In the series of "Expositions of Holy Scripture," by Alexander
Maclaren, D.D. (Hodder and Stoughton, 7s. 6d. per vol.), we have St. John in three volumes (i.-viii.; ix.-xiv.; xv.-xxi.) and The Acts of the Apostles (xiii.-end).—" The Church Pulpit C6mmentary " (James Nisbet and Co., 'Ts. 6d. per vol.) is to be completed in twelve volumes, four of which are to be devoted to the Old Testament and eight to the New. We have before us Genesis— Deuteronomy and St. Bicitthew. The plan is to give expositions, illustrations, reflections, &c., out of which a preacher may furnish himself With materials for sermons. Of course, there are difficulties in the way, and it is hardly possible that these should be adequately met. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, for instance, we find the following "illustration " :—" More than seven hundred years before Christ's birth the prophet Isaiah had announced that a Saviour should be born, and that his name
should be called Emmanuel Not much notice probably was taken of it at the time. Ahaz, the King of Judah, to whom the words were spoken, could not have understood them." This is very inadequate, and a preacher who should model his discourse on it would be making a great mistake. The volumes may well have a use, but they do not diminish our dislike for all these plans of furnishing a preacher's brain.
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