751 Review. The Christian Student. and Hall, Doddridge and Beveridge, Watts and Hopkins. As the immortal spirits of these boly men, notwithstanding minor differences, are now doubtless together in heaven, so their works, a kind of visible image of their spirits, may well stand in peace and harmony in the same lists, communicating in their respective proportions light and joy to the Christian student."- -Preface, p. ix. We must not, however, suppose that the liberality of sentiment expressed by the author in the preceding paragraph, proceeds from any laxity of principle or disregard of truth. To prevent such an inference being drawn from his candour, he strongly argues, in other parts of his book, that it is the duty of every one to contend earnestly, but in the genuine spirit of christianity, for the faith once delivered to the saints. His own words will best express his views: "Some are disposed to condemn at once all controversial writings, as prejudicial and unprofitable; but it has pleased God to turn even opposition to his truth to good, and make it instrumental to the advancement of that which it was intended to overthrow. "The opposition of Job's severe friends, and the discussions between them, furnished the church of God with that ancient book which is called by his name ; and the opposition of Judaizers in Galatia stirred up the zealous Paul to write that fervent epistle, of which we now reap the benefit. The enmity of Pagans and Infidels has been the occasion of calling forth the most able defences of Christianity. The corruptions of Popery led to the full statement of Protestant doctrine, and the writings of the Socinians to the clearer development of Evangelical truth. "There is a stagnant peace, full of infection and death. Vehement contention for truth may be a duty, and consistent with love and the meekness of wisdom. Peaceful minds are apt to condemn not so much those who resist the truth, as those who, by testifying the truth, are the innocent occasion of controversy, and thus first disturb the general quiet. This is not, however, the true peace-mak ing spirit which our Saviour blesses, but the love of carnal ease, and the very opposite to the spirit of the Gospel. Erasmus would have lost that Reformation, which Luther under God accomplished. There is a greater blessing than present quiet, even the maintenance of important truth, and millions will through eternity thank God for the holy boldness, decision, and courage of Luther. Indeed, eager disputes about important religious truths are far better, and far more hopeful, than that total indifference which arises from infidelity." -p. 113. To the abstract propriety of the preceding observations, every friend of revelation will readily give his assent. It cannot, however, be denied, that the almost unrestrained liberty of controversial debate thus claimed and sanctioned, may easily degenerate into ferocious excesses, which Mr. Bickersteth would blush to defend; and few perhaps can command the prudence not to pass beyond the line which secures liberty in all polemical discussions, and excludes the abuse to which it is invariably liable. On the manner and spirit in which the scriptures should be examined, in order to learn their fundamental and peculiar truths, the author gives some excellent advice, and 752 All the student who faithfully and diligently follows his directions, will soon become a workman that need not be ashamed. the subjects introduced, and they are both numerous and varied, are calculated to inform his judgment, and enlighten his understanding, in some branch or other, either immediately or remotely connected with his acquirement of useful religious knowledge. The sentiments advanced by the author on these important topics, are confirmed by an appeal to the writings of others, and much argument is brought before the reader from the sources that are explored. A considerable portion of this book is occupied with a list of publications neces sary to form a respectable library for a student in divinity. These appear to have been selected with care from the works of churchmen and dissenters, and their classification coincides with the subjects on which they treat. To the titles of many volumes thus selected a short note is added, which, in a few words, comprises their character; and so far as we are acquainted with their contents, these brief notices are as impartial as they are terse and expressive. Few persons will be expected to procure at once all the books thus recommended, but as they embrace nearly the whole system of biblical knowledge, the reader will be able to choose from the great variety, and aug. ment his stock as circumstances may hereafter direct. "Outlines of the history of divinity" communicates much valuable information. This chapter, beginning with the Fathers, passes on to the schoolmen and their cotemporaries, to the Reformers and their immediate successors, to the non-conformists, to the divines who flourished at the Restoration, and the eventful period of the Revolution, and finally terminates with a survey of modern writers, many of whom live in the present day. In these historical outlines, and in the reflections made upon them, we find a pleasing concentration of the author's laborious researches. Many valuable publications are briefly but candidly reviewed, and this apparently without any regard to the sect or party to which the writer belonged. It is, however, worthy of observation, that among the authors quoted, by far the greater number are of the Calvinistic school, and it seems to be a point which, in Mr. B.'s estimation, requires neither Linguage to assert, nor argument to prove, that the great truths of christianity may always be found in this quarter. It is not our province to dispute this discovery; but many readers will probably demur at these apparently accidental assumptions, and think, 153 Review.-Jacob, or Patriarchal Piety. hat while the excellencies which this book contains are allowed, many things may be ound in its pages which should be read vith caution. But what partiality soever the author may have manifested towards any peculiarity of heological sentiments, he has not treated hose who differ from him with contempt or disrespect. He has held the balance with in even hand, and although he has adjusted much more of Calvinism than he has of Arminianism, he cannot be accused of having used delusive scales or deceitful weights. Every writer has his predilection; and it is probable that few authors, who, differing from him, may find something to censure, would, under similar circumstances, have acted on the whole with greater impartiality. | "That it is of the greatest importance, that in all translations of the Bible the Hebrew names should be preserved, by which JEHOVAH ALEHIM, hath thus been pleased to make himself known. In the scripture of the Old Testament, JEHOVAH ALEHI, the HOLY ONES, are distinguished by distinct names; to wit, ALEH the Father, AL the Son, and REACH the Holy Ghost, which define what we call the PERSONS, the Greeks HYPOSTASES, and the ancient Jews SEPHIROTH, in Jehovah. "It has been presumed that no one will object to the substitution of the original sacred names; but if there should be one, let him before he decidedly rejects them, put to himself the following questions -Who would think of translating the names of would have done so, they having left many hundred persons? Or, that the translators of the BIBLE If my names as they found them? Are not the names of persous appellative nouns? Would not the translation of a name, in effect change a name? person is known or distinguished from another by my particular name, how shall I be known if called by a foreign one The observations thus quoted from the preface require no comment. They are not more the dictates of learning than the offspring of common sense. Many have regretted that the sacred names should ever have been submitted to a translation, but we are not aware of any regular attempt until the present, to remedy the evil by counteracting the innovation. 140.-VOL. XII. To many 754 readers the restoration of the original appellations may appear to render the sacred language unintelligible, but this can only arise from the terms not being familiar to their understandings and their senses. In the word Jehovah no common reader finds any ambiguity; and if the terms Alehim, Aleh, Al, Ruach, &c. had been originally incorporated in the translations of the Bible, neither dissonance nor obscurity would have associated with their occur rence. In a few pages which follow the preface, the author has given the meaning or signification of the sacred names, which have been substituted in this edition in place of the titles LORD and GOD. These elucidations appear to have been made with care, and the import of each word is illustrated by appeals to the passages of scripture in With this guide always before him, the reader will find no difficulty in accommodating his ideas to terms which may at first appear strange and even repulsive. which it occurs. Of the edition itself, little remains to be said. The common translation is preserved throughout, (with the exceptions above stated) together with the chapters and verses. The matter, however, is divided into paragraphs, either long or short as the subjects seemed to demand. This we conceive to be of no mean importance, for no one acquainted with the sacred writings can for a moment doubt, that many of our verses, and sometimes even chapters, have been formed in the most capricious and arbitrary manner. Considerable portions of our commentaries remedy this deviation from the rules of propriety and common sense, but these are in general too voluminous to meet the wants of readers who most need assistance. The notes are neither long nor numerous, and in general they are more of a critical, than either of a doctrinal or a practical nature. They are, however, judiciously introduced, and being merely elucidative of words and phrases, they derive no small portion of their value from their brevity. REVIEW.-Jucob, or Patriarchal Piety, a Series of Discourses delivered in St. James' Episcopal Chapel, Edinburgh, in 1822. By the Rev. Edward Craig, A. M. 8vo. pp. 311. Nisbet, London. THESE twelve discourses contain narrative and reflection, deduced chiefly from the history of Jacob, as it stands portrayed in the book of Genesis. Isaac, Rebecca, and 3 в 755 Review.-Reply to Lord John Russel. 756 Esau bear, indeed, their parts in the histo- | incidents which occur, are strongly imbued rical delineation, and on some occasions, with the spirit of christianity, and the lessons Abraham, and nearly all the relations of inculcated are closely connected with the the venerable patriarch, are introduced, to sources whence they emanate. illustrate his character, and to furnish an insight into the economy of God. There can be little doubt, that in early life the conduct of Jacob was exceedingly reprehensible. Fraud and duplicity procured for him the blessing which his brother lost, by the imposition which originated with their mother. The whole is a black affair, which no reasonings can justify, and no apology palliate. From our acquaintance with the subsequent events which distinguished the life of Jacob, we feel disposed to seize every circumstance in his favour, which either narrative or imagination can supply, to mitigate the severity of censure to which he appears most justly exposed. The conduct of Esau, on the contrary, is examined with equal strictness, but with very different views. Scarcely a circumstance occurs in his history, that is not turned to his disadvantage; to blacken his character is nearly as meritorious as it is to paint and varnish that of Jacob. Into this common mode of estimating the character of Jacob, and of Esau, the author of these discourses seems to have fallen. He does not, indeed, attempt to exonerate the former wholly from blame; but palliatives are sought for his indefensible behaviour, in circumstances which impartial investigation will not warrant. For the latter no excuse is to be found. Every event and occurrence is interpreted to his disadvantage. 66 Esau, we are told, appears to have been purely a natural character-a man of the world, and of the flesh-a man of a robust, natural frame, and of strong, ungovernable propensities." We readily allow, that in after-life Jacob became a reformed and renewed character, but in the early stages of his history, he "was by nature a child of wrath, even as others." By the appointment of God he was selected to inherit the blessing, but this implies no previous moral excellence, and only shews that God is the sovereign disposer of all events. When individual characters are examined, the investigation should be conducted with impartiality, and the conclusion founded on the evidence adduced. Of the pure principles, and exemplary conduct, which afterwards appeared in the character of Jacob, Mr. Craig has availed himself, and on grounds that cannot be disputed, his actions appear, in most respects, every way worthy of esteem and imitation. The reflections founded on the Jacob appears as a monument of divine grace, as a child of promise, and as the founder of the Israelitish family. From these and other similar circumstances, we are properly taught in these discourses, that God gives to none an account of his ways, that the most abandoned are not placed beyond the pale of mercy, and that, in the order of providence, God can make the most unlikely means subservient to the most momentous events. In these views, this volume is both interesting and valuable, and it may be read with much advantage by all, who, tracing the secret workings of Omnipotence, rejoice on finding occasions THE laudable zeal of the author of this refutation is only equalled by his extensive knowledge and dissection of facts. With a judgnient matured by habits of investigation, and familiarly conversant with theological criticism, Mr. Sandwith has acquitted himself nobly in this warfare with the honourable historian; and we must acknowledge that, even if Lord Russel's prejudices were insurmountable, yet his admiration must be excited in no minor degree, on finding his censures investigated with so much Christian forbearance. This is not the first time that Mr. Sandwith (who, we believe, is an eminent surgeon at Bridlington,) has stood forward as the champion of Methodism. Some recent numbers of the Wesleyan Magazine are enriched with a series of papers from his pen; and we are sure that, as an able successor of Mr. Watson, Mr. Sandwith is entitled to the praise of his brethren for having so successfully wielded his polemical weapons in their defence. verting on dishonourable advantages taken of misinterpretations, he calmly compares the statements of each writer with the other, without indulging in the "chartered freedom of critical rebuke:" displaying the monstrosities of inconsistency as they present themselves to him on comparison, he leaves it to the public. to condemn; an example which we recommend to his Lordshi In animad 57 Review.-A View of the Court of Chancery. itation, should he resume his labours as historian. The doctrines of Methodism remain sentially the same as established and proulgated by the transcendent Wesley; yet important acquisition of wealth and imbers has invested it with a stateliness hich renders its solemnities and their admi stration as imposing almost in their aspect even those of the church. Time was men the founder of Methodism published s tenets at the hazard of existence-when, aring his head before the fiendish multide, he stood exposed to their murderous issiles, on the market-cross, or in the ublic field, to proclaim his divine comission. Like his "meek and lowly" laster, he was 66 no respecter of persons;" nd the all but roofless cottage, and the roken chair, were the temple and rostrum om whence the St. Paul of modern chrisanity often made his fervid appeals. And, erily, we need not be amazed at the prealence and progress of that creed which was confirmed by its establisher surmountng every oposition-the casualties of" flood and field"-the rigour of the elements, and he hate of mankind. It is a natural reverse of the scene that we now behold in the solemn temples" of Methodism replete with the adornments of architecture, and recognized by crowded assemblies. So material an enhancement of the weight and value of the opinions of Wesley, has stirred up some polemical enemies of great popularity in rank and letters; and those doctrines, whose peculiarities, half a century ago, were known to, or noticed by, only the vilest of the community, have now found superior antagonists in the coroneted historian, and the courtly poet. In the assertion of Lord John Russel, that "Methodism was like a quack medicine, soon famous and soon forgotten," he is ably refuted by Mr. Sandwith. As it would not be well to attempt the detachment of any material part of his almost indivisible web of reasoning, we will merely quote his remarks on the historian's strictures on "Band-meetings" "Classes: " and Nor is "It is enough, that our system secures the allegiance of the heart to scriptural principles, and watches over the development of their practical results with a sleepless anxiety. No Christian church can do more; few do as much. it any answer to say, that "the bad passions which you dam up in one place will burst out in another." Methodismi, as an experiment, has been leng enough in operation to furnish his Lordship with verifications of his assertion, if any are to be obtained. But these, to be conclusive of its empi. ricism, should be both indisputable, and numerous enough to outweigh the evidence of those examples to which we confidently appeal in proof of its moral efficacy. We have already adverted to the proof 758 deducible from the personal history of her disciples, who are "her epistles known and read of all men." We have briefly descanted also on some of the collateral benefits of Methodism, which accompanied Mr. Wesley's earlier career. And they are still felt and seen after the lapse of nearly a century, which has served only to mature the fruits of that moral harvest of which society at that time presented but the hopeful verdure." We are informed through the public prints, that Lord John Russel, in an address to his parliamentary constituents, has pub. licly disclaimed any intentions of severity towards the Methodists. We should have "A man convinced against his will, cery. REVIEW.-A View of the Court of Chan- The present volume owes its origin to a Chancery suit-Wellesley v. Duke of Beaufort.-Almost every one is acquainted with the melancholy history and the wrongs of the late lamented, and much injured Mrs. Wellesley-wrongs which haunted and pursued her till the termination of her mortal career, depriving society of an amiable member, and her children the victims of the present contention of that parental 759 Review. A View of the Court of Chancery. 760 affection, and that fostering care, which, | They are plain, simple, abstract ques had they remained, would have preserved them from, and spared them the humiliating consequences of, the present exposure. On the death of Mrs. Wellesley the author of the present volume claimed the right of superintending the education of his own children. The Misses Long, sisters of the late Mrs. Wellesley, and aunts to the children, having them under their protection, refused to deliver them over to the paternal authority. The grounds of this refusal were, that the general and moral conduct of the parent, as well as the principles which upon every opportunity be infused into the minds of his children, being highly pernicious and subversive of moral rectitude, wholly unfitted him to be entrusted with the care and superintendence of the education of tender age. In the course of these proceedings, two or three simple questions arose, which may be briefly stated as follows:-Was Mr. Wellesley a fit and proper person to be intrusted with the guardianship of his own children?-for the abstract question of his right could not be disputed. Then the question resolved itself: If he be a fit and proper person, are there any circumstances to warrant any interference, or to control and reduce his exercise of this right within certain bounds? The immediate guardianship by himself or under his own roof, appears to have been soon given up by Mr. Wellesley; and nothing could have tended more to re-instate him in public opinion, or could have more effectually convinced the world, that he preserved correct notions of rectitude and moral propriety, than his thus speedily waving his right to the immediate and uncontrolled superintendence of the education of his children. We should be the last to break in upon the privacy of any man, or to drag his domestic failings unnecessarily before the public; we shall therefore merely state, that there were domestic weaknesses of a particular nature, which rendered the paternal roof in this instance a very ineligible shelter, and the abandonment of the claim to the immediate guardianship, a proper and very judicious act on the part of the father. But Mr. Wellesley having waved his own claim, insisted upon his right to appoint the proper guardian, and disputed the fitness of the Misses Long for this charge. He also claimed the right of a free and unreserved intercourse with his children, an intercourse uninterrupted by the presence of any other person. Such appears to have been the questions for the consideration of the Court of Chancery. tions:- Yet Mr. Wellesley tells us they occupied the court four years; and that this tardy deliberation cost him the enor mous sum of twenty thousand pounds, and very possibly his children and the other side an equal, if not a much larger sum !!!—Mr. Wellesley observes, "It is but right I should state that the costs of the PATERNAL JURISDICTION of the Court of Chancery have amounted in four years, to 20,000 out of my pocket, and probably a larger sum out of the pockets of my children. The whole of this money has gone into the bands of the lawyers; so that it is no wonder the law should be indisposed to let so profitable a cause out of court in a hurry.”—p. 21. Now we put it to any man of common understanding, whether these questions could not have been fairly and equitably decided in as many hours as it took the court years, and whether, if the thousands were taken off, a sum would not have been left honestly sufficient to the expenses of adjusting these litigations. Mr. Wellesley himself observes, "It cannot be said, then, that I have had cheap law. Neither can it be alleged that the proceedings of this court have not amounted to a denial of justice. Lord Eldon left me a legacy of four years' litigation, to establish a proposition, which in private life would have been decided in the space of five minutes, and in a court of common law, before a jury, was actually determined in the course of a morning!"-p. 21. Now perhaps it may be inquired, why should this court in particular be subject to these inconveniences: or what is there, in the principles or constitution of it, that should render its jurisdiction so liable to abuses. We verily believe it is the system of affidavit evidence. An affidavit is sworn and filed, and then the opposite party are allowed a certain time to examine the allegations, when they put in their answer. The answer consists in counter-affidavits, as they may be termed-either denying in toto, or explaining the allegations. The first party reply by additional affidavits, and so a system of swearing and perjury is thus not only sanctioned, but actually encouraged. Lord Eldon himself seems to have been sensible of this defect in the principles of its jurisdiction. "To show that I am not singular in my view of the defects of affidavit evidence," says Mr. Wellesley, "whereby I have been so great a sufferer, I will here quote Lord Eldon's opinion upon the subject, as declared in his judgment upon this very case, of |