of a bull, they have only a piece of sentimental arithmetic, founded It is also contended that, if incongruity of ideas be evinced in the discourse of the Irish, they display much ready wit, metaphor, and eloquence. Ask an Irish gossoon (garçon, boy) to go early in the morning on an errand, he will not coldly say, as an Englishman in a civil humour might, "Yes, master, I will be up by times," but he will answer poctically, "I'll be off at the flight of night." The following story is told as an instance of acuteness and ready wit: 'When General V. was quartered in a small town in Ireland, he and his lady were regularly besieged, whenever they got into their carriage, by an old beggarwoman, who kept her post at the door, assailing them daily with fresh importunities and fresh tales of distress. At last the lady's charity, and the General's patience, were nearly exhausted, but their petitioner's wit was still in its pristine vigour. One morning, at the accustomed hour, when the lady was getting into her carriage, the old woman began-" Agh! my lady; success to your ladyship, and success to your honour's honour, this morning, of all days in the year; for sure didn't I dream last night, that her ladyship gave me a pound of ta, and that your honour gave me a pound of tobacco?" "But, my good woman," said the General, " do not you know, that dreams always go by the rule of contrary?" "Do they so, plase your honour," rejoined the old woman. "Then it must be your honour that will give me the ta, and her ladyship that will give me the tobacco." The General being of Sterne's opinion, that a bon mot is always worth something, even more than a pinch of snuff, gave the ingenious dreamer the value of her dream.' That the genius of the Irish has not secured them from bull-making, they themselves are aware; and, being a goodhumoured people, they are ready to laugh at their own blunders: yet it may be asserted (to shew the adroitness of reviewers in this kind of manufacture) that true Irish bulls will be often made in England, since absurd misapprehension is not the exclusive property of either island. ART. III. A Harmony of the Epistles of the Holy Apostles, to which is added, A Summary of the Entire. By the Rev. Peter Roberts, M. A. 4to. pp. 558. 16s. Boards. Cadell and Davies. WE JE have been somewhat perplexed in determining on the proper method of presenting an account of this volume to the public. It was our intention to insert the chief part of the Mo-y. the author's preface, that he might thus speak for himself: but we found that this would lead us into a degree of prolixity which our pages would not well admit. We content ourselves, therefore, with what may be considered, perhaps, as a slighter and more general view, though to us it will prove more labo rious. In its present application, the meaning of the word Harmony is somewhat different from that in which it is used concerning the four Gospels. Respecting them, it is well known to signify an attempt to reconcile the diversity, or apparent inconsist encies, respecting time and order, which may present themselves in the historic narrations: but, in this sense it is not to be considered when applied to letters sent to different Christian societies; their chronology, as to the time in which each was written, is tolerably well settled; and as to the succession of events, they occasion but little difficulty. Mr. Roberts tells us, nevertheless, that 'a harmony of the latter was first suggested to him by reading the Harmony of the four Gospels by the late Primate of Ireland.' No doubt, however, he perceives the dissimilitude in the two subjects, though no such specification appears. His aim is to shew the consistency of these writings. in point of sentiment and opinion; or, in his own words, to dispose the ideas of the Apostles in their own language so as to form a system;' intending by system, we conclude, such as may be supposed to have a divine authority. We do not see reason, on the whole, to pronounce that the author inclines to establish a particular mode of faith, any farther than it is authorized, as he thinks, by the Scriptures; he rather wishes, we apprehend, to deduce all fairly from them; though it has sometimes occurred to us that he might incline to the party which Dr. Horne and some others espoused. On disputed points (he says) I have endeavoured to present together whatever has been urged on both sides, save where they make distinct subjects, as the divinity and humanity of our Saviour, and there each is as fully collated as possible by itself. Mr. Roberts persuades himself that he pursues a new method: but, however it may differ in point of form, attempts somewhat similar have not unfrequently been made; not confined indeed to the Epistles, but comprehending the New Testament, or more largely the Scriptures in general. We may mention Gastrell's Institutes, with other books of that kind, and particularly Paley's Hora Paulina*. They, indeed, may seem to come prepared with a scheme and method according to which the texts should be classed; and so far, pos * See Rev, N. S. vol. iv. p. 376. sibly, this author's manner may excell, as bringing together in one view the very words employed, that thence each reader may form deductions and conclusions for himself. Some of them may be disposed to ask, Are these writers at variance one with the other? Or does the same writer contradict in one letter that which he has asserted in another? This the attentive and candid inquirer will hardly be disposed to apprehend. However, with the design which we have mentioned, our present author selects, or, as he terms it, collates some texts, principally from the Romans and Hebrews, not neglecting the other epistles, and places them in his first column; and in the second, he presents all the other passages which answer to them, or treat on the same subject. This portion of the volume, forming more than half of its pages, has the four divisions of prefatory, doctrinal, practical, and conclusive; which last consists of miscellaneous observations, salutations, &c. Here also we find those brief hints which may convey some, though an imperfect idea of the travels of the writers; and in the margin is added what Mr. R. conceives to be the date of the year intended. This first part is styled a collation, employing the term in a sense different from that in which it is commonly applied concerning manuscripts, versions, and their various readings. The marginal notes, here properly inserted, he tells us, form an addition, which would assist to carry on the subject, and make the dependence of part on part, and the connection of the entire more perceptible, and be at the same time of use to guide the eye to the several heads. They form a kind of skeleton of the entire, which may be easily comprehended.' We next find a Summary of the doctrine of the epistles compiled from the preceding harmony,' or collection, in which the whole of what is written on the different subjects is placed together in the words of the writers, according to our English translation: but with some variations, which are distinguished by italics. We might produce instances, from which it would appear that they are pertinent and useful. I thought myself at liberty (Mr. R. observes) to change the expression, whereever the original (meaning, though surely improper, our common English version) is obsolete or obscure: it is a liberty I have taken but sparingly, and have endeavoured to preserve the idiom of the vulgar translation, which has an elegant simplicity and a peculiar ease and harmony of expression, that, even with its few faults, has never been equalled.'-In what he farther says on this subject, however just in a degree, there is some danger: this method of reasoning from attachment to old forms and words may prove too much, and might, as it REY. MARCH, 1803. has R has been, be employed against any just and desirable reformation and improvement. The next and last division includes The Notes, which occupy many pages, and constitute, in our estimation, the best and most valuable part of the volume; since it is here that Mr. Roberts appears to us principally to discover learning, acuteness, and ability. Of these notes, some are extended to a considerable length; as particularly on texts relative to the doctrine of the Trinity, which the author sedulously maintains. He criticizes disputable passages in the epistle to the Philippians, but believes the famous text, 1 John, v. 7. of no authority, and has therefore printed it in italics.' The note on prescience, predestination, necessity, &c. is also among those of some extent. Mr. R. appears to consider the subject with attention, and offers just remarks; inclining, we conceive, to the freedom of human choice and action. Some little judg ment may be formed from the translation (rather paraphrastical) of "Rom. viii. 29. For those whom God foreknew that they would love him, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, &c." Others of these notes sometimes contain, besides criticisms and explications, useful practical observations and reflections; which manifest the writer's desire to contribute to real improvement. We now proceed to lay before our readers some passages from Mr. Roberts's notes, from which they may form their own judgment. We do not present the criticisms as being always new but, when they are not so, they may serve to confirm and illustrate what has been already offered to notice. Locke, Benson, and Taylor, appear often among the commentators to whom this writer seems to allot a principal regard, although he does not always conour in their opi nion. 2 Pet. i. 3. Aià dóğns xal άgetñs. To glory and virtue. The sense here necessarily requires not to, but by glory and virtue; that is by the glorification of Christ and his power to save. Dr. Benson, for the word virtue, substitutes might; but there is no need of the change; for virtue is used as here interpreted in Luke, viii. 46. "For I perceive that virtue is gone out of me." It is even a better expression, as it signifies not only power, but a beneficent application of it.' * 2 Pet. i. 4. Oslas xolvwvol quoews. Partakers of the divine natures or, partakers of a divine nature; that is of a glorious immortality, the great attribute of divinity.' * It may be remarked that the word in Luke is δύναμιν, ποὺ ἀρετην, but this diminishes nothing from the propriety or strength of the writer's argument. 62 Cor. 2 Cor. xii. 1. Teírou gave. The third heaven. Qu'est ce qu'un troisième ciel? (Voltaire, Dict. Phil.) What is a third heaven? Ans. It is a very simple expression for the residence of the Supreme Being; the first heaven being that of the clouds, and the second of the heavenly bodies.-When Voltaire made this objection, he did, as is usual with him when speaking of Scripture, make a seeming ab surdity, and pass over a real excellence, and strong argument of St. Paul's veracity;-I mean the manner in which he speaks of that heaven to which he was raised. No ideas he had before the, vision, were sufficiently like those he received in it. The heaven of Mahomet, of the Heathens, is made up of human ideas, of worldly enjoyment, that at once betray their origin; and had St. Paul no proofs of a revelation by miracles, he would have found his converts very little satisfied with his description of heaven, though it is the only one which will bear a strict examination. Voltaire has also overlooked the very great delicacy with which the apostle speaks of himself in the third person.' Heb. ix. 1. Korxos. Not worldly, as it is translated in the English; but richly adorned, as a representation or type of the glories of the sanctuary in the heavens. This interpretation gives what follows the natural connection with this verse.-The difficulties the commentators, who, I believe, unanimously support the other sense, are put to, may justify my translating the word in its most natural signification.' Heb. ix. 25-28. The church of Rome declares, that the sacrifice of the Mass is a propitiatory sacrifice. "Docet sancta synodus eacrificium illud vere propitiatorium esse;" Conc. Trid. Sess. 22. c. 2. which contradicts directly the whole of St. Paul's argument. The apostle says, that the very circumstance, in which the oblation of Christ differed from the sacrifices of the Jews, was, that the latter were offered repeatedly, the former was once only, and once for all." Heb. xii. 18. Inawμivw. The mountain that might be touched. This word should most indubitably be written anλapwμew, that might not be touched, for in Exod. xix. 12. we find that the mountain was not to be touched on pain of death, and as the other parts of the description answer precisely to that of mount Sinai, it is evident this ought, which by the slight change 1 have made, does so perfectly.' Some persons have pleaded for inserting & before the word; perhaps the above alteration is better and more probable. Rom. x. 9. The belief in Christ's resurrection is here said to be a title to salvation: Why?-Because it is the belief of a future state by the proof in his own person; and a belief, which, when truly such, refers our conduct to that state, and makes it the object and end of our actions. It is a belief of the reward of good and punishment of bad actions according to his gospel; and which, becoming a principle in our hearts, determines us to rectitude, and herein is its superior value.' In answer to the question, Rom. vii. 24. Who shall deliver me, &c. Mr. Roberts renders the beginning of the next verse, The R 2 |