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What does Christ tell him? What did he mean by this?—That though Nicodemus professed to believe, he could not enjoy the privileges of his religion here, or the kingdom of God hereafter, unless he were born again. How does he explain being born again? (verse 5.)-V. 4. Did Nicodemus understand him ?—V. 5. Explain Christ's answer, that he could not enter into the kingdom of God, unless he became openly his disciple, by being baptised, "of water," and truly his disciple by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, "and of the Spirit."-V. 6. What did he mean by these words?-That being born naturally, the man would be natural and carnal; but being born of the Spirit, he would be spiritual.-V. 8. How does Christ illustrate this? How then does the Spirit work? But if all who are outwardly baptized are born of the Spirit, could we not all tell his working ?-V. 9. Did Nicodemus understand these things?— V. 10. Ought he not, being a teacher, to have known them?-V. 12. Could Christ expect, if he did not believe earthly things such as these, that he would believe heavenly? What were these heavenly things?-Himself coming down from heaven from the Father, and becoming man.-V. 13. Who was this Son of man that came down from heaven?-V. 14. What was the Son of man to do? What was his lifting up compared to ?-V. 15. Why was the Son of man to be lifted up? Was there anything like that in the brazen serpent being lifted up? (Num. xxi. 8, 9.)—V. 16. How did God prove his love to the world? For what purpose was the Son of man given? Must we not really believe in him, if we would have eternal life?

GLOSSARY.-V. 5. It is not necessary with children to enter minutely into this. The following paraphrase from a great commenta. tor may be satisfactory to us: "Jesus answers him, except a man be received as a proselyte, and that not of the ordinary sort, as among those Jews, but a Christian proselyte, such as are received by baptism in the Christian Church; so as to undertake the law of Christ, and renounce his former heathen or Jewish course; the first expressed by being washed in water, the ceremony of the Jew's proselytism, now also made use of by Christ; the second, by being born of the Spirit, entering on a new spiritual life, and not only passing under those external washings. . he cannot enter," &c.

GENERAL REMARK.-We may profess our belief in Christ's doctrine, and admire his law, as Nicodemus here did, and not be truly his disciple, or have a good hope of entering into the kingdom of heaven. Unless we are born again, from above, of the Spirit, so as to enter on a new spiritual course of life, taking his yoke upon us, and renouncing sin, we cannot enter into that blessed kingdom, either as real Christians here, or as saints hereafter.

INCREASE OF THE ISRAELITES DURING
THEIR STAY IN EGYPT.

Newport, Isle of Wight, April 8th, 1846. REV. SIR,-The following calculations were made in reply to the question "Whether the rate of increase in the number of the Israelites during their sojourn in Egypt was greater than that of some European states has lately been?" and thinking they might perhaps interest the readers of your useful publication, I have taken the liberty of forwarding them to you. C. D. SNOOKE.

IN Genesis xlvi. is given the number of Jacob's family; which, including Jacob himself, Joseph and his two sons, amounted to 70 souls. If we reckon the wives of those of Jacob's sons who are mentioned as having children, the total number of those who went into Egypt will be found to be 85.

When numbered in the wilderness, the males upwards of 20 years of age were 603,550, besides the Levites, whose males upwards of one month old amounted to 22,000. (Numbers i. and iii.)

To find the total number from these data, we take the census of England, in 1841, as a guide to the relative `number of males of different ages, and obtain the following results:

Males of 11 Tribes, above 20 years old

under do.

Male Levites, above one month

under do.

Number of Males

603550

532496

22000

400

1158446

And supposing the females to be as many, we have the total number equal 2,316,892.

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This number might be increased by reckoning the old men who were unable to go forth to war; but it is probable that the words of Scripture, From 20 years old and upwards all that were able to go forth to war," include every man above 20, as it is said in Psalm cv. "There was not one feeble person among their tribes."

The time from Jacob's going into Egypt till the Exodus is determined by the principal chronologists to be 215 years. (See Usher's Chronology, Clinton's Fasti Hellenici, &c.)

Now by the formula r=

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(雛

t where a, the amount,

=2316392; p, the principal, =70; and t, the time,

=

215; we obtain r= ( 33098)=1.0496, or the an

nual rate of increase was very nearly 5 per cent. If we take p=85, the rate will be 1.0486.

For periods of 10 years these rates of increase will be respectively 62.26 and 60.81 per cent.; at which rates the people would be doubled in 14.3 years, and 14.6 years.

The following particulars will serve to make a comparison between this increase and that of a few countries at the present day.

The population of England in the four decennial periods, from 1801 to 1841, increased respectively 14, 18, 16, and 14 per cent.

The highest rate of increase of any separate county in those periods was that of Monmouth, 37 per cent.

Prussia has been stated to afford the most extraordinary instance of increasing population in any old settled country; yet here we find it much below that of the Israelites, being but 19 per cent. between 1817 and 1827, or doubling the population every 40 years; and since 1827 the increase has been less.

The population of the United States at the decennial periods from 1790 to 1840 being compared, we find the rate of increase for the five periods to be respectively 35, 36, 33, 35, and 33 per cent., or doubling the population about every 24 years; which is not much more than half as fast as the Israelites, although the United States are indebted to immigration for the greater portion of their increase, whereas the latter people were subjected for many years to every species of oppression for the purpose of reducing their numbers.

These facts plainly manifest the protecting power of Jehovah over his chosen people, and that he indeed “increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies.” (Psalm cv.)

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

Pastoral Addresses. By J. A. JAMES. London: Religious Tract Society. 12mo.

We cannot recommend a more useful little work to Teachers in general for private purposes, or to readers in general who are sincerely anxious to grow in holiness and Christian devotedness.

The Claims of Missions upon the Young Men of England. Eleven Lectures by Clergymen of the Church of England. Delivered before the Church of England Young Men's Society, during the year 1845. With a Preface by the REV. H. RAIKES. 8vo. pp. 184. London: Shaw.

We are glad to see these Lectures gathered together in one volume, and issuing from the press under a most valuable preface from the pen of the Chancellor of ChesA more useful volume for young Teachers has not appeared for a long time.

ter.

Closet Hymns and Poems. By JAMES EDMESTON. 24mo. London: Religious Tract Society.

We have often been refreshed with the poetic effusions of this sound Christian man. There is a real taste as

We

well as right sentiment in his productions, and the little work now before us is not a whit behind the rest. can strongly recommend it to our readers.

Children's Stories in Children's Words. London: Religious Tract Society.

We are glad to see this excellent Society aiming at greater simplicity of diction. Still, if we had aimed at writing a little book under such a title, we should have adopted even simpler language than this. It is however an admirable beginning book, either for school purposes or for rewards.

The Child's First Picture Book. London: Steill.

The new mode of teaching the alphabet and first lessons adopted in this little book is well deserving of consideration.

The Catechism of the Church of England familiarly explained; intended for Teachers in Sunday-schools, and for all who are engaged in the Scriptural Instruction of Youth. By the REV. W. S. BRAHAM, A. M. London: Nisbet.

It is refreshing in these cold, dark days to turn to any modern explanation of the Church Catechism which is thoroughly Scriptural. Our readers will not regret that we have directed them to this valuable little manual. Missionary Hymns, for the use of children. By the Author of "Sabbath Bells." London: Hamilton and Adams.

Here is indeed a good threepenny worth of original poetry, in quality as well as quantity. Our readers will already have been glad that we have introduced them to the Author's "Sabbath Bells," and they will not be sorry to be guided by the sound of those Bells to these Missionary Hymns.

Daily Hints for the Year; or Texts from the Holy Scriptures: illustrated by interesting anecdotes and appropriate verses. Compiled for children's daily reading. 12mo. pp. 366. London: Hamilton and Adams.

This little volume is really an acquisition. Its simplicity commends it even for very little children, while to the young in general it cannot fail to prove acceptable

and useful.

Religious Instruction in a graduated series of Lessons for Young Children. By the Author of "Lessons on Objects," &c. 12mo. pp. 226. London: Seeley.

This excellent work commences with instruction adapted to the first dawning of the infant mind, advancing progressively to children of the ages of nine or ten. The lessons, as the author states, have the advantage of having been tested in the school-room. We have no doubt that the Author's hope, that the work may prove a help to Christian parents and teachers, will be largely realized.

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