take on that type of religion in which the divine and saintly are the antithesis of the human, and not its renovation, perfec

tion and glory.

Millenarianism also tends to educate its believers to undervalue, in the renovation of mankind, the spiritual influences of truth and love, of the gospel of Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost, and to throw men back to believe in the preëmi nence of force; thus tending to reverse and undo the laborious progress of the world from the ancient estimate of the preëmi nence of might to the modern estimate of the preeminence of right. "Faith in the triumph of ideas and in the reign of truth and love by the convincing of men's intellects and the renewing of their wills through the Holy Spirit passes away. The world will be subdued by almighty power, never converted by redeeming love."*

It tends in the same direction by occupying the mind with the visible glories of a future earthly kingdom, to the neglect of the Christ ever present though unseen, according to his promise.

Whether there is or is not in the doctrine an inherent tendency to fanaticism, it is a fact that its occasional appearances in the history of the church have repeatedly been attended with fanaticism. We have had an example of it in our own times in the excitement which attended the preaching of Mr. Miller and his Coadjutors. Certainly if the imminence of the stupendous events of Christ's second advent becomes a reality to any person and as such occupies the thought from day to day, it may well be too much for the human mind and throw it from its balance. We return then with renewed satisfaction to the Scriptural doctrine of the Saviour reigning personally in heaven, bat ever with us in his delocalized and universal presence in the Spirit; and we joyfully accept his own teaching that this is better for us than his bodily presence in any place on earth : "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (John xvi. 7).

* Lectures on the Kingdom of Christ on Earth. By Samuel Harris, Professor of Systematic Theology in Yale Theological School, p. 233.

ARTICLE IX.-NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

HODGE'S DISCUSSIONS ON CHURCH POLITY, AND ESSAYS AND REVIEWS.*-In these two volumes are embraced a series of Papers contributed by the late Dr. Hodge to the Review which he conducted so long and so ably. The volume on Polity, which the Messrs. Scribner have issued in a very handsome form, embraces essays on the theory of Church Government, together with a collection of reviews and extracts from reviews, in which the author's principles are applied to practical points. The manly independence of Dr. Hodge is illustrated in the Papers on the terms of communion, in which he denies the right of a church to impose on communicants tests which exceed the requirements of the New Testament; and in the maintenance of the position that the Roman Catholic Church, notwithstanding its corruption, is a branch of the true church. Of course, he is a defender of Presbyterianism as the scriptural and best form of polity.

The second of these volumes reproduces a series of Articles which almost all relate to "New School" theology. There is a review of Finney, the papers against Prof. Park's sermon on "the Theology of the Intellect and the Theology of the Feelings," the review of Beman on the Atonement, etc. We have, besides, the reviews of Dr. Bushnell's various writings. Dr. Hodge had a thoroughly defined system, of the truth of which he was entirely convinced. Whatever clashed with that system, which he conceived to be the theology of the Church, he felt himself free to combat with all the weapons of logic at his command. He wrote in a vigorous, trenchant style, and not unfrequently dealt heavy blows at his antagonists. He was not in a state of mind to give full weight to the objections of minds as truth-loving and as vigorous as his own. Writing without the least apparent misgivings with respect to the soundness of his positions, he naturally infused

* Discussions on Church Polity, from the Contributions to the Princeton Review. By CHARLES HODGE, D.D., selected and arranged by the Rev. WILLIAM DURANT, with a Preface by A. A. Hodge, D.D. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Essays and Reviews. By CHARLES HODGE, D.D. Selected from the Princeton Review. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers. 1879.

into his polemical papers a tone of confidence which often made a strong impression, over and beyond the solidity of his arguments, and quite disproportioned to their strength. He sailed in, with the obvious design to demolish any opponent who had the temerity to dissent from the principles of Turretin. But he is always honest, always able, and hardly ever fails to speak instructively, even when he speaks on the wrong side.

ELLICOTT'S NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY FOR ENGLISH READERS.*-In this volume, the Acts of the Apostles, and the second Epistle to the Corinthians, are annotated by Dr. Plumptre, the Epistle to the Romans, and the Epistle to the Galatians, by Dr. Sanday, and the first Epistle to the Corinthians, by the Rev. T. T. Shore. Dr. Plumptre exhibits the same accurate scholarship and candor which we noticed in commenting on the first volume of this series. Dr. Sanday is well known for his work on the Genuineness of John's Gospel, and for other writings, in all of which is manifest a conscientious purpose to give full weight to all reasonable objections to traditional opinions. Bishop Ellicott's name is a sufficient guaranty that no unwarrantable latitudinarianism will enter into the work. We have to reiterate the opinion that of all the New Testament Commentaries for general use, this is the best. It is not shaped to suit any particular party or school. It is not framed with reference to the market. It is the product of enlightened, independent, evangelical scholars. The introductions are models of condensation, mingled with thoroughness. In expressing this strong commendation, it will not be understood that we subscribe to all the interpretations which the authors bring forward. For example, we do not concur with Dr. Plumptre altogether in his idea of the motive of the Apostolic decree, which is recorded by Luke in Acts xv.

MOZLEY'S REVIEW OF NEWMAN'S ESSAY ON DEVELOPMENT. -Newman's celebrated essay, in which his theory of the Roman Catholic system as a legitimate, logical, divinely sanctioned development of the Christianity of Jesus and the Apostles, is one of

A New Testament Commentary for English Readers. By various writers. Edited by CHARLES JOHN ELLICOTT, D.D., Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol. Vol. II. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co.

The Theory of Development. A Criticism of Dr. Newman's Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. By J. B. MOZLEY, D.D., late Canon of Christ ⚫Church, etc. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. 1879.

the most ingenious, suggestive, and fascinating works in the whole catalogue of modern theology. The reply by the late Canon Mozley is a powerful and successful refutation of the argumentative portion of Newman's discussion. It is shown, in this review, that corruption may be introduced in a line of development by mere exaggeration. Elements, which are right within limits, may be pushed to an excess, and thus a system may be distorted, and varied most materially from its original type. Dr. Mozley was a keen logician and a lucid writer. He takes rank among the ablest of the theologians of our time. All of his theological discussions are well worthy of earnest attention. He began as an ally of the Tractarians, but he departed, in important respects, from his earlier position.

OUTLINES OF ONTOLOGICAL SCIENCE.*-Professor Henry N. Day has added to his numerous treatises yet another on Ontology, and thus given to his friends and the public another proof of his sustained and productive industry. He is one of the very few men of his generation who, in varied situations and circumstances, has maintained a fresh and unextinguishable zeal for independent research in the fields of philosophic inquiry and manifested his zeal in patient and solitary labor. Ontology is a somewhat indefinite title for a book, if we rely upon the etymology of the term for the interpretation of its meaning. Professor Day defines it briefly as the "Philosophy of knowledge, and being;" and, still more exactly and fully, as he proceeds, by the subordinate headings of the four books into which his treatise is divided, viz: Philosophical Logic; Philosophical Psychology; Philosophical Theology; and Philosophical Cosmology. Even these special tables fail to suggest the varied subject matter of the book on the mutual relations by which the several topics which are actually described are connected with one another and developed from the germinal starting points. It is enough to say that many if not most of the fundamental topics which are now occupying the minds of profound thinkers concerning matter and spirit; God and the universe; creation and evolution; personality and mechanism; are treated with great fairness, and a good degree of

* Outlines of Ontological Science: or a Philosophy of Knowledge and Being. By HENRY N. DAY, author of "Art of Discourse," "Psychology,” “Logic," Esthetics," and "Ethics." New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 182 Fifth Avenue. 1878.

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thoroughness, and that the work is in every respect a very able and timely contribution to our philosophical literature. We propose no critical remarks concerning the positions or the treatment by the author, but we can assure our readers that novices and adepts in philosophical speculations will be well rewarded by its perusal.

PRINCIPAL CUNNINGHAM'S THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.*-After the death of Dr. Cunningham, five volumes of his writings were published, one of them a republication of articles in magazines and reviews, especially in the British and Foreign Evangelical Review, of which Dr. Cunningham had for some years been editor; the four others consisting of works not before published. The present volume is published at the request of a number of clergymen, who had heard the lectures while students under him. The lectures do not aim to give a complete discussion of the subjects named on the title-page; but were designed to guide and assist the students in the study of the standard works on those subjects. They contain disquisitions on "the state of the question," and criticisms of the arguments of those works. The lectures are eminently judicious in their counsels and suggestions, and are written in a devout spirit. On the subject of Inspiration the discussion is extended. The author advocates verbal inspiration, devoting to it six entire lectures. These lectures were delivered to the students of the first year in the Divinity classes, but only for two or three sessions. They were the first fruits of his professional labors, and he bestowed much labor and care on their composition and revision. Having been written thirty-five years ago, the subjects of course are not discussed with reference to the thought of the present time and its peculiar forms of skepticism.

SUPERSTITION AND FORCE.t-These essays in their original form were noticed in the New Englander. In the present edition, the author has indicated the origin of some of the customs which he describes, in pre-historic antiquity. The essays are the product

* Theological Lectures on subjects connected with Natural Theology, Evidences of Christianity, the Canon and Inspiration of Scripture. By the late WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, D.D., Principal and Professor of Church History, New College, Edinburgh. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 530 Broadway. 1878. 8vo, xiv. and 625 pp.

+ Superstition and Force. Essays on the Wager of Law; the Wager of Battle; the Ordeal; Torture. By HENRY C. LEA. 3d edition, enlarged. Philadelphia: Henry C. Lea. 1878.