righteous men desired to see and saw them not, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. One reason may be adduced as the cause, which reason itself only increases our responsibility, viz: that they are continually with us, and so in time we forget their importance. But will such an excuse avail at the final day of account? No! it cannot. As I have before stated, occupy till I come," is written upon every talent given us, every blessing, and each word, thought, and action will be brought to judgment. No sooner we abandon one evil desire, or action, one evil pursuit, than another as bad or worse, takes possession of our hearts! and without we exercise great faith and resist it, the consequences will be most severe and certain. Propensities of evil implanted in our nature, the temptations of the great world without the various sinful passions of the little world within us, are daily inclining us to swerve from the path of duty, and cause us to disregard the voice of the Almighty. The duration of Jonah's punishment was long enough to enable him to reflect upon the weight of his sin, and so to pray for pardon. But how bitter and how sad must have been his feelings at that trying season. Three days and three nights in a low dungeon, a prey to a great fish, and all prompted by the word of the Lord. How much his conscience must have reproached him; for he saw in the strongest light the authority and love of God trampled under foot, by a foolish fear of man, and open sin against God. How great and aggravated must his sin have appeared to him, while in this deplorable state, but happily such thoughts are the forerunner of another blessing which we as christians enjoy,-forgiveness of sins through repentance, which cometh by prayer. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. Meditate upon these things! give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

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Chelmsford,

30th April, 1845.

A. M. W.

SHEARCROFT, TYP. CHELMSFORD..

The NARRATIVE of JONAH continued.

me.

JONAH'S PRAYER.

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep; in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over 2nd chap. Jonah, 1-3rd verses. "Is any among you afflicted, let him pray. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." How strikingly this is exemplified in the prophet Jonah. He had arrived as it were at the last brink of destruction; but he recalls the past, giving utterance to his feelings in a very sublime and beautiful prayer. His affliction was great, but he had brought it on himself. He is at last sensible of the Omnipotent and Superintending Power over the actions of men, and he consequently most properly and humbly seeks that pardon, which God only could bestow. For what is it to pray? I will answer this question in the words of the celebrated Hooker. It is "the sending of angels upward. His heavenly inspirations, and our holy desires are as so many angels of intercourse and commerce between God and us. As teaching bringeth us to know that God is our supreme truth; so prayer testifieth that we acknowledge Him our sovereign good; and moreover, how should any kind of service we do or can do, find greater acceptance than prayer which showeth our concurrence with Him in desiring that wherewith His very nature doth most delight? Is not the very name of prayer usual to signify even all the service that ever we do unto God? and that for no other cause, as I suppose, but to show that there is in religion no acceptable duty which devout invocation of the name of God doth not either pre-suppose or infer? prayers are those calves of men's lips; (Hosea xiv. 2) those most gracious and sweet odours (Rev. v. 8.) those rich presents and gifts, which being carried up

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into heaven, (Acts x. 4.) do best testify our dutiful affection, and are, for the purchasing of all favour at the hands of God, the most undoubted means we can use. On others, what more easily, and yet what more fruitfully bestowed than our prayers? if we give counsel they are the simpler only that need it; if alms, the poorer only are relieved; but by prayer we do good to all. And whereas every other duty besides is but to show itself as time and opportunity require, for this all times are convenient; (Rom. i. 9.—1st Thess. v. 17.-Luke xviii. 1.) when we are not able to do any other thing for men's behoof, when through maliciousness or unkindness they vouchsafe not to accept any other good at our hands; prayer is that which we always have in our power to bestow, and they never in theirs to refuse. Wherefore, God forbid, saith Samuel, speaking unto a most unthankful people, a people weary of the benefit of his most virtuous government over them, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord, and cease to pray for you. (1st Sam. xii. 23.) It is the first thing wherewith a righteous life beginneth, and the last wherewith it doth end. The knowledge is small that we have on earth concerning things that are done in heaven. Notwithstanding, thus much we know even of Saints in heaven, that they pray. (Rev. vi. 9.) And therefore, prayer being a work common to the church as well triumphant as militant, a work common unto men with angels, what should we think, but that so much of our lives is celestial and divine as we spend in the exercise of prayer? For which cause we see that the most comfortable visitations which God hath sent men from above, have taken especially the times of prayer as their most natural opportunities" (Dan. ix. 20.— Acts x. 30.) Such are the sublime and beautiful sentiments of Hooker! May we all make a practical use of them!

We will now briefly advert to Jonah's supplication to God, at the time of his severe trial. "Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly. And said, I cried by reason of mine affiction unto the Lord and he heard me ; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep;

in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me."

"There

Though Jonah's state was then desperate, he was permitted to cry unto the Lord from the depths of despair. And is there not, though varying in circumstances and in punishment, some to be found at the present day, whose condition is at strong enmity against God, who are living after the flesh, and shall die. The same mercy and the same pardon bestowed upon Jonah reaches unto them, and can be obtained now by diligent prayer; and well indeed was it for the prophet that he considered his error and turned unto the Lord. In the midst of his trial he prayed, and what more comforting than to be enabled to do so. The wicked forsake God in prosperity, and so in adversity are afraid to draw near to him. is no peace, saith my God to the wicked", nor to those who are contented with their own works, who to please themselves, or to satisfy the cravings of the body choose to neglect their soul; who for the enjoyment of one worldly pleasure and sinful gratification are willing to sacrifice not their mortality only, but their eternal existence. And what, said our Saviour is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Such a question as this we should never lose sight of. Alas! too many are now to be met with, who are living as if there were no world beyond the grave, and no judgment to be awarded upon our actions; who are so much engrossed in the cares and business of life that the "one thing needful" is forgotten. To those who may feel the truth of this remark, let them like Jonah turn unto prayer. A praying spirit is always the best spirit. Prayer is the only means by which we hold converse with God; and he who has learnt to pray well, enjoys the greatest inward and real happiness, which can be experienced in this chequered life. It is the secret spring, which links Christians together in one holy communion on earth, and is the forerunner of that praise, which angels and archangels, and the spirits of just men made perfect are continually shouting to our blessed Lord, "who