FAIRBAIRN'S HERMENEUTICAL MANUAL.*-From Messrs. Smith, English & Co. we have received a copy of this Hermeneutical Manual, which seems in most respects to be well adapted to the end for which it was written. It consists of three parts. Part First discusses facts and principles bearing on the language and interpretation of New Testament Scripture. Part Second presents dissertations on particular subjects connected with the exegesis of New Testament Scripture. Part Third treats of the use made of Old Testament Scripture in the writings of the New Testament.

Under Part I are discussed The original language of the New Testament-The characteristics of New Testament Greek-Collateral sources for determining the sense and explaining the peculiarities of New Testament Scripture-General Rules and Principles to be followed in the interpretation of particular Words and Passages-False and True Accommodation-The Analogy of Faith-A more exact definition of the relation of the Old to the New Dispensation-The tropical parts of the New Testament-The parables of Christ-Parallelism, as bearing on the structure and interpretation of the New Testament.

Part II gives Dissertations on The two Genealogies of Christ-The designations and doctrine of Angels-The Names of Christ in New Testament Scripture-Use of certain terms, as Antichrist, &c.—Terms relating to Baptism-Import and use of Hades-Import and use of dia-Import of terms describing moral renovation and its resultsOn the use of rapaσxsun and marxa, in St. John's Gospel.

Part III treats of The Quotations from the Old Testament in the New-The manner of their citation-The same Quotations considered in respect to the mode of application. The Appendix discusses the historical circumstances that led to the birth of Christ in Bethlehem.

It will be seen from this conspectus of the subjects treated, that this volume is more than its title promises-inasmuch as besides serving as an introduction to exegetical studies, it contains special discussions of sundry important topics relating to the interpretation of the New Testament. An Hermeneutical Manual is greatly needed by the Theological student at the beginning of his studies, to open before him in a general view the new field on which he enters, and to clearly display the

*Hermeneutical Manual: or, Introduction to the Exegetical study of the Scriptures of the New Testament. By PATRICK FAIRBAIRN, D. D., Principal and Professor of Divinity in the Free Church College, Glasgow, &c., &c. Philadel phia: Smith, English & Co. 1859. 8vo. pp. 526. 51

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questions which are to be discussed. There is no one book of the kind which is at once sufficiently comprehensive and brief. We do not think all the topics treated in this volume appropriate to its object, and we dare say we should not accept some of the opinions defended, but it seems to us, as a whole, to be a useful and much-needed treatise, especially adapted to the English student and reader.

THE ANNOTATED PARAGRAPH BIBLE.*-This excellent publication of the (London) Religious Tract Society has met with a very favorable reception in England, and will, without doubt, have an extensive circulation in this country, now that it is made accessible to the public by the enterprising publishers, under the direction of the Spingler Institute. The leading feature of the work is indicated by its title, Paragraph Bible. The text is divided, not into chapters and verses, but into paragraphs, longer or shorter, as the sense requires. It is surprising that the old division into chapter and verse has been borne with so long. It is easy to predict that the new fashion will prevail. The exhibition of the Parallelism to the eye is a very great improvement. It adds a new interest to the poetic portions of the Bible. The proem and conclusion of Job are set in contrast to the rest of the book, as they should be. The Book of Proverbs arranged in this way is beautiful. The shorter annotations are select, judicious, pertinent, embracing for the most part only what all candid critics would be obliged to admit. The sifting or culling out of the marginal references has given a freshness and increasing value to those which are retained. The prefaces appear to be newly written; the headings are judicious; and the maps, tables, and essays, scattered through the work, are a valuable addition. Among the maps is an excellent Physical map of Palestine and the adjacent countries.

THE CHRISTIAN GRACES.t-A book admirably fitted to be placed in the hands of any who have recently entered upon a Christian life. Its aim is to furnish a full and clear exposition of the directions of the

* The Annotated Paragraph Bible, containing the Old and New Testament, according to the authorized Version, arranged in Paragraphs and Parallelisms; with explanatory notes, &c. The Old Testament. London: the Religious Tract Society. New York: Published for the Spingler Institute, by Sheldon & Co. 1859.

The Christian Graces. A series of Lectures on 2 Peter i, 5-12. By JOSEPH P. THOMPSON, Pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle Church. New York: Sheldon & Co. 12mo. 1859. pp. 280. Price 75 cts. For sale by F. T. Jarman.

Apostle, which he gives (2 Peter i, 5-12) to those who have already taken the first step and are possessed of "faith." "Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity." This is the circle of graces which the Christian convert is to aim to attain, and with which, when attained, he shall be "neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The peculiar excellencies of this book are the clearness with which the nature of these different graces is set forth, and the vivacity and warmth which pervade its pages throughout. The first chapter affords a good illustration of what we mean. The text is," Add to your faith, virtue." The exact meaning of the "grace" here specified is brought out so that even a child will understand that it is "manliness, manly vigor, a courageous tone of mind," that is needed; although all will feel a difficulty in finding any one English word which will exactly express the idea, till relieved at once by the following passage:

"The one word which comes nearest to it, while it has the abundant sanction of good English writers, is hardly domesticated in the pulpit; yet both the word and the thing were strikingly expressed by an honored foreign missionary when urging upon the American Board the immediate and thorough occupation of Turkey, with men and means for the service of Christ. Said Dr. Schauffler, 'after all the discouragements and disasters of the Crimean campaign, official mismanagement, army jealousies, camp sickness, and the discomforts of winter, the soldiers held on and took Sebastopol not by science but by pluck—and what we need is Christian pluck to take possession of Turkey in the name of Christ.''

The author then proceeds to show exactly what this "manhood" is, and illustrates his meaning by references to Washington, to Luther, and to Savonarola, so pertinently and with such stirring enthusiasm as cannot fail to affect every earnest mind.

SPURGEON'S SERMONS. FIFTH SERIES.*—Another volume of Sermons by Rev. Mr. Spurgeon has issued from the press of Messrs. Sheldon & Co., who are specially authorized by him to publish his works in this country. It is Mr. Spurgeon's expressed request that no parties shall infringe the contract he has made with his American publisher. The accounts which we receive of the immense number of copies sold of the

* Sermons. By the Rev. C. H. SPURGEON. Fifth series. New York: Sheldon & Co. 1859. 12mo. pp. 454. For sale by F. T. Jarman. Price, $1.

four preceding series show that this popular preacher still retains his hold upon the people.

We have already expressed our views respecting Mr. Spurgeon in a previous number. We give here a short extract from an account, written lately by Rev. H. M. Field, of the impression made upon him by hearing one of his sermons.

"I rank Mr. Spurgeon very highly among the living men of his country. Sometimes I hear a fling at him that he is a coarse, vulgar man, and that he is puffed up with conceit. Perhaps he is vain of his popularity. I can only say that I did not discover it in his public preaching, nor in his private conversation. As to his low breeding, certainly he has not an aristocratic air. As he bas sprung out of the ground, he shows plain marks of his origin. He is of the earth, earthy. But that very fact may give him half his power. His thoughts and language are racy of the soil, and thus he is fitted to be what he is—not a fashionable preacher, but a real tribune of the people, swaying the hearts of thousands of men."

In a notice of Mr. Field's new book of travels, (Summer Pictures, p. 806), we have referred again at greater length to his impressions with regard to this pulpit celebrity.

THEODORE PARKER'S EXPERIENCE AS A MINISTER.*-Rufus Leighton, Jr., of Boston, publishes Theodore Parker's experience as a minister, in a book which we cannot advise our readers to buy, although it contains matter for much profitable reflection. It is a saddening book to be written in the year of grace, 1859, and to be addressed to a Congregational Society in Boston. Mr. Parker's personal history, as recorded in it, is not without interest. His personal peculiarities

are all exhibited with his usual naiveté, freshness and genius. But his opinions and the reasons for them are none the less a mystery to us when we lay down the book, than when we took it up. What he means by the Absolute Religion, more than Tindal and Herbert, and Paine, who would each say they believed, we cannot divine; nor do we find the shadow of an argument which justifies him in rejecting the supernatural origin of Christ and the Christian revelation. Mr. Parker stands alone for his breadth of reading, his manifold sympathies, his impetuous recklessness, his sublime self-confidence, and the rare com

Theodore Parker's Experience as a Minister, with some account of his early life and education for the ministry; contained in a letter from him to the members of the Twenty-Eighth Congregational Society of Boston. Boston: Rufus Leighton, Jr. 1859. 12mo. pp. 182.

mand which he holds of the English tongue, by which he rivals Cobbett and Emmerson, each in their line, or rather blends the excellencies of both in one. He seems also to unite in himself the faults of the two, whenever he is required to weigh evidence, to judge of an argument, or to distinguish truth from falsehood. We can easily see how his biting satire should attract thousands to his pulpit, of the motley myriads in Boston and vicinity, who suffer from superfluity of brain and defect of reverent love, but we cannot so well understand how his admiring followers should find in his teachings, opinions and principles distinct and well-grounded enough to satisfy their judgment.

DR. BUSHNELL'S "PARTING WORDS." *-The "Parting words. Dr. Bushnell stand in striking contrast with the Letter of Theodore Parker. Dr. Bushnell has genius equal to the latter, and has not been inferior to him in pastoral or literary enterprise. But how different is the spirit in which he reviews his pastorate of more than twenty-six years? How different the view which he takes of himself-of the gospel which he has preached-of the effect which it was designed to accomplish, and the character which it is fitted to form? We should like to see the two stitched together, and sent between the same covers all over the country. We give a single extract.

"In the matter of Christian truth and doctrine, understand that your responsibilities are as great as the sacred interests of a gospel for the world's salvation require them to be. Hitherto you have been mainly concerned to assert a larger liberty and a more generous, more comprehensive, doctrine. But the time may come, as I may not have sufficiently warned you, when you will be called to set yourselves, with as great firmness, against the encroachments of a destructive and vapid liberalism. Offer no least allowance to any real departure from truth. Standing for no one form or formulary as a law by which to measure and condemn all others, have it as a point of honor, even, squarely to reject as Christian, whoever really rejects the Christ in whom you trust. Assert, above all, and stand by the assertion of, a supernatural gospel; for there is, in fact, no other, and whoever scorns or only disowns such a gospel, let him be to you as a heathen man and a publican,-deist, pantheist, atheist, or pagan, but no Christian. Studying always breadth of doctrine, which is the manner of God's word itself, make that study safe, by presenting a front of rock to all the prurient forms of error that human shallowness and conceit may gender, under the pretext of liberty. There is a kind of breadth that would make you a superficies only and no substancethat is not for you." pp. 17, 18.

* Parting Words. A Discourse delivered in the North Church, Hartford, July 3d, 1859. By HORACE BUSHNELL. Hartford: Published by L. H. Hunt. 1859. 12mo. pp. 25.