In sermon xxxi., on the mystery of the Trinity, there are some useful exhortations. The sermons, upon the whole, form a very good

course for family reading.

The Gospel Truly Preached. In three short Extracts from the works of J. J. Spalding, Provost of the Ecclesiastical Consistory of Berlin. Translated by the Rev. A. Evans, M.A. London: Cadell.

SPALDING was one of the German divines of the last century who did not fall into neological errors, and the extracts from his works here given are a strong exhortation to moral preaching, and contain his replies to those who find fault with it. The translator states he is in his eightieth year. One cannot but admire his energy, but it may perhaps bring him into some annoyance, as there is a good deal in Spalding which cannot be very well defended.

Plain Parochial Sermons. By the Rev. Daniel Parsons, M.A., Oriel College, Oxford, Curate of St. James's, Longton, Staffordshire. London: Rivingtons. 1838. post 8vo. pp. 352.

It is desirable that any person taking up this volume should read the preface attentively, as there is much very useful matter in it, especially towards the beginning. The sermons are what they profess to be, plain, and are fit for readers not highly educated; there are but few controversial points alluded to, and the doctrines are practically explained. The way in which Mr. Parsons brings an historical subject forward-namely, St. Paul's shipwreck,-and applies it to the case of Christians, in their different situations here, is very pleasing. The subjects generally are such as would be most interesting to, and most easily understood by, a village congregation.

Sermons on Miscellaneous Subjects. By William J. E. Bennett, M.A., Late Student of Christ's Church, Oxford; Curate of All Souls; and Minister of Portman Chapel, St. Mary-le-bone. London: W. Jones Cleaver. 1838. vol. 1st. post 8vo. pp. 350.

UPON looking into Mr. Bennet's preface, the reader will naturally be induced to inquire, If such be Mr. Bennet's ideas respecting printed sermons generally, why publish his own? but when he begins to read them he may possibly think differently, and thank the publisher for having encountered the risk he dreaded. The three first sermons particularly can be recommended; the first upon the relative duties of the minister and his congregation, and the two next upon the observance of the sabbath. They could hardly be heard without producing some practical good. The subject of the last, the twelfth sermon, also, is pleasingly handled,-the Christian's last war. To each sermon is prefixed a short introduction.

They are well adapted to the class of people among whom Mr. Bennett is placed as a minister. In Sermon X., "Dependence on God," a disputed point is treated of, in which the leaning is rather too much to one side, though professing to take the middle course.

Twenty-one Sermons, chiefly preached in Bethesda Chapel. By the Rev. B. W, Matthias, M.A., late Chaplain of Bethesda. Dublin: Curry, jun., & Co. 1838. 8vo. pp. 382.

THIS volume is published by subscription, and in the advertisement the author states that two or three of the sermons "were written at the period they were preached; but the greater number have been taken down by friends, whose notes have been carefully revised." These are not distinguished from the rest; but the first, which is headed The Watchman, is noted as having been read at a clerical meeting in the county of Down, so that it is to be presumed that this is one of those that were previously written. Though one supposes that those taken down from notes would consist of shorter and more abrupt sentences, this is the style of all, and there is not sufficient difference in them to determine this point.

They are on various subjects, chiefly practical, and contain plain truths forcibly stated. In Sermon XV., however, on the unity of the Godhead, there are some passages, p. 270, which seem hardly warranted, and would have been better left out, though they appear only to be brought forward as illustrative of another point. In the second sermon, on the same subject, there are some very good observations upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit, miracles and unknown tongues, as they are considered by some in the present day. But is it well to praise the present generation of ministers, and the present style and matter of ministerial teaching, at the expense of the past? this Mr. Matthias seems rather to do in Sermon XVII. The few doctrinal points that Mr. Matthias touches on are fairly considered, and clearly and easily explained.

Maternal Instructions on the Rite of Confirmation. London: Simpkin and Marshall. 1837. Small 8vo. pp. 202.

THIS book is written by a lady, and dedicated to a lady, and therefore the reviewer is the more sorry that he cannot speak very highly of it. It is divided into eight chapters, the first of which is introductory of the dramatis persona; and in the remaining seven are conversations between a mother and her twin daughters, on the church of Christ, confirmation, the simplicity of protestant forms, the authority of ministers; office of confirmation perused; the Lord's supper; the Sabbath; concluding with prayers before and after confirmation, ejaculations, and aspirations.

It is a pity that a book written with a manifestly good intention, and with nothing really objectionable as to its principal subject, should be got up so imperfectly, and contain so much unnecessary matter. The language in many parts is far too fine. Many of the sentences are incomplete, and there is no attention to the punctuation, so that the book is difficult to read; and the writer's intention in rendering confirmation intelligible to children is all but defeated. The quotations are some of them very incorrect, and some of those from scripture are not distinguished from the text. A passage from Wordsworth is quoted twice, but the punctuation in the second is so different

from that in the first that it not only alters the meaning but makes it nonsense.

The following passage opens the first day's conversation, and is a fair specimen of the style :

"The sun shone through bright and fleecy clouds, with softened radiance, when Mrs. Sydney joined her expectant children in their favourite walk; and after having given them her morning blessing, and tender salute, she as wont remarked upon the beauty of the landscape, presenting a continual variety to exercise her usual practice of making external things the expressive illustrations of her precepts respecting those rational and spiritual qualities which unite man to his Creator. She concluded what she said on this morning with some remarks preparatory to the proposed subject to be discussed."

Sermons preached in St. James's Church, Kingston-upon-Hull. By Rev. William Knight, M.A., Minister of that Church. London: J. G. Seeley. 1837. pp. 436.

THESE sermons are upon miscellaneous subjects, selected without any apparent design, further than that expressed in the dedication, "the especial edification of that flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer. They are published by request of some of the congregation. St. James's church was erected in 1829-31, and Mr. Knight appears to have been the first and only minister.

The writer of this notice is upon the whole rather pleased with the sermons, although there are some few immaterial points on which he cannot quite agree with Mr. Knight, as in the two sermons on "the Sin against the Holy Ghost;" and there are some expressions which, though perhaps not inappropriate to the pulpit, do not read well, and might without injury to the subject have been omitted. The author adverts in his dedication to the objection which may possibly be taken against his familiarity of expression, particularly in the sermon on the Trinity, and not altogether without reason, but he might easily have spared himself the necessity of so doing. There is much sameness in their method of division; and the sermons seem to run almost without exception upon spiritual influence. The author has treated the subjects, Christian charity and the foreknowlege of God, candidly, clearly, and, what with the latter is no such easy matter, in the reviewer's opinion, inoffensively.

*

Sermons. By Henry Melvill, B.D. London: Rivingtons. Vol. 2nd. THIS Volume must give great pleasure to the very many who value and honour Mr. Melvill. The faults in style, which gave offence formerly, have almost vanished, and few volumes could be found in these days which would supply so many passages of pure, beautiful, powerful, and eloquent English. Very many of the sermons, too, are of really high value. "The Proportion of Grace to Trial," is an admirable piece of practical divinity, although perhaps the introduction

There is still a peculiarity or two which will doubtless hereafter disappear, For example, the constant and somewhat peculiar use of the same word. Thus fine-" a fine testimony," p. 31; "a fine saying," p. 25. This, by the way, in common conversation would be ironical. Beautiful, again, is a very favourite word.

66

may be thought rather imaginative. "Protestantism and Popery," is sound and very powerful; its peroration, with the exception of a few words, (" we know something of the worth"-why not, "we know the worth?" for the other is almost ludicrous from the way in which it might be said,) is a rare piece of eloquence. "Christianity a Sword,” is another very valuable sermon. Pleading before the Mountains," though containing much practical matter, is, in fact, a grand piece of rhetoric. And it is to the reviewer a strong proof of Mr. Melvill's great powers, that, with the everlasting demand upon him for excitement and exhibition, continued for so many years, he should be able to supply so much sound and valuable matter, and (comparatively speaking) depend so little on rhetoric or extravagances. There are things in this volume, doubtless, which a little betray the unfair demand made (perhaps as much in the first sermon as in any); but how many are they who could answer it with such genuine power?

Having paid this just tribute to Mr. Melvill, the reviewer proceeds to pay him what is really the still higher tribute of finding fault with some passages. No one ever takes the trouble of criticising what does not deserve respect. Why, after all that Mr. Melvill has so soundly said on a subject closely connected with it elsewhere, introduce so alarming a passage as that in p. 89, (especially the concluding lines in the page,) without explaining how men are to ascertain whether they have not the aid required? Again, will Mr. Melvill do himself the justice of inquiring how far he is justified in carrying the doctrine of types,-in making, in short, almost everything typical? (see p. 66.) Is there any use in putting forward the notion of angels being messengers employed hereafter by glorified men, which can be but the vaguest of speculations? Again, there is a rule given by a very admirable judge, that if a preacher wishes to do good he should never try to produce more than one impression in a sermon. Mr. M. certainly does not believe in this rule, for he frequently enters on three or four discussions not much connected. In one sermon, (noticed for another reason,) for example, nearly one-fourth of the whole is taken up in an argument for our Lord's divinity from the words of the text, and then the proper business of the sermon is entered on. It is the continued agency of the Father and the Son. This seems to the reviewer the most forced of all Mr. Melvill's sermons. Surely the proof by which he shews that the words 'I work' refer to our Lord's character as Godman is too slight to bear up so strong a proposition; and then the stating (in order to bear out our Lord's assertion that he works hitherto') that though there may have been no sin in other worlds, yet a mediatorial power is required to preserve them from sin, is again mere hypothesis. To Mr. Melvill one can appeal with confidence, and ask him calmly to consider whether there is any practical advantage to be derived from all this. The reviewer would add, that there is to him at least something distasteful in our Lord's being described constantly as busy, (pp. 54, 5, 6,) active, (p. 54,) and occupied. Surely these are words that cannot rightly be used as to the Deity.

The Confessions of Adalbert. By Francis Theremia, D.D., Chaplain to his Majesty the King of Prussia, Member of the Supreme Consistory, &c., &c. Translated from the German by Samuel Jackson, Esq. London: B. Wertheim.

To those acquainted with the fact that in Germany a great struggle is going forward between rationalism, falsely so called, and orthodoxy, this little work is peculiarly interesting, as shewing the ground maintained by one party of the orthodox. An Englishman giving his own views may be accused of involuntary or wilful misrepresentation; but here a German, known as a divine, a scholar, and an eloquent and popular preacher in Berlin, states his own views of the way in which the mind and heart of a student can be converted from rationalism to Christianity. The English reader will probably think that there is more of romance than of reality in the process here described, but every one who loves the study of human nature will be pleased with the exhibition here given of the form which Christianity assumes in the mind and feelings of a learned and speculative German.

A Second Letter to the Rev. H. W. Plumptre. By Archdeacon Wilkins. THIS letter, in its whole tenour, does high credit to Archdeacon Wilkins as a Christian parochial minister; and it deserves an attentive perusal from all concerned in settling the patronage of new churches. Where such conduct is practised to the parish minister, can the only motive be the love of souls?

The Book of Botany. London: R. Tyas. 18mo.

This small but very pretty volume contains a good account of the old, the Linnæan, and the modern distribution of plants; with some pleasing and useful coloured plates.

A publication called the "Library of Christian Knowledge" is going on in America, of which it appears that Bishops Doane and M'Ilwaine have expressed a good opinion. It is edited by the Rev. Herman Hooker, M.A., an episcopal clergyman, of whom both the prelates named express the highest opinion. The only volume of the work which has fallen into the reviewer's hands is a republication of a truly valuable work, Mr. J. J. Blunt's Sketch of the Reformation in England.

Bishop Doane, who is always unwearied in the cause of the church, has published for general use some Translations of the Apostolical Fathers. The first part contains Polycarp and Ignatius, the next, Clement. There are introductions and notes by the excellent editor, who is rightly anxious that all churchmen should be conversant with these truly invaluable writings.

Under his auspices, too, has been established a "Seminary for Female Education," to be under the supervision of the bishop of the diocese, and conducted by a clergyman and his wife. The great object is to give to religion taught on sound and clear principles its