Olympian community; their relation to each other, and their influence on human society and conduct. The last two sections in the second volume give a discriminating, and on the whole highly favorable, view of the state of morals and the condition of women in the Homeric age.

The third volume is divided into four parts, the titles of which will convey a sufficiently definite idea of their contents. I. Agorè: Polities of the Homeric Age. II. Ilios: Trojans and Greeks compared. III. Thalassa : the Outer Geography. IV. Aoidos: some Points of the Poetry of Homer. It would be strange if, in stepping out of the province of the statesman into that of the scholar on the one hand, and the theologian on the other, Mr. Gladstone should not sometimes fall into mistakes. The divine will be amused at reading of " Melchizedek, the priest of On, whose daughter Joseph married" (Vol. II. p. 6), and the learned professor will smile at similar inaccuracies, which he may detect in his department. Still such blunders are surprisingly few. And scholars and theologians cannot but feel under great obligations to the Chancellor of the English Exchequer for the sterling thoughts and suggestions which he has treasured up in these volumes for the instruction of the world.

THE PULPIT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.1

This excellent volume contains Election or Thanksgiving Discourses from Dr. Mayhew, in 1750; Dr. Chauncey, in 1766; Mr. Cooke, in 1770; Mr. Gordon, in 1774; Dr. Langdon, in 1775; Mr. West, in 1776; Mr. Payson, in 1778; Mr. Howard, in 1780; Dr. Stiles, in 1783. All of these Discourses are instructive in their philosophical relations, and contain passages of great ethical value. All of them, also, exhibit specimens of genuine eloquence. The Discourses are accompanied with a rich historical Introduction, and with minor but instructive Prefaces. The entire volume impresses upon us the following thoughts.

First: "To the pulpit, the Puritan pulpit, we owe the moral force which won our independence" (p. xxxviii).

Secondly: To the anti-prelatical polity of the New England churches is to be ascribed the peculiarly steadfast opposition of the New England Colonies to the usurpations of Great Britain. "It is an interesting fact," says Mr. Thornton, in his valuable Introduction, "that the very able and learned defence of the ecclesiastical polity of New England, written by the Rev. John Wise, of Ipswich, one of the victims of the despotism of the infamous Andros, in 1687, was republished in the year 1772, as a sound political document for the times, teaching that democracy is Christ's government, in church and in state.' Thus the church polity of New England begat like

The Pulpit of the American Revolution; or, the Political Sermons of the Period of 1776, with a Historical Introduction, Notes, and Illustrations. By John Wingate Thornton, A. M. Boston: Gould and Lincoln, 59 Washington street. New York: Sheldon and Company. Cincinnati: George S. Blanchard, 1860. pp. 537. 12mo.

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principles in the state. The pew and the pulpit had been educated to selfgovernment. They were accustomed TO CONSIDER.' The highest glory of the American Revolution,' said John Quincy Adams, was this: it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity'" (p. xxix).

Thirdly: The colonies of New England are of missionary origin. "Religion, the church, was the great thought, and civil interests were only incidental. 'Arthur Lake, D. of Diuinitie, Lord Bishop of Bath and Welles,' a decided friend of the American colonies, preached, July 2,1625, before his Majesty and the Parliament, the following words: " Neither is it enough for us to make much of God's truth for our own good, but also we should propa. gate it to others. And here let me tell you, that there lieth a great guilt upon Christian States, and England among the rest, that they have not been careful to bring them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to the knowledge of Christ and participation of the gospel. Much travelling to the Indies, East and West, but wherefore? Some go to possess themselves of the lands of the infidels; but most, by commerce, to grow richer by their goods. But where is the prince or state that pitieth their souls, and, without any worldly respects, endeavors the gaining of them unto God? Some show we make, but it is a poor one; for it is but an accessorie to our worldly desire; it is not our primary intention; whereas Christ's method is, first seek ye the kingdom of God, and then all other things shall be added unto you; you shall fare the better for it in your worl·lly estate. If the apostles and apostolic men had affected our salvation no more, we might have continued to this day, such as sometimes we were, barbarous subjects of the Prince of Darkness'" (Introduction, pp. xvi. xvii.).

DR. THOMPSON'S "LOVE AND PENALTY.”1

THE popular objection to the doctrine of eternal punishment is derived from the imagined repugnance of the doctrine to the benevolent character of God. Dr. Thompson has wisely met this objection in the title of his volume, and also in its fundamental theory.

"Love and Penalty," this phrase suggests the ideas, that the penalty is consistent with love, originates from love, results in such ends as love approves and designs. The reasonings of the volume are founded on the theory, that all the divine attributes are reducible to love; that divine justice is but one form of benevolence; that, in the words of a Unitarian writer, whom Dr. Thompson felicitously quotes," He who reveres the good and cleaves to it, necessarily abhors the evil and denounces it." "It is out of his heart of infinite pity for the world, that the Almighty Father makes the wicked consume away" (p. 131). In the following beautiful language, Dr.

Love and Penalty, or Eternal Punishment consistent with the Fatherhood of God. By Joseph P. Thompson, D. D., Pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle Church. New York: Sheldon and Company, 115 Nassau street. Beston: Gould and Lincoln, 1860. pp. 358. 18mo.

Thompson illustrates the truth, that all the moral attributes of Jehovah are summed up in the attribute of benevolence: "The moral character of God is one pure, central flame of love a light that we could not look upon and live. But this light is ensphered, as it were, in crystal of many hues, and this revolves upon us the various attributes of God. Where shines the crystal-white, his holiness beams forth upon us from that central fount of love. With softened tone, his goodness and mercy are diffused from that same living flame. But ever and anon the red flame of justice flashes out upon us from the same inward source; not vindictive vengeance, but love guarding his holy law" (p. 156).

Whenever we admit that the good of the universe requires the punishment of the incorrigible, and that God inflicts this punishment because he chooses to promote the good of the universe, we are thoroughly freed from the suspicion that he is "arbitrary," or "tyrannical," or "cruel," or "unfeeling," in his infliction of deserved pain.

Dr. Thompson has well shown that this divine benevolence, instead of being inconsistent with the theory of the endless punishment of the wicked, is eminently congenial with it. "Mere anger might subside. The vindication of personal honor might at length be satisfied. But love cannot die - love will not change; and the love of God for holiness, and his goodness toward his creatures demand the emphatic severity of his displeasure against sin" (pp. 352, 353). If the punishment of the incorrigible depended on an instinct of the divine mind, we should be less certain of the eternity of this punishment, than we are when it depends on his moral principle, his rational benevolence.

Another fact on which the reasonings in this volume are founded is, that sin is a voluntary transgression of known law. "The definition which Blackstone gives of law in general, as established among men, may be transferred, with much higher significance, to the law of God. Law,' he [Judge Blackstone] says, is a rule of civil conduct presented by the supreme power in a state, commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong.'" "It is a rule of conduct presented, announced, notified" (pp. 143, 144). If our sin be involuntary, we are unable to discern the reasonableness of punishing it. If it be wilful, it may be justly visited with everlasting remorse.

The reasonings in this volume are also founded on the principles, that sin intrinsically merits punishment; that our own nature demands the punitive government of our Sovereign; that the phenomena of the present life are inconsistent with any other theory than that of God's disposition to punish sin; that the full demerit of sin must be determined by God himself, and that he has declared the unending ill-desert and the unending punishment of moral disobedience.

The volume is thus an excellent defence of eternal retribution, on

biblical, as well as on philosophical grounds. Its arguments are unanswer

able.

HENGSTENBERG'S COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES.1

THE qualifications of Dr. Hengstenberg as an eminent expositor will not be doubted by those familiar with his previous works on the Bible; and a Commentary on this difficult book, by one who has so long and so successfully devote himself to biblical subjects, will awaken new interest in its study. As an exposition of the language and the general current of the writer's views, the work is full and rich. It is not to be expected, however, that all the difficulties are cleared up. Dr. Hengstenberg, in common with most of the biblical commentators in Germany, and the late Prof. Stuart in this country, does not regard Solomon as the author of the book. IIe denies the authorship to Solomon on the ground that the book represents the Jews in a disordered and distracted state, "persecuted," "tried in the furnace of affliction," and "under the dominion of heathen rulers;" whereas, during the reign of Solomon there was peace and prosperity; also, on the ground that the book has peculiarities of style and diction, such as did not belong to Solomon's time; also, on the ground of the place which it occupies in the canon, it being pla ed after the books belonging to Solomon's time, and after Lamentations; besides, it is said, Solomon is expressly declared by name to be the author of "Proverbs," and the "Song of Songs;" but in the Ecclesiastes the authorship is less directly stated: "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem." In reference to this discrepancy, Dr. Hengstenberg remarks: "It is a perfectly natural thing that he who wishes to be regarded as the author of any work should employ no other designation than that by which he is already known. To use enigmas and play at hide-and-seek, would be little in place in such a matter. Consequently, the writer of this work in styling Solomon Koheleth, pretty clearly indicates that it is only in an ideal sense he is introduced as the author; that he was concerned with the book only as a representative of wisdom. The very name, which is strictly an impersonal one, shows that the person to whom it is applied, belongs to the region of poetry, not to that of reality. Thus we find that the only argument, with any show of reason for Solomon's authorship, changes sides altogether as soon as it is more carefully examined. The Book of Ecclesiastes was not only not actually composed by Solomon, but does not even pretend to have been."

While these considerations deserve to be candidly weighed, they are by no means decisive of the question which they are adduced to establish. The Jewish and Christian church with very general unanimity have ascribed the authorship of the book to Solomon; and in modern times this opinion was

1 Commentary on Ecclesiastes, with other treatises. By E. W. Hengstenberg, D. D., Professor of Theology, Berlin. Translated from the German, by D. W. Simon. Philadelphia: Smith, English & Co., 1860. 8vo. pp. 488.

first called in question by Grotius. A sentiment so uniform and so long entertained is not to be set aside except by the most decisive evidence against it. More weight has been given to the objections than a careful consideration of the facts will justify. The kingdoms of the East were peculiarly unstable; revolutions and counter-revolutions were constantly taking place; men were everywhere tried in the furnace; were subject to wrongs, oppression, and servitude. The author of Ecclesiastes, therefore, is only delineating scenes of constant occurrence; they may not have been scenes in his own realm, but they were scenes with which he and his people were familiar. Then the peculiarities of style, involving resemblances to the later Hebrew and the Chaldee, when critically examined, are less authoritative proofs against the authorship of the book than they have been supposed. Not more than ten or twelve Chaldeeisms can be found in the book. And, further, the place which the book occupies in the canon, and the less explicit recognition of the authorship in the first verse than in the case of the Proverbs," and "Song of Songs," are feeble arguments to prove that the reputed author of the book did not write it.

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If Solomon was not the writer, the authorship is not known; and those who deny his claims, do not agree as to the time the book was written, — the different dates of its composition ranging over a period of three hundred years. But whatever doubts or speculations there may be in regard to the authorship, the canonical authority of the book is undiminished. Though our Lord does not directly quote from it in his discourses, he makes frequent allusions to it.

The other Treatises in this volume are Prolegomena to the Song of Solomon, A Lecture on the Book of Job, A Lecture on the Prophet Isaiah, The Sacrifices of Holy Scripture, The Jews and the Christian Church.

CODEX ALEXANDRINUS.1

THE Codex Alexandrinus is one of the oldest and most valuable manuscripts of the Greek Scriptures now known. The Codex Vaticanus, which has recently been made accessible in Cardinal Mai's Edition, is probably older; and Tischendorf claims that the MS. of the Greek Bible recently found at the convent of St. Catharine, in Mount Sinai, is the oldest yet discovered.

To the biblical student, the Codex Alexandrinus is one of the richest treasures in the British Museum. It was presented to Charles I. by Cyril Lucar, at one time Patriarch of Alexandria. It is comprised in four folio volumes three, of the Old Testament; and one, of the New. Previous to

1 Η ΚΑΙΝΗ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ. Novum Testamentum Græce ex Antiquissimo Codice Alexandrino a C. G. Woide olim descriptum: ad fidem ipsius Codicis denuo accuratius edidit B. II. Cowper. Londini venumdant Williams & Norgate, et D. Nutt; Edinburgae, Williams & Norgate. New York: B. Westermann & Soc. 1860. 8vo. pp. xxxviii. 503.