upon us.

God. We may not listen without the most reverent awe. If we were with Moses in the cleft of the rock while the divine glory passed by, we should not be really more in the presence of the infinite Majesty, than when we take our bibles into our hands. God is in his word. It is the designed and avowed embodiment of himself. By this he comes into contact with us, and operates His truth, justice, holiness, and love, are all here, at once in infinite fulness and gracious adaptation to us. It is wisdom for our ignorance, strength for our weakness, holiness for our depravity, and joy for our sorrows. Do we ever regard it as we ought? Has it ever found in any one half so much as it desires of eager attention, of adoring gratitude, of unquestioning confidence, and holy love? To have our minds and hearts adjusted to perfect coincidence with it, is one of the hardest yet most blissful processes of Christian experience. To feel, as every word falls on the ear, he who disobeys this sins, he who disbelieves this "makes God a liar," but he who follows this direction will never go wrong, and he who trusts this promise shall never be disappointed, is necessary to prevent us from dishonouring the word of God, and to enable us to derive from it the blessings it provides. We do not, indeed, absolutely forget or deny this, but we do not feel it as we ought; for if we did the fruits of it in our lives would be more abundant and satisfactory. We pity the soul-prostration, the simple faith, and the painful subInissiveness of superstitious persons to the commands and the pretensions of their priests; but we ought to be in relation to truth, what they are in relation to falsehood, and when we are, our bibles will not be so much neglected, nor resorted to with so little interest or profit.

II. All scripture is of God; there are two propositions which we may place before our minds. The bible only is cur religion, or, our religion comprehends the whole of the bible. The latter is most important, and ought to be most thought of, but it does not seem to be very earnestly heeded. Men commonly appear more anxious to repel what is not scriptural, than to embrace what is. They refuse the poison, and wisely, but they are indifferent about "the true bread;" at least they manifest but little of that carefulness which

would "gather up the fragments that nothing may be lost:" yet man must live by "every word of God." There is no superfluity in the divine bounty. He is deficient who neglects any part of it. We give emphasis and prominence to a particular truth or duty, and assume that this is to be regarded above all others; but perhaps we could assign no reason for the preference, except our inclinations. Different parties hold a system of truth and duty. Their main anxiety is to prove that they have the sanction of the scriptures. They make their creed, and then repair to the divine word to have it confirmed. They are sometimes induced to wring from it a reluctant consent, or carry away the faintest intimation of a general principle, as a special decision in their favour. They regard the bible, not as a judge to decide all cases impartially, but as a counsellor who may be tutored to plead for their own. But the word of God is supreme and final. This is one of its most glorious attributes, that it is certainly true. Where this speaks, speculation must cease and controversy must be quiet. We know "the certainty of the words of truth," and by faith enter into rest. And this character distinguishes all that the scriptures contain. Every part is very precious. Men are not indifferent to the smallest fragment of the diamond, and sand or dust is not thrown away if it contains a grain of gold. But this is "more precious than gold; yea, than much fine gold." We have not learned to appreciate the scriptures rightly, till every part is felt to be of incalculable value, and deserving the sacrifice of prejudice, passion, party, and ocular interests too. Nor is there any reason which may be urged for slighting one part, which may not, under some modifications, be urged in relation to another; if, in the balance of one man's reason, this doctrine be light, that may be lighter still in the esteem of his neighbour. The human mind is thus made the standard of truth, and every man becomes a pope for himself. We are thrown back, at least to all the uncertainty of a carnal philosophy, and if " we feel after God," it is, if haply we may find him. We shrink from the condition; we cannot readily forego the advantages of our divine inheritance. Then let us appreciate and improve it, receiving the word "with meekness." With the trustful

and eager instincts of an infant, let us desire the sincere milk of the word. God, whose infinite love has made the provision, knows also what we need; let us accept with joyful gratitude all he imparts.

man.

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III. We must implore and cherish the Spirit of Him from whom the word has come. The great Teacher has declared, The words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life." The bible is proved indeed to be from God, by the historical evidence of its miraculous importation. This is the primary foundation of its appeal to But the ultimate and most cogent proof of its divinity is found in its moral nature. On this alone can the heart fully repose; and by this alone can the life be guided and sanctified. In doing the will we know the doctrine of God. The carnal man ceiveth not the things of the Spirit; those only who have been born again can say, "He hath revealed them to us." How faint and inffectual the convictions produced by the most elaborate investigations of Lardner and Paley! They speak indeed, but the tempest is not hushed, no demon is expelled, no life awakes in the sepulchre. But let "the truth as it is in Jesus" fasten on the conscience; let it be a light within, to reveal what the man always was but never knew; let it be the life of his spirit, bringing him to his knees with a broken humbled heart, and filling him by turns with surprise at God's amazing goodness, with gentle submissiveness before his majesty, and hopeful gladness at the thought of his mercy, and he will doubt no more. His heart will be full; he can take his place with the elect; infinite love within enables them all to say, "We know that we are of God." But for this we must be much in prayer; we must walk with God. Those who repair to him seldom have always to repeat the same lesson, and that the most elementary in the doctrine of Christ; to those who are always with him, he imparts the fulness of his truth. Faith inust be simple and love fervent, and docility alike eager and acquiescent. "The meek will he guide in judgment; the meek will he teach his way. Success in prayer and in Christian learning seems to be regulated by the same law. The psalmist says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." It is equally certain, that he

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who indulges a worldly spirit and a sinful life will make no proficiency in acquainting himself with the things of God. In thy light we shall see light." We must look at things from the same point, and with the same feelings as God himself, or we shall not survey them with success; but when we are filled with the Spirit, when holiness and love are the law of our life; when we thus dwell in God and God in us, we shall not only understand his meaning, but we shall feel his power; our thoughts, feelings, volitions, and actions, will be one. We may thus turn our studies into prayers; and, taking our bibles in our hands, say, Open thou our eyes, and we shall behold wondrous things out of thy law."

The Influence of Literary Pursuits on the Christian Ministry: an Address to Theological Students. By WILLIAM JONES. London: Jackson and Walford. 8vo. pp. 36.

THIS discourse has been published by request, after being delivered first to the students in Bristol and then recently to those in Stepney. The request for publication will in this instance be generally approved; at least we deem the address eminently worthy of attention from all educated ministers and the supporters of our colleges.

The author's main object is to notice the adverse influences of literary pursuits, and to show how they must be counteracted. It would be idle to deny the reality of the evils which he avers to exist, and few will question the soundness of his warnings and counsels or his views of the remedy. The most striking part, displaying most the author's originality and power of discrimination, consists in an elaborate comparison between puritan preaching and that of the present day, showing wherein the former excelled and why. In accounting for the superiority of the puritan ministers in point of evangelical fulness and unction, he justly lays the chief stress on their deep and devout study of the scriptures, which caused the truth of God to dwell in them richly in all wisdom. On this interesting subject we transcribe one paragraph for the profit of our readers, many of whom will doubtless feel impelled to secure a copy of the discourse.

"Whence, may be asked, this prevalence, or exclusive presence of theological truth? Why this crowding of thoughts, all emitted from the sacred page, into their compositions? Why did not the laws of association mingle more freely then, as now, foreign references, with which to adorn, illustrate, or exemplify divine truth, but at the hazard of diluting the material, in respect of its diviner element? The reason is not to be found in the devouter tone of that age-at least not wholly, for equally devout men live now, who cannot however rival the solidity and richness of their predecessors. The source of the difference is to be found, in great part, in the studies of those times, or rather the reading, as compared with that of the present day. They read then theology in all languages; some history, which was then in English literature a scanty collection. They read also the ancient classics, some more, some less. But their chief reading was theology. Experimental philosophy was then in its infancy. A number of distinct sciences were then unborn. Bacon had written; Boyle was busy collecting facts; but Newton had not demonstrated the laws of the heavens, of the tides, of light. Geology had Chemistry had no reputation and no language. Natural history and botany were in the germ. Locke had not spread open the page of mental science. The oratory of parliament had not the myriad wings of the press to convey it abroad. The authorship in history, which must now be read, was not then. And last, not least, the enormous mass of periodical writing, which none can wholly neglect without imputation of ignorance, or largely consult without waste of time, poured not its shoals each day, and week, and month, at the feet of our ancestors. The men of those times spent much of their time over a few select authors in their study. They read, and meditated; but their chief reading lay in the scriptures in the original languages, and in the profoundest theological writings of every age. If they made excursions to other studies,

no name.

they were excursions. Their home and restingplace was theology. Public events there were that broke in upon their seclusion; but they were events that threw their thoughts still more intently on the evangelical themes of their office. They heard the clash of arms. They beheld their country covered with encampments. The battle-cry rung upon their ears, and their brethren lay bleeding or dead at Edgehill, or Marston-moor. They beheld, those authors of devoutest strain did, the ravages of pestilence and death; woke often at midnight to listen to the passing cart which bore their neighbours to the pit of sepulture, or were called up to appease the ravings of guilt and despair. They beheld the flame which laid their goodly city in ashes. They beheld the re-establishment of the Stuart dynasty. They beheld, too, the interior of prisons and dungeons. They felt the chain. They pined in hunger. They became familiar with the safest recesses of concealment, or the most secluded nooks in the forest, or by the stream, for dispensing at midnight to a few of their scattered flocks the word of life. They were summoned to leave their studies for all this; but you will own with me that if the word of God dwelt in them richly in all wisdom, it was now. Their home was theological truth.”— Pp. 22, 23.

Cordially uniting with Mr. Jones in his prayer that the objects of his solicitude may come forth from their preparatory studies, furnished with all the requisite aids for understanding the sacred oracles, and mighty in the faith and fulness of divine truth itself, we unite with him also in the encouraging assurance which he adds :-" You will have, then, nothing to apprehend from the progress of human intelligence, nothing to dread from infidelity, or the fantastic attractions of superstition. The simplicity of the gospel, wielded in dependence on the Spirit, is a match for them all."

Patristic Evenings. By JOHN BIRT, Author of "A Summary of the History and Principles of Popery." London: royal 12mo. pp. 337. Price 6s.

A brief notice of this work we have no objection to give, but we are not inclined to attempt anything more. Whatever might be the primary motive of the author in publishing it, we are quite sure that it was not to furnish an easy exercise in the art of reviewing. First, there is

the title-page for the critic to stumble at. Patristic Evenings: what can these be? "The reader is entreated, of his courtesy, to allow that the following pages represent conversations of a few persons who occasionally meet for mutual improvement in friendship and knowledge; and to consent that these Evenings shall be called Patristic, because there is in them much mention of fathers, both ecclesiastical and lay." Though we do not understand very clearly what this means, the appeal to our

courtesy secures acquiescence; but then we find conversations without interlocutors, and dialogues in which we cannot divine who is speaking. Never mind: the book is entertaining and instructive. It is a miscellany of anecdotes, criticisms, and observations, original and selected, on all sorts of subjects, but chiefly relating to theology and theologians. It is evidently the work of a man of good sense and humourous taste, whose religious principles are sound, and whose reading has been very extensive. He has apparently delighted in the perusal of uncommon books, and has been accustomed to note down things deserving of record, and original thoughts to which they gave rise. We suppose that having pursued this course many years, he at length determined to lay before others what it had afforded him great pleasure to collect, and that hence we are presented with this publication. The latter part of it contains much criticism on the epistle to the Hebrews, which is anything but common-place, and which we have not had opportunity to examine with sufficient care to render it desirable to pronounce judgment on its merits; but the two hundred pages which are of a more miscellaneous character will undoubtedly be acceptable to large classes of readers. Young people of literary habits, especially, will find in this volume much to interest them and enlarge their knowledge. We hope that some passages which we have marked for future quotation will justify this opinion.

The Protestant Missionary Map of the World: coloured to show the Prevailing State of Religion in the Several Countries: and containing all the Stations mentioned in "The Missionary Guide Book." London: Price (with the book) 10s. 6d.

The Missionary Guide Book; or, A Key to the Protestant Missionary Map of the World; showing the Geography, Natural History, Climate, Population, and Government of the Several Countries to which Missionary Efforts have been directed: with the Moral, Social, and Religious Condition of their Inhabitants. Also, the Rise and Progress of Missionary Operations in each Country. Illustrated by Forty-five Woodcuts, representing the Costume of each people. London: 8vo. pp. 472.

The study of geography may now be advantageously blended with reference to those enterprises which have originated in Christian zcal. The missionary efforts of different denominations engaged in promulgating the gospel are sufficiently numerous and diversified to render it possible to connect them, directly or indirectly, with every habitable region of the earth. It is desirable that education should be systematically conducted with this design; for, to say nothing of higher objects, if young people are to mingle with religious society, and to take part intelligently in its conversation, it is necessary that they should have some acquaintance with missionary geography in general, and not merely with those portions of it that are brought under their notice by the publications of any one institution. Not doubting, then, that these works will have an extensive sale, we are happy to be able to speak well of their execution. The map, which is on canvas, about

four feet by two and a-half in size, contains the two hemispheres, and three or four important portions on a larger scale. The names of countries and principal cities are given, missionary stations being distinguished from other places by peculiarity of type. An attempt is made also to display the religious state of different nations by diversified colouring. The Guide Book, or Key, is a highly respectable volume, comprising much general information respecting the different regions of the earth and their inhabitants, with notices of efforts that have been made for their spiritual welfare. It has evidently been the intention of the compiler to deal fairly by the different denominations of protestants and the societies they support.

A Voice from China and India, relative to the Evils of the Cultivation and Smuggling of Opium: in Four Letters to the Right Hon. Lord John Russell, First Lord of Her Majesty's Treasury. By JAMES PEGGS, late Missionary at Cuttack, Orissa; Author of "India's Cry to British Humanity," &c. &c. London: Harvey and Darton. 8vo. pp. 90.

Having been led by peculiar circumstances some years ago to study the subject thoroughly, and having had access to the very best sources of information, we feel ourselves at liberty to say, without hesitation, that the statements of this pamphlet may be received with implicit confidence. We can vouch even for details; for Mr. Peggs has availed himself so freely of our own productions that we can trace in most cases the authority on which his assertions rest, and call to mind laborious processes by which the conclusions were attained. "I could not have presumed to discuss this subject," he says, “but for some valuable information which has unexpectedly fallen in my way, viz., the replies from several residents in India to numerous queries on the cultivation of opium; Collection of Chinese State Papers,' translated and particularly Portfolio Chinensis, or a by the Rev. J. Lewis Shuck, American misin his way he does not tell, and Lord John sionary in China." How these good things fell Russell probably would not care to know; but

it may interest some of our readers if we say that the loan of the Portfolio Chinensis we obtained for him, and the replies were replies which we received to letters that were written by the same hand as now writes this notice. On page 38 we find the following sentence :

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My lord, very recently a number of queries on the cultivation of opium in India were addressed to gentlemen in the districts where the opium is grown, and it is presumed that an epitome of their replies will afford a view of the whole case more precise and comprehensive than has hitherto been laid before any portion of the British public." The words, "A view of the whole case, more precise and comprehensive than has hitherto been laid before any portion of the British public," are our own; and are the commencement of a passage which we published some time ago-a passage which occupies seventeen of Mr. Peggs's pages, and which is given by him without addition, abridgment, alteration, inverted commas, or acknowledgment, unless it be an acknowledgment that at