was as a commentator on the Holy Scriptures. In this he may be truly said to have finished his course, as well as fought a good fight and kept the faith. It is difficult to form a just estimate of a work on which such an author laboured for thirty-three years. It entitles him of itself to rank at the head of the theologians of his own time,' as at once the most laborious and important writer of the day. The capital excellency of this valuable and immense undertaking perhaps consists in the following more closely than any other, the fair and adequate meaning of every part of scripture, without regard to the niceties of human systems: it is in every sense of the expression a scriptural comment. It has likewise a further and a strong recommendation in its originality. Every part of it is thought out by the author for himself, not borrowed from others. The later editions indeed are enriched with brief and valuable quotations from several writers of credit: but the substance of the work is entirely his own. It is not a compilation, it is an original production, in which you have the deliberate judgment of a masculine and independent mind on all the parts of Holy Scripture. Every student will understand the value of such a work. Further, it is the comment of our age, presenting many of the last lights which history casts on the interpretation of prophecy, giving several of the remarks which sound criticism has accumulated from the different branches of sacred literature, obviating the chief objections which modern annotators have advanced

"I esteemed Mr. Robinson the greatest preacher in England; as Mr. Scott is the greatest divine."-Dr. Claud. Buchanan.

against some of the distinguishing doctrines of the gospel, and adapting the instructions of scripture to the peculiar circumstances of the times in which we live. I may observe also that the faults of method and style which considerably detract from the merit of some of his other writings, are less apparent here, where he had only to follow the order of thought in the sacred book itself; whilst all his powers and attainments have their full scope. It was the very undertaking which required, less than any other, the qualifications which he did not possess, and demanded, more than any other, those in which he excelled. It required matured knowledge of scripture, skill as a textuary, sterling honesty, a firm grasp of truth, unfeigned submission of mind to every part of the inspired records, a holy temper of heart, unparalleled diligence and perseverance: and these were the very characteristics of the man. When to these particulars it is added that he lived to superintend four editions, each enriched with much new and important matter, and had been engaged above three years in a new one, in which for the fifth time he had nearly completed a most laborious revision of the whole work, we must at least allow the extent and importance of the author's exertions. Accordingly the success of the work has been rapidly and steadily increasing from the first, not only in our own country, but wherever the English language is known. It will soon be in the hands of most careful students of the holy volume, whether in the first instance, they agree with the author's chief sentiments or not. Nor is the time distant, when, the passing controversies of the day having been forgotten, this prodigious

work will generally be confessed in the protestant churches, to be one of the most sound and instructive commentaries produced in our own or any other age.

"To these more public labours, I proceed to add the characteristics of his private life as a Christian, which corresponded to them, and were indeed, under the divine blessing, their spring and source. All he did as a writer and a minister proceeded from what he was as a humble believer in Jesus Christ. In this view also he fought a good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith.

"Determination of mind in serving God formed the basis of his character, and gave strength and firmness to every other part of it. Whatever else he was, he was most decisive in religion. From the time he began in earnest to investigate the doctrines of the Bible for himself, he not only admitted them as true, in proportion as he discovered them to be such, but acted upon them, governed his temper and conduct by them, fearlessly professed them before men, and cheerfully suffered whatever reproach or difficulties they might occasion. No one could ever mistake him. He always avowed what he conscientiously believed to be true, whatever others, even his nearest connexions, might think. Timidity, reserve, subterfuge, concealment, ambiguity, love of the world, were not his faults. The manner in which he had slowly and reluctantly arrived at truth at first, gave him such an assured confidence that he was right, that nothing afterwards could turn him aside. The fashionable opinions or practices of the day, the number or station of his opponents, the distractions and divisions of parties, the plausible appearance of cer

tain errors, the reputation for piety or talent of those who incautiously favoured them, made no difference to him. A powerful discriminating judgment, and an intimate acquaintance with every part of scripture, gave such a tone of firmness to his habits of thinking and acting, that he seemed like a giant taking his course among children, regardless of their puny op position, and bent only on the achievement of his own great objects. It must, on the other hand, be owned that he sometimes erred by want of sufficient consideration for the feelings and prejudices of others, and sometimes was betrayed into rudeness and overconfidence-I wish not to conceal his human failings -but these failings he constantly opposed, and as he advanced in life almost entirely subdued; whilst the sterling honesty and determination of his character, the spring of all his usefulness, remained unimpaired.

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Extraordinary diligence was the handmaid to this capital excellency. He was always at work, always busy, always redeeming time; yet never in a hurry. His heart was given up to his pursuits; he was naturally of a studious turn; and his labour was his delight. He gradually acquired in a degree beyond most men, the habit of abstracting his mind from sensible objects, and of concentrating his thoughts on a particular topic; nor could the distractions inseparable from a hurried journey, or from a walk through the busy scenes of a great city, at all divert him on such occasions from the course of thought in which he was engaged. And whenever a subject which he had once studied, was proposed to him, he could immediately fix his mind intently upon it, and

ness.

recall all the chief arguments by which it was supported. So that he lived, in fact, twice the time that most other students do in the same number of years. To support this he had an iron-strength of constitution. And for five or six and forty years he studied eight or ten hours a day, and frequently twelve or fourteen, except when interrupted by sickHis very relaxations were often equal to the diligence of others. But it was not merely incessant labour which distinguished this remarkable man-it was incessant labour directed to important objects. His attention was always occupied by his proper work. He was not merely studious, but studious of what was immediately useful. He was not a desultory reader attracted by every novelty, and wasting his time on inferior topics or authors of less moment; but a reader of what was solid and appropriate and directly subservient to the great subject in hand. From an early age, indeed, he was almost entirely self-taught; the only education he received having been at a grammar school, from the age of ten to fifteen. He had no aid afterwards from masters, small means for the purchase of books, and scarcely any access to great collections. A few first-rate works formed his library, and these he thoroughly mastered. He never remitted his exertions in improving his works. After thirty-three years bestowed on his Comment, he was as assiduous in revising, as he had originally been in composing it. The marginal references cost him seven years of labour. And the interval between the fourth and the present edition was employed in attempting a Concordance on a new plan which he did not live to complete, but which by