interpretation are both alike divine, transmitted together from the divinely-inspired apostles. Heresies bear the names of individual teachers (as the Socinian from Socinus, the Lutheran from Luther, the Calvinian from Calvin); but the doctrine of the Church is ever free from this badge of worse than Egyptian slavery. -- Again; the Church is the sanctuary of freedom, because it is the dwelling-place of the Spirit. It is "builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." It is the temple of the Holy Ghost. By this one Spirit its members are all baptized into one body, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.2 Unlike the institute of Judaism, the Christian economy contains nothing merely typical or shadowy; it overflows with Divine grace, and all, even the simplest and least of its observances-such as, for example, the use of the blessed sign of the cross in baptism, and the bowing at the Holy Name, when rightly used, are of a sacramental nature, the outward signs of accompanying unearthly blessings. And this Spirit, which like the Shekinah of old, fills the Christian sanctuary with the "awful glory of its majesty," is promised by the Almighty only to sons and to the free. It is because the faithful are now no longer servants, but sons, that God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption;" and "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."5 And this eternal, heavenly, and free deed, the parent of all who truly believe. Jerusalem, is, in"He," says St. Cyprian, "can no longer have God for a father who has not To her hath the Lord given the Church for a mother."6 66 such pre-eminence as he gave to his blessed mother; for that power of the Highest, and that overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, which brought to pass that St. Mary should bring forth the Son of the Father, hath also brought to pass that the water of baptism should bear anew and regenerate his brethren the sons of God. We are not the children of the bond woman, but of the free: how, then, do we behave ourselves towards our heavenly Parent? Do we meekly acknowledge her maternal authority, and listen with child-like confidence to her lessons of divine wisdom? Alas! too many there are who think it no shame to rebel against the doctrines of the Gospel; they affect an air of philosophy, and love to be incredulous, and put off examination to a more convenient season, and set up their own reason as the infallible voice of truth." But let none of us, dearly beloved brethren, be led away by their error, to fall from our filial obedience. Let nothing shake the love we bear to our holy mother, the mystical bride of Christ. Albeit she sits no longer as a queen among the nations," but is clothed in sackcloth, and pale with weeping; let her temporal misfortunes and anxieties but kindle in our spirits a warmer affection and devotion. The City of God on earth may mourn and suffer violence; she may be defiled by the presence of the unholy citizens of the world, who may enter her gates, and mount her towers, and even appear to worship in her temples; but a time is coming when all will be different; when the glory of the earth shall pass away, when crowns and kingdoms shall be heard of no more; and then shall the reverence with which the children of Zion regard her in her low estate be repaid with eternal life (in accordance with the promise of the commandment,) in the land which the Lord their God shall give them as an inheritance for ever. See S. Leo, Serm. V., de Nat. Domini, quoted by Bishop Jewel in his "Treatise of the Sacraments." And seeing that we are thus the children of one holy parent, ought we not to love one another? We are the members of the same household, the heirs of the same precious promises, the inheritors of the same glory: let us then be all of one heart and of one mind. May God give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. May the remonstrance of the great Lawgiver-" Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another?"-be heard above the din of our miserable contentions. Let the weapons which we now wield against each other be turned against our common adversaries; and the sublime declaration of an Apostle be fully realised, one Lord, one faith, one baptism." 66 Are we the children of her that is free?—then let us stand fast in our Christian liberty, and be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage. Is the Church's freedom built upon her preservation of primitive truth?-let us never forsake her holy teaching for the narrow dogmas of human instructors and human systems of belief. Is the Church's freedom the result of her being the habitation of the free Spirit of God?-let us partake largely of her sacramental grace, and, in the diligent use of all her holy ordinances, draw living water from her wells of salvation. May the truths now dwelt on be deeply imprinted on our memories, and bring forth abundant fruit in our lives. So when faith shall have been exchanged for sight, time have been lost in eternity, and the heavens and earth which now are have vanished 66 as a dream,” we shall be privileged to behold the “ new heavens and new earth" set in order for everlasting duration; even the holy Church mystical, consummate and "all-glorious," not any longer a persecuted mourner, but a triumphant and spotless bride,-in very truth JERUSALEM ABOVE-for ever free, and the mother of us all! London Robson, Levey, and Franklyn, 46 St. Martin's Lane. |