the "Quotidianæ," in which he had just been writing, lying open beside them: "there are the books I use; all that is biblical is there. I have to do with nothing besides in my Biblical study."

To the consultation of these few volumes he throughout restricted himself. It would have interfered with-it would have defeated his primary design in commencing these compositions, had he used the many other helps which were at hand-had he been led away by their employment into any lengthened critical, or historical, or doctrinal investigations. These writings were not intended to be the vehicles of learned research. They were not intended to constitute an elaborate exposition. He had no intention of drawing up for the use of others a regular commentary on the Holy Scriptures. The thought of others—the idea of publication-was not in his mind when he began to write. He used the pen in this instance for his own private benefit alone. Seeking to bring his mind into as close and as full contact as possible with the passage of the Bible which was before him at the time, he recorded the thoughts suggested-the moral or emotional effects produced. That these thoughts might the less readily slip out of his memory, that these effects might be more pervading and more permanent. His great desire was to take off from the sacred page as quick, as fresh, as vivid, and as complete an impression as he could; and in using his pen to aid in this, his object was far more to secure thereby a faithful transcript of that impression, than either critically to examine, or minutely to describe the mould that made it. His own description of these "Hora Biblica Quotidiana" was that they consisted of his first and readiest thoughts; and he clothed these thoughts in what to him, at least, were the first and readiest words. Traces of his own peculiar phraseology do constantly occur, and yet in such a form as to demonstrate of that phraseology, that it was as capable of condensation as of expansion; that it could be brief and aphoristic, or ample and many volumed, as the time or the object might require. And yet though both as to thought and expression, of such instant, and easy, and natural growth, we have here the mature fruits of a whole lifetime's study of the Divine Oracles, conducted by one who tells us more than once that the verse in all the Bible the most descriptive of his own experience, is the utterance of David, "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times." "

6

This very well describes the contents of the principal portion of this work. The Sabbath Meditations,' or 'Hora Biblica Sabbaticæ,' are of an entirely different nature-practical, meditative exercises rather of the heart than of the head. Written amid the quiet of the day of rest, they are contemplative and devotional, passing generally into direct addresses to the Deity.' These 'Meditations are of the nature of a disclosure-the most free and unreserved-of the author's inner life; and, as they enable us to see the nature of the heart which worked together with and upon that mighty intellect and eloquent tongue, this short but precious portion of the work affords a study of no mean interest and instruction.

"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars, for one star differeth from another star in glory.' In spite of this, we are seldom content to find one kind of glory in 'the bright particular star' which attracts our notice; but are disposed to expect to find concentrated in it all the glories of all the stars that shine. This is inordinate, and it is injurious. The field of theology in particular is very wide; it comprises various departments distinctly marked out from each other; and requiring such very different courses of study and habits of mind, that no man ever lived who cultivated all of them with equal success. It requires men of words, men of things, men of thoughts, men of utterances; there are spheres of labour for the philologer, the critic, the historian, the archæologist,

the

the reasoner, the persuader, the sympathiser. No one man is equal to all this. The habits for one class of these subjects may be precisely those which might unfit him for the others. Yet in this country, theology is popularly considered as one science; and if it be stated that a man is eminent in one of these departments, there is an instinctive assumption that he is, or an expectation that he ought to be, eminent in all the others; and there is a proportionate disappointment, and the man we honour becomes depreciated in our eyes, when we hear that there are many branches of theological attainment in which he-so great in one or in two of them-is equalled or surpassed by many of his contemporaries. In Germany this distinction is better understood. There, very few of the great professors and doctors in divinity, with whose names the world rings, are ministers of religion, or have any kind of pastoral charge-they are mostly laymen, who devote their studies to the various departments of biblical scholarship. Clergymen, whose business is to set forth doctrine, to reason, to convince, and to persuade, generally find sufficient labour in the studies connected with pastoral theology, and in digesting for pastoral use the labours of their learned brethren. Thus it would not be easy to name many German ministers who are eminent in biblical scholarship; and of these we know of scarcely any who have attained distinction both as biblical scholars and as preachers.

Whether this state of things is better or worse than our own, it is not here necessary to inquire. There is, perhaps, counterbalancing good and evil in both; for while this division of labour has caused the wide field of theology to be in Germany highly cultivated in all its parts, the absence of a responsible spiritual function in a great body of the cultivators, has perhaps in no small degree tended to produce there that secularization of theological studies, which may be eventually for good, but some of the existing results of which cannot be witnessed without concern.

This division exists, in a great degree, among ourselves practically, though in an unrecognised form. The broad shield of the clerical office which is thrown over all, covers these great diversities of acquirements and pursuits, while it seems to exact universal attainments. The higher obligations of the pastoral office-the paramount duty of striving to win souls to Christ, by the consecration of all the best of his time and energies to that exalted service--are apt to prevent a conscientious minister from allowing that degree of time to biblical scholarship which is necessary to high attainments therein, and will explain how it is that our great biblical scholars, although professionally clergymen, have seldom had any weighty pastoral charge, or have distinguished themselves in the pulpit; while those who have there been in their greatest strength, have seldom claimed a high place in Biblical learning.

. Now these observations apply very fully to the position of Dr. Chalmers. His position was that of a public teacher-a teacher of thinking men; and, for that great work and mighty task, God bestowed upon him powers and gifts-powers of thought and gifts of utterance-such as few men in any age or country have ever possessed

together

together in the same degree, and in as large a measure as the uninspired mind seems capable of sustaining. Here, in the endowments which qualified him for the first place among public teachers, lay that great strength which astonished the world. But in what is called properly biblical scholarship, Dr. Chalmers never made any pretensions, nor in this respect was any strength ever ascribed to him, even in his own country. This is no disparagement to him. His line of service and of study was altogether different; and we cannot justly demand that any man should excel in these knowledges which he has never professed to cultivate. It was, therefore, not without alarm that we heard of the present publication; and were led to fear that injudicious friends might injure the recognised reputation of this great man, by advancing for him, after his death, claims which the writings might not be able to substantiate. The height of his reputation in another line, would be apt to raise expectations with respect to his expositions of Scripture, which we feared might not be justified by the result; and from this might spring a reaction in the minds of many, tending to the disparagement of his undoubted excellence. We still think that it would have been more judicious to have put in the forefront of this publication the works he has left in those departments in which his eminence is unquestioned. But we are bound to admit that whatever apprehension we felt on this account has been dissipated by the inspection of the work itself. The Editor carefully guards against the misconception we dreaded, and is at much pains to place these annotations in a right point of view. Then a survey of the Readings' themselves is sufficient to relieve our anxiety. In substance there is little that is new to one well read in Biblical literature-but there is not seldom a strong and happy thought—a singular facility in grasping the scope of the subject and much unconscious force in bringing the matter under the testing powers of a cultivated understanding, which well reward the attention of the reader, and keep him constantly aware that he is in the hands of one of those extraordinary men who cannot do anything without manifesting some of the great powers which God has entrusted to them.

The two volumes before us bring the series of 'Readings' to the end of Job; and the third will reach to Jeremiah, at which point the progress of the work was stayed by the death of the writer. For ourselves we can truly say that we regret this abrupt termination of his pleasant labour; for it would have been a peculiar gratification to us to have witnessed the mode in which he with his entire faith of heart and mind, joined to his singular freedom of hand-would have treated some of the subjects which the historical books of the New Testament offer. The Epistles he would probably have gone through much in the same way as through Job, where he enters little into details, but merely gives a kind of summary of the contents and the teaching of the passage under survey. The remarks on the historical books of the Old Testament in particular, as we here have them, will be interesting to all readers; and even those whose large reading or frequent thought may have anticipated much

that

that is here presented, will be delighted with the depth of many of the experimental reflections, with the number of new points of view opened up in the contemplation of Scripture characters and events, with the frequency of the striking and true thoughts which are scattered broadcast through these pages; and with the numerous glimpses which are afforded of the individualities of the writer in his mind and character. On this last account alone the work would be most valuable; for it is no light privilege to be admitted thus unreservedly into the secret retreats of such a man as Dr. Chalmers.

We do not here produce extracts in corroboration of the view we have taken. Some passages may from time to time find their way into our ANALECTA, and the publication of the remaining volume may afford us an opportunity of looking more closely at particular parts. We have only to add that the books are beautifully printed, and do infinite credit to all the parties engaged in their production.

The Ecclesiastical Polity of the New Testament unfolded, and its Coincidence or Disagreement with_prevailing Systems indicated. By SAMUEL DAVIDSON, LL.D. London, Jackson and Walford, 1848. 8vo. pp. xx. 458.

This volume forms the thirteenth series of the Congregational Lecture, founded in connection with the Congregational Library in London, and which has already produced works of great merit-some of which have taken a standard place in the theological literature of the country. Few of these involve any matters of denominational controversy, and they are mostly such as may be interesting and instructive to all denominations of Protestants.

The present volume, which is among the ablest, and is in many respects one of the most important of the series, is, however, expressly devoted to subjects on which Christians differ; and which, indeed, form the most ostensible matters of difference among them. As these are the topics which the plan of our publication does not embrace, we are precluded from giving this work so full a notice as it might otherwise have received. We are bound to say, however, that the book is composed in a spirit which ought to form a model for discussions of this nature. Its tone is by no means warlike or controversial, and it evinces but little of special advocacy in setting forth the views which the author entertains, and the conclusions to which he has been led.

The author declines to be regarded as the champion of Congregationalism, and exonerates that body from the responsibility of his conclusions. His object, he declares, has been, as far as was possible to him, to deduce the exact meaning of the Scriptural intimations without regard to denominational interpretations. He is hence prepared to find that no one will be entirely satisfied with all the results he has obtained, and that many even of the body to which he belongs will dissent from some of his opinions. Now it is a great matter for a man to set forth views with the consciousness that many will be dis

2 c2

pleased

pleased with them, and that few will wholly concur in them. This argues nuch honesty and independence of mind, and great earnestness for truth; and it indicates that the good old stuff of which martyrs were made, is not altogether lost. Dr. Davidson may here well speak for himself.

'The author can hardly cherish the hope of being exempted from considerable animadversion. He has counted the cost of manifold censure. Truth must not be sacrificed to usage or party. It is better to comply with the suggestions of conscience than to please men. The favour of others, gained at the expense of conceding what conscience disallows, is too dearly purchased. But he is averse to polemics. He will not hastily allow himself to be dragged into controversy. So much of misrepresentation and asperity is mixed up with it, as to render it a most unprofitable and injurious employment. Neither is it worth while to reply to persons who nibble at minute particulars and things immaterial, while they are unable or indisposed to grapple fairly and fully with the main principles inculcated.' p. ix.

It may be regretted that it should have devolved on one so averse to polemics to handle the thorny topics which men of peace avoid. The author indeed admits that—

'There are phenomena in the religious world which appear to discourage a timid writer from attempting to discuss the subject of the following lectures. And when these symptems dissuading from its examination are of a cheering aspect to the pious mind, it becomes a matter of serious reflection whether the matter should be publicly agitated. And yet the author cannot believe that the religious sects now existing, are better prepared, in reality, to amalgamate with one another, than they were a century ago; or that an examination of the topic is likely to impede their further incorporation, should that incorporation appear desirable or near. It is possible, indeed, that the narrow-minded adherent of a party may magnify the importance of belonging to his own denomination so highly as to look on all others with an evil eye, or with profound pity, as if they were deeply involved in serious error; but the man who endeavours to rise above the views of interested partisans, will treat the subject in a more liberal spirit. While indicating his own preferences, he will be careful not to provoke the bitter recrimination of those who differ from him.' pp. v., vi.

We like this; and although, with Dr. Davidson, we doubt that the day of amalgamation is near, or perhaps desirable; we do trust that the day of charity and forbearance, of true tolerance-nay, of brotherly love, among those who, although they may differ in matters of ecclesiastical polity, claim to be 'all one in Christ Jesus,' or at least to be of near neighbourhood in Him, is not only much nearer than it was fifty years ago, but is even now at hand, if it be not already come. It surely shall not much longer be a reproach to us, that it is only in the things of Christ that we practically hesitate to know and love a neighbour.

The plan of Dr. Davidson required him to examine for himself all the texts bearing, or supposed to bear, upon the subject. This he has done in his usual thorough manner; and it quite consists with the objects of our own publication for us to bear witness that many important passages of the New Testament are so well and so ably discussed in these pages as to render it unsafe for any one whose attention may hereafter be turned to these subjects, or who undertakes to write on these texts, to suffer himself to remain unaquainted with this author's studies in them.

Immortality: