graded and humiliated countenance, that no person can, that no person desires to recognize. "It was the very extension of the Reformation in Switzerland that exposed it to the dangers under which it sunk. So long as it was concentrated at Zurich, it continued a religious matter; but when it had gained Berne, &c. .... it formed into cantonal relations: and-here was the error and misfortune while the connexion should have taken place between church and church, it was formed between state and state. "As soon as spiritual and political matters became mingled together, the latter took the upper hand. Zwingle ere long thought it his duty to examine not only doctrinal, but also federal, questions; and the illustrious reformer might be seen, unconscious of the snares beneath his feet, precipitating himself into a course strewn with rocks, at the end of which a cruel death awaited him."-(pp. 465, 466.) One more passage on the Author's favourite Church principle, autonomy or self-government :- "Some persons, however, had at that time a glimpse of what might have saved Switzerland and the Reformation, the autonomy (self-government) of the Church, and its independence of political interests. Had they been wise enough to decline the secular power to secure the triumph of the Gospel, it is probable, that harmony might have gradually been established in the Helvetic cantons, and that the Gospel would have conquered by its divine strength. The power of the word of God presented chances of success that were not afforded by pikes and muskets. The energy of faith, the influence of charity, would have proved a securer protection to Christians against the burning piles of the Waldstettes, than diplomatists and men at arms. None of the reformers understood this so clearly as Ecolampadius. His handsome countenance, the serenity of his features, the mild expression of his eyes, his long and venerable beard, the spirituality of his expression, a certain dignity that inspired confidence and respect, gave him rather the air of an apostle than of a reformer. It was the power of the inner word that he particularly extolled: perhaps he even went too far in spiritualism. But, however that may be, if any man could have saved Reform from the misfortunes that were about to befal it-that man was he. In separating from the Papacy, he desired not to set up the magistrate in its stead. “The magistrate who should take away from the Churches the authority that belongs to them," wrote he to Zwingle, would be more intolerable than Antichrist himself (i. e. the Pope.) The hand of the magistrate strikes with the sword, but the hand of Christ heals. Christ has not said,-If thy brother will not hear thee, tell it to the magistrate, but-tell it to the Church. The functions of the State are distinct from those of the Church. The State is free to do many things, which the purity of the Gospel condemns.' Ecolampadius saw how important it was, that his convictions should prevail amongst the Reformed. This man, so mild and so spiritual, feared not to stand forth boldly in defiance of doctrines then so novel. He expounded them before a synodal assembly, and next developed them before the senate of Basle."-(pp. 509, 510) It is well known, however, that the counsels of Zwingle prevailed, and that the consequences were most fatal. We close our extracts with the concluding passage of the volume, which gives what the Author conceives to be the great lesson of the Swiss Reformation "Thus," he says, the "Reformation, that had deviated from the right path, was driven back by the very violence of the blow into its primitive course, 1846. 2 Y having no other power than the word of God. An inconceivable infatuation had taken possession of the friends of the Bible. They had forgotten that our warfare is not carnal: and they had appealed to arms and to battle. But God reigns; he punishes the churches and the people who turn aside from his ways. We have thus taken a few stones, and piled them as a monument on the battle-field of Cappel, in order to remind the Church of the great lesson which this terrible catastrophe teaches. As we bid farewell to this sad scene, we inscribe on these monumental stones on the one side, these words from God's Book: Some trust in chariots and some in horses: but we will re member the name of the Lord of our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen and stand upright. And on the other, this declaration of the head of the Church: My kingdom is not of this world.' If, from the ashes of the martyrs at Cappel, a voice could be heard, it would be these very words of the Bible that these noble confessors would address, after three centuries, to the Christians of our days. That the Church has no other king than Jesus Christ: that she ought not to meddle with the policy of the world, derive from it her inspiration, and call for its swords, its prisons, its treasures that she will conquer by the spiritual powers which God has deposited in her bosom, and above all, by the reign of her adorable Head: that she must not expect upon earth, thrones, and mortal triumphs: but that her march is like that of her king, from the manger to the cross, and from the cross to the crown :-such is the lesson to be read on the blood-stained page, that has crept into our simple and evangelical narrative."-(pp. 619, 620.) Our readers will agree with us, that in the course of these extracts we have had many pregnant hints, many important lessons. Their bearing upon the course of events will be obvious, and in this view, we trust this miscellaneous article will not be altogether useless. The application and improvement we shall not presume to suggest-nor yet allow ourselves to enter upon debateable ground. It may suffice us, on occasions, to cater for others, and to indicate the opinions of those who are evidently formed to mould and fashion the times. CURÆ ROMANÆ.-NOTES ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, with a revised Translation. By W. WALFORD, Prof. Emerit. Minister of the Congregational Church at the Old Meeting House in Uxbridge. London: Jackson. 1846. Ir is a faithful saying, however trite, that the doctrine of Justification by Faith is the "articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiæ." The enemy at least, is fully aware of the fact; and hence, this is the doctrine which he has always most resolutely opposed. Nothing indeed, can exceed the reckless daring, and intense bitterness, of the opposition which it still excites. It is branded as "the heresy of Luther and Calvin," is said to "nullify the sacraments,❞—and to be "soul-destroying in its effects." On the other hand, there is reason to be thankful that God is not leaving his truth without witness. Bishops M'Ilvaine and D. Wilson, have stood nobly in the breach for its defence. Mr. Faber has proved his veteran prowess in this holy war; and, thanks to the laborious perseverance of Mr. Allport, Bishop Davenant once more appears as a Disputant, armed with the "thorns" of dialectics, and the "briers" of true scholarship, to "teach the men of Succoth." But after all, there is no weapon like the Bible itself, no sword like that of the Spirit; and if only the members of the Church were more deeply imbued with scriptural knowledge, there would be much less apprehension of the Church's fall. On these grounds then, we have the fullest disposition to encourage any work from any quarter, which aims at the elucidation of the Divine Oracles, and especially one whose subject affords such scope for the developement of the doctrine to which we have referred. At the same time, it is not easy to determine under what aspect to regard the volume before us, when considered as a literary production. The title it bears, the profession it makes, and the Author's own designation, seem to indicate an elaborate attempt to amend existing versions, and to correct former interpretations of this, the most elaborate treatise in the word of God. "Curæ Romanæ," "A revised Translation," "Professor Emeritus," these expressions hardly allow us to treat the work as the mere "prolusio Theologica" of a young Divinity-Student, or as the "opera subseciva" of a ripe divine, who is handling some subordinate topic in a cursory manner. In either of these cases, there would be no difficulty in finding so much that is Evangelical in statement, Christian in spirit, and judicious in comment, as would warrant us in paying a few general compliments, and then dismissing the volume without entering upon any qualifying "ifs," or disparaging "buts." We freely admit that the air of pretension to which we referred, relates rather to the character of the undertaking itself, than to the manner of its execution. The Author's style is sufficiently unassuming. There is no juvenile affectation, no venturesome singularity; but an earnest pains-taking effort to discover truth for himself, and, on the presumption that he has discovered it, to impart it to others. The first general impression left by the work is this, that the Author has over-rated both the fact and the value of its originality. The doubt as to its proper originality, was suggested by his own preface, and confirmed by a perusal. Mr. W. writes: "The first inducement for the undertaking originated in a consciousness, that after long and attentive consideration of many of the most eminent commentaries on the epistle, I was far from fully understanding it: and a persuasion that I should not gain a satisfactory acquaintance with it, by the further use of such means. I have therefore attempted to explain it, without regard to any former conceptions of my own, or those of others, as far as such an endeavour is practicable; nor am I conscious of being influenced by any bias derived from them: indeed I have found reason, in not a few instances, to alter and correct my previous impressions. My design has been worked out, by a diligent and oft-repeated contemplation of the inspired document itself; and by comparing its structure and phraseology with other parts of the sacred writings, more especially those which proceeded from the pen of the great apostle himself. The title 'Curæ Romanæ,' is meant to indicate this character of the work. "Under the influence of such views, I have for a very long period, studiously avoided the perusal or inspection of all expositions of the epistle, and of other books, which might seem to bear on the interpretation of it. The Greek Testament, with occasional references to the Hebrew Bible, and the Septuagint, has been my sole study in relation to the undertaking.”— (Preface pp. iv. v.) Now notwithstanding the abstinence from the recent use of commentaries asserted in the latter paragraph, we doubt whether it is "practicable," after a previous "long and attentive consideration of many of the most eminent commentaries on the Epistle," so to cast the slough of former impressions, as to emerge a strictly independent expositor. Nor indeed, was this to be desired. One of the greatest recommendations of the book is, that we find in it so little that is strictly new. Mr. W. has the good taste not to count his emendations of the authorized version by thousands, or tens of thousands. As for his notes, whilst fully disposed to do justice to much that is excellent in them, we are satisfied that were he now to resume Calvin and Tholuck, Stuart and Hodge, (one of the most valuable books on the catalogue of the Religious Tract Society,) he would be constrained to reiterate the "qui nostra ante nos." Confining our critical observations to the "Revised Translation," we observe some unquestionable improvements upon the common version; such as every judicious scholar would make, such, e. g. as may be found in abundance in Scholefield's Hints, in Valpy or Bloomfield. On the other hand, there are not a few in which it is difficult to acquiesce; some which Mr. W. himself will probably, be disposed to reconsider. One important desideratum in a "Revised Translation" is uniformity-the consistent, or at least far more consistent, rendering of the same Greek word, by the same English one, than obtains in the authorized version. This is a point which has not been duly regarded in the present attempt. For example,-ch. iv. 3, 4, is thus given, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt." What sufficient reason is there, for rendering the same word "counted" in one verse, and in the very next, varying it to "reckoned"? Ch. vi. 2. The Author has very properly translated, "How shall we who have died to sin," (i. e. sacramentally, by baptismal profession and obligation) "live any longer therein ?" Yet, in verse 7 of the same chapter, he falls into the old track, and renders it, "He who is dead is freed from sin," instead of 'he who has died.' A still more remarkable instance is found in ch. vii. 7, 8. "Is the law sin? far be it! nay, I should not have known sin (èibuíar), if the law had not said, Thou shalt not covet (émiovμýσeis). But sin, having taken opportunity, wrought in me, through the commandment, every evil desire (enovμíar).” In ch. v. 19, he renders, "The many (oi moλ) were constituted sinners." Whereas, in xii. 5, we have, " So we, being many (of wool), are one body in Christ." It is true that the phrase, in the latter case, is not co-extensive in its import, with the same term in the former; yet it does, like that, include the whole class in question, i. e. all Christians. In ch. xv. 4, which is thus given-" Whatever things were formerly written (poeypápn) were fore-written (poeypágn) for our instruction." Why should the tautology,-which Mr. W. would avoid,-appear more objectionable in English than in Greek? It is perhaps a mere matter of taste, but we confess that the substitution of "you" for "ye," throughout the version, is not a pleasing change to our ear; e. g. "And be you not conformed to this world, but be you transformed," &c. To pass, however, to a few of those "revised translations" which themselves need revision ; |