with a depth of scriptural interpretation, which was the object of respect in every school; of Hess, the venerable investigator and relator of biblical history; of the works of Planck on Theological Encyclopedia, and in defence of Christianity ; of Kleuker in Kiel, Schott in Jena, Schwarz in Heidelberg, and of the direction (in part one of scientific depth) decisively opposed to the common rationalism, which the theological faculty of Berlin has by its historical and philosophical investigations, for more than fifteen years imparted to theological study. All this must be viewed in connexion with the great number of well-disposed and Christian practical Clergy in evangelical Germany, and with the almost universal removal of the lower classes from unchristian books upon religion. It should have been acknowledged, that in certain parts of Germany and Switzerland, Christian socie ties existed for the purpose of mutually imparting biblical and Christian knowledge, and for the circulation of the Scriptures, even previous to the (it must be confessed, somewhat too vehement) impulse given by the British Bible Society. It should have been noticed, how the community of the Moravian brethren exerted, upon the whole, a very deep and gentle influence (even though not altogether exempt from error) upon the very highest as well as upon the lowest classes, in producing the reception of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, especially of the Atonement. It should have been remarked, that the entirely voluntary associations in Bible and Missionary Societies could not have been so universal and so great, as is upon the whole the case, without a considerable foundation of Christian disposition; this and so much more therewith connected, must be more accurately known, investigated deeper, and exhibited in more connexion, before the theology and Church of Protestant Germany can be displayed in their real form; and they would then certainly not appear so revolting and so offending as they are represented in Mr. R.'s work.

Should these remarks have now made it clear that the foundations upon which the theology of Protestant Germany may be raised to a high degree of pure Christian and scientific elevation, are through the blessing of God, already laid on the deep basis of her improved principles, neither can one share the great expectations which the author entertains from the introduction among ourselves of fixed liturgies, and an ecclesiastical constitution resembling that of the Episcopal Church. Be it here undecided how far the one or the other could in themselves contribute to a better state of things; thus much at least is certain, that in a church accustomed, in the noblest sense of the word, to so much freedom as that of Evangelical Germany, and which, without any external interference, is at this moment conscious of a voluntary return to the fundamental evangelical principles, (a return in which all its earlier spiritual and scientific advances are comprised and guaranteed,) political restraint can be neither necessary nor beneficial. Those, however, who conceive that they can observe in the theology and Church of Evangelical Germany an internal formative principle tending to realize a high Christian purity, while they do not ascribe the same value as the author to the measure which he proposes, will attach themselves so much the more firmly to one, which they regard as proceeding from the same principle, and of which the author speaks with an almost inconceivable suspicion. . You will perceive, that I speak of the union of the Lutheran and Reformed Churches in Germany; and I must confess to you, that it is the judg ment passed upon this, which appears to me to fix the stamp of misconception upon every thing else which is unclear in the work. Had the author but recalled to mind, that in the period of the greatest indifference to religion and church, the division of these two parties continued unregarded and unmitigated; that the endeavour to remove it coincided with.

the renewal of a warm interest in divine worship and in the Church, had he allowed himself to be informed, that it originated with men very far removed from indifferentism, and promoted by that very evangelically-disposed king of Prussia, from whom he himself anticipates so much, he could scarcely have ascribed the union to motives so bad.

But had he (which he at all events both could and ought) informed him. self, that the one difference in doctrine between the two Churches is of such a nature, that the distinction can scarcely be retained in the symbolical books of the Church even by a straw-splitting nicety, (this is the case with regard to the doctrine of the Lord's Supper in the two Churches) while the other, that regarding election, never existed in Germany, (in that the strict Calvinistic doctrine is not at all expressed in the symbol of the German reformed Church, the Heidelberg Catechism) and that Bradenburg expressly refused to acknowledge the definitions of the synod of Dort respecting it; had he weighed this he would have spared himself this hostility against a work, in its nature originating in Christian brotherly love, and which has already produced in many countries, especially in Prussia and Baden, the cheering fruits of reanimated interest in the Church.

Yet enough; for you my worthy friend, I have made myself sufficiently intelligible, and should I through your means, perhaps contribute to prepare a portion of your countrymen for a correcter view of the character of Protestant Germany, I should deem myself happy in thereby repaying a small portion of the debt, which the privilege of surveying the character of your English Church, in its important and pure (though as yet unreconciled) contrasts has laid upon And if I might express a wish, which forces itself upon me at the close of this long letter, it is, that more of your young theologians would visit our Protestant Universities, become acquainted with our theologians, and hear our

me.

preachers, only not making a transient and hasty stay, nor living principally amid books, but acquainting themselves with the people and the Church, and the literature in their real character, and ready for mutual confidential interchange of their different talents.

BONN,

July 27, 1827.

With real regard and esteem,
Your's most sincerely,

CHARLES HENRY SACK,

Professor of Theology, and Minister of the
Evangelical Church of Bonn.

Important admission of the Rationalists, as to the doctrines of the Bible.

THE assertion is very often made, by the opposers of the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, that those opinions usually denominated orthodox, are not really taught in the word of God, but that the S. S. properly interpreted, teach little more than the simple doctrines of Natural Religion, In self-defence they are obliged to assume this ground as long as they profess to believe in the divine authority of the word of God; but when they have advanced so far as to regard the Bible, as a mere human production, they are at liberty to admit that they contain doctrines, which they cannot, and do not believe. The consequence is, that it is no unusual thing to hear Rationalists of this class, candidly admitting that the S. S. do teach the orthodox faith, although they reject all its leading principles. The Evangelical Church Magazine of Berlin, for June, contains a striking instance of this kind.

A Reviewer in the Journal for Theological Literature, (for 1002, p. 594,) published by the late Professor Gabler,

one of the most distinguished leaders of the Rationalistsin noticing the conversion of a celebrated Theologian from neology to orthodoxy, makes the following remarks. "This, doubtless appears very strange; but it may be easily accounted for, from the explanation given by the author himself, and may have been the case with many thinking Theologians before him. Notwithstanding all his heterodoxy, he retained his faith in an immediate divine revela tion through Jesus Christ and in miracles; professing, however, only to believe in biblical theology and the historical sense of the New Testament. And it was very natural, as he was no friend of forced Interpretations of the Scriptures, that he should gradually return to complete although somewhat moderated orthodoxy." To this, Professor Gabler (himself a Rationalist) adds-"In our opinion this is a necessary consequence-for whoever proceeds from the principle of an immediate divine revelation through Christ, and is still decidedly heterodox, must either do the utmost violence to the clearest expressions of the New Testament, or be exceedingly inconsequent in all his reasoning, for an impartial view of Biblical Theology-as a history of the doctrines of the New Testament, must in its nature be pretty much orthodox. It is only when belief in an immediate revelation and miracles is weakened by Philosophy and History, and gives way, to at most a belief in a mediate revelation, that biblical orthodoxy can assume the form of rational heterodoxy. Here we may easily see, in what sense the orthodox may be right, when they accuse the hetrodox of inconsistency." With this candid avowel, says the editor of the Evang. Kirchen Zeitung, is every thing admitted, that we can desire from our opponents ;--and we have good reason to hope that this admission will constantly become more general. For the school, which by forced interpretations endeavoured to introduce rationalistical priniples into the New Testament, and of which Paulus may