his better judgment, we say, because, to our apprehension, his position is not altogether the right one. The professed exegetical scholar and the pastor, if we mistake not, are somewhat apt to treat one another a little unfairly in this matter of Biblical interpretation. The professed scholar, on the one side, remembers that, for a score of years, he has been giving the most critical attention to the text, to the peculiarities of the original languages, to the rules and requirements of grammar, &c., and he falls into the belief that one who has not studied as long, or in precisely the same way, as himself, can know but little of the subject. The pastor, on the other side, is in continual danger of partaking in the common prejudice against those who are mere students, and who, as it is said, "know nothing of the world." And thus the two, who should be in the most perfect and pleasant harmony, are, now and then, cherishing in their secret souls a feeling which is far removed from the respect justly owed by the one to the other. The truth, probably, here as in all similar cases, is that neither of the two parties can safely be left to himself; there are evils to which each is exposed, and no less certainly are there advantages possessed by each. The "dry handling of the Word of life," of which Dr. Stier complains, is doubtless of more value to the church than he is wont to think-at least, if he would include under this "dry handling" that which is done by those who (with a Christian spirit, indeed) approach the Bible as critical students -commenting upon it in the light of grammar and linguistic usageas they would approach any other ancient work, with the simple desire to ascertain precisely what the author meant by each sentence, and what were the doctrines or opinions set forth in each successive chapter, but without a single thought of exhorting any congregation or any soul. Such men are in danger of dwelling too much upon the grammar, no doubt, and too little upon the great truths, but they escape an equal, if not far greater danger, on another side. The constant, almost irresistible tendency of the pastor is to put something of his own subjectivity into the Scripture; to find in some plain, straight-forward teaching of Christ or the Apostles a profoundness of meaning, which is, in reality, only a thought suggested to his own mind, by one means or another, in connection with that teaching, but not legitimately or necessarily derived from it; or, as Jowett says, to "sermonize over the text instead of explaining it." And when we are considering merely the question as to what is the true interpretation of the Bible, we doubt very much whether the Church has not suffered more in the past, and whether it is not likely to suffer more in the future, from sermonizing

than from grammar; whether a commentary is not better, when it comes from the careful and "dry" student, who leaves each Christian to find his own sermon, than it is when it proceeds from the less critical and more hortatory pastor. These remarks we have extended to a greater length than we could have wished, not only because the author's preface afforded an opportunity of bearing witness against what we believe to be erroneous views, but also because we think the author himself has found a good many things in the text, which he might never have thought of, had he not approached it as a sermonizer, or which, if he had thought of them, he might not have given to the world; and some of these things, to say the least, do not add to the value of his work.

Dr. Stier, however, is not a pastor as opposed to being a scholar. Indeed, we may almost say, that no German, in whatever position, would venture to publish such a work as his professes to be, without being more of a scholar than the great majority even of University men in our country. His student character and his extended learning display themselves on almost every page, and he thus has peculiar qualifications for making the highest style of commentary,-a commentary, we mean, written by both the pastor and the scholar united in one earnest, thoughtful, Christian man.

The work is too long-conciseness is not natural to the German mind-but this is partly due to the fact of its being a translation. It is sometimes" profounder," we think, than Matthew and John were. And, in some places, we meet with views in which the author would find New England Christians opposed to him. But it is full of true religious feeling, of rich thought, and of the evidence of a beautiful love to the Master and the truth. It is, of course, designed for those who read the original Greek, and can only be fully enjoyed by them. To all suchto pastors and students-we commend it cordially. As to others we feel in greater doubt, and yet the ordinary English reader will discover very much that is suggestive and interesting.

The first six volumes, together with the ninth, have already been published; the seventh and eighth are shortly to appear. The last volume, the ninth, contains, besides "The Words of the Risen Saviour," a commentary on the Epistle of James, contained in thirty-two discourses. These discourses, which are rather excellent specimens of German sermons, differ, of course, from the remainder of the work. The author has, however, to use his own language, "omitted much that was orally expounded and applied in exhortation, and retained simply the concise

fundamental thoughts which conduct the train of exposition," and we believe he has "succeeded in presenting the whole in such a form as will suit the reader,"-in such a form, we may add, as will tend to the reader's instruction and edification also.

LUTHER'S COMMENTARY ON GALATIANS.*-We have in this volume simply a reprint of the old translation of Luther's Commentary, which was made, we believe, by several persons now unknown, so long ago as 1575. The present editor and publishers, indeed, appear to have had no farther end in view, beyond the mere giving the work to our own reading public in a cheap and convenient form. And we are very glad that they have been content to do this and nothing more. The introductory essay and life-the former by Dr. Schmucker-will be found. useful in the way of reference, but as for the Commentary itself, there would seem to be almost as little need of calling attention to it here, as of commending the Epistle which it expounds. For the favorable reception of a new edition of such a book, it needs only to be known that it is published.

LILLIE ON THESSALONIANS.-This volume contains a series of expository lectures on the two Epistles to the Thessalonians, delivered originally by the author in his own pulpit and for the benefit of his own congregation. We believe his especial design-"to apply the results of a critical study of the Greek text to the uses of popular instruction and the edification of the Church,"-to have been carried out with greater care than is usual in discourses of this kind, and in this particular regard we commend his work to the imitation of pastors generally. He has shown, as we think, with considerable success, that the results of the most careful scholarship, even in the strictly grammatical and exegetical lines, may be presented in such a manner as to be useful to minds of every class, and, if so, he may well feel that he has done something to promote the great end of a universal interest in, and understanding

A Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, by MARTIN LUTHER— to which is prefixed Tischer's Life of Luther, abridged; a short sketch of the life of Zuingle; as also a Discourse on the Glorious Reformation, by S. S. SCHMUCKER, D. D. Philadelphia: Smith, English & Co. 1860. Small 8vo. pp. 632.

Lectures on the Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians. By JOHN LILLIE, D. D., Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, in Kingston, N. Y. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers. 1860. 8vo. pp. 585.

If

of, the New Testament among the Christians of our country. the book has any special fault, it is that it lacks richness of thought, but this defect is so common among works of this class, that we scarcely feel justified in making it the subject of particular complaint here; and, indeed, we do not know that any such deficiency would be perceived by the majority of earnest readers. It only remains to say, that the neat and attractive form in which the publishers have issued the volume, will make it an ornament to any library where it may find a place, and will justly add to its value in the view of every one who may purchase it.

ROBERTSON'S EXPOSITORY LECTURES ON PAUL'S EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS.-We fear that good expository sermons are not as common in our churches as they should be. Yet none of the ministrations of the pulpit can be made more instructive, more popular, or more effective. We would not disparage the value of sermons upon special topics of truth and duty. It is of the highest importance that the doctrines of religion, and the principles which ought to regulate the lives of men, should be clearly explained and enforced in set discourses; but our congregations need and wish to have these principles applied by the preacher directly to the questions of duty which come up daily in the concerns of the market, the shop, the study, and the street. Now the trials, the temptations, the weaknesses of men to-day are very much the same as those of the men whose history is recorded in the books of the Old and New Testaments. A course of expository lectures then upon any of these books, if properly prepared, will enable a pastor to enter more easily and freely than he could in any other way into all those questions which touch upon the working-life of his people, and he can give to them more naturally and effectively than in any other way, just those lessons upon practical duties which they so much need. The difficulty with many of our ministers, we are confident, is that they attempt to give too extended exposition, and waste their strength on criticism. We have seen congregations wearied by minute critical explanations of the exact shade of meaning which was to be attached to each particular sentence in an extended passage of Scripture, which, after all, hardly needed explanation. No time has been left for an application of the truth; or, if it was attempted, the

* Sermons on St. Paul's Epistles to the Corinthians. Delivered at Trinity Chapel, Brighton. By the late Rev. F. W. ROBERTSON, M. A. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. 1859. 12mo. pp. 425 For sale by Judd, New Haven.

favorable moment had gone by when the truth could be pressed home with most effect upon the conscience. It should be taken for granted that the congregation have some exegetical skill themselves, and in most cases the preacher should give his people only the results of his study. He should not take them through the dry exegetical processes by which he has himself attained the truth. His people wish him to draw his lesson from some one of the multiform experiences of God's people, as given in the Scriptures, and then to apply it with earnestness and power to their individual wants. Such was the course of Robertson in these expository lectures upon Paul's Epistles to the Corinthians, which are published in the volume whose title we have given. We deem them, for this reason, the most valuable of the whole series of his sermons, yet offered to the public, and think they may well be studied by those who wish models for this kind of preaching. Yet, perhaps, we should put the reader on his guard against errors of doctrine which are to be met with not unfrequently in this as well as in other volumes of the series. On pages 87, 88, will be seen the effects of erroneous views respecting baptismal regeneration. Lectures X and XI, upon the “Christian idea of Absolution," claim an "authoritative power for the minister to absolve penitents from their sins," which, we think, will find favor with but few, even in the Episcopal church in this country. But notwithstanding such errors as these and others, the excellences of the sermons are so many and so great, and the spirit they breathe is of such an elevated and elevating character, that we have no doubt that all who read them will learn to prize them for those qualities which make them rank among the most eloquent and spiritual, as well as practical, productions of the modern pulpit.

For a more full statement of our views with regard to Robertson, we refer to an Article in the last (Feb.) number of this Quarterly.

NEW GERMAN COMMENTARY For the use of GERMANS IN THe United STATES.-We have read with great interest several advance sheets of a new exegetical and practical commentary on the New Testament, now in preparation for the German population of this country, by Rev. W. NASHI, D. D., of Cincinnati. The Introduction, of which we have read considerable portions, is very complete and able, and treats with great fullness of the chief questions involved in the truth and import of the Gospel History. It is to be published in Numbers, the first No. in April, 1860. We think it worthy the attention of all our readers who understand German, and hope it may be translated into English.