Ebionitisms and Gnosticisms, as well as their modern identities, the Unitarianisms, Rationalisms, and semi-infidelities that hover around her margin and illegitimately claim the Christian name. With that same sharp historic outline we cut off the modern accretions which Rome has attempted to gather on the faith, upon the historic beginning of which we are able to put our finger and say they did not exist until such and such a time. Thus do we eliminate every foreign element, and have an amply firm ascertainment of the specific identity of our Christianity.

And now in what relations does this concrete structural Christianity stand to the various rivals, as enumerated in the title we have above suggested for the book, presented by modern skepti cal thought? The relations, we answer, of real subordination, or of hopeless inferiority. The so-called Religious Sentiment, which reveals itself as the basis of the various religious notions of different ages, nations, and individuals, is nothing but man's susceptibility to spiritual truth. As a mere susceptibility, and not a formative activity, it can give no positive shape to notions, but receives them as fancy or circumstance collects them upon its receptivity. Historic Christianity is entitled to take them as crude matter and give them its own shape. The Intuitions, when their respective validities are ascertained, are taken by Historic Christianity, checked in their overgrowth, supplemented in their deficiencies, assigned their proper place, and embodied into her own system. Philosophical Speculation, which begins with subjective ideas, continues in subjective ideas, and ends in subjective ideas, ever undoes itself, being ever obliged to acknowledge its own incapacity for settled result, and has in fact arrived at the full confession of its own invalidity in the philosophy of Comte. Historic Christianity, as an objective fact, acknowledges no identity with the abstractions which Comteism justly banishes from existence, but asserts her positive place in a true catholic Positive Philosophy. Christ is as true an historic character as Julius Cæsar; and his true Christianity, as a structural dogma, is as historical as the Roman Empire; with the existence of either "speculation" has nothing to do. Even Comte does not expel history from the domain of true knowledge.

The relations of the Christian dogma to Conscience, space obliges us to omit. Its relations to Civilization Mr. Garbett ably but, by necessity, too briefly develops. He maintains that for want of a moral basis founded on religious dogma, ancient civilizations literally rotted, and prematurely perished. Christian civili

zation is already long-lived, and is ever increasing in vitality. He enumerates, as causes of this ever-renewing life, seven distinctive moral superiorities of modern over the ancient civilizations, and specifies the dogmas on which each is based. There. is here room for a broader treatment, requiring a volume for its completion. We are surprised that among the distinctive advantages of modern civilization over the ancient Mr. Garbett does not mention the Church, with its Bible, its Sabbath, and its ministry. A chapter, too, is needed, showing the relations between Historic Christianity and modern Humanitarianism. How permanent and based the former, how ephemeral and fungus the latter; how self-conceited is the latter to show off its superiority over, and play off its attacks against, the former, Mr. Garbett, from his high historic stand-point, could show with a masterly effect.

The Divine Mysteries: The Divine Treatment of Sin, and the Divine Mystery of Peace. By J. BALDWIN BROWN. 12mo., pp. 397. New York: Carlton & Lanahan. 1869.

Judging from his printed pages, we should pronounce Baldwin Brown the prince of the English pulpit at the present day. We have found nothing in Punshon, in Spurgeon, in Liddon, in Garbett superior to the splendor, intensity, and pathos blended in rich varieties in some of his pages. No pulpit periods have we read since the days of Chalmers (whom he is entirely unlike) which we should so like to have heard thundered with all the grace and power of the orator by the—or at least by a-Demosthenem ipsum. The themes which he treats lie in the very marrow of the Gospel system. All the powers of his soul are given to present the central truths in their intensest vividness, and so to present them as to make them not only seen but felt, felt to the very depths of the soul. Sin, guilt, misery, death, hell, redemption, grace, glory, heaven-what stupendous themes are these! What higher can the orator demand, and what higher vocation than to wreak their highest power upon the souls of men? These are Mr. Brown's themes, and all the powers of language and of thought are tasked to exhibit them in all their solemn, their terrible, and their glorious realities.

The present volume combines two works originally published at different periods of time. The first, "The Divine Treatment of Sin," is much the more powerful of the two. Man is portrayed as developed into the fearful dignity of an unfolded free agency by the fall; sin as permitted wisely, yet not decreed by God; the

consequent dark, tragic hue that glooms over our nature through human history, as grandly merging into the surpassing glories of God's superabounding grace. In the second part, "The Divine Mystery of Peace," the ineffable wonders of peace and bliss wrought by the work of the glorious Son of God are unfolded in strains of eloquence less varied, more tranquil, and, on the whole, more beautiful.

This is a book not merely suited as a model of pulpit eloquence for the preacher, but of rich, deep religious power for the private Christian. There are those for whom the newspaper, the novel, and the secular monthly furnish no spiritual aliment, and perchance these pages would meet their demands.

Baldwin Brown belongs to the denomination of English Congregationalists, but the entire complexion of his theology is evangelical and Arminian. Some traits of free individualism may be seen in his doctrinal statements, but the structure of his system our readers will approve. Our publishers have enshrined him in a beautiful volume.

The Closing Scenes of the Life of Christ. Being a Harmonized Combination of the Four Gospel Histories of the Last Year of Our Saviour's Life. By D. D. BUCK, D.D. With an Introductory Essay by W. D. WILSON, D.D., LL.D. 12mo., pp. 293. Philadelphia: Lippincott & Co. 1869.

If any one doubts the importance of the death of Christ in the Christian system, let him note how large a part of the gospel histories are devoted to its narration. John's Gospel is scarce more than the death scenes of Jesus with an introduction. The crucifixion is the central point of the Bible. It is in full recognition of this fact that Dr. Buck has, with much original thought and skillful labor, combined in one the fourfold pictures of these closing scenes. The critical scholar and the devotional Christian will alike find advantage and profit in consulting his manual. Here is a history to which neither classic antiquity, nor the unburied records of the East, nor all the annals of the world, can furnish a parallel, in the words of inspired writers.

Misread Passages of Scripture. By J. BALDWIN BROWN, B.A. 12mo., pp. 129. New York: Carlton & Lanahan. 1869.

The reading of this brilliant work is both a rich mental enjoyment and a sharp mental discipline. Mr. Brown knows how to riddle, as it were, a passage of Scripture, with a master hand, shake out all the false meanings that have been gathered into it, and then draw forth, in grand and varied expansions, the real

meanings that belong to it. This he does with a richness of thought, a glow of imagination, and a coloring of language keeping the mind of the reader in perpetual play. Rarely will a volume be found so small in compass and so rich in value.

Paul the Preacher; or, a Popular and Practical Exposition of his Discourses and Speeches as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. By JOHN EADIE, D.D., LL.D. 12mo., pp. 462. New York: Carter & Brothers. 1870.

Those who are acquainted with Dr. Eadie's high qualities as a commentator will of course know that nothing second-rate will come from his hand. The word " popular" will indicate that the results, rather than the processes of scholarly investigation will appear. Yet on every page will be felt the hand of a

master.

A Bible Hand-Book Theologically Arranged. Designed to facilitate the Finding of Proof-Texts on the Leading Doctrines of the Bible. By Rev. T. C. HOLLIDAY, D.D. 12mo., pp. 332. Cincinnati: Hitchcock & Walden. New York: Carlton & Lanahan. 1869.

Dr. Holliday's work supplies a want both for preachers and people. It is a classification of Scripture texts into a theological structure, thus supplying one of the phases in which it is profitable to study God's Word. It is well entitled to take a permanent place in our religious literature as a valuable manual for ministerial and popular use.

Sermons, preached in St. James Chapel, York Street, London. By Rev. STOPFORD A. BROOKE, M.A., Honorary Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen. 12mo., pp. 323. Boston: Fields, Osgood, & Co. 1869.

Mr. Brooke is, prima facie, indorsed as the friend and pupil of the celebrated Robertson of Brighton. The present sermons are able and readable. They endeavor to present religion in its perfect accordance with the most modern thought. The pupil, however, presents little of the rare power of the master.

Kitto's Bible Illustrations. Vol. I. Antediluvians, Patriarchs, and Judges. 12mo., pp. 440. Vol. II. The Kings of Israel. 12mo., pp. 438. Vol. III. Job, Psalms, and Prophets. 12mo., pp. 418. Vol. IV. Our Lord and His Apostles. 12mo., pp. 448. By JOHN KITTO, D.D., F.S.A. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers. 1870.

A magnificent boxed edition of this popular work; suitable for an annual present, and valuable reading for all the year round.

Foreign Theological Publications.

Geschichte des Volkes Israel und der Enstehung des Christenthums. (History of the People of Israel and of the Rise of Christianity.) Von DR. G. WEBER und DR. H. HOLTZMANN. Two volumes. Vol. i, 8vo., pp. viii, 460; vol. ii, 8vo., pp. x, 810. Leipzig: Engelmann.

This is part of an extensive literary undertaking commenced ten years ago, and pursued ever since with commendable energy. Six volumes of the "Universal History of the World, with Special Regard to the Intellectual and Cultivated Life of the Nations, by the Aid of Recent Historical Research," have already been published. The present installment is not inferior in literary execution to any of the rest. The first volume embraces the following topics: The Land of Syria and its Inhabitants; Abraham, Moses, and the Judges; Saul, David, and Solomon ; The Double Kingdom of Israel and Judah; The Captivity and Return; A Retrospect on the Literary and Intellectual Life of the Hebrews. The second volume: Introduction; The Dispersion of Alexandrine Heathendom; The Age of the Maccabees; Inward Condition of Judaism; The Roman Supremacy; The Messianic Appearance of Jesus; The Last Hundred Years of the Jewish State; The Inward Development of Christianity in the Roman Kingdom. The Rationalistic proclivities of the authors appear here and there very decidedly, whenever there is an opportunity afforded. They hold that it was not until the very closing part of Christ's life that the disciples recognized him as the Messiah. The account of Christ's life is derived from the three synoptical Evangelists, for John's Gospel is not in harmony with them. Paul's life is a development, but not inspired in the scriptural sense. His Epistles arose from a great activity of the intellect, similar to the ideas of our speculative German philosophy; only Paul's ideas belonged less than those of the German philosophers to the department of pure, retired thought; but they were more friendly and breathed a more living form. The Jewish scholastic period was the rock on which he built. A Jewish element pervades all his writings.

As is very natural, all who are enamored with the new Heidelberg theology have bestowed great praise on this work. For ourselves, we must say, as we look at the time, learning, and mechanical labor required to bring these two beautiful volumes before the reader, "Why such waste?"