surprising that God's ministers should use the light which the Church bestows for endeavouring to ascertain what grounds there may be in the midst of all this confusion for expecting the speedy realization of the great and blessed hope in which she brings her spiritual children to the birth, and lays them down to sleep in Jesus, when they have done their work. It is a good sign for the Church, in the midst of her outward trouble, that her servants are not behind the men of the world in intelligent apprehension of what is passing around; it is a better still, when they bring it, as Mr. Hooper does, to the light of revelation, that its true import may be discerned. Differences of detail there are, and always will be, in asserting the order of events attendant on the Lord's appearing: it must be so, since the exact hour of that appearing is hidden, and the exact manner is left to be gathered from inference; but the signs of the season are so given as to be readily discerned by the eye of faith, and we believe it is only as the hope itself is realized that the servants of the Lord will have strength to stand in the midst of the painful trials which are preparing for all who are true of heart and honest of purpose.

We have taken larger space for the review of a sermon than the subject would at first sight seem to demand. No one, however, we think can read Mr. Hooper's discourse without being led into deep reflection on all that is implied by the petition "Thy kingdom come;" for it is the daily prayer which it is to be hoped is offered by all who in the least lift up hand or heart to God. No one can fail to see that the times in which we live are extraordinary; and, even should he not agree in all the reverend author's deductions, he must be led to confess that this subject is so handled as to command attention and respect. We can safely recommend this discourse to our readers as one full of material for profitable thought-full of consolation in a trying time-containing much in the way of instruction to the pastor, and much for the building up of a scriptural hope in his people.

A Course of Sermons on some of the Chief Subjects of the Book of Psalms containing three or more for each Day of the Month; abridged from Eminent Divines of the Established Church. By the Rev. J. R. PITTMAN, M.A. London: Longman and Co. 1846. 8vo. "No Church in Christendom was ever blessed with a greater variety of pulpit compositions than our own is." Such was the remark made by Bishop Watson about sixty years ago. As, however, sermons have become very numerous since his

time, Mr. Pittman, more than twenty years since, communicated to the public the results of his extensive acquaintance with the best discourses extant in our language, in four large octavo volumes, forming two series of sermons for every Sunday and Festival in the year. These sermons were expressly designed for such "serious and religious families" as "generally close their Sunday evenings by some devotional exercises." The sale of several editions of this useful compilation attests how much such a publication was wanted, and how well it deserved the public favour. The volume which we now introduce to our readers completes the plan originally proposed by Mr. Pittman for the edification of religious families. It is not inferior to its predecessors in the variety and importance of its contents, which comprise one hundred and twenty-one discourses on various portions of the book of Psalms, including three or more for each day of the month. These are judiciously abridged from the works of Archbishops Sharp and Secker; Bishops Taylor, Pearson, Reynolds, Bull, Beveridge, T. Wilson, Horne, Porteus, Horsley, and Dehon; of Drs. Stanhope, S. Clarke, Waterland, Rogers, R. Newton, Bundy, Blair, and Paley; and of Messrs. Allen, Balguy, Carr, Gisborne, Robinson, Seed, Simeon, and Skelton. The names of these authors are a sufficient guarantee for the accuracy of the sentiments delivered in their discourses; and we hope that the circulation of this volume will not be inferior to that of Mr. Pittman's "Two Courses of Sermons for the Year," which have so long been honoured with the approbation of the religious portion of the public.

The Churchman's Penny Magazine, and Guide to Christian Truth. No. I. London: Wertheim. 12mo.

THIS publication is designed to bring before the serious classes of society, and especially the young, true Christianity in its vitality and power; and also to show the solid scriptural foundation on which rests the venerated and honoured Church of our fathers. It has been called forth by the strenuous efforts made to force into the widest possible circulation representations, most injurious to the divine principles and sacred character of our Church, her articles, and formularies. To such mischievous representations, this very cheap and well printed monthly publication promises to be a most effectual antidote. We most cordially wish it success, and trust that it will speedily find its way into every family, kitchen, and school library.

A Display of Heraldry. By WILLIAM NEWTON.
Pickering. 1846. 8vo.

London :

ALTHOUGH Our lucubrations are, for the most part, given to works more or less connected with theological literature, yet we love occasionally to take excursive flights and to see what men of other pursuits may have gathered or concocted, whether for instruction or amusement. Heraldry, with its parables, and quaintnesses, and historical averdora, memorializing the deeds, superstitions, and opinions of byegone ages, is a study well worthy of at least a measure of attention; and the present work appears exceedingly well calculated to give a good general view of the subject. In addition to the first necessary elements, it presents us also, in its latter chapters, with much illustrative and interesting detail; giving, in its first chapters, to the uninitiated, the necessary preliminary explanations, and then, in its latter, rewarding us with pence for our pains

―ut pueris olim dant crustula blandi Doctores, elementa velint ut discere prima."

The sections which treat upon heraldry in connexion with the crusades, and those also which bring before us the bearings acquired by extraordinary achievements or by feudal service, are especially interesting.

Many curious medieval facts which would otherwise be lost to us, some of them of individuals, some of more public history, and not a few illustrative of opinions or of manners, are preserved to us by heraldry-having no other record than the traditionary legend, of which the heraldic device that it explains has served to keep up the remembrance. How far the legend, in any given instance, is to be implicitly depended upon we cannot pretend to say; but it is certain that the emblazoned shield by which it is accompanied (seeing that the blazonry of the shield tells, or should tell, the same tale as the tradition) acts as a sort of check upon fanciful additions, which, had the fact recorded been entrusted solely to tradition, tradition would most assuredly have made; for tradition, like Virgil's Fama, is,

"Tam ficti pravique tenax, quam nuntia veri."

In this point of view, not to insist upon others, the utilities of the science are obvious; and it is one from which all that read thoughtfully may certainly learn something.

In one respect, the symbols of Heraldry have sometimes proved the innocent occasion of a popular difficulty with refe

rence to certain Scriptural expressions, which a little explanation may perhaps remove. Appeals to the senses commonly produce almost indelible impressions; and blazonry has made the hybrid unicorns of heraldry, together with its monster dragons, so familiar to the eye, that when we read in Scripture of animals so named we are ready to suppose that Scripture asserts the existence of animals so shaped. The original Hebrew, however, does not even assert the existence of animals so named-the unicorn of our Scriptures being, in the Hebrew, Reem, and the dragon, Tanneem. As well, therefore, might we suppose that the pelican of Scripture fed her young, like the pelican of heraldry, with the flesh and blood of her own breast, as that the unicorn of the Scripture was a horned horse with a lion's tail, or the dragon a winged saurian with a lion's feet and body.

The last chapters of Mr. Newton's entertaining and instructive volume contains some curious instances of modern perversions of heraldic art, in the armorial devices granted to many of our most distinguished naval heroes. Throughout he has drawn his instances from the best sources, and many of his illustrations are derived from actual observation of the heraldic devices existing on the continent; and his work is illustrated with a profusion of admirably executed engravings on wood. It is the most comprehensive manual of heraldic science with which we are acquainted.

Hora Apostolica: or, a Digested Narrative of the Acts and Apostles of Jesus Christ; arranged according to Townsend. By the Rev. WILLIAM SHEPHERD, B.D. London: Longman and Co. 1846. Small 8vo.

THIS work is designed to "present, in regular and plain succession, a digested narrative of the Acts and Writings of the Apostles, in order that the Christian reader may be better enabled to understand the pains and labours of the first messengers of the Gospel of peace, and thereby more rightly estimate the loving-kindness and faithfulness of him who sent them forth as his ambassadors to bear the knowledge of his name into all nations." (Pref.) The object thus modestly proposed by the author he has fully realized in this well written and "digested narrative." His work will be found useful to those who may not be able to command access to more expensive and erudite treatises; and we think it will prove eminently useful to the younger members of the Church, especially to such as may be critically studying the Acts of the Apostles.

The Domestic Liturgy and Family Chaplain, in Two Parts: the First Part being Church Services adapted for Domestic use, with Prayers for every day of the week, selected exclusively from the Book of Common Prayer: the Second Part comprising an appropriate Sermon for every Sunday in the year. By the Rev. THOMAS DALE, M.A. London: 1846. 4to.

MR. DALE'S long experience as a parochial clergyman entitles any pastoral work from his pen to a candid reception, and the present publication will not detract from his well-earned reputation. It had its origin in a want which had long been felt and frequently expressed by many members of our Church, who, from various circumstances, are debarred from the comfort and privilege of her second service. To assist heads of families in supplying this deficiency, though not as a substitute for the daily service of the Church, he has undertaken the "Domestic Liturgy and Family Chaplain." It is divided into two parts: the first of which contains the services of our Church, including the calendar of lessons, the order for morning and evening prayer adapted to domestic use, together with the collects, epistles, and gospels, and the Prayer Book version of the Psalms: these are followed by a week's course of morning and evening prayers-prayers for the sick (where no minister can be procured) arranged in three services-with some special prayers. These are all exclusively selected from the Book of Common Prayer. The "Domestic Liturgy" is followed by the "Family Chaplain," which consists of fifty-eight short and appropriate discourses for every Sunday in the year, and for the great festivals of Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide. These discourses are composed on some portion of the Holy Scriptures occurring in the lessons, epistles, or gospels for the day; and thus they carry out the great principle which should regulate the general preaching of the clergy-viz., that of making their teaching harmonize with the spirit of the prayers of the Church. These discourses possess the rare merit of not being too long: at the same time they are eminently devout and practical, and are characterised by a chastened eloquence which cannot fail to secure the attention both of readers and hearers. The volume, moreover, is recommended by singular beauty of typographical execution, and by the moderate price at which it is published. We hope that it will have an extensive circulation, and be eminently instrumental in promoting "growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

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