The Evangelical Witness and Presbyterian Review Volume 4 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 Excerpt: ...cleared of all critical, and even of the longer theological discussions. The original work was re-issued by Dr. Hodge in 1864, with the addition of such improvements as a life devoted to sacred literature enabled him to make. The present volume is a reprint of this, with the additional advantages of careful revision, two valuable indices, and the bringing up of quoted authorities to their latest editions, making a good royal 8vo. volume of 460 pages. We think this commentary is destined to be the authority on Romans among Evangelical Christians for many years to come. Dr. Hodge has, in the opinion of the most competent judges, a rare combination of the qualities necessary to fit a man for the work of a critical commentator. With him common sense is never divorced from scholarship. His calm and well-balanced mind, rich in the judicial faculty, sets aside the accidents of a theory and weighs it by itself with singular fairness. His regard for the Word never lalters before human authority; but he despises no human aid that will help in elucidating the Word. While Calvin and Witsin are high authorities with him, he does not hesitate to diner from either, as when he sets aside Calvin's interpretation of Rom. viii. 2, and makes "the law of the Spirit of Life" to be the Gospel; and "the law of sin and death" the Divine law which is "incidentally the cause of sin and death." He adheres to the common rendering of Rom. ix. 3, "I could wish (if it were lawful or possible) myself separated from Christ." "The common interpretation, and that which seems most natural, is, 'I am grieved at heart for my brethren, for I could wish myself accursed from Christ, that is, I could be willing to be regarded and treated as anathema, a th...