thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee." This, no doubt, is a very false standard; this is their infirmity; but so it is. The prosperous, the happy man is followed by many an obsequious and admiring eye. And therefore the obligation lies heavily upon the prosperous to give God the praise. Oh! that among such men the number were greater, who are disposed to give all their influence to the cause of God; and, first of all, to give themselves wholly to His service!

If the world pays but little attention to the things of God, thus much at least may be said on its behalf. Too seldom does it witness such testimonies to the value of the gospel. Not many rich, not many noble, not many mighty! But some there are; and all who prosper, and do not use their influence thus, are traitors against the Majesty of Heaven. They squander the inheritance of which they are but stewards and trustees; and the King, when he cometh in to see the guests, will appoint them their portion in the outer darkness. And many will wish in that day that they had lived in poverty and the contempt of all men, and so escaped the fearful condemnation of having wasted opportunities and influences of such vast moment as those which wealth and prosperity afford.

S. T. P.

THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT DISPENSATIONS COMPARED.

The Old and New Testament Dispensations Compared. By Walter Alford, M.A., Perpetual Carate of Muchelney, Somerset. Hatchard. 1858. One Vol. 8vo.

"The

We receive this work with respect. It is sensible, serious, careful, conscientious. It is modest in its pretensions, "intended for young students and English readers-in a popular form, without any attempt at elegance of style or display of learning." "Truth dressed in the garb of simplicity and clearness, is its highest aim to set before its readers." It is practical in its purpose. object of the present treatise is, to point out the proper use and application of the Old Testament to Christians." It is judicious in its method. "This object is taught by carefully comparing God's dispensation of His will to man before Christ, with that under which we now live; by setting forth the general marks of difference between them; by distinguishing the peculiarities of the former; and by showing what things belong in common to both of them." Finally, pains are taken in its execution; the doctrinal views which pervade it are sound, scriptural, evangelical; and a pious and candid spirit breathes throughout its pages. It will fill usefully a certain place in the reading of many people. Yet must

we limit them to that class whose wants do not go far below the surface, and who like to see familiar ideas grouped and arranged and made the most of, rather than to have their worth closely tested, and to learn what may lie behind and beneath them. The subject announced by the title is one above all others likely to attract the interest of more exacting inquirers; we would not, therefore, speak of the book in such terms as might lead them to expect from it a kind of satisfaction which perhaps they may not find.

From the explanation contained in an extract already given, it appears that the title of the book, and the object of the book, do not entirely coincide. The object of the book is practical: "to point out the proper use and application of the Old Testament to Christians;" and the method taken to attain that object is the "Comparison of the two Dispensations," from which the title is derived. There is thus (as is fit) a combination of two different kinds of discussion; one in which principles are sought, another in which they are applied; one in which we consider the comparative characteristics and mutual relations of the two dispensations, another in which we are occupied with a number of particular questions, which have been subjects of controversy or doubt, and which it is proposed to clear and settle by light derived from the previous inquiry.

If we were to enter into a detailed estimate of our author's success in both these fields of discussion, we must prepare ourselves for a long and multifarious criticism. This the reader will perceive, when he understands that, in addition to that great subject which the title specially indicates, the author enters at length into such allied and subsidiary questions, as the nature of inspiration, the second advent, the restoration of the Jews, the authority of forms of church government and ceremonies with reference to existing extremes of opinion, the essential principles of a professing church, the divine obligation of the day of rest, the connection of church and state, the lawfulness of oaths and of warfare, the rule of marriage and divorce, including a short argument against the celibacy of the clergy, and a long one in defence of marriage with the deceased wife's sister. In all these questions there is great interest, and we would readily follow our author in any or all of them, if his treatment of them seemed to demand a special examination. Such however is not the case. That treatment is, on the whole, just, as well as pious, but not remarkable for novelty; it is very sensible, but rather commonplace. In so many questions, all lying in debateable ground, and belonging to the interests of the day, it is scarcely likely that the views of any one writer would have our absolute and universal concurrence; and we could use, if we desired it, the opportunity which occasional dissent would give us for entering on many of the subjects indicated. But instead of going into a variety of collateral questions, we think we

shall better employ our space in some observations on the main subject which the title of the book proposes.

There exists a very ancient work on this subject. It was composed at the very meeting-point of these two dispensations, for those who saw not (as the writer saw) the real character and mutual relations of the two covenants which they contained. A large body of men stood perplexed, agitated, and almost distracted, as they seemed to feel the ground parting beneath their feet, and knew not whether to throw themselves back on that which was receding, or forward on that to which they were called to cling. In the agitation of conflicting feelings and in the actual twilight of their knowledge, they could scarcely discern at the moment that the one was the crumbling earth, sinking from its late position, and the other was the eternal rock which always lay beneath, now rising distinctly into view, and so relieving itself of the covering by which it had been concealed. In an intense sympathy with all the perplexity, agitation, and even anguish prevailing in the HebrewChristian mind, and in an intense anxiety as to the issue of the sore temptations and dangers to their faith which were thus occasioned, the Epistle to the Hebrews was written. It is no calm production of the leisure of a student, developing the recondite principles and curious details of typology; but a living voice of power in a time of change and fear, no less able to control and confirm the troubled heart, than to enlighten and inform the confused understanding. We would not speak of any of the books of Scripture in the language of critical admiration; but there does not exist a writing upon earth by which that kind of feeling is so strongly called forth as it is in the presence of this wonderful epistle. An absolute mastery of a vast and intricate subject concentrates its resources to meet the exigencies of a crisis, and in so doing creates a monument of everlasting instruction, which, a little to change the figure, breathes and glows with the vigour and fervour of the moment. We are amazed, in arriving at the close of so few pages, to perceive what has been effected within that little compass; while we review the clear light which has been thrown on the advancing course of revelation culminating in the gospel of Christ, on that spirit of faith which receives its discoveries, and is in all its stages the same, on the theory and history of the previous dispensation, on the principles and details of interpretation, on the office of types, and on the great realities themselves by which those types are at the same instant explained and abrogated; and all this in language which everywhere discovers its living purpose, by the words of warning, expostulation, entreaty, admonition, exhortation, confirmation.

This epistle, however, does not present itself as revealing what was unknown before. It condenses, defines, arranges, and enforces the views which the Holy Spirit had from the first taught the christian Israelite to take of the preparatory and the completed dispensations to which he was related; the same views which,

with different degrees of clearness and coherence, were already present to the most enlightened minds in the Hebrew church, and which had, in fact, been in some slight measure anticipated by spiritual minds under the old dispensation itself. It is, perhaps, imperfectly understood to what a degree the persecutions against the church, and the difficulties within it, arose from the estimate of the old covenant which Christianity involved. When suspected, it awoke the jealousy-when developed, the rage of those who were without; and its gradual discovery became the occasion of widespread uneasiness and doubts, and controversies and apostasies among those who were within.

The presence of the gospel forced into collision the true and false interpretations of the past; and a violent collision it was, full of the bitter effects to those who were the chief exponents and prominent representatives of the true interpretation. In that character Stephen died, and Paul was persecuted and detested. Yet under the guidance of the Spirit, the battle was fought out, and the truth was vindicated and established. The epistle to the Hebrews is the inspired peroration to the agitating debate, implying the shock which had been felt, and securing the results which had been obtained. The main question was settled for ever, and the gospel, having disposed of that interpretation of the old covenant which was incompatible with its own existence, has henceforth been free to appropriate those lights and supports which, under that covenant, had been divinely provided for its use.

But notwithstanding this, it appears to us that the supposition on which Mr. Alford has written his book is correct, and that, generally speaking, the whole subject is still imperfectly understood. We do not allude only to the conflicting or unfixed opinions which exist on particular points; such as the present use to be made of Old Testament precedents and commandments, or the amount of spiritual light and measure of spiritual attainment existing under that dispensation; on both of which subjects very just and sensible things are said by our author. We speak rather of the want of clear ideas on that subject, on which (as we have pointed out) the first contests and the first difficulties turned, and on which the epistle to the Hebrews was written; namely, the real character and office of the most important feature in the old dispensation, the covenant with Israel.

We will devote a few pages to this important subject, keeping always in view the teaching of the great epistle which is our appointed guide. If our author had more distinctly grounded his comparison of the two dispensations on that epistle, we think he would have done better. As it is, a certain confusion of thought appears in his treatment of the very point on which we propose to speak. He has not so clear a sight of the distinction between the two dispensations and the two covenants, as we could have desired.

Our meaning in this statement will be seen more plainly, while we perform our critical duty in considering the language of our author. In the following passage he gives his explanation of the two words. which must perform so great a part in the discussion:

"The word dispensation occurs several times in the New Testament; the original word answering to it is oikovouía", which literally signifies management of affairs, or stewardship; and when applied to the acts of God, its meaning is (Eph. i. 10), the method of God's dealings with man. God has been pleased, at different periods of the world, to dispense, or deal out, the knowledge of His will and the blessings of His favour, in different manners, suited to the state and circumstances of mankind. This diversity in His dealings with man, and man's consequent condition under them, is what is commonly understood by God's dispensations; and it is in this sense that the word will be here used.

The

"Nearly allied to this, are the words covenant and testament. corresponding original word to both of these is the same: in the Hebrew, in the Greek dea0kn. The latter is the uniform translation of the former in the Septuagint; and our translators in the Old Testament always render it covenant; but in the New, they render dann variously, covenant and testament, as the sense seems best to suit the one or the other of these words. The primary meaning of the original word, is an agreement between parties respecting something. Thus, Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant respecting a well of water. (Gen. xxi. 27.) When used to signify the agreement which our Almighty Creator is pleased to make with us, His creatures, it assumes more the sense of an ordinance, an engagement; the purpose or will of the Most High.... The term is most commonly applied to that engagement which God has been pleased to enter into, in the three Persons of His one divine essence, with lost man, respecting his salvation. A covenant of grace, emanating from the infinite love of Jehovah; devised according to the counsel of His own will; executed through the atonement of God the Son, and by the life-giving energy of God the Holy Spirit, so as to secure the divine holiness and justice, and at the same time to extend the hand of mercy to the miserable objects of its favour. It contains a promise of perfect happiness in eternal life; its condition, on the performance of which the sinner is enabled to acquire a right to the promise, is a heartfelt faith in the whole of its declarations; and its threat on all who finally reject its offers, is an increased condemnation. Adam before his fall, and all his fallen descendants to whom the covenant of grace is not revealed, are considered as under a covenant of works with God; though it is not expressly called so in the Scriptures. God therein promises happiness and life to those who perfectly obey His commands, but denounces misery and death, both temporal and spiritual, to all who disobey them: yea, a punishment according to the degree of their transgressions." (pp. 13-15.)

Here we must stop to make a passing protest against this conventional statement so often heard:- "All the fallen descendVol. 59.-No. 274.

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