MAYERS'S HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 117 longer doubt that the epistle to the it in the history of mankind. So reColossians was written after the Apoca-markable a difference, conspicuous in lypse." This absolutely exceeds every every revolution of their history, could thing we ever met with in the line of not have subsisted through mere accidogmatical assumption. How inveterate dent: there must have been a cause must be the prepossessions of a writer adequate to so extraordinary an effect. who can express himself in such lan-It nianifests an interposition of Proviguage as this! We take our leave of dence, in a manner different from the this portion of Dr. Tilloch's critical course of its general government-in a labours, by proposing for his serious word, it is a continued miracle. consideration one simple question, which we suspect has somehow evaded his notice. It is this-admitting, for argument's sake, that a particular word or phrase, or turn of expression, occurring in two different writers, constitutes a valid foundation for supposing one of them to quote the other-we ask Dr. Tilloch, is it not quite as probable, in the present instance, that the writer of the Apocalypse adopts the phraseology of the other apostles, as that they, in their epistles, have adopted his? To lay a basis for his superlative confidence, he must shew us the absolute impossibility of the thing: and even then, we should think him as far off from the attainment of his point as ever. The History of the Jews, from their Origin to their ultimate Dispersion:- with many explanatory Notes. By M. MAYERS. London, T. Hamilton, Paternosterrow, and Hatchard, Piccadilly, 8vo. pp. 500, pr. 10s. 1824. A History of the Jews, written by one of themselves, would, we believe, be regarded as a novelty in the present day in any country of Europe, and is more especially so in England, where this once highly favoured people appear. to be so wholly absorbed in prosecuting, that which is to them, "life's prime object, cent. per cent." that there is reason to fear, the great mass of them are deplorably ignorant of the history of their own nation; and, which is still more affecting, are become but too indifferent about it. It has been well remarked, that in the conduct of Providence respecting the Jewish people, from the earliest periods of their existence, as a distinct class of society, to the present time, we behold a singularity of circumstance and procedure, which we cannot account for on common principles. Comparing their condition and situation with that of other nations, we can meet with nothing similar to And then if we look into the writings of their own prophets, and consider attentively what is there recorded concerning their present dispersed state, and the intimations which they contain of a future restoration; not only does their history acquire additional interest, but their present abject condition must be deeply felt by Christians at large. On this subject, we may quote the motto of Mr. Mayers's volume, now on our table: "I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee; though I make a full end of all nations, whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee, but will correct thee in measure." Amos ix. 9; Jer. xxx. 11. The only history of this extraordinary people which has obtained currency in the Old Testament Scriptures, is among us, except that which is contained Whiston's Translation of Josephus, a publication certainly not destitute of merit, but which, as Dr. Campbell remarks, in his Lectures on Ecclesiastical History, vol. i. p. 18-20, is, in some respects, very exceptionable. One of its most prominent faults is its prolixity; his narrative is too much embellished with long speeches, “ 'a silly device," says Dr. C. " for displaying the talents and eloquence of the writers, rather than of the historical characters." We are very far from regretting its popularity; but are nevertheless decidedly of opinion that it is to be attri buted rather to its being without a rival, than to its intrinsic merit. A popular history of the Jews, written with spirit and animation, characterised by fidelity in the detail of incidents; a work which should neither weary the attention of the reader by its tediousness, nor disappoint reasonable expectation by its superficiality, was certainly a desideratum in English literature, but which is at length very ably supplied by the volume before us. The author is evidently a very well educated man, intimately acquainted with the subject on which he writes, and possessing no ordinary talent for composition. The Notes with which his narrative is accompanied, discover not only a critical acquaintance with the Hebrew and Greek languages and the writings of the Rabbins, but also an extensive reading in books of Travels and general literature, of which he has made excellent use throughout his volume, in the way of occasional illustration. Sir John Chardin, Dr. Shaw, Reland, Russell, Nieubhur, Maundrell, Dr. Hales, Mr. Harmer, Dr. E. D. Clarke, and many other distinguished writers, are very pertinently quoted by Mr. Mayers, but without the least affectation or parade, and then only when an apparent obscurity in the narrative seemed to call for explanation. In prosecuting the object of his work, the author is brought to notice the establishment of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, with its various branches of worship, such as the sacrifices and oblations that were instituted by divine appointment. These are classed under three several heads, viz. bloody offerings, or sacrifices strictly so called-offerings not bloody, or such as were taken from the vegetable kingdom only-and drinkofferings or libations, each of which is concisely but clearly explained, as are also the various feasts and festivals which were enjoined by their lawgiver. The city and temple of Jerusalem, with its splendid ritual, are sketched with ability; after which a review is taken of the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel, and all the leading occurrences of their times faithfully recorded. But one of the most interesting parts of Mr. Mayers' volume, is that in which he brings under the notice of his readers, the substance of the prophecies which form such a conspicuous part of the Old Testament, from Isaiah to Malachi. These predictions, as he justly remarks, "were of a two-fold nature; part of them relating to the affairs of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and the surrounding nations, and the other and more prominent part to the advent of the Messiah, to the period of his coming, and to the subsequent events." Although less notice is taken of some of the prophecies of Isaiah than we could have wished, yet we were much gratified at finding those of Daniel brought prominently forwards. Having quoted Nebuchadnezzar's dream, and Daniel's explanation of it, our author thus concludes his remarks: "We have made a short digression, in order to bring under the notice of our readers, the preceding remarkable prophecy, by which were foretold the successive rise and fall of the four great empires, the Chaldean, the Medo-Persian, the Macedonian or Grecian, and the Roman; as also the succeeding everlasting kingdom of the Messiah." And in a note on this quotation, Mr. Mayers tells us, that "most of the Jewish writers agree, that under the figure of the stone, mentioned in Daniel's prophecy, Messiah is understood, whose kingdom should break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms and stand for ever." This is, at least, an honest testimony, and shews that the writer is not disposed to falsify facts for the sake of courting the favour of those, for whose benefit his history is more particularly intended. With equal impartiality he quotes at large, Daniel's celebrated prophecy, ch. ix. respecting the "Seventy weeks, &c. when Messiah was to be cut off, but not for himself," but without offering any remark or comment upon it. As the author brings down his history to the period of the total destruction of the city and temple, our readers will naturally enquire whether any mention is made of Jesus Christ in the course of his narrative; and we shall gratify their curiosity by laying before them the following extract : "The most remarkable circumstance, however, which occurred during Pilate's administration, was the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth; who declared himself a lineal descendant of the royal race of David, and the long promised Messiah, spoken of by Moses and the prophets. Of the early life of Jesus, we find no particular account given in any authentic history; and all that we can learn of the condition of his parents, proves to us, that they were in humble and low circumstances, his reputed father being by trade a carpenter. But at the age of thirty, he ministry, as the long expected Messiah and appears to have entered upon his public deliverer of his people. Some of the Jews seem to have acknowledged him as such; these believed, that the prophecy of Isaiah, that "a virgin should conceive and bear a son, and call his name Em was REVIEW OF HALDANE'S TRACTS. manuel," was fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth; as well as other predictions relating to the Messiah, delivered by the same prophet, and other inspired writers. They especially believed, that the period of the seventy weeks, as revealed to Daniel, had expired at the appearance of Jesus; who "to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness." But the majority of the nation, the Sanhedrim and the leading men, disbelieved his divine legation, and rejected him as the true Messiah. They ascribed the various miracles which he performed to his skill in magic; and considering his declaration of being the Son of God as blasphemy, they resolved to put him to death. He was, accordingly apprehended by a party of soldiers, arraigned before the high-priest Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrim; and being convicted of blasphemy, was sentenced to be crucified. And according to the apostolic history, Pilate, dreading the extreme jealousy and suspicion of Tiberius, confirmed the sentence of the Jewish council, and delivered -up Jesus to be crucified, contrary to the conviction of his better judgment, and in the vain hope of conciliating the Jews, whom he had oppressed." Mr. Mayers then proceeds with a detail of the terrible conflicts that ensued in Judea, arising from the rebellious conduct into which some of the provinces were driven by the extortion and rapacity of their governors; the invasion of the country by the Roman army, with all its direful consequences, which issued in the slaughter of a great part of the inhabitants, and the dispersion of the remainder. We ought, indeed, to have apprised our readers at the outset, that in compiling his History, Mr. M. had an eye chiefly to his own brethren, whose situation appears to affect him deeply. In the Preface to his work, he glances at the many exertions which are making to disseminate the Holy Scriptures among all nations, as a circumstance which forms a peculiar characteristic of the times in which we live. "Though Jews and Christians," says he, "may differ respecting the New Testament, and though infidels and modern philosophers may deny divine revelation altogether, yet all parties must at least agree, that the circulation of the Scriptures is so far commendable and beneficial, as it tends to civilize barbarians, and to improve their condition, both as regards intellect and morals." 119 This is taking a very just view of the subject; and were the Jews themselves to institute a Society, whose object was to promote the circulation of the Old Testament alone, it should not want any support which we could render to itpersuaded as we most fully are, that in the law of Moses and the testimony of the prophets, the way of salvation is taught; see Ps. xix. 7-11. Our author adds, "That whilst therefore the candid and liberal-minded will allow the benefits, which must ultimately result to civil society from this measure, it cannot be a matter of indifference to them to behold the Jewish nation, to whom the Divine Oracles were first committed, so little acquainted with their own Scriptures and history; and thus left under the influence of ignorance and superstition. This ignorance of revealed truth among the Jewish youth in particular, is the immediate cause of that spirit of infidelity, which so greatly prevails, and which will make rapid progress, if the Oracles of God be not presented to their view." Whatever may be the convictions of Mr. Mayers himself respecting the New Testament, and as he has no where stated them in the present work, we are left to indulge our own conjectures on the subject; he has most certainly performed an important service to the cause of truth in drawing up this History for the use of his brethren. It well deserves a place in every Christian's library, and we hope it will not be long in finding its way into many of them. If we might presume so far on the courtesy of Mr. M. as to suggest a hint, it should be to prefer a request, that he would take the earliest convenient opportunity of publishing a neat duodecimo edition of the book, at about one half the price of the present, with a view to the more general distribution of it among the poorer classes of his kindred. Four Treatises on the following subjects: Redemption-Prayer of Moses-Doctrine and duty of Self-examination--On the Faith of the Gospel. By J. A. HALDANE. London, B. J. Holdsworth; pp. 136, pr. 2s. bds. 1823. these pieces have been previously printed WE believe that most, if not all, of in a detached form. But they are worth reprinting; and we are glad to see them issued in a neat and cheap way, calculated to facilitate their introduction into the hands of many who would otherwise have been strangers to them. The design of the first discourse is, to point out the Divine Wisdom as displayed in the Mystery of Redemption. The second piece is what, in England, we should call a funeral Sermon, founded on Ps. xc. 14, 15, and is a solemn and impressive Discourse, which all may read with profit. The author considers the prayer of Moses in this Psalm, as having an immediate respect to the resurrection. Hence the words-"Return ye children of men," he applies, not as referring to God's appointment, that they should return to the dust, but to his promise of recovering them from that destruction to which they had been subjected by the fall: q.d. "Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, Come again ye children of men. This appears to us to be a twist: but it does not materially affect the merit of the discourse. The third Tract, "On the duty of Self-examination," we remember reading with much satisfaction nearly twenty years ago. It was the subject of some animadversions from the pen of Mr. Fuller, in his Strictures on Sandemanianism, the force and pertinency of which we never could comprehend any more than we could many other parts of that strange performance! The last short piece-"On the faith of the Gospel," is intended to remove the obscurity in which this important subject has been too often involved; and it is well adapted to answer the end which the author proposed to himself. It presents the reader with a very plain and scriptural view of the subject. The History of Joseph, in Verse; in Sir Dialogues. London, B. J. Holdsworth, pp. 103, 18mo. pr. 1s. 6d. bds. 1824. THE Story of Joseph is told with such artless simplicity in the prose of Moses, as to defy all competition in verse, how exalted so ever may be the talents of the writer. Attempts, indeed, have often been made to versify it, and unless our memory deceive us, the fine pen of Mrs. Rowe was employed upon it; but her production only shared the fate of many others-it sunk into oblivion! In the little volume before us, Joseph's wife, Asenath, is brought prominently forward, which is a departure from the original. However, she presents us with an amiable character, which is some compensation for her intrusion, One objection that we have to the work is, that many of the speeches are sadly too long; and another, that there really is no poetry in it. The author has done nothing more than barely curl the end of the lines, as Robinson, of Cambridge, used to say; and that not always very successfully. Joseph and his Brethren, a Scriptural THIS is a publication on the same subject as the preceding article, but differing from it in every thing except the title. Mr. Howard has wisely employed blank verse as the vehicle of his thoughts, and he has preferred the style of the bards of Queen Elizabeth's day, to those of George the Third. This certainly vests his poem with an air of majestic grandeur, which gives it a fine effect; but, for the sake of the moderns, he should have added a glossary of the obsolete terms, many of which will be quite unintelligible to the bulk of his readers. There is a great deal of poetic fire, and, in our opinion, of genuine poetry pervading the volume, highly creditable to the author's powers. The machinery of the drama is conducted with great skill; and the scene in Potiphar's house, which exhibits his wife Phraxanor practising her wily artifices to seduce Joseph from his chastity, displays no ordinary talent. There is, to be sure, a considerable deviation from the scriptural account of the matter; for according to the sacred historian, this wanton woman caught him by his gar ment, and spake out her mind at once. self of the poet's licence, in this instance, Mr. Howard, however, has availed himand has traced the workings of her passion through a long course of seductive manoeuvrings to gain her base ends upon Joseph. We give a short extract as a specimen. Potiphar has been sent his absence, Phraxanor watches her opby the king on an embassy; and during who, on receiving a hint of her intention, portunity to converse with Joseph alone, thus cuts short the conversation. Madam, you did Command me to your presence, and I pray If you have cause for my attendance here Yet make it known unto thy servant's ear. HOWARD'S JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. I've learn'd of my lord's kindness the respect Why, put your fingers on my burning brow Yet fear to lose.-Fie on that steward's ring- VOL. X. JOSEPH. 1 121 My lord did order, ere he left the house, All this is very natural, and quite within the bounds of probability as regards the character of Phraxanor, while the firmness and integrity of Joseph are consistently maintained. Foiled in this instance, she renews her attempt with increased vehemence, and threatens Joseph, in case of non-compliance, with all the direful effects of her revenge : -1 was a woman, but I am a dragon: My nostrils are stuffed full of splenetive fire, My tongue is turned into a furious sting, With which I'll strike you-Ha! be sure I will. JOSEPH. Madam, I did wish you no offence. I did not like your love, And did refuse your offer; which was wise. PHBAXANOR. Was it so? have you so much scorn left? JOSEPH. I ne'er despised the lady of my lord, These short extracts may suffice to give our readers some idea of the ability displayed in the volume before us. And we shall take our leave of it with one quotation more, from which the lovers estimate of the author's powers of deof genuine poetry may form a tolerable scription. The subject is, Joseph's advancement to honour, Gen. xli. 39-44. The procession has just taken place, and some of the Egyptians are conversing respecting the magnificence of the spectacle. Is the scene over? FIRST EGYPTIAN. SECOND EGYPTIAN. Has the procession passed? FIRST OFFICER. The sun is all the glory of to-day SECOND EGYPTIAN. |