and affections prompting action; 3rd. The regarding of some actions as wise and good because they are right; 4th. The judging himself and his own free acts; 5th. The distinction of good and evil, and the obligation to seek the one and avoid the other. On the present state of man in relation to God, and the judgment each man forms of himself and of other men, the author has admirably treated his subject. He infers man's present imperfect state from the mode in which he has dealt with the subject of religion. As a fact, he prefers the material to the spiritual, he chooses the false rather than the true, the speculative rather than the practical,-the sentimental rather than the moral, the human rather than the Divine. On the Wants of the human spirit, our author shows that while it is adapted to the right, the wrong is chosen. Now, this must arise either from weakness in the human spirit, or from an irresistible motive from without, or from an inward spontaneous predisposition which issues in a wrong choice. The first it cannot be, for this would destroy responsibility; the second it cannot be, for it leaves unexplained numberless instances of wrong choice, in opposition to instruction, example, and conscience. The third it must be, for this accounts for every wrong choice that takes place. What, then, is man's great want? Is it not a disposition to choose the right, the pure, and the good? How is this want to be supplied? This is a question beset with difficulty. If it is to be realized, it must be by a work which does no violence to man's free and active nature, nor to the principle of moral government,-(that is, man bearing the praise or blame of his own acts,) nor must it be conceived of as arising out of the relations established in God's moral government of man. Now, difficult and mysterious as such a work may be supposed to be, it is not more mysterious than many other Divine acts. If such a work has any existence, it must be clearly taught in Scripture, and to the distinctly indicated voice of Scripture we must reverently

bow.

known by consciousness or revelation,and facts illustrative of them,-as, for instance, the longings of heathen men, the current strain of Christian literature from the earliest times, the very pretensions of enthusiasts and hypocrites, and the general effects of an earnest holding of the doctrine of Divine influence.

Lecture IV. contains an ample discussion of the Church notions respecting the Work of the Holy Spirit. Here the errors grafted on the doctrine of Divine Influence are clearly traced, and admirably exposed.

The Fifth Lecture relates to Mysticism, speculative, contemplative, imaginative, and practical. This is, perhaps, the most acute and philosophical Lecture in the volume.

Lecture VI., On the Consciousness of Spiritual Life in harmony with Divine Revelation, is a most masterly and enlightened discussion, tending to clear up many of the metaphysical difficulties connected with the phenomena of the spiritual life. We have read it with unspeakable satisfaction, and commend it to the careful perusal of all our readers whose minds are disposed to seize on the difficulties of a question.

Lecture VII. treats of the Moral Energy of the Spiritual Life. Here the connection of Evangelical principles with sound morality is very ably and convincingly demonstrated. The distinction is well drawn between the work of the Spirit and the duty of the believer; the danger of substituting the doctrine of submission to church authority for spiritual religion is forcibly exposed; the Pelagian fallacy of regarding human nature rather as what it ought to be than as what it really is, is earnestly condemned; and the connection of Evangelical principles with sound morality is finely illustrated,-by an appeal to the work of the Spirit in renewing the sinner, by showing that the spiritual life is the source of the purest morality, by evincing the superiority of its results to those which flow from ethical or conventional sources, and by pointing to the harmonious working of the Spirit of God with the spirit of man, in our renovation, sanctification, and final perfection and happiness.

Our calm and settled conviction, which we deliberately announce, is, that Mr. Stowell's Lectures are amongst the best contributions to our theological science which the present or any former age has supplied. The matter of them is choice and scriptural,-the tone is purely Evangelical, and the style is perspicuous, glowing, and refined. We shall furnish samples of the author's method of handling his theme in the future numbers of our work.

The AGE and CHRISTIANITY. By ROBERT VAUGHAN, D.D. 12mo, pp. 336.

Jackson and Walford.

THE interest excited by the Lectures contained in this volume, as recently delivered in the Metropolis, renders it almost superfluous in us to notice them in our pages. They relate to topics which are largely discussed in this country, and by an increasing circle. In plain terms, they are intended to supply an antidote to that German leaven, which is insinuating itself into our literature and our religion; and from which we augur no direct or immediate good. Unfortunately the poison finds its way where the antidote never reaches.

Dr. Vaughan expresses himself with great appropriateness and force, in the following passages. "Our age," he observes, "amidst its many forms of scepticism and worldliness, is ill at ease; and, in common with all preceding ages, exhibits an irrepressible yearning of the human spirit after something more settled and satisfactory than it has found. Its sense of want is going out, conspicuously enough, in search of something higher-of something more noble. My object is to demonstrate to some of these bewildered and weary wanderers, that the old path is, after all, the true one; that the new paths opened out on either hand, are harder to make way upon than the one in which we may trace the footprints of our sires; and that, seeing all men are compelled to be believers in some shape, it is really a much easier thing, and assuredly a much happier thing, to believe after the manner of a Christian, than to believe after any other manner. As a Christian, it must be my conviction that the Author of Christianity has done all things necessary to make faith in it a duty, on the part of every man to whom it comes. Of the errors which render men insensible to this fact, I have wished to speak in all candour, but only with the candour that may be consistent with truthfulness-consistent with a Christian's obligations in relation to the spiritual interests of man, and to the spiritual claims of Him who has redeemed them."

The course of Lectures included in this most seasonable and powerful volume relates to the following subjects. I. The Characteristics of the age. II. Characteristics of the age in relation to the proofs of Christianity. III. Same subject continued. IV. Characteristics of the age in relation to the truths of Christianity. V. Same subject continued. VI. Characteristics of the age in relation to the Christian Religion.

We cannot but hope that the wise and prudent counsels of so accomplished a writer as Dr. Vaughan will be found beneficial to many who are now balancing between scepticism and true faith.

CLARK'S FOREIGN THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY' Vol. XIII. BIBLICAL COMMENTARY on the NEW TESTAMENT, adapted especially to Preachers and Students. By HERMANN OLSHAUSEN, D.D., Professor of Theology in the University of Erlangen. Translated from the German. Containing the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. 8vo. pp. 438.

J. & T. Clark, Edinburgh; and Ward & Co., London. AMONG the class of German Theologians struggling into the pure light of the gospel, and taking a lead in the revival of evangelical Christianity among their countrymen, Dr. Olshausen occupies a deserved and conspicuous place. He is a scholar of very considerable rank, and from his tastes no less than his professional habits, has devoted great attention to Biblical studies. He is a master in the department of verbal criticism; and resorts generally to the right canons of interpretation for ascertaining the true meaning of the sacred writers. From the highly evangelical tone which in general pervades his commentaries on Scripture, he may be regarded, in most cases, as a safe guide to the student who is just entering upon the critical study of the New Testament. Few men have laboured more earnestly, or with greater success, to elicit the express meaning of the sacred text; and to draw forth the minute modifications of thought embodied in particular passages.

Considering the devious character of German theology, there is less objectionable matter in Dr. Olshausen's writings than in those of most of his countrymen. We cannot go along with him in all his interpretations; but, where we differ from him, we are happy to say it is not in matters involving essential truth. Indeed we must say that our author is in general highly orthodox; maintaining some of the strongest views of the effects of union to Christ held by the most renowned of our Puritan divines. To us this is most refreshing, as it affords hope that Germany may yet be as eminent for its sound theology, as for its varied scholarship.

As an aid to ministers, in the close and critical study of the Epistle to the Romans, we particularly recommend the Commentary of Dr. Olshausen. It is a very remarkable book; and will reward the most minute examination of its contents. No man could have written it who had not struggled earnestly, with the most scholarly endowments, to follow out the Apostle's train of thought into all its minute ramifications. Some of the author's interpretations are worthy of the most serious consideration; as, for instance, where he endeavours to clear up the doctrine of Paul, in the seventh chapter of the Epistle, in reference to the inward conflict between the flesh and the spirit.

We cannot close this brief notice, without impressing upon the minds of all the friends of Biblical Literature the duty of vigorously supporting Mr. Clark's Foreign Theological Library. No Publisher in this country has shown equal enterprise in this department. He deserves all the encouragement which the friends of Biblical science can confer upon him.

CRITICAL HISTORY and DEFENCE of the OLD TESTAMENT CANON. By MOSES STUART, Professor of Sacred Literature in the Theological Seminary, Andover, Massachusetts. Edited, with occasional Notes and References, by the Rev. PETER LORIMER, Professor of Theology__and Biblical Literature in the English Presbyterian College, London. 8vo, pp. 400. T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh; and Hamilton, Adams and Co., London.

As an accurate outline of the Critical History of the Old Testament Canon, and of the argument upon which its Divine authority mainly rests, this volume will be of eminent service to Theological Students, and to other enlightened inquirers into the validity of the sacred Text. The venerable author has evidently bestowed upon the work the labour of a matured scholarship; and has done much to supersede future effort in the same department. If, at times, in his effort to sift evidence, he is disposed to concede more to adversaries than is meet, we have in this quality of mind a guarantee that nothing unsatisfactory will be admitted into his general defence of the Old Testament Canon. In many respects the work before us will supply the place of an Introduction to the Ancient Scriptures; though no profession of this kind has been made by Mr. Stuart. There is one feature in the work which gives it a strong claim upon the attention of sober-minded critics, it is the conclusive argument for the validity of the Jewish Canon, which the author founds upon the appeals made to it by our Lord in his public ministry. Mr. S. has so elaborated this argument as to make it absolutely convincing.

In his Introduction, also, he has done much to demolish the sceptical work of Mr. Norton, on "The Genuineness of the Gospels," a work intended to destroy the entire authority of the Old Testament, and to exalt the gospels, at the expense of every other portion of revealed truth. We think we are doing good service to the cause of religion, by introducing this elaborate work to the notice of our readers.

The present Edition is deserving of all commendation, for its accuracy and typographical beauty. Our friend the Rev. Peter Lorimer, of the Presbyterian College, London, has superintended its publi

cation, and has excluded many of the errors in Greek and Hebrew which appeared in the American Edition. He has, also, added a few notes, which will be found to be of great value to the Student; more especially as they point, in some instances, to fuller details, where Mr. Stuart has been inconveniently brief. Mr. Lorimer has done himself great credit by this labour of his pen.

LOYOLA and Jesuitism in its Rudiments. By ISAAC TAYLOR. Small 8vo, pp. 384. Longman and Co.

We have many popular histories and sketches of Jesuitism; but, to the best of our belief, Mr. Taylor's is the first work of note which enters profoundly into the genuine philosophy of the system. While this peculiarity in his Essay will enhance its permanent value as a standard document, it will probably diminish its effect upon the popular mind. In his struggle to be impartial, to trace the thread of actual history, to discover avowed principles, and to show how so much seeming good has issued in so much real evil, our author has, at times, we must confess, displayed an ethical coldness, which, but for the logical results which he has brought out fully to the view of his readers, would be intensely provoking. But let him have the justice of a careful and patient and discriminating perusal, and it will then be found that Jesuitism and its Founder are exhibited in the truthful lights of a well-ascertained history, and a sound and discriminating Christian philosophy,-that they are, in fact, effectually exposed and condemned, without a particle of that vituperation which has ordinarily been resorted to both by Protestant and Roman Catholic writers in

dealing with their case. There is certainly an advantage in such a mode of warfare; though we are not without a lingering suspicion that, in the exuberance of his candour, Mr. Taylor has done the Jesuits more than justice. We have been most under the influence of this suspicion, in reading that part of the work which treats of "Pascal and the Provincial Letters." Still we must reiterate our statement that, amidst all his candour, Mr. Taylor has effectually exposed the system of Jesuitism to the gaze and contempt of mankind.

We can only indicate the outline of this highly critical and well-written Essay. It consists of two parts :-I. Personal History. Loyola, and the relative position of his system-His early years and conversionHis attempt to convert the Mahometan world, and the failure of the enterpriseHis preparation for the work to which he devoted himself-His colleagues, and the birth of his Society-His election to the

Generalship of the Society-His government of the Society-His mind.

Part II. Jesuitism in its Rudiments.-The "Exercita Spiritualia "-the "Letter on Obedience "the "Constitutions" the purport of the Jesuit Institute-" Pascal, and the Provincial Letters."

In times like these, when Romanism begins to shake and crumble throughout the civilized world, it is well to be fully informed in relation to one of the strongholds of this dominant and destructive power. Mr. Taylor's literary reputation cannot but be enhanced by this profound and logical production.

A TRIBUTE of AFFECTIONATE RESPECT to the MEMORY of the FATHERS and FOUNDERS of the LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. A Sermon delivered in Surrey Chapel, Wednesday Morning, May 9th, 1849. By J. A. JAMES. 8vo, pp. 40.

John Snow.

Who that listened with candour to this truly eloquent discourse can ever forget the impression it made on his own mind, or the rapt attention with which it was listened to by the overflowing audience to whom it was addressed? As the preacher called up to view the shades of the mighty dead, we lost sight, for a season, of the desolations of time and death, and seemed to feel ourselves, by an illusory process, once more in fellowship with those honoured men who, some forty years since, kindled in our bosoms the missionary flame; we thought of their form and figure; we listened to their spirit-stirring appeals; we felt the impression of their characters; and we longed with firmer step to tread in their path. It was a happy thought of the preacher to revive in our hearts the memory of a circle of men to whom we can never cease to feel a debt of obligation; and on whom posterity will look as the main instruments in reviving that missionary spirit which has blessed our country and the world. To be unmindful of such distinguished examples of Christian faith and zeal would be the greatest reproach and blight that could fall upon the Christianity of the age. We, therefore, felt ourselves in full sympathy with Mr. James's tribute to a body of men who deserve to be had in everlasting remembrance, and who, by their missionary ardour, did much to hasten on that stirring and struggling period in which we now live. Nor did our minds recoil from the pathetic and eloquent appeal which Mr. James founded upon his telling reference to departed worth. We wished, almost, that we had been young again, to feel the full inspiration of his theme. But though the frosts of many a winter have fallen upon our heads, we will endeavour, by God's

grace, to eschew all coldness of heart in the missionary cause; and will, with the youngest of our brethren, take the preacher's counsels home to our bosoms, and only relinquish the work committed to us by the Fathers and Founders of our Society, when we are called to resign life itself. We ask our beloved young brethren to work with us earnestly in the field, and, when we drop by their side let our dying hours be cheered with the thought that they will transmit the noble cause unimpaired and improved to children and to children's children.

The PASSOVER FEASTS and the OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICES EXPLAINED by their FULFILMENT in JESUS CHRIST. By a LADY.

London: Hamilton and Co.

Ac

This little work is not less adapted to the young than it is intended for them. We say this deliberately, and from no short or slight acquaintance with either the octavos or the folios of typology. It simplifies as well as concentrates what is best in both, so far as that can fascinate and instruct young minds; for it shows clearly that the Tabernacle and the Temple, with their sacrifices and services, were the GOSPEL of the Old Dispensation; and how they all led as direct to Christ, as the Star of Bethlehem. And then it does so without forcing or fancying. It never violates good taste, nor disturbs holy feeling; but is graceful in all the senses of grace. This is owing partly, no doubt, to its being written by a Lady, but not chiefly to that. Literary ladies are not, in general, judicious guides amongst either the types or the prophecies. Both their vivacity and invention run too fast in these wide and winding fields. cordingly, we have no wish to meet many of them there, as interpreters of either the symbols or shadows of "good things to come." We welcome, however, this little work. It is evidently the first fruits of "a meek and quiet spirit," that can walk through the Temple with unsandalled feet; looking, all the way from the threshold to the Holy of Holies, not with the eye of a connoisseur, or of an artist, or of a poet, but with the keen and kindling eye of an intelligent Christian, whose errand there is "to see Jesus" as both "the Author and Finisher of our faith." And then, she is looking for Him not for her own sake only, but also for the sake of the young; who, if they have no calm and cheerful guide, are soon confused amidst the mystic glories of the Holy Temple. We reckon this book, therefore, a boon to Christian parents and teachers, and commend it to Sabbath-schools and Bible-classes also, both as a lesson and reward-book. It is beautifully illustrated by wood-cuts.

We were greatly pleased and instructed by Mr. Barrett's "Pastoral Addresses," and

Essay on the Pastoral Office." They afforded evidence of an enlightened and matured judgment, and of a sound and glowing piety. The volume which we now introduce to our readers will fully sustain the reputation which the author has already earned. The subject is an inviting one, and it is handled with the force and delicacy which it requires. In agitating times like these, when the upheavings of society are filling men's hearts with dread, it is infinitely consoling to reflect that the omnipotent and all-merciful Redeemer is presiding over the disturbed elements of a sorrowing and suffering world. Mr. Barrett, in his description of our Lord stilling the tempest, has finely illustrated this beautiful thought. Seldom have we seen the sentimental more happily blended with the Scriptural. The work, too, is as scholarly as it is poetical and devout.

The subjects are-The Miracle - The Agent False Light put out- - The Elemental Conflict-The All-preserving Power -Accumulated Blessedness-Christianity Man's Rest-The Agent Christ-The accomplished Dominion-The Head of an Ark-The final Hush.

We commend this volume with entire cordiality to our readers, especially the young.

GRACE and TRUTH. By OCTAVIUS WINSLOW, M.A. Small 8vo, pp. 352.

J. F. Shaw, Southampton-row.

This is one of Mr. Winslow's happiest

efforts.

The topics which form the theme of the volume are well selected, and are all treated with that skill, and tact, and fervent piety, which give to most of his writings an indescribable charm. The subjects treated with scriptural pathos and beauty are the following: Jesus full of grace-Faith in God-God comforting the DisconsolateChrist's Intercession for Tried FaithNourishment for the journey-The chastening of love-Holiness the fruit of chastening love-The vitality of the atoning bloodThe degrees of Christ's manifestation-The sick one whom Jesus loves-The glorious prospect of the Believer-God resting in his love.

We commend this volume to our pious readers as a cordial to the heart; as having

WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

1. The Ten Years' Conflict. Being the History of the Disruption of the Church of Scotland. By ROBERT BUCHANAN, D.D. In Two Vols., 8vo. Blackie and Son.

2. The Genius of Italy. Being Sketches of Italian Life, Literature, and Religion. By Rev. ROBERT TURNBULL, Author of "The Genius of Scotland," &c. 8vo. David Bogue.

3. The Hill Difficulty; or, the Temptations, the Trials, the Peace, and the Rest of a Christian Pilgrim emblematically and practically considered. In Allegories and other Similitudes. By GEORGE B. CHEEVER, D.D., Author of "Wanderings in the Shadow of Mont Blanc," &c., &c. Small 8vo Sampson Low, Fleet-street.