sense the death of Christ was the means of breaking down all partition walls, and calling Gentile as well as Jew to the privileges of a heavenly adoption.

Even if we take the strongest passages in the Epistle to the Hebrews, whose authorship is so questionable, and form our opinions upon that, the common doctrine of vicarious atonement cannot be substantiated. This Epistle is a special argument to the Jews; and whilst it illustrates the gospel by Jewish rites and symbols, and urges especially the doctrine of Christ's death as the consummation of sacrifice, and his resurrection as entering into the Holy of Holies, it contains no views inconsistent with our doctrine of Christ's death, as an exhibition of sacrificing love, and leading to a revelation of immortal life. In fact the writer of the Hebrews urges its moral significance as we do, when he calls upon all with "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by this new and living way which he hath consecrated for us;" "provoking each other to love and to good works."

We might go on and speak of some other points in Paul's Epistles kindred to those already mentioned, and also consider his views of Christ and the future state, by reference to their temporary and local bearings. But we must now turn to the third point in our discussion, the bearing of the Epistles upon the faith and practice of the Church in all ages.

III. As a historical fact, it is undeniable that the Epistles of Paul have had more influence upon controversial theology than any other parts of Scripture. Three considerations will account for this. In the first place, Paul alone of the sacred writers attempts to give us a system of theological doctrine, and to state the facts and principles of the gospel in their logical connexions. In the second place, he treats the whole subject of religion in a way especially adapted to meet the wants of those who are beginning, and leading others to begin a religious life, herein differing from the other Epistles, whose aim is not so much conversion as sanctification. In the the third place, Paul's labors, as well as his turn of mind, have made him eminently the Apostle and theologian of the whole western world.

He has been the guiding spirit of western, as John has been of oriental theology. Menzel says beautifully, that "the soul is the inward paradise out of which the four sacred streams flow into the world. The first fountain is opened in the senses,

the second in the will, the third in the feeling, and the fourth in thought." He maintains that in the development of our race each of these streams flows to a peculiar geographical region. The senses to the south, feeling to the east, will to the north, and thought to the west. If such be the case, then, European civilization, so blended of western and northern influences, must be strongly characterized by the predominance of thought and will. Certainly we and our European kinsmen do abound in thought and will, and so far are ready to sympathize more heartily with the Apostle, who unites such strength of will with acuteness of thought, than with the more mystical and contemplative character of a spirit like John. But apart from such considerations, Paul has a right from historical fact to be called the great theologian of the western world. He gave Christianity to Europe in his missionary journeys. Revived in Augustine, the forms of his theology lorded it over the church of the West for a thousand years. And when in the Roman Church a new and corrupt Pharisaism sprung up, which transformed Christianity into Judaism, and united the abominations of priestcraft with the nominal faith of Christ, the spirit of Paul revived in Luther; the Epistle to the Galatians, the sturdy old reformer's darling book, brought to light with new force the neglected doctrine of justification by a living faith, rather than by rites and penances; and once more the spirit of the Apostle of the Gentiles broke the might of Jewish exclusiveness, and the Church built upon the Jewish prejudices of Peter was shaken to its centre by the free Gospel of Paul. Again in the midst of New England, ages after his westward voyage,- in New England, the nursery of our western theology, the system of Paul certainly in its form, phraseology, and much of its spirit, if not in its full freedom, was revived in the mighty Edwards; and the great religious convulsion, that formed the chief event in the American Church during the last century, was prompted by the earnest preaching of that doctrine of divine sovereignty which was ostensibly borrowed from Paul. And probably more sermons are preached at this day in New England from texts taken from Paul, than from all the New Testament beside.

But, without dwelling further upon the historical influences of Paul's Epistles, let us consider what importance we should attach to them as bearing upon the essential truths of Christianity.

As acquainting us with the mental experiences of the most illustrious convert of the apostolic church, the Epistles have a lasting value that must make them indispensable guides to all persons, who are passing through the conflicts that generally attend the entrance upon a Christian life. As helps to experimental religion, they have exerted a power over the Church in all ages, and Christians of all communions have been able by their own experiences to bear witness to the truth, and bless the comforting influence of Paul's exhibition of the soul turning from sin and finding peace in Jesus. Although the logical faculty is Paul's marked intellectual trait, and practical will his great moral trait, we must by no means undervalue him as a man of deep feeling. His love for Christ was almost a passion of his soul, and the fervor, with which he gives utterance to this feeling, appears all the more touching and beautiful, from its union with a will so strong and an intellect so keen. His contemplations of the glorified Saviour, of the grace of charity, of the immortal life, move him to a lyric burst of feeling, that blends the deep sentiment and mystic beauty of John with his own earnest eloquence, and we forget the acute logician in the inspired prophet. It would be well if more regard were paid to the form in which the religious sentiment manifests itself in Paul, and if, without neglecting his doctrinal views, we contemplated them less as logical forms, and more in connexion with the Apostle's own glowing soul. The metaphysical character of New England theology would lose none of its depth, and gain much in power and interest, had it thus regarded the whole compass of the Apostle's mind.

As containing a system of Christian doctrine, the Epistles must have importance in all ages of the Church. Even those disposed to deny his authority in matters of faith, and to assert a right equal to his in judging of the facts and principles of the gospel, must allow that the mere opinions of a man, circumstanced and gifted as he was, must be entitled to great respect. While those of us who believe in the Apostle's peculiar communion with Christ, and special illumination upon sacred things, must look to his words with reverence high as is accorded to any of the sacred writers.

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A remark of Neander may here be aptly adduced, as showing the permanent worth of Paul's views. He says that Paul was a man distinguished, not only for the wide extent of his apostolic labors, but for his development of the fundamental

truths of the gospel in their living organic connexion, and their formation into a compact system. The essence of the gospel in relation to human nature, on one side especially, the relation namely to its need of redemption, was set by him in the clearest light; so that when the sense of that need has been long repressed or perverted, and a revival of Christian consciousness has followed a state of spiritual death, the newly awakened Christian life, whether in the Church at large or in individuals, has always drawn its nourishment from his writings. As he has presented Christianity under this aspect especially, and has so impressively shown the immediate relation of religious knowledge and experience to the Lord Jesus, in opposition to all dependence on any human mediation whatever, thus drawing the line of demarcation most clearly between the Christian and Jewish standing point; - he may be considered the representative among the Apostles of the Protestant principle."

There would be great difficulties in our way, indeed, if we considered the Epistles to teach views of Christ's mission and death, not contained or implied in the Gospels, or even the opposite of the most obvious sense of the Gospels. If the Calvinistic views of Paul's doctrine of the atonement be correct, we must confess that we should be in no small degree perplexed in feeling ourselves called upon to adopt sentiments, so strongly conflicting with reason, and so different from the purport of the Gospels, merely upon Paul's authority. But no such perplexity meets us, who interpret his Epistles so perfectly in accordance with the teachings of Christ and the dictates of reason. His great doctrine of reconciliation by trusting to the offices of our Saviour's death and resurrection, or justification by faith, contains the essence of Christian truth, and urges a principle which should be dearer to none than to liberal Christians.

Whether viewed as a manifestation of heavenly love and truth, or as the great fact consummating the Christian revelation, and sealing the immortality of the soul, the death of Christ has an eternal significance, which must always render a living faith in its power the great foundation of faith and motive to duty.

It is a question in some, whether in preaching Christianity it is well to be studious of retaining the phraseology of the Apostle, or indeed to urge principles of faith and duty by personal

references to Christ, as the Apostle does, instead of using a language more general, and treating of moral fidelity and the eternal life in the abstract. But all experience shows, that preaching loses its power, when it loses its personal and historical character. The doctrine of Christ crucified and risen has always exerted vastly more power upon the soul, than any moral essays, however cogent and beautiful, or any speculations upon eternity, however ingenious or sublime. Moreover, we may retain all our liberality of spirit and our philosophical depth, without giving up those personal references and that concrete form, in which Paul presents the gospel to the churches of his charge. Still, as in the Apostle's day, the great question is asked, How shall we obtain reconciliation with God? And still, as in his day, no better answer can be given than the assurance of Paul to the Romans, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." If we may pride ourselves on our philosophy, and for faith in Christ think best to substitute faith in our own spiritual nature, we may remember that Paul was something of a philosopher, and knew something of the spiritual elements of the soul; and yet he allowed nothing to separate him from the love of Christ, nor from the doctrine of the Cross.

As an earnest champion of freedom of thought and true catholicity of feeling, Paul, in his Epistles, speaks lessons which the Church in all ages may well remember, and which in all ages have been far too much neglected. The most enthusiastic friends of modern philanthropy have by no means compassed the breadth of his gospel of brotherhood, nor the most liberal of churches reached the comprehensiveness of his charity. In all ages the fettered soul of man, in bondage to sin or in bondage to spiritual despotism, will have cause to turn for example and aid to him who declared, "where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty," and who rejoiced, "that the law of the spirit of life had made him free from the law of sin and death."

From this new world, unknown to the Apostle, but so blessed by the influence of his labors, we have abundant cause to pay tribute of earnest gratitude to his memory. Under God and His Son, Paul has been the guiding spirit of American theology. The Pilgrims of the Mayflower breathed his indomitable freedom, and gloried in that justifying faith of which Jesus had elected him to be the great Apostle. The active energy of this VOL. XXXIII. — 3d s. vol. xv. No. I.

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