a glimpse my soul is thrilled with so joyous a trembling, that I would be willing to wait patiently before the curtain for years, after having once seen the glories behind. P., whom I see frequently, says he does not understand what I mean by this; but I tell him it is very natural; that I did not expect it. From thee, however, to whom, next to God, I am indebted for my present spiritual life, I cannot conceal, that very often I am not able to find comfort, when I perceive, how little progress make; sometimes indeed at such an hour a hidden manna-I know no other name for it-a comfort flowing from the profoundest depths of my soul refreshes me, but at other times I become fretful and peevish, and at last entirely cold and miserable. In fact, the doctrine of redemption is not quite plain to me either scientifically or practically. I do not doubt its truth, but then my views of it are so changeable, that I have different thoughts respecting it almost every other day. I find it particularly difficult to lay hold of the historical part of it, to consider it as a fact. I would rather contemplate it as a beautiful and exalted idea. I beg thee therefore to write in thy next every thing thou canst, on this point, by which I may be benefitted in theory as well as in practice.

Oh thou unspeakably dear friend! with what emotions shall I meet thee again! Verily, then shall we be able to give thanks with the same heartfelt bliss and on the very spot, where as children we prayed together! How wisely hast thou guided my erring heart! What a blessing did it prove to me, that thou ledst me to sin, in order that through it I might get an insight into the gospel. I now read Luther much. Oh what a depth of wisdom and knowledge do I find in this man of God! He guides souls just as thou didst guide me. He says in his comment on the second verse of the first penitential psalm : "This psalm and those like unto it are never thoroughly comprehended nor fully prayed, except man comes to see his own ruin, as occurs to him, when he is to die and go hence; blessed are those, with whom this takes place in life. For every man must be brought to nought. When man thus comes to nought in all his faculties, works and being, so that there remains no longer any thing but a miserable, condemned, forsaken sinner, then comes divine help and strength. As we find in Job: 'When thou thinkest thou art swallowed up, then thou wilt break forth like the morning star.' The strength and consolation of God are given only to him, who begs for it with his

whole soul. But no one begs heartily who is not amazed, and does not feel himself forsaken from the bottom of his heart. For he knows not, what he lacks, and stands safe all the while in some other strength and consolation, either of himself or of other creatures. To the end that God may give out and impart to us his strength and consolation, he withdraws all other comfort and makes the soul heartily sad, crying and longing for his consolation."

Claudius has become dear to thee, beloved Julius; since thou hast given me a taste for him, he has become to me also dearer than any thing except the Bible. What he says of the Gospel of John, may be applied to himself" a few evening clouds, and behind them the full moon." With his words I will conclude and embrace thee in the spirit which moved him.

"The Holy Ghost is the beginner and finisher in the heart, which has had its trial and sorrow, and has faithfully gone through the season of purification. He comforts, enlightens and sanctifies, and is given by the Father to those, that ask him. And as the corn of wheat becomes softened and dissolves in the earth and without our understanding or comprehending it, assumes by degrees a life of its own, germinating and growing on in secret, until it shoots above the earth: thus is it with such a heart according to holy writ. It loses by and by its own form, its previous inclinations and views, feels in itself the stirring of some living power-which frees the spirit more and more, and lifts it above this world, until the day dawns and the day star arises,' and behold! the mystery, Christ in us, is unfolded!" Farewell, my Julius !

* See Bib. Repos. Vol. V. P. 465.

THY GUIDO.

ARTICLE IV.

INTEGRITY AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.

By Dr. Hermann Olshausen, Professor ordinarius of Theology in the University of Koonigsberg. Concluded from page 146. Translated from the Latin by the Editor.

PART II.

INTRODUCTION.

FOUR years are now completed since I commenced the discussion of the very difficult question respecting the genuineness of the Second Epistle of Peter. Having in the mean time been appointed to the office of professor ordinarius of theology in the university where I acquired my education, I embrace the opportunity to proceed with my design. I will briefly recapitulate the points already illustrated, and then state what remains to be done. After some general preliminary remarks on the importance of discussions in relation to the authenticity of the sacred books, I attempted, in the first place, to vindicate the integrity of our epistle in opposition particularly to the opinions of Bertholdt and Ullmann; the first of whom would reject the second chapter of the epistle, and the other the second and third chapters, on the ground that they were additions to the genuine epistle of Peter. In the second place, I went over the history of the epistle, which, according to the common opinion, is particularly adverse to its authenticity. I showed, however, that the history thoroughly examined avails nothing in impeaching the authority of the epistle. It was classed indeed, especially by Eusebius, along with other epistles of the New Testament, among the avrilɛyóμɛva; but the grounds on which the ancient Christians were led to doubt in relation to its authenticity were not drawn, as far as the remains of antiquity will allow us to judge concerning them, from the history of the epistle, or from tradition, but from internal arguments. Hence we are not less capable of judging of the matter than the teachers of the primitive church. Finally, on a comparison of the two epistles of Peter, we perceived a very marked discrepancy in the style. Those, however, who have assumed the defence.

of the genuineness of the second epistle, have, for the most part, persuaded themselves that all such discrepancy ought to be strenuously denied. Still, the persons in question seem to be rather desirous to maintain a previously established opinion of their own, than to be intently occupied in eliciting the truth independently of all party feeling. Having given a protracted consideration to these topics, I now, proceed to what remains. In the fourth chapter, a comparison will be instituted between the second epistle of Peter and that of Jude. Finally, an examination of the arguments which have been adduced against the authenticity of the epistle drawn from the doctrines contained in it, will occupy the fifth and closing chapter. Our judginent in regard to the authenticity of the epistle will then be given.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER AND THE EPISTLE OF JUDE COMPARED.

The wonderful similarity which exists, as well in style as in sentiment, between the second and third chapters of the second epistle of Peter and the epistle of Jude has been very perplexing to the minds of interpreters, and has led nearly all of them to deny the authenticity of the second epistle of Peter, on the ground that for one writer to borrow from another seemed to them to derogate from the authority and rights of an inspired apostle. Before we can properly weigh the force of this argument, it will be necessary to compare the similar passages in the two epistles in order that the reader may readily see both the agreement and the discrepancy.

2 Epistle of Peter. 2, 1. ̓Εγένοντο δὲ καὶ ψευδοπροφῆ- V. ται ἐν τῷ λαῷ, ὡς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν ἔσονται ψευδοδιδάσκαλοι, οἵτι νες παρεισάξουσιν αἱρέσεις ἀπωλείας, καὶ τὸν ἀγοράσαντα αυτους δεσπότην ἀρνούμενοι, ἐπάγοντες ἑαυτοῖς τα χινὴν ἀπώλειαν·

Epistle of Jude.

4. Παρεισέδυσαν γάρ τινες ἂν θρωποι, οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμέν νοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρίμα, ἀσεβεῖς, τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν χάριν μετατιθέντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν, καὶ τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ κύριον ἡμῶν ̓Ιησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι.

15. Καταλιπόντες εὐθεῖαν ὁδὸν, 11. Οὐαὶ αὐτοῖς! ὅτι τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ ἐπλανήθησαν, ἐξακολουθήσαντες