guishable ardour, have I truly found in free from care, and prepared for my thee! WAS IT GOD'S ANSWER? AN awful circumstance, which happened in Oughterard about three years ago, caused an immense sensation at the time, and has contributed in no small measure to help on this movement. The priest with whom Mr. O'Callaghan had held discussions, having been shortly after removed, another most violent and cursing man was sent by the "cursing bishop," as he is called, to supply his place, and to wear out the poor converts by persecution. On each succeeding Sabbath this poor man poured forth the most dreadful curses against the "Jumpers," or any one who would hold the least intercourse with them. However, the unprovoked curse did not take effect, but the movement, on the contrary, went on prospering more than ever. The priest grew desperate, and on the last Sunday that he was allowed to address them, actually terrified his hearers by saying, "I will not rest until God shows some visible sign of his marked displeasure against them (the converts) or me." On the following Thursday that man, then in the prime of life, and the picture of ruddy health, was struck down by an attack of paralysis, and has never since been able to pronounce a blessing, or to imprecate a curse. THE EVENING OF LIFE. I WILL prepare my house, and indeed that will not be difficult for me. My debts are cancelled—I take my best possessions along with me-I commend my children to the Father of the fatherless, to whom heaven and earth belong my body to the earth, and my soul to the Lord, who sought it long ago, and purchased it with his blood. Thus am I journey. When we have paid our debts in a foreign city, how joyfully do we approach the gate that conducts us towards our home. I have no more creditors upon earth, and know that I shall find none there. O what a blessed death, if we can say with King Hezekiah, "Behold, for peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back."* O ye aged, the Blessed Thistle is an excellent herb for alleviating the anguish of the heart; but, at the cross of Jesus, there grows a yet more lovely plant, which, with much greater justice, is named Heart's-ease. O, how does that calm all the anxiety that precedes the final hour! O Life, I have enjoyed thee! Not every draught from thy fountain has had a bitter taste; truly, not all upon earth is vanity, if we enjoy, not the creature alone, but, in the creature, enjoy also the Creator. But that which sweetens thee do I indeed take with me; and that is, the friendship of my God, which has flowed to me through all created things, as through so many channels. Earthly channels may fail, but he knows how to provide new ones. Gone, gone, is life's enjoyment and sweetness, when we seek them in the creature only; while, on the other hand, they are ever present to those who, in the good things of this life, recognise the hand that bestows them. Thus, every day becomes a treasury, and the poorest life may become a rich one. No, I do not look back upon it as mere vanity; but now, when, in the silence of my chamber, I survey all the past, my heart is filled with a joy which is too great for it to contain. Review and Criticism. HUMAN HAPPINESS. An Essay by C. B. Adderly, Esq., M.P. London: Blackadder & Co, 13, Paternoster Row. 1854. *Isa, xxxviii. 17. TRUTHS FOR THOUGHTFUL HOURS; and if its successors resemble it in seriousness of matter, in chasteness of THIS beautiful essay is the preliminary style, and in excellence of purpose, we treatise to a series of small works now have no doubt of the success of the propublishing under the title of GREAT ject. The enterprising house of Black Mr. Adderley divides his essay into nine short chapters, wherein we have— 1st, The definition of happiness; 2d, Immediate inferences from the definition; 3d, Only way to happiness; 4th, The general intention of human life; 5th, Tests of general right-intention in life; 6th and 7th, Means of progress in conformity with God's will; 8th, Rule of life ascertainable and certain; and, 9th, The conclusion. All these topics are most interestingly handled. There is Christianity in them as well as philosophy. We have been most pleased with the remarks on the Sabbath, only we regret that the heathen name, Sunday, should have been preferred by our author. It ought to be eschewed by Chris tians, and the first day of the week should either be named the "Sabbath" or the "Lord's-day." The getting up of the volumes, in this series, is highly creditable to Blackadder & Co.; beautiful type, capital paper, and portable size. Again we say we wish the series all success. THE GRAND DISCOVERY; OR, THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD. By Rev. George Gilfillan, Dundee. London: Blackadder & Co., Paternoster Row. 1854. THIS is the second in the series referred to in the former notice, and a magnificent one it is. It is full of all that is good in Gilfillanism, and more than this cannot be said. The subject is most delectable, the mode of discussing it poetical in a high degree, thrilling in its eloquence, powerful and withering in its sarcasm, and soul-elevating in its influences. It must have a great circulation. We hail Mr. Gilfillan in this peculiar walk of holy useful writing. He is a man of heart as well as of genius, and when the two are sanctified, as in his case, by consecration to God, they are sure to lead on to God's glory and man's advantage. A COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS, with Critical Notes. By the Rev. Andrew Bonar. Third edition. London: J. Nisbet & Co. 1852. THIS expository and practical commentary has reached its third edition, and we do not wonder at it. Not possessed, as a subject of criticism, of the same evangelical attractions as Dr Eadie's Ephesians, it is not likely to continue so long, nor to travel so far as the latter work; notwithstanding, its intrinsic worth, as a careful and scholar-like performance, will command for it a very general appreciation. We recommend it cordially to all our ministers, and to such of our rites of the past dispensation. people as feel an interest in the typical THE WORKS OF THE LADY COLQUHOUN OF LUSS. London: J. Nisbet & Co. 1852. By all who have read Dr. Hamilton's interesting and beautiful memoir of Lady Colquhoun, these works must be warmly welcomed. She was indeed both good and great as a Christian, and a Christian author. The topics discussed in this volume are all religiously important. They are written in a chaste, sedate, but at the same time lively style, and cannot fail to improve as well as please the reader. MEMOIR AND REMAINS OF THE REV. W. H. HEWITSON. By the Rev. John Baillie. London: J. Nisbet & Co. 1853. THESE three volumes are indeed sacred treasures, and will ever keep pace with the best works of their solemn class. The first volume, which contains the memoir, we place, in every respect, in the highest rank of Christian biography. There have, indeed, been few such men as Hewitson of Dirleton, and we do not wonder that our Free Church friends have been forward to do this honour to his memory. He is far before M'Cheyne in point of mind and scholarship, his equal in holy zeal, and perhaps his supe- THE EXPOSITORY PREACHER; or, St. Mat- THE CHARACTERISTIC DIFFERENCES OF THE FOUR GOSPELS. By Andrew Jukes. London: J. Nisbet & Co. 1853. THIS is indeed a very interesting and valuable contribution to our popular theology. Mr. Jukes considers in it these "differences " as revealing various relations of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he does so because he thinks that this is a line of truth which demands the special attention of the Church at this day. We agree with him. The Church of England, in a very special manner, demands it; and we are happy to think that such works as his and Mr. Ryland's, are finding favour in the eyes of our Lon THE WOODCUTTER OF LEBANON: A Story THESE two volumes are replete with Episcopal friends. THE PSALMS RESTORED TO MESSIAH. By THIS is a commentary on the Book of Psalms, by the Chancellor of the Cathedral of Waterford. It is Mr. Ryland's conviction that "a greater" than David is in the Psalms, and the reader may accordingly expect, in his expositions, to find the Messianic affirmed of a far larger number of these inspired songs than he has been accustomed to. The Lord Bishop of Cashel, who writes a commendatory notice, seems to be of the same opinion. We think, notwithstanding, that to maintain this view, a good deal of forced and far-fetched criticism is necessary. Still we must confess that it is a very interesting exercise to follow Mr. Ryland through his work. It is more full and unctional than Horne, and expounders will find it far more suggestive, and therefore useful. We warmly recommend it to the private Christian, as well as to the Biblical student. THIS story is by the author of the Faithful Promiser, Morning and Night Watches, &c., and sustains his reputation. It is founded upon the Jewish institution of the city of refuge, and is, as a story made out of a Bible ordinance, almost faultless. We wish it a wide circulation, especially among the young. It is intensely interesting, beautifully conceived, elegantly composed, and faithfully accurate as to "law and testimony," without being in the least degree tedious or heavy in its inworking of the old Jewish rite. It deserves to be widely known; and if so, it will become universally liked. It is indeed a dear little gem. WORLD WORSHIP. By Eleanor Griffiths. A COMMENTARY ON THE GREEK TEXT OF THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS. By WE are not aware that it ever before fell to the lot of any Scotch reviewer to examine and specify the critical and biblical worth of an original work on any portion of Scripture by a Scotch seceder. We do not forget Campbell and M'Knight in the Established church, neither do we forget Fairbairn and Andrew Bonar in the Free church; and certainly we do anything but forget Dr. John Brown among ourselves, when we say deliberately, and, of course, just according to our own capacities of judging, that Dr. Eadie's work commences a new era in the history of Scotch hermeneutics and exegetics. His Ephesians combines all the classical value of Campbell with the expository excellencies of M'Knight, and that without any of the defects of either, whether in relation to the circumscribed range of Campbell's learning, or to the earthy propensities of M'Knight's moderatism. But, in addition to all this, Dr. Eadie's Commentary takes in, with voluminous and luminous sweep, all the ancient and modern literature of the epistle as it flows from the schools, distils from the speculations, and drops from the erudition of men of every kindred, and nation, and people, and tongue. It is, indeed, a wonderful production, considering the comparative youth of the author, irrespective of its own intrinsic lore, and is certain to secure for the Professor a first place among scholars, and a very high and extensive influence as a biblical authority. Dr. Eadie has now come out. After sporting, leviathan-like, upon the shores of the "deep, deep sea" of scriptural themes and their inexhaustible mines, tantalizing us for years by the exhibition of an intellectual prowess, gamboling with the small affairs of the divine science, he has at length plunged into the ocean depths, and, as in a native element, he carries upward to the light of day, and to the joyous vision of judicious expectants, the pearly treasures of the "vasty deep." We feared not for him when we heard that he had disappeared among the elements of sacred criticism; we knew that he was a dexterous diver; we knew that he had counted the costs; and we hoped to hail him on his rising as eminently successful. Well, there he is again, riding upon the waves and nearing the ship; now he reaches it, and now he fills it with the spoils of his net, so that, like the disciples before the "miraculous draught," we are almost afraid lest the boat should be sunk. Dropping figure, this commentary on one of the most precious of the Pauline epistles, is not only a real but a rich addition to our commentatorial lore. It is quite different, both in style and purpose, from the recent contributions of Dr. John Brown in the same walk. It has little or none of the expository opulence of Dr. Brown's admirable discourses and comments. But, in lieu of that, it is literally crammed with the spoils of a most extensive and profouud scholarship, with the manly and independent criticism of an original thinker and explorer, and with the true and savoury meanings of a thoroughly orthodox and sanctified erudition. He eschews mere verbal criticism and detached anno. tation upon the various words by themselves, and in succession, as "a defective course," inasmuch as it may leave the process of mental operation on the part of the inspired writer wholly untraced in its links and involutions. In his preface he tells us that philology has been kept in subordination to exegesis, and grammatical inquiry has been made subservient to the development of idea and argument; that he has neglected no available help from any quarter or in any language; that the Greek fathers, the Syriac, Coptic, and Gothic versions, and the most recent German commentators, have all been examined;" that he has invariably quoted the best authorities when any special usage is concerned, so that no linguistic canon or principle is left to the support of mere assertion ; and then he adds, in his own beautiful language, "the lamps which have guided me I have thus left burning for the benefit of those who may come after me, in the hope of finding additional ore in the same precious and unexhausted mine." To the general reader the introductory chapter, on "the literature of the epistle," must be very interesting and edifying. We think Dr. Eadie satisfactorily proves that, as we have it in the present canon of the New Testament, Paul's epistle to the metropolitan church at Ephesus has been preserved to us. We would recommend Mr. Connybeare to read Dr. Eadie on this disputed point, and he will cease from whining over what he calls "a mysterious dispensation of providence," viz., the loss of the original Ephesian epistle. Our Professor makes it very clear that both the external and internal evidence is wholly against the notion that either Laodicea by itself, or Ephesus with a cluster of sister communities, was the designed recipient of this epistle. His defence, again, of the genuineness of the epistle is masterly and convincing. Altogether, this preliminary dissertation is, in every respect, worthy of the subject and of the scholar who discusses it. This is a volume which ought to be read and digested by every minister. But alas! we remember that its necessarily dear price puts it out of the reach of many of those, at least, who need all their scanty pittance to clear off their domestic claims. In such cases, we would earnestly recommend some one who can, or some two or three to join, and then they will be able to present their pastor with the book. If he read it, and can appreciate it, the congregation must be the benefited party. Indeed, we have long been under the impression that means ought to be devised for the purchaaing, by every congregation, of the works at least of all the U.P. authors. By this, encouragement would be given to the literature of our church, merit would have a better chance of being rewarded, and the "esprit de corps," which is a most excellent thing under Christian regulation, would be greatly increased and intelligently directed. Dr. Eadie, having begun, must now go on. He has completely justified the Synod in, at so early a period of life, elevating him to the professorial chair, which may he long live to fill and to honour. We have only space for one extract, from which the reader may form a very fair estimate of the general style of this masterly volume : * (Ver. 19.) Γνώναί τε τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν τῆς γνώσεως ἀγάπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ -- And to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ.' Tavaí is not dependent on naranaßiodar, but is in unison with it-a similar exercise of mind. The particle TE, as we have said, does not couple; it rather annexes or adds a clause which is not necessarily dependent on the preceding. (Kühner, 722; Hartung, i. p. 105). Winer (57) remarks, that in the clause adjoined by T the more prominent idea of the sentence may be found. In the phraseἀγάπην τοῦ Χ., X. is the genitive of pos session or subject. It is the love of Christ to us which the apostle introduces. The genitive vows is governed by the participle reßánovca, and not by the substantive dyan,-the last a misconstruction, which may have originated the reading of Codez A and of Jerome-scientiæ caritatem; a reading adopted also by Grotius and Homberg. The participle, from its comparative sense, governs the genitive. (Kühner, § 539). Two different meanings have been ascribed to the participle "1. That adopted by Luther in one version- the love of Christ, which is more excellent than knowledge.' Similar is the view of Wetstein and Wilke. Such a rendering appears to stultify itself. If the apostle prayed them to know a love which was better than knowledge, the verb, it is plain, is used with a different signification from its cognate substantive. To know such a love must in that case signify to possess or feel it, and there is no occasion to take yes in any technical and inferior sense. Nor can we suppose the apostle to use such a truism in the form of a contrast, and to say, "I pray that you may know that love to Christ is better than mere knowledge about him,"Nor did there need a request for spiritual a position which nobody could dispute. strength to enable them to come to the conclusion which Augustine gathers from the clause-scientia subdita caritati. Love |