every supernatural view. To make the matter worse, this principle is affecting to be itself the deepest and last sense of Christianity, the true end of its high and glorious mission for the redemption of the human race. Here undoubtedly we meet the real Antichrist of the present age, in a form that may well fill the world with apprehension and dread. It is at once rationalism (with the sect spirit) in the church, and radicalism in the state. Against this formidable enemy, the cause of Protestantism and the cause of Romanism are one and the same; and wo be to us as Protestants, if we refuse to see and acknowledge the fact. To make Romanism itself infidelity, to deride its supernatural pretensions, to treat its mysteries as diabolical and profane, and to own no fellowship with its faith whatever, (in the common anti-popery style,) is almost unavoidably to come to a sort of truce at least, if not indeed open friendship, with the real infidelity to which it stands opposed, and that is now notoriously making war upon it in precisely the same form and fashion. It is a sad spectacle in truth, when any part of the Protestant church is seen smiling on the enemies of all religion, and even cheering them forward it may be in their work of destruction, simply because it is directed immediately against the church of Rome, as though any opposition to this were at once a service rendered to the other side. According to this style of thinking, it would be a gain for the cause of religion if Romanism were at once swept, by some sudden revolution, from the face of the earth, even if open infidelity for the time should be left in its place. Shall we join hands with those who thus think and

'The want of spiritual discernment here with many Protestants is truly amazing. They are ready to bid God speed to any agency, however low and vile, that is turned against the Catholic church. Every vagabond that sets up the trade of abusing the Pope, finds some favor. Ronge, a few years since, was at once hailed as a second Luther, though his whole cause now lies in the gutter of infidelity. And how was Giustiniani lauded for his work, in getting up German churches of the same stamp in our own country. There is a fearful tendency among us even to make common cause with the revolutionary spirit in Europe, under its worst forms, just because it seeks to destroy priests as well as to put down kings. True, we all condemn Rationalism and Socialism in the abstract; but we are wonderfully prone notwithstanding to look upon the cause in which they are enlisted as in itself a very good cause, which it becomes us as Republicans and Protestants to cheer and help. The cry of liberty and social rights deceives us. It becomes part of our religion to pray for the success of every revolution got up in the name of freedom, whatever else may be its merits. We fall in with the cant and slang of humanitarian patriotism on this subject, as though it were the true sense of Christ's blessed evangel; and are

talk? God forbid. They are traitors to the cause of Protestantism, if this be indeed the cause of true Christianity. We abhor every such unholy alliance as is here offered to our view. We go with Rome against Infidelity, a thousand times more readily than with Infidelity against Rome. We are very sure too, that any Protestant feeling which is differently constituted at this point, must be throughout miserably defective and false. It proceeds on a wrong apprehension altogether of the true rela tion between Protestantism and Romanism; it stands in no sympathy or fellowship whatever with the Catholic life of other ages; it shows itself to be wanting thus in a material element of Christianity itself. Plume itself as it may on its own worth, it is of counterfeit quality in its very nature. Its elective aflinities prove it to be file.

We now bring these articles to a close. In the way of general recapitulation, our whole subject may be exhibited in the following propositions.

1. It is an error to suppose, that Nicene Christianity as it existed in the fourth and fifth centuries was in any sense identical with modern Protestantism. It was in all material respects the same system that is presented to us in the later Roman church.

2. It is an error to suppose, that the Christianity of the second century, as we find it in the time of Irenæus or even in the days of Ignatius and Polycarp, was of one and the same order with modern Protestantism. Especially was it unlike this in the Puritan form. However it may have differed from the Nicene system, it was made up of elements and tendencies plainly which looked towards this all along as their logical end. It was the later system at least in principle and germ.

3. The difference which exists in the whole case turns not merely on any single outward institution, such as episcopacy, but extends to the ecclesiastical life as a whole. It is a vain pretence therefore, by which Anglicanism affects to be on this score a true and full copy of what the church was in the first

prepared then to denounce every voice that refuses to take up the same song, as false to the genius of America. Such religious papers as the N. Y. Observer make common chime here with the Tribune and Herald of the same city; and the very pulpit rings in many cases, with no uncertain sound, in the same direction. But what can be more shallow than all this? Europe may need reform; no doubt does need it greatly. But how idle is it to look for anything of this sort, from the revolutionary spirit that is now bent on overturning its governments and institutions? To expect the regeneration of society from any such spirit, is itself a species of infidelity not to be excused.

ages. The universal posture and genius of the ancient church, its scheme of thought and modes of action, were different. Its life was constitutionally Catholic and not Protestant.

4. No scheme of Protestantism then can be vindicated, on the ground of its being a repristination simply of what Christianity was immediately after the age of the Apostles.

5. On the other hand however, to pretend that this post-apostolical Christianity was in no view the legitimate continuation of the New Testament church, but a full apostacy from this in principle from the very start; so that Protestantism is to be considered a new fact altogether, rooting itself in the bible, without any regard to history; is such an assumption, as goes to upset completely the supernatural mystery of the holy catholic church, in the form under which it is made to challenge our faith in the Apostles' Creed. To take away from the church its divine historical existence, is to turn it into a wretched Gnostic abstraction. To conceive of it as the mere foot-ball of Satan from the beginning, is to suppose Christ either totally unmindful of his own word that the gates of hell should not prevail against it, or else unable to make his word good. No theory can stand, which thus overthrows the truth of the church from the beginning.

6. Protestantism then, if it is to be rationally vindicated at all on the platform of faith, must be set in union with the original fact of Christianity through the medium of the actual history of this fact, as we have it in the progress of the old Catholic church from the second century down to the sixteenth. It must be historical, the product of the previous life of the church, in order to be true and worthy of trust. Whatever line of sects it may be possible to trump up on the outside of the church proper, down to the time of the Waldenses, it is well known that Protestantisin was not derived from any such poor source in fact; and one of the greatest wrongs that can well be done to it, is to seek its apology in any such jejune and hollow succession. it be not the genuine fruit of the best life that belonged to the old church itself, as Luther and his compeers believed, it can admit of no valid defence.

If

7. This however involves of necessity the idea of historical development; by which both Romanism and Protestantism are to be regarded as falling short of the full idea of Christianity, and as needing something beyond themselves for their own completion.

8. No opposition to Romanism can deserve respect, or carry with it any true weight, which is not based on some proper sense of its historical relations to early Christianity and to modern

Protestantism, in the view now stated. Without this qualification, anti-popery becomes altogether negative and destructional towards the Roman church, and is simply blind unhistorical radicalism of the very worst kind. Its war with Romanism, is a rude profane assault in truth upon all ecclesiastical antiquity. No such controversy can stand. History and theology must in due time sweep it from the field.

J. W. N.

ZWINGLI AS A COMMENTATOR.

WE propose, in the present, and perhaps one or two future Nos. of the Review, to furnish some selected specimens, of the character and qualities of the great Reformer, named above, as an expounder of the word of God. If even the briefest epistle, or most casual saying, that proceeded from the pen or lips, of this deservedly venerated instrument in the hands of God, in the deliverance of His Church from the bondage of superstitions and errors which Popery had forced upon it, is eagerly seized upon and studied with interest, how much more valuable, and worthy of consideration must not be the results of his calm inquiries and prayerful investigations of the holy word of God? These annotations must, moreover, acquire increased interest for us, in consideration of the supreme importance attached by this Reformer, in common with all his coadjutors to the Holy Scriptures, regarding them," as handed down to us in the canonical books of the Old and New Testament, as the pure and proper source, as well as the only certain measure, of all saving faith." -(Principle of Prot. Translated by Dr. Nevin).

As first specimens, we present selections from the notes upon the Gospel of Matthew, written in Latin, as indeed he wrote every thing intended for private or scientific use. These notes

doubtless formed the basis of the Lectures delivered by Zuingli upon this Gospel, immediately after his settlement in Zurich. The footnotes are additions, for which we are indebted to the diligence and love of one of Zuingli's dearest friends, Leo Juda.

The edition of his works before us, is that of Schuler and Schulthess, recently published in Zurich. In the text the version of Zuingli is given, for obvious reasons, in preference to the original, or the English translation.

Annotations of Ulric Zwingli, upon the Gospel of Matthew. CHAPTER I.

Gospel signifies good tidings. By the eating of Adam we all became children of wrath; that is to say, from a sinner sinners are born. We were all the adversaries and enemies of God. But the cause of this enmity between God and ourselves was sin. And there was no one who could reconcile us to God, because we were all sinners, and were all obnoxious to the same guilt. In compassion for us God sent his only begotten Son into