if they do not care to know the benefactor; if they are not affected by suspicion respecting him; if, when a clew is afforded, they neglect to follow it up; if they heed not probability in the case; if still absolute certainty were demanded before the recipients of the bounty would direct their reluctant gratitude; if evidence to prove the identity of their benefactor be received with indifference or reluctance, it would show "palpable delinquency of spirit in all this; and it would become still more evident should they distinctly refuse the calls that were brought within their hearing to prosecute an inquiry. The grateful man would not do this. He would be restless under the ignorance of him to whom he owed the preservation of his family. He would feel the uneasiness of a heart whose most urgent desire was left without its object."

The application is too apparent to detain us; and we pause only to observe, that it appears to have been precisely in accordance with this disposition that the Athenians erected an altar to the unknown God on which to offer their testimonials of grateful adoration. It was to increase their knowledge of the unknown object of their worship that St. Paul opened that sublime discourse concerning the God whom they ignorantly worshiped. It is on this ground, doubtless, that we should feel apprehensions on account of the heathen. The ground of accountability seems to be, that "light has come into the world." And the condemnation will be, because "men love darkness rather than light." We need not advocate the horrible principle of sending men to hell for the sin of the first transgressors.

Our author, as might be supposed, has fully canvassed this matter; and he carries along the unbiased judgment to acquiescence with his conclusions. These appeals to common sense and consciousness are not easily resisted. Hear him as he approaches the conclusion of his argument :

"To resist God after he is known, is criminality toward him; but to be satisfied that he should remain unknown, is like criminality toward him. There is a moral perversity of spirit with him who is willing, in the midst of many objects of gratification, that there should be not one object of gratitude. It is thus that even in the ignorance of a God, there may be a responsibility toward God. The Discoverer of the heart sees whether, for the blessings innumerable wherewith he hath strewed the pathway of every man, he is treated like the unknown benefactor who was diligently sought, or like the unknown benefactor who was never cared for. Even though a mantle of deepest obscurity lay over the question of his existence, this would not efface the distinction between the piety, on the one hand, which labored and aspired after him; and the impiety, upon the other, which did not miss

the evidence it did not care for, and so groveled in the midst of its own sensuality and selfishness."

Chalmers is a giant. He loves to grapple with mighty things. He seems to be conscious of his own strength; and he knows that truth has nothing to fear in a fair contest. He does not, therefore, lie in wait for his antagonist in wily ambuscade; but resolutely buckles on his armor, and marches out into the open field to attack, or to be attacked, as necessity or expediency may decide.

In battle, he has no contemptible stratagems to practice upon his enemy; but he meets him face to face: and he deals with him honestly, with solid, logical missiles, aimed with unerring precision. But he is not the man that will dash into battle on the spur of the moment. He must first carefully reconnoitre his enemy's position, and fully acquaint himself with his powers and resources. He must first survey the entire breadth of the field, and select his own position; and even then he will linger in half battle array, while he more perfectly arranges his own resources, and perfects the order of his artillery: and, when ready for action, he will not dash into the conflict like an impatient cavalier; but approaches slowly and cautiously, half conquering by the wisdom of his arrangement and the impression of his majesty. Nor does he, in the heat of action, ever get into confusion, and forget his propriety. He uses nothing to irritate his opponent; he has no personal malice to display; he is never unnecessarily severe; he conquers scientifically. His antagonist has nothing to complain of but the weight of his arm, and the skill of his arrangements. And withal, too, he is a generous combatant; for though he pushes his antagonist to desperation during the conflict, yet he cheerfully gives him quarter whenever he demands it. He gains his victories more easily than many others; for he is so courteous, so generous, so honorable, and, withal, so renowned for his prowess, that his antagonist feels it almost an honor to surrender to such an opponent: and, as he has nothing of maltreatment to fear, and does not expect to be bound to the triumphant chariot of the victor, he is disposed to yield to such a conqueror at the first excusable opportunity. If Luther was a Cromwell, Calvin was a Cæsar; if Edwards was a Marlborough, Wesley was a Wellington. But who is Chalmers? Chalmers is a Washington! Necessity compels him to take up his arms; he fights, not for glory, but for truth and righteousness; and he is ready to sheath the sword when it can be done with safety. He prefers peace; but he is not afraid of war. Where he can best serve the interests of truth and goodness, there he

takes his position. He is loved and respected while he lives; he will be honored when he is dead.

As a literary production, this treatise has brilliant excellences and prominent imperfections; the foriner more numerous than the latter. Among its imperfections, must be noticed its tiresome tautology and its continual verbosity. The same idea, in some instances, meets us so frequently that we are apt to become wearied with its familiarity; and sometimes it seems to struggle under the weight of its cumbrous phraseology; and so multitudinous, at times, are the expletive words and sentences, (parenthetic, without the sign,) that many of them are less clear and forcible than they might otherwise have been.

Of the general plan of the argument, probably no fault could be found: but, in the minor arrangements, there is too little distinctness in separating the portions not intimately connected; there is too much blending of the different parts of the argument. In consequence of this, it is usually difficult to detach any particular portion from its connections, in order to contemplate it by itself.

The style of Wesley, Harris, Upham, and many others, in this respect, is much superior. The work would be greatly benefited by a more liberal use of italics; they are scarcely ever met with in the treatise. If the chapters could be divided into several sections it would be an improvement; but decidedly the best improvement would be a judicious abridgment. Many of the periods are too long; so long, that we almost get out of breath thinking, before we get to a stopping place. What is the use of periods from twelve to twenty lines? As to the punctuation, we are compelled to say, it is unworthy the general excellence of the work. Much of this defect in punctuation must be attributed to the awkward construction of the sentences; but something of it can be ascribed to nothing but negligence. We did mark several passages for illustration; but we have already, we fear, said too much. And whatever may be said about the author not being a dashing warrior, it will be evident to all who examine the treatise that he is a dashing writer. The pages are full of dashes; some, indeed, used with propriety, but many-perhaps most-where something else would be better.

We are duly apprised that the dash is a great favorite with some; but, notwithstanding, there must be some rules of propriety to regulate the use of it. If not, if they may be used anywhere, then let us dash our periods, colons, and commas, into oblivion; and dash our dashes upon our pages without scruple.

Having done with the less-pleasing part of criticism, we gladly

hasten to say a few things much more in accordance with our feelings of veneration and admiration of the author. Spotted he may be, indeed, as a writer, but he is a spotted sun. The truth appears to be this, he is so entirely engrossed with the greater things of his subject that he pays too little attention to the lesser ; like some noble veteran marching into action, with his step measured by martial notes, who keeps his form erect, his eye on the face of his enemy, and his arms scientifically poised, but who forgets these smaller proprieties as he leaps to grapple with his foe. But where battles are fought on the plains of logic; where the ear is not stunned by clashing thunders, nor the eye blinded by the smoke and dust of the conflict; where all are expected to keep scientifically cool-in such contests, (to dismiss the figure,) the writer must not forget that, after all is said, we must approach to an understanding of his ideas through the little avenues of words, parentheses, colons, and commas. And should a Scotchman ever forget that the noble Graham of Wallace's day had his bosom pierced through a little crevice in his armor?

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The style of Chalmers is quite original-Chalmerian. He bably has, and ought to have, no imitators; for who can be a Chalmers but Chalmers? We must, in this matter, be content to admire him at a respectful distance, as we would an Achilles in the successful use of his armor; and, in such a case, our most prudent course would be to acknowledge his superior greatness, his valor, and his achievements; and, not presuming to imitate, not daring to envy, be satisfied with wishing we were Achilles ourselves but, since we are not, and cannot help it, and there is no use in trying, join cheerfully in the chorus of his praises, and be content to be what we must be. D. D. B.

Lima, Jan. 4, 1847.

ART. VIII.-A Concordance to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. By Rev. GEORGE COLES. New-York: published by Lane & Tippett, for the M. E. Church. 1847.

WHY should a new Concordance be made? Is not this another instance of literary plunder,-seizing a transatlantic book, changing it a little, perhaps for the worse, here and there, and then palming it off upon the community as the genuine product of American brain? We confess such was our fear when this book was announced; but mature examination has dissipated the fancy, and

convinced us that no great and laborious undertaking was more needed than this which is just accomplished. The Bible,—the Bible, is the one great instrument of apostolic men. With that in their hands, and the love of God in their hearts, and a sound judgment, they can go out, whether as pioneers of civilization, or among the enlightened and misled, and point them to the fount of endless life. If, in addition to this, a Hymn-book can be given them, songs of praise will soon mingle with devotion and instruction, and divine worship will be complete. Next to these two should certainly be placed the Concordance. The Bible is perfect, the Hymn-book and Concordance should be;-the one as an exponent of the enthusiasm, the confidence, and enjoyment of the Christian, the other as the most valuable aid to the investigation of the inspired word.

Men conversant with the Bible, and who could spare their time from an immediate enforcement of its claims upon their fellowbeings, have ever loved to study it; and what would appear to others the most forbidding and tedious toil, has been endured by them with cheerfulness and delight. We believe that the energy which has carried some commentators and Biblical critics through their apparently superhuman labors, has been something more than the zeal of a classical critic, bending his mind for years upon the text of some merely human and not superior author. They have toiled to aid all future generations in obtaining the mind of the Spirit. Verily, if they have done this in prayer, and for good, great will be their reward.

It is evident that a minute examination of the text itself, a collection of parallel or apparently conflicting passages, an elucidation of scripture by scripture, would be among the first efforts of Biblical students. But the character and worth of these investigations would be modified by the advancement and demands of the age. In the time of the "wonderful doctor," Roger Bacon, who seemed to stand in scientific and literary pursuits almost alone, at least in England, who was confined in a cell in his old age twelve years from his practice of the "black art," whose knowledge of Greek and Hebrew was supposed to be a means of communication with infernal spirits in this age, when the building of the two arches of London bridge cost less than the "faire written" Bible bequeathed by W. de Howton to the Abbey of Croxton, it could not be expected that any studied aids to the examination of Scripture would be furnished. And yet then it was that Antony, of Padua, wrote his Concordantiæ Morales, or concordant passages, according to the Vulgate. This may be regarded as a germ of concord