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independence. If certain circumstances had not afterward occurred, the closing speech of Augustine might have been passed over and forgotten; but a few years afterward the Britons were invaded by Ethelrid, the Saxon King of Northumberland; who, having taken Chester, advanced with his army into Wales. The Monks of Bangor, remembering the threats of Augustine, were filled with alarm. The Britons collected their forces; and on the armies approaching each other, the Saxon King observed a great number of persons apart from the British troops. On inquiring who those were, he was told that they were Priests and Monks, who were engaged in earnest prayer to God for the protection of their nation. 'If, then, said he, they cry to their God against us, in truth, though they do not bear arms, yet they fight against us, because they oppose us by their prayers.

He therefore commanded them to be attacked first, when about twelve hundred of those that came to pray are said to have been killed.' Thus these unarmed Christians were mas

sacred; and afterward the British army was defeated, although with great loss to the Saxons.

"The consequence of the battle of Chester was, that the monastery of Bangor Iscoed fell into the hands of the conqueror, and felt all the effects of his rage. That noble institution never after raised its head. This was the largest of all the Bangors, or religious houses, among the Britons; but even the very ruins cannot now be traced. Giraldus Cambrensis mentions that in his day the

vast pile of ruins then to be seen bore testimony to the ancient fame and extent of this monastery. But we have now only the name of this once-celebrated place, which is said to have contained accommodations for seven courses of Monks, each course including three hundred."" (Pages 365-370.)

We regret that our limits forbid our noticing at any greater length this volume, which we have perused with intense interest and pleasure. The remaining chapters are occupied with an account of "the religion of the Saxon and British Churches, until the establishment of the Romish uniformity;" "The learning, doctrines, and piety of the Anglo-Saxon Church; "The priestcraft, corruption, and decline of the Anglo-Saxon Church;" and, Concluding observations." Mr.

Smith has done good service to the cause of truth in this publication; for which, we hope, he will receive the sincere thanks and hearty support of the whole Protestant world. Such a work as the present, so comprehensive in its design, and within the pecuniary reach of most classes desiring to possess it, has long been a desideratum in the ecclesiastical literature of our country. To the juvenile portion of the community it will be invaluable, to whom we cordially recommend an attentive and studious investigation of its pages, as furnishing a brilliant illustration of the high antiquity and longasserted independence of primitive British Christianity; and showing that, in proportion as Popery gained a footing in this country, her simplicity and purity declined, until, by degrees, the leaven of Romanism pervaded "the whole lump," and the ancient Church of Britain reluctantly sank down under the odious and overwhelming incubus of external aggression, superstition, and error. Then succeeded a long and dark night of ignorance and corruption: signs of returning animation and vigour occasionally were exhibited; and often was the voice heard, "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; shake thyself from the dust; arise!"-faint, and almost imperceptible, at first; but louder, and yet louder, as the period advanced when the day of emancipation dawned, and her blessed and intrepid deliverers addressed themselves to the work of her reformation! Historical facts cannot be set aside by the mere repetition of senseless, although antiquated, calumnies. The undaunted and persevering Reformers no more contemplated the erection of a new Church, than the construction of a railway to the moon; they "onely endeavoured," says Bishop Hall, "(not without happy successe,) to cleanse, scoure, restore, reforme, her from that filthy soyle, both of disorder and errors, wherewith she was shamefully blemished." "Those worthy husbandmen," says Archbishop Ussher, "in plucking up those pernicious weeds out of the

Lord's field, and severing the chaff from his grain, cannot be rightly said, in doing this, either to have brought in another field, or to have changed the ancient grain: the field

is the same, but weeded now, unweeded then; the grain is the same, but winnowed now, unwinnowed then."

SELECT LIST OF BOOKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED,
CHIEFLY RELIGIOUS,

With Characteristic Notices.

[The insertion of any article in this List is not to be considered as pledging us to the approbation of its contents, unless it be accompanied by some express notice of our favourable opinion. Nor is the omission of any such notice to be regarded as indicating a contrary opinion; as our limits, and other reasons, impose on us the necessity of selection and brevity.]

The Life of the Rev. Mr. Henry Moore, the Biographer and Executor of the Rev. John Wesley; including the Autobiography, and the Continuation, written from his own Papers. By Mrs. Richard Smith, Continuator of the Life of Dr. Adam Clarke, F. A. S. 8vo. Pp. viii, 408. Simpkin and Co.-The volume now before us professes to contain the autobiography of Mr. Moore, which was published by himself in 1830, in a work entitled, "Sermons on several Occasions, by the Rev. Henry Moore; with a brief Memoir of his Life and Christian Experience, from his Birth to the first Conference held after the Death of Mr. Wesley ;" and a continuation thereof, compiled from his own papers. The latter Mr. Moore evidently intended should be also his own undertaking: the task, however, was postponed from time to time, until an attack of paralysis, which nearly took away the use of his right hand, rendered him physically incapable of accomplishing it. Mrs. Smith, a daughter of the late Rev. Adam Clarke, at Mr. Moore's special request, undertook its performance; for which his papers were placed in her hands, and the different portions of manuscript were left with him for his perusal and judgment: these he carefully examined, adding occasionally a few lines of his own, and to any important fact he affixed his name. The manuscript, from his ninetieth to his ninety-first birth-day, was in Mr. Moore's charge, when he was seized with that fit, the effects of which closed his mortal career. The original autobio

graphy has undergone but little revision. The extraordinary case of diabolical agency recorded in the edition of 1830, pp. 378 385, is omitted altogether in the present work. Reference is made (p. 167) to the anxiety of Dr. Whitehead-whose conduct, with regard to Mr. Wesley's manuscripts, met with such merited reprehension-" to be reinstated in the Methodist society," while no intimation is given, in the preceding part of the volume, that he ever had been removed from the body. A document, however, lies before us, which contains the finding of a Meeting, held in West-street chapel, Dec. 9th, 1791, at which thirty Preachers were present. They decided, that "Dr. Whitehead has acted wrong in not fulfilling the late Rev. Mr. John Wesley's Will, in respect of his manuscripts, and that we cannot continue him as a Preacher amongst us, until he fulfil the said Will with regard to the said manuscripts." By the Rev. James Rogers, the Superintendent of the London Circuit, Dr. Whitehead was subsequently removed from the Wesleyan society. A chronological, as well as historical, error is committed in p. 325, in respect of that Conference which introduced the legitimate practice of ordaining by the imposition of hands to the full functions of the Christian ministry its candidates for that office: the Conference alluded to was held in Birmingham, in 1836, not 1837: the Rev. Jabez Bunting, D.D., was the President, and not, as stated by Mrs. Smith, the Rev. Edmund Grindrod. The biographical reminiscences of Mrs. Tighe, the author

of "Psyche," and her family, with whom Mr. Moore was on intimate terms, will be read with mournful interest by the admirers of that lady. The letter of the learned and excellent Alexander Knox, Esq., (pp. 296-303,) furnishes an admirable testimony to the scriptural character and ecclesiastical purity of Wesley an theology and discipline. As a whole, the volume contains much that throws light on several parts of the history of Methodism in former days, and will on that account be additionally valuable. On a few points Mr. Moore was at variance with his brethren; and we regret that Mrs. Smith should have given such marked prominence to one of them, while almost all the other points of dispute are carefully and studiously withheld. Mr.

Moore evidently was in favour of ordination by imposition of hands; but, contrary to his brethren, he thought that Mr. Wesley had committed that power to him; ergò, he ought to have been the ordaining party. From the document in the volume on the subject of the Theological Institution, it appears that Mr. Moore opposed its establishment; but, says Mrs. Smith, "he would not injure his own spirit by plunging it into any waters of strife." The documentary and other evidence of the state of affairs at the period referred to, drives us to a very far different conclusion from that at which she has arrived. Mr. Moore, in 1834, was adverse to the establishment of a Theo

logical Institution; but twenty years previous, many of our readers will recollect that he was equally so with regard to the new method then adopted for raising supplies for the support of our foreign Missions. Mr. Moore was then in a state of health, vigour, and activity; he saw the working of the system, the fears which he entertained respecting it vanishing from before him; and, like an honest man, he expressed regret for having judged erroneously, and became a warm supporter and eloquent advocate of the whole plan. It is a curious co-incidence that we have on our table a copy of the Minutes of a Meeting of the Liverpool District Committee, held May 23d, 1815, and bearing the signature of "Henry Moore, Chairman;" where the objections taken by him to the plan are embodied, which were afterwards presented for the consideration of the Conference. Our unalterable opinion is, that, had it pleased divine Providence to have continued to Mr. Moore the full enjoyment of his mental and physical powers, long before his death, the venerable man would have

cordially approved, and, to the utmost of his ability, zealously supported, those valuable and increasingly important establishments, now formed at Richmond and Didsbury. To our certain knowledge, during the location of the Institution at Hoxton, under the governorship of the Rev. Joseph Entwisle, he was accustomed to invite the students occasionally to his house, and converse with them on subjects of usefulness and importance in their theological studies, and often expressed to Mr. Entwisle his pleasure at witnessing their personal piety and improvement. If Mr. Moore had availed himself of the means of becoming acquainted with the merits of such institutions, and of witnessing their steady rise in the good opinion, as well as cheerful support, of the Wesleyan body, he would have been one of their warmest friends. Mr. Moore could not have been ignorant that the whole procedure was purely Wesleyan. With the mind of the founder of Methodism on this subject, Mr. Moore, as his "intimate friend," must have been conversant. The establishment of "a seminary for labourers" was frequently a subject of consideration. The reasons why it was not afterwards carried into effect, appear to have been, the rapid spread of the work, and the consequent demand for additional Preachers. Mr. Wesley looked to Kingswood school as subsidiary to this design. In the mean time he enjoined the study of the Greek and Latin poets and historians, as well as the original Scriptures, upon the Preachers, and a large course of theological and general reading,-conduct which tainly shows Mr. Wesley's views as to the subserviency of literature to usefulness in the ministry. In the complete Minutes of the Conference of 1745, this subject was again made the topic of conversation. "Can we have a seminary for labourers yet? Answer. Not till God gives us a proper tutor." So that the institution was actually resolved on, and delayed only by circumstances. Into a similar proposition Dr. Adam Clarke, the sainted parent of our "Continuator," most cordially entered, in 1806. "We want," said he, in a letter before us, "we want, God knows! we want some kind of seminary for educating such workmen for the vineyard of our God, as need not be ashamed; but who now, through the disadvantageous situations in which they have been bred, know not even how to use the talents which God has given them. Speak, O speak speedily, to all your friends! let

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us get a plan organized without delay. Let us have something that we can lay, matured, before the Conference. God is in the proposal." We are thankful that such institutions have been commenced, and are conducted under auspices so gratifying and favourable, and that they cannot fail to be an increasing blessing both to the church and to the world. In the exercise of our deliberate opinion, we do not think that sufficient justice has been done to Mr. Moore's character as a Divine in this volume. In deep and extensive acquaintance with Wesleyan theology, Mr. Moore ranked in the first class; whilst as a Preacher he was "profound, luminous, and sententious." Another opportunity may probably be afforded, in which may be noticed a few points which our time and space at present forbid. In his "Life of Mr. Wesley," Mr. Moore designates himself, "the only surviving Trustee of Mr. Wesley's manuscripts." According to the letter of Mr. Wesley's Will, we find, "I give all my manuscripts to Thomas Coke, Doctor Whitehead, and Henry Moore, to be burned or published as they see good." No one could speak in stronger terms than Mr. Moore respecting the sacredness of trusts. Now we feel anxious to know, whether Mr. Moore literally and truly fulfilled the trust reposed in him?

Have the manuscripts been "published," or "burned?" Were those papers which Mr. Moore himself did not consider desirable to be "published," destroyed? If not, and he have delegated their publication to another and a foreign party, a party unimplicated in the Will, then our judgment is, that the trust has been violated; and if so, Mr. Moore's professions of regard for the inviolability of such a confidence reposed in him, are mere moonshine!

The New Testament, translated from Griesbach's Text, by Samuel Sharpe. The second Edition. 12mo. Pp. iv, 468. London, Moxon.-Of all modern critical editions of the Greek Testament, that of Griesbach is almost universally acknowledged to be the most valuable and complete, notwithstanding a variety of opinion has been entertained by some relative to the correctness of his system of recensions, or editions of manuscripts. Dr. Griesbach commenced his critical labours by publishing at Halle, in 1774, the historical books of the New Testament.

The various readings taken from the editions of Mill, Bengel, and Wetstein, were not adopted until they had undergone a very severe revision; but this edition also contained others which

the learned editor found in manuscripts preserved in the British Museum, and also in the Royal Library at Paris. In 1775 Dr. Griesbach published the Apestolical Epistles, and the Apocalypse, in a similar manner, synoptically, that is to say, by uniting together the three narrations of the same event; but as many had expressed themselves dissatisfied with this arrangement, he printed another edition in 1777, in the usual order. This volume forms the first part of his first edition, of which the Epis. tles and the Revelations, printed in 1775, are recognised as the second part. The first volume of the second edition ap peared in 1796, in large octavo, with the imprint of Londini et Hala Saronum in the title-page, and the second with that of Hale Saxonum et Londini, on account of the expense of the paper of the fine copies having been munificently defrayed by His Grace the late Duke of Grafton, at that time Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. They are splendidly executed, and are now only to be procured at a very high price. The whole of these two volumes was printed at Jena, under the constant superintendence of Griesbach. The first contains the four Gospels, to which copious prolegomena are prefixed, exhibit ing a critical history of the printed text, a catalogue of all the manuscripts from which various readings are quoted, and an account of the method pursued by Griesbach in executing the edition. The second volume contains the remaining books of the New Testament, which is preceded by an introduction or preface, accounting for the delay of its appear. ance, and also describing the manuscripts consulted for that volume. At the end are forty pages separately num bered, consisting of a Diatribe on the disputed clause relative to the three witnesses in 1 John v. 7, 8; and of addi tional various readings to the Acts of the Apostles, and St. Paul's Epistles, with two pages of corrigenda. The second edition was reprinted in London, 1809, in two vols., 8vo. A second London edition was also printed in 1818, which pos sesses advantages even over Griesbach's own second edition. In the first place, the addenda of various lections above noticed, were newly collated, and inserted in their various places with great accuracy; and, secondly, the reading of Acts xx. 28, in the Vatican manuscript, (which Griesbach could not give, in consequence of Professor Birch, who collated it, having lost or mislaid his memorandun of that particular text,) is here

printed from a transcript obtained from the Keeper of the Vatican library. The Leipsic edition, of which the volume before us is a translation, is neatly printed, forms a valuable manual for constant reference, and is the edition generally used in the Universities of Germany. As far as we have been enabled to compare the translation with the original work, we are bound to say that Mr. Sharpe has executed his task with impartiality and with care.

12mo.

New marginal Readings and References, adapted to the authorized Version of the holy Scriptures, with occasional Notes. By the Rev. William Burgh. The Four Gospels, with a Harmony. A new and improved Edition. pp. viii, 307. Curry.-This unpretending, but useful, manual is divided into three parts. The object of the first department is to give, in a small compass, to the readers of the Scriptures, the advantage now confined to Ministers, and the limited number of others who have the time and means for extensive theological studies, of the light thrown on many passages by the labours of the various critical annotators on the originals and Scripture Lexicographers, and especially those who have availed themselves of the collation of ancient manuscripts and versions made since our translation. To some the improvement required in the authorized version has appeared to call for a new translation; but they have not considered, that even were it possible to supersede the present by a better, there would still be counterbalancing disadvantages which render it far from desirable. It would be impossible to effect the substitution on account of the general familiarity with the present version, and the quotations which, in the long period that it has been in use, have been made from it in innumerable religious publications, which would continue to make it necessary for the purpose of reference; and were it possible, it would not be desired, (if for no other reason,) from its rendering utterly useless those most valuable works, second only to the Scriptures themselves, the Concordances to the English Bible, which it were vain to hope to see replaced by others accommodated to the new version. Our translators have left us a precedent for improving the existing version, which only requires to be carried out more fully in order to give to it increased utility: we allude to the marginal readings, by which another translation of the received text is given; and to extend the present marVOL. XXIII. Third Series.

ginal readings so as to embrace all material improvements of the authorized version, is the object which the work at first proposes. The second object of this

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volume is to render more useful the marginal references, of the value of which nothing needs be said, as they rank first among comments on the sacred volume, making the Scriptures emphatically their own interpreter, and facilitating, more than anything else, that divinely-commended means of attaining to heavenly wisdom, "comparing spiritual things with spiritual." this topic Bishop Horsley alluded in strong, but eloquent, language. (Nine Sermons, pp. 224-238.) To these, a third department is added, including notes, for the most part critical, showing the exact meaning of particular terms; from the conviction that an accurate definition of the terms of Scripture is not only indispensably necessary to its sound exposition, but often affords a ready solution of difficulties otherwise in vain sought for. We think the volume is adapted for general usefulness, and strongly recommend it as a vade mecum to the Bible class, as well as to all who sustain the important offices of instructers of youth.

The Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, St. Giles-in-the-Fields, and in Southwark : being divers Sermons, preached A. D. 1659–1689, by several Ministers of the Gospel, in or near London. Fifth Edition, carefully collated and corrected, with Notes and Translations, by James Nichols. In six Volumes. Vol. II. A Supplement to the Morning Exercise at Cripplegate: or, several more Cases of Conscience practically resolved, by sundry Ministers. 8vo. pp. xi, 692. Vol. III. A Continuation of Morning-Exercise Questions, and Cases of Conscience, practically resolved, by sundry Ministers, in October, 1682. 8vo. pp. xii, 624. Tegg. We congratulate the religious public on the steady appearance of these inestimable volumes; of which none who can afford to purchase them, and especially no biblical student, ought to be destitute. The erudition of the Editor, and the zeal of the publisher, have conspired to place in our possession a work handsomely got up; and, what to us is infinitely better, classically correct, all the quotations having undergone the ordeal of an examination with the best copies of those works extant from whence they have been made.

Memoirs of David Nasmith, his Labours and Travels in Great Britain, OCTOBER, 1844. 30

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