THEOLOGY AND SERSIONS.—Books of this class continue to be pub-
lished in such numbers that it is impossible to give them anything like adequate treatment. From Messrs. T. and T. Clark, to whom theological students certainly owe more than they do to any other publisher, we have received the History of the Sacred Scriptures of the New Testament, by Professor Reuss, translated from the fifth revised and enlarged German edition, by Edward L. Houghton, M.A. Pro- fessor Reuss treats his subject with a freedom that English theologians are only beginning to exercise. He agrees with the recent current of criticism in assigning a very high value to the Gospel of St. Mark. The Gospel of St. Lake he is inclined, as we understand him, to place late in the first century, certainly after the destruction of Jerusalem. The Second Epistle of Peter he barely mentions; that to the Hebrews he is inclined to attribute to Apollos. But we cannot attempt to epitomise his views, and mast content ourselves with the heartiest appreciation of his learning and candour. English theology is not sufficiently recognised by him. A better and more accurate index would have greatly increased the usefulness of the work.—In Messrs. Clark's " Foreign Theological Library," we have Orelli's Old Testament Prophecy, translated by the Rev. J. S. Banks. Professor Orelli's object is to place the student of prophecy at the Old Testa- ment standpoint, to show him what it was intended to mean to the hearers to whom it was first addressed. And this he does without failing to do also " ample justice to the Christian falfilment."— Another book belonging to the same series is The Encyclopedia of Theology, by Dr. J. F. Riidiger, translated, with additions to the History and Literature, by the Rev. John Macpherson. Vol. II.—This com- pletes the work giving what the author calls " the special part of theologic," divided into four parts, Evangelical, Historical, Systematic, and Practical.—Dr. Joseph Parker continues his work, which is mainly homiletic, The People's Bible : Discourses upon Holy Scripture (Hazell, Watson, and Viney). He deals in this volume (the second) with the Book of Exodus.—The object of an Introduction to the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, by A. H. Sayce, M.A. (Religions Tract Society), explains itself. Professor Sayce brings to bear upon his subject his own researches, especially, as he tells as in his Preface, recent discoveries of the inscriptions of Cyrus. Cyrus, it seems, was an Elamite and a polytheist. This somewhat lowers the common conception of him ; but, as Professor Sayce says, it does not affect what we may call his providential position. He was a Divine instrument, we may well believe ; but his sending back the Jews to their own country was as much an act of deliberate policy as their removal by the Assyrian and Babylonian kings had been. He did not care to have a disaffected people in his country, whereas, restored to their own, they might, and in their gratitude probably would, serve him. The student will probably find much that is new and interesting to him ; among other things the chronology of Ezra and Nehemiah, which is not a little puzzled, settled on what seems a satisfactory basis. As to the book of Esther, Professor Sayce has no hesitation in identifying Ahasuerus with Xerxes, though he places the actual composition of the book late in the fifth century.—A Com- mentary on. the First Epistle to the Corinthians, by Thomas Charles Edwards (Hamilton, Adams, and Co.), is a laborious work, in which the student will find the opinions of the numerous commentators who have worked out the epistle, analysed and compared, not without contributions of the author's own. It is hazardous to say that any view is absolutely novel, but it will certainly be new to many to find xv., 8, " and last of all to me also," interpreted to mean that " St. Paul intended to intimate that he still is and will be the last on earth to see the risen Lord." " Was seen " (48o)), as Dr. Edwards points out, must mean bodily sight. Of the text, "if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable," he takes the higher view, on which Mr. Maurice was wont to insist vehemently. The Christian is most miserable, not because he is exposed to danger and death, but because " his vast hopes are doomed to the bitterest disappointment." In the famous difficulty, 6 13corrLOpevot inrip Tab, vszpav, he rejects all the metaphysical interpretations of Scurrtcoaevos and the literal interpretation of inrep (adopted on Luther's suggestion), " those who are baptised over the tombs of the martyrs." He takes it to mean vicarious baptism, and remarks with force that it is quite in keeping with the Apostle's magnanimity and breadth to tolerate the doctrine of the opus operatum and its ceremonial consequences. It may seem absurd to us, but we can hardly estimate the mental attitude of a recent convert from Paganism.—What Set Him Right. By the Author of "The Recreations of a Country Parson." (Isbister and Co.)—As far as the title of his volume is concerned, the author is like the " worthy minister" of whom he speaks in one of his dis- courses "as trying to pass off a sermon as something else." Who would not think that " What Set Him Right " was the title of a didactic story ? If any one should be thus entrapped, so to speak, into reading what he might otherwise avoid, he will not be angry at the pions fraud, if we may so call it. The volume is a volume of sermons; but they are very good specimens of their kind, which is neither, as the "Country Parson's" readers know, the profoundly doctrinal nor the fervently eloquent, but kindly, wise, and practical. The author stands in a position of detachment from his ecclesiastical surroundings, which he does not scruple to criticise freely, but this does not hinder him from being in genuine sympathy with the human life about him. This sympathy shows itself in some characteristic and valuable utterances. None of the " Country Parson's " late pub- lications have pleased us better than this. Perhaps the most striking discourse is the last, " A Young Man : his Home and Friends."— From Calvary to Olivet. By the Rev. C. Stanford, D.D. (Religious Tract Society.)—This volume of sermons is a sequel to another published by the author some little time ago, " Voices from Calvary." The discourses, sixteen in number, relate to the various incidents of the time between the Crucifixion and the Ascension. The discourses mingle together the exegetic and homiletic to good effect. Dr. Stanford, too, has no little power of picturesque and striking description, and he puts his arguments with force. To name one discourse, we should say that the one entitled, "Appearance to the Second Company," is a good specimen of his manner. But he goes, it seems to us, too far in some of the things that he says about the constitution of the company. In one sense, it may be true that " there was no division between clerical and lay." On the other hand, the distinction between apostles and non-apostles was marked ; if not why the election into the vacancy, an election "controlled by the definite condition that the candidates must have companied with us from the beginning " ? It is, again, scarcely correct to say that "all the commentators cry out against the super- stition that would say Christ came into the house without opening the door." We turn to the first commentator at hand, Dean Alford. "The circumstance of the doors being shut is mentioned here and in verse 26 to indicate what sort of appearances there were. Soddenly—unaccounted for by any approach—the Lord rendered himself visible to his disciples." The fact is, that the view which Dr. Stanford seems to claim as his own, as against all the commentators, is held, we should imagine, by all who accept the doctrine of the Resurrection.—My Sermon Notes. By C. H. Spurgeon. Old Testament Series.—I.-CXXIX. (Paesmore and Alabaster.)—Few popular preachers have ever stood the test of having their sermons read so well as Mr. Spurgeon. It is evident that the great oratorical gifts which he undoubtedly possesses are accompanied by solid powers of thought, by imagination, and by humour, and this has been proved by the publication of a vast body of homiletical matter. Here we have it stripped of all rhetorical ornament, yet of evident value. There is naturally mach in this volume that does not commend itself to our judgment, much that does not please our taste ; still the " bewildered industry " which Mr. Spurgeon professes in his preface to help might do well to avail itself of these "Notes."—The Revelation of the Seven Words from the Cross. By the Rev. J. II. Lester, M.A. (Skeffington and Son.)— These discourses, nine in number, are good specimens of the class to which they belong, of rhetorical (we use the word in an entirely favourable sense,—sermons ought to be rhetorical) appeals to the conscience and belief of a congregation. Very effective appeals we should suppose them to be.—The Fashion of Jesus, by S. Baring Gould, M.A. (Skeffiogton), contains seven discourses delivered on much the same occasions as that which called forth those last mentioned. The element of thought, often subtle and original, here predominates. The author, too, is often happy in illustration and explanation. At the same time, he is not wanting in the power of making effective practical application.—We have also received Spiritual Light and Life. By Henry Varley, B.A. (W. B. Whitting- ham and Co.)—Sermons Preached on Various Occasions. By the Rev. Professor Marks. Second and Third Series. (Triibner and Co.) —A considerable portion of Professor Marks's preaching is devoted to anti-Christian polemic ; and we gladly bear testimony to the modera- tion with which he conducts controversy.—Pastoral Theology of the New Testament, by the late J. T. Beck, D.D., translated from the German by Rev. James A. M'Clymont, B.D., and Rev. Thomas Nicol, B.D. (T. and T. Clark), is an interesting exposition of the teadiing of Scripture on the subject of the pastoral office. The same subject, in its and in a treatise which descends to the particulars and details, some. times very minute, but not the less important, of the clergyman's work in the parson's round of parish. Duty in Town and Country, by the Rev. W. Holt Beevor, M.A. (Elliot Stock.)
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