On this passage in Habakkuk, Dr. Henderson says: "That specific reference is made to what is recorded Josh. 10: 12, is, after the Targ., very generally admitted; but, though it were granted that the event there described may have suggested the language of the prophet, yet the point of view in which he presents the heavenly luminaries is altogether different. In the history, the construction to be put upon their standing still or being arrested in their course, is obviously their continuing to shine, in order to afford light to Joshua, while following up his victory over the enemy; whereas, in the present connection, they are sublimely introduced as retiring into their abode before the brighter refulgence of the arrows and lances employed in the conflict. So completely were they eclipsed by this refulgence, that it seemed as if they had set."

Keil defends his interpretation of the disputed passages by the following analogies: "If we had before us simple prose, or the words of the historian himself, we should, without the least hesitation, admit that the day was miraculously lengthened in consequence of a delay in the course and setting of the sun. But vs. 13 and 14 contain merely an amplification or poetical expansion of the words really uttered by Joshua in the heat of the conflict: "Sun! wait . . . . till the people have avenged themselves upon their enemies;' and we should therefore entirely overlook the essential nature of poetry, if we adhere closely to the words of the poet, and so understand them to mean that the day was miraculously prolonged because the sun stood still. In fact it would betray an utter inability to enter into the spirit of poetry or of figurative writing, to continue to regard the words of Joshua: Sun! wait at Gibeon; and Moon, in the valley of Ajalon,' either as a command to the sun and moon, or as a prayer that God would cause them to stand still. (Buddeus, indeed, observes: ' who could persuade himself, without rashness, that such a commander spoke poetically in the heat of the battle, and when burning with a desire to pursue the foe (hist. eccl. i. 662) ?' But in this he assumes that the sacred writer, i. e. the author of this book, reports the words of Joshua as a historian, and overlooks the fact that they are copied from the poetical Book of the Just.') When Isaiah prayed to the Lord, in the name of his people: O that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,' etc. (Isa. 63: 19); or when David sings: In my distress I called upon the Lord, he heard my voice out of his temple, he bowed the heavens also and came down, he sent from above and took me, he drew me out of many waters' (Ps. 18: 7—17); who is there who ever thinks of understanding their words literally, as denoting an actual rending of the heavens, or a desire that God would actually descend from heaven and stretch out his hand to draw David out of the waters? Undoubtedly the idea of a fearful storm, accompanied by earthquake, has furnished materials for the imagery of the eighteenth Psalm; but it is as clear as day that the striking figures, which it contains, are not fully explained by referring them to an

earthquake and storm. And so again, when Deborah sings they fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera' (Judg. 5: 20); there have certainly been some who have endeavored to explain her words historically, and suppose that the stars actually contended against Sisera, by concealing themselves, and as it were withdrawing their light; i. e. when night came on, the heavens were obscured, and thus the fugitive had not even the advantage of the starlight" (Evang. K. Z. 1833, p. 195 seq.). But to change the fighting of the stars into a concealment and apparent withdrawal of their light, is such an unnatural perversion of the words, that instead of furnishing an argument against the figurative interpretation of the verses before us, they decidedly confirm it.”

DR. BROWN'S THEOLOGICAL TRACTS.1

THE first of the Tracts, in the first volume of this Series, is Lord President Forbes's Reflections on the Scenes of Incredulity with regard to Religion. The second is the celebrated Simon Browne's Fit Rebuke to a Ludicrous Infidel. The mere history of this Essay is a psychological wonder. The third Tract, Lord Hailes's Essay on "the Eminent Heathen Writers, from Seneca to Marcus Antoninus, who are said to have disregarded or contemned Christianity." The Fourth is, Rev. John Ballantine's Essay on the Origin of Evil. The Author was a metaphysician of great acuteness, power, and worth. His "Examination of the Human Mind" evinces rare comprehensiveness and breadth of thought. Dr. Brown informs us that manuscripts sufficient for another volume, equal in size to that already published, were left by Dr Ballantine at his death. We heartily agree with Dr. Brown in the opinion, that measures should be adopted for giving these manuscripts to the press. The Essay on the Origin of Evil, is one of singular acuteness and vigor. The Fifth Tract now published by Dr. Brown is the substance of Dr. Smalley's two Discourses on the Inability of Sinners to comply with the Gospel. The Sixth is the substance of Dr. Jonathan Edwards's three Sermons on the Atonement.

The Second Volume of this Series contains Jeremy Taylor's "Instance of Moral Demonstration," an original and admirable Essay of Rev. John Ballantine, on the " Being of a God; Dr. Usher's " Mystery of the Incarnation;" Richard Baxter's Review of Himself, Meditations, and Lamentations; Maclaurin's "Essay on "the Objections against the Gospel;" Dr. John Erskine's "Essay on "the Nature of Christian Truth;" Archibald McLean's Dissertation on "the Influences of the Holy Spirit;" and President Edwards's "Dissertation on the End for which God created the World."

1 Theological Tracts, Selected and Originally Edited by John Brown, D. D., Professor of Exegetical Theology to the United Presbyterian Church. and Senior Pastor of the United Presbyterian Congregation, Broughton Place, Edinburgh. A. Fullerton and Co., Edinburgh and London. In three volumes, 18mo. pp. 384, 409, 420.

The Third Volume contains six Essays never before published, and seven which have been long known and valued. The first is John Howe's Essay on "the Reasonableness of God's Presence with the Sons of Men;" the second is Andrew Marvell's acute and witty Tract on Defence of Home; the third is Dr. Robert Balmer's Lecture on the Arian Hypothesis; the fourth, Dr. Balmer's Lecture on the Strength of the Evidences for the Divinity of Christ; the fifth, his Lecture on the Personality of the Holy Spirit; the sixth, his Lecture on the Divinity of the Holy Spirit; the seventh, his Lecture on the Nature of the Divine Decrees. These tracts of Dr. Balmer are here published for the first time; and they develop such a sound mind and pure heart as excite our wish to peruse his entire theological system.

The Eighth Tract is Dr. John Martin's Essay on the Glory of God as the Great End of Moral Action; the Ninth is Rev. Samuel Pike's Brief Thought concerning the Gospel, etc.; the Tenth is Dr. John Snodgrass's Essay on the Leading Doctrines of the Gospel: the Eleventh is Dr. Thomas Hurd's Esssay on the Progress of the Christian Religion; the Twelfth is Rev. John Binar's Observations on the Conduct and Character of Judas Iscariot; the Thirteenth is Dr. John Smalley's Discourse on the Perfection and Usefulness of the Divine Fear.

The enumeration of the titles of these Tracts is a sufficient commendation of them. We trust that the learned and judicious Editor of this Series will continue it until it shall contain, in itself, a complete theological system. No man is better prepared than Dr. Brown to compile the scattered Essays of our profound religious thinkers.

INDEX TO THE BIBLIOTHECA SACRA. By W. F. Draper, Andover.

THIS is an octavo volume of two hundred and forty pages. In the Preface it gives the history of the Bibliotheca Sacra, with which the Biblical Repository, established in 1831, was united in 1851. Next it gives a full Index of the Articles, in the order in which they appear in the first thirteen volumes of the Bibliotheca Sacra, with a full Synopsis of each Article; so that any one, having the Index, will be able to ascertain very fully the contents of each volume of the Series, without having it before him. This Index of Subjects and Authors, in the order of their appearance in the Periodical, occupies a hundred and thirty-two pages, and affords much supplemental aid in consulting the other parts of the volume. The Topical Index follows, occupying eighty-four pages. Here all the subjects discussed in the Periodical are classified under their appropriate heads, and exact references are made to the places where the themes are noticed. This part of the work is especially valuable.

An Index of Biblical Texts, Illustrated or Explained in the Bibliotheca, is then introduced, which is succeeded by an Index of the Authors, who have contributed, and of the Articles which they have furnished to the Periodical.

The Compiler of this work remarks justly: "The Index has been prepared with great care, and an amount of labor which will be appreciated only by those who have had experience in such toil." We are inclined to believe that it contains fewer mistakes than are found in other volumes of similar design, and is eminently trustworthy as well as copious.

The Bibliotheca Sacra does not aim to notice the current news, nor to bestow particular attention on the fugitive literature of the day. It aims to insert Articles of permanent value, and to make its former Numbers such as will retain nearly all the interest which they had as they came from the press. Hence for the Periodical an Index is peculiarly needful. It both facilitates and stimulates the labor of the student, and reduces to a system the scattered and multifarious labors of many eminent men.

ARTICLE X.

THEOLOGICAL AND LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

GERMANY.

The following are the more important recent publications in Germany, in the department of Theology :

Commentary on the Pentateuch. By J. Bechor-Schor.

The Fifth Edition of De Wette's Commentary on the Psalms. By G. Baur.

The Prophecies and Lamentations of Jeremiah Explained from the Masoretic Text. Vol. I. Part Second. By W. Neuman.

"Liber Ruth. Ex Hebraico in Latinum versus. Jerfetuaque interpretatione illustratus." By C. L. F. Mezger.

The Third Edition of Lücke's Commentary on the Epistles and Gospel of John. Third Part.

The First Epistle of Peter. By Weisinger. Being the Fifth Volume, Second Part, of Olshausen's Commentaries on the New Testament, continued by Ebrard and Weisinger.

On the Mount of Galilee, Matt. 28: 16. A Contribution to the Harmony of the Evangelical Account of the Appearances of Christ after his Resurrection. By R. Hoffman.

The First Part of the Third Volume of Hengstenberg's Christology, Second Edition.

Archæology of the Hebrews, in Two Parts. By Saalschütz.

Hagenbach's Church History of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. Third Edition. 4-7 Lieferung.

History of Christian Doctrines, in their Organic Development, given in Outline. By L. Noack. Second Edition.

Herzfeld's History of the People of Israel. 6th Lief.

The Church of Christ and its Witnesses; or Church History in Biographies. 2d Vol. 4th Part, containing Biographies of the Reformers of the Fifteenth Century.

"Corpus Reformatorum. Post Bretschneiderum. Ed. Bindseil. Vol. 24. Ph. Melancthonis opera quæ supersunt Omnia."

Satires and Pasquinades of the Reformation, by "Athenagoræ Supplicatio pro Christianis Imperatoribus M. Aurelio Antonio et L. Aurelio Commodo, Armeniacis, Sarmaticis et quod maximum est Philosophis. Cura et Studio L. Paul."

Investigations in Religion. First Part, containing Discussions on the Nature and Origin of Religion. By Hirschfeld.

Symbolik, or a Systematic Presentation of the Symbolic Ideas of the Various Christian Churches, and the most Prominent Sects. By R. Hoffman. History of Religion as Proof of the Divine Revelation. By W. Wilmers. The Radical Ideas of Christian Morality re-examined on the Principles of the Evangelical Church. By C. F. Jäger.

Sartorius.

On the Doctrine of Holy Love, or the Essential Features of the Evangelical Moral Theology. Third Part. Second Half.

"Enchiridion Symbolorum et Definitionum quæ de rebus fidei et morum a Conciliis Oecumenicis et Summis Pontificibus emanarunt. Editio III." By H. Denzinger.

Confessio fidei Augustina. a. 1530. Imp. Carolo V. Exhibita. post. a. 1540 recognita et aucta. Edita ab. H. Heppe.

The Koran. Translated from the Arabic into Hebrew, and explained. By R. Reckendorf.

"Revelation, according to the Doctrines of the Synagogue." The 2d Part is also under the title: "The Faith of the Synagogue," and contains a Series of twenty-five Discourses on the Nature and Characteristics of a Revelation. By L. L. Steinheim.

Herzog's Encyclopedia for Protestant Theology. Heft 51-57.

The Organism of Science and the Philosophy of History. By Adolf Helferish.

We notice the following works on Antiquity and Philology :

The Fourth and Fifth Books of Bunsen's " Egypt's Place in Universal History."

Lepsius: Egyptian and Æthiopic Monuments. After Drawings of the Expedition of 1842-5. Tables 63—65.

The Phoenicians. 2d Vol. 3d Part. The first half treats of Phoenician Commerce and Navigation. By F. C. Movers.

Lange's Roman Antiquities. Volume First. This belongs to the Series superintended by Prof.'s Haupt and Sauppe.