or elevated with a sense of the greatness and the glory of our God? The words both of thankfulness and praise are furnished to us there in rich abundance.

Hence the Psalms are peculiarly valuable as containing matter for spiritual meditation: a field of rich pasture wherein the sheep of the flock delight to feed, and lay down to rest. A commentary on the book of Psalms cannot therefore be viewed otherwise than with a portion at least of the interest which attaches to the inspired words themselves; but where matter for spiritual thought is so abundant, we are the more disposed to dispense with any lengthened comment, for if the mind be in a devotional frame, mere criticism is an interruption, and when ready to follow its own train of thought, is less inclined to dwell upon the thoughts of others. At such times brief comments are preferable to longer ones, which shall merely suggest topics for the mind to enlarge upon. It is this feature, if we mistake not, which will recommend the volume whose title is prefixed to these remarks, to the esteem of those who may have the opportunity of reading it, though we are far from implying that this is its only excellence.

The author's views on this subject are well expressed by himself in his dedication of the volume. He says,

"If the mind be overloaded with the writer's reflections, so that its own independent action is suspended or superseded, and the divine teacher (the sacred text) is forgotten in the human, or nearly so, I do not think that the best method is adopted for promoting sound spiritual edification. We profit more in the reading of Scripture by making our own reflections, than by simply reading the reflections of others. In its meditation on the sacred pages, the soul should be free: the wings of the eagle ought not to be hampered by human bandages."-(pp. v. vi.)

We need not say that in this sentiment we entirely concur. The author's plan is briefly as follows.

I. The Psalms are arranged in morning and evening portions for a month, corresponding to their arrangement in our book of Common Prayer.

II. To each of the Psalms is prefixed a short heading, referring it to its place in a classification of them at the beginning of the book, and further mentioning its author and occasion, known or probable, as the case may be, and sometimes its general scope. Thus,

"Psalm II. Prophetical: the author David. It celebrates the victories of Christ and of his Gospel. Compare Acts iv. 25, 26."

"Psalm IX. Instructive, as Psalm I. Probably composed by David to celebrate his victories over the neighbouring nations. 2 Sam. viii. 2—12.”

III. The text of the Psalms is given, as in our authorized ver

sion, divided into paragraphs, each headed by an appropriate title. Psalm xiii., for example, is subdivided thus

i. Complaint. (verses 1, 2.) ii. Prayer. (verses 3, 4.) iii. The Joys of Faith. (ver. 5, 6.)

IV. The form of Hebrew parallelism is preserved in the text. This arrangement had been scarcely observed by older commentators, but it has been traced by Lowth in the poetic books of the Old Testament, especially in the prophet Isaiah, and by Bishop Jebb in the New Testament, and even in the narrative parts, where we should least have expected to find it. The discovery of parallelism has contributed much to the elucidation of Scripture, and its recognition by the author adds much to the value of his book. He prepares the reader for this arrangement by giving an introduction, defining what is parallelism, explaining the structure of Hebrew poetry, and describing the variety of stanzas used in the Psalms.

V. The text is followed by "reflections," which may be described as brief, comprehensive, spiritual and edifying. No critical matter is introduced, and the reflections are so skilfully managed, that in short space and few words, almost every expression in any given Psalm is alluded to, and turned to a practical account. The matter is well selected and closely packed, so that every word tells. We select as a specimen the first Psalm, the remarks upon which are on three topics, "The Conduct of the Good Man, his Blessedness, and the Contrast between them." The first of these is as follows:

"1. Conduct. As to evil, he keeps far from the counsels, the course of life, and the society of the wicked. He stands as it were, at a distance from sin and sinners. As to good, he delights in God's word, and makes it the subject of his continual meditation."

After similarly handling the remaining topics, he thus closes: "Oh Christian! consider these things: seek divine grace: remove evil: search the Scriptures: and thus shalt thou be a tree, the planting of the Lord,' blessed now, and for evermore."

VI. The last feature worthy of notice is, that in every case, the "reflections" are followed by a short prayer, adapted to the subject of the Psalm. We give that which belongs to the 21st. Its supposed occasion being "after some victory," and "many expressions in it leading us to think of the Messiah." The prayer

commences,

"Teach us, O Lord, to ascribe all our success and all our blessings to Thee. Teach us to behold with joy and gratitude, the exaltation of the Messiah," &c.

This in our opinion much enhances the value of the "reflec

tions," for unquestionably the reading of the Scripture ought to be in a spirit of prayer, and dispose us to it, and these brief petitions tend to leave the mind in a solemnized state.

On the whole, we believe the sketch we have given to be a correct one, and that it will dispose most of our readers to think favourably of Mr. Jones' production. It will probably be little sought for by the mere scholar, for whom indeed it was scarcely intended, and who will find abundantly in other works the information he desires; but it will be valued by those who simply desire to read the Psalms devotionally, as furnishing hints for enlarged meditation, and will be found useful as a help to daily devotion.

A COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS, Expository and Practical, with Critical Notes. By the Rev. ANDREW A. BONAR, Collace, Author of " Memoirs of Rev. RoBERT M'CHEYNE," "Narrative of a Mission of Inquiry to the Jews," &c. London: Nisbet. 1846.

NOTES, EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, ON THE NEW TESTAMENT. By the Rev. ALBERT BARNES. Carefully revised and compared with the last American Edition. By the Rev. JOHN CUMMING, D.D. London: Routledge. 1846.

Ir is always pleasant to us to have it in our power to introduce to our readers works of this description-Comments on Holy Scripture, the fruit of earnest study, and giving clear evidence of a truth-loving spirit, and a sincere desire to promote the edification of the Church. Such is the character of the works which we have now briefly to notice.

Mr. Bonar's Commentary on Leviticus is full of devout thought, and discovers a high appreciation of the distinguishing peculiarities of the Gospel. "The belief that Christ is the centre-truth of revelation," is his guiding principle in the interpretation of this difficult but most important book; and though we may not always agree with him in detail, we can truly say that we always assent to the spirit of his comment, and feel ourselves edified by the holy and elevated views which he brings to his subject. As he justly observes, "There is no book, in the whole compass of that inspired

Volume which the Holy Ghost has given us, that contains more of the very words of God, than Leviticus. It is God that is the direct speaker in almost every page: his gracious words are recorded in the form wherein they were uttered"-considerations which ought, doubtless, to send us to the study of it with singular interest and attention-not to say, that this book is clearly the key to the two dispensations, and embodies within itself all the elements of saving truth. It is a book, however, which needs much the help of the commentator, and has been less illustrated, perhaps, than almost any other. We are therefore the more obliged to Mr. Bonar for his useful guide; and though he appears to us to have followed a little too closely in the track of Jerome when he remarked, "In hoc libro singula pene syllaba celestia spirat sacramenta," we can cheerfully bear witness that his Commentary throughout sets before the reader" the truth that saves, and the truth that sanctifies," and this simply because he never loses sight of the great principle which qualifies Jerome's remark-" Quia ad Christum unicum Novi Testamenti summum sacerdotem figura illius nos deducunt."

Barnes' Notes on the New Testament need not our recommendation. Their character is established; and the work has now for some time been deservedly popular, as well in our own country as in America. In the course of a few years sixteen Editions of the Notes on the Gospels, of 2000 copies each, were sold in America, making 32,000 copies, or 64,000 volumes: and we have understood that the sale of some of the volumes edited in this country by Dr. Cumming already exceeds five thousand. The simple object of our present notice is to call attention to Dr. C.'s corrected edition now in progress, (if not completed) and published at the trifling cost of two skillings a volume in stiff covers, and two-andsixpence a volume in cloth. Intended as the Notes originally were, and specially calculated as they are, for the use of Sunday-school teachers, Bible-classes, and the higher classes in Sabbath-schools, it cannot but be regarded as a hopeful sign of the times that they are so much in request, and that the low cost of the work is so well calculated to promote its general circulation. We rejoice to think with the pious and able author of these Notes, that "the great truth is becoming more and more impressed on the minds of this generation, that the Bible is the only authoritative source of religious belief; and if there is any institution pre-eminently calculated to deepen this impression, and fix it permanently in the minds of the coming age, it is the Sunday-school. Every minister of the Gospel, every parent, every Christian, must therefore feel it important that just views of interpretation should be imbibed in these

schools." But, in fact, Mr. Barnes' notes must take a wider range than the Sunday-school and its conductors. To clergymen and others they will be found scarcely less useful than to teachers of Bible classes. We have never consulted them but with advantage, and to say nothing of their pious and practical character, we fully assent to the remark that, "however little erudition may appear on the surface, every scholar will be ready to admit that (they) are the result of varied research and elaborate study." Our American brother has sought out truth for himself, and writes like a Master in Israel. We have not the less pleasure in saying this because he is not within the pale of our own Communion: though it may be necessary to intimate, that this circumstance will render some degree of caution requisite on the part of our Sunday-school teachers in making use of these valuable helps. But we rejoice to meet such men as Barnes and Bonar on the ground of our common Christianity, and heartily wish success to their pious labours. Works like these are the best proofs of Christian unity, and afford the best pledge of final union.

THE USE OF THE BODY IN RELATION TO THE MIND. By GEORGE MOORE, M.D., Member of the Royal College of Physicians, &c. &c. London: Longmans. 1846.

As we would not be thought of the class of "timid and bewildered, yet trim and trite persons (who) imagine that to treat a scientific subject religiously is to assume too much of the clerical and sacred character of appointed ministers, we step a little out of our way to express our approbation of the above volume, and of its partner, "The Power of the Soul over the Body, considered in relation to Health and Morals." They do not come strictly within the scope of a Churchman's Review; but we are truly happy to meet with works of this kind-works highly useful in themselves, and subserving manifold important purposes of a moral and religious nature. We greatly need such expositors of physical science as Dr. Moore, and beg to thank him for his very useful and interesting volume. There is yet room for more such specimens of the Abercrombie school.