end of the Peloponnesian war, not only sustains its high character, but even improves as it advances. The ingenious theories, for which the traditional period offered such temptations, disappear in the period of authentic history. The age of Pericles, so splendid in poetry, literature, and art, is described with great truth and beauty. The political condition of Greece, and the great men of Athens, are represented with the author's well-known artistic power.

E. C. Baur's Christian Church in the Middle Ages (die christliche Kirche des Mittelalters, 1861), in its leading historical developments, published after the author's death, is a continuation of his two former publications, Christianity and the Church in the first three Centuries" and "The Christian Church from the beginning of the fourth to the end of the sixth Century," and reaches to the Reformation. This is one of the author's best productions; being equally distinguished for the learning it displays, for the keen penetration of the views it presents, and the historical skill with which the materials are wrought up. His peculiar theory is less prominent and less offensive here, than in the first of the above-named works.

POLENZ'S HISTORY OF FRENCH CALVINISM.'

THE author of the above work will be recognized by many of our readers as the genial Major Polenz of Halle. Not a few of our countrymen who have resorted to the auditoriums of Tholuck and Mueller, have had reason to reckon the society of this truly amiable and Christian gentleman among the highest privileges of their residence abroad. All such will be pleased to learn that the great work upon which he has been so long engaged is steadily approaching its completion.

But the work has an intrinsic value, which will carry it far beyond the circles of personal friendship, beyond the limits of a confession, beyond the boundaries of a nation. When finished, it will be the most complete delineation of its subject in any language. The author's point of view, who is neither a theologian nor politician, by profession, neither anxious to write his theme up not to write it down, is eminently favorable to historic fidelity, philosophic insight, and Christian catholicity. The work is what it claims to be, a history. This very excellence will prove, if we mistake not, a disadvantage to it at first. The spirit of confession and party prevails so strongly at present in Germany, that an impartial author finds but a small public. For the present the motto of each little clan - be it literary, political, scientific, theological, or churchly seems to be: "Whoever is

1 Geschichte des französischen Calvinismus bis zur Nationalversammlung im Jahre 1789. Zum Theil aus handschriftlichen Quellen: von Gottlob von Polenz. Gotha: F. A. Perthes. 3 volumes, 8vo. pp. 736, 720, 480.

not for us is against us." The current literature is "tendiös" to an unexampled degree. As Merle d'Aubigné's work has found many times more readers in England and in the United States than in France and Germany, so it would not be at all surprising if the field of Maj. Polenz's success should prove to be outside the boundaries of Germany.

The comprehensiveness of the work will appear from a brief statement of its plan. The first volume contains a delineation of the rise, spread, consolidation, characteristics, and fortunes of the French Reformation till the rising of Amboise, 1560. Thus far the history of French Calvinism is religious history. From this point until the edict of Nismes, A. D. 1629, its history is political history, and is so treated. The second part of the work covers this period, and has the special title: "History of Political French Calvinism." The second volume contains the first part of this special history, and brings the narrative of events down to the accession of Henry III., A. D. 1574. Volume third is entitled "Political French Calvinism in Idea, and its Literature." This is the profoundest treatise on the political relations and influences and literature of Calvinism which has every fallen under the writer's eye. Valuable as are these already published volumes, the American theological public will await with far greater interest the issue of the fourth. In this the author promises to set forth "the influence of French Calvinism on English Puritanism, Scotch Presbyterianism, and North American Puritanism — more important than all."

The attitude of the author towards the peculiar views of Calvin is by no means that of mere indifference. With Neander, he scouts the idea of an opinionless historian; and in view of the influence which a writer's personal views must exert on his apprehension and statement of others' opinions, he deems it proper candidly to state his own point of view, which he modestly does in the following terms:

66

Der Verfasser glaubt dem nachstehenden Versuchre über die Praedestionslehre Calvins die Erklärung vorausschicken zu müssen, dass er diese Lehre oder die der absoluten Gnadenwahl, neben und mit der allgemeinen Gnade in der heiligen Schrift klar ausgesprochen und fest begründet findet, dass er die Uebereinstimmung beider Lehren zwar nicht zu fassen vermag, aber von derselben lebendig überzeugt ist, und dass er nicht versteht wie es möglich ist, bei Schwächung jener ersten Lehre, der Annahme eines, wenn auch noch geringen Antheils menchlechen Verdienstes, und dem Vorwurfe des Semipelagianismus und des mit ihem verwandten Synergismus zu entgehen. Mit dieser Erklärung muss er die verbinden, mit Calvin an die Unverlierbarkeit der Gnade zu glauben weil er dieselbe für machtiger hält, als die menschliche Sünde und Schwacheit und Hindeutungen auf die Gnaden wahl auch in dem Alltagsleben zu finden. Endlich aber muss er den eigentlichen Abschluss in das demüthige non liquet ausgehen lassen, dessen er als Nichttheolge, um so weniger sich zu schämen braucht, als die kühnsten Speculationen Calvins und Beza's doch endlich unwillkürlich in dasselbe auslaufen, und ein grosser deutscher

Gottesgelehrte [Melanchthon] es bestimmt ausspricht."- Vol. I, pp. 524,

525.

As to the political affinities of the French Calvinists, our author finds them revolutionary, but no more so than the doctrines of many contemporary Lutherans, and even Roman Catholics. Despite these affinities, he thinks himself warranted in attributing the salvation of the French monarchy during the wars of Henry III. and the Ligue to the political influence of French Calvinism, and finds himself supported in this view by no less an authority than Ranke. This part of his work the author has evidently done con amore. In many places it reminds one of Bancroft. No student of modern history, especially of the Vorgeschichte of that "world-historical event, the French Revolution, should overlook this work.

Of course the time for a thorough review of the whole work will not arrive until it shall have been completed, or at least until the author has given us his views of American Calvinism and its relation to the French. We hope a kind and favoring Providence may permit us to see the successful completion of the task so well commenced.

LANGE'S BIBelwerk.1

The appearance of the second edition of Parts I, II, III, IV, V, and VI of Dr. J. P. Lange's Bibelwerk, furnishes us a favorable opportunity to call the attention of our readers anew to this truly valuable publication. It is not a mere commentary, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, but a many-sided, encyclopaedic work, embodying the latest and most valuable results of German investigation in every department of biblical, theological, and homiletical study- the whole collected, organized, and elaborated in the interest of genuine historic and living Christianity. The thoroughness of its elaboration may be seen from the demands of its plan, which is as follows: 1. After the preliminary general introductions, comes a special introduction to the book in hand, and an organic analysis, furnishing a clear understanding of the leading ideas of the whole and their connection. 2. Then follow the individual subdivisions, with their appropriate superscriptions and tables of contents. 3. Original translations of the text in paragraphs, with critical foot-notes. 4. After each paragraph, a section containing "the properly theologische, historisch-exegetische" notes, with reference to homiletic convenience. 5. A section, giving prominence to the "dogmatisch-christologische Grundgedanken" of the paragraph, introducing 6. the final section in which the homiletic themes and truths suggested by the

1 Theologisch-homiletisches Bibelwerk. Die Heilige Schrift Alten und Neuen Testaments mit Rücksicht auf das theologisch homiletische Bedürfniss des pastoralen Ames; in Verbindung mit namhaften evangelischen Theologen bearbeitet und herausgegeben von J. P. Lange. Verlag von Velhagen und Klasing, Bielefeld. 8vo. In parts.

leading ideas of the paragraph are given. This last section is of peculiar value to the preacher. After the writer has given his best thoughts, he presents his reader a choice selection of apothems, topics, illustrative reflections and suggestions carefully gleaned from famous fathers, commentators, preachers, etc., from all periods of church history, often thirty or forty in number. Indeed, the whole work is wrought out in fidelity to the statement of the titlepage: "with especial reference to the necessities of the pastoral office." In the prospectus of the publishers, we read that the work "is designed for a definitely limited circle of readers, that of evangelical clergymen, to the exclusion of all other necessities or points of view." To this design the various co-laborers have thus far proved true, and are reaping their reward in the marked appreciation which has everywhere greeted their labors—an appreciation so great as actually to inconvenience and delay both the authors and publishers by rendering a second edition of the first numbers necessary before the work could be completed. To prevent the recurrence of such delay in the further prosecution of the work, the editions of the parts now issuing are so large that no new edition may be expected for many years.

Fourteen parts are already before the public; among them: I. Matthew, with a General Introduction to the whole New Testament, by Dr. Lange; II. Mark, by Dr. Lange; III. Luke, by Dr. J. J. van Oostterzee (pastor in Rotterdam); IV. John, by Dr. Lange; V. Acts of the Apostles, by Drs. G. Lechler and K. Gerok; VII. Epistles to the Corinthians, by Dr. C. F. Kling; VIII. Galations, by Otto Schmoller; XI. The Pastoral Epistles and Philemon, by Dr. van Oosterzee; XII. Hebrews, by Dr. C. B. Moll; XIV. Epistles of Peter and that of Jude, by Dr. G. F. C. Fronmüller. Three new parts are promised this year. The price of the fourteen parts already issued is but ten thalers, two silber-groschen.

SUDHOFF'S HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.1

To those whose acquaintance with German theological literature has been confined to those miracles of learning and profundity for which it is so peculiarly distinguished, this work would seem a curiosity. It is nothing less than a complete history of the Church from the time of its founding down to the present day—the whole originally delivered in the form of lectures, to a mixed popular audience at Frankfort. It was a bold and hazardous project, and surely none but a master could have carried it through with such complete success. During the delivery of the lectures the young pastor retained the unflagging attention of his audience, and on publishing received the most flattering encomiums from the press at large. The work has attained a second edition, and seems to find undiminished appreciation.

Geschichte der christlichen Kirche; in Vorlesungen dargestellt. Von Lic. Karl Sudhoff. Sauerländer, Frankfort-on-the Maine. Second edition. 1862.

A warm evangelical and catholic spirit pervades the whole portraiture, and it is hoped its pleasing pages may do much to re-awaken a taste in the cultivated circles of Germany for a healthier-toned reading. Mr. Sudhoff is favorably known in Germany by other publications; e. g. his "Kommunion-buch," numerous contributions to Herzog's Cyclopaedia, etc. He is a promising representative of the new liberal evangelical party.

HUPFELD ON THE PSALMS.1

We have before us the fourth and concluding volume of the Commentary on the Psalms, edited by the venerable and honored successor of Gesenius at Halle. Before his election to the post which he has now occupied for nearly twenty years, he had acquired a very high reputation for extensive and profound learning in the Hebrew and cognate languages. His "Exercitationes Aethiopicae," published in 1825, and dedicated to his friend and patron Gesenius as "Studiorum Orientalium Primitiae, and Part I of his Hebrew Grammar, published in 1842, had attracted much attention and raised high the public expectation. His constant and pressing labors, and his unwillingness to send forth through the press any work of much pretension so long as he could be laboring to perfect it, have confined his reputation, in a great degree, to his native land. Others have read his contributions to the "Studien und Kritiken," the journal of the German Oriental Sccety, the "Zeitschrift," known as Müller's, and perhaps some of his monographs in University Programs, and have wished to have more of the results of his labor and learning in the interpretation of the scriptures. In the lecture-room and in private life, he has been known and honored for his high enthusiasm in his calling, and his genial Christian spirit. As a critic, he is thorough, positive, and somewhat combative. With Hengstenberg and Ewald, he is especially at variance, as the preface to his first volume abundantly shows. We hope that the purpose, which we know he has cherished, of publishing a commentary on the historical books of the Old Testament, may now be carried into execution. The present work was called out by an invitation to superintend and revise a new edition of De Wette's Commentary. To do this, and leave the work with anything of its old form, was found impossible. Another editor was found for De Wette; and we have before us the results of Professor Hupfeld's own labor.

The first impression which the work makes upon us, is that of immense labor and learning, and unexampled richness in exegetical material. The fact that the author, a man so learned and so positive in his views, had published so little, makes it impossible to avoid the discussion of many gram

1 Die Psalmen. Übersetz und ausgelecht von Dr. Hermann Hupfeld, ordentlichem Professor du Theologie zu Halle. Gotha Perthus. 1855-62. pp. xxiii, 439; vi. 424; 482; 478.