And as regards later writers also, we may expect to find much variety in their way of handling points not defined by authority, and shall gain light from their very differences. To use the words of the great leader of the Catholic revival in Germany, "For a time even a conception of a dogma, or an opinion, may be tolerably general, without however becoming an integral portion of a dogma, or a dogma itself. There are here eternally changing individual forms of an universal principle, which may serve this or that person, or a particular period, for mastering that universal principle by way of reflection and speculation, forms which may possess more or less of truth, but whereon the Church pronounces no judgment; for the data for such a decision are wanting in tradition, and she abandons them altogether to the award of theological criticism." This is said with special reference to "Augustine's and Anselm's exposition of original sin, and the theory of the latter respecting the vicarious atonement of Christ." The Church of God was to be clothed in raiment of many colours (circumamicta varietatibus), and unity in diversity is among her predicted glories. The different and even mistaken or imperfect aspects under which the same truth may present itself to different minds do but serve to bring out the more clearly, in the long run, its vital unity and coherence. It must

Möhler's Symbolism, Eng. Tr. vol. i. p. 11.

3 "Dass aber in dieser nur durch Irrthümer hindurch der Weg zur Wahrheit führe, ist ein Gesetz, welches in der Zukunft eben so gelten wird, wie es in der Vergangenheit sich bewährt hat."-Die Vergangenheit und Gegenwart der katholischen Theologie, von J. von Döllinger. Regensburg, 1863.

be remembered, too, as one reason why this particular doctrine of the atonement has not been so fully treated as many others by Catholic writers, that it never formed the subject of any specific heresy before the Reformation, and did not even then become in itself a prominent topic of controversy, partly from internal differences among the Reformers themselves about it, partly from the more immediate practical interest at the time of questions about Church authority and the Sacraments. We shall have occasion, however, to notice the treatment of the question in its bearings on justification by the leading Protestant divines, with the earliest of whom it acquired a new shape and significance, and became a fruitful source of misconceptions.

To investigate and harmonise the teaching of Scripture on the Atonement does not fall within the scope of the present inquiry. The result of such an undertaking, if adequately carried out, would indeed fill a separate volume. All that can be attempted here is to give such a rapid summary of the general bearings of the Scriptural argument as may help us to appreciate more clearly the various interpretations put upon it by successive writers and schools in the Church, which it is the object of this work to examine. I need hardly say that this, like the other great verities of Christianity, is not laid down with dogmatic precision in the letter of Scripture as in the Articles of a Creed. It has, like them, to be gathered inferentially, however direct may be the inference, from anticipations in the Old Testament, from the historical statements, implications

2

and allusions of the New, and from the general drift and tenor of the whole. We cannot, perhaps, do better than take as a groundwork Coleridge's fourfold division of the forms under which the mystery of redemption is presented to us in the New Testament, and especially in St. Paul's Epistles, as sacrifice, reconciliation, ransom and satisfaction.1 The word sometimes rendered atonement, only occurs in four passages. But the idea is conveyed through different metaphors, each of which has its peculiar force and significance. Sometimes it is regarded as a sacrificial expiation cleansing us from sin, as ceremonial defilements were cleansed by the Mosaic offerings. This is the idea running through the Epistle to the Hebrews. Sometimes it is treated as a reconciliation or atonement, as the prodigal son is reconciled to his father. This is the notion conveyed in some of the Parables, and in such passages as speak of those who were once enemies and aliens being reconciled to God by the death of His Son, or of 'peace' as the result of His atonement, or His gift, or of His being Himself our Peace. It is part of the same idea when union with God, or life' in union with Him, is spoken of as resulting from the Pro

1 Coleridge (Aids to Reflection) is speaking of St. Paul's Epistles only. I have modified and enlarged his classification so as to include the N. T. generally, and added the special references.

2

Kaтаλλay, in Rom. v. 11, xi. 15, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. Coleridge gives the first as the only passage. The cognate verb occurs elsewhere, as in the kindred passages, 2 Cor. v. 18. Col. i. 21, 22.

3 See especially Heb. ix. 19-28. See Rom. v. 11; 2 Cor. v. 18;

Cf. 1 John i. 7.

Col. i. 20, 21, 22; Eph. ii. 14.

2

and allusions of the New, and from the general drift and tenor of the whole. We cannot, perhaps, do better than take as a groundwork Coleridge's fourfold division of the forms under which the mystery of redemption is presented to us in the New Testament, and especially in St. Paul's Epistles, as sacrifice, reconciliation, ransom and satisfaction.1 The word sometimes rendered atonement, only occurs in four passages. But the idea is conveyed through different metaphors, each of which has its peculiar force and significance. Sometimes it is regarded as a sacrificial expiation cleansing us from sin, as ceremonial defilements were cleansed by the Mosaic offerings. This is the idea running through the Epistle to the Hebrews. Sometimes it is treated as a reconciliation or atonement, as the prodigal son is reconciled to his father. This is the notion conveyed in some of the Parables, and in such passages as speak of those who were once enemies and aliens being reconciled to God by the death of His Son, or of 'peace' as the result of His atonement, or His gift, or of His being Himself our Peace. It is part of the same idea when union with God, or 'life' in union with Him, is spoken of as resulting from the Pro

3

1 Coleridge (Aids to Reflection) is speaking of St. Paul's Epistles only. I have modified and enlarged his classification so as to include the N. T. generally, and added the special references.

2

Kaтaλλay, in Rom. v. 11, xi. 15, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. Coleridge gives the first as the only passage. The cognate verb occurs elsewhere, as in the kindred passages, 2 Cor. v. 18. Col. i. 21, 22.

3 See especially Heb. ix. 19-28. Cf. 1 John i. 7.

See Rom. v. 11; 2 Cor. v. 18;

Col. i. 20, 21, 22; Eph. ii. 14.