Memoirs of Thomas Halyburton edited by Joel R. Beeke
Publishers: Reformation Heritage Books. Hardback, xxvii plus 317 pages, price £22.50, but available from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom, 133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6LE, at the reduced price of £18.95.
THIS is a Reformed classic of spiritual experience that we cannot recommend too highly. It contains the autobiography of the Rev. Thomas Halyburton (1674-1712), together with eye-witness accounts of his extraordinary death-bed. With Gillespie before him and M’Cheyne after him, Halyburton was another of the stars of the Scottish Church whom the Lord removed at an early age; in his case at 37 years old.
We would have to agree with Archibald Alexander when he said, “There is no production of the kind, in which the exercises of the human heart, both before and after regeneration, are so distinctly described.” Exceptionally helpful is Halyburton’s systematic analysis of the Lord’s dealings with him. Here we have a systematic theology of the heart. The Bible’s doctrine of experimental religion could hardly be made more manifest. Again and again he concludes the description of a certain aspect of his experience by quoting a remarkably apt Scripture text. And then what light shines from God’s Word as it is seen in its true spiritual meaning.
Here is an effective antidote to the shallowness that too often passes for true Christianity today. “Follow my advice,” writes Halyburton, “study the power of religion: it is the power of religion, and not a name, that will give the comfort I find.” No soul that took to heart these faithful counsels would wake up in eternity with a lie in his right hand. At one point he himself was saying, “I knew there was some change; my question was, Was it the right one?”
Here is a safe guide for concerned souls. Halyburton knew both law and gospel by deep experience, and how to apply them to the consciences of men. Here are clear directions from Mount Sinai’s convictions to Mount Calvary’s pardons, and all the way to Mount Zion’s consolations, from one who travelled that way himself.
Here is sweet comfort for God’s afflicted people. They are happy and blessed indeed, who can recognise in the exercises of Halyburton something of their own experience (in substance if not in degree). When this latter-day Philip joins their chariot and is used to open up their case as though he could see into their innermost souls, truly they can go on their way rejoicing, saying, “My Beloved is mine and I am His.”
Here is wise counsel for ministers of the gospel. Halyburton’s labours in the ministry did not last for long, but they were blessed by the Head of the Church who called him into the work. This stirring record of his ministerial experiences, and his deathbed exhortations to fellow ministers, expound and apply Paul’s words with great power: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).
We are indebted to Reformation Heritage Books for this finely produced reprint, the first since 1847. “It is worthy of a place in every family.”
Rev. Keith M. Watkins
Accuracy of Translation by Robert Martin.
Published by the Banner of Truth Trust, large paperback, 95 pages, price £4.95. Available at the Free Presbyterian Bookroom, 133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6LE.
THIS is a reprint of a book written by an American Baptist minister and originally printed in 1989, dealing primarily with the New International Version of the Bible. He provides a useful critique of the assumptions underlying such versions – in particular the principle of dynamic equivalence. This principle allows translators to give the general sense of a sentence – as they understand it – rather than striving to give, as far as possible, a word-for-word rendering of the originals. But the author concludes, “Since the inspiration of the Bible is both verbal and plenary (i.e., since inspiration extends to the very words of Scripture, and equally to all the words of Scripture), and not just dynamic (i.e., the idea that inspiration has to do with only the ‘ideas’ or ‘thoughts’ of the Bible), then the accuracy of translations must be judged by principles which reflect a recognition of this most fundamental truth concerning the nature of the Scriptures. But is the dynamic equivalence philosophy of translation ultimately consistent with such a recognition? I do not believe that it is.”
And he makes this his central conclusion: “The NIV is not worthy of becoming the standard version of the English-speaking world. Its accuracy is suspect in too many ways.” He also makes this highly relevant observation: “The idea in some places seems to be that more people will read their Bibles if they have one of the simpler dynamic translations, like the NIV. This may or may not be so; I do not know. I suspect that spiritually-minded folk have always read their Bibles and studied diligently those parts ‘hard to be understood’ (2 Peter 3:16). I do know, however, that sacrificing precision for simplicity is no bargain. Inaccurate and paraphrastic Bible translations cannot but contribute to the further erosion of theological precision in the decades to come.”
However, readers should note that Appendix C: The Textus Receptus and the Text of the New Testament, is unsatisfactory. In spite of the author’s arguments, it is important that our translations be based on the Textus Receptus, which avoids certain corruptions which entered some copies of the text of the New Testament in the centuries after it was originally written. With this reservation we are glad to see this book back in print.
Rev. K. D. Macleod