work, in a few articles, opinions in which they cannot agree, and views from which their own differ; it is right that the persons engaged in producing it should claim for it a judgment founded not upon particular articles, but upon its general character, which was intended to be, and is, in accordance with the known standards of orthodox opinion in this country, as may be ascertained by reference to those leading articles which may be regarded as stamping the character of any work in which they are found. In fact, a Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature, as distinct from Theology properly so called, offers less occasion than might at first sight appear for the obtrusion of those matters of doctrine and discipline which Christian men regard with differences of opinion which the Editor would fain believe to be less wide and less important than is too generally supposed. In the dispensations of Divine Providence, he has been by physical privations shut out from many of those external influences and associations which tend to magnify such differences, and to deepen into impassable gulfs the space which lies between them. He has not found this condition a disadvantage in conducting the work which he has now the happiness of having brought to a conclusion; nor will he venture to regard that condition as an unmitigated evil, if, through the complete isolation in which he has thereby been placed, he has been enabled, without any compromise of the views he conscientiously entertains and which his own writings will sufficiently indicate, to realize more extensive co-operation in this undertaking than under pastoral or official connection with any religious denomination he could expect to have attained. It is believed that the English language has no other book which eminent foreign scholars have co-operated with our own in producing; and it is certain that it possesses no other work which embodies the combined labours of writers who, indeed, are of different communions here, and are known by different names among men, but who have the same hope in this world, and but one name in heaven.

The nature of the present work, and the place which its conductors desire it should occupy in the Biblical Literature of this country, will be best understood by a sketch of the whole field in which that place is marked out. This will show not only what is here attempted, but how much of this wide and fruitful field remains open to the same process of cultivation. For this sketch we are indebted to the able pen of Dr. Credner, who has enriched this work by several valuable contributions, and by whom it has been prepared expressly for the place which it here occupies. It will be understood by most readers that the term Theological Encyclopædia is technically employed on the Continent, and is beginning to be employed in this country, to describe the whole field of Sacred Literature, of which Biblical Literature, strictly so called, is but a part.

"A comprehensive arrangement of all that belongs to the region of human knowledge has-not quite properly-been indicated by the term Encyclopædia, i. e., ἐν κύκλῳ παιδεία οι εγκύκλιος παιδεία. Another term, Wissenschafts

Kunde (knowledge of science), has also been applied to that arrangement in Germany, when it includes likewise an internal and scientific development of the systems and subjects under discussion. In our title, Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature, it is obvious that the word 'Cyclopædia' cannot be taken in the more extended acceptation of the term, but merely so far as the Bible and Theology are concerned. As the peculiar province of Biblical Encyclopædia can only be clearly understood and defined in its connection with Theological Encyclopædia, it may be requisite to describe at length the meaning of the latter and more comprehensive term.

But even the notion of Theological Encyclopædia in general, is yet of too extended range for our purpose, as it might be supposed to comprehend a systematic development of all that refers to the knowledge of God generally; while here cognizance can be only taken of some particular branch of that knowledge, namely, of that belonging to Christianity alone. Our notice must therefore be limited to the Encyclopædia of Christian theology. But Christian theology forms only a special and limited part of general theology. The former, in endeavouring to comprehend scientifically the Christian religion, deals altogether with a subject of experience. For the Christian religion, or the Christian knowledge of God, is not innate and constitutional in man, or something existing in his mind à priori, but is a religion connected with Jesus Christ as its revealer. Christian theology is thus a positive or historical science, which can be traced from its origin at a known point of time.

Now, nothing more intimately concerns the spirit of Christian theology than the solution of the question, By what standard are we to determine the tenets of the Christian religion, or from what source must they be deduced? It is in the solution of this important question that the adherents of the Christian religion divide themselves into two large bodies; the one considers the Scriptures, emanating from the Holy Ghost, as the first and last source of knowledge for Christian truth, a source, however, not bounded by time and space, but continuing to flow, and pour forth new religious truths within the range of the Church formed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This doctrine is usually expressed in the following terms the Catholic Church assumes a double outward source of the knowledge of religious truth, namely, the Apostolic, both Scriptural and traditional. The other great religious party makes a very marked distinction between the revealed doctrines laid down in the Scriptures and the later views and development of the same by the Church; in other words, they distinguish between Scriptural and traditional revelation. Their leading principle is that the Christian religion can be derived pure and unalloyed from the Bible alone; and they therefore reject, as unnecessary and unauthorised, all professed sources of religious knowledge which are foreign to the Holy Scriptures. As Christians of the latter category we here take the Scriptures as the only external source of revelation for religious truth; and in this point of view we also trace the outlines of theological science.

Thus considered, a little examination of the subject leads us to discover in it a threefold principle:-1. An eternal, ever-prevailing, and therefore immutable, Christian principle; 2. Another, established upon this positive foundation ; and 3. One that is developing itself out of this. Our business is, therefore, not with a revealed doctrine which has long since been completed, which had lived, lost its spirit, and died; but with one which, like the human mind itself, is continually expanding in youthful vigour-one which, when correctly comprehended, exhibits a mutual relationship and equal degree of development with whatever stage of culture and civilization its adherents, the Christians, may have reached. Thus it has happened that in process of time many truths which must ever be most essential to the Christian, have been variously and differently understood and interpreted. Every thinking Christian must strive to bring his religious opinions and actions into a possible, perfect, and continued harmony with a correct view of the doctrines contained in the Bible. Christian Protestantism is the spiritual advancement of humanity at the side of the Bible; and the task of Christian theology must thus be to show, not only how far that end has been aimed at in past times and until now, but also in what manner man is to strive after it in time to come, and to indicate the means by which the teachings of the Scriptures are to be exhibited in their true unison with every advancement which mankind can make in knowledge and civilization.

It is thus evident that Christian theology stands in the closest relation to all the departments of human knowledge, and more especially to philosophy, to which, when duly applied, Christianity has ever been much indebted,-while it has caused her great damage and injury whenever its natural and necessary boundaries have been overpassed; and it is not less clear that the efforts of the theologian must, above all, be directed towards a due comprehension and a progressively seasonable development and advancement of the always living Christian spirit contained in the Scriptural doctrines. This task pre-supposes a proper understanding of the Scriptures. Christian theology must, therefore, in the first instance, try to solve scientifically the questions-What is meant by Holy Writ? How have its doctrines been understood until now? And by what laws are we to proceed so as to arrive at a right understanding of their scope and spirit? The results of these inquiries, systematically obtained, form a complete science in themselves. As Christianity, however, is not limited to abstract speculations, but has for its chief aim the enkindling and diffusion of true piety, in thought and in practice, Christian theology has further to display the means by which this Christian conviction may be on the one hand called forth in the soul of man and diffused abroad, and on the other quickened and defended. Christian theology is, finally, required to set forth the course which Christianity has pursued in former ages, and to describe its past vicissitudes and present condition.

The foundation of Christian theology must thus be sought in the Scriptures: and, divesting ourselves of all prepossessions and hypotheses, it will, in the first instance, be necessary for us to obtain a clear insight as to the

circumstances and the times in vui the series of DOORS VIÊa constitute the Scriptures came into existent. Tus leads us the fire iranen of thesùogical science, namely, W BIELKAL A masser. Zahral ANTIQUITIES. Biblical Areiniogy, usually enfes with 10 mov in is that part of theological science which tries to mare de varius ercumstances and conditious wich have exercised more or less infuence on the composition of the Scriptural books. Its object is thenfire & the fo

1. The nature of the country is waith those books have migitated; to this branch of inquiry belong Physical Geography mi Naval History. By the latter we understand not only (a saana misak a systematic survey of the natural productions, but also and clefy an eneration of the peculiar features of their origin. growth continuore, cultivation, use, etc. It is, for instance, quite immaterial what place the late-palms or balsamshrubs occupy in the system-such investigations being of no importance for the understanding of the Bible, the writers of which have disregarded those points; while, on the other hand, the peculiarities of the locality where the palm-tree stands, its external appearance at the different seasons of the year, its growth, fertility, use, etc.-in short, all that particularly strikes the sense of the beholder, have frequently exercised considerable influence on the inspired writers; and these sources of external impressions on the senses and mind of man, are to be particularly considered and noticed by Biblical Archaeology.

2. The inhabitants of those countries; their peculiar character, manners, customs, way of living, and their intercourse with other nations.

3. The vicissitudes of their people,-consequently, the history of the Hebrews and Jews, down to that time when the last books of the Scriptures were written.

4. The politico-religious institutions, the civil and geographical order and division of the land and the people; and

5. The mental development of the Hebrews and Jews, the regulations founded on it, and the degree of progress which the arts and sciences had attained among them.

Biblical Archæology may be further divided into two classes-that of the Old Testament and that of the New Testament: the former may again be subdivided into the Hebrew and the Jewish archæology.

As soon as the foundation for Biblical researches is laid by the help of Biblical Archæology, the theologian then turns to the solution of the second main question in theology:-What is meant by the Scriptures? How and when have they arisen? In what form do they lie before us? The answer to all these questions is the object of BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION, or, more correctly, of the History of Holy Writ. It is divided into Introduction to the Old Testament and Introduction to the New Testament. It must render an account

1. Of the origin of the individual books received into the sacred canon; not omitting to notice at the same time the various views that have been entertained on that point by critics of all ages, as well as those particular opinions which are seemingly the more correct.

2. Of the origin of the collection of the books of Scripture as the repository of Christian knowledge, or of religion; constituting the History of the Canon.

3. Of the spread of the Scriptures by transcriptions, translations, and printing.

4. Of the vicissitudes and fate of the original text; forming the History of the Text; and

5. Of the various motives which have led to various modes of understanding the Bible; being the History of Interpretation.

We next come to that important part of Theological Encyclopædia connected with the question-What precepts have been regarded as Christian doctrines from the introduction of Christianity to the present day?

The answer to this important question is given by DOCTRINE-HISTORY,* which, in a less limited sense than that in which the term is usually taken, points out the peculiar doctrines which have from time to time been received as articles of Christian belief. But as a variety of opinions with regard to the essentials of the Christian religion has arisen, not only among the various and different sects as separate bodies, but likewise at sundry times among the members of even one and the same sect or party, Doctrine-History must necessarily include all the peculiar features of schismatic views, their origin and history, the causes of their rise and gradual development, as well as their connection with the Scriptures, from which they all claim to be derived, and by which they must

be tried.

A principle that is given out by a Christian sect as an essentially Christian doctrine, becomes an article of creed, a dogma (dóypaö dédoктα). δέδοκται).

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A Dogma is understood to be the doctrine of a particular party or sect, although that party may agree with the other sects in respect of other doctrines of Christianity, and must necessarily agree with them in regard to the spirit and central point of the Christian religion. Such dogmas, or articles of creed, are the fruit of a certain way of thinking peculiar to the age in which they arise, and obtain clerical importance when received either into the system of Symbols or into the public liturgy. All symbols must therefore only be considered as belonging to both a certain party and a certain time, and are thus not to be ranked among the eternal and universal articles of faith. The exhibition of a finished system of doctrines lies beyond the range of Symbolik; it sets forth merely the

Dogmen-geschichte, 'history of doctrines.' We have no corresponding term in the English language, and therefore propose that of Doctrine-History.