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to remodel his plan. We are aware, however, that there is a work in the press, comprising a digested analysis of the principal commentaries on the entire New Testament; and should it realize the promises held out on its announcement, there can be little doubt of its success. The undertaking is an arduous one; but it is in good hands; and we are looking anxiously for the appearance of the work. It was expected, we believe, to have been published in the present season; but, upon inquiry, we find that unavoidable circumstances may delay it some little time longer.

ART. III.—A History of England, in which it is intended to consider Men and Events on Christian Principles. Vol. I. extending from the Earliest Periods to the Signature of Magna Charta. By a CLERGYMAN of the CHURCH of ENGLAND. London: Rivingtons, 1828. Pp.

xvi. 495. price 6s.

It has been said, that all degrees and sorts of men amongst us have their respective histories of their native land; and that the Infidel in Hume, the Protestant in Smollet, and the Papist in Lingard, may find the record of their various notions and opinions. It remained for the author of the present undertaking to compile a history of our country, for the instruction of the Christian. And, surely, there never was a work more wanted in the days upon which we are fallendays, in which the light of the gospel shines with unusual brightness, and yet men are blindly closing up their eyes against its power, and labouring to extinguish its effects, or to pervert its course. The manifestations of God's love towards us, of late, have been too striking to be passed away in silence by him who meditates upon the causes and effects of human accidents, as under the directing and controlling power of one above; and if we were rightly taught, to see the hand that has been with us, and the invisible armies of the living God that have encamped about the ark of our strength in the day of darkness and peril, we should learn enough, to cause us to lift up a hymn of rejoicing, and to break forth with David into the strain of gratitude, "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us: what thou hast done in their time of old: how thou hast destroyed the nations and cast them out. It is thou that savest us from our enemies: and puttest them to confusion that hate us. Psalm xliv.

The whole course of Jewish history teaches one great doctrine, that the affairs of men are under the control and agency of God; and, that it is He who exalteth or debaseth a nation, when, by his permission or direction, the counsels of earthly princes are the means of public weal or woe. We are taught in every page of scripture to ascribe the victory, and to give the praise unto the Lord; and surely we, in these

times, have as much reason to be joyful, on account of favours done by heaven, as had the children of Israel when they passed the waters, and beheld their foes overthrown in the sea. It is too much forgotten, that, whereas the scriptures of the Old Testament give the history of the rise, the progress, and the final destruction of a once favoured people-the scriptures of the New Testament give only the history of the rise of Christianity, shadowing forth in dim and solemn prophecies, the future progress of the christian world. It is, therefore, that with right we ought to look on history as the detail of this progress; and not merely as a register of earthly passions, and of earthly ambition, but as the record of the accomplished will of God towards the children of men. Peculiarly does such a view of things belong to us-who, like Israel of old, have been snatched from the hands of our enemiesblessed with peace and plenty in the midst of war, and raised to a pitch of earthly glory, such as modern times can never parallel. Το point out, then, to our children, what things the Lord hath done for us ; how, in the early dawn of civilized society, this land was snatched from the iniquities of paganism; how, when the purity of the new and holy faith was tarnished, and the mystery of iniquity was working night and day to ruin and deform the glorious fabric of the church, it pleased God to raise up men amongst us who had wisdom to defend, and courage to die for, her institutions; and how, in these later times, when the fiends of anarchy and bloodshed had let loose the plagues of wickedness around us, this nation was preserved as a solitary rock of safety in the sea of sorrow; and as a beacon for the wandering principles of rulers to steer safely to the haven of their hopes and wishes, seems to be a duty which religion claims at the historian's hands. No pious Englishman can hear and see what has been done amongst us, without owning, that it is not to our arm that the praise is due, nor with our own courage that the victory hath been won.

It has been long a wish of our heart, that some one, capable of executing such a work, would undertake the task of giving to our histories the direction which they need; and of enabling those, who have the care and the instruction of the young, to teach them in the way in the which they should walk, as subjects to an earthly king, with reference to a higher potentate and more imperial government.

It is this alone which can "endue our senators with wisdom," or make the reign of a king glorious. For the glory of a kingdom, in the view of the Almighty, consists in the obedience and the piety of those who dwell therein. That such may be the fruit of the present undertaking is our earnest wish and prayer-and that many, who have hitherto regarded our prosperity as the result of human prudence alone, may be led to see a mightier instrument at work-a holier spirit guiding us, than that which, in our weakness, and our vanity, we

are apt to think supreme. How the author has accomplished his important labour cannot now be discussed. Perhaps we shall return to a minute consideration of his work. For the present, we most earnestly recommend it to our readers; and if they desire a specimen of the performance, they may find one in the following just account of the origin of that seat of learning, to which so many of them are indebted, and for the prosperity of which so many of their prayers are dutifully offered.

Joffred, abbot of Croyland, was one of those learned priests whom William the Conqueror's discerning patronage brought over from Normandy. His love of knowledge had made him collect brethren for his monastery who were of the like disposition; and he had fixed four of these amongst his tenants at Cotenham, to instruct their sons. But these monks, finding pleasure in the communication of what they knew, hired a barn in the larger neighbouring town of Cambridge, where they might expect to find more persons willing to be instructed. Their zeal and their superior knowledge soon gained them a reputation; and as their fame spread, scholars resorted to them from places more and more distant.

In the second year of their teaching at Cambridge, A. D. 1109, they had divided and arranged their labours. Brother Odo began the morning with teaching the Latin grammar. Terric taught logic, or the art of reasoning. William gave instructions in rhetoric, or the art of speaking well and persuasively; and Gislebert, the fourth brother, gave religious instruction, and preached to the people on Sundays and holidays. Scholars being thus drawn to Cambridge, other teachers also fixed their abode there; and thus the University is supposed to have had its beginning. Peter de Blois, an author who wrote but ninety years after, exclaims, "From this little fountain, which hath swelled into a great river, we now behold the city of GoD made glad; and all England rendered fruitful, by many teachers issuing from Cambridge."

How much more abundantly, and how much more clear, have the waters of this fountain since been made to flow by the bounty of Him, who alone can give the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord!* He saith of Himself, In the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom.† To Him, therefore, be given the praise, when the members of that university rejoice that it has produced Bacon and Newton, names unequalled in human wisdom; and Milton, who has sung so sweetly and so well of the mercy of GoD and our Redeemer. Yet the instruction which raised up in the same University those holy bishops, Ridley, and Latimer, and Cranmer, and many a brother martyr, was blessed with a still choicer blessing; for the light, which they were made the instruments of pouring on this land, was far more glorious than the discoveries of human wisdom. The writer cannot bring himself to close his reflections, on the goodness of GoD in preparing a place for the instruction of those chosen servants, without uttering his own feelings and wishes in the devout and affectionate language of Bishop Ridley. Cambridge, my loving mother and tender nurse! If I should not acknowledge thy manifold benefits; yea, if I should not, for thy benefits, at the least love thee again, truly I were to be accounted ungrateful and unkind. I thank thee, my loving mother; and I pray GoD, that His laws, and the sincere Gospel of Christ, may ever be truly taught, and faithfully learned in thee."—Pp. 339–341.

After this, we need say little of the firm and uncompromising manner in which the doctrines of the Reformation are maintained and illustrated; or of the various excellencies, literary and historical, which distinguish and adorn this most respectable of English Histories.

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LITERARY REPORT.

Observations upon the several Sunday Services prescribed by the Liturgy throughout the Year: being an humble Attempt to illustrate the Doctrinal as well as Devotional Tendency of each; furnishing matter of devout Reflection to the sincere Christian. By the Right Reverend ALEXANDER JOLLY, D.D. one of the Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Communion in Scotland. Grant, Edinburgh. Whittaker, London. 1828. pp. 258.

In an advertisement by the Edinburgh publisher, we are told-"The following little work exhibits a portion of that system of catechetical or elementary instruction, which the venerable author has been in the practice, for more than half a century, of imparting, every Sunday regularly, to the young persons of his congregation. In addition to the two services and to two sermons, an hour or an hour and a half is by him devoted every Sunday to this important duty, in the simple manner of easy conversation, including all the essential particulars of Christian doctrine and duty, as these are embodied in the Church Catechism, and in the Liturgy; and as they are adapted to the capacity, and are obligatory upon the consciences of all the members of our Church. The style is peculiar, and some literary friends suggested the propriety of somewhat altering and modernising it. This, after serious consideration, however, was at length declined, with their perfect concurrence in the conviction, first, that the author's meaning is every where intelligible and impressive; secondly, that any essential and general alteration in the style, as it would interrupt the uniformity, might also change the spirit and impair the influence of the work; and, thirdly, that the peculiarity of the style seems calculated, in fact, to arrest attention, as it exhibits the freshness and the earnestness of that viva voce instruction in which it originated, modified by the habitual piety of the author, who is much more conversant with ancient than with modern writers."

The work consists, first, of a general

introduction, from which we select the following passage:

Families are the little nurseries for the spiritual kingdom of the Church, and the temporal kingdom of the State, which, by their respective duties, and in their different capacities and powers, mutually promote the happiness of each other. Immensely important, therefore, is the right institution and training of children, those tender plants, which generally keep the direction into which they are at first bent. But unless parents will do their part at home, where they have the best opportunities and greatest advantage over them, the teaching of schools abroad, or catechising in Church, with all the solemnity of the place, will have but little hope of success. Tremendously awful, therefore, is the obligation that lies upon parents, (and upon sponsors, especially if the parents be negligent), to teach them privately, according to their best ability; and secure their regular attendance upon the public catechetic instruction, as soon as they are capable of it. It is highly incumbent upon parents, every day, religiously to watch over their children; but in a particular manner to instil into their minds a distinguishing regard for the Lord's-day, as a day of gladness, not of gloominess-but of joy of a different kind, and far superior to that of their ordinary sports and pastimes. They should train them to constant attendance upon God's house and service, till it become habitual to them, and then it would become both easy and delightful. To advance this, and raise in their hearts a growing sense of devotion, would tend much-much more indeed than seems to be commonly imagined to accustom them to speak out the responses audibly; for which, as for every part of their duty and honour to God, their parents should set before them their own good example. This would keep up the attention of the children, by giving them a part to act, and interesting them in the divine service. And their early voices thus uttered, as well and decently as possible, would be acceptable to Him who is graciously present in the midst of us, as the hosannahs of the children in the Temple were, which the Pharisees would have repressed by commanding their silence. The voice is his, as well as the heart-the body as well as the soul; and both should join to perfect and shew forth his praise.

Sunday, thus religiously spent, would shed its influence upon all the days of the week, and tend to promote men's temporal as well as spiritual interest. For 66 godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come." The blessing of the Lord upon the hand of the diligent is that which maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it, says the divine word. On the contrary, true religion, steadily maintained, is a source of pure and perpetual joy. Serving the Lord with gladness every day, as well as upon his own day, it feasts its votary every day with the joy of a good conscience: rejoicing in hand, but infinitely more in the hope that is set before us; which hope we have," says the blessed Apostle, "as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec." (Heb. vi. 19, 20.) He rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, to prepare a place for us. And, to our joy, he has told us, that he will come again, and receive us unto himself, that where he is, there we may be also. There we shall celebrate an everlasting Sunday, where he shall be the only Sun, shining perpetually in unclouded glory, with eternal joy.

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Meantime, says his beloved disciple St. John, (1 Ep. iii. 3) "Every man that hath this hope in hirm, purifieth himself even as He is pure." For without holiness, which implies peace with all men, says another inspired Apostle (Heb. xii. 14), no man shall see the Lord. But, says the Lord of glory himself, blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; in the beatific vision of whom is fulness of joy, and perfect, endless felicity.

Fervently, therefore, should we enter into the spirit of the Church's beautiful Collect:

"O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding, pour into our hearts such love towards thee, that we loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."-Pp. 36-38.

The body of the work consists, secondly, of observations on each of the Sundays and higher holy-days throughout the year, indicating the proper lessons, the Epistle and Gospel, the Collect for each being inserted at length; the object of the observations under

VOL. X. NO. XII.

each division being to point out to the young and pious Christian the doctrinal, devotional, and practical spirit of each as they occur in our annual course. As a specimen we may select the following short extract from the observations on the first Sunday after Trinity:

Faith and works, principle and practice, are most closely and vitally united together, as soul and body; the separation of the one from the other is death. And, therefore, when we call the one half of the year, including the time from Advent to Trinity Sunday, the doctrinal season, and the other, from Trinity to Advent, the practical, we mean only that we then consider each more particularly in detail, although, every day, every several service devoutly impresses both in close connexion upon our hearts, our faith, in the holy exercises of devotion, working by love. Now, "this is the love of God," says the beloved disciple, the Apostle St. John, "that we keep his commandments." To this purpose we address ourselves in prayer to God, for grace to keep his commandments, under a deep sense of our natural weakness, but with trust in his strength, enabling us to keep his commandments, so that our obedience may be sincere and universal, in will and deed, accepted through Him in whom he is always well pleased, and who is our strength as well as our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Such is the import of the Collect, admirably comprehensive, and plainly proper to this day; which introduces the ecclesiastical season dedicated more particularly to the Commandments, as the foregoing tended to impress, most feelingly, the belief of the Creed. Pp. 175, 176.

The work closes, thirdly, with some "general remarks upon the design of the inferior holy-days;" from the commencement and the close of which we give the following extracts:

The Church, to the Sunday services, has annexed, with undivided design, and to the very same end, other holy-days and their respective Offices. The pious purpose of them all is to celebrate our Lord's grace, and to set forth his glory manifested in his saints, the most eminent of his serFor, to adopt the words of the wise son of Sirach, "As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein." (Ecclus. x. 2.) A good master is praised for his good servants." They glorified

vants.

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