unbelievers-that this woman was honourably distinguished from them all. It is no matter of wonder, then, that a successor of hers, also a queen, should have sent her treasurer to worship at Jerusalem; nor that, on his returning to her court a Christian, even if Christianity was not then accepted by a second person, which is unlikely, the establish. ment of the worship of the God of Israel was alone sufficient preparation for it at some future time.

The Ethiopic Liturgy now in use contains this prayer:-" O Lord, remember the kings of Ethiopia, Abrehá, and Atzbehá." And an old Ethiopian poet has lines to the following effect:

"Peace to Abrchú and Atzbehú, who sat

In one kingdom loving one another.

Peace to those ancient men who walked in the statutes of the law (of Moses),
By whose mouth was preached the word of the Gospel of Christ,

And by whose hands, also, his habitation was built.”*

The fact that the government was shared by two or more princes at this time is confirmed by a letter of the Arian Emperor, Constantius," against Frumentius, Bishop of Axum, written to the Tyrants of that place," and preserved by Athanasius.† For anything that we can yet find to the contrary, these princes might have been Judaizing Christians, at the same time observing the law of Moses, and "preaching," in their way, the Gospel of Christ; and, if it were so, we have at once a key to explain the peculiarity of Abyssinian Christianity, wherein it differs from all Christendom beside. Until the contrary be proved, it may be assumed that after the baptism of the queen's treasurer, on the way towards Gaza, there was a mingling of Christian doctrine, and even of Christian worship, with the Judaism previously existing; but that the rudiments of both were crudely mingled, and that the followers of an imperfectly developed Christianity were not gathered together under the care of pastors, and so formed into a church. Frumentius, acting under the sanction of the princes, who at the same time obeyed the Law [of Moses] and "preached" the Gospel of Christ, had not the New Testament in the language of the country, out of which he could teach the converts; nor does it appear that the Ethiopic version was made until some time after the Council of Chalcedon, probably in the sixth century; and even then its introduction into the churches must have been gradual, and perhaps very partial: so that the exhortations of St. Paul against Judaizing came too late to eradicate the evil which had grown up with the Ethiopian synagogue-church, during a period of at least five hundred years.

We have now just room enough to note some vestiges of Judaism even yet remaining in Abyssinia, as if to show what must have been the character of that community during the thousand years of its almost utter isolation from the world of Christendom.

Kings must have been, to some extent, its nursing fathers. We read in hymns yet extant of CALEB, who sent his crown to Jerusalem, there

* Ludolfi Hist. Ethiop., lib. ii., cap. iv.

Athanasii ad Imperat. Constant. Apologia.

to be suspended as a votive gift, perhaps in the splendid church which Justinian had just built in honour of the Virgin. We read of GABRA MASKAL, “servant-of-the-Cross," in whose reign the congregation recited the angelic hymn, as we sing the Te Deum, after his victory over his enemies. We read of NAWAYA CHRESTOS, "wealth-of-Christ," who excavated a church from the live rock, and exhausted all the royal treasury in adorning it; and of LALIBALA, who distinguished himself, during a reign of forty years, hewing out several structures of the same kind, and emulating the sepulchral magnificence of Egypt. Such churches are probably still to be found in the mountains.

*

But most to our present purpose are those marks of Judaism, which nothing has yet removed from the religion of Abyssinia. Circumcision, and the distinction of meats, are not indeed peculiar to that country, but common in the East; yet that Christianity should not have caused circumcision to be discontinued, is very remarkable indeed. Strangely holding by two incompatible dispensations, they observe two Sabbaths every week,—the Shanbat Kadameeth, or ancient Sabbath, and the Shanbatá ehood, the Sabbath of the first day; and they quote for the latter the words of David, "This is the day the Lord hath made: we will rejoice in it and be glad." When a man's brother dies childless, their law, like that of Moses, requires him to marry the widow. (Deut. xxv. 5.) They abstain from eating the nerve which, as Jacob wrestled, shrank at the angel's touch. (Gen. xxxii. 32.) The solemn curse which their priest pronounces, bears a close literal resemblance to the Jewish Cherem, than which no anathema can be conceived more terrible. The Christian minister still bears the title of Cáhen, answering to the Cohen, or "priest," of the Old Testament; or, after the manner of the synagogue, he is designated Kasheesh, or, "elder." Retaining the style of the Hebrew Scriptures, they have refused to say" Church," or " Basilic," after the Greeks in Egypt, and call the sacred edifice House of God, like the old "House of the Lord;" and, in close agreement with the Jews, they call the part of God's house accounted most sacred, Haikal, like the Hebrew Haichal, "temple." Their Calendar abounds, beyond even that of the Copts, in Old-Testament saints; and their Bible, although interpolated, from Alexandria, with some apocryphal books, is, after the historical example of the Great Synagogue, divided into four volumes.

In Abyssinia, the Jews had all the benefits of citizenship, during ages when they were oppressed and slaughtered elsewhere. At one time they occupied, by their own right, as is said, the very heart of the country; a tract of territory comprehending Dembea, by the Lake of Tzana, with the imperial city of Gondar,-now sunk into insignificance, -and the regions of Samen and Wojjera. In later times their fortunes decayed, in common with those of the rest of the community; but they had their synagogues, and were most industrious and skilful artisans. So late as the year 1815, Mr. Pearce found four hundred of them in Gondar alone, answering to this description. It is important, moreover, to observe that the old Ethiopic language, although its gram

* Ludolfi Hist. Ethiop, lib. ii., cap. iv., v.

VOL. XIV.- FIFTH SERIES.

L

18

matical construction is Arabic, contains a larger proportion of Hebrew words in its vocabulary than can be found in Arabic itself; which is to be accounted for by the familiar use of Hebrew in the country, from the time of Solomon onwards.

The religion and customs of Abyssinia may be the subject of another article; which may help us to observe how powerless a form of Christianity must be that is defective in doctrine, discipline, and worship, and that, by any compromise of principle, carries an element of ruin in its bosom.

HORA BIBLICÆ.

No. XCV.-"THE HARSH COMMAND.”

(Concluded from page 50.)

III. BUT while other important purposes were intended and actually fulfilled by the command in question, the principal end was one which yet remains to be explained. It was the same as that which the Ceremonial Law had in view,―to afford a lively representation of the GREAT SACRIFICE, which in after days was to be offered up on Mount Calvary. A privilege was granted to Abraham in compliance with his eager and ardent longing; but in a manner how different from aught that he expected, or could have conceived! The practice of conveying information by actions and visible signs, instead of words, was common in ancient times. From this early method of communication were derived-first, hieroglyphic, and then alphabetic, writing; it also gave birth to the highly figurative style of Oriental nations and uncivilized tribes, and to the parabolic mode of teaching. Of this method of speaking to the eye, instead of the ear, we have numerous instances in Holy Scripture; as the rending of Samuel's mantle, and of Jeroboam's new garment by the prophet Ahijah; Zedekiah's horns of iron; the arrow of the Lord's deliverance from Syria; Jeremiah's linen girdle; his breaking a potter's vessel in the valley of Hinnom; the bonds and yokes he put on his neck, to symbolize the Captivity; the book of woes against Babylon, to be tied to a stone and sunk in the Euphrates; Ezekiel's delineation of the siege of Jerusalem on a tile; weighing the hair of his beard; the carrying out of his household stuff; his joining the two sticks of Judah and Israel; and Agabus, the prophet, binding his own hands and feet, in token of Paul's arrest at Jerusalem.

In like manner, by a significant and representative action, was Abraham instructed in the mystery of Redemption. This was in perfect agreement with the manner in which New-Testament facts and

Thus, when Darius passed the river Ister to invade Scythia, the Scythian king sent him a mouse, a frog, a bird, a dart, and a plough. And when Alexander the Great projected a similar expedition, the Scythian ambassador presented him a yoke of oxen, an arrow, and a goblet. Both presents were symbolical. The early Romans, before declaring war, were accustomed to send to the offending people an ambassador bearing a white rod, in token of peace, and a spear, as a symbol of war; thus offering either to their choice.

doctrines were dimly shadowed forth, in the patriarchal age, and under the Mosaic economy. The successive communications which Abraham had received from the Almighty, that God would make him a great and prosperous nation; that in him "all the families of the earth" should be "blessed;" the establishment of God's covenant with him and with his seed, and its appointed seal of circumcision; the promise concerning Isaac; and the sending away of Ishmael;-all these would make him increasingly desirous to know how such great blessedness through him should come, not only on all his posterity, but to "all the families of the earth," and thus prepare him to receive this last and supreme revelation of the Divine purpose.* It is the final and most important communication from heaven recorded in Abraham's history; and, while it had the closest connexion with all the preceding events narrated in the life of that patriarch, was the crown and consummation of the whole. "It came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him," &c.

The representative or typical character of the transaction, and it importance in this view, is evinced by a comparison of all the circumstances with those of the GREAT SACRIFICE. The points of resemblance are numerous and striking, and we feel the difficulty of doing justice to them within the brief space at our disposal. In respect of Abraham's offspring by Sarah, Isaac was "his only begotten," povoyevýs. (Heb. xi. 17.) And though God has "many sons," Christ is frequently called "the Only Begotten Son," and "the Only Begotten Son of God," o povoyevýs viós. (John i. 14, 18; iii. 16, 18.) Isaac's birth, which was the subject of a Divine prediction and promise, was ont of the ordinary course of nature. (Gen. xviii. 9–14; xxi. 1–7.) Christ's birth was foretold by several prophets, and by the angel who appeared to Mary; and it was above the ordinary course of nature. (Isaiah vii. 14; ix. 6; Micah v. 2; Matt. i. 18-23; Luke i. 26–38.) Isaac, the only, the beloved son, was by his father given up to die, in obedience to the Divine command. And "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son," His "beloved Son, in whom " He was "well pleased." (John iii. 16; Matt. iii. 17.) God "spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." (Rom. viii. 32.) 66 Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son," who bore it to the place where he was to be laid thereon as a sacrifice. The place was "one of the mountains" of Moriah, which, comprehending several, included that on which the temple was afterwards built by Solomon; (2 Chron. iii. 1;) and must also have embraced the neighbourirg mount of Calvary, to which Jesus, bearing His cross, went forth from Jerusalem to be crucified. (Luke xxiii. 33.) The journey of Abraham with Isaac from Beersheba to "the land of Moriah," appears to have been for the especial purpose, that the typical sacrifice should be near, and probably on, the very spot where the GREAT SACRIFICE was to be offered. Isaac was not, as he is sometimes

See Bishop Warburton's "Divine Legation of Moses demonstrated," vol. ii., part ii., bock vi., sect. v. The learned, able, and eccentric bishop was of opiniou, that more was revealed to Abraham on this occasion than Moses chose, or was allowed, to record. His whole argument is worthy of attention.

By a comparison of dates the time of this transacYet he submitted to be

represented, a mere child, but a young man. it is inferred, and generally believed, that at tion he was at least twenty-five years of age. bound and laid upon the altar, a meek and patient victim. And Jesus, in prospect of His arrest and crucifixion, said, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt;""He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” (Isaiah liii. 7.) For three days during the journey, Isaac was, in his father's account, as good as dead," being appointed to die; and then, by a Divine interposition, was delivered from death, and restored to his father and his father's house. And "Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and He was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures." (1 Cor. xv. 3, 4.)

During the journey to Moriah, Isaac, as yet uninformed of the Divine command and his father's purpose, had asked, "My father, behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?" and Abraham had replied, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt-offering." This was a prophecy of that unintentional kind which the Jews denominate BATH KOL, the "Daughter of a Voice.” But it received a twofold accomplishment, a speedy and a distant one. The first, in the substitution of the ram which was sacrificed instead of Isaac.* The second, in our Great Substitute, "the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." The prophecy became a standing one. "Abraham called the name of that place JEHOVAH JIREH,” (“The Lord will see, or, provide: ")" as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen;" or, " He will provide,”—namely, a burntoffering; "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

As a type of the Messiah, and of His death and resurrection, the sacrifice of Isaac stands pre-eminent and alone: the resemblance to the Antitype is much nearer, and the comparison more perfect, than in any other instance. For while all the other sacrifices which prefigured the DIVINE VICTIM consisted in the slaughter of inferior and irrational animals, in which God had no "pleasure," (Heb. x. 8,) this was the nobler sacrifice of a human, intelligent, and voluntary victim,-the only one of the kind that ever God required or would accept. It was the offering up of a man, conscious of the high purpose to which he had been consecrated, and for which he was doomed to bleed: for doubtless Abraham had secured the acquiescence of Isaac by making known to him, at the proper juncture, the command which God had given him. And such were Isaac's filial reverence, and his faith in, and piety towards, God, that he yielded an unhesitating compliance. It was therefore the nearest representation of the Great Sacrifice that could be made, the fittest and most striking type that was ever employed to prefigure it.

In other sacrifices, too, while the expiation was figurative, the

* It is observable, that in the story of Iphigenia, as told by Euripides, about one thousand years after the time of Moses, Diana, satisfied with Agamemnon's compliance in giving up his daughter for sacrifice, causes a hind to be substituted for her.— Iphig. in Aulis.