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Testament is implied in πνεῦμα, spirit. Πνεῦμα is from πνέω, and signifes a blowing, a breath. St. Paul, therefore, supposes the new dispensation to be introduced by a person who breathes out the spirit of God in every step of his life. The Lord is that spirit: ὁ δὲ κύριος τὸ πνεῦνα ἐστι. It was the opinion of Chrysostom, and many others since his time, that the Lord is the predicate, but the connection of this with the preceding verse precludes such a view. The writer opposes every explanation which divests the three words, Lord, is, and spirit, of their solemn meaning. Mosheim, Bolten, Billroth, and others, suppose the Lord to be the doctrine of Christ; the essence of Christianity is the spirit of Christ. Wetstein explains the passage thus: The Lord signifies that spirit; but σTɩ has no such meaning either here or in Luke xxii, 19. Others have held another meaning: The Lord communicates that spirit. Erasmus and Calvin: That spirit is the spirit of the law which first became viva or vivifica, when inspired by Christ, through whom the spirit comes to the body. Likewise Olshausen: The Lord is that spirit spoken of in verse 6. The writer identifies the Lord and spirit, and argues that St. John does so in his Gospel, and Paul in many places. Compare Romans viii, 9, which is but an e pluribus unum. The three modes of explaining this passage before the eighteenth century may be classified under three heads: The Church traditional, which holds that that spirit is the subject, thereby proving the divinity of the Holy Spirit. This view is obsolete. The second explanation is the one marked out by Origen, and afterward followed by Erasmus, and defended by Calvin: The Lord is the subject; the spirit is that through which the law becomes vital and efficient in us. The third is that of the Arians, of lowering the divinity of Christ because the word kúpios and not Oéos is employed. It errs, too, in making that spirit only a signification of the essence and not of the grace of Christ, thus making this passage parallel with John iv, 24, just as if the spirit were without the article. Baur maintains this view, and his opinions are discussed at length.

It gives us pleasure to read such a review as Professor Weiss has written on Ritschl's work on the origin of the early Catholic Church, a book written in reply to the attacks of the Tubingen school on the evangelical view of the early history of Christianity. Since the relations of Christianity to the Mosaic law caused so many discussions in the first century of the Christian era, our author considers them at length. His conclusions are these: Neither did Christ abolish circumcision or the privileges of the Jewish people, nor did his disciples cease to observe the Mosaic manner of worship. Christ embraced the law of love to God and man as the principle of the Old Testament law, and what does not correspond, or is involved in this principle, Christ considered of no value. But the perfecting of the Christian law, as the weaning of his disciples from the worship of their fathers, Christ left for future development and to the guidance of the Spirit. The reviewer thinks that the author's epitome and representation of St. Paul's system contain the best views ever advanced on the subject. Essenism was a society of priests, formed on the basis of a universal right of priesthood. This view Professor Weiss holds on the ground of their holy supper, lustrations, and their white linen clothing; but still he allows them to have appropriated certain heathen elements. A prominent

division in the work reviewed is, "Catholicism of the great anti-Gnostic Church." Here are shown the deviations of Romanism from the doctrines of St. Paul; this is at the bottom of all their misconceptions and deformities. The work closes with a view of the development of the episcopacy and a description of monasticism. Ritschl's book denotes a strong tendency in Germany in the right direction. It has been the especial aim of Rationalism to subvert the evangelical view of the early planting of Christianity. This has been bravely resisted, and we are glad to find that Neander has left those behind him who are willing and able to defend the cause which he loved so much. This number of the Studien und Kritiken is one of no little value. Some of its articles abound in bold and original views, while others bear traces of the most laborious study and research. It is heartily gratifying to every lover of Scriptural religion to observe the tone which pervades its pages. It is one sign, and no mean one, that the clouds which have for a hundred years been lowering over the Protestant German Church, are breaking away and giving place to the pure light of Gospel truth. Theological magazines are the tide-gauges that denote the rise and fall of the religious current in every land.

Apropos of the everywhere-talked-of question of baptism, we have thought it worth while to epitomize for the Quarterly an article in a back number of Studien und Kritiken, by Pastor Laufs. Baptism, says he, was not a movement proceeding from Christ, but one toward him. Christ gave no especial instructions to his disciples as to how they should act in regard to baptism after his death, as indeed he did not on any other subject. The apostles understood baptism to be a pledge to God to be useful in the spread of the Gospel. It was not passive, then, but active. In apostolical days there was no established custom in regard to baptism. Converted and unconverted

persons were baptized; and the doctrine of the Baptists, that only those who had been born again should be baptized, never came into use before the second half of the apostolical age. When Philip went through Samaria he baptized many persons, though many of them did not receive the Holy Spirit until some time afterward, at the laying on of the hands of the apostles. The strongest point which the author makes is on infant baptism. This has always been a great means of strengthening and enlarging the Christian Church. Martensen maintains that infants were not baptized originally, but that they have a right to know it now. Zwingli went on the supposition that the children are God's, they belong to God's people, therefore they are entitled to a pledge of unity with God. Baptism takes the place of circumcision, and if the children are not God's, then would Christ have less power than Moses. The children are God's, in dubio, until they prove to the contrary. Augustine baptized children because they have original sin, and are freed from it through this sacrament. Zwingli says it is good that children be recognized by the Church, as those who wish God to be their God. The paper closes with an exegetical notice of the Greek passages on baptism found in the Acts of the Apostles. The Socinians maintain that ẞaπTOVTES is a mere figure of speech, similar to the Latin imbuere. Hence the dictum of Socinus: Etsi is ritus (that is Johannis) ab apostolis in ecclesiæ initus servatus fuit, cum sc. evangelicæ disciplinæ adhuc rudes erant homines. The author fears much from the grow

ing prevalence of this Socinian view. Just at this time baptism is exciting no little attention in our own Church as well as in Germany. It is to be hoped, however, that the agitation of the subject may contribute to a more general and Scriptural understanding of it, instead of involving it in darkness and unsettling the minds of the unwary.

We have in the same Heft an instructive paper on the chronology of the Acts of the Apostles. The first part of it is an inquiry into the governorship of Felix, while the last is an excellent sketch of Paul's missionary travels, together with names and dates. We subjoin an extract from it:

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44 Paul and Barnabas in Jerusalem. Return to Antioch.
Paul and Barnabas enter upon their first missionary tour,
Cyprus, Pamphylia, Antiochia ad Pisidiam.
Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, then return to Antioch.
Apostles' Meeting in Jerusalem.

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Second missionary journey, Syria, Cilicia, Derbe, Lystra,
Iconium, Phrygia, Galatia.

Macedonia, Greece. Return to Corinth in autumn.
Paul in Corinth.

Paul leaves Corinth, and goes by way of Jericho to Antioch.
Paul's third missionary journey, Syria, Cilicia, Galatia,
Phrygia, and arrives at Ephesus in the autumn.
Paul in Ephesus.

Paul goes from Ephesus to Macedonia and Greece, where he
remains during the winter.

Paul goes from Greece, through Macedonia, to Jerusalem, where he is taken prisoner at the feast of Pentecost.

Paul in Cæsarea.

Paul in Cæsarea; the transactions of Festus.

59 Paul comes in the spring to Rome.

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Paul's two years' stay in Rome.

ART. XII.-QUARTERLY BOOK-TABLE.

Ir is of greatest concernment in the Church and Commonwealth to have a vigilant eye how books demean themselves as well as men, and thereafter to confine, imprison, and do sharpest justice on them as malefactors; for books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are.-MILTON.

I.-Religion, Theology, and Biblical Literature.

(1.) "A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians. By JOHN EADIE, D.D., LL.D., Professor of Biblical Literature to the United Presbyterian Church." (8vo., pp. 297. New York: Carter & Brothers. 1859.) Dr. Eadie, of Glasgow, is sending forth to the world a series of commentaries on the Epistles of Paul, of which this is the first that has come under our notice. The Carters announce the volume on

Ephesians as in press, and that on Galatians as in preparation. Judging from the specimen upon our critical table, they are to be among the most valuable contributions to exegetic literature in the English language. Indeed, the hand that produced this volume will never afford to publish anything secondary in that department.

As stated in the title, the comment is directly upon the Greek text, assuming in the reader some mastery of the original language. The author professes (and displays what he professes) a familiarity, from long and intimate acqaintance, with the character both of the apostle's Greek and of his method. He discusses, with trained acuteness, the true text. His reading of commentators, ancient and modern, especially the German, is extensive. In his style, in contrast with his German rivals, he is eminently clear, somewhat antithetical, grasping nice meanings in phrases of neat precision, and often eloquent. He possesses the religious depth of old Scotland, united with something of the stirring ardor of modern religious movement. He is soundly Calvinistic, but not obtrusively. In his exegesis, for instance, on Phil. ii, 13, he makes the in working of God not merely produce the power of our holy willing, but shape the volition. This he holds to be consistent with the freedom of the will, because thereby no violence is done to the voluntary nature; on the contrary, it precisely accords with our voluntary nature, for our volitions are always shaped by an omnipotent creation. And as the process is thus normal and ordinary, and not forced or driven, the man, in exercising the volition which God shapes, is free. To be volitionally free, therefore, is to be caused to choose, in the ordinary course of nature. And this accords with the fine old Calvinian view, which affirms that as the intellect does freely conclude, according to a mathematical demonstration, which neces sarily determines it, so the will is free whenever it chooses according to the motive which naturally and necessarily determines it. Volition is thus no more free than intellection, both being necessitated, but necessitated not violently or forcefully, but normally and naturally.

Mr. Eadie pleases us better than our German friends for another reason. The German is run away with by the analytical. To avoid the being gov erned by the spirit of system, he is lax and wayward, if not, on the whole, inconsistent; scarcely knowing at the commencement, often, where he is to land in the conclusion. In his own mind, at any rate, Mr. Eadie has his synthesis fixed; and thus his analysis is never meandering or diffuse, but, while free and exhaustive, is regulated and synoptical.

The thanks of biblical scholars are due to the Carters for the prompt issue of this valuable series; which it is to be hoped the author will prosecute through the entire series of the apostle's productions.

(2.) Selections from the Writings of Fenelon; with a Memoir of his Life. By Mrs. FOLLEN. New edition." (12mo., pp. 374. Boston and Cambridge: James Munroe & Co. 1859.) This work is the production of the accomplished widow of the late Dr. Follen, who, though theoretically a rationalist of the most unequivocal stamp, impressed his friends with reverence for his pure piety. We have indeed in this volume the special phenom

enon of a work of exalted piety, written by a Romanist, translated by a Unitarian, and presented acceptably to the heart of the evangelical Church. It offers a problem which it is unnecessary for us to attempt either any theoretical solution as to the whole, or any practical solution as to individual cases. We can leave to the omniscient Heart-searcher to decide how far theoretical error, vincible or invincible, may be blended with that state of will or affections which Infinite Mercy will accept. We cannot presume to gauge how the "spirit of faith," and "the heart of faith," may exist in spite of the failure of the understanding. Thus far we know, that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that the true object of faith, which alone we can present for salvation, is Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Fenelon belonged, with Leighton, Fletcher, and Edwards, to that order of piety-the order of St. John-which lies deeply in the subjective, and borders upon mysticism; and which stands in contrast, though not in opposition, to that of Howard, Wilberforce, and Asbury. Paul and Wesley blended both the subjective and the active. Subjective writers of the Fenelon school are sometimes somewhat one-sided, and productive of danger to a certain class of minds; a class which is prone to a strong affinity for them; a class which loves the indulgence of religious emotion as a sort of spiritual luxury, and in whose minds it dwells, a sanctified revery, productive more of inordinate self-confidence than of any external fruits of religious consistency and beauty, or well-directed activity. Yet such writers have their own great value to check the too strong tendency to the merely external, and to draw an objective age into deep self-searching. To such writers the actors in the great field of Christian enterprise should ever resort as fountains of clearness and spiritual refreshment, in whose transparent mirror they may scrutinize the purity of their springs of action, and from whose freshness they may draw renewed strength for the race of holy well-doing.

error.

Let us accept Fenelon as a cheering proof and reminder that even in the bosom of Romanism there may exist a saint of the true stamp, needing no papal canonization. This need check no earnestness for truth, no dread of The fact that piety may exist in spite of error does not contradict the fact that moral error destroys its millions, and that truth, pure truth, and the purer the better, is the great instrument for a world's salvation. But where, in the midst of surrounding gloom, a light like Fenelon's shines out, let us not refuse to love its glow or accept its guidance; but render thanks to God for such omens that the condition of the world is not as bad as total darkness.

(3.) "The State of the Impenitent Dead. By ALVEH HOVEY, D. D., Professor of Christian Theology in the Newton Theological Institution." (18mo., pp. 168. Boston: Gould & Lincoln, 59 Washington-street. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman, & Co. Cincinnati: George Blanchard.) Professor Hovey's brief treatise is considerably less generic than its title. It is a vigorous and compact essay, embracing both the rational and Scriptural argument against the theory of Annihilationism, especially as held by Ham and Hudson. It was originally prepared and read before a conference of his brethren in the ministry, and is now published at their unanimous request.

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