632 



Monthly Revieto of Literature, 



[Juki;, 



A very useful index of builJmgs is append- 

 ed, to enable the reader, by ret'ereiiee to the 

 body of the work, to ascertair. the builder; 

 and which inivdit have been miuie more con- 

 vcnieiit by coupling the building and its 

 architect in the index itself. 



The Ecclesiastical Histon/ of the second 

 and third Centuries ,- illustrated from the 

 writings of TertuUian. By John, IBishap of 

 Bristol. Ivol. Qvo. — As professor of divini- 

 ty, the Bishop of Bristol has adopted a novel 

 course, and directed the attention of his 

 hearers, two or three seasons, to tJie 

 writings of the Fatliers, principally witli a 

 view to illustrate the doctrines and disci- 

 phne of the Chureli of England. The 

 progress of his undertaking brought him to 

 TertuUian, when it occnned to him, that 

 bis labours might advantageously be turned 

 also to the illustration of ecclesiastical his- 

 tory generally. The present publication is 

 tlie result. 



The Professor reviews the subject ac- 

 cording to Moshcim's divisions — not the 

 best possible, certaiidy. Wosheim is, in- 

 deed, the text-book, and every statement 

 of his is closely examined and estimated : we 

 think, too exclusively on TertuUian's au- 

 thority. P.Iosheira's general correctness is 

 indisputable ; but building his opinions as 

 he did, not on materials furnished by one, 

 but by several writers, it is obvious, if we 

 constitute any one of those writers the cri- 

 terion, those opinions will probably, in 

 particular instances, appear inaccurate. He 

 was evidently well acquainted \vith Tertul- 

 lian, but not disposed to consider his au- 

 thority as unquestionable ; he mixed uji the 

 impressions derived from his writings, with 

 those obtained from others ; and thus Ter- 

 tuUian's representations, though not reject- 

 ed, were modilicd. Wc do not say the 

 Bishop was not aware of this effect, or 

 that he has not borne it in mind; but we 

 feel that, by dwelling too intently on Ter- 

 tuUian, he has been induced to ascribe un- 

 due authority to hiin, and to judge Mosheim, 

 not unliiirly — because inadvertently, but 

 certainly with too much severity — to criticise 

 that historian, in short, rather than illustrate 

 the history, and to make exceptions that 

 are generally minute, rarely of much impor- 

 tance, and sometimes quite insignificant. 

 Tlie effect is almost inevitable. The cool 

 and unbiassed reader sees at a glance the 

 influence of exclusive examination; but it 

 is very different with the man who, by 

 long intercourse with a particular writer, 

 has insensibly attached himself to him. 

 He is sure to give him credit beyond his 

 fair claims. 



We regret exceedingly that the Professor, 

 with his attention thus turned to the His- 

 tory of the Church — with his learning, 

 judgment, industrj-, did not give us an 

 original and general view of the subject, 

 instead of confining hini.-elf to what ho 

 terms fiUing-up the outline sketched by Mo- 

 sheim. If this were his sole object, it has 



cert-ainlysometimcfi eRcape<l his recollection ; 

 and we are quite sure the rigorous, and 

 almost captious scrutiny to which Mo- 

 sheim's statemeiits are sul'jocted, will, 

 to most readers, throw an air of pettyness 

 over the Bishop's book, which he never con- 

 templated, and which, when he discovers 

 it, he will wsh had been avoided. 



On what ground, the reader may ask, 

 is TertuUian entitled to so much considera- 

 tion ? — His heresy. In liis later days he 

 adopted the sentiments of Montann*, cf 

 which sentiments, however, our knowledge 

 is very scanty. Blontanus is said to have 

 personated the Paraclete, mcanir.g by that 

 term, something distinct from the Holy 

 Spirit ; to have been of a melancholy and 

 rigid cast, and of course a stern reformer. 

 Adopting his opinions in all their severity, 

 TertuUian was ready to express his disap- 

 probation cf many of the customs and de- 

 terminations of the church ; and, ardent 

 as was his African temperament, to exjn-ess 

 that disapprobation pretty warmly. It is 

 this separation of his from the bosom of 

 the church that furnishes materials for 

 illustrating its doctrine and disciphne. His 

 representations, made in the spirit of an 

 opponent, as they evidently are, are of 

 course to be taken with some allowance ; 

 we doubt if the Bishop has distrusted suf- 

 ficiently. 



We entertained a very favourable opinion 

 of the Bishop of Bristol's moderatioii, and 

 we are delighted to find that opinion justi- 

 fied and confirmed by the sentiments oc- 

 casionally interspersed in this volume of his. 

 Those sentiments are uniformly sound and 

 liberal — worthy of a Christian prelate, arid 

 worthy of the important station he fills as 

 theological lecturer at Cambridge. I'hough 

 heartily wishing his safe arrival by-and-bye 

 at Lambeth, we shall be sorry to see him 

 quitthe divinity-chair, where, dcspisingcant, 

 and not dreading inqniiy, he is usefully and 

 honourably employed in diffusing correct 

 views and kind feelings. To find a prelate 

 venturing to express opinions, scarcely dif- 

 fering from Middleton's, on the sidiject of 

 miraculous power possessed by the early 

 Christian, is sufficiently remarkable in these 

 days; but still more so, to find him frankly 

 expressing his admiration of Dr. Hey — a 

 man suspected in certain quarters, we 

 believe, cf Sociniaiiism, meaning by that 

 comprehensive term ;dl sorts of latitudina- 

 rianism; though we verily believe for no 

 other reason, than that that acute and able 

 divine delighted to wind along the perilous 

 edge of discussion— conscious of his own 

 skill and address to extricate him in the 

 moment of danger; and because, while he 

 concurred with the general doctrines, he 

 refused to adopt the jjeremptory language 

 of orthodoxy. 



Experimental Inquirii into the Laivs of the 

 Vital Functions. — By A. W. Philits.— 

 Dr. Wilson Philips, whose works are 

 already well known in the medical profes- 



