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so abundantly in Belgium, Spain, Italy, and other Catholic countries, and had found that a very small space in any of them is occupied with prayers or acts of worship to the Virgin. Does Mr. Newman know the reason of this peculiarity in the tractates in question? We shrewdly suspect that he does; and if he does, we are quite sure he does not wish his readers to know it. The truth is, these little books principally find favor with the female population of the countries in which they circulate, and are therefore dressed to their taste. For it may be noted as a remarkable psychological phenomenon, that the female devotee seldom cares much about the Virgin, but exhibits in general a decided preference for the cultus of some handsome male saint.

We have still one more quotation from the concluding section: "When we consider the succession of ages during which the Catholic system has endured, the severity of the trials it has undergone, the sudden and wonderful changes without and within which have befallen it, the incessant mental activity and the intellectual gifts of its maintainers, the enthusiasm which it has kindled, the fury of the controversies which have been carried on among its professors, the impetuosity of the assaults made upon it, the everincreasing responsibilities to which it has been committed by the continuous development of its dogmas, it is quite inconceivable that it should not have been broken up and lost, were it a corruption of Christianity. Yet it is still living, if there be a living religion or philosophy in the world; vigorous, energetic, persuasive, progressive; vires acquirit eundo: it grows and is not overgrown; it spreads out, yet is not enfeebled; it is ever germinating, yet ever consistent with itself. Corruptions indeed are to be found which sleep and are suspended; and these are usually called 'decays:' such is not the case with catholicity; it does not sleep, it is not stationary even now; and that its long series of developments should be corruptions would be an instance of sustained error, so novel, so unaccountable, so preternatural, as to be little short of a miracle, and to rival those manifestations of Divine power which constitute the evidence of Christianity. We sometimes view with surprise and awe the degree of pain and disarrangement which the human frame can undergo without succumbing; yet at length there comes an end. Fevers have their crisis, fatal or favourable; but this corruption of a thousand years, if corruption it be, has ever been growing nearer death, yet never reaching it, and has been strengthened, not debilitated, by its excesses.'-(pp. 446, 447.)

Up to this point we had patiently followed Mr. Newman through the whole of his feeble, and far from attractive book, often wishing that his persuasive powers were as strong as they are weak, that it was as likely to urge on to the plunge into popery, the numerous class of his associates in doctrinal sentiment who, to the utter outrage of honesty and truth, still continue the beneficiaries of our Protestant Church, as we fear it is calculated to make them pause and shrink back. But here the last ray of this hope vanishes. Mr. Newman's attempt at deception is really too gross, too clumsy to succeed with any one. The entire argument of his book hinges upon the meaning of the words "corruption" and "development ;" and he uses the word "development" of religion

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to denote precisely the same thing that every one else calls "corruption," that is, the formation of a new religion upon a given number of true dogmas derived from an old one. To apply this: Hindooism is a corruption of natural religion, which Mr. Newman must call a development of it, and he will find that it bears the application of his seven tests of fidelity of development, at least as well as Popery. Mahommedism also is commonly called a corruption of Christianity, but Mr. Newman is compelled by his theory to account it a development in the direction of Theism; and it answers to his seven tests far better. Popery, then, is not one whit more a development of Christianity than Mahommedism; as we see not how the silliest and shallowest of Mr. Newman's admirers can possibly fail to perceive. But what shall we say to the simple insanity of his inference, that Popery cannot be a corruption because it is still vigorous after an existence of a thousand years! A thousand years, sir! why Mahommedism has been in the world more than twelve hundred years, and notwithstanding, shows symptoms of vitality to the full, as vigorous as Popery. But even this is as nothing to the Buddhism of India and China, which, after an existence of two thousand five hundred years at the very least, still remains the creed of hundreds of millions, and the established religion of vast empires! One thing is certain, if Popery be a true religion because it has existed a thousand years, and is still living and energetic, Buddhism at any rate cannot be a false one.

Mr. Newman's mental powers are prostrated. The graceful elegance with which he once footed it in the intricate maze of Tractarianism, and the music of his mellifluous periods which once charmed the youth of our universities to follow him by thousands through the giddy dance, have both alike forsaken him. Just at the period of life when his acquirements ought to have been at the fullest, and his faculties at the brightest, his production shows in every page the unequivocal symptoms of intellectual decrepitude and decay. We have given already many illustrations of this melancholy fact. We have but one other to add to them. Mr. Newman reproduces himself. He is no longer capable of combining the elements he has to deal with, so as to develope new ideas; but he continually falls into trains of thought already elaborated in his mind. Nor has he, apparently, the power of even recording his present impressions, as he travels along these wellknown paths; but he is driven to that last expedient of mental exhaustion-the embodying in his pages of long quotations from his own books published years ago! Thus bringing to light a contrast truly deplorable. So immeasurably inferior is the English

and the tone of thought of the work before us, to those of his writings of seven years since, that, in perusing it, we have repeatedly gone through quotations of many pages in length, without once doubting that we were reading the production of some far more vigorous and formidable antagonist than Mr. Newman, until we came to the reference at the end! The name of John Henry Newman appears on the title-page, it is true, but, alas! stat nominis umbra.

We began this article with a reflection upon the power of Satan. We cannot conclude it without giving expression to the feelings of awe-struck and devout gratitude that possess us, while we gaze upon the fearful proof that the God that ruleth in the earth is mightier than he. We opened Mr. Newman's book desponding and fearing. We close it rejoicing, yet trembling. It is a stupendous display of the omnipotence of Him who "destroyeth the wisdom of the wise, and bringeth to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

EIGHT LECTURES

ON THE SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS
By JOHN ELIOT

MOST OPPOSED BY PUSEYISM.
HOWARD. London: Longmans. 1845.

THE topics selected for discussion in this little volume are all of them important:-" Justification by Faith-Contrast of Judaism and Christianity-Christian and Jewish Worship-PriesthoodBaptism and Regeneration-Unity of the Church-Failure of the Church and its Results-Hopes of the Church." We regret, however, to add, that the views of the author are on some points very questionable; while on others, if tested by Scripture, and the standards to which as churchmen we have given our assent, they must be regarded as unsound and dangerous. Mr. Howard, like our friend Mr. Gurney, though not of his communion, is at war with all existing systems; and yet, so far as we can see, has nothing very definite to recommend in their stead. His views, like those of many others in the present day, are revolutionary. "Overturn, overturn, overturn," is the fiery scroll which he has emblazoned on the page of prophecy; and yet we must do him the justice to say, that he leaves both the course and issue with Him whose is the right, and who in His own time will take the kingdom to himself. There is enough in Mr. Howard's pages to satisfy us that he is not one of the fifth-monarchy men; and what is still better, that, with many crude and ill-digested notions, he

is in character one of those-the excellent of the earth-who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity. There are, indeed, so many proofs of this in his volume, and withal so much that is sensible, interesting, and original, that we greatly regret to part company with him in this summary manner. Who Mr. Howard is we know not;

but a hint in one of Mr. Bickersteth's recent sermons would lead us to suppose that he belongs to the Plymouth brethren. Mr. B. says-" To the honour of the Plymouth brethren, though I materially differ from them in their peculiarities, they have ever prominently and distinctly stated this hope (the hope of personal advent), and fully, and generally scripturally, brought it forward. This truth gives strength to that body of Christians." The concluding lecture of the volume is on this interesting subject, and with other peculiarities seems to identify Mr. H. as a member of this communion. We cannot even on this point give anything like an unqualified assent to our author's views; but we can with the greatest pleasure quote the concluding passage of the book, and, distracted as we are with the din of controversy on all hands, delight to refresh ourselves with the blessed hope to which the author points. "The length of the night season, he has observed, already past indicates the approaching dawn." And thus

"The concluding petition of the book of Revelation takes up, as it were, into its own Catholic fulness, the varied desires and prayers of the Church of God. Do we say, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: thy kingdom come: thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven?'the answer will be found when the seventh angel sounds, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Do we desire for our fellow-Christians and for ourselves conformity to Jesus?'We know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him: for we shall see Him as He is.' Do we long for rest?-it will be brought to all saints then: 'rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.' Do we long that sin, and sorrow, and the groaning of creation should give place to the glad sound of the jubilee trumpet, ushering in 'the times of the restitution of all things?-then, 'Come, Lord Jesus! Do we long that the chosen nations, God's ancient people, should be awakened from their dead sleep of unbelief and restored to their long-alienated inheritance?-then how welcome the prospect of the day when they shall look on Him whom they pierced! Do we long that every tongue should speak the praises of our Lord-that all kings should bow down before Him, all nations should serve Him?-then, Come, Lord Jesus!'"'

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THE

CHURCHMAN'S MONTHLY REVIEW

AND CHRONICLE.

FEBRUARY, 1846.

THE PRINCIPLE OF PROTESTANTISM AS RELATED TO THE PRESENT STATE OF THE CHURCH. By PHILIP SCHAFF, Ph. D. Professor of Church History in the Theological Seminary of the German Reformed Church. Translated from the German, with an Introduction, by J. W. NEVIN. Chamhersburg, Pennsylvania. 1845.

WHEN God in His mercy designs any great work for the good of His church, the way is often prepared by deep instincts, that grow up, without any direct concert, but in secret harmony, in the hearts of His people. The Reformation broke out, almost at the same instant, but still by a common impulse of spiritual need, in several different countries of Europe. When the era of missions began, several communities of Christians were seized with a sudden emulation, and started together in this new effort of mercy to the heathen. It is therefore with no common interest that we have read the present work. A practical movement towards Christian unity, the fruit of many prayers, and of deep yearnings in many hearts, has just begun, in weakness, and fear, and much trembling, in our own country. And while we are doubting whether the feeble olive-tree of peace will prosper or perish, when so many cold blasts of jealousy and suspicion already blow upon it, a voice is heard from the shores of the far West, where division has triumphed even more than among ourselves; a voice that deplores loudly the evils which have torn asunder the body of Christ, and invites American Christians to the noble effort of repairing the breaches which dishonour the church of God. Our interest is in

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