so interesting? The same thing-novelty: the constant discovery of new beauties in literature-of new marvels in science. Now, the works of God are full of wonder. Every grain of sand, every drop of dew, contains, within its tiny circumference, the wonders of a miniature world. But the The word of God is more wonderful than the works of God. Bible is at once the most venerable and most vital of books. It is a depository of truth, from which may be brought forth things both " new and old." "Open Thou mine eyes, that "I may behold wondrous things," &c. "O the depth of the riches of God," &c. 66 "Thy cross, Thy cradle, and Thy throne, Thirdly: He enjoys the pleasure of profit. Profit! How delightful is profit to the merchant!-to the tradesman ! But profit in wisdom is better than profit in wealth. Profit in goodness is better than profit in gold. III. THE GOOD MAN'S PROSPERITY. This prosperity includes three things:-First: Stability of religious principle. "He shall be like a tree planted," &c. "The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff," &c. Secondly: A fair and fruitful profession of Christianity. "He shall be like a tree,... that bringeth forth fruit in his season," &c. Thirdly: Uniform success in general undertakings. "Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." JOHN SPENCER HILL. SUBJECT:-Christ in Relation to Two Classes. "It is I; I am he," &c.-John vi. 20; xviii. 6. Analysis of Homily the Hundred and Ninety-fourth. THESE words were spoken by Jesus, under two different circumstances, to different sorts of characters, and with very different effect. (Examine the respective contexts.) From them we infer : I. THAT JESUS WAS GREATER THAN A MAN. His omniscience and omnipotence, in particular, are very distinctly manifested on both occasions—on the sea, and in Gethsemane. Without controversy, "God was manifest in the flesh!" We infer : II. THAT CHRIST'S FRIENDS AND FOES ARE SOMETIMES BROUGHT INTO CONSCIOUS CONTACT WITH HIM WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECT IT. When He approached the ship in the storm, His disciples were sore afraid, and thought, as He walked upon the waves, He was a ghost. Little did they think that deliverance and their Saviour were so near. And the officers who came to take Him from the garden, were far from imagining that it was to Him they spoke, when they said it was Jesus of Nazareth they sought. It was with astonishment and confusion they heard Him calmly declare, "I am He!" We infer III. THAT THE RECOGNITION OF CHRIST PRODUCES A VERY DIFFERENT EFFECT UPON HIS DISCIPLES FROM WHAT IT DOES UPON HIS ENEMIES. The disciples, on the sea-in the storm, and in the dark-were full of fear at seeing Him approach; but as soon as they heard Him say, "It is I," they received Him gladly into the ship. To the others, when He said, "I am He," they went backward, and fell to the ground! Jesus Christ is still the same-yesterday, today, and for ever! He has disciples and enemies still in the world. He is now, and always, able and willing to protect and save those that are His; and will surely, sooner or later, make Himself known to all. Then His people shall shout for joy, but His enemies will be clothed with shame and eternal confusion! E. T. D. [WE hold it to be the duty of an Editor either to give an early notice of the books sent to him for remark, or to return them at once to the Publisher. unjust to praise worthless books; it is robbery to retain unnoticed ones.] It is THE REVIEWER'S CANON. In every work regard the Author's end, Since none can compass more than they intend. A CHAPTER ON LITURGIES. HISTORICAL SKETCHES. By the Rev. CHARLES BAIRD, (New York. U.S.) With an Introductory Preface, and an Appendix, touching the Question: Are Dissenters to have a Liturgy? By the Rev. THOMAS BINNEY. London: Knight and Son, Clerkenwell. THIS is a work on a subject in which we feel a deep and growing interest-an interest in which we rejoice to find hundreds of Nonconformist ministers most heartily participate. We have so much fervid sentiment on the subject of this volume, that to write a tolerably lengthened article would be a real relief. But we have no space. Sentiment must yet smoulder on; there is no room for flame. An extract from Mr. Binney's preface will serve at once to give a fair representation of the character of the work, and a wholesome reproof to the prejudiced ANTI-LITURGISTS amongst the Nonconformists, and the self-complacent PRO-LITURGISTS in the Episcopalian Church. "There are those who will be interested in the author's statements respecting the English Book of Common Prayer, and the proofs he adduces of its owing something to foreign Presbyterian influence. The modern Anglican party is greatly scandalized by this; but, as the fact cannot be disputed, all that remains is to acknowledge or confess it with becoming humiliation, and to lament and deplore it as a Divine judgment. Some expounders of the rationale of the Prayer Book, see in the commencement of their service a beautiful propriety and a deep meaning. The Scripture sentences,-the call to Confession, the Confession itself that follows upon this,-then the Absolution, and then-thus penitent, believing, pardoned—the entering, as it were, into the holiest of all, freely approaching the Divine Majesty through Christ, and in his words,-and so on to all the high, spiritual utterances that follow, and which could not consistently come without the previous preparatory process of confession and forgiveness ;—all this appears to some Churchmen so scriptural, so beautiful, that it is the theme of their especial praise. But for all this, the English Prayer Book is indebted to Presbyterians." The English Prayer Book indebted to Presbyterians! What a humiliating fact! The appendix to the work, written by Mr. Binney, is a Dialogue on the BIBLICAL LITURGY, now used on Sabbath evenings in Stockwell Chapel. Of the Biblical Liturgy Mr. Binney says:-"The work appears to me to do great credit to the compiler. It shows immense industry in selecting the Scripture passages, great skill in their arrangement and combination, and a fine sense of the true and the beautiful, in bringing out the aspects and uses of the one truth contemplated in each service, and in providing appropriate, answering, utterances of the soul, as affected by the divine idea." But he discovers in it "two or three practical errors." One is, that "the minister has occasionally too much to read at once ;" another is, that he does not give any reason why the people "should rise at the particular time they are directed to do so;" and the other is, that "it has much more the character of instruction than worship." Now, it is simple justice to the compiler of the "BIBLICAL LITURGY" to say, in relation to the practical errors which Mr. Binney has discovered :-(1.) That the compiler himself discovered these, and other "practical errors," which Mr. Binney seems to have overlooked, the very first Sabbath it was put into operation. Indeed it was almost impossible to have discovered them until the PERFORMANCE; we use the word for want of a better. The musical composer must hear all the parts taken up, and sounded out, before he can rightly judge of his production. We question whether Mr. Binney himself would have detected these "practical errors," had he not been one of the congregation who had to join in the services. (2.) The compiler has obviated all these, and other "practical errors," in the Second Edition, which will shortly appear; and (3) The compiler himself pointed out these very "practical errors" to Mr. Binney, before he published this Dialogue, and told him that, in the Second Edition, which was in course of preparation, they would he all met, and removed. The compiler, therefore, of the "Biblical Liturgy” was not a little astonished to find that Mr. Binney, in his book, points out these "practical errors," without the slightest allusion to the fact that the compiler had mentioned them to him, with the assurance that, in the Second Edition, they would be entirely removed. Had some men served us thus, we should have denounced their conduct as disingenuous, ungenerous, and dishonest. But, in all sincerity, we hold such qualities as essentially foreign to the make, spirit, and history, of Mr. Binney :-it is one of those inadvertencies of which intellect, in its abstract moods and realms, is often guilty. We [WE hold it to be the duty of an Editor either to give an early notice of the books sent to him for remark, or to return them at once to the Publisher. It is unjust to praise worthless books; it is robbery to retain unnoticed ones.] THE REVIEWER'S CANON. In every work regard the Author's end, A CHAPTER ON LITURGIES. HISTORICAL SKETCHES. By the Rev. CHARLES BAIRD, (New York. U.S.) With an Introductory Preface, and an Appendix, touching the Question: Are Dissenters to have a Liturgy? By the Rev. THOMAS BINNEY. London: Knight and Son, Clerkenwell. THIS is a work on a subject in which we feel a deep and growing interest-an interest in which we rejoice to find hundreds of Nonconformist ministers most heartily participate. We have so much fervid sentiment on the subject of this volume, that to write a tolerably lengthened article would be a real relief. But we have no space. Sentiment must yet smoulder on; there is no room for flame. An extract from Mr. Binney's preface will serve at once to give a fair representation of the character of the work, and a wholesome reproof to the prejudiced ANTI-LITURGISTS amongst the Nonconformists, and the self-complacent PRO-LITURGISTS in the Episcopalian Church. "There are those who will be interested in the author's statements respecting the English Book of Common Prayer, and the adduces of its owing something to foreign Precht The modern Anglican party is greatly the fact cannot be disputed. " confess it with becoming a Divine judgment. Book, see in the com and a deep mean sion, the Co tion, and th it were, into through Ch utterances the previo |