most important subject. It was prepared | ing an analysis of subjects, and an index at the request of the Congregational Union of the West Riding, and read at their annual meeting of the Union held at Huddersfield in April, 1856. The Rev. Walter Scott, then President of Airedale College, moved the following resolution, which was seconded by the Rev. Joseph Tattersfield, "That this Assembly is deeply sensible of the importance of the subject brought before its attention this morning, in the paper read by the Rev. James Gregory; that its cordial thanks be returned to him for his kindness in preparing that paper, and for the distinguished ability with which he has performed his task; and that he be requested to place it at the disposal the Executive Committee, with the view of its being published for extensive and permanent usefulness in the third number of the Congregational Register (of the Union of the Riding)." This is, we are quite sure, commendative enough to secure the attention of our readers. We trust the extracts we have given will induce many heads of families and others | to procure the pamphlet, and read it thoughtfully, for it cannot but largely benefit every family to which it shall be of the authors quoted or referred to. Mr. Ragg's poetry has already gained for him a well-deserved celebrity; and the present treatise proves his capacity for devoting his fine talents, and the fruits of careful reading, to the vindication of the Christian faith from the attacks of scep❘tical smatterers in science. He writes for the many, in a luminous and impressive style, compressing the pith of numerous volumes into a manual of the physical sciences, which exhibits the accordance of real science and true philosophy with the Word of God; while, in the spirit of a believer who has known by experience the miseries of scepticism, he meets the doubter with facts, arguments, and manly appeals to his mental and moral nature, instead of arrogant assumptions of superiority, or contemptuous menaces of the consequences of unbelief. introduced. of CREATION'S TESTIMONY TO ITS GOD; or, the Accordance of Science, Philosophy, and Revelation: a Manual of the Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion, with especial reference to the Progress of Science, and Advance of Knowledge. By THOMAS RAGG, Author of "The Incarnation," "The Deity," "Heber," &c. 8vo, pp. 506. London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longinans, and Roberts. THIS volume is the sixth edition of a work which, in a duodecimo size, has passed through five editions in two years. Originally written for the Burnett prize, which was gained by the authors of "Christian Theism," and "God Revealed in the Process of Creation," but published before them, it has been gradually enlarged by additions arising from the recent advancements in discovery; and its usefulness has been increased by append In the First Part, Mr. Ragg treats of Natural Religion; and through several elaborate chapters shows how the material universe proves that all things are the productions of an independent Creator; and how the chemical constitution of unorganized matter, the distribution of elementary substances, the mysteries of vegetable life and physiology, the marvels of the animal economy, and the manifestations of instinct and reason, all exhibit the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Infinite Creator. He deals strongly and wisely with the shadowy theories which have ignorantly or perversely placed chance, necessity, nature, or development in the throne of the living God; and he demolishes both the ancient and modern attempts to account for the existence of natural and moral evil. We have never met, in a single volume, with a more masterly exposure of a great mass of crrors; and, at the same time, a more clear, instructive, and satisfactory exhibition of the proved truths which underlie the revelation sent from God to man. The second part sets out with a wellwritten condensation of the arguments for the possibility, probability, and moral necessity of revelation, as the only mode of attaining to such knowledge of God as can solve the perplexities in which man -p. 383. is left by reason dealing with nature, and | fatherly kindness, of unutterable love!" can satisfy the deepest instincts of humanity. The author fortifies his previous statements by a luminous deduction of a life to come, from the facts of the life which now is; and proceeds to illustrate the harmony of the deductions of reason, as far as they go, with the teaching of the Christian revelation. The evidences of the divinity of that revelation are lucidly laid out in some pertinent observations on miracles, prophecies, and the corroboration of early Scripture history by recent discoveries in Egypt, Nineveh, and other countries of the East. The sixteenth chapter is an able exposition of the premonitions of the triune God, and the longings for a heavenly teacher, which may be gathered from the masters of ancient philosophy; but, in showing how far the Christian system meets, while it transcends, these premonitions and aspirations, he fully proves that this system could not be the product of philosophy. His views of the contents of revelation-the things revealed-are marked by their freshness and their high healthiness : "The whole life of Christ may be considered as a manifestation of deity. In his every uttered sentiment some revelation of the nature and character of God may be discerned; and, in his marvellous acts-the mighty signs and wonders' which attested his power over the elements of the physical universe-there was ever beaming forth the goodness of the Infinite to his suffering and dependent creatures. This is evident, if we only consider Him as a human being-a prophet of the Highest, endowed with a supernatural power for the confirmation of the doctrines He was sent forth into the world to teach. But when we lift the veil of His humanity, and see in this 'brother born for adversity,' this houseless sojourner upon earth's surface, another and a mightier Being-the Creator of the world upon whose face He wandered-the Maker of the creatures who despised and rejected Him-who voluntarily left the throne of His glory to seek the lost wanderer, and restore him to holiness and life, how marvellous then appears that act of condescension, of The Christian will not fail, we think, to be refreshed by the warm-hearted eloquence in which Mr. Ragg expresses the sentiments of one who has worked his way through many perplexities to a fully convinced understanding of Christianity, and the ardour with which he contends for its vital truths, as a man who has felt their life-giving power, and labours to diffuse their blessings among his fellow-men. He who seeks knowledge of physical science will find a large collection of facts scattered through several chapters-some of them new, and occurring in the experience of the writer, who has familiarised himself with habits of observation as well as with the facts registered in books. The lover of philosophy will gather from the metaphysical reasonings, and from the examinations of well-known modern publications, which abound in these pages, the well-digested thoughts of a man who proves his right to teach. The youthful or the busy reader may take encouragement from Mr. Ragg's modest acknowledgment that this production, so full of excellences, and containing but slight indications of deficiency in early mental discipline, comes from one who started in life as a humble mechanic, whose means of culture have been limited to such as he could use without the guidance of a superintending mind, and who has never had opportunities for study but in those hours devoted by most men to rest and relaxation. We congratulate Mr. Ragg on having achieved so decided a "suc cess in theological disquisition, and added to the many proofs of the congeniality between genuine poetry, accurate science, true philosophy, and earnest piety. We have read this book with unfeigned admiration of his diligence, acuteness, accuracy, power of close, consecutive reasoning, extensive and varied information, force and brilliancy of expression, and of the manifestly benevolent tone in which he aims at the highest welfare of large classes among our interesting industrial population. Dr. Davidson, HIS HERESIES, CONTRADICTIONS, AND PLAGIARISMS. By Two GRADUATES. London: Wertheim and Macintosh. DR. DAVIDSON's volume of Horne's Introduction has called forth, in addition to numberless reviews, three able works in refutation of its errors-2 -Thomson's Lectures on Inspiration; Kelly's Examination of Facts, Statements, and Explanations; and the pamphlet at the head of this notice. The present publication is not inferior in ability to its predecessors, but it is wider in the range of its observation, and far more severe in the spirit of its animadversions. Its authors are generally understood to be two Congregational Ministers, both educated at the Lancashire Independent College, and formerly pupils of Dr. Davidson. Of any connexion with him, however, the pamphlet bears no indication. In vain do we search through it for any trace of gratitude for his past instructions; for any kindly feeling towards their former Professor; or for any disposition to put the most favourable construction upon his words, of which they are susceptible. A tone of severity pervades the publication from beginning to end. Its title is a sufficient index to its character. There is certainly abundance of the fortiter in re; we wish there was more of the suaviter in modo. The graduates fearlessly "speak the truth;" we wish that they had more manifestly "spoken the truth in love." We cannot divest ourselves of the impression that the spirit of the work is rather that of the counsel engaged for the prosecution, than the dispassionate, impartial air of the judge summing up the evidence and guiding the verdict of the jury. Yet while we regret the harshness of the pamphlet, we are compelled to confess that few writers have less occasion to complain of this than Dr. D., for both in his Introduction and in his Notices of Works in the "Bibliotheca Sacra," he has written in most disparaging and contemptuous terms of authors, many of whom are held in the highest estimation for learning and piety. Though the pamphlet of the Graduates professes to be the production of two writers, there are indi cations of one vigorous mind pervading it; and we cannot but commend the reverence for the authority of the Holy Scriptures, the strong attachment to Evangelical doctrines, the clear, forcible logic, and the nervous diction by which it is distinguished. By far the greater part of the publication is devoted to the exposure of the Doetor's false views of inspiration. On these, as the foundation of his errors, we have already commented; and the pamphlet animadverts on his exaggeration of the difficulties involved in the question of inspiration: the extensive learning which he alleges is requisite to form an opinion on the subject; and the fewness of those who possess the necessary qualifications. Against the Professor's theory of inspi ration they urge three serious objections: it weakens our evidence for the authority of the Holy Scriptures; it gives us a much lower conception of the value of the sacred writings; and it confounds the Divine and the human in a way which altogether prevents their separation. The Graduates contrast the utterances of the Doctor in 1843, in his "Sacred Hermeneutics," with statements in this volume, and point out, in connexion with excessive dogmatism, remarkable vacillations of opinion. 1857 he strongly unsays what he then said, and the comparison indicates a progress towards rationalism, and shows how uncertain and unsafe a guide he is to theological students. An exposure is given of the Doctor's unfair use of various theologians on the subject of inspiration, and a searching and rigorous investigation is furnished of the leading objectionable passages as to the books of Scripture. We would especially refer to the comments on the Book of Jasher, and the miracle of the standing still of the sun; on the alleged errors of the Book of Chronicles; on the Solomonic authorship of the Book of Ecclesiastes; on the highly objectionable passages relative to the Psalms, both Messianic and imprecatory; on the assertion of a traditional element in the gospels; and of false reasonings in the writings of Paul, and in the epistle to the Hebrews. In Dr. Davidson's doctrinal heresies are represented as consisting in passages on the Trinity; on the sufficiency of Scripture; on original sin; on the atonement; and on justification by faith. Many of these passages we have previously criticised. Some of them are erroneous; and the theory of justification by love we denounced as most unscriptural and perilous. Yet there is a singular idiosyncrasy characteristic of the Doctor, for which we are at a loss to account, for in other passages he concedes all that we could desire, and asserts his full belief in the doctrines "constituting the evangelical system." There seems much force in the solution furnished by one of his reviewers, that the Professor's intellectual sympathies appear to be in favour of heterodoxy, while his moral affinities are more in harmony with orthodox and evangelical religion. The contradictions of the volume form a prominent feature in it, and of these the Graduates present specimens in the conflicting statements relative to our Lord's argument with the Sadducees in support of the resurrection; passages respecting Jonah; the inspiration of the later prophets; and the types and parallels of Scripture. These discrepancies greatly surprised us when we first read the Doctor's introduction. We could not understand how the same oracle could give forth such contradictory responses; how the same fountain could send forth waters both bitter and sweet. We were tempted, reasoning à priori, to the conclusion which we afterwards found was sustained by an able article in the British and Foreign Evangelical Review, that the writer was in many instances a translator, and that the complexion of his pages was regulated by the various sources from which they were extracted. The concluding portion of the pamphlet relates to Plagiarisms. The authors adduce several specimens from the Exegitische Handbuch, and from Cellerier's Manual d'Hermeneutique, from which copious but unacknowledged translations have been made. These are serious impeachments of the Professor's literary reputation, from which we cannot see how he can vindicate himself. It is with regret that we write thus of one, who, both from the Professor's chair, and in his previous writings, had rendered valuable service to biblical learning. We wish that, in the fulfilment of their task, the Graduates had made decided mention of the merits of the volume, had adopted a milder tone and more courteous language; and had, in connexion with their unsparing exposure of his errors, introduced a reference to those portions of the work, which convey much valuable in. struction, and are calculated to be serviceable to the biblical student. BRIEF NOTICES OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS. ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANS. By JOHN BROWN, D.D., Professor of Exegetical Theology to the United Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh. October. pp. 624. Or the importance of clear and correct views of the doctrines and the reasonings of the Apostle Paul in this Epistle it is impossible to speak too strongly. Let a man well under stand and cordially love the truths taught in this Epistle by the inspired Apostle, and he will find it to be a key both to th rest of the New Testament and to the books of the Old Testament. In our own day valuable aids to the study of the Epistle to the Romans have been rendered by not a few judicious and enlightened expositors. Among them we would make honourable mention of Dr. Hodge, of America, of Mr. Robert Haldane, of Dr. Chal mers, in his four volumes of Lectures on this Epistle, and of Mr. Walford. We hoped that before this time, another exposition would have been added to them, from which we have very high expectations. It is that from the pen of the late Dr. Wardlaw. We regret that it was not published immediately after the publication of his life, as we have scarcely known any writer so highly qualified to be the expositor of this Epistle. Dr. John Brown has laid the Christian public under great obligations, by his numerous and valuable publications for the defence or the elucidation of the great verities of the Christian faith. The work before us is worthy of the excellent author. There are certainly advantages to be secured by a lengthened and elaborate exposition of a ❘ that most entertaining and instructive work, book of Sacred Scripture like that of the Epistle to the Romans, especially if regarded as a book for continuous reading, for the purposes of edification and devotion. If, however, the object be to facilitate a clear understanding of the meaning of the Apostle, to which we may turn with the greatest facility, we cannot but think that a more concise and condensed exposition has greater advantages. In this respect we think that Mr. Walford's Notes on the Epistle to the Romans, with a revised translation, is exceedingly valuable, as we thus obtain the opinion of the expositor regarding the meaning of any passage with the greatest facility. We think also that in the interpretation of Scripture, conciseness greatly contributes to clearness. as the author of this book observes, was "too voluminous and costly for extensive circulation." We do not agree with him in thinking it "not adapted to attract the general reader." His own production is intended to supply a deficiency, which he has been able to do by the mass of material placed in his hands, in addition to the volumes just referred to. The author's work seems to be carefully and diligently done. It abounds, of course, in interesting anecdotes, and deserves to be read by the religious community at large. We quite agree with the remark in the Preface: "The example of Lady Huntingdon is still needed to arouse and animate the Christian Church. Although there is much that is bright and prosperous in the religious condition of England, there is much that is dark and deadly. Errorin the form either of rationalism, or of a refined Popery, is secretly poisoning many fair districts: a spirit of indifference is creeping over the people, and a morbid taste is springing up, which readily turns from the Gospel to welcome any novelty in doctrine or practice. The times require the services of sincere, zealous, evangelical ministers and laymen, who shall be 'instant in season and out of season,' to win souls; and, like the illustrious lady, whose life is here recorded, shall consecrate everything they possess to secure the extension of Christ's king. dom on earth." Considerable strength of argument is em. ployed, and we think with success, in favour of their restoration to the land of their fathers. THE MIRACLES OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR. As the subject was discussed at some length in our pages not long since, we cannot give even the outline of the argument; but we will quote a passage from the conclusion, which is deserving of attentive consideration : By J. W. REYNOLDS, M.A. We are sorry that we have not been able to notice this book before, and that we are now compelled to compress what we have to say into a very few words. It strikes us, on the whole, as a very admirable work, full of fresh and varied thought. The illustrations are generally very happy, and the book will be found well worthy of the perusal of all classes. It is not at all critical. There are no learned disquisitions, no notes of reference to erudite books, but it contains the result of study, and is, throughout, simple, earnest, good. "It is our impression that we do a great injury to the simple and natural interpretation of Scripture, when, because the Millenarians incorporate upon this question of the restoration of the Jews certain judaizing and untenable theories, we give up the whole question, as of the same nature with Millenarianism. But if Paul is correct, the national conversion of the Jews will usher in Millennial glory. The conversion of the Jews,' says Mr. Barnes, 'shall be attended with a removal of the obstruction to the Gospel, and to its rapid | THE FAMILY WIHICH JESUS LOVED. By the Rev. spread among the nations." For this he gives three reasons: 1. That they are scattered among all nations, and so an impulse communicated to them will reach the world. 2. They speak nearly all the languages of the world. 3. They will make the best missionaries. "If the casting away of them," says the Apostle, "be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" J. H. STEWART, A.M. A NEW edition of an excellent book by an excellent man. GEOLOGY AND GENESIS; a Reconciliation of the THIS is an enlargement of a work published some years ago, under the title of "The Mosaic Creation, viewed in the light of Modern Geology." It comes with a recommendation from Dr. Alexander, of Edinburgh, and well deserves what he says in its favour. The prinof the Right Honourable Selina, Countess of ciple of reconciliation is that adopted by Dr. THE CORONET AND THE CROSS: or, Memorials Huntingdon. By the Rev. A. II. NEW. London: Partridge and Co. MANY of our readers will remember the sensation produced by the" Life and Times" of the Countess, published some years since. But 1 Pye Smith. It is here largely illustrated. We have before expressed our difficulty in regard to that scheme; but there is a large portion of the present volume which has our hearty approval. |