were abjured and witnessed against by the Reformers both of the First and Second Reformation, as well as by the Seceders of past and present times. But for such we look in vain to the Free Church, while even those within her pale who would assume the Second Reformation ground find no countenance among her leaders.

It is much to be desiderated that her rising ministry, instead of being merely taught that she has adopted the principles of the Second Reformation Church, were carefully led through the history of the Reformation eras, with all their contendings and subsequent martyrdoms for the truth. The lessons of that era are much needed at present; and the future of the Free Church will depend upon her drawing nearer to, or resiling still farther from, the position and principles of the Reformed and Covenanted Church of Scotland.

The Savoy Conference, and The Story of the Ejectment. By the Rev. Thomas M'Crie, D.D. W. Kent & Co., 23, Paternoster Row, London. THESE are two out of a host of other tractates which have emanated from the commemoration movement. We have not had an opportunity of examining them all; but, from former acquaintanceship, we have turned instinctively to those by the son of the author of "The Life of Knox." Here we expected to find something very definite and special, as bringing into view the Presbyterian spirit of the Puritans. We must confess more than disappointment. While freely admitting the felicity of our author in presenting a graphic picture of "The Savoy Conference," and while The Story of the Ejectment" is admirably told, we entirely fail to perceive that high-toned principle by which his "Sketches of Church History" are pervaded. We were prepared, by some recent appearances and productions of this author, for the expression of latitudinarian sentiments; but we did not expect to meet with anything directly subverting the universally acknowledged position occupied by the Solemn League, neither did we expect that a removal to the southern metropolis would have changed the phraseology which indicates the day of God, by the adoption of the heathen term "Sunday" for the scriptural term Sabbath.

"The fatal 24th of August drew nigh, strangely enough the blackest day in the calendar of the Reformed Church, being the anniversary of the Bartholomew massacre of the Huguenots of France in the preceding century, and occurring that year, as it does in the present, on a Sunday."

We are the more surprised at this use of the term, as the Doctor elsewhere states that one of the things objected to by the Nonconformists was the use of the term "Sunday" in the Liturgy.

By the Act of Uniformity, "it was enacted, that all who had not received Episcopal ordination should be re-ordained by bishops; that every minister should, on or before the 24th of August following, being the feast of St Bartholomew, declare his unfeigned assent and consent to everything contained in the Book of Common Prayer, on pain of being ipso facto deprived of his benefice; that he should also abjure the Solemn League and Covenant as an unlawful oath, and swear the oath of supremacy and allegiance, declaring it to be unlawful, under any pretext whatever, to take up arms against the Sovereign."

Rather than submit to this wholesale rejection of their profession, and submit to the State in matters between God and the conscience, two thousand of the best ministers England ever saw "took joyfully the spoiling of their goods," and went out, without organization, provision, or hope, save what rested on the promises of their covenant God. Many of them were subjected to great straits and privations; but peace of conscience was of more value than the favour of men, and the side of Christ to be preferred to association with the base usurpers of His crown. The names of a few of these worthies are

thus graphically presented by our author,

"There stands, majestic and apostolic in mein as he is in nature, the image of his own 'Living Temple,' John Howe-just the man, from his look of dignity and tenderness, to have written 'The Redeemer's Tears over Lost Souls.'

And there, by his side, is that sturdy old Presbyterian, Edward Calamy, who, when preaching before General Monk on the subject of 'filthy lucre,' tossed his white handkerchief over into the General's pew, with these words-'Aye, and there are some who will betray these kingdoms for filthy lucre's sake.' And there is Matthew Poole, with his learned 'Synopsis,'-and Matthew Mead, with his 'Almost Christian,' &c. &c."

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These are but a tithe of the noble names, associated with immortal works, which our author mentions, and which might be largely supplemented. Men of truth, and faith, and noble daring, who were ready to sacrifice their lives rather than their principles. These were the men required to renounce "the Solemn League and Covenant," according to the terms of the Act of Uniformity. And yet our author tells us in a foot-note (p. 20), that "it is a mistake to suppose that the Covenant was imposed as a sine qua non of admission to the sacred office; many of the ejected Puritans, Baxter among the rest, never took the Covenant. As to the 'Directory,' it was intended to relieve from the enforced uniformity of the Ritual; and even the Confession of Faith was not intended in England, even by those who were most active in compiling it, to be used as a term of ministerial subscription." We are at a loss to know how these learned and godly divines, who met at Westminister, should have agreed to the Confession of Faith, &c. &c., "as a part of the covenanted uniformity in religion betwixt the churches in the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland," if no subscription was required. The Doctor himself has told us, in former times, that "the public mind of England was gradually prepared for the complete extirpation of the hierarchy." He tells us, moreover, that, from the outset of the correspondence between the English and the Scottish commissioners, "the Scots contemplated, and earnestly pleaded, for a uniformity in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, between the two churches of England and Scotland. They held that unity of religion' was the only effectual cure for the civil dissensions by which the country was rent asunder.” He farther tells us,+" The Assembly of Divines, called by the English Parliament to settle a platform of doctrine, worship, and government, in which all the three kingdoms might unite, had, with few ex

*

"Sketches of Church History," vol. ii. p. 273.

† Ib. p. 294.

ceptions, agreed to a set of standards, which met with the entire and cordial approbation of the Church of Scotland."

The account which the Doctor gives of the reception of the Solemn League by the Assembly bears out the same idea of uniformity,

"This Assembly, of which Mr Robert Douglas was moderator, is memorable in our history for having received the Westminster Confession of Faith as part of the uniformity of religion to which the three kingdoms had become bound in the Solemn League."

After these and numerous similar statements contained in the "Sketches of Church History," we cannot comprehend the preceding quotation or the following foot-note (p. 8):

"It may be added that the 'uniformity' aimed at in that League was not understood, save by a few zealots, as meaning more than such a consensus as that which already subsisted between Scotland and the other Reformed Churches on the Continent."

This is surely southern light, acquired through some peculiar medium. We should like to know the history of this change of sentiment in regard to a simple matter of fact, upon which the testimony of the Doctor is still extant. The change is as marked as that between "Sabbath" and "Sunday," already alluded to. But we entirely dissent from the statement, that nothing more was meant than such a consensus as that which subsisted between the Church of Scotland and the Reformed Churches on the Continent. The union intended in the Solemn League was, according to the terms of that document, a pledge to "endeavour to bring the churches of God in the three kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in religion, Confession of Faith, Form of Church Government, Directory for Public Worship, and catechising." Did the men who lifted their hands to heaven, in taking the oath of God, mean what this language expresses, or did they not? There can be but one intelligible answer to the question. They did mean what they said; and something more will be requisite than the affirmation of Dr M'Crie, or any evidence he has produced, to prove what is affirmed in the note already quoted.

The union and uniformity here implied was the closest that could subsist between distinct churches-viz., sister churches in communion, but not under the same jurisdiction. It must be admitted that it was not a union of incorporation-the same in kind as that which is realized when two branches of the Church coalesce upon a basis, and within a jurisdiction common to all, as one ecclesiastical association. The churches were to remain distinct, as sister churches, but, nevertheless, so united as to adopt the same ecclesiastical standards. The consensus subsisting between the Church of Scotland and the churches of the Continent, consisted merely in the harmony of their respective Confessions of Faith, Directories of Worship, and Forms of Church Government. These churches agreed substantially with each other, but they were not identical, as having the same standards; but this latter was the uniformity contemplated by the churches of Scotland, "Sketches of Church History," vol. ii. p. 298.

England, and Ireland. We wonder who were the "few zealots" referred to as expecting "uniformity." There is nothing to indicate their existence in the records of the Assembly at which the draft of the Solemn League was presented by Henderson, according to Dr M'Crie's own quotation from "Blair's Memoirs"

"When the draft was read to the General Assembly,' says Blair, who witnessed the scene, 'our smoking desires for uniformity did break forth into a vehement flame, and it was so heartily embraced, and with such a torrent of affectionate expressions, as none but eye and ear witnesses can conceive."

But this representation of the views of those who were actors in the efforts to obtain "uniformity," is in keeping with what the writer says in the same note regarding the import of the Solemn League, in reference to the nature of the reformation sought. "Strange as it may appear, the English Presbyterians never held themselves bound by the Solemn League to extirpate a moderate Episcopacy."

We should like to know what our author means by " a moderate Episcopacy." If he means merely the collective authority of bishops or presbyters, then there is no doubt that there was no engagement to extirpate that; but if he means even the most moderate Episcopacy ever exhibited under the Anglican system, we take leave to say that we would require better evidence than any yet produced ere we could accept the statement. If, according to the terms of the Solemn League, they engaged to "extirpate Prelacy (that is, church government by archbishops, bishops, their chancellors and commissaries, deans, deans and chapters, archdeacons, and all other ecclesiastical officers, depending on that hierarchy)," we are at a loss to know if anything remains out of which the most skilful doctor could construct "a moderate Episcopacy," or whether anything remains save Presbytery, such as is defined in the form of church government "agreed upon by the Assembly of Westminster Divines" in order to uniformity. After these notes, we are not surprised at the following expressive

sentence :

"Though not prepared, perhaps, to sympathise with all their scruples about ceremonies, and disposed, it may be, on the other hand, to entertain objections to the Established Church, which did not weigh so much on their minds, there are certain great and vital principles underlying these scruples, in which all evangelical Nonconformists of the present day humbly agree with those of 1662."

We are not aware of anything contended for by these learned and pious divines worthy of being called "scruples." We should like to hear such specified, and also to know what were the "ceremonies," about which they had scruples, with which our author cannot sympathise. History does not bear that they had scruples about anything warranted by the word of God. If they faithfully opposed every innovation upon the purity of worship, then they ought to have the Doctor's sympathies and testimony to their fidelity.

He tells us, moreover, that "it is a mistake to suppose that the Covenant was imposed as a sine qua non of admission to the sacred office; many of the ejected Puritans, Baxter among the rest, never took the Covenant." Be this as it may with particular individuals, it

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is evident that the taking of the Covenant was one of the things chiefly aimed at in the Act of Uniformity; hence one of its clauses, on the Doctor's own showing, that each minister "should also abjure the Solemn League and Covenant as an unlawful oath," which would certainly imply that it was generally taken.

But be that as it may with Baxter, there is no doubt that Dr M'Crie not only frequently took this Covenant, but required subscription from others, and engaged all whom he licensed or ordained to the sacred office to acknowledge its continued obligation. We would consequently have expected, at such a commemoration of the fidelity of those ejected, there would have been an explicit recognition of its present obligation upon the Church and nation, and the guilt incurred by its violation; and we had reason to expect that there would have been an urgent appeal to English Nonconformists upon the duty of returning to the principles and attainments of the Second Reformation period. Taken in connection with the signs of the times, especially the Puseyite tendencies of the Church of England, and the aggressions of Popery, the appeal might have been rendered conclusive and striking. But "The Story of the Ejectment" ends like other stories when finished, as if only meant for a little entertainment, and, we fear, will prove like "a tale that is told," as far as anything practical in regard to duty is concerned. Such is the testimony to the covenanted principles, upon a broader platform, promised previons to the disruption of our Synod, and such are the effects of latitudinarian intercourse upon an actual Covenanter.

Biblical Natural Science; being an Explanation of all References in Holy Scripture to Geology, Botany, Zoology, and Physical Geography. Illustrated by Maps and numerous Woodcuts. By Rev. John Duns, F.R.S.E. William Mackenzie, London, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.

THE object of this work is distinctly expressed in the title, and still more fully in the author's address, from which we give the following

extracts:

"Several features distinguish this work from others in which kindred topics are dealt with. The place in Biblical literature which it seeks to occupy is at present vacant. There is no single work existing which is devoted exclusively to the same subjects.

"British and foreign books of Eastern travel may be numbered by hundreds. Scattered throughout these, which are for the most part expensive, very many facts are to be met with which shed much light on those aspects of the sacred text now chiefly in view. Efforts have been made to render this information most truly useful by embodying it in one work. Thus far the author's task has been one of compilation. But this forms only a very subordinate characteristic of the work.

"The chief difficulties in the relations between the Bible and Science are associated with the opening pages of Scripture. A full exposition will be given of the first eight chapters of Genesis. And, in connection with the exposition, recent 'Geological Theories of Creation,' 'The Theory of Development by Natural Law,' and that proposed by Mr Darwin on 'The Origin of Species,' will be carefully reviewed, and set in popular aspects. Questions touching 'The Presence of Death in the World before the Fall of Man,' the hypothesis of a 'Race of Pre-Adamite Men,'