fcience; nor would do this day, if all that is in earth, whether i: be honour, pleasure, or riches, might be given me. Moreover, I take God to witnefs to my confcience, that I defire of God to myself in this world, no more than that without which I cannot keep his laws."

It appears, however, that the king, in purfuance of his own fettled judgment, that a great deal of good might come of people's reading the New Teftament with reverence, and following of it, commanded the bishops to call to them the best learned of the two universities, and to cause a new tranflation to be made, that the people fhould not be ignorant of God's law: but nothing being done, the people still read and studied Tyndal's; therefore, according to the policy of the times, it was determined to get rid of fo dangerous an heretick and the king and council employed one Henry Phillips, who infinuated himfelf into the acquaintance of Mr. Tyndal, and Mr. Tho mas Pointz, an English merchant, at whofe house he lodged: and at a favourable opportunity he got the procurator-general of the emperor's court to feize on Tyndal, by whom he was brought to Vilvorden or Tilforde, about eighteen miles from Antwerp; and after being imprisoned a year and an half, notwithstanding letters in his favour from fecretary Cromwell and others to the court at Bruffels, he was tried, and none of his reafons in his defence being admitted, he was condemned by virtue of the emperor's decree made in the affembly at Augfburgh in the year 1536. His friend Mr. Pointz alfo was for fome time kept in prifon, but afterwards made his efcape. Being brought to the place of execution, he was first strangled, calling out in his last moments, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes!" and then burned. Thus died William Tyndal, with this testimony to his character, given him by the emperor's procurator or attorney-general, though his adverfary, that he was "Homo doctus, pius, et bonus;" which Fox tranflates, a learned, good, and godly man; and others who converfed with him in the cattle, reported of him, that "if he were not a good Chriften man, they could not tell whom to truft."

The foregoing extract, as far as it fhews the temper of the king, the laity, and the clergy, in Tyndal's time, is curious, nor are the particulars of his life uninteresting.

Mr. Cruttwell has, in his Preface, given biographical ketches of most of the English tranflators of the Bible, as well as of many of our most respectable commentators of different perfuafions. Thefe accounts are very fuccinct, but written in a manner that gives an advantageous idea of the editor's candour and good fenfe.

We now proceed to take fome notice of bifhop Wilfon's Notes. Our felection on this article muft neceffarily be inconfiderable, but we will endeavour to make it characteriflic. That our readers may know it to be fo, we must premise, that

his lordship's manner of illuftration is always fhort, and ge nerally decifive. Very few points are difcuffed, and perhaps none at large. Even the different views and opinions of doubtful points are not often represented; fo that the philofophical critic will meet with little to exercise his reasoning or invite his decifions, and the fceptic lefs to fatisfy his doubts. The bishop's fhort and confident way of explaining difficult paffages feems not, however, to have been ill calculated for the meridian of his own diocefe, where the fimplicity of the people difpofes them rather to belief than enquiry; nor can it fail of being useful to perfons who have little time for reading, or accurate examination; and fuch indeed form the bulk of mankind.

In Genefis, ch. xxx. v. 14. on the subject of Reuben's going in the days of wheat harveft, and finding mandrakes in the field, which he brought to his mother Leah, the bishop only obferves, that mandrakes are fine and beautiful flowers according to fome,' and adds, without hesitation or appearance of doubt, where fo many commentators have hesitated and doubted, that the mandrake is a plant in the Eaft, having a moft delicious fruit growing on the top like cucumbers, in bunches, and therefore called, in Hebrew, brothers.'

On the images which Rachel is related (Gen. xxxi. 19.) to have ftolen from her father, the bishop is pofitive, and means, probably, that Laban was an idolater. These teraphims, fays his lordship, on the place, were little images of the idols which they had in their temples; thefe they kept in their houses, and called them houfhold gods.'

the

Few commentators appear decided on the nature, or even the reality of that spirit called up, at the inftance of Saul, by the Witch of Endor. 1 Sam. ch. xxviii.-On v. 14. And the woman faid unto Saul, I faw gods afcending out of the earth, &c. the bishop has the following note. Though it is a vain as well as a wicked thing for people to pretend to call up fpirits of departed men, yet it is plain, from this and other hiftories, that God may permit fpirits to appear, not as a favour, but as a punishment to those that are finfully curious, or feek help from any but from him. And that God fent the spirit of Samuel is not at all improbable, when we confider that he fent Elijah to meet the meffengers of Ahaziah (2 Kings, chap. i.) who were upon as wicked an errand, and in as wicked a way.' On reading the 15th verfe, which our venerable commentator has not apparently adverted to, is not fome doubs reasonably enough fuggefted? And Samuel faid to Saul, why haft thou disquieted me to bring me up?'-If called up of God, was not the prophet himself, we might ask, likely

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to know it? How could he then exprefs himself with this air of murmuring and diffatisfaction? We think thiscirc umstance throws in the way a difficulty, which none of the critics who take the bishop's fide of the question has fufficiently obviated, and which he appears hardly aware of. But with whatever ease the good prelate may himself be fatisfied in his enquiries, we have not the fmallelt doubt of their fincerity, or of his being difpofed to give constructions on obscure pasfages, if not fuch as may be always found the moft convincing, at least such as are generally most confiftent with piety, and the best wishes of ferious men.

We will conclude our fpecimen of the bishop's Notes, with thofe on the first chapter of St. John's Gofpel. But, not to fwell this article beyond our limits, we omit the text, as every reader can easily confult it.

St. John. This apostle is called The Divine, both before the Revelations, and by St. Origen, because he begins his Gofpel with the divinity of Jefus Chrift, as the other evangelifts did theirs with his birth or humanity.

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1. Was Erat. Did exist before all time from eternity. The word was God; or, God was the word. Wade on the Trinity.

To fuppofe God without his word and wifdom would be moft abfurd and blafphemous.

3. So that if, as St. Paul faith, [Rom. i. 20.] the eternal power and godhead were understood by the things that were made, here is a certain argument of the divinity of Chrift. 7. All men, none excepted.

8. He was not the true effential light; though (ver. 9.) he was a true light.

6 9. i. e. This is that eternal light which took upon him our nature, and by the records of his incarnation, of life, doctrine, miracles, death, refurrection, afcenfion, and miffion of the Holy Ghoft-by virtue of thefe records, he lighteth every man, Jew and Gentile, who will attend to the Gospel.

i. e. He is that light and power which beftows the light of reafon and understanding on every man at his coming into the world, viz. at his birth. This effential light, which gave being, and life, and light, and reason to men, is [ver. 14] now come to dwell among us to teach us to know Ged, fince the light of reafon hath been fo much depraved.

10. He made the world, to make himself known; and yet they would not fee him in the works of the divine wifdom. He therefore became incarnate to make himself known.

11. Deut. xxxii. 9. Ifrael is faid to be the Lord's portion, or the inheritance of the God of Ifrael; who, therefore, with the Son is God.

12. Power; or, a right " to become the fons of God," i. e. to have their nature restored to the likeness or image of God,

in which they were created:-Regeneration. This bleffing is referved for those only that believe in him.

13. Born, of God. This was that life which Adam was deprived of the very day he had finned, and to which we are rettored by baptifin; and without which we have the life only of natural men of the world, deftitute of the spirit and life of God in us. Of God, is e. The Holy Ghoft.

14. Flesh. Man.

16. Grace for grace; or grace upon grace: One grace added to another. Beza.

For the grace loft in Adam, we have the grace reftored by Christ.

but

17. The fhadow or scheme of God's defign came by Mofes, grace and truth [i. e. the fubftance] came by Jefus Chrift. The Gospel is called Grace, in oppofition to the feverity of the law, which required unfinning obedience.

19. Who art thou? For at that time, the whole nation of the Jews expected the Meffiah.

6 21. I am not. I am not Elias the Tifhbite, whom you expect; but that Elias which was for to come, viz. him prophefied of by Ifaiah xi. 3. and by Malachi iii. 1.

27. Whofe fhoes latchet I am not worthy to unloofe. Whose fervant I am not worthy to be.

28. In Bathabara beyond Jordan. This was the paffage of the Ifraelites into Canaan, under Jofhua; and the common paffage to Jerufalem, whither the people were going to the paffover.

29. The Lamb of God. The true Pafchal Lamb.

32. Like a dove, i. e. like as a dove defcends or lights on the ground, viz. leifurely; fo that the multitude faw it plainly. 5. Him. That prophet.

47. An Ifraelite indeed, in whom is no guile, i. e. He was' a man of a pure heart, an upright intention, free from hypocrify, and a lover of truth.'

The editor's induftry and general accuracy in his numerous' parallels of different readings and different tranflations throughout this very refpectable work, deferve warm commendation.

An Abridgement of the New Teftament, in Queftion and Aufwer. The Answer to each Queftion exactly in the Words of our Lord. and his Apoftles. 12mo. 35. Baldwin.

IN

N inculcating the doctrines of revelation, upon young minds, with that comprehensive brevity neceffary in the business of education, where numerous objects of learning neceffarily claim attention, the catechetical mode has generally. been preferred, and jufly too, on many accounts. But it cannot be denied that most of the forms hitherto devised are VOL. LXIII. Feb. 1787. liable

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liable to the objection of adopting the systems and opinions of particular fects and perfuafions, without always fufficiently demonftrating their conformity to the holy fcriptures. To avoid splitting on the dangerous rock of fancy, conjecture, and human interpretations, the author of the Abridgement judges the method he has taken of anfwering each question exactly in the words of our Lord, and his apoftles, as the best and fafeft. This plan has, we confefs, the appearance of reafon in its favour. But great judgment and difcretion are requifite in the choice of queftions, and in the application of fcripture paffages to answer them; or elfe it will be found, that falfe and partial notions may as well be conveyed by this method as by any other; and they may obtain the easier admiffion into candid minds, as coming with fo unfuspected an appearance.

The little work before us appears to be conducted with prudence, and a fincere regard to truth, and as fuch we venture to recommend it, with our wishes of its fulfilling the author's intention, expreffed in the title-page, viz. that of imprinting on the minds of youth, and reviving in the memories of Christians more advanced in knowlege, the doctrines and precepts, and fome of the most remarkable occurrences recorded in the New Teftament.

The firft fection of this Abridgement, the plan of which is obferved throughout, will give our readers fome idea of its

execution.

Section I. John the Baptift's Preaching-his baptizing Jefus his Declaration of Jefus being the Meffiah.-Our Lord's Reply to Nicodemus.-Well-difpofed Minds love Inftruction.Our Lord's Converfation with the Woman of Samaria-his Answer to the Disciples, when they defired him to eat.

2. What was the ftrain of John the Baptist's preaching to the Jews?

A. Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance. And think not to fay within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father; for I fay unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up chil

dren unto Abraham.

2. What was the teftimony which John the Baptist gave to the power and dignity of the expected Meffiah?

A. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whofe fhoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

2. When Jefus came to John to be baptized, did not John at first refufe, though he afterwards complied with it?

A. John forbade him, faying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comeft thou to me? And Jefus anfwering, faid

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