To read "THE INFINITE AND THE FINITE,' ,"* by the excellent Theophilus Parsons, after attempting to read the Positivist Primer, is to pass from an arid sand-waste to a green and quiet valley by the side of a rippling stream. The style is lucid, the sentiments are elevated, the thought is weighty, and yet falling as quietly, noiselessly as snowflakes. The very slight tincture of Swedenborgian doctrine and the exaggerated estimate of the claims of Swedenborg as a discerner and revealer of spiritual truth, do not greatly detract from the value of the greater portion of the contents of this volume, nor do they weaken our recommendation of it to all those who are attracted by thoughtful and meditative essays on themes of Christian philosophy.

RELIGIOUS AND THEOLOGICAL.

HODGE'S SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY† (Vol. II.)—The second volume of Dr. Hodge covers the topics of Anthropology and Soteriology. We have already referred to the learning, perspicuity, and ability of his discussions. In this volume he enters on a field where he has often appeared before as a polemic; but, wisely, as we judge, he abstains from special controversy with Dr. Taylor and his other former antagonists. Dr. Hodge's system is that form of Calvinism which founds the whole doctrine of human sin and condemnation on an alleged covenant of the Creator with Adam, who represents vicariously the human race. It is not the Augustinian conception, but the subsequent Federal theory that was devised in the seventeenth century. Dr. Hodge, in our judgment, fails to represent correctly the historical aspects of this doctrine of original sin. All that he says of Placæus, Rivetus, and "Mediate Imputation," needs revision and essential qualification, in order to conform it to historical fact. What a precarious foundation for Christian theology, for the great doctrines of sin and redemption, to rest upon, is this theory of a covenant! It is not surprising that Dr. Hodge should expend so much time in confuting Darwin, Huxley, and other physicists, when Adam is compelled to bear such a tremendous weight on his shoulders,—a weight compared with which the burden sustained by Atlas is a feather.

*The Infinite and the Finite. By THEOPHILUS PARSONS. Brothers. 1872.

Boston: Roberts

Systematic Theology. By CHARLES HODGE, D.D., Professor in the Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey. Vol. II. New York: Charles Scribner & Co.

The Augustinian doctrine is free from several unanswerable objections which lie against the nominalistic, representative hypothe sis, which is presented in the volume before us. This hypothesis involves the proposition-which no euphemisms can veil-that the sinfulness of all mankind, after the first man, is inflicted upon them as the penalty of an act in which they took no real part. It is something not less inevitable than their existence, something which involves the desert of eternal death, yet something which they had no agency in bringing upon themselves. But we do not design in this place to revive an old controversy. Although we are not able to accept the Federal explication of original sin, as that is propounded in this volume, we can accord with a great portion of its contents. It is a signal merit of the work that it states and considers the various hypotheses which have been proposed for the solution of theological problems. For example, on the Person of Christ, the views of Liebner, Gess, and other recent writers, are subjected to a full examination. It is not necessary to agree in opinion with the author in all points, in order to receive benefit from his elaborate discussions. He is always distinct, always outspoken and sincere.

MANNING'S HALF TRUTHS AND THE TRUTH.*-The title of this volume is itself a sign and proof of the altered spirit of Apologetics. Unmitigated condemnation, unqualified denunciation, gives way to the attempt to find in the adversary some part of truth, some honorable motive, a partial and imperfectly defined conception. The effort is to lift him out of his error, rather than to beat him down. Dr. Manning, who is one of the ministers who find time, in the midst of assiduous parish work, to prosecute philosophical studies, has well carried out the idea suggested by his title. Pantheism and Positivism, the two poles of unbelief, are analyzed and their defects are set forth, in comparison with the full and rounded doctrine of Christianity. The parts of the volume which deal with Spinoza and Mr. Emerson have struck us as being especially valuable; but the whole work is worthy of high commendation.

* Half Truths and the Truth. Lectures on the origin and development of prevailing forms of unbelief, considered in relation to the nature and claims of the Christian System. By J. M. MANNING, D.D., Pastor of the Old South Church, Boston. Boston: Lee & Shepard. 1872.

MODERN SCEPTICISM.*-The Christian Evidence Society was established in England, in 1870, for the purpose of meeting, in fair argument, the current scepticism. Both churchmen and non-conformists are active in it. Its methods thus far have been three: lectures addressed to the educated; the formation of classes for the instruction of those in the lower grades of society, to save them from infidelity; the circulation of tracts, and the offer of prizes to those willing that their private study be tested by competitive examination.

This volume contains the first course of lectures, delivered by dignitaries of the Church of England, Oxford professors, and nonconformist clergymen. The subjects were assigned to the lecturers, in order to give unity to the series. The three first are introductory and treat of difficulties in the sphere of Natural Religion; the subjects are: Design in Nature; Pantheism; Positivism. The next two deal with the supposed conflict between science and the Scriptures; the subjects are: Science and Revelation; The Nature and value of the Miraculous Testimony to Christianity. The next five treat directly of the Holy Scriptures; the subjects are: The Gradual Development of Revelation--a title which the lecturer very properly rejects, and treats simply the fact that revelation has been gradual; The Alleged Historical Difficulties of the Old and New Testaments, and the Light thrown on them by Modern Discoveries; Mythical Theories of Christianity; The Evidential Value of St. Paul's Epistles; Christ's Teaching and Influence on the World. The closing lecture is on the Completeness and Adequacy of the Evidences of Christianity.

While a unity is thus attained, the difficulties inherent in the treatment of such subjects, in a series of lectures by different persons, are apparent. The limits of the lecture, and the exigencies of popular address, are adverse to a thorough and scholarly discussion. Some of these lectures lack conciseness and terseness of style and vigor, incisiveness, and suggestiveness of thought. The work as a whole is, however, well adapted to its design to counteract the arguments and expose the errors, sophistries, and hasty generalizations of current scepticism. The most valuable lecture is that of Prof. Rawlinson on the alleged historical difficulties, in which, with great clearness and conciseness, he notes every historical difficulty alleged against the Bible, which he thinks of any

*Modern Scepticism. A Course of Lectures delivered at the request of the Christian Evidence Society. New York: A. D. F. Randolph & Co. 1871. pp. 544.

importance, and answers each in the light of the most recent historical criticism and investigation. It would be an excellent tract for general circulation.

THE BREMEN LECTURES.*-These lectures were delivered in Bremen early in 1869, before large assemblies. They are designed as popular vindications of Christianity against existing scepticism. The particular occasion was the bold and undisguised tendency inimical to the fundamental doctrines and facts of Biblical Christianity, represented and propagated by servants of the Church in Bremen. The lectures are as follows: "The Biblical account of the Creation, and Natural Science," by Prof. Zöckler; “Reason, Conscience, and Revelation," by Pastor Cremer; "Miracles," by Pastor Fuchs; "The Person of Jesus Christ," by Prof. Luthardt; "The Resurrection of Christ as a Soteriological Fact," by Rev. Dr. Uhlhorn; "The Scriptural Doctrine of Atonement," by Prof. Gess; The Authenticity of our Gospels," by Prof. Tischendorf; "The Idea of the Kingdom of God as perfected, and its significance for historical Christianity," by Prof. Lange; "Christianity and Culture," by Pastor Disselhoff.

These lectures evince great ability. Several of them are rich in quickening and suggestive thought, and all of them are valuable. Prof. Lange, however, presents his thoughts so abstractly and in so difficult a style, that his lecture could hardly pass for a "popular lecture" on this side of the Atlantic. The other lectures are easy to be read. The translator has been successful for the most part in giving easy and perspicuous English.

THE DUKE OF SOMERSET'S CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AND MODERN SCEPTICISM does not conclusively show that he is not an able statesman, and in regard to many subjects a well informed man; but it conclusively proves that he is not well informed in respect either to Christian Theology or Modern Scepticism, or else that he wrote this book at odd hours very early after dinner. No man will be much the wiser for reading this book, in respect to the topics of which it professes to treat, and no wise man will be greatly in

*The Bremen Lectures, on fundamental, living, religious questions. By various eminent European divines. Translated from the original German by Rev. D HEAGLE. With an Introduction by Prof. ALVAH HOVEY, D.D. Boston: Gould & Lincoln. 1871. pp. 308.

Christian Theology and Modern Scepticism. By the DUKE OF SOMERSET, K. G. New York: D. Appleton & Co.

1872.

fluenced by it. The man whom it brings to a more decided unbelief will have already brought to the reading of it a sufficient share of unbelief and credulity to show that he is beyond the reach of sound or earnest criticism and argument. There is nothing about the book that gives it any significance except that it purports to have been written by a duke.

THE VATICAN COUNCIL.*--Mr. Bacon has done much more than republish in English the noted speech of Archbishop Kenrick, in the Vatican Council, against the infallibility dogma. He has connected with it other valuable documents which explain the preparations, doings, and consequences of the Council, and he has added acute and valuable remarks of his own; so that this little volume comprises an interesting and faithful description of one of the important events of the day. Although Father Gratry, who wrote so earnestly and even vehemently against the obnoxious dogma before it was proclaimed, and on the heterodoxy of Pope Honorius, has given in his adhesion, Hyacinthe, the eloquent preacher, remains firm, and so does Döllinger, the principal Catholic theologian of Germany. Hefele, now a bishop, the author of the learned History of Councils, had committed himself to the theory that the concurrence of Pope and Council assures infallibility, and, with many others who had taken the same position, has acquiesced in the new definition. Döllinger denies the validity of the declaration of the Council, on the ground that the rights of the minority were violated, and that where a considerable minority exists, the proposition for a dogmatic decree must be dropped. Unanimity, or substantial unanimity, is requisite for a doctrinal definition. Döllinger describes impressively the enormous implications of the dogma of infallibility. It makes the Pope the keeper of the consciences of all men. The unrepealed assertions of Innocent III and Boniface VIII, on the subjection of rulers to priests and to the Pope, their head, are clothed with an authority which on any convenient occasion may be practically affirmed. We may observe that Archbishop Kenrick's speech contains honorable concessions to historical truth and to the demands of a just and candid criticism. For example, he gives up the usual Roman Catholic interpretation of the passage in Irenæus relative to the preeminence of the Roman Church.

* An Inside View of the Vatican Council, in the speech of the most Reverend Archbishop Kenrick, of St. Louis. Edited by LEONARD WOOLSEY BACON, with otes and additional documents. American Tract Soc. 1872.