ness will be carried to an unexampled height.

"But I believe further, that the period in which the diffusion of knowledge and holiness, and happiness, shall transform the earth into a paradise, will not be limited to a thousand years. I have never been able to persuade myself that the blessedness of the latter days shall be of such short continuance. I cannot believe, that after gospel truth has prevailed, and shed its holy and benign influences over mankind for a thousand years, the time will then come when the genuine servants of Christ will be reduced to a small number, a little flock, a diminutive camp. I cannot believe that then the vast population of the globe shall be suffered to fall again under the infernal government of destructive passions, and follow the dictates of the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. After the evils which have afflicted this world, and converted it into a dreadful pest-house, shall be swept away, I cannot believe that they will be allowed to recover their former range, that they may commit their ravages again. I cannot believe, that violence and impiety, oppression and slaughter, will auy more have permission to involve the human race in widely extended scenes of guilt, cala

"The literal construction of texts is, I apprehend, the grand source of error on this subject. Strange is the length to which this mode of explanation has been carried by very sensible writers, who, upon this topic, appear to have altogether forgotten, that the prophetic Scriptures are conspicuously characterized by highly figurative language. The same men who uniformly acknowledge all the former part of the Apocalypse to be written in a symbolic style, when they come to the three last chapters, appear all at once to change their method of explication, and in a great degree interpret it according to the letter. Many of the ancient fathers, from carrying this to its fall extent, brought discredit not only on themselves, but on the book of revelation itself. The too literal expounding of passages has, says Dr. Jortin, produced strange and precarious notions amongst ancient and modern Christians concerning the millennium. Thus it has been supposed that Christ shall come and reign personally on earth a thousand years, that the old Christian martyrs shall rise again to reign with him, that the Jews shall have a temple rebuilt, and a temple service renewed.'"*mity and woe." p. 370, 331.

The Dissertations are from the pen of Mr. William Vint, the respectable theological tutor of Airedale College. They are learned, ingenious, well writtenall breathing a high-spirited regard to the cause of civil and religious freedom. If they contain some things of "doubtful disputation," we need not hesitate to say they are worthy of being well considered throughout.

As to the Millennium, Mr. Vint thinks that "the blessedness of this state will

Forty-five Lectures on our Lord's Sermon on the Mount. By J. E. Good, Minister of Endless Street Chapel, Salisbury. SINCE the volume of inspiration was given to be the guide of human thought and deportment, no argument is needed to prove that faithful explanations of the divine writings are of pre-eminent value.

It is, indeed, necessary that man should know how to defend himself from the evils by which he is surrounded in his present state of existence, and how to secure and perpetuate whatever will afford him real felicity: hence instruc

experience no interruption, either from men or devils, mortals or immortals, and that its duration will not be circumscribed by any commonly supposed boundary of a thousand years; but that it will extend to an undefined period, tions which tend to promote these obthat, according to the language of projects, cannot be of trivial importance, phecy, it will be for ever, even for and we are always gratified at the

ever and ever.'" Dan. vii. 18. And at the commencement of this Dissertation, having specified some articles which he believes in common with the generality of Christians, he goes on to

say

• Rem, on Eccl. Hist. vol. ii. p. 424.

sight of a new and efficient treatise on the arts and sciences.

But we are all unholy and immortal; we know there is an eternal temple into which, as sinners, we cannot enter; and an everlasting prison in which we are doomed to suffer. No human labours, therefore, can be of equal worth with those that propose the instruction and

purification of fallen beings, that they may escape the displeasure of God, and live for ever in his presence. Faithful history, philosophical disquisitions, and moral lectures, may prepare man for frail connexions and a fading world; and works of taste and imagination may refine and delight him in his journey to the grave: but how utterly vain is all this, if compared for one moment with that direction in the path to heaven; and that preparation for its duties and delights which are afforded by luminous and holy expositions of the book of God? Authors of the former class cultivate a garden, the fences of which are soon to be demolished, and the plants and trees of which are before long to be for ever rooted up: while those of the latter kind are working to improve a paradise that will never fade away.

The book now before us deserves a place among those of the greatest worth. It contains forty-five lectures on the sermon which Jesus delivered on a mountain of Judæa to a large congregation-a sermon which the theology of some teachers contradicts, and the religion of multitudes makes unnecessary: but the doctrines and precepts of which we must all credit and obey, or eternally perish.

These lectures are very perspicuous, resembling windows of clear, rather than painted glass; they are of very convenient length, and much like a pious and benevolent companion, who if he travels with you but a short way, gives you much and good information; their sentiments are purely evangelical, their tendency is holy, and their spirit is affectionate and devout.

all are concerned, and in the neglect of which none can be either innocent or happy.

The truth of what we have now advanced will not be denied by any one who reads this volume, and who wishes to be of humble mind, in possession of a penitential heart, and who desires a "meek and quiet spirit:" nor will he who hungers and thirsts "after righteousness," who covets their usefulness who "are the salt of the earth and the light of the world ;" and who values secret and accepted prayer, deem us extravagant in the estimate now given of lectures on the topics that have been adverted to, and which embrace many others of similar kind. And with reference to the talent displayed by Mr. Good, we have no expectation that any wise and pious person will ever be found who will dispute his ability to write well, in every important sense of that word, who could compose the following passage, which we take from the commencement of the volume we wish now to recommend.

Addressing the people of his charge, the author says:

"Have no unnecessary association with men of irreligious habits; guard against all in your engagements, both secular and revain and foolish conversation; be punctual ligious; forsake not the assembling of yourselves together in the sanctuary, as the manner of some is; let your attendance on the ministry of the word be steady, serious, bath, and at other times; erect an altar to and as often as possible, both on the SabGod in all your families, and how before it daily; support the cause of religion, both at home and abroad, cheerfully, liberally, to the utmost of your means, and from love

Those families that are wise and pious enough to attend the public worship of God in the sanctuary, in the morning and afternoon of the Sabbath, and to assemble in the evening for more private adoration in their own houses, will find these discourses very well fitted to be read on such occasions. They are, indeed, under that blessing, without which nothing can prosper, much adapt-doctrine according to godliness.' ed to benefit persons of every age and class, since they clearly explain and earnestly recommend subjects in which

to Him, who gave himself for you;' study each other's welfare, and endeavour to promote it; uphold the hands of your minister, and aim at promoting his usefulness by holy example, fraternal intercourse, enlightened and prudent zeal, fervent prayer, and Christian love; and finally, strive to preserve the flame of personal religion bright and vigormost effectual method of demonstrating to ous in your own souls, for this will be the the world, that the gospel of Christ is a

Herodotus, translated from the Greek, for the use of general Readers; with short explanatory Notes, by ISAAC

TAYLOR. Price 16s.

The Process of Historical Proof Exemplified and Explained, with Observations on the peculiar Points of the Christian Evidence. By ISAAC TAYLOR. Price

9s. Holdsworth and Ball.

sures us, that "hardly a traveller returns from Greece or from Asia, without bringing some notices which serve to establish or explain our author's assertions; so that the declaration of Boerhaave is even more proper in our own times than it was in his, that hodiernæ observationes probant fere omnia magni viri dicta.""

Ir is proverbially said, that the water is Mr. Taylor, by his learning, taste, sweetest at the fountain. Many, how- and diligence, was well qualified for his ever, must be content with the stream, task. In the few passages we have which always savours more or less of inspected and compared with the orithe soil through which it flows. Clas-ginal, we find that the translation is sical readers will always go to the Greek neither on the one hand servilely literal, original, which has been in the highest nor, on the other, loosely paraphrastic; repute for more than two thousand but formed with a just regard to the years. Many mere English readers idioms of the two languages, by the have recourse to those compilations of hand of one who is a considerable masancient history, which in some form of ter in both. We are indebted to him abridgement abound in most of the for a very sensible preface, and for a European languages. But there are neat epitome of the nine books, with a thousands, and tens of thousands, who chronological table. The work is also have been rising up to maturity since embellished with maps of the Persian the commencement of the present cen- empire, and of Greece. tury, whom no compendium or epitome will satisfy; and therefore we expect that translations of the most valuable ancient writers will be multiplied. We are becoming a nation of readers. Many too are learning to read Greek without taking the Latin for an interpreter, and to them this large, neat, and interesting volume will be highly welcome.

Herodotus is usually styled "the father of history." After visiting many countries, examining documents, and conversing with the learned, he began to compose his immortal work, according to Prideaux, "about the time that Nehemiah ended his twelve years' government at Jerusalem." He "brings down the history of Greece (says Mr. Taylor) to the end of the year 479, before the Christian era, when the Persians were compelled to abandon their long-cherished hope of crushing liberty in its birth-place." Each of the nine books is inscribed with the name of one of the nine muses. There are, it is true, some fables intermingled, which are generally stated to be such; and the historian was sometimes imposed on by the priests; but the substance of his work is authentic, and Mr. Taylor as

The other work mentioned at the head of this article deserves a far more extended notice than our limits will allow us to give.

Mr. Taylor exhibits a very entertaining account of Herodotus, and of his oppugners in different ages, and enters into an ingenious argument "from the genuineness to the authenticity of the history," which contains a fine treat for all the lovers of ancient literature.

But we are still far more interested in the four chapters containing “ Specimens of historical inferences, gathered from the apostolical epistles ;" and the last chapter, which is entitled "Hints towards an analysis of the Christian evidences." Many admirable remarks are scattered through these pages that cannot fail to remind the theological reader of Paley's Hora Paulinæ. Not that we intend to insinuate that he is a plagiary, on the contrary, we mean to say, that like the great writer just named, his thoughts are new and curious, the vigorous offspring of his own mind, and well fitted to generate new thoughts in the minds of his readers.

We extract a few lines, to shew Mr. Taylor's manner of giving a modern

dress to the phraseology of Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, ch. xii.

"Now all these endowments are effected, in those who receive them, by the very same spirit, apportioning each to each at his plea

sure. And in iike manner as the human

body, though consisting of many members, is still one; so is it in a society of Christians. For whether we be Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, we all become by baptism, as it were, one body, and all imbibe the same spirit. And as in the human body each member has need of the others, the eye of the ear, and the hand of the foot, so in our societies there is a real dependence of each upon all, and of all upon each; there ought therefore to be a sympathy and union throughout the community. For you are, if I may so speak, the body of Christ, each one being but a member or organ of the whole."

Indeed, such is our opinion of Mr. Taylor's skill and power in the use of language, that we should be happy to see from his pen a paraphrase on all the apostolical epistles.

Two or three little matters we submit to this esteemed writer, who, we hope, will live to see many successive editions of these publications.

By ANDREW REED. pp. 47. Price 1s.
Westley and Davis.

Or the respectable ministers whose pro-
ductions are before us we need say
nothing. They are too well known and
too highly esteemed to be indebted for
commendation to the present oppor-
tunity. In relation to them, therefore,
we shall only further remark, that their
distinguished reputation as able minis-
ters, will sustain no loss by their ela-
borate sermons occasioned by the de-
parture of their venerable friend.

These discourses, whether regarded or as biographical sketches presenting as impressive appeals to the surviving, accurate delineations of the deceased, cannot fail to prove peculiarly interesting, and must before this time, we have no doubt, have been very extensively read for who does not wish to possess all the information that can be obtained concerning the Rev. Matthew Wilks, who cannot be altogether unknown in any quarter of the globe, and whose protracted life, almost incessantly occupied as it has been in the glorious un

Page 164. We think the apostle in- dertaking of making known, by every

tended to speak of those who gave the call-not of those who were called. Page 214. Paul would never say his "well-earned." He will always regard it as a reward of gracenot of debt.

crown was

The words fortuity, impartation, oppugnant, are not authorized. Whether Mr. Taylor himself be an authority sufficient to give them currency, time will shew.

1. The Pastor's Tomb: a Sermon occa sioned by the death of the Rev. Matthew Wilks; addressed to the congregation of Tottenham Court Chapel, London, on Sunday morning, February 8, 1829. By GEORGE COLLISON, Minister of Marsh Street Chapel, Walthamstow, and Tutor of the Theological Seminary, Hackney. pp. 50. Price 1s. Westley and Davis.

2. A Voice from the Tomb: a Sermon occasioned by the death of the Rev. Matthew Wilks, delivered at the Tabernacle on Sunday the 8th of February, 1829.

method of disclosure, and to the utmost possible extent, the evangelical principles and moral influence of divine truth, has given to his name and character a perpetuity and elevation of which they can never be deprived-" the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance."

Heb. xiii. 7, 8. "My first duty," he The text chosen by Mr. Collison is says, "will be to consider the import of the text; my second its application to you my brethren, on the death of our departed friend." In explaining the passage he remarks, “The first point is an appeal to your memory;" the next appeal is to their consideration. He then exhorts them to "follow the faith once delivered to the saints, because it leads us to Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to day, and for ever." In applying the subject to the deceased, the respected preacher says, "In presenting him to your remembrance, I shall consider him first in relation to the age in which he lived; secondly, in his character as your