on the one part, and Protestants on the other; and this in connection with such a vindication of the truth as can not fail to fortify young minds against the insidious influence of this form of error, and establish the friends of the Gospel in their attachment to the doctrines of the Reformation. It should be introduced, as an antidote, into every community where Romanism and High Churchism are attempting to poison Christianity.

The following extracts are a fair sample of the style and merits of the work:

"Let us comprehend well, gentlemen, the position which evangelical Christian theology occupies.

"At the epoch of the Reformation, if I may so speak, three distinct eras had occurred in the history of the church.

"1. That of evangelical Christianity, which, having its focus in the times of the apostles, extended its rays throughout the first and second centuries of the church.

"2. That of ecclesiastical catholicism, which, commencing its existence in the third century, reigned till the seventh.

"3. That of the papacy, which reigned from the seventh to the fifteenth century.

"Such were the three grand eras in the then past history of the church; let us see what characterized each one of them.

"In the first period, the supreme authority was attributed to the revealed word of God.

"In the second, it was, according to some, ascribed to the church as represented by its bishops.

"In the third, to the pope.

"We acknowledge cheerfully that the second of these systems is much superior to the third; but it is inferior to the first! "In fact, in the first of these systems it is God who rules.

"In the second, it is MAN.

"In the third, it is, to speak after the apostle, THAT WORKING OF SATAN, with all power and signs and lying wonders.' (2 Thess. ii, 9.)

"The Reformation, in abandoning the papacy, might have returned to the second of these systems, that is, to ecclesiastical catholicism; or to the first, that is, to evangelical Christianity.

"In returning to the second, it would have made half the way. Ecclesiastical catholicism is, in effect, a middle system -a via media, as one of the Oxford doctors has termed it, in a sermon which he

has just published. On the one hand, it approaches much to papacy, for it contains, in the germ, all the principles which are there found. On the other, however, it diverges from it, for it rejects the pa pacy itself.

"The Reformation was not a system of pretended juste milieu. It went the whole way; and rebounding with that force which God gives, it fell, as at one single leap, into the evangelical Christianity of the apostles.

"But there is now, gentlemen, a numerous and powerful party in England, supported even by some bishops, (whose charges have filled us with astonishment adversaries, quit the ground of evangeland grief,) which would, according to its ical Christianity to plant itself upon that of ecclesiastical catholicism, with a marked tendency towards the papacy; or which, according to what it pretends, would faithfully maintain itself on that hierarchical and semi-Romish ground, which is, according to it, the true, native and legitimate foundation of the church of England. It is this movement which is, from the name of one of its principal chiefs, called Puseyism.' pp. 30-32. Such, gentlemen, is the movement which is taking place in that church of England, which so many pious men, so many Christian works, have rendered illustrious. Dr. Pusey has had reason to say in his letter to the archbishop of Canterbury, 'Upon the issue of the present struggle depend the destinies of our church.' And it is worth while for us to pause here a few moments to examine what party we ought to prefer, as members of the ancient church of the continent, and what we have to do in this grave and solemn crisis.

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"Gentlemen, we ought to profess frankly that we will have neither the papacy, nor the via media of ecclesiastical catholicism, but remain firm upon the foundation of evangelical Christianity. In what consists this Christianity when it is opposed to the two other systems which we reject ?

"There are in it things essential and things unessential; it is of that only which forms its essence, of that which is its principle, that I would here speak.

"There are three principles which form its essence: the first is that which we may call its formal principle, because it is the means by which this system is formed or constituted; the second is that which may be called the material principle, because it is the very doctrine which constitutes this religious system; the third, I call the personal or moral principle, be cause it concerns the application of Christianity to the soul of each individual.

"The formal principle of Christianity

is expressed in few words: THE WORD OF GOD, ONLY.

"That is to say, the Christian receives the knowledge of the truth only by the word of God, and admits of no other source of religious knowledge.

"The material principle of Christianity is expressed with equal brevity: THE GRACE OF CHRIST, ONLY.

"That is to say, the Christian receives salvation only by the grace of Christ, and recognizes no other meritorious cause of eternal life.

"The personal principle of Christianity may be expressed in the most simple terms: THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT, ONLY.

"That is to say, there must be in each soul that is saved a moral and individual work of regeneration, wrought by the Spirit of God, and not by the simple concurrence of the church, and the magic influence of certain ceremonies.

"Gentlemen, recall constantly to your minds these three simple truths: The Word of God, ONLY; The Grace of Christ, ONLY; The Work of the Spirit, ONLY; and they will truly be a lamp to your feet and a light to your paths.'

"These are the three great beacons which the Holy Spirit has erected in the church. Their effulgence should spread from one end of the world to the other. So long as they shine, the church walks in the light; as soon as they shall become extinct or even obscured, darkness like that of Egypt will settle upon Christendom.

"But, gentlemen, it is precisely these three fundamental principles of evangelical Christianity which are attacked and overthrown by the new system of ecclesiastical catholicism. It is not to some minor point, to some doctrine of secondary importance that they direct their attention at Oxford; it is to that which constitutes the essence even of Christianity and of the Reformation, to those truths so important that, as Luther said, with them the church stands, and without them the church falls.' Let us consider them." pp. 36-38.

"Gentlemen, there are two ways of destroying Christianity; one is to deny it, the other to displace it. To put the church above Christianity, the hierarchy above the word of God; to ask a man, not whether he has received the Holy Ghost, but whether he has received baptism from the hands of those who are termed successors of the apostles, and their delegates,-all this may doubtless flatter the pride of the natural man, but is fundamentally opposed to the Bible, and aims a fatal blow at the religion of Jesus Christ. If God had intended that Christianity should, like the Mosaic system, be chiefly an ecclesiastical, sacerdotal and hierarchical system, he would

have ordered and established it in the New Testament, as he did in the Old. But there is nothing like this in the New Testament. All the declarations of our Lord and of his apostles tend to prove, that the new religion given to the world is life and Spirit,' and not a new system of priesthood and ordinances. The kingdom of God,' saith Jesus, 'cometh not with observation; neither shall they say, lo here! or lo there! for behold the kingdom of God is within you.' (Luke xvii, 20-21.) The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.' (Rom. xiv, 17.)

"Let us then attribute a divine institution and a divine authority to the essence of the church; but by no means to its form. God has, undoubtedly, established the ministry of the word and sacraments, that is to say, general forms, which are adapted to the universal church; but it is a narrow and dangerous bigotry, which would attribute more importance to the particular forms of each sect, than to the spirit of Christianity. This evil has long prevailed in the Eastern church, [Greek] and has rendered it barren. It is the essence of the church of Rome, and it is destroying it. It is endeavoring to insinuate itself into every church; it appears in England in the established church; in Germany in the Lutheran, and even in the reformed and presbyterian church. It is that mystery of iniquity, which al ready began to work in the time of the apostles. (2 Thess. ii, 7.) Let us reject and oppose this deadly principle wherev er it is found. We are men before we are Swiss, French, English, or German; let us also remember, that we are Christians before we are episcopalians, Lutherans, reformed, or dissenters. These dif ferent forms of the church are like the different costumes, different features, and different characters of nations; that which constitutes the man is not found in these accessories. We must seek for it in the heart which beats under this exterior, in the conscience which is seated there, in the intelligence which there shines, in the will which there acts. If we assign more importance to the church than to Christianity, to the form than to the life, we shall infallibly reap that which we have sown; we shall soon have a church composed of skeletons, clothed, it may be, in brilliant garments, and ranged, 1 admit, in a most imposing order to the eye; but as cold, stiff and immovable as a pale legion of the dead. If Puseyism, (and, unfortunately, some of the doctrines which it promulgates are not, in England, confined to that school,) if Puseyism should make progress in the established church, it will, in a few years, dry up all its springs of life. The feverish excite

ment which disease at first produces, will soon give place to languor, the blood will be congealed, the muscles stiffened, and that church will be only a dead body, around which the eagles will gather together.

"All forms, whether papal, patriarchal, episcopal, consistorial, or presbyterian, possess only a human value and authority. Let us not esteem the bark above the sap, the body above the soul, the form above the life, the visible church above the invisible, the priest above the Holy Spirit. Let us hate all sectarian, ecclesiastical, national or dissenting spirit; but let us love Jesus Christ in all sects, whether ecclesiastical, national or dissenting. The true catholicity which we have lost, and which we must seek to recover, is that of holding the truth, in love.'" pp. 73-75.

Anti-Popery; or Popery Unreasonable, Unscriptural and Novel. By JOHN ROGERS, Member of the Society of Friends, and Counselor at Law. With a Preface, Notes and Index. By Rev. C. SPARRY, of New York, a minister of the Reformed Church. First American, from the second London edition. Published by D. Fanshaw, 150 Nassau Street, New York.

AMONG the numerous works which the attempt to revive Romanism in England has called into existence, none have been received with more favor in that country than Mr. Rogers' Anti-Popery, if we may form an opinion from the style of eulogy in which it is recommended by the press. It has also been deemed by some excellent clergymen of New York worthy of republication in this country. These are indications of no small merit in the work. Nor are they deceptive indications. Mr. Rogers writes with spirit, force, originality. His reasoning powers, and especially his power of sarcasm, are very respectable; and they are employed to the full extent, in exposing the errors and contemptible mummeries of popery. Yet his work is not perfect. It is a good storehouse of facts and arguments

against Romanism-it is well adapted to fortify the minds of Protestants against the seductions of proselyting papists; but what member of that church can read it without The blunt manner, the anger?

cutting irony, the bold invective, the dogmatism, of the plain Quaker, are not the most conciliatory and convincing means of grace. Perhaps we do injustice to human nature; if not, Mr. Rogers will make few converts to Protestantism.

But whatever may be the merit of our author in other respects, his coinage of new words deserves severe reprehension. Here he claims the power of a pope, and takes the whole business of etymology into his own hands.

The following is a list of new terms which he labors to recommend and to bring into use.

Abhorrible, formed directly from the verb to abhor, instead of horrible, from an obsolete root hor. But the verb abhor leads us again to the same obsolete root.

Perhap, instead of perhaps, as if there could be but one hap or chance.

Priestal, as if not satisfied with priestly with Teutonic suffix, nor with presbyterial, the original form of the word with Latin suffix.

Knownothing, as if not satisfied with ignoramus and numskull. Primaty, as nearer than primacy to primate.

Priestrulive, as if not satisfied with priestruling.

Modernity, as if better than modernness, although the Teutonic suffix ness is applied to all adjectives indiscriminately.

Nowafter, instead of hereafter, to avoid a confusion of time and place; not considering that most terms relating to time originally referred to place.

Kirk, as nearer to the original Gr. xvgazór, than church.

Politi-kirkal, for politico-ecclesiastical, in order to avoid a long word. Popan for papal; whereas the

Latin suffix an is properly attached to the Latin form of the word before it is Anglicized.

Papite for papist, and Romanite for Romanist, not perceiving the idea of papizing or conforming to the pope, and of Romanizing or conforming to the Romans, which is secretly conveyed in the original form of the words.

Secundity, from mere love of nov.

elty.

Politikirkalian and priestrulian, as if to excite the risibles of his readers.

It is painful to see a mind so unhinged, certainly in some respects, as that of Mr. Rogers, set forward by the British public to manage one of the most important controversies which now agitate the church of Christ.

The following extract will afford an idea of the author's powers of irony:

"Nepotism, (fondness for nephews and nieces, or love and care of them,) nepotism has been a remarkable quality in popes, cardinals, and other papal clergymen. These men of God, though made so by man! have had of course no son or daugh ter; but they have been surrounded with a great number of nephews and nieces, for whom they have taken care to provide as other men provide for their own offspring. It is rather strange that brothers and sisters of popes, cardinals, and other clergymen, so very often have more children than they can rear, educate and settle; and that they find their reverend bachelor brothers so kind to their little ones! What a comfort to them to be fraternally and sororially connected with, and to have their young ones snugly settled by pure, holy, evangelical men, who are total strangers to the flesh! entire aliens from carnality! and wholly weaned from sensual predilections! and who love the

little creatures with a warmth and a zeal transcendently admirable in uncles who are so wrapped up in spiritual contemplation so swallowed up and lost in heavenly designing and doing! In kirks where clergymen are allowed to marry, they have children like other men, and have no more than the common number of nephews and nieces, for whom they take no more than common care. In the

kirk of Rome, however, where clergy men do not marry, their nephews and nieces are uncommonly and extraordina

rily numerous, and are treated by these spiritual and ethereal men with uncommon and extraordinary care and affec tion." pp. 79–80.

History of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis sions: compiled chiefly from the published and unpublished Docu ments of the Board. By JOSEPH TRACY. Second edition, carefully revised and enlarged. Pub lished by M. W. Dodd, Brick Church Chapel, New York. 1842.

THE want of a connected history of the missions of the American Board, was strongly felt by the pas tors of our churches, for some time before the appearance of this work. Whether this is compiled on the plan best adapted to satisfy this want, is a difficult question. On the whole we are inclined to think it the best. The transactions of the

Board, both domestic and foreign, and the most important changes in the condition of the several mis sions, are narrated in their chrono logical order. The reader is thus furnished with a bird's-eye view, in the shape of annals, of the doings of the Board, and to some extent, of the results. This makes a good book of reference. The condition of the missions in each successive year may at once be ascertained. Nor is it valuable merely as a book of reference. It was written, not without success, to be read with interest. To those not already famil iar with the history, it will be found too instructive not to be entertaining. In those places where a few copies of the work only are in circulation, it may profitably be read in sections at the monthly concert of prayer. For this purpose, however, we think a work constructed on a different plan, giving separate histories of the formation of the Board, of its home operations, and of the several mis sions under its care, would be deci dedly preferable, producing a more

vivid impression of the good which the Board has accomplished, and inspiring a livelier interest in the missionary work.

Psychology; or a View of the Human Soul, including Anthropology: adapted to the use of Colleges. By Rev. FREDERICK A. RAUCH, D. P., late President of Marshall College, Penn. Second edition. Published by M. W. Dodd, New York.

THE first part of this work, entitled Anthropology, treats of the influence of nature, race, sex, age, sleep, dreaming, &c. upon the mind, and on the other hand, of the power of the mind over the body. The second part treats of Psychology, properly so called, the attributes and powers of a rational being. The whole is introduced by an able essay on life, both animal and vegetable, and on instinct. This table affords but a meager idea of the contents and interest of the book; every part of which abounds with views new to the American reader, if not original with the author. Indeed it seems to us, that every intelligent American who neglects to read it, is unjust to himself. The subject, which is of the highest importance, is enriched with an exuberance of illustration from all departments of learning, without a parallel among the productions of our press. Although Dr. Rauch was a disciple of Hegel, he was able, as he thought consistently, to rank himself with the evangelical party in the Lutheran church; and he is believed to have been a man of sincere piety. His speculative philosophy will not, as a system, find favor in this country. greater part of this work, however, is devoted to empirical philosophy, or that knowledge which is derived from experience and observation which all confess lies within the Vol. I.

The

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reach of our capacities, and which under the luminous and vigorous pen of our author, can not but be intelligible to every class of readers.

Bibliotheca Sacra; or Tracts and Essays on Topics connected with Biblical Literature and Theology. Editor, EDWARD ROBINSON, D. D., Professor of Bibl. Lit. in the Union Theol. Sem., New York. New York and London, Wiley & Putnam: 1843. No. I, February; pp. 204, 8vo. Price $1.

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THIS new theological journal assumes the distinctive character of a collection of tracts and essays," of such a nature as to be " of permanent value as a work of reference." That a work of this character, if judiciously and ably conducted, may be of inestimable value to future theologians, must be perfectly obvious. No such work existed in the country; and we rejoiced when this was announced. Yet we were impressed with the dif ficulties attending it. The efforts of a single man, however gifted and indefatigable, must be inadequate to sustain such a publication for a great length of time. The editor should possess great soundness of judgment, a thorough acquaintance with the present state of biblical and theological science, and a kind of foresight by which he can anticipate the future progress of the ological knowledge and the wants of those who shall cultivate it. He should moreover have the assistance of a large number of able writers, who are willing to spend much time and to lay out all their strength upon certain insulated topics in theology, which have been too slightly handled by other writers. Of Dr. Robinson's industry, erudition and talents as a writer, we have a very high opinion. Of the resources from which he can draw materials for his own articles, it is sufficient to say,