soon as learnt; and even where remembered, they are apt to lose their influence over the mind, by losing the charm of novelty to the imagination. It is, therefore, highly expedient, that we should have a constant opportunity of fortifying the unsteadiness or weakness of our belief, by the aid of some indirect and incidental arguments, which, arising up from time to time with all the freshness of unexpected discoveries, may strengthen our dependence upon the general proofs of the divine origin of the Bible, and renew, at intervals, our fading remembrance of their force. Now, as the ordinary philological and historical difficulties contribute to give the first origin to our belief in the truth of the Scriptures, so do those of a more arduous nature tend to its preservation and protection when formed. For it is constantly happening, that things hardest to be understood, are receiving a complete elucidation; and every great obscurity elucidated, is an objection removed; and every objection removed affords one of the best, because most unsuspicious, testimonies to the truth and authority of any writing."- pp. 30---33.

After adducing two striking illustrations of his remark, the author proceeds to a third observation, in which he vindicates the degree in which difficulties are supposed to exist. Then he alleges that the difficulties ought to be such as the learned and cultivated may feel to be powerful confirmations when elucidated. He argues, they ought, therefore, to be very hard. He next argues, that as infidelity is the growth of every age, every age ought to have difficulties to elucidate.

A gradual solution is what the stability of the Christian faith demands." Lastly, he alleges, had these difficulties been very limited in their number, they would have excited little attention, and so have become inefficient.

In meeting the objection that the Bible, being designed for religious instruction, ought to have been free from difficulties, the author has many pertinent and powerful remarks. The following is from this section of the work.

"But there still remains another point of view in which the Bible may be con

templated, and without the consideration of which, all other arguments which apply to its difficulties would, however satisfactory as far as inspiration alone is concerned, be deemed partial and inconclusive. The Bible, it will be remembered, professes not only to have been given by inspiration of God,' but to have been inspired by God for the instruction of man; that is, to have been written for our learning' It is under this double character, therefore, that it must ever be viewed. Its difficulties must be shown to be, not only consistent with its nature as an inspired, but also compatible with its object as an instructive work. For if there be any demonstrable incompatibility between the existing difficulties, and the intended instruction of the Scriptures, their defence must, after all, be given up, however useful they may be proved in any other respect. This, then, is the last general argument against which we have to contend in favour of things hard to be understood;' and in its fundamental principles, it is perfectly correct. Did the Jewish and the Christian revelations profess to lead us into all truth,' without

limitation or degree; did they pretend to

open to us the recesses of every science, and to make us wise upon all imaginable subjects in earth or heaven, then, no doubt, the existence of things hard to be extent, would be injurious to the end understood,' of whatever kind, and to any proposed, and of course both inexpedient and improper. If the Bible declared its intentions of laying down, without the possibility of being mistaken, misintervarieties of philosophical and literary edipreted, or misapplied, all the endless fication, no literary or philosophical difficulties whatever ought to have a place in far indeed from being the case. The only the table of its contents. But this is very declared object of revelation is to make men wise unto salvation,' and, for that purpose, it ministers not to questions of science, but of godly edifying,' that the man of God may be perfect,' not in all the varied branches of human research, but of heavenly righteousness, and thoroughly furnished,' not unto all literary, but unto all good works.' It distinctly claims, but it claims no more than to teach us the words, and show us the way that leadeth unto everlasting life. It is only, therefore, when the difficulties which the Bible contains are, either in their nature or degree, destructive of that special and spiritual purpose, that they can be deemed any serious obstacle to its professed instructive character. If its words be so extremely liable to be misinterpreted or misunderstood, then few, however anxious, can draw from them the wisdom of salvation; if the way

which it points out, as the road to heavenly bliss, be so extremely intricate and dark, that few even of the most acute and diligent can find it; if the facts, the doctrises, or the precepts it proclaims, appear to the most impartial inquirers unrighteous, or to the most enlightened irrational; or if it be so confused, or contradictory; or trifling, as to be useless for the great end it assumes to have in view--in all these cases, of course, we must necessarily admit, that its difficulties form a solid objection to it in its instructive capacity; because they constitute a real objection to its supposed intention of being the guide to happiness, and rule of life. But, if it be the unlearned and unstable' alone who wrest the difficulties of Scrip tore to their own destruction,' if, when

its meaning is hidden, it is hidden only to them that are lost,' whose minds the god of this world hath blinded,' that they should not see the things that belong to their everlasting peace; if in things essential it be clear, and doubtful only in matters of inferior import; if there be no portion of its contents, which, when rightly interpreted, can give an example of encouragement to an ungodly life; if there be no moral regulation which can fairly be considered as defective or dangerous, and no speculative proposition which may not be shown reasonable in its own nature, or credible in consequence of the authority of him who propounds it--then may we safely maintain, that its partial obscurity is not incompatible with its office as a teacher of religious truth." PP. 70-73.

After having commended, as we have done honestly, the general contents and main bearing of this volume, we must be allowed to say there are some few points on which the work appears to us defective in discrimination, and destitute of that completeness which would have added greatly to its efficiency, and to the establishment of its author's reputation. As, for instance, in the vindication of Scripture difficulties, we have a distinct place assigned to the improvement they impart to man's rational nature, and his advancement in the scale of intellectual being, by that exercise of the understanding which their solution requires, and that dignity which they confer on every kind of study. This argument is again sub-divided

into two branches, and illustrated in reference both to the ornamental or elegant, and the arduous, but more profitable, parts of knowledge.

We confess these observations struck us as rather beneath the dignity of the subject, and as possessing little importance, and rather puerile in their character. We could object, we think forcibly, to some other insulated passages of this first part, but refrain. The analysis of all those discourses which relate to the existence, uses, and manner of treating difficulties of Scripture, appears to us imperfect, and capable of considerable improvement. The author does not lay down with sufficient precision the line of distinction between those difficulties which a divine work may fairly be allowed to present, and those which would annul its character. This, after all, is the main point to be settled, and till it is established, the force of argument, and the treasures of learning, are in a great degree thrown away. Mr. Benson seems conscious of the importance of this distinction, and frequently alludes to it, but abstains from entering upon any definite and lengthened elucidation of the line of separation. Neither do we think he has made the best use of those analogies derivable from the works of God, which, though they do not directly vindicate the obscurities of revelation, yet throw over them the broad and impregnable shield of divine sanction. On this branch of the subject it is to be regretted that Mr. Benson did not avail himself of many valuable hints thrown out by Bishop Butler, and by his Prefacer. It is desirable, in a work that professes to go into an entire subject, to bring together, as far as possible, all that is most available, and to reject very thing that is weak or insignificant. While we commend much that Mr. B.

is a

has done, he will permit us to think that much more might have been done, and by himself too, in rendering the argument conclusive against deistical cavils. There want of compression and point in several of Mr. B.'s arguments; and his style, though generally lucid,, is too diffuse. It possesses the commendable attribute of simplicity, but is not marked by beauty or terseness. In several places it is negligent and incorrect, and might be greatly improved by slight alterations. As a dialectician, Mr. Benson appears to us at times deficient, and his reasonings more adapted to popular impression, than to the triumphant advocacy of the Christian cause from the press. The results of his reasoning are at least far less satisfactory and conclusive upon our own minds, in the calm retirement of the study, than we could have wished, or than we have often felt from similar treatises. As a theologian we might, were we disposed to enter the lists with him, find several topics of objection. We shall, however, point out only

one.

In his very elaborate discussion of the case of Abel's and Cain's sacrifices, he aims, with more zeal than success, to set aside all the arguments which have been constructed, to prove the divine origin of animal sacrifices from Scripture testimony. But it appears to us, that he might have been contented with showing, that Scripture affords no decisive testimony, one way or the other, without proceeding to infer, from the silence of inspiration, that reason dictated those offerings. If the positive side of this debatable question cannot be proved from Scripture, quite as little support can there be derived to the opposite opinion. Sacrifices may have been of divine institution, though we are no where

informed of the fact, and when the probabilities derivable from Scripture are all fairly estimated, though still only probabilities, they yet make the affirmative side of the question, in our opinion, preferable to the negative; at all events, they render the human origination of animal sacrifices highly improbable. Mr. Benson seems to think he has completely annihilated all the reasonings of those who maintain the affirmative side of the question, while all he has effected, merely shows that there is no positive or necessarily inferential Scripture, bearing upon the question. lt is evident that the lambs slain from the first, typified Christ, and how they could do so, or how any sacrifice, originating in human reason, could be appealed to by an inspired authority, as illustratives of the uniformity of the divine method of saving sinners from the first, we are at a loss to perceive. But Mr. Benson has overlooked the fact, that the principal passages of Scripture refer only to the sacrifice of lambs, a fact which, viewed as a restriction to that animal, or as a preference, is highly unlikely to have originated with reason. Such appears to have been Abel's sacrifice; he was a keeper of sheep, and not of cattle in general, and no other sufficient reason can be assigned for his keeping sheep, before the use of animals for food, was allowed, than their use for sacrifices; the use of clothing being by no means an adequate reason for keeping a number, when the occasional slaying of a single one might have answered the purpose. We maintain that nothing short of the divine institution of animal sacrifice could have justified a reference to them as types of Christ, prior to the Levitical economy, or the declaration of the writer to the Hebrews, that Abel's lamb

offering was an act of faith, since what originates in reason, can never be denominated an act of faith. Every thing in Scripture favours the notion Mr. B. condemns, and nothing in the whole volume of inspiration favours the hypothesis of the human origin of offerings of blood. We have already enlarged so much upon the contents of this volume, that we feel indisposed further to trespass on the patience of our readers, though there are other points of theology of theology on which we cannot but deem Mr. Benson's views crude and illassorted. We must, however, do

him the justice to say, that he always delights us by his earnestness and piety; and that where we cannot exactly symbolize with him, we can admire his zeal for the truth of Scripture, and his efforts to do good. Long may he continue to be an ornament of that church which has already rewarded his services, in the cause of revelation, and extensively may his labours be blessed in the metropolis, amidst a class of society whose moral and spiritual state will put into requisition all the faithfulness and wisdom of which he is possessed.

MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, relating to the Publication of a revised Edition of Ostervald's French Version of the Holy Scriptures at Lausanne, in the Year 1822, accompanied by the official Correspondence which took place on the occasion, and by Extracts from other Documents connected with the Subject. London, 1826. 8vo.-This is the second of the series of documentary pamphlets which the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society have published for the information of their constituents. It furnishes a very painful view of the manner in which the Committee have been misled by some of the persons on the Continent, on whose principles and rigid adherence to the laws of the Bible Society too much trust had evidently been reposed. It is deeply to be regretted that Mr. Owen is no more, as he alone could have explained how it happened that the sheets of the Lausanne Bible which were put into bis hands, while the work was passing through the press, escaped his animadversions. The Committee necessarily trusted to him and some others for the character of the persons employed as revisers or translators, and likewise for the particular translation to be adopted. Professor Levade's letter, inserted in this pamphlet, contains a very humiliating apology for the Lausanne alterations and notes; and the expression of regret by

the Committee here, along with its resolution in the last page, ought to satisfy all the friends of the Society. We trust that the Committee will now have a standing body to watch the translations which are issued either by themselves or with their aid; and that in regard to old translations, they will ascertain the nature of alterations which may be proposed, before they agree to countenance them.

The Committee have received a practical lesson in this business, which we hope will be of vast importance in their future operations. Errare est humanum. In the multitude of translations which have been made or issued within the last four-and-twenty years, it would have been surprising had no errors or mistakes been committed. But these maculæ, had they even been more numerous than we believe them to be, have not materially injured that flood of light which the Bible Society has been pouring on all the nations of the earth, and which, we doubt not, is destined to shine with still increasing brightness.

SELECT BIBLE ANECDOTES, Historical and Biographical, interspersed with occasional Remarks. By George Betts. Vol.II. Sussex. London: Westley, Baynes. 1826. 12mo. 4s. Of the first volume of this compilation we gave a character when it appeared. The second is put together in the same spirit and with the