THE IMMENSITY OF THE DIVINE SUPERINTENDENCE.

WHAT can I do for Thee,

Omnipotent-Eternal-Infinite? Is not the thought aspiring blasphemy, Needing forgiveness to be granted it? Who can conceive thy limitless domain ! Would Thought exploring stretch her wings for flight,

To yon bright star upon the verge of sight, (As sun immense supplying worlds with light,)

Thence must she stretch her wings and fly again:

And if ten thousand suns pass'd by, she gaze

Amaz'd upon the measureless expanse, She will perceive innumerous fresh rays, New suns, around whose bright founts planets dance, Receiving warmth and gladness from their

beams,

All clad with fruits and flowers, along

whose fields

Man wanders, and where life its joyance yields

Of soft sensation, and the exquisite streams
That gush in real joys, or play in dreams :

Thy space is infinite, and boundless space
Possesses not a vacancy-no place
Fill'd not by wonders of thy mighty hand!
And righteously thou sendest weal or

THE RISING MOON.

Copied from the New York Observer of the 28th May.

THE moon is up! low calm and slow
She wheels above the hill!
The weary winds forget to blow,

And all the world lies still.
The way worn travellers with delight
The rising brightness see,
Revealing all the paths and plains,
And gilding every trée

It glistens where the hurrying stream
Its little rippling heaves;
It falls upon the forest shade,
And sparkles on the leaves.
So once on Judah's evening hills,
The heavenly lustre spread;
The Gospel sounded from the blaze,
And shepherds gaz'd with dread.
And still that light, upon the world
Its guiding splendour throws;
Bright in the opening hours of life,
And brighter at the close.

The waning moon in time shall fail
To walk the midnight skies;
But God hath kindled this bright light
With fire that never dies.

mercy of his religion. When any great battle takes place, in which our fleets and armies are engaged, how strong is the interest which is felt in the families of the fallen. Amidst the exultation of victory, compassion weeps for the widow and the fatherless, and large sums are promptly subscribed for their relief. To say of an orphan boy,' His father fell in the service of his country,' opens to him the care of every liberal heart; and have not the widows and children of our Missionaries a stronger claim on the kindness of Christians? Let us think what a sacrifice these widows make. To a female heart, it is peculiarly trying to part with country and friends; yet the sacrifice is made; and what is their labour? Their allotment is not to associate with a husband in elegant literature, in gay enjoyment, or worldly splendor, but to sooth and encourage a partner amidst the privations and difficulties of his lot; to be in jeopardy through the craft and ferocity of savages; to witness scenes most repulsive to female delicacy; and to win the slaves of appetite to wisdom and piety. And, O! if to part with a husband rends the heart of her who is surrounded by friends, what must be the parting where she will stretch out her hands and there is none to comfort her! What a claim on our admiration has the female who, instead of saying in these circumstances, Call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me,' meekly bows to his will, and quietly hopes in his mercy.'

The third of these Anniversary Discourses, which is the production of Mr. Hamilton of Leeds, is, beyond doubt, the effort of a richly accomplished and powerful mind. It abounds in thoughts and language strongly tinctured with the sublime. Whether the preacher touches on historic fact, or appeals to legendary records, or borrows from the classic page, or courts the friendship of the muses, or quotes from the lively oracles, he seems equally at home. The pervading sentiment of the discourse is moreover purely Missionary. The illustrations are for the most part, inimitably beautiful; and we can only regret that they are now and then too abstract for popular effect. It is no reflection upon any promiscuous auditory to say, that they could not in mass have been expected to follow Mr. H.; it was, however, their disgrace that so many of them quitted the sanctuary before the preacher had finished his appeal. Such exhibitions of popular feeling are the baue of the Christian world, and are highly gratifying to the eagle eyed enemies of the truth. We most sincerely thank Mr. H.

for his eloquent and impressive discourse, and doubt not that it will be read with the greatest interest by every intelligent friend of the Society. He will pardon us when we humbly express it as our opinion, that the Advertisement is in execrable taste. We know the author, and therefore know him to be sincere; but we fear that some may think differently.

The Fourth Sermon, which was preached by the Rev. C. Williams, of Highwycombe, is an admirable specimen of plain-dealing on a great occasion. The arrangement is clear, the sentiments are scriptural, the illustration is simple, and the general effect is highly satisfactory. The Society is greatly indebted to Mr. W. for the readiness which he manifested to become its public advocate. We hope the time will never come when the clergy of our national establishment will shrink from performing their part in the anniversaries of this catholic and greatly honoured institution.

Lectures on the History of Jesus Christ. By James Bennett, in Three Volumes. Vol. i. 566; Vol. ii. 516; Vol. iii. 668. 17. 16s. Hamilton & Co. NOVELTY in discourses from the pulpit is scarcely to be expected in the present day. Mr. B. has, however, certainly succeeded in this point in a remarkable degree. His work contains a hundred discourses on the life of Christ, embracing every action and circumstance of it, from his incarnation to his ascension into heaven, and sitting down at the Father's right hand in glory. It need scarcely be observed, that there must be much of the expository form in these Lectures; but this should be considered as an excellence rather than a blemish, because it greatly heightens the interest of the work.

Mr. B.'s choice of subject is singularly happy, and may render him an object of envy for having appropriated to himself the first of all theological themes. It is remarkable that the history of the Redeemer, in all its extent, has never been before exhibited in the attractive form of popular discourses to a congregation. There is, however, reason for congratulation, that it has fallen into the hands of one who is so well qualified to do it justice. The reader will find in these volumes pure theology, a clear and energetic representation of divine truth, and a peculiar felicity in description,—a talent necessary in a work of this nature, and which the writer eminently possesses. A more than ordinary measure of a devotional spirit runs through the whole, and the evident aim is always to do the reader good. To find a work

equal to this in interest would be difficult : the reader is carried on without effort, nay, with ease and pleasure, from the beginning of a discourse to the end; and finds one striking and ingenious, but useful and pious remark after another presenting itself to his mind.

In the Preface, Mr. B. mentions, that, in delivering the discourses from the pulpit, practical application formed a principal part; but is here greatly abridged, or wholly omitted, as his design was not to publish a collection of sermons, but homiletical discourses on the history of Jesus Christ. The method is natural and simple, but sufficient to assist the memory of the reader. In the style there will be found considerable beauty blended often with great simplicity, and vigorously expressing the sense. If sometimes a little carelessness appears in a word or phrase, in so large a work, it is not to be severely criticised. It has been remarked by judicious and attentive readers of M. Henry's Commentary on the Bible, that criticisms which appear in other writers with all the appendages of learning, are by him presented in a popular garb, which divests them of all their stateliness. The same praise is due to Mr. B., who makes his critical remarks assume a familiar and practical form. This strips them of their literary habiliments, but it retains all the utility, and equally instructs the reader.

Every Christian will derive edification from a book which places before him, in so able and attractive a manner, the life of his Redeemer. To the young it will be an invaluable treasure; and it will be difficult to find discourses more proper for reading in a family, as they blend entertainment with instruction in no ordinary degree. We consider the religious public under great obligations to Mr. B. for this addition to its sacred treasures.

As our very limited space for reviews prevents us from entering into a very particular account of the books which come under our notice, we shall conclude by inserting the following paragraphs from the last Lecture as a specimen of the writer's manner:

Vol. iii. 663-665. "As a sovereign Lord, Jesus called men to attend him as his servants, and in whatever they were engaged, or by whomsoever accompanied, he said, Quit all, and follow me.' Nor did he speak in vain. If, however, any hesitated, and asked only permission to stay to bury a father, the paramount authority of the King was urged; and whoever even looked back, was pronounced unworthy of the kingdom of God. When he sent out his ambassadors, he declared,

VOL. III.

that it would be more tolerable, at the day of judgment, for Sodom and Gomorrahi, which slighted the warning of the angels of God, than for those who turned a deaf ear to the summons of the angels of Jesus.

"He made his very humiliation a display of his sovereign authority; for he paid tax, as an act of condescension in the Son of the King of the World, and levied tribute on the sea, that he might pay it on land. What he wanted he demanded, and told the messengers whom he sent for it to say to the owners,' the Lord hath need of it.' He rode upon an ass and a colt, which were obedient to him as creatures to their Creator. When riding in this style into his capital city, he spake of its inhabitants as chickens to be gathered for their safety under his protection, as under the wing of a parent bird. If he washed his disciples' feet, kneeling before them as a slave, he sat down to say, Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am.' When crucified as a criminal, he gave away to a robber a seat in the paradise of the blessed, in answer to a prayer which owned Christ Lord of the eternal kingdom. Descending to his own grave (though it was borrowed) he opens the graves of others, and, when he made his soul an offering for sin, he tore open the veil that that hides the holy of holies, and showed himself the high priest that appears in the presence of God for us. There he is on a throne, as a priest after the order of Melchizedech, who was at once a priest and a king. From this throne he sends forth ambassadors into all the earth, charging them never to stop, till they had measured the last foot of ground with their steps, and commanded its inhabitants to own Jesus Lord of all in heaven and earth, and to do all things whatsoever he commands them.

"Who, then, can duly read the history we are now closing, and not say, 'This is the life of my sovereign Master.' At the name of Jesus every knee must bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Loid, to the glory of God the Father. It is as much as my soul is worth to disobey his will. I must either make myself an outlaw in the universe, or bow my soul to the will of Him whom every creature in all worlds, and especially every rational creature in this world, is bound to please. If he call, I have nothing to say, but, Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth.' If he say, 'Go!' though it be to the end of the ends of the earth, I have but one reply to make Here I am, send 2 F