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to give names to things, is, in Scriptural language, to discern, to know, and to express their qualities; for names in the most ancient times were expressive of qualities. Adam gave names to the cattle, fowl, and beasts of the field, to instruct us that the celestial man perceives and knows the qualities of all the heavenly affections denoted by catlle; of the thoughts, denoted by fowls; and of all the natural affections, denoted by beasts of the field. This is the wisdom that God, in mercy, gives to his own image and likeness; it is a wisdom that discerns innocence in the lamb, quickness of sight in the eagle, power in the lion, cunning in the fox, ferocity in the leopard, and constancy and affection in the dove. To know these qualities, so as, in the Lord's strength, to subdue the evil and strengthen the good, is, dear reader, the great business of the Christian life.


March Third.

THE RACE TO THE SEPULCHRE.

"So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre."John xx. 4.

FROM the crucifixion to the morning of the third day, what emotions and mental anxieties must have been working in the bosoms of the disciples! They had witnessed the scene on Calvary, and saw in it the fulfilment of ancient prophecy, as well as of the words of Jesus, that the Shepherd was smitten and the sheep scattered. (Zech. xiii. 7; Matt. xxvi. 31.) The dying words of Jesus, "It is finished!" must have been fresh in their minds, and in a mingled state