These petits morceaux are accompanied either by a prayer, a hymn, or a meditation, in Greek and Latin; and at the end of the bock there is a vocabulary of the more difficult words. It is at least curious to compare the text of the Fathers with the Romish trash, which is here mixed up with them. The Fathers, at least, afford no sanction to the idolatrous worship of the mother of God. We observe that a "Nouveau Mois de Marie, ou suite de Considérations sur les mystères de la Sainte Vierge" is announced. Such is the enlightened state of education under the influence of the Romish Creed. Saul and David, a Sacred Dramatic Poem: with Chorus and Notes. By the Rev. EDWARD BAGNALL, A.M. of Over Whitacre, Warwickshire. London: Hatchards. 1836. Pp.213. As we do not profess to sit in judgment as dramatic critics, we may be spared much allusion to the incongruity of a "Sacred Dramatic Poem," with a Chorus after the fashion of the Greek Drama, never intended to be acted, containing such stage directions as this, "The curtain falls;" or of the still more incongruous idea of introducing David making love to Eliza, the daughter of Azikum, and putting into their mouths such language as follows: It is it is-my David and my love! [She rushes to him-they fondly embrace.] We fear that the example of Racine, in his tragedy of Esther, and the words with which his play commences, "Est ce toi chère Eloise," will hardly justify the above. Notwithstanding, it is only right to add, that there are some pretty lyrics in this piece of Mr. Bagnall, as well, however, as some extraordinary versifications from the Scripture, in which, in the midst of long prose quotations, put into the shape of verse, we meet with here and there a verse sometimes in blank metre and sometimes in a lyrical hop and jump step. We cannot resist quoting the following lines, which strongly resemble Mrs. Hemans' Evening Hymn, both to do justice to their author, and to enrich our pages with a very sweet piece of poetry:— Bright are the lamps of love, The soul must be supplied Let us then look on high, No toil or trouble then Literary Report. Come, come, come ! V. Come, 'tis the hour of prayer, Effectual means of Promoting and Pro- preached at the Meeting of the THE whole of this Sermon is so ex- service. That the only certain and effectual way by which the minister of Christ can Though he teach, is by his own life. speak with the tongue of men and of angels," yet if his conduct be at variance with his words, he becomes to his hearers not "as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal," but as one whose life is in fact the most poignant satire and burlesque upon the religion which he professes to inculcate. For there is, it should be remembered, in all who listen to the advice or instruction, and much more to the reproof of others, an instantaneous and irrepressible transition of mind to the life of him who counsels or upbraids in other words, to the effect produced by his own belief and conviction upon his own conduct. . . . As no one girds himself for the battle when the trumpet gives an uncertain sound; -as no one dreams of shipwreck, when he sees the steersman unconcerned ;so to the life and actions, the temper, views, and affections of the Christian minister it is, that his hearers will, after all, look for the evidence of his sincerity, as "cunningly devised fables," but having stored and cherished them in their own bosoms as the surest and most precious of all knowledge, let them earnestly and indefatigably dispense them as what they are in truth, the word of God, the gospel of salvation. Pp. 23-25. 12mo. Mede's Apostasy of the Latter Times. edition, which we have great pleasure in recommending to them. His introduction contains various important facts and statements, which are forcibly put, and demand an attentive consideration. L'Histoire de Sainte Elizabeth de Hongrie. Par M. LE COMTE DE Histoire du Privilège de Saint Romain. Pur A. FLOQUET, Greffier en chef de la Cour Royale de Rouen. 2 vols. 8vo. THE two works, of which the titles are given above, possess considerable interest; the former in an historical, and the latter in an antiquarian point of view; but the saintships with which they are connected add very little either to the value or the merit of either of them. From the former a clear insight may be obtained into the state of society, of literature, and religion, during the period to which it refers; and even its popish legends, however ridiculous, are illustrative of the spirit and temper of the times. The latter relates to the origin of a right of grace, exercised by the Chapter of the Cathedral of Rouen, whereby such criminal is annually pardoned, as can procure the privilege of lifting the shrine of St. Romain. This saint was Archbishop of Rouen; and the tradition relates that, having miraculously freed the surrounding country from the ravages of a monstrous serpent, on the feast of the Ascension, in which enterprise he was assisted by two condemned prisoners, who were released for that purpose, he obtained from the king the right of pardon for an offender on Holy Thursday yearly for ever. Putting the legend out of the question, the author has rendered some service by the light which he has thrown upon the ancient customs of the Romans, and more especially upon the subject of criminal legislation, as it has been practised at different periods in Frauce. We would here take occasion to intimate our intention of introducing from time to time into our “Literary Report," brief notices of the best productions of the theological press in France and Germany. Ecclesiastical antiquities, and the present state of religion abroad, cannot fail both to interest and to instruct; and to these points, together with theological literature in general, our attention will be principally devoted. The Phylactery: a Poem. London: Longman and Co. 1836. Pp. xii. 115. If the author of this poem would revise it, with a view to correct the rhyme and amend the phraseology, he would, in our bumble judgment, do much to raise himself in the estimation of his countrymen as a true poet. Ile is a writer of no mean race; and a thinker also, whose lucubrations it is both pleasant and profitable to follow. His reflections on the present state of philosophic and religious attainment, are, in the mass, not only wise but scriptural; and if in some trifling points we do not altogether subscribe to his dogmas, on the whole we can conscientiously recommend him to those who read to be edified. Preparing for Publication. The Life and Correspondence of the Rev. C. Simeon, M.A. By the Rev. WILLIAM CARUS, M. A. Fellow of Trinity College, Cumbridge. THE above Memoir will be compiled with as little delay as possible, from the large and valuable collection of Mr. Simeon's own papers; the whole of which have been bequeathed to the Rev. W. Carus. A SERMON, FOR CHRISTMAS DAY. LUKE XIX. 10. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. THE words of the text express a sentiment which our Saviour in different ways sometimes plainly, sometimes parabolically-was frequently in the habit of bringing forward, and placing in a prominent light before his auditors. They contain the most important truth that was ever uttered or listened to; they clear up that great mystery which is the most inexplicable to man by the light of reason alone. When we look abroad on the world, and consider the powers and capacities of the human soul, the unequal distribution even of those advantages which are undoubtedly good and desirable, such as health, strength, intellect, and competency; when we remark the good estate of the wicked, and the prosperity of the foolish, coupled with virtue struggling, and intea future upon grity involved in difficulties, we are naturally led to look state as the only means whereby God will clear up all apparent inconsistencies, and recompense the just and the unjust: so far, by arguments such as these, and by similar ones,-for perhaps the fact of the existence of a future state is proved to be probable by as many arguments as any fact can be, of which we possess no immediate experience, since of spiritual existences or states of being are scarcely present to our consciousness, so far human reason may carry us; but here the powers reason end. There was another difficulty, which unassisted reason could never resolve. The existence of the moral evil of sin is a problem which no one can solve, excluding divine Revelation. God, the author of all truth and perfection, can never, we see clearly, be the author of sin; experience and observation convince us, that sin is a disarrangement of God's purposes, and that this disarrangement originates from man himself. But why does it so originate? how long will it continue? when will it be rectified? How is it that we find within ourselves an unaccountable mixture of actual weakness with capacities of strength,a soul that admires goodness, yet follows, and even desires evil? What is that wonderful principle within us, which assents to moral right, yet knows but little of that, and nevertheless finds pleasure in the wrong? Will not the God of justice and truth interpose to rectify this? will he in some way or other exterminate the principle of sin, which thus cleaves to us, and will he not, as his moral attributes seem to demand, take vengeance upon the sinner? These are the difficulties which the Gospel explains, practically explains, as far as in the nature of things our minds are capable of apprehending the explanation; an explanation which does not pretend to clear up metaphysical mysteries, but to resolve honest perplexities, and which reason never could have discovered. It not only explains them, but it opens to our view such parts of God's glorious and gracious plan VOL. XVIII. NO. XII. 5 B respecting them, as it seemed fit to his Almighty wisdom that we should know. He tells us, that "the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost," or ruined, and in these words sums up and expresses the essence and epitome of Revelation. He shows us, that our present condition is not that in which we were originally created; the word "lost," implies a previous possession; and ruin, includes a previous degree of prosperity. Man was created a perfect, accountable, moral being, and, as a necessary condition of a moral and accountable and perfect being, was endued with a power of obeying or disobeying, of rejecting the good and choosing the evil: he fell, and thus implanted in his nature that deadly seed of sin, which springs up and flourishes in every one of us; he became alienated from God, and truth, and happiness, ignorant, and weak, and wicked; he wandered farther and farther from God, and continued to seek out those inventions of wickedness which his guilty parent had introduced. For a proof of this, we might refer to the dreadful state of depravity into which the world had sunk before the advent of our Lord, a state so awfully described by St. Paul, or to the present condition of the heathen world; but it will not be necessary to go so far. Examine your own breasts, my brethren, and listen to the testimony of your own consciences. Be assured that, unless utterly hardened by sin and profligacy (and in that case you are under a moral imbecility, which incapacitates you from forming a judgment upon the subject), it will bear witness against you, and acknowledge that you are offenders against God's law. For who is there who does not know by experience that he does sin in thought, or word, or deed? Who can clear himself from meditated or executed offence? Thought, let us remember, is capable of as much evil, and, if guilty, appears before God in as hateful a light, as speech or act. The nature of God, as a spiritual being, is as vividly and completely and effectually capable of apprehending and perceiving our thoughts, as our words or our deeds. Human laws cannot reach the thoughts, and cannot punish them; but the eternal Mind detects and knows the very first springing of sin within the heart; and to him the very thought of foolishness is sin. Who then can deny that he has very often been guilty of offences against the majectic holiness of the Deity? Whose heart can refuse to assent to the words of the Apostle, or acknowledge that he may be justly classed among the offenders whom he enumerates-" Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things; disobedient to parents; without understanding; without the love of God, of truth, or holiness; covenant breakers; without natural affection; implacable, unmerciful; who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them?" Alas! when we couple with this list of sins, the moral commandments of God's law, who can consider himself unconcerned? who can lay his hand on his heart, and deny" that every mouth" must "be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God?" |