and the earth, as we might believe that the three events were of human origin-God must have been there. In the full statement and exposition of these three divine commands,-the first given in Paradise, the second at Mount Sinai, the third on the Mount of Transfiguration,-the remainder of the volume is occupied. The whole disquisition is of very rare excellence. Many passages are distinguished by great beauty of both conception and expression; others by both acuteness of distinction and profoundness of thought; and others by the calm and solemn earnestness of clear faith and deep devotional feeling. For none of these, however, can we now spare room, but we most earnestly direct the attention of all thoughtful readers to the work that contains them. We merely give, as our last extract from this remarkable volume, the brief summation of the doctrines of the Bible, in which Mr Dove presents, in his conclusion, what he regards as "the essential scheme or plan upon which everything depends:"

"1. The Existence of God in absolute perfection of Attribute. 2. The creation, probation, temptation, and fall of man. The universal guilt of man, and universal actual trangression of every man who acts with the consciousness of volition. He either transgresses or comes short of the perfect requirement. 3. The Incarnation of the Son of God for the purpose of the redemption,his temptation, -his perfect righteousness of life,-his atoning death,-his resurrection, and his future coming. 4. The influence of the Holy Spirit for the sanctification of the soul. 5. The unlimited, unmerited,

and absolute election by God of his people to eternal life. 6. The resurrection of the dead, the day of judgment, and the close of the terrestrial dispensation."

We have left ourselves space for nothing more than a few brief concluding remarks regarding Mr Dove's elaborate and admirable work. Our readers will have perceived that our attempt has been restricted to the aim of laying before them such an outline and analysis of this important philosophico-theological treatise, as might in some measure enable them to apprehend its value. In doing so we have to the utmost of our power availed ourselves of the author's own words, condensing and abbreviating his arguments, but presenting them chiefly in his own mode of statement. This we have found no easy task, as the work itself is a very condensed statement of very extensive subject. In precision of thought and expression, the work is unsurpassed. The logical arrangement, or arrangement according to the primordial laws and necessary sequences of thought, is, in our opinion, scientifically perfect; and the fairness and candour of the author throughout appear in the extreme care taken to avoid even the appearance of straining a single statement or argument employed, and in the readiness with which he

not only admits, but points out, any weakness or defect in any part of it. This, no doubt, arose from his consciousness of the inherent strength and cogency of his argument; but it appears also as a characteristic of his own fair and manly mind, and must insure the respect and confidence of every reader. The style is remarkable for clearness, perspicuity, and precision. It has evidently been Mr Dove's desire to avoid all ornamental writing, to limit himself within extreme simplicity, and to direct his studious care to the single object of being understood, selecting such language only as might be a perfectly pellucid vehicle of thought. In this he has been eminently successful, and this is very high and rare merit ;-especially when we know that he possesses the power of producing a warm and lofty eloquence of style when he pleases, and when the subject admits and requires the use of fervent diction. There occur, however, many graceful and some truly eloquent passages, as some of our extracts may shew, although in our anxiety to present the course of thought, in our limited space, we were constrained generally to avoid illustrations. In several instances also there occur brief, but very pregnant, explanatory remarks on scripture texts,-not deduced from verbal criticism, but from the essential meaning of the contained thought. Such instances have served to confirm an opinion which we have long entertained concerning what is commonly termed Exegetical Theology. The true Exegesis of Scripture requires two distinct elements,-the philological, and the philosophical, and the latter is by far the more important element of the two. The philological element might deal with no more than mere verbal criticism, and in that region it might disport itself extravagantly, producing all the vagaries and absurdities that too frequently characterise German philology, and might not only totally fail in giving the true meaning of the text, but might go very wildly astray. But the mind imbued with philosophic thought,-not, however, mere human philosophy, but what Milton calls "divine philosophy,"-thought enlightened, impregnated, and guided by spiritual truth, and acting under the more than moral consciousness of profound personal piety,such a mind will so apprehend the sacred truth of the text as to bring out its necessary and absolute meaning in a manner and to a degree that mere philology could never reach. Had we to choose, therefore, an Exegetical Teacher, we should choose the man of thought, specially of spiritualised thought in preference to the man of philological lore; both because the philosophic mind is the higher qualification, and because such a man may very easily acquire the needed amount of learning, while the mere philologist could never acquire the power of philosophic thought. From Mr Dove's work we could produce specimens illustrative of what we mean; but we must refrain.

We have already intimated our opinion that Mr Dove has produced such a "Logic of the Christian Faith," as places, or contributes to place, that most momentous theme on an immovable foundation. He has wrested their most dangerous weapons out of the hands of both Scepticism and Pantheism, and rendered these enemies of the Christian Faith utterly powerless. Even physical science, instead of an opponent, becomes by his skilful ability, a strong auxiliary of the truth. The ground which he has chosen to occupy is totally distinct from that chosen by those who write on "The Evidences of Revealed Religion," whether external or internal, yet not only does not interfere with any of the numerous and valuable works on these topics, but leaves them in all their integrity and value to the use of those whose mental capacities and tendencies lead them chiefly to the study of such treatises. He undertakes a far more difficult task,-the statement and solution of those highest problems of thought, which determine the nature and the very possibility of all belief. This great task he has completely and conclusively achieved, as will, we confidently anticipate, be admitted, in due time, by every competent judge. We have said, “ in due time, and by every competent judge," because we do not expect a very rapid progress into extensive popularity of this volume. It is too profound for superficial thinkers in an admittedly superficial age like the present. Its author must be content to say, "Fit audience let me find, though few." The fit audience it will find soon; and in due time their suffrages will secure that the audience will not be few. There may continue to be sceptics of the lower class of mind and knowledge, who will not be able to perceive how completely their system has been destroved. But the effect on their defeated chiefs will

gradually be felt by the subordinate followers, and their captious cavils will gradually die away into inarticulate mutterings of dogged and unreasoning opposition. Should such a result happen, and when it happens, we may ask, for a moment, what would be the probable effect on the silenced sceptical opponents of Christianity? Would they abandon their opposition, and accept the Gospel? We apprehend not, without another and a different contest. All opposition to the Gospel has its root in the carnal mind's enmity against God. When the accusers of Stephen could not resist the wisdom and power of his defence, they stopped their ears, gnashed with their teeth, and rushed violently upon him, and put him to death. In like manner, even were the sceptical opponents of Christianity consciously vanquished and reduced to silence, their hostility might remain. That hostility, baffled and enraged, might break out into physical violence, and there might ensue a period of fierce external conflict, in which Christianity would have again to seal its testi

mony with its blood. To this, or something like this, as it appear to us, the aspect of events and the progress of the age seems to be advancing. We do not regard the enmity of the seemingly cold-blooded and plausible sceptic as one whit less truculent than that of the oily monk; and all history tells how the latter class of persons delighted to wallow in the blood of their victims. When vanquished in argument, their resource was the rack, the gibbet, and the flames. Nor should we expect more mercy from vanquished sceptics, had they equal power. "Why," said a distinguished sceptical writer, "should the letting loose of a few ounces of red fluid be deemed a matter of so much importance?" Even so why then should vanquished sceptics hesitate about silencing their opponents by letting loose any quantity of that same red fluid? Would we, then, even with such an anticipation as the possible result for a season, wish to see the sceptic silenced? Most certainly. Truth must be stated, maintained, vindicated at all hazards. And even such a result as the war of arguments turned into a desperate plunge into physical violence, would not greatly appall us; for the God of truth can still the tumults of the people, and turn a short fierce war into a permanent peace. Such a result would, besides, amount to a moral triumph on the part of Christianity, and millions might feel their own moral nature convinced by the spectacle of Christian martyrdom, who had remained insensible to all Christian argument. It might be expected also, most confidently, that in such a period the Holy Spirit would be poured from on high, as in the earlier ages and triumphs of Christianity, hastening forward the coming glories of the latter days, and ushering in the reign of righteousness and peace. No merely human effort can greatly relax or advance that glorious era; but whatever tends to confirm the Christian Faith, tends in that direction, and every hopeful believer must rejoice in everything that tends to strengthen his faith, and encourage his hopes, while he patiently waits for God's own good time and season, humbly saying, THY WILL BE DONE.

ART. VIII.—Memoire de Theodore Agrippa D'Aubigné. Publiée pour la premiere fois d'apres le MSS. de la Bibliothèque du Louvre. Par LALANNE. ́Paris.

Les Aventures du Baron de Fieneste.

1854.

Par T. A. D'AUBIGNE. Nouvelle Edition Annotée, par M. P. MERRIMEE, de l'Academie Française. Paris. 1855.

Etudes sur les Euvres du T. A. D'Aubigné. Par LEON FEUGERES. Paris. 1855.

PROTESTANTISM has been the cause of the morality, liberty, and prosperity of England. And if the present time be for

her a critical epoch, it is because this very Protestantism is threatened on many sides, and rash hands are striving to choke the source from whence, during three centuries, the national life, wealth, and greatness have so abundantly flowed. We are not here alluding to what was called Catholic emancipation. Tractarianism is committing serious ravages not only among the clergy but the aristocracy, and modern Rationalism is beginning to sap the principles of the Reformation in those middle classes, by whom, until now, they had been faithfully preserved, while Materialism, contempt of the Lord's day, and social disorders are increasing among the lower classes. In short, the evil is universal, pervading alike the State, the Church, and the people. Never were faith in the living God, fervent prayer, united efforts on the part of all friends of England and of the Bible, so much needed as they are now. And further, we want men of marked individuality, men full of courage, sense, and perseverance, capable of rallying around them the irresolute masses. Of late our attention has been drawn to the life and writings of a Protestant of this stamp, who displayed in the sixteenth century great nobility of character, and resolutely opposed evils more or less similar to those which threaten us now.

None of the men of the sixteenth century has occupied for the last two or three years so much of the attention of the French literary world as Theodore Agrippa D'Aubigné. Newspapers and reviews have dedicated to him sundry articles, books have been written specially treating of him, and many of his own works have been published by learned men who have consulted the original manuscripts for the purpose. And indeed he well deserves the attention he has excited, being one of the greatest writers of his century. He was wont to call Tacitus his master, and he has in fact somewhat of his vehemence, and, above all, of his disposition, to dig down to the root of what is evil, as Fenelon used to say; his glance is at once rapid and searching, his conceptions lofty, his style forcible, striking, and correct. But his character is still more remarkable than his talents, reflecting as it does most vividly the stamp of liberty in thought and action, conferred by the Reformation on its followers. A fellow-soldier of Henry IV., and as he himself tells us, “seated at the bedside of kings,"-nothing equalled his attachment to his prince, except his bold bluntness in constantly telling him the truth and the whole truth. But it is his love for Protestantism by which we are more especially struck, and in which he exceeded all Huguenots beside. Throughout life he acted, spoke, and fought with a view of leading France into that good Protestant way in which, through faith in God's word, she might have found order and liberty. France refused to enter thereon,-she remained under Papal

But