for scripture never to be discarded; they will awaken a desire to drink more deeply of the word of God, certain hereafter to be gratified and fulfilled." (Preface, pp. xi., xii.)

How important, then, that the teacher should be one who can thus handle them-one full of reverence for the inspired word, and who knows by his own experience its spiritual power!

What has been the nature of the late teaching at Harrow, we are to gather from the volume now before us. It is the result of study extending over a period of almost eighteen years. It was the writer's wish that the Scriptures should unfold their own meaning.

"Throughout the whole of its preparation" he has "abstained from all use of the notes or commentaries of others." "It will not be supposed," he adds, "that I undervalue the work of those who, in the study and explanation of Scripture, have availed themselves of every help furnished by the labours of those who have gone before them. Such a tree would indeed give little promise of success in a soil of which the first condition is humility."

But it was his desire that his testimony should be thoroughly independent, even at the risk of making his work incomplete. He would not have the process interfered with by the premature presentation of the opinion of a human commentator. Scripture was to be its own interpreter, and has not been appealed to in vain; for very frequently the light thrown upon a difficult passage from another text has enabled him to arrive, as it seemed to him, at positive certainty as to the intended sense.

It may well be questioned how far it is possible for any one, who has received a christian education, to approach the study of God's word with a mind entirely unbiassed. We can of course decline, at the moment, to consult human writers; but we cannot dispossess ourselves of the opinions and habits of thought which result from early teaching. In the present instance we must suppose that that teaching had been wise and scriptural, and we are willing to allow that the influence of it has been felt in the production of the book now before us. But however this may be, the book is certainly all the more valuable, because its testimony is as independent as a strong and vigorous mind could render it. We have in its production some of the elements for which Mr. Jowett contends as necessary for the right interpretation of Scripture. The epistle to the Romans has been interpreted as any other book, and it has been illustrated for the most part by the writings of St. Paul. But the results arrived at are, as we shall presently show, such as would by no means satisfy Mr. Jowett, unless, which we very much doubt, he is prepared to accept Dr. Vaughan's very clear statements of the great doctrines of the Christian faith. We hope that he will give due weight to the unbiassed testimony of a scholar like the late head master of Harrow.

We have said that we are ready to allow that the commentator may have been influenced by the tone of his early education. No doubt he has long been familiar with the great principles of the truth of God. According to our view of the matter, a perception of those principles is essential to all profitable study of the Bible; for the Bible has one great subject, the redemption of our fallen race. Every part of the book bears upon that subject; and he who would study it with advantage must expect to find everywhere illustrations of this great theme-Man lost in Adam, man saved in Christ. We think it, therefore, by no means to be desired, that the student of Scripture should endeavour (granting that it were possible) to ignore the great principles of God's dealings with man, as those principles have been dogmatically expressed by Christians of other ages. By all means let a man first ascertain for himself whether the articles of his creed are to be found in Scripture when he has once satisfied himself upon this point, let him keep these leading principles in view throughout his future course of study. We remember to have heard the expression, "When I go from creeds and formularies to the word of God, I feel like one passing from a herbarium to living nature.' Granted, we reply; but the herbarium was gathered from that living world with the very object of enabling you, by careful study, the better to understand its beauty and glory. And the possession of a creed culled from the field of Scripture enables us, in like manner, to understand and appreciate God's living word. It is at least quite plain, that St. Paul could read in the Old Testament that great doctrine, of which his epistle to the Romans is the unanswerable exposition; for he appeals to the writer of the 32nd Psalm, as one who enjoyed that peace which the Christian also knows as the result of the non-imputation of sin.

It is time that we speak more particularly of the book itself. And first it will be well to lay before our readers Dr. Vaughan's general remarks about the epistles of the New Testament.

"A man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost addresses himself, in an epistolary form, to a congregation known to him personally or unknown. In the former case, it is natural that his letter should abound in reminiscences of past intercourse, expressions of gratitude for kindnesses received, and of anxiety for the permanence of the work of which he had witnessed the commencement. In the latter case, it is equally natural that he should carry his readers at once into that region in which his own best and highest life is exercised, assume their communion with him in things felt to be all-important, and expatiate with them, as their guide at once and their companion, among the mysteries, the revealed secrets, of the very world to come. The epistle to the Romans is of the latter order. This congregation was one which St. Paul had not yet visited. In an epistle, therefore, addressed to it, we should expect general topics to predominate over personal. But an epistle, whatever be its subject, and to whomsoever it may be addressed, is an epistle, a letter, still. It differs essentially from any other kind of

writing; from a speech, from a discourse, from a treatise, from a meditation. We must scarcely attempt to divide it into sections. We must scarcely imagine it to have been written upon a preconceived plan. We expect in it sequence, not system; coherences, not composition. It is enough if each sentence, each topic, flows easily out of the preceding; if every thought suggests the next which follows, by a train not of elaborate reasoning, but of natural association. Taking it as it is, we may show its connection, we may trace its argument; but we mar its beauty, and we miss its meaning, if we reduce it to a framework of premeditated heads and formal subdivisions. While therefore I have laboured, even at the risk of some repetition, to follow from step to step both the substance and the language of this epistle, I have abstained from any attempt to give, whether beforehand or afterwards, a detailed analysis of its contents." (Preface pp. ix., x., xi.)

We are hardly prepared to subscribe to so sweeping a statement. It may be true that in many of the minor epistles of St. Paul it is difficult to trace a consecutive argument; but we have always been accustomed to regard the epistle to the Romans as a regularly constructed theological treatise; and whilst such men as Bengel are able to define its synoptical arrangement so satisfactorily, we see no reason for departing from the commonly received opinion.

The text adopted by Dr. Vaughan is part of a complete recension of the text of the New Testament, now in the course of preparation by the Rev. B. F. Westcott and Rev. F. J. A. Hort. The reverential spirit in which the former of these gentlemen has already handled those portions of the word of God which he has elucidated, and his orthodox views on the inspiration of the Scriptures, make us look with much interest for the publication of a work which cannot fail to be valuable.

One of the most valuable features of the book is the careful way in which the thought of the apostle is traced throughout the epistle. As an example of the skill with which Dr. Vaughan has accomplished this task, we would refer our readers to the paraphrase of Romans iii. 1-8, which is to be found in his notes :

“iii. 1—8. Tí oỷ▾ Tò Teploσòv. If in God's sight the Israelite is he who is so in heart, what is the peculiar privilege of the national Israel? A fuller answer to this question is given elsewhere (e.g., ix. 4, 5). Here only one privilege is expressly named. They have God's revelations in their keeping. This is the chief, yet but one, of their privileges. And no unfaithfulness on the part of that nation can make God forget or prove unfaithful to His promises to their fathers. Man may be false, but God is true. Nay, man's faithlessness does but illustrate and establish God's justice. Thus, David's sin against God is declared (Psalm li.) to have resulted in the justification of God's word and judgment. Will you say, then, if man's sin only displays more conspicuously God's justice, and so issues in His glory, God cannot justly punish it? Such an objection would gainsay that first axiom of eternal truth, that God will judge the world in

righteousness. And if any one is wicked enough to urge it, wicked enough seriously to repeat the blasphemous saying, 'Let us do evil that good may come,' on such a man argument is thrown away; they who fear God can only answer that that condemnation which assuredly awaits him is proved out of his own mouth to be just." (pp. 17, 18.)

Thus, again, the somewhat difficult passage in Rom. v. 13, 14. "For until the Law, sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed where there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression (we give the English version for the sake of comparison) is clearly paraphrased as follows:

"v. 13, 14. axpı yap.] I say, all men are regarded as having sinned in the person of Adam. For during the whole interval between the Fall and the Law there was evidently a general imputation of sin, because there was death: yet that sin which was thus punished could not have been personal sin; for men were not living (like Adam in Paradise) under a special law of which death was the penalty; and yet they died: the sin therefore which was punished by their death was not their own sin, but that of their forefather." (p. 44.)

It were easy to multiply such quotations; but we wish to try the book before us by other tests. A commentator on the New Testament in the original will be expected to supply us with accurate renderings of words and phrases. He must show us that his critical skill is a valuable instrument, and yields him results not attainable by other means. A scholar like Dr. Vaughan will be likely to satisfy our expectation, since he approaches his task not as a mere critic, but with the true humility of a learner. We give the following as a few examples :

...

Ex

“1. 25. μετήλλαξαν . . . τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔν τῷ ψεύδει. Επchanged the reality of God for that which is a lie." (p. 7.)

“j. 6. ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ] ἀποδώσει will give back: thus 2 Cor. v. 10. . . . The idea expressed is that of exact, and as it were natural, retribution. See Gal. vi. 7, 8. . . . (p. 11.)

“ ii. 8. ἐριθείας from ἔριθος (a hireling) εριθεύεσθαι (to play the hireling, intriguer, canvasser): hence party spirit, faction, &c." (p. 11.) (The reading of our version is contentious.)

"v. 18. di' évòs dikaiμaroc] by one righteous act; regarding the whole work of Christ as one single act of obedience, contrasted with the one rарánтwμa of Adam." (p. 46.)

"vi. 17. öri re dovλoiτns dμapriac]... I thank God that, though (whereas) ye were once slaves of sin, yet now.... (p. 54.)

...

“ vi. 13. μηδὲ παριστάνετε τα μέλη ὑμῶν ὅπλα αδικίας τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀλλὰ παραστήσατε κ. τ. λ.] . . . παριστάνετε expresses repetition, habit, continuance; Tapаornoare, a single irrevocable act of surrender." (p. 53.)

“ vi. 17. ὑπηκούσατε δὲ ἐκ καρδιάς εἰς ὃν παρεδόθητε τύπον διδαχής. Your hearts took the impress of that mould of instruction into which ye were thrown." (p. 54.)

“ vi. 19. ἀνθρώπινον λέγω, διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν. Ιuse a human comparison, because of that natural infirmity which makes you slow to apprehend spiritual things." (pp. 54, 55.)

vii. 6. ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος κ. τ. X.] literally, in newness (consisting) of spirit, and not in oldness (consisting) of letter; i.e., in a new state, of which the essence is spirit, (a new spirit, quickened and animated by the presence of the Holy Spirit) instead of that old state, of which the characteristic was obedience to a written enactment." (p. 59.)

“viii. 23. την áæαруýν тоù ν. The firstfruits (of our inheritance) τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ consisting of the Holy Spirit." (p. 72.)

"ix. 9. mayyeλíac yap ó λóyoç ouros.] Not, for this is the word of promise, but, for this saying at this season &c. . is a matter of promise &c. (p. 82.)

...

xí. 36. è avтou...dia...eis.] God is the origin, the agent, and the end of all things."

66

"XV.

8. λέγω γὰρ Χριστὸν διάκονον. I mean (my statement is) that Christ has taken upon himself the twofold office, of a minister both to Jews and Gentiles, in fulfilment of express promises to the former, and of express prophecies with regard to the latter, and thus (in either case) to display the character of God as a God of truth." (p. 135.)

The above extracts will show the reader what to expect from Dr. Vaughan's book. No one can read it attentively without feeling that he has, by his careful paraphrases, thrown much light upon the epistle. It is, of course, not to be expected that we should agree with him in every point. We should, e.g., prefer to take ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου (i. 20) as a note of time rather than a source of information; and Kaтexovτwv (i. 18) seems to require the rendering "restraining," and not "possessing."

But it is ungracious to find fault when the work is done so well; nor indeed is there much room for fault-finding, at least on the score of criticism. Many readers may think it more important to be assured that on the score of doctrine it is a book of real value. Dr. Vaughan does not profess to speak dogmatically; but it would be impossible for a truly christian mind, engaged on such a work as commenting on St. Paul's great epistle, to omit to notice its doctrinal statements.

On the great doctrines of the word of God Dr. Vaughan speaks with accuracy and clearness. The doctrine of Election is thus expressed in a note on viii. 29, 30:

"Every one who is eventually saved can only ascribe his salvation, from the first step to the last, to God's favour and act. Human merit must be excluded; and this can only be by tracing the work far beyond the obedience which evidences, or even the faith which appropriates, salvation-even to anact of spontaneous favour on the part of that God who foresees and preordains from eternity all His works. Although, therefore, no one has a right to say in this life, I am one of those whom God has absolutely ordained to eternal life;' yet, with respect to himself, in the retrospect, when he reaches heaven,-and even now