present circuit, he was accompanied by Silas, c. xv. 40. and Timothy, xvi. 3. and perhaps other brethren. • At Troas, if not before, he was joined by St. Luke. With these he travelled to Thessalonica; then Paul and Silas went to Borea, and xvii. 14. Paul proceeded alone to Athens. Now this epistle is written in the name of St. Paul, “ and of all the brethren," Gal. i. 1, 2. They must have all been known to the Galatians, and the same who attended him in Galatia, or he would have more fully described them. The epistle was written therefore before he left Thessalonica. Also in c. i. 6. "He marvels, that they are so soon removed from his gospel." It was therefore written early. Further, Asia then swarmed with zealots for the Levitical law, Acts, xv. I. The misleading of the Galatians, then, suits this, rather than a later period. Again, relating in ch. i. and ii. his life from his conversion to the council at Jerusalem, and return to Antioch, he there breaks off his narrative. Hence nothing of moment afterwards intervened till he wrote. Lastly, St. Paul mentions, that he had not obliged Titus to be circumcised; which he would the sooner mention at this period, as they must remember, he had so lately caused Timothy to submit to that rite, Acts, xvi. 3. and his adversaries might make it an argument for retaining the law of Moses. These disturbers of the Galatian converts were Jews of the New Pharisaic sect founded by Judas Galilæus, in various points differing from the ancient Pharisees. The Apostle speaks of them also in the Epistle to the Philippians, c. i. 16. iii. 2. 18, 19. The picture St. Paul has drawn of them is not exaggerated; for Josephus represents them in a still more odious light. It was this sect which involved the Jewish nation in the war that ended in the destruction of Jerusalem, by inciting the nation to disobedience, and a refusal of the accustomed tribute. 1. They objected to St. Paul, that he was only a deputy from the church at Jerusalem, and his doctrine only authoritative, so far as agreeing with that of the church. In reply, he shows at large, that he was neither a missionary from that church, nor a disciple of the apostles, but an immediate apostle of Christ himself, by a divine revelation. 2. They objected that he had altered his opinion, and now preached the Levitical law. Gal. i. 8. 10. c. v. 11. 3. That all the promises were made to the posterity of Abraham. This objection St. Paul answers, c. iii. 7. iv. 8. '4. That Isaiah had foretold an approaching conversion of the Gentiles, and promised children from among the heathen to Jerusalem or Sion. If the Gentiles desired to be children of Jerusalem, they ought to conform to the ceremonies of that church. St. Paul shows, c. iv. 19—31. that these children were promised to the antient Jerusalem in the time of Melchisedek, without either temple or Levitical law. Of the date Michaelis is not certain; it may be some A.D. 49. to A.D. 52. but he inclines to A.D. 49. year from • Other Other opinions are. 1. That it was written, when St. Paul was at Corinth, Acts, xviii. 1. and in A.D. 51. or 52. Lardner Suppl. V. ii. c. xii. (and this is probable; as it is still in the course of this journey; and Silas and Timotheus, c. xviii. 5. with perhaps some at least of the other brethren were with Paul at Corinth.) 2. That it was written at Ephesus, Acts, xviii. 23, 24. 3. At the same time as the Ep. to the Romans, Acts, xx. 2. 4. 4. That it was written at Rome. But he in that case could not have spoken of their having so soon wavered in their faith, or have been silent on his bonds at Rome. Yet this strange opinion is advanced in the Greek subscription to the epistle; which may show, that such subscriptions are entitled to no credit. Michaelis V. iv. c. xi. § 1. ii. p. 8.3 In taking leave of this work, we must again bear testimony to the diligence of the compiler, and recommend it on the score of bringing together in one view the hints of various annotators: we only wish that it had embraced a wider range, and had included the comments both of antients and moderns, both of orthodox and heterodox divines. The learned editor being anonymous, we should perhaps abstain from assigning this publication to any particular clergyman: but, if the obscure intimation which is implied by the advertisement at the end of volume i. may be taken as evidence, we should conjecture that the compiler and the printer are of the same family; and, if we were required to put a new title to the work, we should call it Valpeii Synopsis Criticorum. In our examination of the references to Josephus, we have found some of them erroneous. Art. VI. A Practical Exposition of the Tendency and Proceedings of the British and Foreign Bible-Society, begun in a Correspondence between the Reverend H. H. Norris and J. W. Freshfield, Esq. relative to the Formation of an Auxiliary Bible-Society at Hackney, and completed in an Appendix containing an entire Series of the Public Documents and Private Papers which that Measure occasioned; illustrated with Notes and Observations. Edited by the Reverend H. H. Norris, M. A. Curate of St. John's Chapel, Hackney. 8vo. pp. 440. 10s. 6d. Boards.. Rivingtons. THE HE correspondence here submitted to the public originated in a letter written, about a year since, by the editor, stating the decided resistance which a sense of duty would constrain him to make, if Mr. Freshfield,' a gentleman (as we learn from Mr. Norris) in the profession of the law, and an exemplary churchman, should persevere' in the steps which he had taken for the purpose of establishing an Auxiliary Bible-Society for a district comprehending the parishes of Hackney, Stoke Newington, and their vicinities; in oppo Cc 3 sition sition to the wishes of the parochial clergy (amounting to two or three individuals) at the former village, and of one parochial clergyman at the latter. In this epistolary intercourse, which contains only three letters from each party, we think that Mr. Freshfield has greatly the advantage, both in point of argument and in point of temper. Indeed, we were much pleased with his good sense, his truly Christian spirit, and the respect with which he every where treats his opponent, as well as all those who differ from him, (see more particularly page 19.) on a question respecting which it is perfectly astonishing to us that any difference of opinion should have prevailed, or that it ever should have agitated the minds of our countrymen in the way in which it has alarmed them. Mr. Norris, too, endeavours to be tolerant and courteous: but he is evidently so sore on the subject that he cannot always command himself. Accordingly, we occasionally meet with an exuberance of zeal venting itself in expressions which, if the author will not allow us to call them ‹ calumnies,' (p. 181. note,) we cannot but consider as very unfounded, very harsh, and very uncharitable surmises. What more gentle term can be given to such language, for instance, as that which imputes to the Bible-Society a design to clear all the parishes in the kingdom of their ecclesiastical heads?' (p. 74. and 127. notes.) For this imputation, Mr. Norris has no other foundation than that of Mr. Freshfield having said that the business, in which he was about to engage, was so far from being any invasion of the pastoral office,' (Dedicat. p. vi.) or from superseding, (p. 57-61.) or in the least interfering with, the authority of the parochial clergy of Hackney in particular, (as Mr. N. asserted,) that the very district which had been fixed upon had no necessary connection with any parish, as a parish, but was clear of any ecclesiastical head, a circumstance which materially weakened the opposition of the parochial clergy at Hackney,' (which was but one parish within the district,) though that clergy were unanimous in their opinions. What softer appellation, let us ask once more, can be given to such innuendos as that which is insinuated in the remark that the murders committed within the period,' since the Bible-Society commenced its operations, have been more in number, and more horrid in the circumstances attending them, than have disgraced the annals of the kingdom for a long series of years?' (P. 375. note.) Such are the cast and complexion of the correspondence, which occupies scarcely a third part of the volume before us. The rest is made up of a bulky appendix, followed by a short • Collection of Documents. These two divisions of the work, which the editor affirms (Introd. p. xxi.) to be much the most important parts of it,' consist chiefly of such loose sheets, papers, and hand-bills, (accompanied by Mr. Norris's annotations,) as were circulated, during the course of the proceedings, within the district; and of extracts from such party, prejudiced, and intemperate writers, and voluble gentlemen, as South, the nonjuror Leslie, and Edwards, (the author of the Gangræna, whose name is now scarcely remembered,) and from such miserably weak performances as Professor Robison's "Proofs of a Conspiracy," and the Abbé Barruel's twin-brother to it. In his introduction, (p. xvii.) this practical expositor says, the present publication answers the demand of those who call for DEMONSTRATION, and this is its specific claim to public regard;' and, in advertizing his book in the newspapers, he informs the public that his work is addressed to those who ask for demonstration.' Though, however, in the plenitude of his fears, he conjures up a vast deal that is vastly' horrid *, he demonstrates nothing more than that his own ima gination is terribly haunted, and harrowed up, by the dæmons of discord, rebellion, and of the wildest puritanical fanaticism; and tormented by all the foul fiends of pestilent heresy,' (p. 228.) of detestable crimes,' (ibid. note,) of envenomed blasphemy,' (223.) and of every species of moral depravity and spiritual wickedness.' (375.) In spite of all these frightful phantoms, every sound and sober eye must see that, between the expositor's imagination and the Bible-Society, there is, visibly and manifestly, "a great gulph fixed;" so that no mortal, except in a feverish dream, can pass from the one to the other. Mr. Norris, however, has contrived to jump the immeasurable distance +, and to identify the workings of his own fancy with the operations of the Society; in the very bosom of which he sees the moody ministers of all mischief hatching such diabolical plots as "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive." That this is no dream, but a most serious and alarming truth, he labours long and hard to persuade us : but, after all his "double, double, toil and trouble," we are forced, on arriving at the conclusion of his exposition, to say with Scaliger, "Ea demum est vera demonstratio, quæ cogit, non qua persuadet." (De Emendat. Tempor. lib. 1. cap. 1. sub init.) Indeed, there is one very material step, which we marvel much that the expositor has omitted in his demonstration. Though this wicked Society makes its appearance before him in such a questionable shape, and though he has spoken to it so largely, he has never once had the presence of mind to cross it with those potent words, at the bare sound of which every shadowy form, "Be it a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd, Bring with it airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, must, spell-bound, perforce, reveal itself. He has never once said to it "What is thy name?" Had he done this, the mostmalignant spirit' (p. 377. note,) that inhabits the polluted precincts of this foul confederacy, if it had any regard, we do not say for truth, but for preserving the appearance of it, must have answered, with the poor devil in Mark, (v. 9.) "My name is Legion, for we are many." Now one who partakes of the apostolical succession of the priesthood' (p. 393-) might have extracted from the latter part of this answer a better proof than any which we can find in Mr. Norris's book, of all that he himself believes, and wishes his readers to believe, respecting the secret infernal machinations of that Pandamonium which has taken the Bible for its stalkinghorse, and which, under cover of that sacred volume, is shaking the very basis of the church of Christ established in these kingdoms, and sapping the very foundation of the Christian faith' (p. 100. note.) since, by simply turning to the parallel place in Luke, (viii. 30.) the expositor would have found that the words, "We are many," exactly correspond to, "because many devils were entered into him." Surely, every one must allow that here is more than enough to justify, to his own judgment at least, all Mr. Norris's suspicions, and to authorize him, perfectly to his own satisfaction, not only to inscribe but to advertize his Practical Exposition' with those victorious and irresistible symbols of truth, Q. E. D. Before we conclude, we must say a few words on another point. Mr. Norris begins his book with telling us that his object is the maintenance of that ascendancy which his church has so long enjoyed,' (Introd. p. xxv.) and ends it with declaring that the ministers of this purely primitive church are the appointed keepers of Scripture and of the key by which it is to be opened,' (p. 387.); and that they alone (without the 15 pale |