sophical Introduction of twelve pages, the chapter headings of the historical part are as follows:-I. The Greek Church; II. The Latin Church; III. The Romish Church; IV. The Doctrine of Luther (pp. 87-148); V. Melancthon's Doctrine (pp. 149-261); VI. The Struggle of the Antitheses; VII. Conclusion in the Concordienformel; VIII. The Orthodox Dogmatik; IX. The Century of Transition; X. The Renovation of the Doctrine of the Church. The exegetical part occupies pp. 388-428; the concluding dogmatic statement, pp. 429-470. The author has an uncommonly perspicuous style for a German theologian, and the gift of lucid statement and historical reproduction in a rare degree. After doing such full justice, however, to the new work, we cannot leave it without alluding to what seems to us a grand defect, viz. the author's total neglect of everything outside of the domain of Lutheran theology in the period since the Reformation. Dr Luthardt justifies himself in this procedure (p. 3) by simply remarking that "here, in the development of the dogma in the Lutheran church, the most comprehensive and thorough-going investigations of the subject have been made," a statement which not a few will be disposed to controvert. But granting it were true, a work which purports to be a historical portraiture of the whole subject, has no right to reject such developments as that in France associated with the names of Amyraut and Pajon, or that in America associated with the name of Edwards, without stating that by its plan they are necessarily excluded. An unsophisticated reader of the book before us would finish it with the impression that he had been introduced to every author and to every theory related to the subject worthy of historic mention, and yet there is not in the whole work the name of a Protestant author outside of Lutheran Germany! This bigoted onesidedness and superciliousness of the school of new Lutheran divines to which Dr Luthardt belongs, is a sad drawback to the pleasure with which one welcomes their learned and acute productions. Apart from this defect, the work may be regarded as almost a model monograph.

Die Entstehung und Fortbildung des Lutherthums von 1548-1576. Von Dr H. HEPPE. 8vo, pp. 264. Cassel. 1863.

The body of this work is taken up with extracts from twenty old Lutheran Confessions, prepared and adopted in various state churches between the time of the rise of the Adiaphoristic Controversy and the adoption of the Form of Concord. The most of these Confessions are wholly unknown to ordinary historians, and have been brought to light by Dr Heppe's antiquarian researches. They compose a documentary history of the rise and formation of the dogmatic system of Lutheranism, and are here presented and commented upon as such. At the same time, he finds in them a justification of the positions taken in his former works, "Die confessionelle Entwicklung der altprotestantischen Kirche Deutschlands," and "Geschichte des deutschen Protestantismus in den Jahren, 1555-1581," which positions have been violently controverted by zealous Lutheran writers. In an Appendix, he pays his respects to the two chief crities of his views, viz. Plitt and Calinich, the latter, author of a prize essay, entitled "Luther and the Augsburg Confession" (Leipsic. 1861). Heppe evidently has the best of the argument, though the prize essay is uncommonly interesting and able.

Vorlesungen über die Lehrbegriffe der Kleineren protestantischen Kirchenparteien. Von Dr MATTHIAS SCHNECKENBURGER. Herausgegeben von

HUNDESHAGEN. 8vo, pp. 250. Frankfort am Maine. 1863.

As Dr Schneckenburger died in 1848, these posthumous lectures have rather an old savour; nevertheless we will give them, for their author's sake, a hearty welcome. Few readers of Dr Schneckenburger's excellent

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German Theological Literature.

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Vergleichende Darstellung des lutherischen und reformirten Lehrbegriffs" are aware of the tribulation with which its editor and his friends possessed themselves of the manuscript, and thus rescued from long obscurity and probable destruction the only comparative dogmatic worthy of the name. A family catastrophe has but recently released the remaining manuscripts from the clutch of whimsical widow S., the lectures before us among the number. Arraigned for causing the death of a servant girl by her inhuman treatment, and released on bail, the eccentric lady, instead of appearing at court at the proper time, sought an asylum in America, leaving the longguarded writings of her husband a prey to his still surviving friends.

The present collection of lectures possesses most of the excellences of the former work, only it was impossible for the author to enter into the real spirit and essence of the various systems described so fully as he did into that of Lutheranism and Calvinism. Furthermore, he had not so many different studies of the subject by other minds of which he could avail himself as in the former case. Still the lectures are valuable, and well worthy of reproduction by the press, even at this late day. The contents are: Introduction (pp. 1-4); Î. Arminianism (pp. 5-26); II. Socinianism (pp. 27– 68); III. Quakerism (pp. 69-102); IV. Methodism (pp. 103-151); V. Moravianism (pp. 152-218); VI. Swedenborgianism (pp. 221-249).

Apologetische Beiträge. Von W. F. GESS und C. J. RIGGENBACH. 8vo, pp. 248. Basel. 1863.

Six apologetical essays by well known Swiss divines. The three by Gess are entitled the "The Right of Doubt; "Doubt and Conscience;" "The Witness of the Holy Spirit." The three by Riggenbach, "The Wrath of God:" "Original Sin" and "The Unpardonable Sin." All of them are in the best style of modern German apology. As Riggenbach was himself originally a rationalist, he understands the art of presenting the truth in its most effective form. The whole book may be regarded as a supplement to a work published two years ago by the same house, "Zur Verantwortung des Christlichen Glaubens, zehn Vorträge." The first three are designed to help the sceptic to a belief in God and Christianity; the following three to aid him in then surmounting the difficulties which threaten to overpower his infant faith.

Hades. Exegetisch-dogmatische Abhandlung über den Zustand der Abgeschiedenen Seelen. Von J. R. OERTEL. 8vo, pp. 183. Leipzic. 1863.

Eschatological subjects are now the favourite studies all over Germany. Within a very short time we have had new and valuable works in this department from Güder, Luthardt, Rinck, Rudloff, Laacke (formerly a Lutheran, now Catholic priest), and many others. Some of our readers may think Parson Oertel runs the doctrine into the ground, when we inform them that he locates the land of the departed in the interior of the earth : but such a view is by no means uncommon here in Germany. We believe it has enjoyed even in England the support of no less authority than Bishop Horsley. Though not a restorationist, our author believes, with a large number of the German theologians, in the continuance of the day of grace - till the day of judgment. Like many of his learned countrymen, he seems to conceive of the "middle state" as a grand missionary field; though we do not find that he goes so far as Weitbrecht, who accounts for the "premature (!) death of so many competent and useful teachers and ministers" on the supposition that they are needed in the carrying on of the work of evangelising the shadowy hosts of Hades! Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the essay is the logical manner in which he applies the idea of probation to both classes. If the unsaved can yet rise, so can the saved still fall

This we have never seen so fairly and forcibly carried out as in the present treatise. His collective results are well summed up by himself in the following words: "We have found as the New Testament view of the middle state, that the abode of the departed is, for the most part, to be sought under the earth (89); that this abode is divided into two separate localities, one for the relatively blessed, the other for the relatively miserable (38 10, 11); that the intermediate state is only a temporary one ( 12); and that all departed souls enter the intermediate state, either under the earth or in heaven (22 13, 14; that the departed are bodiless ( 16); that they possess self-consciousness, memory, the ability to perceive and receive impressions, to have intercourse with one another (22 17, 18), to grow in knowledge, and make progress in the career commenced in this life ( 19), and retain even the possibility of changing the course commenced here, either to salvation (?? 28, 29) or to destruction (2 30)." A concluding chapter discusses the relation of this Scripture view to the established Lutheran doctrine. Christliche Glaubenslehre nach protestantischen Grundsätzen dargestellt. Von Dr ALEX, SCHWEIZER. Band i. pp. 394. Leipzig. 1863.

Dr Schweizer is well known to all who interest themselves in the earlier Calvinistic theology, as the author of an excellent "History of the Central Dogmas of the Reformed Church," and of a "Dogmatik of the Reformed Church, reproduced from the Sources." Though an ecclesiastical councillor of the Canton of Zurich, Professor in the University, and Pastor of the Cathedral Church in the same city, he has found time to commence the elaboration of an entirely new treatise, covering the whole field of systematic divinity, in which he aims to set forth the doctrines of the Christian faith, as apprehended by the evangelical church of to-day. The task will be seen to be no light one, when we remember the dissonant schools and philosophies and types of doctrine prevailing in the churches which he has more immediately in view; but our author enters upon it courageously, and if he succeeds in presenting a well-compacted system, may be hailed by thousands as having given exact expression to their faith, when in fact he first gave them something which they in consistency with their principles and prejudices could believe. The present volume contains the first part, and presents not a few features worthy of notice. For instance, we have never found the just distinction between Dogmatic as "KirchensatzungenWissenschaft" and Glaubenslehre, as the scientific reproduction and setting forth of the contents of the Christian faith, so beautifully and thoroughly illustrated as here. He takes the point of view of the "Union" as that essentially attained by the whole evangelical church of Germany. As he is the first theologian of strictly Calvinistic antecedents who has undertaken an original exposition of the " Union Theology," we are entitled to look for an essential complementation of the type set forth by Twesten, Nitzsch, &e. Judging from the volume before us, we should pronounce Dr Schweizer the truest disciple of Schleiermacher who has yet appeared in this field. Though no servile imitation, the work is, in form, method, spirit, and style, through and through, Schleiermacherian. Perhaps none of his positions will excite more discussion than the one that "das göttliche Wirken auf die Naturwesen der Bethätigung seiner Naturordnung, das Wirken auf die sittlichen Wessen den seiner sittlichen Weltordnung, und das Wirken auf die Erlösten oder Kinder Gottes der Bethätigung seiner Reichsordnung durchaus gleich gestellt wird." The bearing of this view on the question of miracles and on the doctrine of the Divine concursus is at once apparent. Lack of space forbids the presentation of his novel method.

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XII.-CRITICAL NOTICES.

The Divine Plan of Revelation; an Argument from Internal Evidence in Support of the Structural Unity of the Bible, being the Boyle Lectures for 1863. By the Rev. EDWARD GARBETT, M.A., Incumbent of Christ Church, Surbiton, Author of "The Bible and its Critics," &c. London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co.

THE striking, and in many ways most valuable, work, to which we here desire to draw the attention it deserves, comes from the same pen to which the Church is indebted for "The Bible and its Critics." Both are of an order specially adapted to the scientific attainments and philosophic spirit of the age. Both are remarkable for breadth and comprehensiveness of view, and the union of accuracy and closeness of argument, with flashes of vivid eloquence, and the deepest experimental views of the gospel of Christ. In this respect there are few works which we can put into the same category, and not many intellects combine the two. And this is one cause why many Christian men and women, profoundly interested in the truth of God, not unmindful either of the need imposed by the controversies of the day, to meet reason with reason and argument with argument, are deterred from the higher range of our apologetic theology. No church is richer in it than that of England; and from that wealthy armoury, weapons of offence and defence, for every emergency, may be drawn. But the style even of such great masters as Butler and Leslie is bare, with a scientific dryness, though it must be confessed that this for their purposes is not only defensible but necessary. Still the fact remains, that the average intellect, and the hearts that have fed most deeply on the richness of the gospel's realised truth, are repelled thereby. Not only therefore is it unprepared for controversy, and untrained in the first principles, simple enough after all in themselves, which lie at the bottom of the philosophy of God's word, but another result follows. There is a certain lack of nerve and muscle in much of our religious writing and religious talk, which in this cultivated age of ours, when the gospel of Christ is thrown everywhere on its defence, it is of the first moment to remove. Works, therefore, which unite logical vigour with the unction of profound Christian teaching, and a vein of attractive eloquence, with an argument every now and then conceived and pressed with a power not unworthy of the author of the Analogy himself, merit well of the church. Another thing is worth observing. The great object of the assailers of our faith is to entangle simple and untrained minds in the meshes of minute doubts, verbal subtleties, and infinitesimal contradictions. They are minute philosophers, such as the genius of Berkeley long ago crushed, and with an exquisite irony and subtlety exposed. They act as an atheist or impugner of providence might act, if they dwelt on the anomalies and malformations of smaller animals, or the ill-wrought and imperfectly developed capacities of the elemental forms of the earth. What should we do? Why, we should appeal to what strikes all eyes, and is intelligible to all minds. We should point to the great firmament, the sun, moon, and stars, which proclaim the glory of God, and the vast harmonious arrangements for man's well-being which lie on the very surface and broad aspect of things. We may depend upon it, it is a great thing to extricate a mighty cause and grand argument from small objections, and irrelevant, though insoluble problems, the infinitesimals of scepticism. It is the peculiar province of clear and masculine understandings to shake themselves and their cause free from these incumbrances. The victory for

truth is gained as soon as the question is rested on a few broad principles; and the battle, extricated from the passes and broken ground where no decisive issue can be won, is fought in the light of the sun, and in the open plain. This was the method adopted by Mr Garbett in his former book. Neither he nor any well informed man ventures to question the general soundness on which scientific inquiries are carried on, and our great triumphs in the knowledge of God's material universe have been achieved. They are right principles, and are indeed the application to one of God's worlds of the laws of an enlarged common sense. Properly modified by the difference between physical and material things, and moral and religious questions, they are no doubt of universal application. In conditioning their application by the essential distinctions between what is of moral and physical demonstration, we only insist on what the great heathen master of both spheres of human thought, as they then were investigated, lays down as an absolute rule. But beyond this rule of Aristotle we claim no postulate. On this principle it was, then, that Mr Garbett met the sceptical argument in his former work. It is on a similarly broad principle that the author treats the question in his present work-the Boyle Lectures for 1863; we have no doubt of its solidity. The adjustment of means to ends is the work of intelligence. The argument is instinctive; we use it every day, whether we will or no. Without entering into a discussion of Bacon's censure on the mode in which the argument of final causes was managed in his day, it is certain that, duly understood, it is the key to God's universe. Physiology, with its attendant sciences, cannot move or exist without it. Astronomy, grasping the order of the universe, and the harmonics of the firmament in its sublime geometry, would be but chaos without it. The wondrous faculties of man, the structure of his mind, the action of his instincts, passions, and moral faculties would be but a riddle and a world's wonder. There is and can be no arguing with those that choose to renounce this fundamental principle. Great erratic intelligences, shedding about them a disastrous light, and Titan-like unsettling the universe, may no doubt be cited against it. But these are minds run mad, alien from the confessed convictions not only of the mass of mankind but of the noblest intellects, in all the spheres of thought and action which have adorned humanity. We make no account of them, and choose humble reason against brilliant paradox. Well, then, if the vast structure of Scripture, so diversified and complex, can be shewn by evidence collected from itself to have a clear and definite plan, binding all its parts into a grand indissoluble unity, it must be, in that respect, and such as it is, the work of intelligence. And if, from the circumstances of the case, such intelligence was not and could not have been man's; if it extends in space and time, and moral and spiritual combinations, into the infinite of wisdom and goodness, the conclusion is inevitable. The intelligence is God's. It is God's word. This is the demonstration, the great theologic Q.E.D., at which in the present work Mr Garbett aims. Like the geometry of Newton, it is a heavy weapon effectually to wield, and to bring it so clearly as is desirable before the Christian consciousness. Dimly and imperfectly it is accepted, we suppose, by most believers; but not in that external and logical form, which the present day necessitates. In fact, to give a general consistency to this seemingly loose consciousness, is the purpose of that traditional theology which has been coeval with revelation, expanding and systematising itself as revelation itself waxed perfect, and, ever according to its progress, binding together and harmonising the written records. Hence the infidel rejecting the key, and starting de novo, discerns but loose disjointed fragments, without an inner inspiring spirit, or unity of purpose, a jungle of myth and fact, poetry, history, and tradition. But not less surely than did Cuvier with the broken bones of the Paris