are not permitted to separate ourselves from him; but at once are we constrained to worship the objective Saviour, who is at the right hand of God; and the subjective Saviour, who is in us; the objective Saviour who humbled himself to the cross, and the subjective Saviour who humbled himself to behold and redeem his servant; the objective Saviour who ascended up on high, leading captivity captive, and the subjective Saviour who in us hath triumphed over death, and raised us to newness of life, who liveth with us and is seated in the throne of our hearts. Which happy blending of our spiritual nature, suffering or enjoying with Christ suffering or enjoying, we should have lost, had we been able to separate between David and Christ in those Psalms which have a reference to Christ. For at one time we should have sung objectively of Christ, and at another subjectively of ourselves, as represented in David, and so lost the intermarriage of the object with the subject, which is the true propagation of religion in the soul;-a loss this which the Christians are beginning to experience in those modern Hymns which are coming into use, and those metrical versions which have the boldness to paraphrase the Psalms, and new-model them to the present times, (a most daring innovation upon a book of Scripture). Therefore, while we reject the puerile conceit, and most mischievous dogma which would make every word of these Psalms to be applicable to Christ, we feel greatly indebted to any commentator, who, preserving sound principles of interpretation, can find the Saviour present in the Psalms, which is to give not only more sacredness and spirituality to them, but to increase that happy blending of subjective and objective religion, which is the best condition for true and spiritual worship. And if the commentary of Bishop Horne be more valuable on one account than another, it is for this very reason, that his strong spiritual senses have been able to discern and point out the presence of Christ in many Psalms, where the reader had not perceived it before. In doing which, he hath not strained the sense of the passage, nor generalized and refined upon the person and character of Christ, but simply exercised that spiritual sense which was strong in him to perceive and to adore his Lord.

And now that we are brought to speak of this commentary of Bishop Horne, we would, before delivering our opinion of it, with which we shall conclude, beg it to be understood, that we have no such idea in our mind, as that any thing we can say should commend a book which hath commended itself to Christians ever since the time of its publication; and that we have had no such aim or intention before us in this Essay. But in a Series of SELECT CHRISTIAN AUTHORS, which should present to the Christian world the spirit of Christian divinity in its most practical and profitable form, we felt that it would have been a great blank indeed, if we did not offer some work which should contain an enlightened and spiritual exposition of the Gospel as it is written in the Book of Psalms; for what are the Psalms but the poetical lyrical form of the Gospel? And what work could we put into our Series so worthy of a place, and so fit to fill the blank, as the Commentary of Bishop Horne, from which the souls of the pious have derived so much edification? It is a book of a most orthodox and evangelical odour, of great learning though not displayed, of a sufficient knowledge and of a pure classical taste, by which the whole man may be furnished to every good word and work; his soul elevated, his mind filled, his heart purified and refined; his knowledge enlarged, his faith quickened, his new obedience enlarged; but above all, his love

and affections drawn out and fixed upon the blessed Saviour and Redeemer of his soul.

With a too frequent reference to the Messiah he hath been charged, but this is the charge of those but half-enlightened in spiritual truth, and far short of the mark of Christian doctrine, and which will of itself be forgotten, (as indeed it is already in a good measure forgotten) when they shall have risen into the comprehension of a more spiritual and enlarged theology, and the divines of the Church shall have constructed out of the ruins, the noble shafts, and columns, and massive remains of former systems of theology, another building, which may represent the glory of divine truth to the outward eye of these present times, which differ widely from the times in which those former buildings were erected. If, instead of making collections of Hymns, many of them disgusting both to taste and feeling, and all of them beneath the mark of divine Psalmody; if, instead of making other editions of the Book of Psalms with improvements; if, instead of multiplying paraphrases and translations, the churches would require of their ministers (what heretofore the ministers of their own accord were wont to do,) to preface upon the Psalms, or set forth their spiritual significations to the people, their prophetic anticipations, and their rich unction of heavenly poesy-that would be to do for the people every Sabbath, what Bishop Horne hath done for the Church in this excellent book; then, from our old metrical versions of the Psalms, however bald, and especially from our Scottish version because of its very baldness, that is its want of what they call poetic diction, (but the simplest, truest diction is the most poetical,) we would anticipate infinitely more benefit to the spiritual life of the saints, and the conviction of the ungodly, than if you were to congregate a whole sanhedrim of poets, (as that name goes at present,) and requiring of them to work up the remnant of their wits into Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. But there be a few poets of the ancient seed still extant in the land, and of these there are some who have shown themselves masters in the simple stanza of the old song, and who add thereto the faith and feeling of revealed religion, to whom we would recommend it as an object worthy of their muse, to give to us an improved metrical version of the Psalms, whose improvement should consist in not sacrificing the true expression of the original to mere poetical language, but in a close adherence to the words of the original, even a more close condensation of them than in the prose version, of which condensation our Scottish version contains many admirable examples.

But to return to the good Bishop Horne. We know of no Commentary upon the Book of Psalms, more likely to be influential in awakening the natural heart to a due sense of their real signification, than that which he hath gathered from all sources, both of his own learning and experience, and those of others, and combined together in this brief but sufficient Treatise. He was eminently qualified to perform the task which he had undertaken to execute. His spiritual elucidations, and deeply affecting applications, must approve themselves to every feeling and unprejudiced heart; to every mind which is not altogether dead and callous to the words of spiritual truth; to every ear which is not deaf as the adder to the sweet and pleasant voice of the charmer. Here the man of polished taste will meet with nothing to discompose his nicest associations of intellectual refinement with religion, but will find himself addressed in the

* We may only name Montgomery, Coleridge, and Wordsworth.

language of the schools with much beauty of style and harmony of diction. Good taste in the widest and fullest acceptation of the term, is a never-failing characteristic of the pious and classical Author of this Com mentary. Himself a high dignitary in the Church of England, and the president of one of the colleges of a learned university, our author is at once upon a level with his most critical and his most dignified readers. We cannot therefore but rejoice, that a Christian BISHOP should be found consecrating his pen to the sacred cause of spiritual truth, and presenting its sane and salutary lessons to the religious votaries of rank, who love an outward dignity in the church as in the world. But the truly pious of all ranks will here find a food well suited to their spiritual taste, a nourishment proper to their growth in knowledge and in grace, many a rich and precious cordial for the support of their fainting spirits, many a sweet physician-like application of the balm that is in Gilead, and of the leaves which are for the healing of the nations. And if the man of critical taste and dignified associations will never be shocked by vulgarity of style and homeliness of diction, but rather attracted by the grace and beauty of the discourse; so also will the Christian, whose enlarged spirit hath been set free to soar far beyond the narrow confines of polemical theology, never find himself aggrieved by the strait narrow moulds of a mind, or the angular points of controversial bigotry. Every sentiment in this exposition he will find free of that sickening leaven which leaveneth many a loaf of wholesome food. Finally, we may venture to assert, that believers of all churches and denominations will be able to peruse, with satisfaction and delight, this spiritual exposition of the Book of Psalms, and that whilst they read they will find themselves identified after a new and delightful manner, with the inspired son of Jesse: above all, if they drink deep into the spirit of this Commentary, will they find themselves linked to the spiritual David by a thousand minute and tender ties, whose existence they may not hitherto have perceived, or of which they may at least have been but faintly conscious. For every line breathes of the Messiah, and every sentiment leads to him. In every thought the spiritual David hath a share, who is here, what in all Christian works he should be, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last of the Author's desire and delight.

London, May, 1825.

E. I.

MEMOIR

OF THE

RIGHT REVEREND GEORGE HORNE, D.D.

LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH.

THIS exemplary prelate was the son of the reverend Samuel Horne, M. A. rector of Brede, in Sussex, and of Otham, in Kent, in the last of which livings he was succeeded, in 1768, by his son William Horne, M. A. formerly demy of Magdalen College, Oxford. The Bishop was born at Otham, and baptized in the parish church there, November 1, 1730. His early education was conducted by his worthy father, and next by the reverend Deodatus Bye, master of Maidstone grammar school, who observed, at his admission, that "he was fitter to go from school than to come to it." In March 1745-6, he was admitted at University College, Oxford, having been previously chosen to a scholarship from Maidstone school; and, in October 1749, he took his degree of bachelor of arts. The year following, he was elected to the fellowship of Magdalen College, which is appropriated to a native of the county of Kent. He was a very laborious student, and he had an elegant taste in Greek, Latin, and Euglish poetry, of which he gave many admirable specimens, while he was no more than undergraduate in the university. His constant aim, however, was to render the acquisition of polite literature subservient to the study of theology and the illustration of the sacred writings. In the language of the early companion of his literary pursuits, and who became his chaplain and biographer, "he raised his thoughts from the poets and orators of Greece and Rome, to the contemplation of the great Creator's wisdom, in his word and in his works."* While at University College he became enamoured of the Hebrew language, which he studied with close application, and this brought him acquainted with the writings of the learned John Hutchinson, whose whole life was devoted to the great object of deducing from the Mosaic scriptures the principles of true philosophy.

In 1751, Mr. Horne manifested his attachment to this system, which was at that time exceedingly unpopular in our seats of learning, by publishing without his name, a tract entitled, "The Theology and Philosophy in Cicero's Somnium Scipionis explained; or a brief attempt to demonstrate, that the Newtonian system is perfectly agreeable to the notions of the wisest ancients; and that mathematical principles are the only sure ones." The chief merit of this pamphlet lies in its wit, the aim of it being to expose the received philosophy as no other than a revival of what was maintained ages ago by Cicero and the Stoics.

In June 1752, Mr. Horne took his degree of master of arts, and about the same time he engaged in a controversy, through the medium of the Gentleman's Magazine, on the subject of the Cherubim, which he, in common with the followers of Hutchinson, held to be symbolical of the Trinity. The letters of our author were signed Ingenius; but the publisher of the magazine, after suffering the discussion to commence in that work, put a stop to it, by declining to insert the reply which Mr. Horne drew up in defence of the doctrine he espoused, thus exercising an unwarrantable disposition over the privilege of inquiry, and the freedom of the press. The year following, Mr.

Dedication to the Rev. William Jones' Sermon "On the Natural History of the Earth and its Minerals." 8vo. 1787.

Horne published a masterly pamphlet, with this title, “A fair, candid, and impartial state of the case between Sir Isaac Newton and Mr. Hutchinson: In which is shown, how far a system of physics is capable of mathematical demonstration: how far Sir Isaac's, as such a system, has that demonstration; and, consequently, what regard Mr. Hutchinson's claim may deserve to have paid to it." Of this luminous and closely reasoned production, which was never answered, a new edition appeared in 1795. In the year 1754, our author gave to the world, though anonymously, an ironical piece with this curious title, "Spicilegium Shuckfordianum, or a nosegay for the critics; being some choice flowers of modern theology and criticism, gathered out of Dr. Shuckford's supplemental discourse on the creation and fall of man, not forgetting Dr. Garnet'st Vatikra."

But religious controversy and philosophical pursuits were far from narrowing the mind and abating the cheerfulness of this amiable man; for at this period we find him corresponding with Mr. Berkeley, son of the excellent bishop of Cloyne, in a strain of playful humour and fervent piety, of which the following letter is in admirable specimen.

MY DEAREST GEORGE,

Mag. Coll. Oxon. May 10, 1755.

It was with the greatest pleasure that I set my eyes on your hand-writing, and with no less do I now take up the pen to have some conversation with you upon paper, which is very sweet and comfortable when we are prevented from having it face to face. Without this, the hurry about us, and constant succession of fresh objects, insensibly deface the image of absent friends in our hearts, (such is our weakness and frailty) in spite of all our endeavours to the contrary. How lamentably would this be the case with regard to our best friend, our absent Lord and Master, were it not for those letters full of love, the Holy Scriptures, which come directed to every soul, though so few take the trouble to open the seals and read them. As he has been pleased (blessed be his holy name for it) to lead us to a knowledge of them, we should be taking all opportunities of comforting and encouraging one another in this our pilgrimage through the land of the dead, to the land of the living. When we cannot do it by talking, we must do it by writing. And those can never want a subject to write upon, who have an interest in him, and are concerned in the increase of his kingdom; who, as members of the same body, have an intimate fellow-feeling, and all suffer or rejoice for the loss or recovery of a limb.

Archdeacon Hamilton I know well, and am happy in calling him my old friend and companion. He is a Christian in head and heart, the one enlightened with knowledge, the other warm with love; equally removed from a dead profession and a groundless enthusiasm, the two baneful plagues of this (I am afraid I must say falling) church. The news of his recovery, since attested by a kind and most excellent letter from himself, we received with great joy. He comes forth like gold tried and brightened in the furnace of sorrows and adversity, to enrich many with the riches of grace, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, hid in Christ, and manifested by the preaching of the Gospel of God. I rejoice to hear you have other faithful labourers on that side of the water, which confirms to us the truth of that divine maxim, that God will never leave himself without a witness. There is always a call, if men had but ears to hear, which nothing but grace can furnish them with,-"The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made both of them."-I shall be glad to hear how Dr. Ellist goes on, and whether he builds up as well as he pulls down. You surprise me much with the account of bishop Brown§ being an admirer of Hutchinson. Let us know a little of your confab together, and how that matter stands. When you see young Mrs. Brown, present my compliments to her, and likewise to the other sister, good Mrs. Breviter, a near relation of Mrs. Quickly of facetious memory. You mention nothing of Mr. Auchmuty, an old friend of mine at Edmund Hall, son, I think, of the late dean of Armagh. If

* Samuel Shuckford, D. D. author of the "Connexions of Sacred and Profane History," and other works of great learning. He was prebendary of Canterbury, and died in 1754.

† John Garnet, D. D. who, by going to Ireland with the Duke of Dorset, in 1751, obtained the bishopric of Leighlin and Ferns, from whence he was translated to Clogher. He died in 1782. Bishop Garnet was the author of a very ponderous treatise on the Book of Job, to which, like Warburton, he assigns a date posterior to the captivity.

Dr. John Ellis, formerly of Brasennose College, Oxford, afterwards beneficed at Chester, and, lastly, in Dublin. He was the author of a very valuable treatise which cuts up infidelity by the roots. This work, entitled, "The Knowledge of Divine Things from Revelation, not from Reason or Nature," appeared first in one volume octavo, in 1743, and has since been reprinted three times. Dr. Peter Brown, bishop of Cork, and the author of "The Procedure of Human Understanding ;* "Things Divine and Supernatural conceived by Analogy ;" "Sermons," 2 vols. &c.

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