ART. IX.-BOOK NOTICES.

Theory of the Moral System, including a possible reason why Sin exists." 300 pages duodecimo, published by F. A. Brown, Hartford, Conn. 1855.

This is a book for the times. Serious and thoughtful minds are directing their attention, with new and special earnestness, to the subjects of which it treats; and in particular, to the great subject, How is the existence of Sin to be reconciled with the Perfections of God, in such a way as that the heart of the honest and anxious inquirer after truth, on this profoundly interesting question, shall be set at rest, and the character of the Supreme Being for wisdom, goodness and power, remain unquestioned and indubitable. This is the question which, above all other questions, has for a long period given birth to various hypotheses and many anxious investigations, with the hope of arriving at some satisfactory conclusions respecting it, and thus putting an end to this "conflict of ages.' And even now, after all that has been written on this subject, we are not at all sanguine that the "conflict" is, or very soon will be, over, and the question settled. But at least there is occasion for rejoicing in every new gleam of light which, from time to time, is shed upon it, even though the full and certain truth on this point should never, in the present world, be known and demonstrably settled. We think the work before us has contributed something, and if we admit the author's hypothesis to possess any degree of probability, (possible it must at least be allowed to be,) we think it has, in that case, contributed much towards throwing light on this difficult subject, so far at least as to afford a ground of comparative rest and quiet to the mind when occupied with these matters. And we are persuaded that these inatters will, more and more, occupy the minds of thoughtful men, and that it is quite idle to hope that such minds will ever be satisfied to rest in the mere assumption that no other repose can be found for them but that which passively refers the whole difficulty in question to unavoidable human ignorance, or the impassable barrier of man's limited powers.

The method adopted by this writer for accounting for the existence of sin and its necessary sequence, suffering, is not a new one, nor is it put forward as such. It is, however, assumed and proceeded upon as if it were (possibly) the true one, and this is all that its advocates have, generally, claimed for it. This method is, to refer the existence of sin to the very nature

of a moral system as the cause, ground, or reason of its existence. In other words, to suppose that into any moral system which the Divine Perfections could originate and approve, sin might somewhere and at some time enter. So that the choice in the Divine mind, at the outset of creation, lay, not between a moral system with Sin in it or a moral system without Sin in it, but between a moral system with some Sin in it, or no moral system at all; between such a system as we actually have around us, or the total absence of any moral system, and the non-creation of moral, accountable, intelligent beings altogether.

Proceeding upon the basis of this well-known theory, and showing how intelligent beings might, from their very nature, as intelligent beings, governed by motives, be led into Sin, under the influence of their constitutional propensities, and how consequently Sin and misery might greatly prevail, as they in fact have done; he comes to the point where the thoughtful and benevolent observer of the moral system of God around him often experiences another difficulty, namely, that which arises out of the wide extent to which Sin and misery appear to exist, embracing both men and fallen angels, the only two orders of beings known to exist, and extending onward through boundless duration. From this appalling amount of evil, when at least it is separately and distinctly contemplated, the mind of a good man recoils with dismay and anguish; and such an one asks, instinctively and earnestly, is there no method of relief, in any degree, from the painful impression which such a view of things seems unavoidably to produce? "The revealed doctrine of the unending existence of Sin and suffering, in God's universe, (he goes on to say to himself,) I cannot give up: for there it stands, expressed or implied, on almost every page of God's word. I might as well reject the whole of Divine Revelation at once, as that particular and prominent doctrine of it. How, then, is so much Evil in God's universe to be explained and accounted for? Why, with such an inevitable result before Him, did God, as a benevolent Being, create at all? Why have any moral system, when by simply abstaining from creating, all this terrific mass of Evil would have been wholly and effectually prevented and shut out from existence? True, the holiness and happiness which now exist, would have been shut out too. But is it clear that mere nonexistence, and the consequent absence of all Sin and all suffering, would not have been preferable to a state of things involving so much and such dreadful evil, even with the holiness and happiness which are in it? And is it clear that such

a scheme of creation and providence, with so much evil in it as is generally supposed, would decisively and satisfactorily evince to His creatures the benevolence of God, so as to shut out all doubt, and silence all misgiving on that vital point?" Now just here it is that our author's scheme is designed to come in, to relieve the mind when harrassed and distressed with these and such like painful soliloquies. His scheme may be briefly stated thus:

Perhaps the moral system, as we find it, is comparatively but in the infancy of its existence: perhaps it is to be also vastly enlarged beyond its present limits, enlarged in space as well as having a boundless continuity and progress in duration. At present we know of no other beings, but men and angels, as composing God's intelligent creation. But are there no other intelligent beings besides these ever to be created and brought upon the stage of action? What were these material worlds around us created for? We do not know that they are inhabited. Are they to be always untenanted by living, rational beings? Perhaps these, or other orbs yet to be created in infinite space and in infinite duration, are destined to be the abodes of intelligence, and virtue, and happiness. And perhaps the fall of angels and the fall of man, with the suffering thus induced, and with the scheme of redemption for our race, which, through the love and mercy of God, has supervened, may suffice in the form of motives, to make the probation of other races of beings that may hereafter be brought into existence, a prosperous and happy probation to them all, throughout all space and all duration. God has, peradventure, only begun His moral system. What a vast, inconceivably ang mented accumulation of motives to love and fidelity, may yet take place, by means of the sin and misery of men and fallen angels, in relation to other beings yet to be created and indefinitely multiplied, all of whom, it may be, will thus be secured in holiness through their prescribed period of probation, and all of whom consequently shall go to swell the tide of happiness in God's universe with an ever-increasing fullness, and without end. Some degree of evil may be necessary to keep holy beings true to their allegiance to God, and to holiness, necessary to furnish the requisite strength and urgency to any motives that could be devised for this end. But perhaps we have already seen the darkest side of God's moral system in the sin and suffering with which impenitent men and fallen spirits have been visited, and will yet be visited, and that the punishments of the lost and the blessedness of the redeemed, through the blood of the Lamb, will constitute hereafter

(through the goodness of God) the sufficient means, the requisite and the successful motives, in shutting out all further apostasies among the creatures of God, that may hereafter be brought into being, and in binding an ever-augmenting universe of holy intelligences in willing bands to the Creator's sway. This is our author's hypothesis in the book before us. Our readers can judge for themselves as to its plausibility, and also in what degree (if any) the Scriptures may seem to favor it, or be reconcilable with it.

The writer has handled his theme with ability. His style is argumentative-always clear, and often quite forcible. Whatever may be thought of his theory upon the whole, whether as in any degree probable and credible, or as purely ideal and visionary, we commend it to the careful perusal of our readers, believing that such a perusal of it can do no one any harm, and may do much good.

History of the Council of Trent. From the French of L. F. BUNGENER, author of "The Priest and the Huguenot," &c. Edited, from the Second London Edition, with a Summary of the Acts of the Council. By JOHN MCLINTOCK, D. D. New York: Harper & Brothers. New Haven: E. Downes.

The town of Trent is indebted for its celebrity to its having been the place of meeting of the famous General Council, convoked by Pope Paul III, which, after many delays, held its first session December 13th, 1545.

The declared purpose of this Council was to restore peace to the church, which had been shaken or convulsed by Luther and other reformers; to remove abuses which everywhere appeared in the conduct of church officers and the government of the church; and to determine and declare the essential, orthodox doctrines of faith, against the so-called prevailing heresies of the times. Except in reference to this last particular, the Council accomplished very little. The creed of the church of Rome was definitely fixed; the discussion of its several parts having occupied twenty-five sessions, held at intervals through a period of nineteen years. The acts and decrees of the Council were subscribed by those who composed the body, and were subsequently confirmed by a bull from Pope Pius IV. We have, therefore, in this book a clear, complete, authoritative statement of the principles and doctrinal faith of the Roman church. Whoever would learn the acknowledged creed of Rome, must search for it in the acts and decrees of this famous Council. This book is one of abiding interest and importance: and as a passage of civil and ecclesiastical history, ought to be well understood at the present day. The author, M. Bungener,

is a clergyman of the National Church in Geneva, Switzerland, a popular and graceful writer; and may be relied upon as an accurate and candid historian. The editorial service rendered by Dr. M'Clintock will be appreciated by the reader.

Letters to the People on Health and Happiness. By CATHARINE E. BEECHER. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1855. New Haven: E. Downes.

There are many valuable suggestions and much important. truth communicated in this little volume, for which the educators of children, especially mothers, will be grateful. We doubt if the thirty pages of notes, at the end of the book, will be regarded as adding anything to its value.

Light and Love. A Sketch of the Life and Labors of the Rev. Justin Edwards, D. D. By Rev. WILLIAM A. HALLOCK. pp. 556. Published by the American Tract Society. New York, 1855. New Haven: F. T. Jarman, S. S. Dep.

Dr. Edwards was born in Westhampton, in the year 1787. His first religious impressions were received while ministering to the wants of an aged servant of Christ, who came into his father's neighborhood to die, whose pious words and unwavering faith reminded him of his own spiritual wants. It is not a little remarkable that the person who was thus the instrument, under God, of his conversion, was a convert of President Edwards, of Northampton, and was regarded by him as a true disciple of Christ at the early age of five years. Nearly seventy years after, the faith of that young Christian was fruitful in the spiritual life of Justin Edwards. Thus, through the power and grace of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will, he was one of the fruits of "The Great Awakening

of 1740."

In acquiring his education, the expenses in his preparatory course and in college, were defrayed chiefly by his own industry: he bravely struggled through those difficulties by which many are disheartened and diverted from the path of usefulness and honor. Dr. Edwards was graduated at Williams College; and while prosecuting his theological studies at Andover, was called to be the Pastor of the South Church in that town in the year 1812. He retained his pastoral relation with that people fifteen years; a period of rare fidelity and labor, attended with great and gratifying results. He was intimately connected with the Foreign Missionary enterprise, as the sympathizing friend and associate of the first missionaries; the American Tract Society will always be indebted for his salutary influence and aid, as one of its earliest and most faithful friends, as a large contributor to its publications, and as a laborious and efficient officer in the administration of its affairs.