Orthodox Christianity is considered by those people of the world who are most incredulous, as an invention of the middle ages. This vulgar accusation of the wise men of the eighteenth century, surely does great honor to those times, far greater, I think, than they deserve. It might, however, free us from the necessity of proving that Christianity existed then. Nevertheless we will interrogate some of those teachers to whom we have already alluded. What, then, is the exposition of the doctrine of salvation, which was given by Anselm of Canterbury, the most influential, perhaps, of the philosophical theologians of those times, the second Augustine of the Latin Church, a man of great power, who knew how to unite the labors of philosophy with purity of faith? The Scripture system of Redemption is developed and presented by him in such a manner as to obviate objections, and to satisfy, at once, the understanding and the heart." All rational beings," he says, "are bound to submit their own will to the divine will. This law was violated in the sin of the first man. Thus the harmony of the moral order of the world was destroyed. The law of eternal justice requires, either that mankind be punished, or that the lost harmony be restored by a satisfaction made by man. Without this, it would not be consistent with the moral order of the Universe, that impure man should be admitted to the communion of blessed spirits. Man could not of himself accomplish this satisfaction. As by one, human nature had become corrupt, so by one must satisfaction be made. But he who would effect it, must have something to bestow above what belongs to any created being. He must, then, be God himself. And, at the same time, in order that the satisfaction may be available by man, he must be human. He could then be no other than God-man. This God-man offered himself voluntarily to death; for he was not subject to it. He maintained the most perfect obedience amidst the deepest afflictions. God, therefore, was under obligation to reward him. But since Christ, as God, was self-sufficient, he needed no reward. He could, therefore, transfer his own merits to the world, and demand, as a recompense, the salvation of believers."— Such are the words of Anselm, in his work, entitled, Cur Deus homo? But, what is very remarkable, considering their common reputation, the Scholastics insisted particularly upon the sanctifying influence of faith." The sufferings of Christ deliver us from sin," says Peter Lombard, the illustrious Master of Sentences, who for centuries ruled in the Schools; "for this immense sacrifice of divine charity brings us within the embrace of God's love, and this love sanctifies us. "The just who live by faith," says Robert Pulleyn, "are already sanctified within; and receive good works as a sign of their faith and holiness. Faith first produces holiness of heart, and holiness of heart produces good works."-" Man, in his original state," says Alexander Hales, the Irrefragable Doctor," was not opposed to God. Then he had need only of formative grace. But now he has something within him which is in opposition to God, and which can be removed only by the power of God. In his present condition, therefore, he has need of transforming grace." There existed, it is true, differences and controversies among the scholastic teachers; but their very controversies prove, that they were established upon the common ground of the great truths of salvation. For example, Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, and others, contended, that the sacrifice of Christ effected the redemption of man, in virtue of its own intrinsic value, (ex insito valore :) whilst many other Scholastics, especially Duns Scot, the Subtil Doctor, maintained, that this redemption was only a consequence of the counsel or design of God, who had valued the redemption of man at this price. Behold, then, in what they differ. But all agree in this ; "Lost man is saved by the death of the God-man." FORM OF THE REFORMATION. Such was the testimony of the School, and of the Church, in those ages, to say nothing of the numerous witnesses for the truth, Wickliffe, Waldo, and others, who were the precursors of the mighty movement which was soon to be effected in the world. The Church had passed her season of youth, buoyant with life, her mature age, full of power and clearness,—and her old age of system and reflection. But, with Scholasticism, reason also had departed. The hierarchy wished to bring within its close embrace, life, doctrines, systems, all, and to *Sententiarum, Lib. IV. + Gratia reformans. Summa. † Sententiarum, Lib. VIII. "He who is destitute of the grace of God, sins continually, although he neither kills, steals, nor commits adultery." Or shall we entertain you, with the homage which the Reformation rendered to the doctrine of grace? It was by this doctrine that it overthrew the bulwarks of Rome. The Reformers did not desire that man should place his confidence or rest his salvation upon any thing which he might do in or of himself. Christ was the only foundation. Faith in his name was the only method of grace. Every other doctrine must lead either to pride or despair. Listen to Luther writing to his friend Sponlein: "Art thou, at length, weary of thine own righteousness? Dost thou rejoice in, and trust thyself to, the righteousness of Christ? Learn, my dear brother, to know Christ, and him crucified. Learn to despair of thyself, and to sing to the Lord this song: Lord Jesus! Thou art my righteousness; but I am thy sin. Thou hast taken what was mine; thou hast given me what was thine own. Thou hast become what thou wast not, that I might become what I was not !' "* "Works," said he at another time, "are not taken into consideration, where justification is concerned. True faith can no more fail to produce them, than the sun can fail to emit rays. But it is not works which induces God to justify us."+ "Without doubt, the renewal of the heart must follow faith," said Melancthon; "but, where justification is concerned, turn off thine eyes from this renewal, and fix them only on the promises, on Christ, knowing that we are justified only for the sake of Christ's love, and not on account of our renewal. Faith justifies us, not, as thou writest, because it is in us as the root of a good tree, but because it lays hold on Jesus Christ, through whose love we are rendered acceptable." "We offer nothing to God," said Calvin, "but we are prevented by his pure grace, without regard to our works." All the reformers, though they differed in some respects, are one on this point. In Germany, Switzerland, France, Great Britain, Holland, Italy, and even Spain, they announced justification by faith, and declared,-"If this article stand, the Church stands. If this article fall, the Church falls." But why is it necessary to insist upon these things? Have we not in our hands, their con *Luth. Epist. T. I. Melanch. ad Brentium, opp. + Luther ad Melanch, opp. § Calv. in Epist. ad Titum. fessions of faith? And do not the enemies of this faith, as well as its friends, acknowledge, with one consent, that this was, indeed, the doctrine of the Reformation? A fifth period, a fifth form has now commenced in the church, mysterious, unknown, whose peculiar characteristics we are not yet able to discern. But there is one thing which the history of past forms teaches us. The fundamental truths which we have passed in review, will also constitute the essence and glory of the future form. That salutary doctrine which we have every where found. will never leave the helm of the Church. It will never abandon that precious bark to the treacherous, though momentary gale of the heresies of a Theodotius, an Arius, a Pelagius, or a Socinus. What has been, will be. Nor this alone. The history of past forms assures us, that the future form will unite all which was excellent in them. God suffers nothing to be lost in his Church. And this shows us clearly the error of some pious and well-disposed Christians, who speak only of returning to the primitive form, forgetting all that lies upon the route thither. The Church can no more shake off the influence of the successive forms through which she has passed, than a tree can divest itself of the layers which every spring adds to it, or the body of a full-grown man, of its annual increments. As for us, we do not turn away our eyes from the future; but neither do we forget the past. The past will live again in the future. Life, doctrines, system, all, will be found united in the new form. But will there not be something to give it a peculiar character, and thus to distinguish it from the form of the Reformation? Doubtless, there will, but this something is yet to come, -and who shall say it? Nevertheless I will venture to speak. Will not the peculiar feature of the new form be a universal activity in extending to every race of man, and to every man of every race, what the preceding forms have produced? Has not the period of the Reformation united all the isolated excellencies of the first three, that the new period may lay its hand upon them and spread them abroad among mankind? Must not Life, Doctrine, System or rather Christian Science, become the property of our race as they have never been hitherto? I am silent on these things, which are still concealed from our view by a dark veil. But there is one thing which we ought to know. We are at the entrance of a period, and of a new form, for Christian science as well as for the Church, and the present is the generation which will be the instrument of God, in giving to this era its first impulse. Here is an immense labor to be performed, and there are few to perform it. To you, in this hour at least, my voice shall call,-to you whose ears it does or may reach. Train yourselves, Scribes and Teachers! as destined, under God, to open the new path of knowledge and piety. Learn, that mighty faith and mighty knowledge are necessary, to vanquish a mighty unbelief. Enrich yourselves from the past, that you may be prepared for the future. Young men ! you who are putting yourselves in readiness to serve the Churches of Him who laid down his life for his sheep, or who have already the care of his flock, learn what sound theology demands at your hands. Profit by the instructions of history. Let her persuade you to stretch beyond that narrow sphere where the prejudices which surround you, have, perchance, shut you in. Let her persuade you to abandon that cheerless track where none but sordid spirits drag themselves along. Live, not with the passing moment, but with the ages that are gone. History calls up the past, and brings it around you. She makes you hear its solemn testimony. Will you reject the universal faith of the Church, the voice of Jesus Christ himself, for that of a single teacher? Disdaining the glory which comes from God, will you seek that which comes from man? Continue, rather, that wonderful chain, whose first link is the Lord, and which, formed throughout by the great teachers of Christianity, has, at length, come down to you. Separate not yourselves to the service of some dark heresy. Though you should be alone with your fellow-disciples, alone in the Church, alone in the world, to confess God manifest in the flesh, comfort yourselves with the thought, that you are united with those illustrious witnesses of so many different periods, whose voice we have now recalled to your ears. History shows us, that Christianity has never ceased to act with power upon the thoughts and lives of men: but she shows us, also, that this renovating influence has always been exerted by the same doctrines. The evangelical doctrines of Christianity alone possess the power of renewing individuals and nations. Every other doctrine serves only to amuse or to destroy souls. Never will you find life where truth does not exist. Would you fill up the career of an orator, who diverts people by words of mighty sound, or would you be the benefactors of man, to save him by the wisdom of |