BV 4223 .A7 1877 
 
 Ashley, John M- ^er 
 
 o Aiisustine the pi^°- 
 
 S. Augus 
 
BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 
 
 A PEOMPTUARY FOR PREACHERS. Advent to Ascension 
 Day. Part I. Containing 338 Sermons Epitomized from the 
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Patristic Sermons 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 S. AUGUSTINE, 
 
S. Augustine the Preacher; 
 
 FIFTY SHOET SEEION NOTES 
 
 FOUNDED UPON 
 
 SELECT PASSAGES FEOM HIS WETTINGS. 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN M. "^ASHLEY, B.C.L, 
 
 VICAK OF FEWSTOX, 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 J. T. HAYES, 17, HENRIETTA STEEET, COVENT GARDEN 
 AND LYALL PLACE, EATON SQUARE, 
 
 MDCCCLXXVII. 
 
LONDON : 
 SWIFT AND CO., NEWTON STREET, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C, 
 
( vii ) 
 
 BIOGEAPHICAL NOTICE, 
 
 S. Augustine was born at Tagaste, a town of Numidia, 
 November 13th, a.d. 354. Monica, his mother, early 
 enrolled him among the Order of the Catechumens. 
 Patricias, his father, educated him first at Tagaste, 
 and afterwards at Madaura. In 371 he went to Car- 
 thage, where he studied Rhetoric with much success. 
 The Hortensiiis of Cicero imbued him with his first 
 love of philosophy, and led to his earnest study of 
 Holy Scripture, after which he fell away to Mani- 
 chseism for a time. In 373 Augustine returned to 
 Tagaste, and taught Rhetoric and practised at the 
 bar ; and in 379 he went to Carthage, and afterwards 
 became Professor of Rhetoric at Rome, at which place, 
 having been badly used by his pupils, on the recom- 
 mendation of Symmachus, the Prefect of the city, he 
 was appointed Professor at Milan. It was at Milan 
 that S. Augustine listened to the sublime teaching 
 and preaching of S. Ambrose, the Bishop of that city, 
 and was converted by him from Manichgeism to pure 
 
viii Biograiih'ical Notice. 
 
 Christian%. As soon as possible Augustine renounced 
 his Professorship, betook himself to the reverent study 
 of Holy Scripture and the Platonic dialogues, and 
 was baptized by S. Ambrose on Easter Day, 387. 
 After his baptism S. Augustine left Milan, went back 
 to Eome, saw the last of his mother at Ostia, and 
 arrived at Tagaste 388 ; in which place he remained 
 for three years, leading a strictly rehgious life. 
 Valerius, Bishop of Hippo, ordained him Priest 391 ; 
 and he was consecrated Coadjutor-Bishop of Hippo, 
 by Megalius, the Primate of Numidia, in 395. He 
 died August 28, 430, at the age of seventy-six jears, 
 a striking example that the system of Church Patron- 
 age was not more perfect in the fifth century than it 
 is in the nineteenth. The fact remains, with its les- 
 son for all time, that Augustine, the most eloquent, 
 learned, holy ecclesiastic of his own or of any other 
 day, as well as the most voluminous writer, was left 
 to languish for thirty-five years of his precious life in 
 an obscure Numidian diocese. The materials for the 
 life of S. Augustine are largely contained in his own 
 writings ; especially in his City of God, Confessions, 
 Retractations, and Epistles. The moral of the life of 
 S. A.ugustine lies in the fact that his earliest and 
 
Biographical Notice, ix 
 
 purest faith lay dormant for years in his soul, obscured 
 by heathen studies and false doctrine, and at length 
 germinated into a second and more glorious growth, 
 producing those fruits unto holiness of which we are 
 become the partakers, through the instrumentality of 
 his writings o 
 
( si ) 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 The following pages are the expression of a plan 
 which has been long matured. It was first, in a 
 shorter form than the present one, applied to the 
 Apostolic Fathers and S. Clement of Alexandria, in a 
 series of papers which appeared in a Religious Eeview 
 some twenty years ago ; having been suggested in the 
 first instance by the perusal of Vivien's " Tertullianus 
 Praedicans," and Coleridge's ^' Aids to Reflection." 
 To utilize and to popularize in any way the vast 
 treasures of learning which are stored up in the 
 writings of the Fathers, will never be deemed an un- 
 worthy work, by those who from their scholarship and 
 knowledge of them are the best judges both of their 
 merits and defects. The writings of the Fathers are 
 the great literary heritage of the Church ; which, 
 strange as it may seem to say so, is, nevertheless, a 
 personal possession of but few of her children. This 
 
xii Preface. 
 
 may be, because most of the editions of the Fathers 
 are both costly and cumbrous ; or it may be, because 
 after entering upon the active duties of life, continued 
 and laborious study is well-nigh out of the question. 
 From whatsoever cause, the fact remains the same, 
 that few of our parochial clergy have either the leisure 
 or the aptitude for patristic studies. Hence the 
 opening which is afforded for a little book like the 
 present, to fill up som^ small gap in the theological 
 literature of the day. To any who desire to obtain an 
 introduction to the writings of S. Augustine, the 
 '' Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, drawn from 
 the writings of St. Augustine, with an intro- 
 ductory Essay on his merits as an interpreter of Holy 
 Scripture," by Archbishop Trench, cannot be too 
 strongly recommended. If carefully read, it will be 
 found to unfold a large portion of the mind of 
 Augustine, and to leave with the reader a profound 
 sense of his spirituality, depth of thought, and truly 
 Christian humility of thought. The book of Arch- 
 bishop Trench is referred to because it stands in aim 
 and object, and, alas ! in toany other particulars also, 
 in contrast with the present little book, which is not 
 devoted to the unfolding of any particular line of 
 
Preface, , xiii 
 
 Augustinian thought, but to a humbler purpose, the 
 utilization of a few of those particular ideas and re- 
 flections which so abound in the pages of this truly 
 great theologian. To procure the passages which are 
 treated of hereafter, all the works of S. Augustine have 
 been read, a process which occupied from four to six 
 months. During the perusal, any passage or eX" 
 pression which attracted particular attention was noted 
 down, and most generally commented upon at the 
 time. The considerations which determined the se^ 
 lection of the quotations to be used, were : Firstly, the / 
 clear and striking statement of some great truth in a 
 few words. Secondly, the relation which such 
 passages bear to subjective and ethical rather* than to ♦ 
 dogmatic truth. Had it been wished to found a series 
 of dogmatic sermons upon S. Augustine, nothing would 
 have been easier than to turn to the " Index Rerum," 
 where, under their several headings, all that was re- 
 quired might be found at a glance. Recourse was had to 
 the Index for one sermon only (The Types of the 
 Church, Ser. vii. p. 26) ; and such use does not seem 
 to have formed the happiest sermon of the series. 
 Thirdly, when a fragmentary thought or expression 
 full of meaning, seemed capable of expansion without 
 
xiv Preface. 
 
 loss of 230wer. Fonrtlil}^ when anything was found 
 more than ordinarily suggestive in any of those minor 
 Treatises of A-ugustine which are so much less read than 
 his well-known works '*'De Consensu;" ''De Trinitate;" 
 " Confessiones," or the " De Civitate Dei," etc. It 
 was desirable also to obtain as much variety as possible 
 in tlie chosen subjects, thus selecting some which are 
 more spiritual, and others which are more moral and 
 thoughtful. Books of this description are necessarily 
 tentative, and therefore must be contained within certain 
 limits, or nothing would have been easier than to have 
 multiplied the Augustinian extracts by three or four, 
 and to have expanded the notes in a corresponding ratio. 
 The difficulty of composition arose in this case not 
 from lack of matter, but from the need there was of 
 strict condensation ; which although carried as far as 
 possible, it will be hoped has not led to obscurity. 
 Hence, the few remarks which are appended to the 
 quotations from S. Augustine, contain little more than 
 the germs of thought, which may be variously used in 
 the preparation for the pulpit — a preparation which 
 has been pronounced by one justly venerated amongst 
 men of every grade and of every opinion, as a states- 
 man, a scholar, and an orator, to be " the accumula- 
 
Preface, xv 
 
 tion and thorough digestion of knowledge." With a 
 Tiew to the former part of pulpit preparation, as thus 
 defined by Mr. Gladstone — "the accumulation of 
 knowledge " — these simple sketches of sermon thoughts 
 are put forth. It is earnestly trusted that they may 
 in some degree fulfil the purpose which is imphed in 
 their publication ; for should they be found to do so, 
 it is intended to treat others of the Fathers in a like 
 manner. The present little book then, is put forth as 
 an experiment, and it was deemed advisable to com- 
 mence the series of " Patristic Sermons " with Augus- 
 tine, because he is one of the most difficult of the 
 Fathers to turn to profitable account in sermon-making. 
 Turning to his works during the composition of 
 a sermon, it is seldom that a reference furnishes any- 
 thing available ; it is so difi'erent with Tertullian, or 
 Origen, or S. Gregory the Great ; their pages are 
 seldom or ever consulted in vain. This peculiarity in 
 Augustine may be accounted for, partly from the fact 
 that he is very difi'use in his style, allowing his current 
 of thought to run away hither and thither, wheresoever 
 a text of Scripture quoted in illustration of his subject 
 may lead him; and partly from the rapidity and 
 energy of his thoughts, w4iich hardly allow themselves 
 
xvi Preface. 
 
 words wherewith they can be expressed. '' Melioris 
 avidus sum quo saepe fruor interius, antequam euui 
 expHcare verbis sonautibus caepero, quod ubi minus 
 quam mihi motus est evaluero, contristor linguam 
 meam cordi meo non prorse sufficere. Totum enim 
 quod intelligo, volo ut qui me audit intelligat, 
 et sentio mea non ita loqui, ut hoc efficiam.'' 
 {De Catec. Rud. vol. iv. p. 261, G.) It is most true 
 that the speech of S. Augustine at times seems all 
 insufficient to express the rapid and burning thoughts 
 that ever and anon flit across his brain. There is no 
 T\Titer, perhaps, who demands more thought in the 
 reader than he does, in order to fill up and suppty his 
 laciime of expression. In fact, nearly all his treatises 
 are suggestive rather than exhaustive ; and they open 
 out various trains of thought which are often very far 
 removed from the matter in hand. Therefore was the 
 experiment made first upon S. Augustine, for it was 
 felt that if he could be utilized for preaching purposes, 
 it would be a much easier task to apply the same 
 treatment to some other of the Fathers. Another 
 purpose which this little book has in view, is to induce, 
 if possible, some of its readers to study the works of 
 S. Augustine for themselves ; for which study they 
 
Preface. xvii 
 
 will be most fully and amply repaid. In his pages 
 they will find beauties of thought and expression, and 
 above all of Scriptural exegesis at which any thought- 
 ful mind cannot but delight and marvel — beauties 
 carrying with them truths of the highest import and 
 significance. Moreover, in the systematic study of a 
 great theological writer, and one also writing in a 
 foreign language, there is a certain mental effort 
 implied which is very healthful and disciplinal to the 
 mind, and one which tends in no small degree to the 
 retention of that which has been so acquired. 
 
 With regard to the works of S. Augustine them- 
 selves, a few hints and notices may not be altogether 
 unacceptable or out of place as introductory to the 
 following pages. *' The Confessions," are universally 
 known and admired, and if they are read in conjunction 
 with those of Kousseau, also with Goethe's Auto- 
 biography, and Newman's "Apologia," a vast and 
 varied insight will be obtained into the workings of the 
 human heart under four widely- contrasted spheres of 
 life. " The City of God," which occupied thirteen 
 years in its composition, is perhaps the most learned 
 and finished of all S. Augustine's works ; but with the 
 exception of the three last books, is not of much value 
 
 I. h 
 
xviii Preface. 
 
 to the theological student, at least, at the beginning 
 of his studies. For devotional reading, the Explana- 
 tion or " EnaiTation of the Psalms " stands alone ; 
 especially those portions of it which were delivered 
 orally as expositional homilies. It is next to impossible 
 to overrate the value and richness of this treatise, 
 which seems to reach a far higher standard of exegesis 
 than even the Tractates or Homilies upon S. John. 
 The several " Questions " are very pleasant reading; 
 both the eighty-three Questions and the eight addressed 
 to Dulcitius, as are also those upon some of the 
 earlier historical books of the Old Testament. They 
 can be read at any time, and the answers pondered 
 over one by one. The four books on Christian 
 Doctrine are, on the whole, recommended to those 
 persons who take up S. Augustine for the first time ; 
 especially the last book, which treats of the teaching 
 exposition of Holy Scripture. The " Enchiridion," 
 written for Laurence, a Roman lord, might well be 
 read either with or immediately after the ^' De Doc- 
 trina." There is not one of its eighty-seven chapters 
 which does not contain something worthy of remem- 
 brance. " The Christian Combat " (" De Agone 
 Christiano ") is also an interesting little treatise, com- 
 
Preface. xix 
 
 prised in thirty-three sections, showing very plainly 
 how sin can be wrestled with and overcome. The 
 purely controversial writings of S. Augustine against 
 the Manichees, the Donatists, the Pelagians, and 
 others, as well as his polemical treatise on the Trinity, 
 may, without irreverence to so great a man, be said 
 to be almost obsolete at the present day. Not so his 
 Epistles, numbering two hundred and thirty letters, 
 which, though often touching upon merely local or 
 personal matters, have a freshness and reality about 
 them that must always interest the reader. Frequent 
 use has been made of them in the present book. If 
 neither so spiritual nor so matured as his later produc- 
 tions there is a charm about the earlier works of S. 
 Augustine Tvhich is all their own. No one can read 
 the treatise '^Contra Academicos" without gaining 
 many a useful thought, most purely and elegantly 
 expressed, and the dogma of Cicero, that we really 
 know nothing, is well and ably refuted. These 
 three books '^ Against the Academics," containing in 
 all forty-three chapters, were written in solitude, away 
 from Milan, during the time that S. Augustine was 
 preparing himself to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. 
 The book ^^ Of a Happy Life" (" De vita beata,") 
 
 h 2 
 
XX Prejace. 
 
 composed in the thirty-third year of his age, and dedi- 
 cated to his Milan friend, Manilius Theodoras, is very 
 dramatic and racy in style. It contains a spirited 
 introduction which describes three classes of navigators 
 sailing upon the sea of life, and which is followed by 
 three dialogues, the conclusion of the whole being that 
 true happiness consists in the knowledge of God. That 
 since none but God can fill the soul, none but God can 
 make it happy. In the two books on "Providence" 
 {""De Ordine") there are four dialogues, all fairly 
 dramatic. The third contains an instructive explana- 
 tion as to what it is to be with God ; how the good 
 abide with Him, and so become in a certain sense un- 
 changeable. The two books of the " Soliloquies " 
 C' Soliloquiorum libri"), which leave the work un- 
 finished, were also written by S. Augustine before his 
 baptism. The second book furnishing a good illustra- 
 tion of his habit of digression. In it, he is speaking of 
 the immortality of the soul, which he affirms to be 
 eternal, because it is the habitation of truth. He then 
 indulges upon a series of reflections upon truth and 
 falsehood, which occupy the remainder of the book. 
 Of course, it is not for a moment intended to assert 
 that any of these earlier works are of the same moment 
 
 1 
 
Preface. xxi 
 
 or value as the one hundred and thirty-foui- homilies 
 which form the Commentaries upon the Gospel or First 
 Epistle of S. John ; the ''Enarration of the Psalms ;" 
 and the " De Consensu Evangelist arum," with its two 
 hundred and eighty-four sections ; nor can we put them 
 down as equal to the lesser Tractates of his later years, 
 such as those upon *' Christian Discipline," " The 
 Xew Song," " The Conflict of the Soul," and others; 
 yet, if not so solid, they have a gi-eater eloquence and 
 a livelier play of the imagination than mark any of the 
 more mature productions of his pen. With regard to 
 the text of S. Augustine, the fii'st accurate recension 
 of it was made by the Doctors of Louvain, whose 
 valuable edition of his works was printed at Antwei-p 
 in 1577. No less than six editions of this recension 
 were printed at Paris within eighty years of the 
 appearance of the Antwerp edition, which was also 
 repiinted at Venice and at Cologne, in 1616, by Hierat, 
 ^vith some additional matter. This Cologne edition 
 of 1616 is the one from which the translations have 
 been made for the present work, and to which the 
 references in it as to volume, page and letter refer. The 
 ten folio volumes are usually, as in the author's copy, 
 bound in six. Had the present book been a critical one. 
 
xxii Preface. 
 
 recourse must, of course, have been had to the Bene- 
 dictine edition ; but for the purpose for which he 
 writes, the author considered that his reprint of the 
 Louvain text would be sufficiently accurate; his object 
 being not to determine or explain any particular 
 reading in S. Augustine, but to supply his brother 
 priests with a few sermon thoughts which were 
 suggested by the words of this great Doctor of the 
 Western Church. Should "Augustine the Preacher " 
 meet with a fair amount of success, it will be followed 
 at no very distant interval by a like volume upon 
 Origen, treated after the same plan. 
 
 J. M. A. 
 
 itau^ 2Deo. 
 
( xxiii ) 
 
 INDEX OF SERMONS. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 The Plurality of Sin. — Rom. v. 17 . . 
 
 SERMON II. 
 The Attempts of Satan. — 1 Thess. ii. 18 5 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 The Mountains of Israel. — Ezek. xxxiv. 13 . . . . 9 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 The Christian Preacher. — Jer. xxxii. 32 IB 
 
 SERMON V. 
 Death a Separation. — Eccles. xii. 7 17 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 The Tree of Life. — Gen. ii. 9 22 
 
xxiv Index of Sermons. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SERMON VII. 
 
 Types of the Church.— Ps. xlv. 14 26 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 Memory. — Jonah ii. 7 31 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 Eternity. — Bom. vi. 23 35 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 The Preacher of the World. — S. John vii. 46 . . . . 39 
 
 SERMON XI. 
 
 The Burdens of Life. — Gal. vi. 2 43 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 Some Notes of the Elect. — S. John xxi. 10 . . . . 48 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 The New.— i?c?;. xxi. 5 54 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 Offerings to God. — Exocl. xxxiv. 20 57 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 The Christian's Sunset. — Eph. iv. 26 60 
 
Index of Sermons. xxv 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SEEMON XVI. 
 
 The Old Man and the New.— E^j/jcs. iv. 22-24 . . . . 63 
 
 SEEMON XVII. 
 Feae.— S. Blatt. xxvi. 74 67 
 
 SEEMON XVIII. 
 
 Eternal Life. — S. John xvii. 3 . . . . . . . . 71 
 
 SEEMON XIX. 
 
 The Beautiful. — Isa. xxxiii. 17 . . • . . . . . 74 
 
 SEEMON XX. 
 Small Things.— <Sf. Matt. xxv. 21 79 
 
 SEEMON XXI. 
 
 Man's Three Estates.— Ps. viii. 5 83 
 
 SEEMON XXII. 
 
 The Power of the Future. — Heh. vi. 5 . . . . . . 86 
 
 SEEMON XXm. 
 
 Equal unto the Angels. — S. LuJce xx. 36 . . . . . . 89 
 
 SEEMON XXIV. 
 
 The Fourfold Sense of Holt Scrifture.— S^. Jo/m v. 39. 92 
 
xxvi Index of Sermons. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SEEMON XXV. 
 
 The Valueks of the Soul.— ;S. Matt. xvi. 26 . . . . 96 
 
 SEEMON XXVI. 
 
 The Joy of Holiness. — S. Matt. xxv. 3 99 
 
 SEEMON XXVII. 
 
 Unholy Self-Love.— 2 Tm. iii. 1, 2 102 
 
 SEEMON XXVIII. 
 
 Holy Self-Love. — S. Luke x. 27 106 
 
 SEEMON XXIX. 
 The Meek.— S. 3Iatt. v. 5 110 
 
 SEEMON XXX. 
 
 The House of Lazarus. — S. Luke x. 38, 39 . . . . 113 
 
 SEEMON XXXI. 
 
 The Day of Life.— Ps. Iv. 17 117 
 
 SEEMON XXXII. 
 Sin.— il(?6. xii. 15 121 
 
 SEEMON XXXIII. 
 
 The Way of Holiness. — Isa. xxxv. 8 .. .. .. 124 
 
Index of Sermons. xxvii 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SEEMON XXXIV. 
 
 Pardoned Sin. — Ps. Ixxix. 8 .. 128 
 
 SEEMON XXXV. 
 
 The New Life.— 5^. John xi. 44 133 
 
 SEEMON XXXVI. 
 
 Self.— 1 Cor. iii. 3 138 
 
 SEEMON XXXVII. 
 
 Faith. — S. Luke xvii. 5 142 
 
 SEEMON XXXVIII. 
 Preaching.— 1 S. Pet. iv. 11 145 
 
 SEEMON XXXIX. 
 
 The Spirit's Work. — Ps. cxliii. 10 . . . . . . . . 149 
 
 SEEMON XL. 
 
 Knowledge. — Prov. iii. 10 . . . . . . . . . . 153 
 
 SEEMON XLI. 
 
 Perfection. — Phil. iii. 15 . . . . . . . . . . 157 
 
 SEEMON XLII. 
 
 The Path OF Duty.— *S. LuA;e i. 13 161 
 
xxviii Index of Sermons. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SERMON XLIII. 
 Jesus Sleeping. — S. Matt. viii. 24 . . . . . . . . 164 
 
 SERMON XLIY. 
 
 H.VPPINES5. — ''/',7^ iii. 15 .. .. 167 
 
 SERMON XLY. 
 
 The Night. — Rom. xiii. 12 171 
 
 SERMON XLVI. 
 
 God.— p.?. Ixiii. 1 175 
 
 SERMON XLVn. 
 
 Faith A Preachze. — S . John xni. oQ . . 178 
 
 SERMON XLVm. 
 
 Heaven the Legacy of Peace. — S. John xiv. 27 . . . . 183 
 
 SERMON XLIX. 
 
 The GrARDiANSHip of the Soul. — Prov. iv. 23 , . . . 188 
 
 SERMON L. 
 
 Will AND Deed. — P?. csxst. 6 192 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 THE PLURALITY OF SIN. 
 
 " Death reigned by one." — Rom. v. 17. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " In that one sin which by one 
 man entered into the world, and passed upon all 
 men — on account of which little children also are bap- 
 tized — many sins can be understood, if the one itself 
 be divided into its several members. For pride also is 
 here, since man chose to be in his own power rather 
 than in that of God ; and sacrilege, because he did 
 not believe in God ; and homicide, because he cast 
 himself into death ; and spiritual fornication, because 
 the integiity of the human mind was corrupted by the 
 persuasion of a serpent ; and theft, because he used 
 forbidden food ; and covetousness, because he desired 
 more than ought to have satisfied him ; and if any 
 other in this one admitted sin can be found by dili- 
 gent consideration." — Ench. ad Lau. c. xlv. vol. iii. 
 p. 64, F. 
 
 At first sight, it seems as if the punishment which 
 God inflicted upon the human race on account of the 
 
The Plurality of Sin. 
 
 sin of Adam, was too stringent and severe. It appears 
 to be out of proportion, that death for all time should 
 flow down upon the human race for one single act of 
 disobedience which was committed so many thousand;^ 
 of years ago. Yet, on farther consideration, it v,i 
 evident that the first single act of disobedience was 
 not a simple one ; that it involved many other sins 
 in its commission. An investigation of the transgres- 
 sion of Adam, leads to the clear conviction and under- 
 standing of the fact : that no act of sin can be simple 
 or single ; that there is a plurality of sin in every sin- 
 ful thought, word, or deed. When any sin is thoroughly 
 sifted and examined, it is found to be made up of many 
 factors. The sin of Adam — an act of disobedience — 
 contains within it the several sins of — 
 
 I. Pride. — Adam wanted to be in his own power ; 
 to be his own master ; to be as a God, intellectually 
 cognisant of good and evil. Ile^ hitherto had been 
 passive in God's hands, now he desired to act and 
 thmk for himself. His pride of hcaiG rose up against 
 any entire submission to the will of God. This pride 
 led the creature to exalt itself against the Creator. 
 Pride is at the root of all disobedience ; obedience 
 is ever humble. 
 
 II. Sdcrilege. — It was a robbery of God arising 
 from having robbed Him of faith and love. A 
 sacrilegious spirit is very common ; it despoils God of 
 
The Pluralitij of Sin. 3 
 
 much tliat belongs to Him ; it is a violation or pro- 
 fanation of sacred things. The body and soul of the 
 baptized are consecrated to God, so that every post- 
 baptismal sin is an act of sacrilege. Our bodies are 
 temples of the Holy Ghost. " If any man defile the 
 temple of God him shall God destroy." (1 Cor. iii. 
 17.) Every sin becomes, therefore, sacrilege ; that 
 is, a violation of grace, knowledge, and of the powers 
 which belong to God. 
 
 in. Homicide. — Man was created deathless, and 
 the " Tree of Life" was planted as a further securitj^ 
 against any kind of death. Adam had heard that the 
 punishment of disobedience was death. All disobedi- 
 ence is a slaying of that higher spiritual nature w^hich 
 is our true and very selves. A man is a homicide 
 who slays his soul by sin, quenching in it all the 
 action of grace, and stilling its every impulse towards 
 the higher life. The death that such an homicide 
 entails upon its victim, is eternal, and one fuU of agon) 
 and woe. 
 
 IV. Covetousness. — Adam seemed to have every- 
 thing that man could want ; all things in heaven and 
 earth were given to him to be his portion, and yet ho 
 wTiS not satisfied. The covetous never feel that they 
 can gain enough ; they are ever murmuring against 
 God's providence, and tr^dng to overreach His ordering 
 of things. Contentment and obedience go hand in hand. 
 
 B 2 
 
The Plurality of Sin. 
 
 Epilogue. — Sin cannot stand alone. It is — 1) the 
 result of many unholy influences ; 2) a beginning that 
 carries a long procession of other sins in its train. 
 3) Hence sin is only an act in its manifestation ; it 
 is in its nature a combination and a principle. 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 THE ATTEMPTS OF SATAN. 
 
 " Satan hindered us." — 1 Thess. ii. 18. 
 
 S, Augustine. — " We should observe ' the head * 
 (Gen. iii. 15) of Satan, for he observes ' the heal ' not 
 of our feet, but the end of the mind, so that he can 
 by any means retain upon earthly things by his bite, 
 the mind running towards things heavenly." — Ser. 
 Ixxvi. ad Frat. Erem, vol. x. p. 674, B. 
 
 " There is much need to judge and to discern ; since 
 Satan transfigures himself into an angel of light ; lest 
 by deceiving he seduces into something evil ; for 
 when the sense of body deceives, the mind indeed is 
 not moved from the opinion which is true and right, 
 by which every one leads a faithful life, and there is 
 no danger to religion. Or when he feigns himself to 
 be good, or says or does those things which pertain to 
 the good angels, even if he is believed to be good, 
 there is no error either dangerous or morbid to the 
 Christian faith. But when by means of these ex- 
 ternal things he begins to lead to his own things, then 
 
6 The Attempts of Satan, 
 
 it becomes a great and a necessary vigilance to dis- 
 cern, and not to follow him." — Ench. ad Lau. c. li. 
 Tol. iii. p. 66, D. 
 
 Not S. Paul alone, but all who desire to become 
 more holy and obedient, more like Jesus Christ, are 
 '* hindered" by Satan. He tries to delay repentance ; 
 to stay contrition ; to drown good resolutions ; to 
 quench the promptings of God the Holy Ghost within. 
 He spares no pains, no labour, no craft to keep the 
 soul from God. He hinders every advance in the 
 Christian life by raising up discouragements such 
 as — 
 
 I. Doubts. — Where there is any doubt, our lowly 
 nature is but too ready to construe it its own way. 
 Thousands of souls have been lost by a doubt. If 
 we doubt about — 1) Sacrament grace, what need to 
 seek the Sacrament ? about — 2) Holy Scripture, what 
 need to study it, or to seek to order our lives by it ? 
 3) Heaven and eternity, why should we so discipline 
 ourselves as to be worthy of an entrance there ? 4) 
 Hell and the Last Judgment : what terrors have the 
 place of the lost and last judgment for our souls ? To 
 the doubting soul, the future life, promise and threat 
 are all alike. Satan loves a doubt. 
 
 II. Difficulties, — The conquest of difficulties makes up 
 the sum of any life that is worth the living for. The 
 
The Attevipts of Satan, 
 
 disciplinal life on earth is rightly intended by God to 
 be one long unending contest with difficulty. The 
 life of holiness, because its reward is so great, and its 
 satisfaction so keen, is necessarily a very difficult life 
 to lead. It is most difficult — 1) to break through old- 
 established habits of sin. Custom in all things is 
 second nature ; in sin it may be said to be nature 
 itself. 2) To rise from the dead level of worldliness 
 on the wings of faith, towards higher and better 
 things. 3) To overcome the pleadings and instincts of 
 ou^ old nature. All these difficulties are a great delight 
 to Satan, if by them he can stay the Christian's course. 
 
 III. Distractions. — Satan hates a concentrated, 
 vigorous purpose. He delights to break up the mind, 
 and so dissipate and weaken its powers. He strives to 
 distract the soul from — 1) earnest thought ; 2) reading 
 and meditation ; 3) prayer. This he does by ever 
 intruding — 1) worldly thoughts in holy places and sea- 
 sons ; 2) cares, when the soul seeks rest with God ; 
 3) temptations, when the Spirit is pleading with the 
 conscience for holiness. 
 
 Epilogue. — " All things are possible to him that 
 believeth. The question is, Shall we allow Satan to 
 hinder us ? Is he our master, or is he not ? If not, 
 is God not stronger than he ? Shall he ruin me both 
 in body and in soul whilst I can help myself ? What 
 are his doubts, difficulties, and distractions, if I seek 
 
8 The Attempts of Satan, 
 
 to run with patience the race towards heaven which is 
 set hefore me, looking unto Jesus ? His blessed pre- 
 sence scatters them all to the winds. A most vain 
 excuse " I wanted to he pure and holy, but ' Satan 
 hindered me.' " No, rather I feel that " I can do all 
 things through Christ Who strengtheneth me." 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL. 
 
 " I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel." — Ezek. xxxiv. 13. 
 
 S. Augustine. — *'He appointed 'the mountains of 
 Israel,' the Authors of the divine Scriptures. Feed ye 
 there, that ye may feed securely. Whatsoever ye may 
 have thence heard, let it savour well to you ; reject 
 whatsoever is without, lest ye wander in fog. Hear 
 ye the voice of your Shepherd ; gather ye yourselves 
 together to the mountains of Holy Scripture, There, 
 are delights for your heart ; there, is nothing 
 poisonous, nothing foreign ; they are most fertile 
 pastures ; only come ye, and be ye fed upon the 
 mountains of Israel." — De Pastor, c. xi. vol. ix. p. 
 246, E. 
 
 As our Blessed Lord did afterwards- so did the 
 Prophet, speaking nearly five hundred and ninety years 
 before He came, use the outward world of nature to 
 represent the inward world of grace ; speaking pro- 
 phetically of that Good Shepherd hereafter to come 
 Who would spiritually feed His flock in those fruitful, 
 joyous, free, and open pastures, in which there would 
 
10 The Mountains of Israel. 
 
 be food enough and to spare, and all the joyousness of 
 combined holiness and knowledge. 
 
 Holy Scripture is then well likened to the '* moun- 
 tains of Israel," inasmuch as it is — 
 
 I. Pleasant. — " There are delights for your heart.** 
 A glorious feeling to roam upon the mountain-sides, 
 treading the soft herbage under foot ; inhaling the 
 light pure air ; catching the expanse and view which 
 seems to lead the soul onw^ard towards those eternal 
 realms in which the sun is ever shining, and where 
 sin, sorrow, and death never come. In Holy Scripture, 
 as upon the mountain-top — 1) we breathe a purer air 
 than belongs to this common world and life. The 
 motives and principles which it seLs before us are so 
 noble, high, and pure, that it takes us for a time away 
 from and above all the low, paltry, and petty feelings 
 and interests which so lower and mar the beauty of 
 our daily lives. We are nourished by an air so light 
 and hopeful, so untainted by the bitterness of the 
 spirit of man. 2) Upon the mountain, how expansive 
 is the vision, the gentle slopes beneath our feet ; the 
 valleys stretching far away ; the distant hills all blue 
 with sun and mist, faint emblems of God's Holy City. 
 Holy Scripture is the earliest record of man's race ; it 
 begins with the creation of the world. Embracing all 
 the past, it includes all the present ; it reaches onward 
 by its prophecy to that new heaven and new earth, in 
 
The Mountains of Israel. 11 
 
 which for ever the glorified shall tarry around the 
 throne of the Lamh. 3) How free, too, is it on the 
 hills ; room for every action ; all that cramps and 
 hinders bodily development is far removed. Holy 
 Scripture frees the soul from the bonds of superstition, 
 fear, and doubt, giving a new liberty as well as a new 
 life to the spirit, by which it becomes free indeed. 
 
 II. Harmless. — "There is nothing poisonous" or 
 harmful, upon the mountains. Over those rounded 
 hillocks of Israel, there lurk no secret dangers, no 
 hidden enemies ; life on them is as safe as it is in- 
 nocent. No secret sources of harm, no tinge of that 
 which ought not to be, can be found in Holy Scripture. 
 For — 1 ) it is perfect because inspired. There is always 
 a danger to be apprehended when the mind unduly feeds 
 upon the imperfect works of man. The highest profane 
 writer, a Plato, or a Shakespeare, leaves some traces 
 of his own dark spots upon the earnest student. 2) 
 It is infallible, it cannot err ; it can never lead astray 
 its followers. The best human systems contain some 
 mistake or error in them, which it would be deadly to 
 embrace. 
 
 III. Personal. — " There is nothing foreign," stand- 
 ing upon the mountain ; there is a feeling, '* I am 
 monarch of all I survey 5" it belongs to me. A sense 
 of personal possession accompanies such a position. 
 Holy Scripture, the more it is known, loved, and 
 
12 The Mountains of Israel. 
 
 studied, becomes the soul's very own. 1) It supplies 
 the wants of the inward man ; 2) it appeals to the 
 deeper feelings of man's highest and best nature ; 3) 
 it enters into and sympathises with all the emotions 
 of our Godlike nature. Holy Scripture is nothing, if 
 it does not satisfy the mind, develope the affections, 
 and sympathize with man's joys and sorrows. 
 
 IV. Fruitful. — " They are most fertile pastures." 
 The " hills drop fatness," fragrant with grass and sweet 
 herbs ; so is Holy Scripture most fruitful in — 1) ex- 
 amples to be followed and avoided ; 2) warnings ; 3) 
 promises to encourage and to comfort. 
 
 Epilogue. — Feed, then, upon those mountains — 1) 
 daily — 2) prayerfully — 3) reflectively. 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN PREACHER. 
 
 "Though I taught them, rising np early and teaching them, yet 
 they have not hearkened to receive instruction." — Jer. xxxii. 33. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " They who learn are Christians ; 
 they who hear and do not learn — what are they to the 
 sower ? The path does not scare the hand of the 
 sower ; the stones and thorns do not frighten him. 
 The sower throws around that which is his own. He 
 who fears lest his seed should fall into had ground, 
 will not gain the good soil. And we speak, we scatter 
 seed, we cast forth the grain, and there are those who 
 slight, who censure, who ridicule. If we feared such, 
 we should have nothing sown ; and at the season of 
 harvest nothing to eat. Therefore may the seed fall 
 upon good ground. I know that he who hears, and 
 hears well, hoth fails and profits. He fails in iniquity, 
 he profits in the truth ; he fails for this world, he 
 profits towards God." — De Dlscip. Christ, c. xiii. vol. 
 ix. p. 276, D. 
 
 The preacher asks with saddened voice, How many 
 are Christians ? How many are they who learn ? 
 
14 The Christian Preacher, 
 
 What is the number of those who slight, condemn, 
 and ridicule his hoi}- message ? The answer to these 
 questions often weighs his soul down with sorrow ; he 
 utters, in heartbroken accents, the complaint of Jere- 
 miah, " Though I taught them," etc. He longs to 
 close his mouth for ever, yet he thinks of the season 
 of the harvest — of the harvest of souls, and of the 
 fearful state of having at that time *' nothing to eat," 
 no fruit to show, for all his prayer and toil and travail, 
 in the vineyard of the Lord. That the Christian 
 preacher may, without hopelessness, hold on his course 
 — never waxing faint in energy and courage — he must 
 remember that his work is — 
 
 I. Hidden ^ — A delisjht in all work in which the 
 effect is immediate and manifest. The skill of the 
 physician cures the disease very soon and perceptibly ; 
 all men can see the cure. It is so also with the pro- 
 ducer, the painter, the sculptor, the artificer. The 
 Preacher's work is a hidden work ; it deals with souls 
 rather than with bodies — with spirit rather than with 
 matter. It appeals to feelings which are amongst the 
 most sacred and the most secret of our being. God, 
 Who alone judgeth the heart, can see the work of the 
 preacher. Men often feel acutely, are moved to the 
 very depths, and yet they give no sign. The seed is 
 really sown, albeit it is hidden in the ground : the 
 snow and frost are overlying it, yet still it is there. 
 
The Christian Preacher, 15 
 
 So is the word hidden in the soil of the sonl, cove/od 
 with the snow of convention ahty, and the frost of the 
 habit of indifference ; abiding there in secret for its 
 work to be made manifest in due time. Preaching is a 
 worlv of faith : as such it is necessarity a liidden work ; 
 hidden in — 1) its beginnings ; 2) its openitions ; 3) its 
 results. 
 
 II. Gradual. — As a rule the word sinks into the 
 soul like the leaven into the dough which it leavens 
 by slow degrees. Our words seem to fall powerless 
 and unheeded, all the time they are slowly " convert- 
 ing the soul." The greatest effects — like the physical 
 changes on the su- face of the earth — lose their marvel 
 when they are slowly produced. The gradual change 
 which may be going on before our very eyes is often 
 wholly unnoticed by us. 
 
 III. Contested. — The work of the preacher is fought 
 against — 1) by his own infirmities and sins ; 2) by 
 the worUl without, which he denounces ; 3) by the 
 world of sin within, which he detects and exposes. 
 AU these things are against us — the world, the flesh, 
 and the devil with his wiles. 
 
 IV. Eternal. — The work of the preacher is for eternity 
 and not for time. To eternity is relegated its — 1) 
 reward ; 2) issues ; 3) manifestation. The true 
 preacher looks beyond the present time and life ; he 
 dies leaving his mission largely unfulfilled ; yet at the 
 
16 The Christian Preacher. 
 
 resurrection of the just, will he be blest, and all his 
 labour fully rewarded. 
 
 Epilogue. — Let the preacher learn well, then, the 
 threefold lesson of — 1) patience ; 2) hope ; 3) 
 courage. 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 DEATH A SEPARATION. 
 
 " The Spirit shall return unto the God Who gave it." — 
 Eccles. xii. 7. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " Wherefore that which pertains to 
 the death of the body — that is the separation of the 
 mind from the body, since they who suffer it are called 
 the dying — is good for no one. For the force itself 
 by which the two are torn asunder has a harsh feeling 
 [asperum sensum] and one contrary to nature, since 
 both had been joined together and interwoven in the 
 living subject until it may die ; until all the feeling 
 may be taken away which was introduced by the 
 entrance of mind and flesh. Which entire trouble 
 sometimes one stroke of the body, or one seizure of 
 the mind stops ; nor is it even permitted to be felt, 
 coming so quickly." — De Civit Dei, lib. xiii. c. 6, 
 vol. V. p. 139, B.C. 
 
 The world is full of wonderful separations ; but that 
 which takes place between the body and the soul is 
 the most wonderful of them all. Since we shall all 
 
 
 
18 Death a Separation, 
 
 have to pass tlirougli the grave and the gate of death, 
 we cannot be too prepared for this most wonderful and 
 mysterious change. As an event so certain, and often 
 so sudden, a few thoughts about it can never be 
 unacceptable and out of place. Death comes before 
 the mind in many aspects ; but the special one to be 
 considered now, is a separation between the body and 
 the soul ; the body will return to the earth and see 
 corruption, and " the spirit shall return unto the God 
 Who gave it." We note therefore, that — 
 
 I. There is something to be separated. — Life, 
 whatever it may be, grows with the body and ends 
 with it. There is in man a something united with 
 this physical or animal life, yet above it and distinct 
 from it, which is called " spirit," or the immortal part 
 of our nature. In this " spirit of a man " dwells the 
 reason, the memory, the will, and the affections. 
 This spirit leads a life of its own ; in part independent 
 of the body. It is capable of cultivation ; it has its 
 hopes, fears, joys and sorrows quite independently of 
 the body. When the animal life is brought by disease 
 to its lowest ebb, the spiritual life, not unrarel}^, is 
 found to be at its flood and spring. The highest form 
 of life is manifested when the spirit, or mind, and the 
 body are united; working together in harmony and 
 strength. *' A sound mind in a sound body," according 
 to the old saw. Eevelation, philosophy, and reason 
 
Death a Separation. 19 
 
 all combine to bear their several testimonies to the 
 *' mind " or " spirit " which exists in man. It is the 
 possession of this which makes man — 1) Godlike ; 
 2) Progressive ; 3) Deathless. 
 
 II. Death is this separation. — Death is the "retm-n 
 of the spirit to God "Who gave it ;" the taking of the 
 spirit, and the leaving of the body. Hence death is 
 — 1) The breaking up of an old union. Mind and 
 body may have lived together for many a year ; have 
 mutually given and received much the one from the 
 other. The body too, has both educated and 
 disciplined the mind, which has gained its manifold 
 knowledge and experience through the senses of the 
 body. Yes ! the body may have been at times 
 a hard master, overbearing, if not kept in due 
 subjection, but at no time has it been an uncareful 
 one. So, through weal or woe, in sickness and 
 in health, these two companions have journeyed on 
 together, and now they are going to part company. 
 2) Death is also a change of state ; not a higher, 
 but a lower state. The " unclothed " state (2 Cor. 
 V. 4.) is not one of the highest honour. At death, 
 however, free from all impediment, the spirit returns 
 "unto the God Who gave it," and the body goes down 
 to the silent grave. A state this of wonderful life for 
 the one ; of corruption for the other. 
 
 How do they part company ? No one from the 
 
 2 
 
20 Death a Separation, 
 
 spirit- world has returned to answer this question. S. 
 Augustine says with " a harsh feeling." Others say 
 that the last sigh is one of pleasure, not of pain ; that 
 death is but the opening of the prison doors, through 
 which the disembodied soul, joyfully and eagerly wings 
 her flight ; all signs of sorrow and weakness being for 
 ever over with her. This may be so. God grant, that 
 although death is the punishment of sin, yet that it 
 may be no unpleasant thing to die. 
 
 III. This separation or death is only for a limited 
 time. — Mortality will one day be " swallowed up of 
 life." Not for ever is the body to remain in the grave ; 
 not for ever is the soul to abide in Paradise. The 
 separation, called death, will be cancelled by and at 
 a reunion, which is called "the resurrection of the 
 dead." This separation, is then, a prelude to a union ; 
 to another life which will be — 1) Immortal, as never 
 to end ; 2) Eternal, as no longer subject to change ; 
 3) Glorious, as shining with the purity and holiness 
 of the City of God. Death is truly the " corn of wheat 
 cast into the ground," which bringeth forth much 
 fruit, after many days ; which fruit consists in the 
 uniting of body and spirit more closely and enduringly 
 than ever they were before knit together. 
 
 Ejnlogue. — Such then is death, since Jesus Christ 
 by His death took away the sting of death ; and by 
 His rising from the dead; for the very body even 
 
Death a Separation. 21 
 
 changed death into a sleep. Not now to speak of the 
 unholy dead : only remember that if you would die the 
 death of Jesus Christ, if you would sleep in Him, you 
 must live His life. 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 THE TREE OF LIFE. 
 
 *' The tree of life also in the midst of the garden." — Gen. ii. 9. 
 
 >S'. Augustine. — " The tree of life planted in the 
 midst of Paradise signifies that wisdom by which the 
 mind ought to understand that it is ordered in a 
 certain middle state : that although it holds all bodily 
 nature in subjection to it, yet it considers that the 
 nature of God is above it, and that neither may it 
 decline to the right hand by arrogating to itself that 
 which does not belong to it, nor to the left, by despis- 
 ing, through carelessness, that which it is. This is 
 ' the Tree of Life,' planted in the middle of Paradise." 
 -De Gen. C. Man. lib. ii. c. 9, vol. i. p. 318, E. 
 
 "We suffer many a sorrow and commit many a sin 
 by being untrue to ourselves ; by our not remembering 
 suj[fi(;iently that " middle state " to which our spiritual 
 and higher nature belongs ; by our not partaking of 
 that '* Tree of Life," of which the fruit is that true 
 and heavenly wisdom which reveals to us that which 
 we are, as well as tells us that which we are not. 
 We all need — 
 
The Tree of Life. 23 
 
 I. A holy and lawful ])r'ule. — Pride in its true 
 sense is an attribute given by God. It is absolutely 
 essential for the maintenance of due and proper self- 
 respect. When we lose an honest pride in ourselves 
 and our belongings, we lose the respect of ourselves, 
 of others, and of God. Jesus Christ came on earth 
 to dwell in the Paradise of the soul : to be " unto us 
 wisdom" (1 Cor. i. 30), our very " Tree of Life;" 
 teaching us a fall and true knowledge of ourselves, 
 lest we should be unduly swallowed up of sorrow, or 
 by the sense of our own weakness, and of our shame. 
 The true pride of the regenerate man consists in his 
 mind, which ought to hold all bodily nature in subjec- 
 tion as being superior to it in — 1) Immortality. 
 Death, or non-existence, for a time hath passed upon 
 the body. The mind hath never forfeited its life and 
 being. Whilst the '* outward man," at a certain age, 
 must decay day by day, the mind may be gaining fresh 
 power during all this time. 2) Progress, which soon 
 reaches a definite and impassable line in the "bodily 
 nature," but in which the mind knows no let or hindrance 
 in its journey towards perfection. This unlimited capa- 
 city is the great glory of the spirit of man. 3) Victory, 
 for the mind is able to triimiph over all pain and 
 bodily infirmity, over the ghostly enemy of the body, 
 death itself ; over all the pleadings of the flesh ; over 
 all the bodily senses. That " they who are Christ's 
 
24 The Tree of Life. 
 
 have crucified the flesh, with its aff'ections and lusts." 
 4) Holiness, or the likeness to God. The bodily 
 nature must ever remain the same. The Ethiopian 
 can never change his skin, hut grace can and does 
 change the heart, and forms it anew after the image 
 and likeness of God. A lawful pride for the spirit of 
 man, when it feels that it is united with the Spirit of 
 God ; a pride which should stay the mind from all 
 that is unworthy or degrading. Hence the " Tree 
 of Life," or of wisdom, teaches man a true and holy 
 pride. 
 
 II. A due Humility. — Wisdom, the Tree of Life, 
 teaches my soul that " the nature of God is above it," 
 and immeasurably superior to it, for the soul of man 
 s — 1) created. God its Creator is Incarnate ; it is 
 but a creature, owing its life and being to Him. 
 Inconceivable distance between the Creator and the 
 creature. 2) Limited in power and knowledge ; not 
 omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. 8) In- 
 sufficient for itself, it must lean upon something 
 beyond itself, and can only be really satisfied and 
 happy when it leans upon God. 4) Dependent wholly 
 upon God, in Him it lives, moves, and has its being. 
 The more and the better the mind knows itself, the 
 more does it blush for its own weaknesses and imper- 
 fections. Hence " the Tree of Life," or of Wisdom, 
 teaches us a true humility. 
 
The Tree of Life. 25 
 
 III. A strict self -discipline, — Heavenly wisdom, our 
 Tree of Life, warns against declining to the right 
 hand or to the left ; not living a middle life between an 
 unholy pride and a craven humility, remembering that 
 " The mind created by the Highest Good is a great 
 good, but not the Highest Good ; the flesh is neither 
 the highest good, nor a great good, but a small 
 one. The mind, then, is a great good, but not the 
 highest good ; living between the Highest Good 
 and the small good ; that is, between God and the 
 flesh ; inferior to God, superior to the flesh." {S, 
 Aug. De Verb, Avost, Ser. xiii. c. 6.) Hence the 
 lessons must be learned of — 1) Moderation ; 2) Cir- 
 cumspection ; 3) Forethought in the conduct of life ; 
 that the golden means may be found out, and ever 
 be exercised. 
 
 Epilogue. — This *' Tree of Life " teaches us the 
 lessons of discipline and a right walk. Man has the 
 power of reaching, by grace, to God ; of sinking, if he 
 will to do so, to hell. Life and being are indeed a 
 fearful trust and responsibility. 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 SERMON VII. 
 
 TYPES OF THE CHUECH. 
 
 •' She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework." — 
 Ps. xlv. 14. 
 
 S. Augustine, — " The Church is that Queen con- 
 cerning whom the Lord spake these words. For She 
 is the Mother of all believers, who regenerates to 
 salvation those who are born to death ; called, indeed, 
 after the Synagogue, but promised before it." — Ser, 
 Be Temp, ccliii. vol. x. p. 261, A. 
 
 Let us follow S. Augustine, and note some few of 
 the types of the Church which are to be found in Holy 
 Scriptures. 
 
 I. Eve, — '^ The Church was prefigured by the first 
 man ; for as Eve was formed from the side of Adam, 
 so the redeemed Church sprang from the body and the 
 wound of Christ." — Ser, De Temp, ccliii. vol. x. p. 
 261, A. 
 
 Hence the Church is — 1) Human, bound up with 
 every human hope and sympathy ; 2) Divine, as formed 
 by grace and not by nature, an emblem of our own 
 new life 
 
Types of the Church. 27 
 
 II. Ahel and Seth. — '' In holy Abel was the 
 Catholic Church." — Ser. De Temp, ccxvi. vol. x. p. 
 323, C. 
 
 "From these two men, Abel, which is interpreted 
 'weeping,' and Seth, which signifies ' resm-rection,' 
 is prefigm-ed the death of Christ and His life from the 
 dead ; from which belief is produced this City of 
 G-od."— De Civit. Dei, lib. xv. c. 18, vol. v. p. 168, D. 
 
 The very existence of the Chm-ch proclaims — 1) a 
 death unto sin of the old man ; 2) a rising again to 
 newness of life. 
 
 III. The Ark of Noah. — '' A deluge was at one 
 time made over the whole earth, that sinners might 
 be blotted out, and yet they who escaped from it in 
 the Ark pointed out the Sacrament of the Church of 
 the future which now swims over the billows of the 
 world, and yet is saved from submersion by the Wood 
 of the Cross of Christ." — De Catec. Rud. c. 27, vol 
 iv. p. 272, C. 
 
 *' Without doubt it [the Ark] is a figure of the City 
 of God — that is, the Church — sojourning in this world, 
 which is saved by the wood upon which Christ hung, the 
 One Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ 
 Jesus." — De Civit. Dei, lib. xvi. c. 26, vol. v- p. 
 172, C. 
 
 Hence the Church is a place of — 1) Refuge ; 2) of 
 need, since all salvation hangs upon it. 
 
28 Types of the Church, 
 
 IV. Jerusalem, — '' This Jerusalem, Holy Chnrch, 
 the Spouse of Christ in the Apocalypse of S. John 
 is copiously and faithfully described." — C. Faust, lib. 
 XV. c. 10, vol. vi. p. 114, B. 
 
 Hence the Church is — 1) Glorious, the City of the 
 great King; 2) Free. '' The Jerusalem which is above 
 is free." (Gal. iv. 26.) 3) Holy. '' There shall enter 
 into it nothing that defileth." (Rev. xxii. 15.) 
 
 y. The Fleece of Gideon. — " The grace of the One 
 Mediator between God and man was lying hidden in 
 the people of God, but as if in a moist fleece. (Judges 
 vi. 38.) But now, as if that fleece being dry, that is, 
 the Jewish people being reprobated, amongst all 
 nations it is discerned as if exposed upon a threshing- 
 floor."— Co7zt Pel. and Cel. c. 25, vol. vii. p. 303, C. 
 
 This similitude points to an inward and an outward 
 grace in the Church. In former times, this grace was 
 — 1) limited in distinction ; 2) unknown to men ; 3) 
 inoperative. When the fleece was squeezed dry, then 
 it became — 1) unlimited in its application; 2) known 
 to all men ; 3) full of might and power. In the heart, 
 as in the Church, there often exists large measures of 
 grace and resource. The soul is a moist fleece indeed, 
 but until it is pressed by sorrow, tried, or occasions 
 the inmost grace and resource, is not known or mani- 
 fested in results. The Church has an inward as well 
 as an outward presence. 
 
Types of the Church. 29 
 
 VI. Hannah. — " Hannah, also the mother of 
 Samuel, who at first was barren, and afterwards was 
 rejoiced by becoming fraitfiil ; when exulting she 
 poured out her thanksgiving to God, is seen to 
 prophesy nothing else than this [the City of God]. 
 Hannah is interpreted * his grace,' the Christian 
 religion itself ; the City of God itself, of which Christ 
 is the Founder." — De Civ. Dei, lib. xvii. c. 4, vol. v. 
 192. 
 
 The Church is not merely a mediator and an 
 instructor, but a mother also ; who by regeneration 
 brings forth sons and daughters to God. 
 
 VI. The undejiled Dove. — {Cant. vi. 9 ; Eph. v. 
 27.) " ' For she is without spot and wrinkle :' so the 
 Apostle affirms that they alone are able to be mem- 
 bers of this dove who have renounced the world in 
 words though not in deeds." — De Baptis. lib. iv. c. iii. 
 vol. vii. p. 46, T>, 
 
 " That dove bewailing wickedness among many 
 crows." — De. Bapt. lib. v. c. 16, vol. vii. p. 56, G. 
 
 This type indicates the Church Militant to be a 
 school of holiness, in which the soul is to be prepared 
 for the society of the holy in the Church Triumphant. 
 Holiness is to be specially obtained in the Church 
 by means of — 1) Prayer; 2) Sacraments; 3) In- 
 struction. 
 
 Epilogue. — Sin is many-sided, grace is many-sided, 
 
30 Types of the Church. 
 
 and so the Church, who is the manifestation of grace 
 is many-sided too. The Church adapts herself to the 
 infinite wants of man with the one object of leading 
 many sons and daughters to glory. 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 MEMOEY. 
 
 "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord." — 
 Jonah ii. 7. 
 
 aS. AiLgust'me. — " Memory is the consort of, and 
 co-worker with, reason, since without it, reason could 
 neither proceed to the unknown, nor retain any know- 
 legde of that which is known. Memory is the power 
 which the soul has of retaining things received; of 
 reproducing the past ; of recollecting that which has 
 glided away." — De Sjnrit. et AnL c. xxxvi. vol. iii 
 p. 366, G. 
 
 " Memory is the power by which the mind recalls 
 those things which have been." — Octogint. Qacest. 
 q. xxvi. vol iv. p. 204, F. 
 
 " I beseech you, brethren, not to hear purposelessly; 
 but to hold these things, to ruminate, and hence to 
 feed upon them. The memory is to man, what the 
 stomach is to cattle. The unclean beasts do not 
 ruminate. (Deut. xiv. 6,7.) Eumination appertains to 
 those who muse afterwards upon what they have 
 heard." — Horn, xxxv. tom. x. p. 168, D. 
 
32 Memory, 
 
 *' I come next into the spacious fields and vast 
 palaces of memory ; where are treasured up number- 
 less forms and images. There all these things are 
 kept distinctly and by their several kinds. There, 
 heaven, earth, and sea are presented to me. There 
 also I meet with myself and take a review of myself, 
 what I have done, when and where and how I was 
 influenced when I did it. Great is the power of the 
 memory, exceeding great, my God ; an inward 
 room, spacious and boundless : who can sound the 
 bottom of it ? And this is a power of my soul and 
 belongs to my nature, and I myself am not able to 
 comprehend all that I myself am." — Confers, lib. x. 
 c. 8. 
 
 It is memory that colours our every thought, word, 
 and action. This great power of the soul is indeed — 
 
 I. The Child of the Past. — It is an old speculation, 
 that all knowledge is but reminiscence, the shadows 
 cast from a former time. The memory of the past 
 presents us with a mingled reflection of — 1) Joys, 
 long since departed ; of friends and scenes that can 
 return no more ; of hopes unfulfilled. By the action 
 of memory, just once again the early brightness of 
 our springtime becomes our own. 2) Sorrows, that 
 formed marked phases in our lives ; past agonies, from 
 
Memory, 33 
 
 whicli may it please God to keep us for the future. 
 3) Sins, trials, and temptations, over which we fought 
 and wrestled to our utmost. A beautiful Christmas 
 story was fomided upon the text — " Lord, keep my 
 memory green." 
 
 II. The Sister of the Present. — Almost impossible 
 to order life, if there were no experience by which we 
 could be guided. Experience is the action of memory 
 upon the present ; since experience — 1) Directs the 
 choice or selection in things which are doubtful or 
 difficult; 2) supports, under any special trouble or 
 sorrow ; 3) gives a wisdom which is all its own. It 
 has rubbed off many a prejudice ; rounded many a 
 corner ; and enlarged almost indefinitely the mind's 
 view of men and things. It is experience which gives 
 the mature wisdom of age as contrasted with the 
 rashness and folly of youth. 
 
 III. The Parent of the Futnre.— The united 
 memories of the past tinge the future with their own 
 particular hue ; for whilst memory lasts, the actions 
 of the past done long since, influence the future for 
 weal or woe. Kightly appHed, memory makes our 
 future — 1) Hopeful ; so many mercies of the past bid 
 us not despair for the future. 2) Humble ; such 
 infinite cause for humility in the manifold trans- 
 gressions and omissions which rise up in self-con- 
 demnation against us. 3) Hallowed; by its relation- 
 
 D 
 
34 Memory. 
 
 ship to all that memory points out as having gone 
 before it. 
 
 Epilogue. — Dedicate to God this glorious gift of 
 memory ; consecrate it to His service by using it — 1) 
 In earnest self-examination ; 2) in prayer for pardon 
 of past sin ; 3) as the ground of a loving and a 
 bumble faith. 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 ETERNITY. 
 
 "Eternal life."— /?om. vi. 23. 
 
 S. Augustine. — ** The word eternal is understood in 
 two significations, as the * world without end,' that is, 
 * ever, without end,' or till we may come to eternity." 
 Enarr. in Ps, cxxx. vol. viii. p. 347, G. 
 
 *' Eternity lacks beginning, needs no addition, has 
 no end, remains without change." — Sejit. iii. vol. iii. 
 p. 376, D. 
 
 " That which is unchangeable is eternal, for it is 
 ever in the same state. But whatsoever is changeable 
 is subject to time, for it is not ever in the same state, 
 and therefore cannot rightly be called eternal. That 
 which is changed does not remain ; and that which 
 does not remain is not eternal. Therefore there is a 
 difference between the immortal and the eternal ; be 
 cause everything which is eternal is immortal, but not 
 everything which is immortal can exactly be called 
 eternal. If anything should live for ever yet suffer 
 change, it cannot rightly be called eternal, since it 
 
 D 2 
 
36 Eternity, 
 
 continues not for ever in the same state, although it 
 can rightly be called immortal since it ever lives. But 
 sometimes it is called eternal because it is immortal. 
 That is properly called eternal when it has no past, as 
 if it had passed on ; no future, as if it had not yet 
 attained — but that which it is, it is that alone." — 
 Octogint, Quccst. qu., xix. vol. iv. p. 206, A» 
 
 " Eternal life," in its highest and truest significance, 
 is a changeless life ; a condition of absolute and per- 
 fect rest. If deathlessness could be granted to us in 
 this world, how wretched should we be. The myth of 
 Tithonus shows how miserable would be immortality 
 without eternity ; how absolutely terrible it would be to 
 be subject to change and decay, and yet not to be able 
 to die. The immortal life in heaven does not consist 
 merely in living on, but in living a changeless, that is, 
 an eternal life. 
 
 This eternity or unchangeableness can be considered 
 in relation to — 
 
 I. State. — Here we are ever changing. The habits 
 of our bodies ; our tastes, our pursuits ; our very 
 dwelling-places ; and each and every change is like 
 turning over some new page in the book of life ; it is a 
 fresh beginning ; it gathers around it a new cluster of 
 associations. If there were absolutely no changes in 
 this world, life would be wearisomely monotonous, 
 
Eternity. 37 
 
 and this because it is an imperfect life and state ; but 
 when it is perfect — then the changeless state woiiH in 
 itself be an eternity of bliss. The eternal state is 
 perfect in respect of — 1) Life ; 2) Happiness ; 3) 
 Glory. 
 
 II. Employment. — One eternal employment in the 
 deathless life ; one of which the soul will never tire 
 because it cannot do so. This employment will 
 consist in — 1) Loving God, with all the fulness of the 
 renewed affections; 2) Praising Him with all the 
 power of the soul ; 3) Serving Him with every energy 
 of a strengthened and purified will. Eternal love and 
 praise and service will form the emplojanent of eternal 
 blessedness "for ever and ever." 
 
 III. Companionship. — The ties of heaven unlike 
 the ties of earth will last for ever ; no weariness 
 amongst the mutual company of that throng of 
 redeemed men and angelic natures. Eternal, and 
 because eternal, they will be unchangeable in their 
 fellowship, having a common — 1) Interest; the joy of 
 one will be the joy of all. 2) Nature ; subject to like 
 conditions of existence, all being ' children of the Most 
 Highest,' 3) Service ; the King of kings and Lord of 
 lords. 
 
 Epilogue. — Our Blessed Lord became Incarnate not 
 only to render this " eternal life " possible to us — to 
 procure for us this changeless immortality of bliss — 
 
bd Eternity, 
 
 but to show us how it may, nay must, become our 
 state when we die. " Eternal life " is in this twofold 
 sense, '* through Jesus Christ our Lord." We are 
 bound to love and follow Jesus Christ living as eternal 
 ones, as far as may be; casting the shadow of immor- 
 tality over all our footsteps. Then shall death be 
 neither a sepaTation or a change, but the completion 
 of the present state, service, and companionship. 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 THE PREACHER OF THE WORLD. 
 
 ♦' Never man spake like this man." — S. Johii vii. 46. 
 
 S, Augustine. — " The Preacher of the world, from 
 a certain watch-tower of high authority, cries aloud : 
 ' Hear, human race ! hearken, ye sons of Adam ! 
 listen, ye people, laborious and unfruitful !' " — Be 
 Verb. Apost. Ser. xxii. vol. x. p. 126, A. 
 
 The " Preacher of the world " is a true and noble 
 title for our Blessed Lord whilst He was on earth. 
 The world has known some few gi-eat preachers and 
 teachers between Noah and Socrates — earnest, noble, 
 prophetic souls, in whom were hearts throbbing with 
 the pulse of humanity — men who fulfilled a noble 
 mission during life, and a still nobler mission when 
 they died. Despite their greatness and their goodness, 
 they were but preachers, speaking in their own name, 
 to the immediate age in which they lived ; to certain 
 classes only of their fellow-men. Jesus Christ stands 
 out alone, as being not only a, but " the Preacher of 
 the World," Whose preaching has three notes or marks 
 
40 The Preacher of the World, 
 
 which are essentially peculiar to it. The '* Preacher 
 of the World" preached — 
 
 I. With authority . — All human preaching must be 
 tinged with many a doubtful thought or expression; 
 it must partake in some degree of that error and 
 infirmity which is ever present with all human thoughts, 
 words, and works. The *' Preacher of the world " 
 taught with authority (S. Matt. vii. 29) and not as 
 the Scribes. There was nothing tentative or specula- 
 tive in His teaching ; it conveyed the assured message 
 of one who was fully invested with power to deliver it. 
 The authority flowed — 1) From the '' Preacher of the 
 World " Himself : He was divine as well as human. 
 In His case it was not merely a fallible yet earnest 
 man pleading with his fellows : it was the infallible 
 Word of God — the Creator and the future Eedeemer 
 of the world, in Whom were hid '' all the treasures of 
 wisdom and knowledge " — it was the very " Way, 
 the Truth, and the Life," in bodily form proclaiming 
 Himself. 2) The divine authority of the message : 
 " As My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things." 
 (S. John viii. 28.) It was a message of God, delivered 
 from God to man by the mouth of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; for " the Lord hath spoken " a message by 
 which man was to be an infinite gainer. 3) Supported 
 by the divine testimony of miracles : the Word was 
 confirmed by many miracles, by signs and wonders 
 
The Preacher of the World, 41 
 
 such as alone could come from God. The Preacher of 
 the World was authoritative in His Person, message, 
 and testimonies. 
 
 II. For all time, — All merely human teachings and 
 preachings are only of value, or of primary value, at 
 least, when they were first delivered. Their chief 
 relationship was with existent circumstances, which 
 soon pass away. The difficulties and troubles of their 
 day are not the doubts and difficulties of our day. 
 Hence all such preaching, after a certain time, loses 
 its full force and significance. From the Incarnation 
 to the end of the world, the relationship between God 
 and man will remain inviolate ; hence the preaching 
 of the Lord sounds as fresh in our ears now as it did 
 to the men who heard Him in the flesh eighteen 
 hundred years ago. His words. His discourses, and 
 His parables apply not to one age alone, they are for 
 all time ; as fresh and to the purpose now as they ever 
 were. " The Preacher of the World " embraces in His 
 preaching — 1) The past, the present, and the future ; 
 2) the fulness of the unchangeable mind of God ; 3) 
 the unalterable conditions of sin and weakness which 
 are attached to man so long as he is in this present 
 life. 
 
 III. For all estates and conditions of men. — " The 
 Preacherof the World" was not a preacher for a class. 
 His words come home alike to rich and poor, learned 
 
42 The Preacher of the World, 
 
 and ignorant, holy and profane ; to those in joy, and 
 those in sorrow. Hence His preaching was thoroughly 
 and essentially catholic. It is capable of melting all 
 hearts ; being — 1) Earnest, almost to fearlessness. 
 His Life, Words, and Passion, seemed to be all one. 
 2) Simple, in expression, yet capable of an indefinite 
 expansion of meaning. 3) Loving, so as to draw 
 souls by the bands of love. 
 
 Epilogue. — He through His ministers is preaching 
 now. How do His words fall upon the souls that 
 hear. 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 SERMON XI. 
 
 THE BURDENS OF LIFE. 
 
 "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ." 
 —Gal. vi. 2. 
 
 S» Augustine, — '^ If ' every man shall bear his own 
 burden' (Gal. vi. 5) how can He say, ' Bear ye one 
 another's burdens,' unless these burdens are to be 
 distinguished, or we deem that the Apostle contra- 
 dicted himself? For not afar off, not in another 
 epistle, not even in the same epistle either much 
 before or after this, but in the same place, so that 
 they are adjoining words he places both these com- 
 mands, and because each one will have to bear his 
 own burden, he admonished and exhorted us to bear 
 one another's burdens. There are therefore some 
 burdens which each carries for himself; he neither 
 bears it with another nor casts it upon another. There 
 are other burdens, concerning which you can rightly 
 say to a brother, ' I bear it with you,' or * I bear it 
 for you.' Against those who were thinking that a 
 man could be defiled by another's sins, the Apostle 
 
44 The Burdens of Life. 
 
 asserted ^ every man shall bear his own burden.' On 
 the other hand, against those whom negligence might 
 affect, as being themselves secm*e that they would not 
 be defiled by other's sins, and so should take no 
 trouble to bear any one else, the Apostle says : ' Bear 
 ye one another's burdens.' It is briefly spoken of and 
 briefly distinguished, and, as far as I can judge, this 
 brevity does not hinder the manifestation of the truth. 
 The burdens which each man bears are his own sins." 
 — De Verb, Apost. Ser. xxi. vol. x. p. 223, Gr. 
 
 The seeming paradox that we are both commanded 
 to bear one another's burdens, and every man to bear 
 his own burden, is explained when the difference 
 between the burdens is allowed for. These "burdens '' 
 resolve themselves into three classes : those which 
 have to be — 
 
 I. Borne alone. — Every man has to bear some load 
 which he ever carries with him. It is one great work 
 of sin, that it lays a heavy burden upon the heart and 
 conscience of man. Sin is a load or freight, w^hich 
 the sinner carries with him whithersoever he goes ; a 
 load that depresses the spirit and weighs down the 
 mind. Hence vdien the Apostle says "Everyman 
 shall bear his own burden," he makes use of a par- 
 ticular word {ijkortion) to express that burden. The 
 
The Burdens of Life, 45 
 
 pardoned sinner has still to carry a certain load of — 
 1) Eemorse and sorrow ; not altogether for what he is 
 now that the sin is forgiven, but for wiiat he might 
 have been had there been no sin to forgive. Sorrow 
 for the loss of so much love and grace, health, 
 strength, time, and opportunity which some special 
 habit of sin tempted him to either neglect or abuse. 
 The soul is truly thankful for the Lord's present 
 mercy and salvation, but not the less will it ever 
 mourn over a past now beyond recall. 2) Failure, or 
 disappointment. The early dreams and plans of life 
 are all unrealized. * I am not that which I once hoped 
 to be. I have failed in much that I once thought it 
 was in my power to accomplish. I have no ground to 
 attribute this failure to any one but myself, mine was 
 the failure and mine alone ; it is, therefore, my lot to 
 carry with me through life my sense of it.' 3) Humi- 
 liation. A sense of regret and of failure cannot but 
 bring a feeling of humiliation with it. So humbling 
 is it to find the ideal life all unrealized ; that God's 
 gifts, whether of nature or of grace, have not produced 
 their appointed and proper fruit. 
 
 II. Borne ivith others. — It is a- blessed ordination 
 of Divine providence that men and women should help 
 each other as they mutually walk along the pathway 
 of life. We can all help to bear one another's burdens 
 by our — 1) Sympathy. A joy is only half a joy when 
 
46 The Burdens of Life. 
 
 it is locked in the recesses of a single breast. It 
 expands as it becomes shared in by participation. A 
 sorrow is doubly hard to carry when there is no loving 
 ear into which the grief can be poured. Sympathy 
 wonderfully lightens the burden of life. 2) Ministra- 
 tions of time, knowledge, money, or labour. We all 
 of us have it in our power to render no slight help to 
 otliers ; to bear with them no inconsiderable portion 
 of their burden if we are minded so to do. Woe unto 
 us, if wTapped up in selfishness, the voice of a brother 
 or a sister pleads in vain for help from us. This 
 helping of others and bearing of their burdens with 
 them is, when rightly viewed a — 1) Privilege; 2) 
 Eesponsibility ; 3) Most fruitful source of joy to the 
 helper. 
 
 III. Borne for others. — This is the noblest form of 
 ministration to others ; when we bear for them that 
 which they are utterly unable to bear for themselves. 
 Seen — 1) on earth in the care bestowed upon the 
 young and the infirm ; 2) in heaven in the person of 
 Jesus Christ " Who had borne our griefs and carried 
 our sorrows." Who bids all that " labour and are 
 heavy laden " come to Him. Who sufi'ered, the just 
 for the unjust that He might bring us unto God. He 
 takes my sin upon Himself and gives me holiness ; 
 He takes my death and gives me everlasting life. In 
 this respect as in every other He is my great example. 
 
The Burdens of Life, 47 
 
 Epilogue. — 1) Be careful, not by sin to add *^one jot 
 or tittle " more to 3'our own burden. 2) Add not by 
 your example or conduct in any degree to the burdens 
 of others. 3) Seek to enter into another's life, and 
 so abundantly you will be blessed in your own. 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 SOME NOTES OF THE ELECT. 
 
 *' Bring of the fish which ye have now caught." — S. John xxi. 10. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " This is a great mystery in this 
 great Gospel of John. Since there were seven 
 disciples engaged in this fishing, these by their 
 number, seven, signify the end of time. To this 
 period belongs the standing of Jesus on the shore in 
 the morning ; for the shore is the end of the sea, and 
 therefore it signifies the end of the world, which is also 
 expressed by Peter who ' drew the net to land.' 
 This the Lord explained in another place (S. Matt, 
 xiii. 48) when the drag-net was cast into the sea, ' So 
 shall it be at the end of the world.' That was a 
 parable, but in this Gospel it is an act, as it will be at 
 the end of the world. The Lord by another fishing 
 signified the Church as she now is. The former 
 fishing He performed at the beginning of His 
 preaching ; the latter after His Eesurrection ; the 
 former capture of fishes signifies both the bad and 
 the good, such as the Church now takes ; the latter 
 
Some Notes of the Elect. 49 
 
 the good alone which she will hold for ever, complete 
 in the end of the world by the resurrection of the 
 dead. Lastly, Jesus did not there, as here, stand 
 upon the shore. (S. Luke v. 3.) There, the capture 
 of fishes was made in the ships, and not as here did 
 they drag the net to land. By these tokens, by any 
 others which may be noted ; there the Church in this 
 world, and here the Church at the end of the world is 
 prefigured : therefore, that fishing was made before, 
 and this one after, the resurrection of the Lord ; for 
 there Christ signified the called, here the raised from 
 the dead. There the nets are not cast on the rioht 
 side, lest they should signify the good only ; nor on 
 the left side, lest they should signify the bad only; 
 but indifferently He said, ' Let down your nets ' (S. 
 Luke V. 4), that we may understand a mixture of good 
 and evil. Here He said, ' Cast the net on the right 
 side of the ship,' since He would signify those who 
 will stand at the right hand (S. Matt. xxv. 33), the 
 good alone. There on account of the schisms which 
 are signified ' their net brake ;' but here, since in this 
 highest peace of the holy there will be no schisms, it 
 belonged to the Evangelist to relate that ' for all there 
 were so many, yet was not the net broken.' There, 
 
 E 
 
60 Some Notes of the Elect. 
 
 was taken '' so great a multitude of fishes that both 
 the ships began to sink," for they were not swamped, 
 but only in great danger. So is the Church endangered 
 when her discipline is imperilled by the entrance of a 
 man with habits wholly alien to the walk of the Saints. 
 What is the meaning of ' they were not able to draw 
 it ' save that those who pertain to the resurrection of 
 life, that is to to the right hand ; and who enter with 
 the net of the Christian name, will only appear on 
 the shore at the end of the world, when they shall 
 have risen from the dead. Therefore they were not 
 able to draw the net that they might place in the ship 
 the fishes which they had taken, as it was done by the 
 others, by whom the net was broken and the ships 
 burdened. But the Church holds these right hand 
 ones, after the end of this life, in a sleep of peace as 
 in the deep, lying ]jid until the net comes to the shore 
 whither it will be drawn. In the former fishing, the 
 number was not mentioned ; in the latter, the number 
 of the fishes is ' one hundred and fifty three.' Ten is 
 the number of the law, the Holy Spirit adds to it 
 seven, the number of grace ; which number seventeen 
 makes when multiplied by nine, one hundred and 
 fifty three. In the first fishing there was ' a great 
 
Some Notes of the Elect. 51 
 
 multitude of fishes,' in the last a definite number of 
 ' great fishes/ for ' whoso shall do and teach My 
 commandments, the same shall be called great in the 
 Kingdom of Heaven.' (S. Matt. y. 19.) And because 
 he will be great here, he will be great there, where 
 * he that is least ' will find no place." — Tract in Joan. 
 cxxii. vol. ix. p. 202, B— H. 
 
 Comparing then the two miraculous draughts of 
 fishes with the Parable of the Net (S. Matt. xiii. 47- 
 50), we find three certain notes given to us of the elect ; 
 notes by which we can in some degree estimate our 
 own spiritual estate. The finally elect, those who are 
 gathered into the Church triumphant are — 
 
 I. Safe. — Our baptismal calling and election is 
 ■well represented by the first miraculous draught of the 
 disciples, when —1) " their net brake " (S. Luke v. 6) 
 and many fishes fell back again into the sea. Alas ! 
 how many baptized Christians fall away from grace. 
 The drag-net of the Church is broken by schism, and 
 the fishes fall away from their " one Lord, one faith, 
 one baptism," from their '' first love ;" fall away into 
 — a) Superstition ; h) Infidelity. In the former case, 
 placing experience before sacrament; the subjective 
 before the objective ; and in the latter, giving up aU 
 faith, love, and holiness. The net which holds the 
 finally elect stands intact; ''and for all there were so 
 
 E 2 
 
52 Some Notes of the Elect. 
 
 maijy, yet was not the net broken." (S. John xxi. 11.) 
 2) The fishes were but taken into a ship (S. Luke v. 
 7) which was all but sinking. Full of human infirmity 
 and imperfection are all earthly dispensations and 
 conditions. How often the elect soul ''begins to 
 sink " under sorrow, and temptation ; the proud 
 waters have well nigh gone over such a soul to its 
 destruction. The experience of each member of the 
 Church Triumphant must be, ' once I began to sink 
 under my weight of sin, sorrow, trial, and tempta- 
 tion ; but now the final shore is reached, the net has 
 been drawn to land.' (S. John xxi. 11.) Not one 
 billow more, not one storm, shall ever break over that 
 devoted head, which is now safely landed on the shore 
 of Paradise. Let each one strive to make his calling 
 and election sure, remembering that a state of gi-ace 
 is alone a state of safety. 
 
 11. Perfect. — The net of general election is let 
 down any way, but the net which takes the finally 
 elect is — 1) Let down on the right side of the ship 
 (S. John xxi. 6), which corresponds to the right hand 
 of the Judge. (S. Matt. xxv. 33.) The righteous alone 
 enter into it ; they only who love and care for that which 
 is heavenly and divine. 2) The net was " full of great 
 fishes," of those good and perfect ones called "great" 
 as both knowing and doing their Father's will. 
 (S. Matt. V. 19.) Loving, and desiring, and doing that 
 
Some Notes of the Elect. 53 
 
 which is holy, we shall be found on the right side of 
 the ship, and as '' great fishes " and perfect will enter 
 into the joy of the Lord. 
 
 III. Separated, — At the first draught good and bad 
 were alike taken ; now only the good, which in the 
 parable (S. Matt. xiii. 48) alone are '' gathered into 
 vessels," A complete and final separation. Now we 
 must separate from — 1) Sinful thoughts; 2) words; 
 -8) deeds ; 4) desires. Touch not the unclean thing. 
 
 Epilof/ite, — Seek by holiness of life to become 
 sealed, whilst members of the Church Militant, with 
 this threefold sealing of the elect, which appertains to 
 the Church Triumphant. 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 THE NEW. 
 
 " Behold, I make all things new." — JRev. xx 5. 
 
 S. Augustine, — ''Haying assumed manhood, ought 
 He to have created another world that we might 
 believe Him to be the Creator of the world? But 
 neither a greater world nor one equal to this could be 
 made in this world. Wherefore it was not needful 
 that He should make a new world, but that He should 
 create new things in the world. For a man to be bom 
 of a Virgin, raised from the dead to eternal life, and 
 exalted above the heavens, is perhaps a more powerful 
 work than making a world." — Epist. ad Volii. vol. ii. 
 p. 6. C. 
 
 The pre-incarnate work of Jesus Christ was to make 
 all things of nothing (S. John i. 3), to call into being 
 that which heretofore had not been. The Incarnate 
 work of the Son of God, was to instaurate and renew 
 that which so long ago He had once made. If the 
 former work were the more wonderful, the latter was 
 
The Neiv, 55 
 
 the more glorious ; if the former was more divine, the 
 latter was not less divine but human also. What are 
 these new things which Jesus Christ made in the 
 world ? Earth and air and sky ; the sun and moon 
 and stars, remain as they were at the beginning. 
 The rainbow now, as then, brings a glory out of storm. 
 Save in the case of the risen body. His " new things " 
 are spiritual, not material ; and relate to the world 
 which is invisible rather than to things which can be 
 seen and handled. 
 
 Jesus Christ came into this world to give to man — 
 
 I. New Hopes. — Men were very hopeless just at 
 the time of the Incarnation. The old rehgions of 
 heathendom v/ere worn out ; and the law "vvas 
 swallowed up by and lost in vain traditions ; all belief 
 was darkened by a Sadducean spirit. So Jesus Christ 
 came upon earth to give to men— 1) A present peace, 
 in which, resting upon Him, the turmoils and 
 pleadings of the heart would be stilled. 2) A future 
 glory and happiness. He came not only to open the 
 Kingdom of Heaven to man, but to bring it in part 
 down to man on earth. He is the '^ Kingdom of 
 Heaven," and He became in man the hope of glory. 
 It behoveth all who participate in these hopes to purify 
 themselves as He is pure. 
 
 II. New Principles of Action, — Jesus Christ 
 dissipated the old notions of honour, revenge, and 
 
56 The New. 
 
 right against might, and numberless like false opinions 
 and practices. The three great principles which He 
 taught, were — 1) Love and mercy, as against all the 
 old penal codes. 2) Sincerity in the action of the 
 heart, as well as of the mouth and hand; " Woe unto 
 you, ye hypocrites." 3) Faith, a firm trust and con 
 fidence in the higher powder and righteous dealings of 
 God. 
 
 III. Neiv Grace and Powers. — " Grace came by 
 Jesus Christ." (S. John i. 17.) Hence a new power 
 was given to man by means of which he — 1) Could 
 overcome sin, " perfecting holiness in the fear of God.* 
 Now the fetters were burst asunder, and the prison 
 doors were thrown wide open. 2) Could in part 
 know and understand God by a new gift of heavenly 
 wisdom. He " was made unto us wdsdom and 
 righteousness." 
 
 Epilogue. — Jesus Christ hath given to you a new 
 life, new hopes, principles, and powers. Are ye 
 '^renewed in the Spirit of your minds V 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 OFFEKINGS TO GOD. 
 
 "None shall appear before Me empty." — Exod. xxxiv, 20. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " That Zacchseus might come to 
 God, he gave the ' half of his goods' (S. Luke xix. 8) ; 
 that Peter might come, he relinquished his ship and 
 his nets (S. Matt. iv. 22) ; that the widow might come, 
 she gave ' two mites ' (S. Luke xxi. 2) ; that one 
 still poorer might come, He held out the ' cup of cold 
 water ' (S. Matt. x. 42) ; that the wholly poor and 
 needy might come, He bestowed goodwill alone. 
 They gave different things, but they came to on© 
 Person." — De Ovih. c. xvi. vol. ix. p. 256, E. 
 
 So provision is made that no one shall come to God 
 without an offering ; that the law of Sinai and of 
 Horeb (Deut. xvi. 16) might be fulfilled by Christians 
 till the end of time. The Church of Jesus Christ 
 accepted the law as laid down for her elder sister of 
 Jerusalem (1 Cor. xvi. 2), and in the Primitive Church 
 weekly offerings were made unto God by all His 
 
58 Offerings to God. 
 
 worshippers. Not that God — to Whom all things 
 belong — ever conkl have any need at the hand of man; 
 but that rather by such offerings, man might render to 
 God "that bounden duty and service" which it 
 becomes a creature, a subject, and a servant to render 
 to his Creator, to his King, and to his Redeemer. 
 For the sake of man, and not for Himself, did God 
 give the command, " None shall appear before Me 
 empty," on this most solemn occasion, by His servant 
 Moses ; whilst it was reserved for a great Father of the 
 Church to point out in what way the command could 
 by all be literally fulfilled. Man is bidden to bring 
 his offerings to God as an act of — 
 
 I. Diiti/ and Obedience. — Simply because God wills 
 that we should do so. How much thought, care, and 
 vain speculation would be avoided if the commands of 
 God were obeyed — 1) Immediately, without any pause 
 or hesitancy of mind; 2) Humbly, as feeling 
 thoroughly confident that God knows far better than 
 do we ourselves, what is best for us ; 8) Cheerfully, 
 feeling sure that God not only knows what is best for 
 us, but ever acts towards us for the best. There can 
 be no loss in keeping God's commandments. 
 
 II. Discipline. — There is a certain discipline in- 
 volved in giving to God, for no God-fearing man would 
 dare to offer to God that which cost him nothing ; 
 would dare, after making his own meal, to throw to 
 
Offerings to God, 59 
 
 God the crumbs which had fallen from his table. Yet 
 many so act ; they grudge God anything which they 
 themselves value. The command was given to teach 
 man — 1) The duty of self-sacrifice ; 2) Of faith, or 
 of trusting in God to repay that which is lent to Him ; 
 3) Of obedience, as implying the submission of man's 
 will to His own. 
 
 ni. Worsldp. — An instinct not to come empty- 
 handed into God's House or Presence ; one acted upon 
 by the Magi. Oblations or offerings were ever joined 
 with prayers. While we ask of God, we are bound to 
 lend our help towards carrying on His work in the 
 world. Such offerings are a pledge of the sincerity of 
 our worship, that it is not — 1) mere lip-service; 2) 
 formal ; 3) careless ; but worthy of some recom- 
 pense, such joy and gladness does it bring to the 
 soul. 
 
 IV. Love. — We love God, and therefore feel that 
 we can never do enough for Him. Love prompts us 
 to offer — 1) Liberally, to the extent of our means ; 
 2) gladly, with a glad heart ; 3) prayerfully, that our 
 gifts may be both blessed and accepted. 
 
 Epilogue. — " None shall appear before me empty." 
 AU have something to bring ; for the empty-handed 
 no excuse will be allowed at the last day. 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN'S SUNSET. 
 
 " Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." — E})]!. iv. 26. 
 
 S. Angust'me. — " This is to be received as spoken 
 in a sacrament or mystery, for it is not to be under- 
 stood of that sun which has a certain sublimity 
 amongst the visible heavenly bodies ; which can be 
 seen alike both b}^ ourselves and the beasts ; but of 
 that sun which the pure hearts of the faithful alone 
 see, as it is said ' that was the true light, which 
 lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' (S. 
 John i. 9.) It is the light, truly, of justice and 
 wisdom, which the mind ceases to see when by the 
 perturbation of anger it shall have become as it were 
 surmounted by a cloud, and then it is as if the sun 
 set upon the wrath of man." — Ser. de Diver, xxii. 
 vol. X. p. 433, D. 
 
 One object of our Blessed Lord's coming into the 
 world, was to bring light and sunshine to men's 
 hearts ; that the nations which sat in darkness might 
 
The Christkui's Sunset. 61 
 
 see the " great light" (S. Matt. iv. 16) of Him Who 
 said, " I am the light of the world." (S. John viii. 12; 
 ix. 5 ; xii. 46.) Hence the prophecy ; '^ To those that 
 fear My Name shall the Sun of Eighteonsness arise 
 with healing in His wings." (Mai. vi. 2.) As the 
 natural sun — 1) Warms the earth and fertilizes it, so 
 does the Spiritual Sun warm and fertilize the soul. 
 2) Makes all things bright with its own glory ; so 
 does this other Sun glorify and brighten our common 
 life. 3) Drives away all the shades and powers of 
 darkness; so does ''the Sun of Kighteousness " 
 dispel doubt, sorrow, and fear, bringing gladness in its 
 train. 
 
 Jesus Christ shines upon the faithful as the sun — 
 I. Lovingly. — AYith no angered and darkened face 
 did Jesus Christ look down upon this world, but with 
 one full of sorrow and of love. Of sorrow for all that 
 man was called upon to suffer ; of love, inasmuch as 
 man was very dear to Himself. They who now walk 
 worthily, look up with the eye of faith, and behold that 
 loving Sun still shining upon them. As such, it brings 
 to the mind — 1) Peace; 2) Hope; 3) Glory; 
 gilding this common life with its bright rays. It 
 brings Jesus Christ home to the soul as our peace, 
 our hope, our glory, and exceeding great reward. 
 
 n. Ever Shining. — Unlike the natural sun which 
 departs leaving darkness in its train, this Sun never 
 
62 The Christian's Sunset. 
 
 sets. It maketh all our darkness to be light, and 
 enligliteneth the very valley of the shadow of death. 
 It never sinks beloT the horizon of the eye of faith, 
 unless— 1) Man turns away from it; 2) obscures it 
 by the clouds of sin ; 3) by desperation, plunges the 
 soul in the depths of doubt. 
 
 III. Healing. — The natural sun sometimes — 1) 
 Scorches and burns up : the Spiritual Sun never puts 
 forth more heat than the weak soul can bear to 
 endure ; it warms, but does not dry up the heart. 
 2) Dazzles, by its excessive splendour. Jesus Christ 
 shines only as men can bear His light. 3) Fatigues, 
 shade is so welcome to the weary. This other Sun 
 invigorates alone. 
 
 Epilogue. — Let not the True, Spiritual Sun go 
 down upon your sin, your sorrow, and your doubt. 
 Pray against a heart which is cold, dull, and dark. 
 Part with all else, rather than with this sunshine of 
 the soul. They are startling words to ring in man's 
 ears, " If therefore the light that is in thee be dark- 
 ness, how great is that darkness !" (S. Matt. vi. 23.) 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 SERMON XVI. 
 
 THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW. 
 
 " Put off concerninp; the former conversation, the old man .... 
 put on the new man." — Ephes. iv. 22-24. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " The temporal dispensation and 
 medicine of Divine Providence towards those who have 
 merited mortality hy sin, is thus delivered. The 
 nature and bringing up of every man horn is thus 
 designed. The first age, infancy, is to be entirely 
 forgotten by the growing one. Childhood follows this, 
 in which we begin to remember somewhat. To this 
 succeeds youth ; after the labours of which, some peace 
 is granted to the more advanced age which, through 
 weakness and disease, leads to death. This is the 
 life of a living man who is bound up in the body and 
 w^ith the desires of earthly things. He is called the 
 ^ old man,' and the ' outward man,' and the * earthly 
 man;" although he may gain somewhat of that which 
 is commonly called happiness. Some from the 
 beginning of this life to its end, live only in it ; 
 
64 The Old Man and the New. 
 
 whilst others beginning necessarily from it are new- 
 born within, and spoil and slay these other parts, by 
 their spiritual strength, and by the increases of wisdom; 
 and they bind themselves by the heavenly laws until 
 death, after which, the whole will be renewed. This 
 one is called the ' new man,' the ' inward man,' and 
 the ' heavenly man,' having his certain distinct 
 spiritual ages, not according to the proportion of years, 
 but of advances. The first in the fruitful examples of 
 useful history. The second in the forgetfulness of 
 things human and the stretching forth to those which 
 are divine. The third, marrying and rejoicing the 
 more trusting and carnal appetite, by the power of 
 reason within, in a certain sweet wedlock ; when soul 
 is joined to mind and overshadowed by the veil of 
 modesty, so that now it is not forced to live rightly, 
 but although all consent, it does not please to sin. 
 The fourth, more firmly and more ordered in the doing 
 and shining in perfect manhood ; apt and fitted for 
 sustaining and dispersing all the persecutions, tem- 
 pests, and billows of this world. The fifth, at peace 
 and tranquil in every part, looking at the wealth and 
 abundance of the unchangeable Kingdom and of the 
 highest and ineffable wisdom. The sixth, of every 
 
The Old Man and the Neiv. 65 
 
 kind of change towards life eternal, even to the total 
 forgetfuluess of temporal life, passing over to the 
 perfect form which is made after the image and simili- 
 tude of God. The seventh is eternal rest and 
 perpetual blessedness distinguished by no ages. For 
 as the end of ' the old man ' is death, so the end of 
 * the new man ' is life eternal ; the one is the man of 
 sin, the other is the man of righteousness." — De Vera 
 Relig. cxxvi. vol. i. p. 275, H. 
 
 The advance in the Spiritual life, which is allegori- 
 cally expressed by the putting off of the old man and 
 the putting on of the new, implies four primary 
 conditions. 
 
 I. An Endeavour. — The soul has long been sleeping 
 in the lethargy of indifierence and sin ; it has failed 
 to gain its due and proper powers from the quickening 
 energy of love and grace. The old unregenerate life, 
 nature, and desires, have been sufhcient for it. An 
 awakening is now taking place ; the chrysalis is 
 passing into the winged insect; to mount aloft on 
 wings by which it can visit scenes of glory and of 
 beauty. It feels now, for the first time, its own great 
 — 1) need ; 2) imperfection ; and 3) desu*e. A need 
 of something that it has not, yet it ought to have ; an 
 imperfection, inasmuch as its powers are crippled and 
 unable to supply its want ; a desire to transgress the 
 
66 The Old Man and the Neiv. 
 
 old boundaries of its experience and its feelings, to 
 reach forward towards those high and heavenly things 
 which are before. 
 
 II. A Union, — In which the spirit and sonl are 
 united and made one with the Spirit of God. (1 Cor. 
 yi. 17.) This union is — 1) stronger than any mere 
 earthly tie (Kom. viii. 35) ; 2) more enduring, it 
 cannot be dissolved by death ; 3) more ennobling, 
 since it joins the soul to the Highest Goodness. Of 
 such a soul, which has become the bride of Jesus 
 Christ, it is true, that "old things are passed away." 
 
 III. An Endurance. — This indicates the spiritual 
 manhood. A time of sore temptation, care, and 
 trouble ; a season in which must be borne the fall 
 heat and burden of the day. The strength given from 
 above enables it, when temptation or sorrow come 
 • — 1) to meet it boldly ; 2) to sustain it nobly ; 3) 
 to conquer it entirely. 
 
 IV. A rest and quietude. — This is when the " new 
 man " in the maturer age of its experience has become 
 — 1) conformed to God ; 2) confident toward God ; 
 8) joyful in God. (Rom. v. 2.) 
 
 Epilogue, — Seek to gain these successive growths in 
 grace, by which the " new man " may be developed 
 and strengthened until it attain to measure of the 
 stature of the fulness of Jesus Christ. 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 FEAR. 
 
 •' I know not the man." — S. Matt. xxvi. 74. 
 
 S, Augustine. — " What dost thou, Peter, what 
 speakest thou ? Thy voice is suddenly changed. Who 
 is it that asketh thee, that thou hast so quickly 
 answered ? Not a slave ; not a freedwoman ; not a 
 Pharisee ; not a Scribe ; not a priest ; not a soldier ; 
 not a centurion ; not an archer ; not one who by his 
 rule could inspire dread in one confessing. Not a 
 woman only, but a girl, and not only a girl, but a door- 
 keeper, doubtless a vile and abject dependant. 
 thing of wonder ! A girl approaching dashed in pieces 
 the faith of Peter, and pierced the wonderful solidity 
 of Peter, not by a whirlwind, not by a shower, but by 
 the smallest drop of dew. Peter could not endure the 
 b*p of a girl ; when she spoke he was troubled. The 
 discourse of the girl continued, and the immoveable 
 column was shaken." — De Temp, Ser. cxxvi. vol. x, 
 p. 278, B.C. 
 
 F 2 
 
C8 Fear, 
 
 " What did the Lord ask Peter after His Eesnrrec- 
 tioii, except ' Lovest thou Me' (S. John xxi. 15) ; and 
 it was not enough to ask this once, but it must be 
 asked again and again the third time. Fear thrice 
 denied; love thrice confessed." — In Joan. Tract v. 
 I)e Cap. iii. vol. ix. p. 220, A. 
 
 ** What great thing is it to fear punishment ? But 
 it is a great thing to love righteousness." — De Ver. 
 Apost. Ser. xviii. vol. x. p. 121, F. 
 
 " There is a servile fear, and there is a chaste fear; 
 there is a fear lest thou shouldst suffer punishment ; 
 there is another fear lest thou shouldst lose righteous- 
 ness. That fear lest thou shouldst suffer punishment 
 is servile. What great thing is it to fear punishment ? 
 This is common to the most wicked servant, and to 
 the most cruel thief. It is not a great matter to fear 
 punishment, but it is a great matter to love righteous- 
 ness. Does he then who loves righteousness fear 
 nothing ? He fears indeed ; but not that he should fall 
 into punishment, but lest he should lose righteousness." 
 — In Joan. Tract, xliii., De Cap. viii. vol. ix. p. 113, C. 
 
 But for the infinite mercy of the Lord, this servile 
 fear of punishment would have utterly ruined S. Peter. 
 It made shipwre(;k of his former love, faith, confidence, 
 
Fear. 69 
 
 and service to the Lord. This craven dread of punish- 
 ment or suffering, blotted out the records of a past 
 life. A sad case of moral cowardice. 
 
 Like S. Peter, we too are often tempted by moral 
 fear to deny that which we know to be true and right ; 
 to do or say that which we believe to be wrong. Fear 
 renders us eminently untrue to ourselves. To — 
 
 I. Our Grace. — God gives a certain measure of 
 grace to every baptized soul ; a certain help from 
 above ; a certain light which is not of this world ; a 
 certain longing which nothing in this earth can satisfy. 
 This grace must be carefully guarded, usefully used, 
 and fruitfully manifested. " Quench not the Spirit." 
 (1 Thess. V. 19.) 
 
 Now moral fear makes us distrust in our heavenly 
 help. By it we are made to feel weak when we are 
 indeed strong, and so we fall an easy prey to those 
 circumstances, those evil habits which we are bound to 
 resist. Fear makes us unwilling to trust ourselves to 
 the heavenly light and guiding ; it binds us down to 
 walk by sight rather than by faith. Fear restrains 
 our longings, breaks down our aspirations, places glory 
 far away out of our sight. Oh, " receive not " — 
 through fear — " the grace of God in vain," saying, 
 ** I know not the man " of divine grace. 
 
 II. Our Powers. — ^We often, through fear of failure 
 ridicule, and present loss, give up a high pursuit, a 
 
Vt> Fear, 
 
 course of noble action ; the attempt to subdue some 
 failing or some sin. Many more who are capable of 
 great things, fail through fear of failure, rather than 
 from presumption ; fearing to undertake a matter 
 beyond their powers, saying, *' I know not the man '* 
 of the Will. 
 
 III. Our Knoidedge, — How manifold are our sins 
 against knowledge ! How often does fear lead us to 
 say and to do that we know to be wrong ; to regard 
 consequences more than principles. We know what 
 is right, true, and Christlike ; we consent through fear 
 to what we also know is wrong, false, and devilish ; 
 saying, " I know not the man " of Knowledge. 
 
 IV. Our Convictions. — To do despite to knowledge 
 is to sin against the understanding ; to do despite to 
 conviction is to sin against the heart ; to outrage all 
 our most cherished and hallowed associations and 
 feelings; to reverse the course of the inner man. 
 This process — 1) Hardens. 2) Stays all progress. 
 3) Ends in bitter disappointment of spirit ; saying, *' I 
 know not the man " of Conscience. 
 
 Epilogue. — x\bove all physical courage is moral 
 courage ; deeper, more subtle, more often tried ; 
 cherish it and nobly use it. " Be of good courage, and 
 He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the 
 Lord." (Ps. xxxi. 24.) 
 
( 71 ) 
 
 SERMON XVIII, 
 
 ETERNAL LIFE. 
 
 "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only 
 trae God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent."— 
 S. John xvii. 3. 
 
 S. Augustine.—'' Eternal life can never grow vile, 
 and it ever grows sweet. If life be loved why is not 
 trae life sought ? If life be loved, let such a life be 
 sought as can never end. And if it is loved, why is it 
 not sought ? But if it be sought because it is not 
 here, why do we not hasten to the place in which it is ? 
 How was it that Life itself willingly poured itself in 
 upon us ? For Christ is true God and eternal life. 
 He came to us lost, and redeemed us found. True 
 Life itself came to the region of mortal natures ; it 
 gave a taste of its flavour : we have tasted and seen 
 how sweet it is. He went before us and invited us to 
 foUow ; and shaU we fear to follow to that so gi'eat 
 gift of which we have received such a taste ? Life 
 came to thee, repay in tui-n and do you come to it. 
 
72 Eternal Life. 
 
 He received the conyej^ance of death, that, passing over 
 it, He might liberate thee ; do thou also receive death, 
 and when thou shalt have come to Him, thou shalt so 
 be received by Him, that thou mayst never die." — De 
 Symb. cxii. vol. ix. p. 273, C. 
 
 The Incarnation was a message of eternal life. The 
 Son of Grod took upon Him the nature of man that 
 He might minister eternal life to our race. This He 
 does by way of — 
 
 I. Taste. — Eternal life is a state of perfect love, 
 knowledge, and glory. Jesus Christ came on earth 
 showing, teaching, and preaching, a new doctrine of 
 love. It was by love that He drew men to Himself, 
 and then led them onwards in His holy highway. He 
 drew men " with the cords of a man and the bands of 
 love." " I am the truth," " in Whom are hid all the 
 treasures of wisdom and knowledge." One sweet of 
 eternal life will be to know even as we are known. 
 The Lord, as the Great Teacher, instructs men in the 
 highest knowledge ; by faith, by intuition, and by 
 contemplation. Such instruction is an earnest of the 
 fulness of knowledge which is reserved for the im- 
 mortal state. Pray " that I may know Him." 
 
 II. Invitation. — Jesus Christ invites us to follow 
 Him, Whom to know and follow is eternal life, which 
 is a life of holiness, resignation, and worship. 1) By 
 
Eternal Life, 73 
 
 present subjugation of sin ; 2) by an entire resignation 
 to the will of God; 3) by a devout and constant 
 worship we are prepared to partake, with the holy, 
 submissive, and worshipping spirits around the throne 
 of God, of eternal life. 
 
 III. Means. — Jesus Christ is eternal since — 1) He 
 made death a passage to life (Heb. ii. 14), and became 
 *'the first-fruits of those who are sleeping." 2) He 
 made an entrance to life, that whither the head had 
 gone the members should follow ; He took our nature 
 within the veil. 3) He left with us the food of life, 
 ** the medicine of immortality." *' Whoso eateth My 
 Flesh and drinketh My Blood hath eternal life." (S. 
 John vi. 54.) 
 
 Epilogve. — Seek to connect time with eternity; the 
 life on earth with the life in heaven. Then will be 
 the assurance ours. (Coloss. iii. 4.) 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 SERMON XIX. 
 
 THE BEAUTIFUL. 
 
 *' Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty." — Isa. xsxiii. 17. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " Although, God, the soul is 
 arrested amongst things heautiful, j-et these have no 
 existence apart from Thee." — Confess, iv. c. 10. vol. 
 i. p. 37, H. 
 
 "What is a beautiful thing and what is heauty? 
 What is it that attracts us and attaches us to the 
 things which we love ? Unless a grace and a beauty 
 were in them by no means would they draw us to 
 themselves." — Confess, iv. c. 13, vol. i. p. 38, F. 
 
 ''The world itself, by its most orderly change and 
 motion and by its appearance — the most beautiful of 
 all visible things — although in some measure it is 
 silent, yet it is able to proclaim itself to have been 
 made — and this only save by a great God — made 
 ineffably and invisibl}^, and by a beautiful God 
 ineffably and invisibly." — De Civ it. Dei. I. xi. c. 4, 
 vol. V. p. 116, C. 
 
The Beautiful. 75 
 
 *' All beauty of body consists in the congruity of its 
 parts with a certain suavity of colour." — De Civit. Dei. 
 1. xxii. c. 19. vol. V. p. 282, A. 
 
 *' What is righteousness when it is in us, or any 
 other grace by which we live wisely and rightly, than 
 the beauty of the inward man ? It is after this beauty 
 rather than that of the body, that we have been made 
 in the image of God." — Einst. ad Consen. vol. ii. 
 p. 294, E. 
 
 " To us who believe the Bridegroom is beautiful 
 wheresoever He may show Himself. Beautiful God, 
 the Word wdth God ; beautiful in the womb of the 
 Virgin, in which, not losing divinity, He assumed 
 humanity. Beautiful, born the Infant Word, for 
 whilst He was a suckling infant, carried by human 
 hands, the heavens spoke; the angels sang His 
 praises ; the star led the Magi; He was adored in the 
 manger. Beautiful, therefore, in heaven ; beautiful 
 on earth ; beautiful in the womb ; beautiful in the 
 hands of His parents; beautiful in His miracles; 
 beautiful in His stripes ; beautiful, inviting men to 
 life ; beautiful, not taking care of death ; beautiful, 
 laying down His soul ; beautiful, taking it back again; 
 beautiful on the Cross; beautiful in the sepulchre; 
 
76 The Beautiful. 
 
 beautiful in heaven ; beautiful in the understanding. 
 Let not the infirmity of the flesh turn away your eyes 
 from the splendour of His beauty. Righteousness is 
 the true and the highest beauty." — Enarr. in Psal. 
 xliv. vol. viii. p. 144, H. 
 
 Such is the promise to the holy, one day to behold 
 God ; not in His goodness only, or in His love, or in 
 His power, or in His glory, but " in His beauty." 
 God created us with a sense of beauty ; He implanted 
 in our souls a love of the beautiful ; a love that should 
 purify the heart and ennoble the life. He sent His 
 Son on earth to realize the beautiful in Person, 
 thought, and action. Amongst the various manifesta- 
 tions of the beautiful, we note — 
 
 I. The Natural World. — All the Universe is a 
 thought of God, Who hath prepared for us, and placed 
 us in, a world of exceeding beauty. Earth, air, sky, 
 all teem with forms of beauty. The beautiful is over 
 our heads and under our feet ; on our right hand and 
 on our left, wheresoever we may take our walks 
 abroad. God's works in nature are full of beauty. 
 Every flower and leaf and passing cloud should speak 
 to us of God, and raise the soul to Him. In the 
 natural world we note a beauty of — 1) Design ; it is 
 a kosmos. 2) Form and colour. 3) Adaptation of 
 means to end. 
 
The Beautiful. 77 
 
 II. The Artificial World.— So called for distinc- 
 tion's sake ; whicli distinction is essentially a false 
 one, since man belongs to God, is His creature ; and 
 what man does, inasmuch as it is good and true, it is 
 in a sense, done by God Himself. There is an 
 elevating beauty in good and sublime pictures ; in 
 sculpture ; in music ; in high thoughts, whether 
 written in prose or verse, whether read or spoken. 
 Painter, sculptor, poet, writer, musician — all are 
 fellow workers ; all lift the soul above the daily life of 
 toil, with its sin and sorrow ; are all working together 
 for the progress and development of our race. This 
 beauty flows from — 1) Harmony; 2) Proportion; 
 3) Eealized conception. 
 
 III. The Moral World. — A beauty all its own, and 
 very glorious in the earnest struggle which many make 
 to overcome an untoward life ; in the patient enduring 
 of sorrow, suffering, and wrong ; in the heroic self- 
 sacrifice of which the common daily life of man affords 
 so many examples. Beautiful, indeed, to see the old 
 tended by the young ; the sick, by the healthy ; the 
 parent, by the child ; beautiful to find in a wan and 
 suffering body, a spirit which no misfortune can 
 subdue and pervert. This beauty is often — 1) masked 
 or hidden; 2) lowly in subject; 3) sublime in mani- 
 festation. 
 
 lY. The Spiritual fForld.—" The beauty of 
 
78 The Beautiful. 
 
 holiness." Heaven will be a place of beauty and of 
 beautiful worship. All the Apocalyptic glimpses of 
 the heavenly worship are visions of the King in His 
 beauty. So ought our earthly worship to be a copy of 
 — The Beautiful in its — 1) Earnestness ; 2) Reverence ; 
 3) Sumptuousness. The House of God ought to be 
 grander than any house of man. There is a true 
 beauty and glory in the worship of the Church on 
 earth. 
 
 Epilogue. — All true beauty is summed up in the 
 likeness to Him Who is absolutely beautiful. (See 
 quotation from S. Augustine, in Psalm xliv., at 
 page 75. *' To us," etc.) 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 SMALL THINGS. 
 
 •* Well done, thou good and faithful servant : thou hast been 
 faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many 
 things : enter thou into the joy of thy lord." — S. Matt. xxv.21. 
 
 S, Augustine. — " * Forgive us our debts, as we 
 forgive our debtors.' (S. Matt. vi. 12.) We do not 
 desire those things to be forgiven us which we do not 
 doubt were forgiven us at baptism, but those indeed, 
 which, although small, yet from the fragility of human 
 nature, creep upon us quickly. These, if gathered 
 together against us, will so weigh us down and oppress 
 us, as if they formed some one gTeat sin. What 
 difference does it make to the sailor whether the ship 
 is buried and sunk by one large wave, or whether the 
 water creeping by little and little into the hold, and 
 being by negligence left alone and despised, fills and 
 sinks the ship ? " — Epist. ad Seleuciance, vol. ii. 
 p. 172, A. 
 
 Bearing in mind our Blessed Lord's great careful- 
 
80 Small Things, 
 
 ness " to fulfil all righteousness," (S. Matt. iii. 15), 
 to comply with eveiy precept of the moral law ; the 
 small restriction which God placed upon Adam in 
 Paradise (Gen. ii. 17) as a test of obedience; how 
 David *' poured" the water of Bethlehem " out unto 
 the Lord" (2 Sam. xxiii. 16); Naaman's disposition 
 to despise small things (2 Kings v. 11-) ; we should be 
 most careful agai-nst offending God in little things ; 
 we should carefully guard against sloth as to small 
 things. All things have small beginnings ; fire, war, 
 holiness, sin, knowledge, etc. In God's sight the 
 distinction between things small and great does not 
 exist. Let us refer small things to Him, then we 
 shall learn their true value. Nothing is really small 
 which — 
 
 I. Pleases or displeases God. — Think upon God ; 
 Who He is ; what His mind is. Our finite minds are 
 lost in the contemplation of Him. That the mind of 
 God could be occupied with trifles, it were blasphemy 
 even to think. Whatsoever it may be, howsoever 
 small it may seem to be, it cannot be really small — 1) 
 if it is worth God's thinking about ; 2) if it is capable 
 of exciting in Him pleasure or anger ; 3) if it brings 
 us near to, or keeps us far off, from Him. The idle 
 thought, or w^ord, or deed is not rightly to be called 
 small or idle, when it can affect God and alter our 
 relationship to Him. The first and weakest aspira- 
 
Small Thiiigs, 81 
 
 tion after holiness ; the first feeble temptation to sin ; 
 are both great events in His sight; yet they are 
 events at u^hich the world would smile, if it should 
 condescend to notice them at all. 
 
 II. Hinders or advances oar perfection. — If we had 
 a race to run which involved our future life in glory or 
 in shauie, how ' careful we should be, lest undue 
 obstruction should be found in the road ; lest we 
 should be out of health ; lest our equipments should 
 not be in order. In clearing away obstacles to success 
 in life we scorn nothing, we deem nothing to be 
 beneath our notice. We seize every advantage ; are 
 verily " faithful over few things." Our progress and 
 our perfection, our success in this world, our salvation 
 in the next, depends upon — 1) small beginnings ; 2) 
 small advances ; 3) small endeavours ever at w^ork. 
 The greatest physical changes on the surface of the 
 globe, are the result of, comparatively speaking, small 
 forces exerting an unceasing action over indefinite 
 periods of years. In working out our salvation — 1) 
 we should despise no helps ; 2) we should scorn to 
 notice no obstacles, however trifling they may seem 
 to be. 
 
 III. Gains or loses a great reivard. — An event may 
 be small in itself, yet infinitely large in its conse- 
 quences. The small sin ends in eternal loss ; the 
 small victory over temptation leads to an everlasting 
 
 a 
 
82 Small Things. 
 
 reward. Judge nothing to be small or great in itself, 
 but only so in relation to — 1) Its aim or intention : 
 tlie cup of cold water, and the widow's mite. 2) Its 
 effect ; how is it acting upon us ? what is it doing for 
 us ? 3) Its eternal consequence. 
 
 Ejnlogue. — Be thou " faithful over few things." 
 Cherish small opportunities, means, knowledge, good- 
 ness, beginnings, and hereafter greater and the greatest 
 things will be thine. With wonder and gratitude you 
 will look back upon the past ; your grateful expression 
 will be, " By the grace of God I am what I am." 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 SERMON XXI. 
 
 MAN'S THEEE ESTATES. 
 
 *' Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels." — Ps. viii. 5.' 
 
 S. Augustine. — *^ There is a nature which is change- 
 able in relation to place and time ; as is the body. 
 There is a nature which is changeable in relation to 
 time, but not to place, as is the soul. Lastly, there 
 is a nature which cannot be changed either by time or 
 place ; this is God. You see verily, in this distribu- 
 tion of nature, that which occupies the highest place ; 
 that which occupies the lowest place, and yet exists ; 
 that which occupies a middle place, being* above the 
 lowest and beneath the highest. 
 
 " The highest is itself blessedness; the depth, that 
 which can be neither blessed nor miserable. The 
 middle lives miserably when it inclines to the lowest ; 
 whilst by turning to the highest it lives happily. 
 
 "He who believes in Christ, does not love the lowest, 
 does not boast of the middle, and so becomes fit to 
 
 G 2 
 
84 Man's Three Estates. 
 
 cling to the highest ; and this is the sum of that 
 which we are commanded, advised, and excited to 
 do." — £jjist, ad Coeles. vol. ii. p. 107, D. 
 
 Yes! man is created a "little lower than the 
 angels," inasmuch as he has a perishable material 
 body : yet is he capable of becoming " equal to the 
 ■ angels," inasmuch as he is made in the image and 
 likeness of God. Man partakes of three estates or 
 natures. 
 
 I. The lowest, — We are in this present life sur- 
 rounded by the third and lowest nature or estate. 
 There is on every side to be encountered the estate of 
 1) Sin, which is an estate of loss. Sm is not only 
 a breaking of the laws of God, but an infinite loss to 
 man. God's laws, whether moral, physical, or re- 
 vealed, are calculated to develope man to the greatest 
 possible extent— they are not merely prohibitive — 
 '' trespassers will be prosecuted," but they are educa- 
 tional and disciplinal. The more we can obey, the 
 more perfect will become our nature and our life ; for 
 **His commandments are not giievous." 2) Of Sloth; 
 which takes various forms. Sloth in feeling, in realiz- 
 ing our position, in bringing home to the soul the 
 infinite lovingkindness and mercy of God. Sloth in 
 the failing to turn all God's gifts to the best and 
 holies^t account. Sloth in letting the circumstances 
 
Man's Three Estates, 85 
 
 of life drift us whither they please, unmindful of our 
 own powers and free will. 3) Sorrow, which acts 
 like mud to the feet, and lead to the wings, holding 
 down the soul from any high ascent into the region 
 of faith and love. 
 
 II. The highest^This is Godlike ; not in relation 
 to the future heaven of glory only, but also in relation 
 to all that is good, true, and beautiful here on earth. 
 It consists, 1) In trueness to our higher nature ; in 
 cultivating all that is a gain; in ever reaching onwards 
 and upwards towards perfection. 2) In acting in all 
 things as if guided by a faith, which leads us from the 
 present imperfection to a future of perfect justice, re- 
 tribution, and reward. 
 
 III. The middle.— Om present state and nature, 
 lower yet higher than the angels. This is a state of : 
 1) Discipline and trial ; 2) Preparation for higher and 
 better things hereafter; 3) Doubt and uncertainty. 
 Even such was Adam's state in Paradise. Hence we 
 learn never to say " It is enough !" and so to leave off 
 further effort. 
 
 Epilogue. — Shall this middle state lead upwards or 
 downwards ? joining you to all that is great and good, 
 or for ever degrading you, your birthright being lost ? 
 
( 8G ) 
 
 SERMON XXII. 
 
 THE POWEE OF THE FUTURE. 
 
 " Hare tasted the powers of the world to come." — Heh. vi. 5. 
 
 tS. Augustine. — " Thou, therefore, the Governor of 
 Thy creature ; how dost Thou teach minds concerning 
 future things ? Thou hast taught Thy prophets. 
 What is the manner by which Thou teachest things 
 future to him for whom, there is no future ; or, rather, 
 by the present, the things which are to come. It has 
 forced itself upon me, that of myself I am not able to 
 learn of myself; but I am able to learn by Thee when 
 Thou sweetly shalt have given light to my darkened 
 eyesight." — Confess., xi. c. 19, vol. i. p. 75, D. 
 
 Many live without ever having " tasted the powers 
 of the world to come," or felt the influences of their 
 eternal future. Many live, either as if they were im- 
 mortal in the body, or were mortal in the soul : as if 
 they were either to live in this world for ever, or else 
 to cease to be, when this life shall end. 
 
 There are " powers of the world to come," which 
 
The Power of the Future, 87 
 
 must be felt or tasted now. There are shadows of the 
 future which either darken or enlighten the present. 
 By experience, energy, sorrow, suffering, and pro- 
 sperity, w^e ''taste the powers" of this present world, 
 living in its influences, sympathising with its every 
 impulse. By carrying onwards and upwards this ex- 
 perience and energy, we taste '' the powers of the world 
 to come "; we feel the influences of the future ; and the 
 holier and the higher is our life, the more do we ex- 
 perience their effects upon us. We, if we ever reflect 
 as Christians at all, taste " the powers of the world to 
 come" in our sense of a coming future which awakens: 
 
 I. Fear and dread. — A reflective mind cannot 
 wholly put its conscience to sleep. It may sleep long 
 and undisturbedly, but after a sudden fall into sin, or 
 at the hour of death, there comes a terrible and retri- 
 butive awakening. 
 
 It is the '' power of the world to come," forcing itself 
 home to the sinful heart; bringing remorse for lost 
 o|)portunity, a sense of bitter shame and humiliation 
 in its being so untrue to itself, and to that which it 
 ought to be. A fear and dread of the great unknown, 
 carrying in its background an account to be taken of 
 this present life. 
 
 II. Holiness. — The desire, in- part at least, to be 
 prepared for so great a change. Holiness consists in 
 1) A freedom and purification from sin ; 2) a putting 
 
88 The Poirer of the Future, 
 
 on of tlie garments meet for heaven ; 3) in the like- 
 ness to Jesus Christ Himself. I taste ''the powers of 
 the world to come," and I desire that pardon for sin, 
 by which alone I can obtain an entrance into heaven ; 
 that clothing which shall not make me ashamed in 
 the presence of saints and angels ; that mark or likeness 
 to the Lord which is the sealing of God's elect. 
 
 III. Patience. — The more I taste *'the powers of 
 the world to come," the shorter and less important 
 seems to be this present life: "a little while," indeed, 
 as compared with that eternal futm-e, the power of 
 which is upon me now. 
 
 ly. Hope. — There are such things as promises in 
 Revelation, promises of happiness, glory, honour, and 
 immortality and eternal life in the kingdom of God. 
 Promises to make the heart leap up with joy and 
 thankfulness, to enkindle in holy souls a desire to 
 depart and to be with Jesus Christ. These promises 
 are " powers of the world to come." 
 
 Epilogue. — To " have tasted the powers of the 
 world to come " is — 1) to be prepared for that coming 
 world ; 2) to be supported and purified in this our 
 present state of sorrow and of probation. Oh ! 
 WTctched improvidence, to taste only that which is so 
 fleeting and so false, and not to taste the powers 
 which are eternal. 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 SERMON XXIII. 
 
 EQUAL UNTO THE ANGELS. 
 
 *' Equal unto the Angels." — S. Luke xx. 36. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " A certain magnificence is in the 
 Angels, and so great power, that, if they did all things 
 which they were able to do, it could not be endured. 
 Every man desires the power of the Angels, but their 
 righteousness he does not love. First love righteous- 
 ness, and power will follow you." — Eiiarr, in PsaL 
 xcv. vol. viii. p. 386, Gr. 
 
 In many other things, besides power, we covet the 
 attributes of the Angels. We think with longing, 
 lingering thoughts, and we gaze with sad and wistful 
 eyes, upon their haj)piness, their immortality, their 
 glory, their nearness and likeness to God ; and then 
 we turn away, as from a vision of brightness in which 
 we have neither lot nor part ; we turn away, with a 
 saddened and more hopeless feeling tban we had before; 
 a new light w^as given unto us for a little season, and 
 soon it was all asain turned to darkness and to sorrow. 
 
90 Equal unto the Angels. 
 
 These words "Equal unto the Angels" suggest a 
 threefold vision. 
 
 I. A Vision afar off.— The beginning of the 
 spiritual life is like the beginning of day. There is a 
 time of darkness ; the heart, is heavy with the sleep of 
 sin, and the ejes of the soul are surrounded by the 
 blackness of the night of ignorance and folly. The 
 dawn coniGS at last ; an enlightening, hardly percep- 
 tible, yet steadily advancing ; a streak of light breaking 
 the dull monotony of the horizon ; a bright but weak 
 and distant sun at length appears. What is all the 
 awakening of nature, but a type of man's soul awakening 
 from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness ; 
 from the lowly life of this suffering nature, to the 
 spiritual life which is '' equal unto the Angels?" 
 Firstly, a sense of darkness and weariness oppresses 
 the soul ; then follow the signs and tokens, few and 
 slight, of a coming deliverance. Afterwards does the 
 heaven above the soul indeed seem to open and a 
 voice is heard bidding the conscience " come and see." 
 Still, without the soul, are all God's promises of grace 
 and mercy ; they are but as the sounds of a pleasant 
 voice. 
 
 II. The Vision dratuing near. — The sun has risen : 
 all things are enlightened by his beams. It is a time 
 to gaze, to analyse, and to learn, " Equal unto the 
 Angels." What is an Angel and an Angel's life? 
 
Equal unto the Angels, 91 
 
 We must seek the KiDgdom of God by — 1) Medita- 
 tion ; 2) prayer ; 3) instruction. The things without 
 us must be made our own. Spiritual food must be 
 assimilated so as to form a part of our spiritual life. 
 
 III. The Vision realized. — The promise is made to 
 the holy dead, "Neither can they die any more, for 
 they are equal unto the Angels " (S. Luke xx. 36) ; 
 but in this life the promise is in part fulfilled, the 
 vision is in part realized. 1) Do I want power ? 
 "I can do all things." (Philipp. iv. 13.) " My grace 
 is sufficient." (2 Cor. xii. 9.) 2) Do I long for im- 
 mortality ? "He that believeth on Me hath ever- 
 lasting life. (S. John \i. 47.) 8) Am I seeking for 
 happiness ? " The Kingdom of God is joy." (Rom. 
 xiv. 17.) 4) Is glory my desiie ? "I will glory of 
 the things w^hich concern mine infirmities." (2 Cor, 
 xi. 30.) 5) Is nearness to God my aim ? " The 
 pure in heart shall see God." (S. Matt. v. 8.) 
 
 Epilogue. — The angdic life of heaven is to begin in 
 part on earth, by partaking of the elements of holiness 
 and knowledge. 
 
( S2 ) 
 
 SERMON XZIV. 
 
 THE FOUEFOLD SENSE OF HOLY 
 SCRIPTURE. 
 
 " Searcli the Scriptures." — S. John v. 30. 
 
 S. Angustine. — '' All Scripture which is called the 
 Old Testament is narrated in a fourfold sense to those 
 ■who desire to study it diligently; according to the 
 history, the aetiology, the analog}^, and the allegory. 
 It is narrated according to the history, when that 
 which is written or hath been done is taught ; 
 according to the aetiology, when the cause is shown 
 for which anything is either done or said ; according 
 to the analogy, when the two Testaments are demon- 
 strated to harmonize ; according to the allegory, when 
 it is taught that what is written is not to be taken in 
 a literal sense, but is to be figuratively understood. 
 Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles used all 
 these methods of interpretation. The objection to 
 the Disciples plucking the ears of corn was met by an 
 appeal to history. (S. Matt. xii. 3 ; 1 Sam. xxi. 4.) 
 
The Fourfold Sense of Holy Scripture. 93 
 
 The Lord's argument against divorce belongs to the 
 setiological sense. (S. Matt. xix. 9.) Moses permitted 
 it beneficially for a time, and this which Christ was 
 commanding seems to point to other seasons. Con- 
 cerning the analogy, by which is perceived the agree- 
 ment of both Testaments, it is sufficiently to be found, 
 as I think, in the New Testament. It remains to 
 treat of allegory. Our Liberator Himself used in the 
 Gospel an allegory taken from the Old Testament. 
 (S. Matt. xii. 39.) What, too, shall I say of Paul ? 
 He treated the history in Exodus as an allegory of the 
 future Christian people. (1 Cor. x. 1-12.) Also again 
 Paul said to the Galatians, (Gal. iv. 22-31 ; Gen. xvi. 
 15 ; xxi. 2)." — De UtiUtate Credendi, c. iii. vol. vi. 
 p. 32, H. 
 
 According to the old distich the senses of Holy 
 Scripture were somewhat differently arranged : — 
 
 ** Litera gesta docet ; quid credas allegoria ; 
 Moralis quid agas ; quo tendis anagogia." 
 
 The value of having four interpretations of Holy 
 Scripture is very great. 1) It gives us four Bibles 
 instead of one. We see the mind of God under four 
 different aspects. 2) It gives us a new interest in 
 Holy Scripture, there is something for us to discover 
 
94 The Fourfold Sense of Holy Scrij^ture. 
 
 for ourselves ; to work ont and to apply. Taking the 
 senses in order we note — 
 
 I. The Historical Sense. — There is much heauty 
 and instruction in " the letter " only of Holy Scripture. 
 Its histories are so — 1) Truthful ; they carry the 
 conviction of the mind with them, when they are read. 
 2) Simple ; no guile or double purpose in them ; a 
 simple record of the workings of God's providence at 
 various times of the world's history. 3) Affecting; 
 the Bible histories are full of feelhig, e.g., the death of 
 Eachel; the recognition of Joseph's brethren; the 
 parting between David and Jonathan ; the raising^ of 
 Lazarus. Hence these narratives refresh us, soothing 
 a troubled soul, and bringing the Fatherhood of God 
 very nigh unto us. 
 
 II. The Etiological or Moral Sense. — This gives 
 the application of that which is recorded as happening 
 so many centuries ago. It in part reveals — 1) the 
 purpose which God had in view in so ordering things. 
 2) The lessons which we are to learn from these 
 events. ** They are written for our admonition." (1 
 Cor. X. 11.) Hence this moral sense does not leave a 
 history merely as a history, but as a record which 
 speaks to ourselves in tones either of love or warning, 
 of either admonition or encouragement. 
 
 III. TJie Allegorical Sense. — This sense reveals 
 that which is signified under the garb of imagery. 
 
The Fourfold Sense of Holy Scrqyture. 95 
 
 The Lord's Parables are allegories, and some of these 
 He has Himself explained. Nearly all the chief 
 personages of the Old Testament history are allegorical, 
 and all the events have a spiritual meaning which is 
 deeper, and more evangelical, than the moral reading. 
 This spiritual or allegorical sense looks '* within the 
 veil." 1) It refers all things to the kingdom of grace; 
 like the sacrifices which pointed to the one sacrifice 
 on Calvary. 2) It interprets the things which are 
 seen in reference to the things which are out of sight ; 
 and so it invests the smallest and commonest events 
 with a new" and lasting glory and dignity. 
 
 IV. The Anagogical or Analofiical Sense. — This 
 leads time up to eternity ; earth to heaven ; the 
 Church Militant to the Church Triumphant ; the 
 kingdom of grace to the kingdom of glory. The Law 
 is absorbed into the Gospel, and the Gospel into the 
 Beatific Vision. Hence all Scripture becomes one 
 great and glowing prophecy of glory. 
 
 Epilogue. — " Search the Scriptures " with faith, 
 prayer, and the desire to learn and to obey ; so will 
 you ascend from sense to sense, and from one glory of 
 the Bible to another; being led by the Spirit of truth 
 into all truth. 
 
( OG ) 
 
 SERMON XXV. 
 
 THE VALUERS OF THE SOUL. 
 
 "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" — SJIatt, xvi. 26. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " The nature of the soul is more 
 excellent than the nature of the body, it excels greatly; 
 it is a thing spiritual, incorporeal, akin to the sub- 
 stance of God. It is a something invisible; it governs 
 the body; it moves the members of it; it directs the 
 senses: it prepares the thoughts; it exerts the actions; 
 it receives the images of things which are infinite. And 
 in short, dearly beloved, who is sufficient for the praises 
 of the soul.'' — Eaarr, In Psalmum cxlv. vol. viii. 
 p. 604. E. 
 
 Such are some of the offices of the soul ; of that 
 immortal nature by the possession of which we are 
 related to God. What value do we set upon it ? 
 What are we giving in exchange for its eternity of 
 happiness, perfection, and glory ? The text speaks of 
 only one ; but there are three valuers of the soul ; 
 three, who make an exchange for it. 
 
The Valuers of the Soul 97 
 
 I. The Lord Jesus Christ. — He values the soul at 
 so high a price, that, in exchange for it, He, of His 
 own free will, gave up — 1) His life of glory in heaven, 
 coming upon this earth in our lowly nature ; 2) His 
 full and perfect happiness, to carry the burden of sin — 
 His spiritual Cross — all the ingratitude, contradiction, 
 and agony of His suffering life as "a man of sorrows;" 
 3) His human lire, for the life of the souls of men. 
 *'The redemption of their souls is precious." (Ps. xlix. 
 8.) So now, for the refreshing of the soul, He gives 
 Himself. 
 
 Besides all this, note how careful He ever was that 
 the soul should not be "offended " or '^scandalized;'* 
 how loving, yet how strict, a Guardian He was of the 
 souls of the young. No one ever valued the soul as 
 highly as did Jesus Christ ; no one ever sacrificed 
 themselves for it as He did, because He also was God 
 and man. He alone knows th(} high value that God 
 sets upon the soul : He alone knows the workings 
 and experiences of a life in heaven and a life in hell. 
 Wo should tremble, noting the great price at which 
 the Lord valued the soul. What did Jesus Christ 
 give in exchange for the soul ? All that as God and 
 man He held most dear; Himself, body, soul, and 
 spirit. 
 
 II. Satan. — He values the human soul very highly; 
 hence he spares no pains to make it his own. Satan 
 
 H 
 
98 The Valuers of the Soul. 
 
 1) never tires, he is always attacking the holy soul, 
 and leading the wicked onwards into greater sin. He 
 tempted David to numherthe people (1 Chron. xxi. 1); 
 Job to curce God (Job i. 12) ; Judas to betray his Lord 
 (S. Luke xxii. 3) ; he sifted S. Peter, (id. 31.) 2) 
 Uses every device; as at the Temptation of our Lord. 
 3) Strains every point to pervert all things, and to 
 change every blessing into a curse. Satan gives much 
 in exchange for a soul — energy, thought, and much 
 care. 
 
 III. Man himself. — What shall a man give in ex- 
 change for his soul ? Others value it at a high price ; 
 what value do you set upon it ? 1) What care do you 
 take of it ? How do you discipline, instruct, and 
 clothe it ? 2) What sacrifices are you making for it ? 
 Is it your child, the Lord's darHng ? (Ps. xxxv. 17.) 
 What are you denying yourself for its sake ? Will 
 you give up a right hand or a right eye for it ? Are 
 you wilHng to preserve it at any cost ? 3) Is it 
 more to you than all else ? Is its salvation your 
 chiefest and highest concern ? 
 
 Epilogue. — Shame, oh, shame ! if we will barter for 
 a worthless bauble that which both Jesus Christ and 
 Satan so highly prize. 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 SERMON XXVI. 
 
 THE JOY OF HOLINESS. 
 
 *' They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with 
 them." — S. Matt. xxv. 3. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " For although many hope great 
 things from the goodness of Christ, yet have they no 
 joy, so long as they do not live continently, save in 
 the praises of men. They have therefore ' no oil with 
 them.' For I judge that joy itself is signified by oil, 
 since it is said, ' God, thy God, hath anointed thee 
 with the oil of gladness.' (Ps. xlv. 7.) He does 
 not rejoice who does not please God wdthin. *But the 
 wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps ;' that 
 is, they placed in the heart and conscience the joy of 
 good works, as the Apostle advises : * Let every man 
 prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing 
 in himself and not in another.' " — Lib, Octogint 
 QuczsU 2. lii. vol. iv. p. 215. E. 
 
 There is, therefore, in this life a certain joy in holi- 
 ness, just as there is a sorrow and fear in sin. The 
 
 E 2 
 
100 The Joy of Holiness, 
 
 paths of religion are verily paths of peace. Of this 
 joy of holiness we note that it is — 
 
 I. Deep. — It reaches to the recesses of the inner- 
 most soul. There is much joy in the world which 
 leaves a certain portion of the heart untouched. Such 
 joy is not superficial merely ; the affections of home 
 and of life are not superficial ; but they reach only to 
 a certain depth ; there is a zone like that in a deep 
 sea-sounding which they touch not. A sense of 
 pardoned sin, of the abiding love of Jesus Christ, is 
 the very fount of our being " a well of [living] water, 
 springing up into everlasting life." This joy is deep ; 
 for — 1) Sorrow cannot reach it ; 2) Sin cannot ex- 
 tinguish it, since, possessing it, sin can only be of 
 infirmity, and not of habit and will; 3) Disappoint- 
 ment cannot quench it. 
 
 III. Lasting, — The life of holiness brings a lasting 
 joy, which survives every storm, and outlives the tem- 
 pest of passion and of pain. It does not depend upon — 
 1) that which is temporary ; 2) that which can perish; 
 3) upon life itself. A priceless possession to carry this 
 joy in the soul for ever. 
 
 III. Satisfying, — All earthly joy is like the rose 
 with its thorn : it leaves a void, it is only in part com- 
 plete ; if it for a time satisfies the afi'ections, it dis- 
 appoints the will, or the memory, or the understanding. 
 The joy of holiness ministers to every faculty. It is a 
 
The Ju^ of Holiness, 101 
 
 token that— 1) the affections are set upon God ; 2) 
 the will is in obedience ; 3) the memory is in a state 
 of gratitude for past mercies ; 4) the understanding is 
 in subjection to faith. 
 
 IV. Ennohling. — 1) It lifts up the soul in exultation 
 to God, and to all that is good and great ; 2) it casts 
 every craven doubt and fear out of the heart ; and 3) it 
 gives, as it were, angels' wings, upon which we are 
 borne up over all the vicissitudes of time and life. 
 
 Epilogue, — With this joy at heart, we are ever ready 
 to meet the Bridegroom, whether He comes to us in — 
 1) Sorrow ; 2) temptation ; 3) visitation : summoning 
 us by the Angel of Death. 
 
( 102 ) 
 
 SERMON XXVII. 
 
 UNHOLY SELF-LOVE. 
 
 " Perilons times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own 
 selves." — 2 Tim. iii. 1, 2. 
 
 S, Augustine. — ^' Self-love was the first ruin of 
 man ; for if man had not loved himself, he would 
 have put God before himself ; he would have desired 
 ever to be in subjection to God. Not being in such 
 subjection, he turned away from the will of God to 
 do his own will. To love self is to desire to do one's 
 own will. Learn to love thyself by not loving thyself. 
 That you may know it to be a sin to love thyself, the 
 Apostle says, ' For men shall be lovers of themselves.' 
 And does not he who loves himself trust in himself ? 
 Having forsaken God, a man begins to love himself; 
 but he is soon allured away from himself to love those 
 things which are without himself. Hence the Apostle 
 continues, ' covetous ' or lovers of money. You see 
 that already you * are without.' You began to love 
 Yourself ; remain in yourself, if you can. Art thou a 
 
Unholy Self-Love. 103 
 
 lover of money, by which thou art enriched ? Thou 
 hast begun to love that which is without thee, thou 
 hast betrayed thyself. When the love of a man goes 
 onwards from himself to those things that are without, 
 he begins to be consumed by that which is vain, and 
 like the Prodigal to waste his powers ; he is wasted 
 away ; he is emptied ; he is rendered destitute ; he feeds 
 swine, and labouring in the tending of cattle, at last he 
 recollects, and says, ' How many hired servants/ etc. 
 (S. Luke XV. 17.) When does he say this ? ' When 
 he comes to himself.' To come to himself, he must 
 have gone out of himself. Inasmuch as he had fallen 
 from himself he had gone out of himself; he first 
 returns to himself, that he may return to him whence 
 he had gone out of himself. * He came to himself ' 
 not to remain in himself, for he said, ^ I will arise, and 
 go to my father.' Behold ! by what means he had 
 fallen from himself ; he had fallen from his father ! 
 he had fallen from himself to those things which are 
 without ; he had gone out of himself. He returns to 
 himself, and goes to his father, where he could most 
 safely preserve himself. By returning to himself that 
 he may go to his father, he denies himself. What is 
 it to deny self? Not to presume upon self; to feel 
 
104 Unhohj Self-Love. 
 
 oneself to be man ; to regard the proplietic saying, 
 * Cursed be the man that trusteth in man' (Jer. xvii. 5) ; 
 to lead oneself away from self that so one may cleave 
 to God ; to attribute to God all that is good, to self 
 all that is evil ; He says to such an one, * Let him 
 deny himself.' " — De Viversis. Ser, xlvii. c. 2. vol. x, 
 p. 468, A. 
 
 A certain self-love is an instinct which was im- 
 pressed by God Himself upon our moral nature. " No 
 man hateth his own flesh." (Eph. v. 29.) Self-love 
 and self-preservation are parts of the same great law 
 of our being. There can be no proper self-respect 
 without a certain self-love, without which there can be 
 exercised no moral influence. We are all lovers of 
 self, and we were intended by God to be so. Why, 
 then, is self-love put by the Apostle in such ugly 
 company ? Why is it held up as a sign of perilous 
 times. It is insubordinate, unholy, and undue self- 
 ove which is here condemned ; a self-love which leads 
 to three great spiritual falls. 
 
 I. Aivay from God. — It is a universal law that 
 God is to be loved before all else ; and His Will obeyed 
 before all else. Self-love places — 1) The will of man 
 in opposition to the will of God, as in the cases of 
 Adam, Saul, Pharaoh, etc. 2) The aff'ections upon 
 
Unhohj Self-Love, 105 
 
 the crealure rather than upon the Creator; Samson 
 and Delilah. 3) The reason of onr limited under- 
 standing against a holy faith in the revelation of 
 God. 
 
 II. Aicmj from man's true self. — The soul cannot 
 rest in itself. When it leaves God it goes out of 
 itself into external things. The soul or self is — 1) 
 The ahode of an undying, accusing conscience. 
 2) Unsatisfied by itself; it cannot fulfil its own 
 wants. 3) It is incomplete, unless it be joined with 
 something else. It demands either some one to serve, 
 or some strong heart upon which to lean. 
 
 III. Aivay from that ichicli is really good. — Self- 
 love leads the soul away from that which is good, from 
 God; from its true self to that which is — 1) Deceitful ; 
 2) unprofitable; 3) sinful. Case of the Prodigal 
 Son. 
 
 Epilogue, — Aim at (1 Cor. vi. 17) then love of self 
 becomes the love of God. 
 
( 106 ) 
 
 SERMON XXVIII. 
 
 HOLY SELF-LOVE. 
 
 " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with 
 all thy soul, and with all thy strength ; and ihy neighbour as 
 thyself."— S. Luke x. 27. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " Love the Lord, and so learn to 
 love yourselves ; that when by loving the Lord ye shall 
 have loved yourselves, ye may securely love your 
 neighbour as yourselves. And who is there, you will 
 say, who does not love himself ? Who is there? See 
 * He that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul.' (Ps. 
 xi. 5.) Does he love himself who loves his body, and 
 hates his soul to his own hurt, to the hurt both of his 
 body and soul ? And who loves his own soul ? He 
 that loveth God with all his heart and with all his 
 mind. To such an one I would at once entrust his 
 neighbour." — Ser. vol. x. p. 712, B. 
 
 The Love of God shed abroad in the heart teaches 
 a man that holy, true self-love which he must possess 
 if he would rightly love his neighbour. This holy, 
 pure self-love is divine in origin ; blessed in being ; 
 
Holy Self-Love. 10' 
 
 gracious in its effects and operations ; it flows from 
 the love of God ; it sanctifies all life and being, and 
 it spreads itself graciously over other hearts. Such 
 blessed and blessing self-love which enables its 
 possessor to fulfil the two great commandments of 
 the law, is — 
 
 I. Whole. — It extends to the whole nature of man, 
 body, soul, and spirit, leaving no part of man uncon- 
 secrated by its influence. Some — 1) Love their bodies 
 at the expense of their souls ; sensually fulfilling all 
 its animal desires and passions, and bringing the soul 
 into a slavish captivity which is w^orse than death, 
 2) Love their souls or understandings at the expense 
 of the body, injuring it by neglect and by a wanton 
 disregard to its requirements and laws. 3) Have 
 small love or care either for body or soul, leaving both 
 ill-cared for ; the mind ill-graced, ill-educated ; the 
 body unkempt and unattractive. When we love God 
 altogetlier in His glory and majesty as far as we can 
 know Him, and vvhen we long to become like Him, then 
 no part of His image and likeness will we willingly 
 suffer to be defiled. 
 
 n. Eternal. — As God loved us with an everlasting 
 love, so with a like love ought we to love ourselves. 
 The love of Jesus is not limited to or hindered by 
 death ; nay, He loved Lazarus dead more almost than 
 when he was living. True self-love, founded upon the 
 
108 Holy Self-Love. 
 
 love of God, must be eternal. Some love themseivo^ 
 for this transitory world only, fixing all their thought, 
 care, and affection upon things of time, sense, and 
 knowledge as related to this present life, without any 
 love for, or care of themselves as they shall be for ever 
 and ever when this world shall have passed away from 
 them. Eternal self-love is — 1) Wise : it excludes a 
 passing present ; it includes an everlasting future. 
 2) Unlimited : has no short period in which to 
 exercise itself. 3) Satisfying the soul, since it ranges 
 beyond time. 
 
 III. Profitable. — God's love to us is full of profit 
 and gain to us, and our love to Him brings blessings 
 innumerable in its train. So must that true self-love 
 be profitable, inasmuch as it is the product of our love 
 of God. It embraces the love of that which concerns 
 — 1) Our eternal state ; our love of heaven and of 
 that holiness which is the shadow of the life of 
 heaven here below. 2) Our highest concerns; the 
 purification of conscience and the development of the 
 kingdom of grace within us. 3) Our best and most 
 consistent course of life ; leading to success and 
 blessings in this life, and greater blessings in the life 
 to come. If we truly value heaven ourselves, and the 
 soul's highest interests, and a noble course of life, we 
 cannot but seek to make others participants in these 
 blessings. 
 
Holy Self-Love. 109 
 
 IV. Devoted. — God's love to us is so clevoted, that 
 all our transgression and ingratitude cannot turn it 
 away from us. " He loves unto the end " of our day 
 of probation, even if we should die in sin and forfeit 
 His love for evermore. Godlike self-love is devoted 
 too. It is — 1) Faithful; ever reminding us of duty 
 and the goal before us. 2) Constant ; never forsaking 
 us when we are most untrue to ourselves, but cheering 
 us with bright hopes of pardon and grace in our 
 darkest hours. 3) Unselfish ; hindered not by in- 
 gratitude. 
 
 Epilogue. — ** As thyself," with this whole, eternal, 
 profitable, and devoted self-love is thy neighbour to be 
 loved ; watered by the overflowings of thine own cup 
 of love and of kindness. A man who loves God, and 
 himself as loving Him, and his neighbour '' as " him- 
 self, is one whose present life is happy, sustained, and 
 blessed ; whose death must be peaceful ; whose 
 eternity will be gloriously passed in the Presence of 
 that God Who " is love." 
 
( no ) 
 
 SERMON XXIX. 
 
 THE MEEK. 
 
 *• Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth." 
 —S. Matt. V. 5. 
 
 S. Augustine. — *' I believe this earth to be that of 
 which the Psalmist speaks : ' Thou art my portion in 
 the land of the living.' (Ps. cxlii. 5.) This land 
 signifies a certain solidity and stability of perpetual 
 inheritance, in which the soul by a good afi'ection rests 
 as if in its own place ; just as the body does on earth ; 
 and it is nourished by its own food, as the body is 
 nourished by the ground. This is the rest and the 
 life of the holy." — De Serin, Dom. in Mont. c. ii. 
 vol. iv. p. 292, H. 
 
 The meek, in the journey of life, are like the weak 
 and feeble in a crowded thoroughfare — they are sent to 
 the wall, whilst others pass on before them. The promise 
 does not hold good to this present earth which is so 
 soon to be parted with ; but it does hold good for that 
 spiritual and eternal land, "the land of the living;" 
 that is the land of deathless and holy souls. The 
 
The Meek, 111 
 
 meek have a life and an " earth " of their own, in 
 which they find — 
 
 I. Rest. — The wind and tempest ruffles the surface 
 of the ocean, but only to a certain depth. In the 
 roughest sea it is calm after a few fathoms have been 
 gained. The wdnds of this world's — 1) Hate, stirs 
 not up the soul of the meek, for it penetrates but a 
 little way into the meek soul ; it is deprived of any 
 great power to wound ; it is taken as a portion of the 
 needful discipline of life. 2) Sorrow leaves the meek 
 soul likewise calm, for it has deeply learned the lesson 
 of resignation ; it sees God's Fatherly, yet chastening, 
 hand in every misfortune and sorrow that here afflicts 
 the soul. 3) Opposition : for the meek and gentle 
 soul holds on to its own as the reed bending to the 
 storm retains its hold on the soil, whilst the sturdy 
 oak is shattered and destroyed. The life of Jesus 
 Christ — one of bitter experience, sorrow for other's sins, 
 of opposition from those whom in love He came to save ; 
 yet He said, " Learn of Me, I am meek and lowly in 
 heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." (S. 
 Matt. xi. 29.) 
 
 II. Food. — Eeflection is the true food of the soul ; 
 and the meek are nourished by this food, since there is 
 no ground for remorse in the reflection upon — 1) For- 
 given injuries ; which lose all their sting when they 
 are forgiven, and form a nourishment instead of a root 
 
112 The Meek. 
 
 of bitterness for the soul. 2) Patient endurance ; by 
 which seeming curves are changed to blessings. 
 
 III. Shelter. — The soul of the meek finds its 
 shelter in holy hope ; for the meek both know and feel 
 that they are the recipients of this beatitude. The 
 hope full of immortality is theirs ; as learners in the 
 school of Jesus Christ they confidently look onwards 
 and forwards to their school-house being one day 
 changed into the mansions of the Father's house. 
 
 Epilogue. — Meek and holy souls have one " earth" 
 of their own even here, still looking forward to a more 
 glorious " earth " beyond the grave. 
 
( 113 ) 
 
 SERMON XXX. 
 
 THE HOUSE OF LAZARUS. 
 
 •" Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister 
 called Mary."— -S. Luke xr 38-39. 
 
 " An unholy life, truly, was far from that house ; 
 it was neither with Martha, nor with Mary. Two 
 lives therefore remained in that house which had 
 received the Lord, in the two women ; both innocent, 
 both laudable ; one laborious, the other unemployed ; 
 neither wicked, neither slothful. There were in that 
 house these two lives, and Himself the fountain of 
 life. In Martha was an image of things present, in 
 Mary of things to come. What Martha was doing, we 
 are doing now ; what Mary was doing this we hope to 
 do. Let us do the former well that we may have the 
 latter fully." — De Verb, Dom. xxvii. vol. x. p. 39, B.C. 
 
 This house of Lazarus is a type of the regenerate 
 soul in which there dwells — 
 
 I. Jesus — the '' fountain of life,'' in thought. — The 
 Presence of Jesus in the house of the soul is a spiritual 
 
 I 
 
11 4 The House of Lazarus. 
 
 presence, even as the soul itself is a spiritual existence ; 
 not subject to any of those material considerations 
 which affect the body. A " fountain of life " to it in- 
 asmuch as Jesus Christ dwelling in the soul — 1) 
 Refreshes it. As in the desert, barren of life and 
 vegetation, parched and dry, an oasis is formed around 
 the fountain ; the palm and other trees and shrubs 
 bearing witness to its refreshing powers; so in the 
 moral desert, or the care-worn, world- scorched soul, 
 Jesus is a refreshing stream which renovates after 
 fatigue, and lightens sorrow. 2) Supplies it. The 
 fountain supplies the wants of all who enjoy its use. 
 This spiritual fountam supplies wisdom, strength, 
 holiness, and the other Christian graces. "My God 
 shall supply all your need." 3) Never fails it. A 
 true fountain never fails in the season even of the 
 greatest drought. Our spiritual fountain is never dry, 
 never exhausted ; nay, the more we draw from it the 
 larger becomes its supply. The well-spring of grace 
 in Jesus Christ is infinite ; and being unlimited, it 
 never at any time can cease to flow. 4) Beautifies it. 
 There is always beauty around a fountain ; beauty of 
 sight, from the sweet forms of vegetable life which 
 flourish in its neighbourhood ; of sound, from the 
 babbling flow of its prattling waters. So Jesus glorifies 
 and beautifies the soul in which He dwells; causing 
 therein the growth of whatsoever things are lovely and 
 
The House of Lazarus. 115 
 
 of good report. Jesus is a fountain of light to the 
 understanding ; of strength to the will ; of joy to the 
 memory. 
 
 II. Martha — life in action. — " An image of things 
 present" from whom we learn that our work in this 
 world and life ought to be — 1) Diligent. "Diligent 
 in business." Diligence supplies many a defect; it 
 makes up for the loss of many a happy opportunity ; 
 it always brings a blessing with it ; not only in its 
 results, but in its indirect action, upon the diligent 
 themselves. 2) Earnest ; both on account of the 
 shortness of life, and of the amount of work which G-od 
 has given each one of us to do in this short life ; and 
 the bearing which this present life has on the life to 
 come. " Let us do the former well, that we may have 
 the latter fully." 3) Persevering; never giving up or 
 giving way. This life is our season of toil and care ; 
 is the dispensation of our " Martha life," and in due 
 time we shall reap if we faint not. 
 
 III. Mary — life in rest. — '^An image of things to 
 come," when this *' Fountain of Life " Himself will be 
 all in all. This life implies — 1) A drawing near to 
 Jesus, by knowledge and by love, and so being brought 
 into the sphere of grace and light. 2) A sitting in quiet 
 near Him, with a soul hushed from all the tumults of 
 the world and of the flesh. 3) At His very feet : which 
 betokens humihty, as choosing the lowest place ; 
 
 I 2 
 
116 The House of Lazarus, 
 
 reverence : acknowledging His majesty ; subjection : as 
 offering to obey Him ; imitation : as truly resolving to 
 follow His steps. 4) To hasten to catch the faintest 
 breathings of His divine word and spirit, that so the 
 soul may purely and truly receive the doctrine which 
 the Master teaches. 
 
 Epilogue, — These three persons, assembled in the 
 house of Lazarus, are from each other dissimilar; 
 representative, and yet harmonious ; and they signify 
 unto us the continuity of life ; the dependence of the 
 future upon the present. They teach us that grace and 
 holiness are to be cherished ; that every power is to 
 be employed to the uttermost, if from the toil of this 
 lower world we hope to ascend and to gain that rest 
 which remaineth for the people of God. 
 
( 117 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXI. 
 
 THE DAY OF LIFE. 
 
 ♦« Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud." 
 —Ps. Iv. 17. 
 
 S. Augustine — '' Evangelize thou and be not silent ; 
 declare that which thou hast received. In the 
 
 * evening,' of that which is past ; in the * morning * 
 of that which is to come ; ' at noon ' of things 
 sempiternal. The Lord in the 'evening' was on 
 the Cross; in the 'morning' in the Resurrection; 
 
 * at noon ' in the Ascension. And I will narrate in 
 the * evening ' the patience of Him dying ; I will 
 announce in the ' morning ' the life of resurrection ; 
 I will pray ' at noon ' that He, ' sitting at the right 
 hand of the Father ' may hear mQ.''—Enarr. in Psal 
 Iv. vol. viii. p. 192, H. 
 
 The natm-al day is a true type of the day of life ; and 
 the Lord of Life dming His earthly course, conformed 
 to this type, and for all time hallowed it to the faithful. 
 The periods of the day correspond with the periods of 
 
118 The Day of Life. 
 
 life ; and each reads a lesson to the thoughtful Christian 
 mind. In both days we note alike — 
 
 I. An Evenmg. — This time speaks to us " of that 
 which is past." The day has gone for weal or woe, 
 for joy or sorrow it has departed. Its hours, hopes, 
 fears, opportunities, never can come back again. 
 Every evening is a silent, though eloquent, preacher 
 of the last evening, to be followed in this world by 
 that night in which no man can work. In the evening, 
 whilst the Lord hung upon the Cross at Calvary, He 
 said "It is finished ;" for His earthly race was run ; 
 His care, toil, weariness, contradiction, sorrow, and 
 suffering were for ever ended. He had perfectly ful- 
 filled His Father's will, and man had done all that it 
 lay in his power to do. When our evening shall come, 
 may we feel that through the grace of God our working 
 hours have not been spent in vain. To a well-spent 
 day the evening becomes a season of — 1) Best. Toil, 
 activity, busy pursuits are ended at last. We may 
 have risen early and toiled long ; we may have worked 
 well and learned many a lesson ; our way may have 
 prospered before us, and now has come our hour of 
 rest, grateful alike to body and mind. 2) Peace. 
 Stilled is the turmoil and strife of life ; the eager com- 
 petition ; the contention through which it is ordained 
 that each one shall win their way. The ship has 
 reached its haven ; storm and billow cease in this quiet 
 
The Day of Life. 119 
 
 water. The end is peace to a life which, blessed by 
 God, has reached its full eventide. 3) Thought. All 
 the events of the past day crowd into the chamber of 
 memory in the evening. Stock is now taken of the 
 profit and loss which the day has produced ; of sins 
 committed, or of victories gained over sins ; humiha- 
 tions and triumphs ; conquests and defeats. 
 conscience ! be not thou silent, but speak out openly 
 and fearlessly " in the evening of that which is past ;" 
 and mayest thou be able to give a good answer before 
 God. 
 
 II. A Morming. — This period points to " that w^hich 
 is to come;" and it is — 1) Fresh. A new beginning 
 can be made to-day ; old habits broken through ; 
 new resolutions formed ; the losses of yesterday in 
 some measure atoned for. If life may be likened to a 
 book, then at the beginning of each day a new and a 
 clean page in this book is turned over. The things 
 behind may, in part, be forgotten, and new efforts may 
 be made towards stretching forth to those things 
 which are before. Fresh in mind and body, another 
 day is before us, in which the past may be in great 
 measure redeemed. 2) Untried. " We know not 
 what a day may bring forth ;" it is all unknown. No 
 day exactly repeats itself ; no one can ever say, '^ I 
 feel to-day altogether as I felt yesterday." The 
 experience of each day is, in some respects, peculiar to 
 
120 The Bay of Life. 
 
 itself. This fact should teach the caution by which 
 each day in life ought to be ordered. 3) Uncertain. 
 It may never be granted ; the last day may not 
 lengthen out " until the evening ; " hence every portion 
 of the day should be turned to its fullest and best 
 account, not a moment of it should be wasted. 
 
 III. A Noon or Mid-day. — This is the time when 
 the sun is highest in the heavens ; when all things 
 are at their height and flow. This fulness of tide and 
 life is typical to thoughtful minds of the day of God — 
 the everlasting day of light and glory. Then should 
 the heart speak " of things sempiternal." This is a 
 time to be — 1) Earnestly expected; bringing with it 
 the perfection of body and soul. 2) Carefully prepared 
 for ; evening and morning wait upon mid- day, as the 
 past and present wait upon the future. 
 
 Epilogue. — Sever not by sin the continuity of the 
 day of life. A holy past forms a holy present, and 
 passes onwards to a glorious future ; just as the fine 
 sunset promises a fair morn and a beautiful noon. 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXII. 
 
 SIN. 
 
 * ' Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God ; lest 
 any root of bitterness springing up trouble you."— if e&. xii. 15. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " I know this, that the nature of God 
 can never fail in any time, point, or portion, whilst 
 those natures which have been made out of nothing 
 can do so. The higher the creature, the greater its 
 failing, if its efficient causes be changed from good to 
 evil. When the will to sin is present, the guilt is 
 voluntary, and a just punishment follows from the 
 voluntary failing ; such fail, not from their evil 
 natures, but, as against the order of their being, for- 
 saking the highest good for that which is inferior. 
 Thus : avarice is not the fault of gold, but of man 
 perversely loving gold, and having forsaken that justice 
 which ought incomparably to be placed before gold. 
 Luxury again, is not the fault of fair and of beautiful 
 bodies, but of a mind perversely loving bodily pleasures, 
 that temperance being despised, by which we are 
 
122 Sin, 
 
 joined incorruptibly to fairer and more charming 
 objects. Neither is vainglory the fault of human 
 praise, but of a mind perversely loving to be praised 
 by men, the testimony of conscience being despised. 
 Pride likewise is not the fault of him giving power, or 
 of the power itself, but of a soul perversely loving its 
 power, of the stronger, the more just being scorned. 
 Hence, he who perversely loves good of any kind, even 
 if he obtains it, is evil despite his good, and is wretched 
 as being deprived of what is better." — De Civ. Dei, 
 xii. c. viii. vol. v. p. 129, H. 
 
 Hence we gain a threefold notion of sin which is 
 many-sided. (Cf. Ser. I. " The Plurahty of Sin.") 
 Itis— 
 
 I. A Failing, — A failing of the grace of God which 
 grace — 1) restores a lost likeness. We were made in 
 the image and likeness of God. Sin defaced the 
 image and destroyed the likeness ; grace removes the 
 stains of sin, and adorns the soul, so that it may be- 
 come Godlike once more. 2) Grace restores us to 
 God's favour, and unites us with Him Who is our 
 chief good. This chief or highest good the sinner 
 cannot realize ; he rests — unhappily — upon a less 
 worthy object. 3) Grace restores our lost inheritance of 
 glory. The sinner works for death and hell, but fails 
 
Sin. 123 
 
 to gain the promised glory. Sin is a failing in all 
 that is best, highest, and holiest. 
 
 II. An Opposition. — Sin has its root in the 
 opposition of the will of man to the will of God. The 
 will places itself into opposition against God. 1) The 
 affections say, I will love the world rather than God. 
 2) The reason seeks to remove itself from the 
 domain of faith, in which alone it can find scope for the 
 exercise of all its faculties. 3) The memory, making 
 itself wholly unmindful of God, of His providences, 
 mercies, and judgments. 
 
 III. A Perversion. — Sweetness is turned to bitter- 
 ness ; light to darkness. Sin is "a root of bitter- 
 ness," which springing up in the soul perverts all 
 things. 1) Life ; 2) Knowledge ; 3) Power and 
 
 energy of every kind ; 4) Our nature ; which truly 
 belongs to God. 
 
 Epilogue. — Sin in act is to be subdued by the root 
 of sin — " the root of bitterness " being rooted out of 
 the heart; and we are bidden to "be perfect." (S. 
 Matt. V. 48.) 
 
( 124 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXIII. 
 
 THE WAY OF HOLINESS. 
 
 '• An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the- 
 way of holiness." — Isa. xxxv. 8. 
 
 S, Augustine. — " This our way demands walkers ; 
 but it hates three classes of men : those who stand 
 still, go back, and wander. Of the walkers, some walk 
 more quickly than others, yet both walk. They who 
 stand still must be aroused ; they who go back must 
 be recalled ; they who wander must be led into the 
 way. He who does not advance stands still in the 
 way ; he who goes from what is good to what is evil 
 goes back in the way ; he who forsakes the faith 
 wanders from the way. Who is he, who does not 
 advance ? He who thinks himself to be wise ; who 
 says, ^ I am well enough as I am ;' who neglects the 
 Apostolic words : ' Forgetting those things which are 
 behind, and reaching forth unto those things which 
 are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of 
 the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' (PhiL 
 
The Way of Holiness, 125 
 
 iii. 13, 14.) The Apostle confesses that he was run- 
 ning and * reaching forth ; he stood not still ; looked 
 not back ; it could not be that he wandered, since he 
 was himself teaching, holding, and showing the way. 
 Who are those who go back ? They who return from 
 continency to uncleanness. Such are blamed by the 
 Apostle S. Peter. *It had been better for them 
 not to have known the way of righteousness,' etc. 
 (2 S. Pet. ii. 21.) Oh! evU deed to look back! 
 * Remember Lot's wife.' (S. Luke xvii. 32 ; Gen. 
 xix. 26.) Who are they who wander ? The heretics ; 
 who, having forsaken the way of truth, are despoiled 
 whilst straying in the desert ; who allure souls to sin ; 
 and who hinder any one from coming to the heavenly 
 country." — De Canticonovo, c. iv. vol ix. p. 277, F.G. 
 
 Difficult as it is for us, encompassed as we are with 
 so many and great hindrances — to walk aright along 
 the *' highway of holiness ;" the " King's highway of 
 the holy Cross ;" still we must strive and pray. 
 
 I. Ever to walk onwards. — Never to remain idle or 
 to be found standing still ; duly mindful — 1) of that 
 which we have still to do, and of the short time in 
 which so great a work has to be wrought. How many 
 sins have to be subdued ; evil habits overcome ; fond 
 
126 The Way of Holiness. 
 
 desires to be rooted up ? How many Christian graces 
 have to be pat on ? How many works " meet for re- 
 pentance " are yet unfulfilled ? 2) Of the glorious and, 
 great things that are within our grasp, if we will but to 
 put out our hands and gather them. " All are yours." 
 (1 Cor. iii. 22.) Victories over self; promises of love ; 
 gUmpses of heaven ; and a most blessed sense of pardon 
 and of peace. Who can say, "I have exhausted the love, 
 knowledge, and the grace of God ?" The highway of 
 holiness reveals its treasures at every step, and grows 
 in beauty and pleasantness along each successive 
 portion of its course. At the beginning, and at the 
 beginning only, is it most hard and distressful. 
 
 II. Never to go hack. — Retreat is always humili- 
 ating ; often it is disgraceful ; always it is ac- 
 companied by loss. They who go back on the 
 " highway of holiness," lose — 1) The results of past 
 life ; former victories over sin ; answers to prayer ; 
 the fruit of much labour; hope and heart. 2) " The 
 answer of a good conscience toward Grod." De- 
 gradation ever waits upon a fall. The stings of con- 
 science proclaim but too certainly its sense of 
 cowardice, shame, and defeat. 3) The goal, for 
 which we had hitherto striven so nobly ; the pearl of 
 great price ; the unfading crown, and our own soul 
 beyond all else. 
 
 III. To abide in the way. — They who go out of 
 
The Way of Holiness. 127 
 
 the highway of holiness fall into the bye-ways of — 1) 
 superstition. Superstition in this our day is spiritual, 
 not material. Its range is experience, temporal 
 judgment, extraordinary workings of the Holy Ghost, 
 etc. 2) Of unbelief. Of a state in which all revelation 
 is set at nought ; and our relationship with God and the 
 invisible world treated as a vain delusion ; or, it may be, 
 as a harmless myth. 
 
 Epilogue, — Let your walk in this way be — 1) 
 Humble ; 2) Prayerful ; 3) Persevering. 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXIV. 
 
 PARDONED SIN. 
 
 ♦' remember not against us former iniquities." — Ps. Ixxix. 8. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " That pardoned sin can return 
 where brotherly charity is wanting, the Lord most 
 plainly taught in the Gospel in the case of that 
 servant (S. Matt, xviii. 23-35) who when he had 
 been found a debtor to the amount of ten thousand 
 talents, forgave it all at his entreaty. But when he 
 would not have compassion on his fellow- servant who 
 owed him two hundred pence, the lord commanded him 
 to repay that which he had forgiven him." — De Bapt, 
 Con. Donat. lib. i. c. xii. vol. vii. p. 34, B. 
 
 These words suggest that an answer should be given 
 to the all-important question : Can sin once forgiven 
 by God again be laid to man's charge ? Is there such 
 a thing as past sin, which has been once and for ever 
 pardoned ? Has the penitent any hope that for him 
 *' the former things are passed away ?" 
 
Pardoned Sin. 129 
 
 This question has been solved by one whose mind 
 was, both by culture and ability, well fitted to grapple 
 with this solemn consideration, towards the solution 
 of which we follow his guiding. (S. Thomas Aquinas, 
 Summa, 3a. q. 88. 1.) The subject naturally divides 
 itself into — 
 
 I. An Argument. — That sin once forgiven to the 
 sinner can be again laid to his charge. This view 
 seems to be supported — 1) By the parable of the 
 unmerciful servant. (S. Matt, xviii. 23-35.) The new 
 sins of ingratitude to the Lord, and of unforgiveness to 
 the Master, seem to cause the old debt to be brought 
 upon the unmerciful servant. Again : " His Lord 
 delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all 
 that was due unto him." Our Blessed Lord then adds 
 as a universal application of this rule, '* So likewise," 
 etc. 2) By the parable of the sinful soul " swept and 
 garnished" (S. Luke xi. 24-27), who "taketh seven 
 other spirits more wicked than himself." " This 
 verse," says the Venerable Bede, *' is to be feared, not 
 to be explained, lest the sin which we believe to be 
 extinct within us, through our want of care should 
 seize upon us, when we are not watchful." 3) By a 
 statement of the Prophet Ezekiel. (Ezek. xviii. 24.) 
 •' When the righteous turneth away from his righteous- 
 ness ... all his righteousness that he hath done 
 shall not be mentioned, in his trespass and in his sin : 
 
 K 
 
130 Pardoned Sin, 
 
 in them shall he die." As if when the penitent sins, 
 his former repentances and pardons avail him not; 
 his latter sin brings him under the condemnation of 
 his former gnilt. 4) By the use by S. Paul of the 
 first verse of the Thirty- second Psalm (Piom. iv. 7), 
 ** whose sins are covered." Grace is said to cover 
 our sins ; by any one deadly sin this covering of grace 
 is withdrawn, so that our former sins remain all 
 uncovered agr.in, the sinner being brought under his 
 old condemnation. From these four passages of Holy 
 Scripture, many have believed, with S. Augustine, that 
 sin once pardoned find forgiven by God, is by Him, 
 upon a fresh transgression, laid again to man's 
 charge. 
 
 11. An Explanation, — In deadly sin there are two 
 elements. Firstly, a turning away from God, which 
 entails the loss of divine grace and the guilt of eternal 
 punishment. (S. James ii. 10.) Secondly, a turning 
 towards the created good, instead of towards God Who 
 is the uncreated good. It may be that after repentance 
 we may fall into the very opposite of our old sins; 
 yet the effect which involves these two conditions is 
 analogous. These two aspects of sin lead up to the 
 same result, let the sin itself be of what nature soever 
 it may. On this principle all these four statements 
 admit of a ready explanation. 1) In the parable of 
 the unmerciful servant, the ** ten thousand talents '* 
 
pardoned Sin, 131 
 
 (£1,875,000) represent the guilt of eternal punisliment 
 generally. The unmerciful servant incurred this debt 
 at first by some means which is not mentioned, and 
 afterwards by a cause which is mentioned : combined 
 ingratitude and unforgiveness. These two causes led 
 to the same result. The servant was lost, not by his 
 old debt coming back upon him, but a new debt of like 
 amount for his new offence. 2) In the parable of the 
 chamber swept and garnished (S. Luke xi. 35, 30), it 
 was not the same sin which defiled the man, but a 
 repetition of it ; a fresh sin committed after the old 
 habit and manner. 8) On Ezekiel xviii. 24, it may 
 be observed, that by subsequent sin all the merit of 
 former righteousness is lost, but not its effect as an 
 hindrance to further sin. The prophet only asserts 
 by the latter sin, the sinner is brought into a state of 
 guilt ; is deprived of the merit of his former holiness ; 
 but says not one word about pardoned sin being once 
 more laid to his charge. 4) The expression used by 
 S. Paul from David of " covered " sin (Rom. iv. 7), is 
 a figurative expression. God by His grace hides sin 
 as it were from His eyes, lest He should see it and be 
 obliged to punish it. What God has thus done, 
 remains unchanged and unaltered for ever. 
 
 III. The Conclusion. — It is hard to believe that 
 the unmerciful servant was '* delivered to the tor- 
 mentors " for his old debt, the same one which had 
 
 K 2 
 
13'2 Pardoned Sw. 
 
 been pardoned ; that tlie guilt of acts of sin long since 
 repented of and pardoned, can by a relapse into sin, 
 be recharged. For — 1) The gifts of God are without 
 repentance (Rom. xi. 29) ; thej^ are not to be recalled. 
 If pardoned sin could be brought back again, God 
 would thereby repent of His gi*ace and mercy towards 
 man. 2) The work of God and His purposes cannot 
 be thwarted by the work of man. Hence the Apostle's 
 argument concerning the Jews. (Rom. iii. 3.) 3) An 
 after act of sin virtually contains the guilt of the 
 former sin. Fresh sins weigh with an increased weight 
 upon the pardoned sinner as (Rom. ii. 4, 5), so that 
 the weight of present sin bears a proportion to the 
 former pardons. The sentence of the law is propor- 
 tionately heavier against one who has experienced 
 former convictions and has paid the full penalty of the 
 law, in expiation of every such offence. 
 
 Epilogue. — 1) The joy of a sense of pardoned sin, 
 should make the soul very careful not to fall once 
 more into its old state of condemnation. 2) The 
 gratitude for so many and such infinite pardons should 
 lead to holiness by the law of love. " How can I do 
 this great wickedness and sin against God ?" 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXV. 
 
 THE NEW LIFE. 
 
 •* He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave- 
 clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin." — S, 
 John xi. 44. 
 
 S, Augustine. — " Although we may hold with a full 
 faith the Evangelical narrative of the raising of 
 Lazarus, yet I doubt not that it signifies something 
 by way of allegory ; which allegorizing does not lessen 
 its historic truth. Because S. Paul allegorized the 
 two sons of Abraham (Gal. iv. '22) as the two 
 covenants, it does not follow either that there was not 
 such a person as Abraham, or that he had not twa 
 sons. 
 
 " Let us therefore consider Lazarus in the tomb to 
 represent, allegorically, a soul buried under the weight 
 of earthly sins — that is, the entire human race, which 
 the Lord in another place (S. Luke xv. 4) compared 
 to a lost sheep — for the liberation of which He said 
 that He had descended, leaving the ninety and nine 
 in the wilderness. 
 
134 The New Life, 
 
 ** When the Lord asks ' Where have ye laid him ?' I 
 think that He indicated our vocation which is hidden. 
 For the predestination of our calling is hidden, and 
 the interrogation of the Lord, as of one ignorant, is a 
 sign of this secret. The Lord confesses Himself to 
 be ignorant of sinners. (S. Matt. vii. 23.) Hence a 
 like question in Genesis, * Adam, where art thou T 
 (Gen. iii. 10) for he had sinned and had hidden him- 
 self from the face of God ; which hiding is here repre- 
 sented by the tomh; for he who dies is a similitude of 
 him who sins — the buried are hidden from the face of 
 God. 
 
 *' * Take ye away the stone,' signifies the burden 
 which they of the circumcision wished to lay up'^n 
 those coming to the Church, against which the 
 Apostle so often testifies ; or it may mean the stone of 
 ofi'ence caused by those who live badly in the Church. 
 
 " ' He stinketh, for he hath been dead four days,' the 
 smell of earthly sins and of carnal desires. The body 
 being resolved into dust as the Lord said unto Adam, 
 * Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.' 
 (Gen. iii. 19.) 
 
 " * Then they took away the stone . . and he that 
 was dead came forth.' This signifies the soul receding 
 
The New Life, 135 
 
 from carnal sins. ' Bound hand and foot with grave 
 clothes,' bound with unrighteousness ; receding from 
 fleshly things and serving the law of God in the heart, 
 we are still subject to trouble from the flesh. * With 
 the mind I myself serve the law of God ; but with the 
 flesh the law of sin.' (Rom. vii. 25.) 
 
 " * His face was bound about with a napkin,' signifying 
 that in this life we cannot attain unto perfect know- 
 ledge. 'Now we see through a glass darkly; but 
 then face to face.* (1 Cor. xiii. 12.) 
 
 " ' Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go ;' 
 that is, that after this life all veils will be taken away 
 that we may see * face to face.' 
 
 " That there is a great difference between the man 
 who is tasting the wisdom of God, by Whom we have 
 been liberated, and others, is indicated by the fact that 
 except Lazarus came forth he was not unbound. The 
 renewed soul also, is not able to be freed by the 
 resolution of the body until it sees the Lord ' through 
 a glass darkly.' (1 Cor. xiii. 12.) The * linen clothes 
 and the napkin ' of Him * Who did no sin,' and was 
 ignorant of nothing, were found (S. John xx. 5-7) 
 lying in the tomb. He alone Who was sinless in the 
 flesh (Isa. liii. 9) was not oppressed in the tomb ; 
 
136 The Neiu Life. 
 
 hindered by the grave clothes or blinded by the 
 * napkin.' " — Octogint, Qucsst, Ixv. vol. iv. p. 219, 
 G.H. 
 
 Coming forth from the tomb of sin, quickened by 
 repentance and contrition to newness of life, we must 
 rise with Jesus Christ, and leave our grave-clothes 
 behind us in the sepulchre. 
 
 We must leave behind us — 
 
 I. The old habit of sin. — The habit of sin bound us 
 hand and foot whilst we were in the chamber of the 
 dead : we had no power to stir and to free ourselves. 
 Sensuality, drunkenness, covetousness, pride, self-will, 
 etc., had bound us in their iron fetters and they held 
 us with a giant's strength. God's Spirit is mightier 
 than Satan ; that Holy Spirit has given us the strength 
 to burst these bonds asunder. Shall we not use this 
 strength ? Being freed from the dominion of sin shall 
 we live any longer therein ? Shall we return again to 
 the weak and beggarly elements from which we have 
 been freed ? 
 
 II. The associations of sin. — The occasions of sin 
 often lead to its committal. We sin from and by 
 association. Our past misdeeds are frequently asso- 
 ciated with memories which time and the grave have 
 alike hallowed. Persons, places, things, are connected 
 directly or indirectly with some sin ; they recall feelings 
 
The Neio Life, 137 
 
 or acts which we should do well to bury for ever in 
 forgetfulness. " Newness of life," implies newness of 
 association — the forsaking the old associations which 
 have united themselves with so much sin and sorrow. 
 Guard against your special temptation, that is, cut 
 yourself off from the sad memories of the unrepentant 
 and misused past. 
 
 III. The old darkness of sin. — " Walli as children 
 of the light.'* " Ye were darkness, now are ye light 
 in the Lord." Scales have, as it were, fallen from 
 your eyes; like the Prodigal, you have ''come to 
 yourself," (;ome to see yourself in your true light ; to 
 know whither your com-se of life is tending. Eepent- 
 ance, conversion, quickening of soul, are all so many 
 several forms of enlightenment ; are all so many 
 bringings out of the darkness of error into the fulness 
 of saving light and truth. Come forth from the grave 
 of sin with the eyes of your soul wide open : open to 
 the snares and wiles of Satan ; open to the infinite 
 mercy, love, and grace of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Epilogue. — Freedom is the great prerogative of the 
 Christian; freedom from sin, self, and delusion of 
 every kind. Perfect freedom is the one attribute of 
 the service of Jesus Christ, 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXVI, 
 
 SELF. 
 
 ♦' Are ye not carnal, and walk as men ?" — 1 Cor. iii. 3. 
 
 S, Augustine. — '* When man lives according to man 
 and not according to God, he is like the devil. 
 Neither can an angel live according to an angel, but 
 according to God, if he would stand in the truth, and 
 speak His truth and not a lie of his own. The Apostle 
 says of man in another place ; ' If the truth of God 
 hath more abounded through my lie.' (Ptom. iii. 7.) 
 He contrasts ' my lie,' with * the truth of God.' 
 AYhen man therefore lives according to the truth, he 
 does not live according to himself, but according to 
 God. It is God who said, 'I am the truth.' (S. 
 John xiv. 6.) When indeed man lives according to 
 himself — that is according to man and not according 
 to God — assuredly he lives according to a lie ; not 
 that man himself is a lie, since God is his Author and 
 Creator — Who is verily, not the author and creator of 
 a lie ; but because man was so rightly created that he 
 
Self. 139 
 
 should live not according to himself, but according to 
 God by Whom he was made, doing the will of God 
 rather than his own ! But not to live as he was 
 created to live is, in itself, a lie. Forsooth, he wishes 
 to be happy, but so living he cannot be happy ; for 
 what is more lying than this will ? x\ll sin is a lie : it 
 promises what is better ; it gives what is worse. God 
 is the source of all blessing to man, who, when he lives 
 according to himself, forsakes God and loses the bless- 
 ing."— Dc CkiU Dei, lib. xiv. c. 4 vol. v. p. 149, A. B. 
 
 When man lives according to himself, his whole life 
 is one long lie. Man is a lallen creature, weak, sin- 
 ful, and most imperfect ; easily led astray, with the 
 heart and the understanding alike darkened. Yet, 
 many live according to themselves : since they — 
 
 I. Rest in themselves ; 1) Being contented with 
 themselves ; 2) desiring nothing beyond themselves ; 
 3) feeling no imperfections in themselves. Thousands 
 are in this state ; hence all progress is stayed : no 
 endeavour is made to rise to higher and better things. 
 All improvement springs from an intense and humbhng 
 feeling of our own imperfection. We feel that we are 
 wanting in something, therefore we make every effort 
 to supply om- deficiency. True for the best things of 
 all. Until we have ceased to rest in ourselves, we 
 
140 Self. 
 
 shall never seek to rest upon the Holy Person and the 
 finished work of Jesus Christ. The infinite need of 
 something without us to complete our shortcomings 
 and to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, is 
 the ground of all earnest seeking after ; holiness, good- 
 ness, and the likeness to Jesus Christ. God as being 
 perfect rests in Himself. For man being imperfect, 
 to rest in Himself is for Him to '' live according to 
 man, and not according to God." 
 
 II. Measure all things hy themselves. — They who 
 live " according to man," measure all things by their 
 own standard ; and limit their views to the horizon of 
 their own knowledge or experience. They are '' a 
 law unto themselves." Such measurement must 
 be — 1) Partial : favouring all that coincides with our 
 own notions. 2) Imperfect : founded upon a one-sided 
 view of the case. 3) Arrogant : leading a man to set 
 up himself as a judge and a final court of appeal. 
 
 III. Become the slaves of man. — Living " ac- 
 cording to man," is living in all the lusts and appetites 
 of a fallen and a corrupt nature ; is living "after the 
 flesh." It implies a giving place to — 1) All the evil 
 thoughts of the soul : hatred, pride, covetousness, and 
 the like. 2) All the lesser desires of the body: luxury, 
 sloth, sensuality, drunkenness, and the other evil 
 passions. Habits of indulgence are as fetters and 
 chains, whether laid upon soul or body. 
 
Self, 141 
 
 Epilogue. — Eather let us live *' according to God.'* 
 1) Resting in God, in submission, faith, etc. 2) 
 Measuring all things by His standard. 3) Living 
 according to His holy rule of life. 
 
( 142 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXVII. 
 
 FAITH. 
 
 " Increase our faith." — S. Luke xvii. 5. 
 
 S. Augustine, — " There are three classes of things 
 credible ; one includes those things which are ever 
 believed and never understood; such is the entire 
 range of history, embracing temporal events and 
 human actions. The second class contains those 
 things which are both believed in and understood; 
 such are mathematical and other exercises of the pure 
 reason. Lastly, there are those things which are first 
 believed and are afterwards understood. Of this 
 nature is divine truth, which can only be understood 
 by those who keep the commandments in a pure 
 heart, and who are accepted for their holy lives." — 
 Octogint. Qitcest. xlviii. vol. iv. p. 211, A. 
 
 In one sense there is not, nor has there ever been, 
 any lack of faith upon the earth. In every age men 
 have been found to be ^^ too superstitious." There is 
 a belief or faith of devils, which brings fear and dark- 
 
Faith, 143 
 
 ness in its train ; there is a saving faith which hrings 
 love and gladness to the sonl. 
 
 Our faith or belief is threefold. In the — 
 
 I. Uiiintdligihle. — Such are the things which are 
 believed in, but which cannot be understood. We 
 live in a world of mystery, and we are in ourselves a 
 mystery unto ourselves. Life and death are both 
 mysteries. Why was I born to die ? Why was a 
 soul w^hich is capable of looking before and after, 
 wrapped up in a body which is so strictly limited to 
 time and space ? The world of nature without me, I 
 see it, I cannot but believe in it, yet I cannot under- 
 stand it. Have the brutes a soul ? Who knows ? I 
 cannot but believe in the wild and wilful course of 
 man, as chronicled in the course of history ; the rise 
 and fall of nations, kingdoms, systems of theology and 
 philosophy, moral and physical. The wayward 
 workings of man's unruly will are stamped over all 
 this world of ours, and yet we cannot understand its 
 impulses. As moral, intellectual. Christian people, 
 we live in the midst of wonders which we are bound 
 to believe in, although we cannot explain them. Yes ! 
 there is faith enough in the world and in the world's 
 ways. 
 
 II. The Intelligible and Credible, — Such are the 
 things which are both believed in and understood. 
 The very mention of such things is a vindication of 
 
144 Faith, 
 
 the nobility of our nature, which asserts its acceptance 
 of certain truths which cannot be rejected without 
 transgressing the plain and rigorous laws of thought. 
 Hence studies like arithmetic, mathematics, and logic, 
 are valuable as uniting faith with reason ; they present 
 conclusions w4iich demand the mind's acceptance as 
 being proved by the undoubted testimony of the 
 reason. 
 
 III. The Credible and Unintelligible. — Such are 
 the things which are believed in first, and are to be 
 understood afterwards. They embrace the whole body 
 of revealed truth. It is accepted because it comes 
 from God. It is — 1) a discipline ; 2) a purification ; 
 3) an endowment. We disciphne our hearts by a 
 humble reception of it. Having received it, it 
 gradually purifies the heart and life. With the 
 purification there comes a spiritual enlightenment — a 
 teaching by the Spirit of God which leads us into 
 domains into w^hich reason at present is powerless to 
 follow. 
 
 Einlogiie. — Lord, ^' increase our faith " in the 
 highest truth; since such increase must become our 
 eternal gain. 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXVIII. 
 
 PREACHING] 
 
 •' If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." 
 —1 S. Pet. iv. 11. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " He who endeavours by preaching 
 to persuade to what is good, pra}- s and aims that he may 
 teach, delight, and move ; despising none of these three, 
 so that he may be heard intelligently, willingly, and 
 obediently. He that so speaks aptly and conveniently, 
 not undeservedly can be called eloquent, although he 
 may not carry the assent of his audience. The author 
 of Roman eloquence [Cicero] seemed to allude to these 
 three qualifications when he said, ' He is an orator 
 who can say small things softly ; middling things 
 temperately ; great things grandly.' He therefore 
 will be eloquent who, in order to teach, can say 
 humble truths gently; to delight, can say moderate 
 things temperately ; to move or bend, great things 
 grandly." — De Doc. Christiana, lib. iv. c. xvii. vol. 
 iii. p. 31, D. 
 
 I. L 
 
146 Preacking. 
 
 Sermons are often dull and profitless because they 
 are wanting in these three elements of teaching, 
 pleasing, and bending or moving men's hearts, 
 properly combined and present in a due proportion. 
 These three qualities are present in the ' oracles,' or 
 discourses of God which — 
 
 I. Teach. — In this world and life we ought to be 
 as children at school, ever learning ; ever ready to 
 receive instruction since we are ever needing it. The 
 understanding cries out for food : "Give me knowledge 
 and instruction." The pulpit is a teaching place in 
 which is taught — 1) Duty : moral, social, and 
 Christian. 2) Knowledge of divine things : of the 
 Holy Scriptures ; their histories ; their meanings ; 
 their testimonies to the faith. 3) Doctrine ; which 
 enables us to accept the entire Enle of Faith, and to 
 reject all novelties in religion. That heavenly teaching 
 by which the mind of Jesus Christ comes down to, and 
 holds converse with, our own feeble and imperfect 
 minds. Teaching — 1) Informs : it reduces the soul 
 to order and form, and changes its natural chaos into 
 a spiritual world of harmony^ 2) Edifies or builds 
 up : taking the rough stones and material of the mind, 
 and working them up into " an habitation of God 
 through the Spirit." 3) Adorns : all knowledge is 
 a garniture of the soul ; it does for the mind that 
 which comely and well-ordered apparel does for the 
 
Preaching. 147 
 
 body. The untaught soul is clad in the rags and 
 tatters of opinion, conceit, and prejudice, instead of in 
 the whole and perfect garment of that knowledge 
 which is humbty and thankfully received as from the 
 hand of God. Every Sunday ought to convey some 
 morsel of knowledge to the understanding of the 
 hearer, which will abide in and exercise a wholesome 
 and saving action upon the soul all throughout the 
 following week. 
 
 II. Please. — The oracles of God delight and please 
 — 1) By their endless variety of subjects. There is 
 no monotony in Holy Scripture ; which is more diver- 
 sified than the most varied landscape which our earth 
 affords. Each inspired penman leaves his own distinct 
 individuality upon his own page. The preacher must 
 ever change his theme, ever present the old truth in 
 a new light ; the same unchangeable Figure (i.e. Jesus,) 
 clad in different garments. 2) By their illustrations. 
 Spiritual lessons are taught in so many ways in Holy 
 Scripture: by history; by type; by parable; by dis- 
 course ; by songs ; by prayers. The preacher should 
 press into his service any event or sajdng which is worthy 
 of record, which avails to illustrate his subject. 3) By 
 their adaptations and applications. The " oracles of 
 God " speak with a human voice, appealing to human 
 feeling ; supplying human needs with their divine 
 help. The preacher must adapt and apply all his 
 
 L 2 
 
148 Preaching. 
 
 teaching to the hearts and consciences of his 
 hearers. 
 
 III. Move or Bend. — Holy Scripture often moves 
 the heart to — 1) Kepentance for past sin; 2) Confes- 
 sion and contrition for present sin ; 3) Holy resolu- 
 tions of amendment of life against future sin. Preaching 
 is in vain, if it leads no souls to holiness, and if it 
 excites no desires in men's minds to attain unto the 
 higher life which belongs to the children and friends 
 of God. 
 
 Epilogue. — These needs in the preacher imply 
 corresponding needs in the hearer, who must be — 1) 
 apt to learn ; 2) ready to listen with pleasure ; 3) 
 disposed to be excited to holiness. He must be, in 
 short, intelligent, willing, and obedient, ever looking 
 to receive a blessing from the mouth of the preacher. 
 
( 149 ) 
 
 SERMON XXXIX. 
 
 THE SPIRIT'S WORK. 
 
 *' Thy Spirit is good."— Ps. cxliii. 10.^ 
 
 S. Augustine. — " As therefore no one is rightly 
 wise ; rightly understands, prevails rightly in counsel 
 and might ; no one is knowingly pious ; or piously 
 knowing, no one fears Grod with a chaste fear, except 
 he shall have received the spirit of wisdom and under- 
 standing of counsel and might, of knowledge and 
 piety, and fear of the Lord ; (Isa. xi. 2) ; nor has 
 anyone true virtue ; sincere charity ; continent religion ; 
 save by the spirit of virtue, charity, and continence ; 
 so, without the spirit of faith, no one can rightly 
 believe ; savingly pray, without the spirit of prayer. 
 After one manner He helps not as yet indwelling ; 
 after another manner, indwelling. For not yet in- 
 dwelling. He helps that they may become faithful ; 
 indwelling, He helps them as being faithful." — Contra 
 Pelagianos, Epist. cv. vol. ii. p. 157, G. 
 
150 The Spirit's Work. 
 
 • 
 
 ** The Holy Spirit works within [intrinsecus] as a 
 
 medicine which is used without [extrinsecus] may do 
 
 good." — De Civitate Dei, lib. xv. c. 6. vol. v. p. 
 
 161, H. 
 
 Without the Holy Spirit moved upon the waters of 
 man's soul, ^' which are without substance," (Confess, 
 lib. xiii. c. 7) ; we should be — 
 
 I. Dejcicl. — Sin is death. The Holy Ghost being 
 sinless is life (S. Amb.) ; and He raises us from the 
 death of sin to the life of righteousness. He gives us 
 a new birth, which involves a new nature. ' Ye must 
 be born again." (S. John. iii. 17.) The life which 
 the Spirit gives us in exchange for the darkened life 
 of our lowly nature, is a life which is — 1) Immortal : 
 never to be swallowed up in death ; never to be sub- 
 jected to the powers of darkness. Our mortality after 
 the flesh, throws its sombre shadow over the highest 
 and fairest scenes of this present state of being 
 This new life is never to collapse into the sad state 
 of nothingness. 2) Godlike: hence holy, happy 
 glorious, expansive ; rejoicing in its very being ; 
 exulting over the conscious exercise of its powers. 3) 
 Kudimentary : here on earth, like the life of a little 
 child amongst men ; all undeveloped ; and all im- 
 perfect ; yet giving abundant promise of a future 
 
The Spirit's Work. 151 
 
 spring-time and a golden summer, and a glorious 
 harvest. 
 
 II. Unpardoned. — If all the richest blessings of 
 life were strewn about our paths, houses, friends, 
 means of every kind in unlimited luxuriance ; and yet 
 the shadow of a known and coming agony cast its 
 gloom over all ; if the sword of Damocles was hanging 
 over our heads, each blessing would seem to be a 
 mockery of goodness. The unpardoned soul carries 
 a burden vast and heavy to bear about with it where- 
 ever it goes ; a sense of weariness and oppression ; of 
 hopelessness and helplessness, which robs the 
 brightest hours of their charm. The Holy Spirit 
 intercedes for pardon (Rom. viii. 26) ; and so removes 
 the burden ; drives back the shadow ; and places a 
 glorious future before the soul. 
 
 III. Uninspired. — I speak not of the extra- 
 ordinary gifts of ^inspiration, such as fall to the lot 
 of prophets, saints, seers, and apostles ; but of 
 an inspiration ; an^ excitation, an arousing and a 
 quickening, by which the Holy Spirit is wont to work 
 upon and within the souls of men. Inspiring souls 
 — 1) to seek for light and knowledge ; 2) to 
 endure heroically ; 3) to love eternally ; 4) to live 
 holily. 
 
 Epilogue. — 1. May those who know not as yet His 
 blessed Presence, remember how He is even now 
 
152 The Spirit's Work. 
 
 yearning over them. 2 May those who acknowledge 
 His gracious indwelling go on in His might from 
 strength to strength and " from glory to glory, as by 
 the Spirit of the Lord." 
 
153 
 
 SERMON XL. 
 KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 *' Knowledge is pleasant unto the soul." — Prov. Hi. 10. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " Reason. — AVhat therefore do yon 
 desire to know ? Augustine. — All these things them- 
 selves that I have prayed for. R. — Briefly enumerate 
 them. A. — I desire to know God and the soul. R. — 
 Nothing more ? A. — Nothing truly." — Soliloq, lib. i. 
 c. 2, vol i. p. 197, E. 
 
 It is almost saddening to consider the infinite 
 variety of knowledge that exists in the world, and how 
 small a portion of this vast wealth it is possible for 
 any one mind to master and appropriate to its own 
 use. After a long lifetime spent upon one depart- 
 ment of learning, how superficial and imperfect is the 
 mastery acquired over it ; and then what hundreds af 
 other branches of information are left uncared for. 
 The greatest, the most highly gifted mind, can only 
 acquire an infinitesimal portion of a great whole. 
 What is to be done then ? Because the whole is 
 beyond man's power, is therefore no attempt to be 
 
154 Knowledge. 
 
 made to gain the possible moiety ? Eather select out 
 of the great storehouse that which is of the highest 
 value, aiid endeavour to make that well-chosen portion 
 of knowledge your very own. 
 
 Such a selection was made by one of the greatest of 
 Christian thinkers of the olden time ; by one who was 
 variously learned in the departments of study which 
 were extant in his day ; and he, forsaking all the 
 others, was content to limit his acquisition of 
 knowledge to that of God, His nature, attributes, 
 and works ; and of his own soul, with its several 
 functions, affections, appetites, and capacities. The 
 former knowledge is a revelation, either of the 
 Eevealed Word without man ; or of the Spirit of 
 God within man. The latter, flows from self- 
 examination and self-communion ; from a deep and 
 earnest communing with the heart, from the searching 
 examination and proving of self. Amidst the many 
 branches of knowledge open to man, why did this 
 great Father and thinker select these two especially ? 
 Because, upon examination, such knowledge will be 
 found to be of all branches of learning the most — 
 
 I. Perfect. — 1) In subject. God is perfection ; He 
 is the only perfect being whom it is permitted man to 
 study. The mind of man, being made after God's 
 image and likeness, is the next perfect object of study. 
 The study of the perfect invites to and interests the 
 
Knowledge. 155 
 
 soul in Him Who said to man, ** Be ye perfect, even 
 as your Father Which is in Heaven is perfect." 2) In 
 means. God must be known " — a) by His revelation, 
 v^hich is perfect in truth, holiness, and in His other 
 attributes ; h) By His works, which are " perfect in 
 beauty." Man must be known by the exercise of 
 pure thought, which is freed from the desires and the 
 false impressions of the senses. 
 
 II. Profitahle. — Knowledge of God and the soul 
 avails — 1) For this present life : guiding and pro- 
 tecting the path of life ; teaching man both his 
 stren2:th and his weakness ; leading him to forsake 
 the lower and to aim at the hio^her life ; brinojinoj forth 
 much present fruit ; inasmuch as God blesses prudent 
 endeavour and holy resolve, and ripens them into 
 deeds, "meet for repentance." 2) In the life to 
 come : preparing the mind for the fulness of the 
 revelation which will fall to the lot of the sons of God 
 hereafter. Profitable : carrjang a double blessing 
 wdth us of the life which now is and of that which 
 shall be. 
 
 III. Satisfying. — As the mind of man is a counter- 
 part of the mind of God, which is infinite, it cannot 
 be satisfied and rest contented in finite things. 
 God is the fulness of Kght to the understanding ; of joy 
 to the memory ; of power to the will ; of love to the 
 affections. God satisfies the soul because He is — 1) 
 
156 Knoivledge. 
 
 Infinite— 2) True. 3) Perfect. The soul in an 
 inferior sense satisfies itself, since it cannot go beyond 
 its own conceptions, desires and imaginings. Hence 
 there is a rest to be gained from the knowledge ot 
 God and the souL 
 
 IV. Eternal. — All other branches of knowledge, 
 however good and valuable, are Qierely temporal, this 
 alone is eternal. It concerns — 1) Immortal natures : 
 God and the soul. 2) Immortal condition and states 
 of being : heaven and the heavenly life. We gain a 
 knowledge in time w-hich is to be perfected in eternity. 
 
 Epilogue. — Place this twofold knowledge before all 
 other learning, and the fruit it will yield will corre- 
 spond to its own several attributes. 
 
( 157 ) 
 
 SERMON XLI. 
 
 PERFECTION. 
 
 " Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded," 
 —Phil. iii. 15. 
 
 S, Augustine. — " Yet, just before uttering these 
 words, the Apostle had confessed his imperfection, 
 * not as though I were already perfect.' Thou canst 
 only be perfect here by knowing that thou canst not 
 be perfect here. This, therefore, will be thy perfec- 
 tion to pass by one, to hasten to another, acknowledg- 
 ing that all being done, there is still something more 
 to be attained. I call myself, therefore, imperfect 
 and perfect ; imperfect, as having not yet received 
 that which I wish ; perfect, because I know what is still 
 wanting to me." — Enarr.in Psalmum xxxviii. vol .viii. 
 p. 122. D. p. 123, A. 
 
 All truly great and humble minds have longed to 
 fulfil the Lord's command, "Be ye perfect " (S. Matt. 
 Y. 48 ); and feeling bitterly how far they have fallen 
 
158 Perfection. 
 
 below their ideal standard, they long for the time 
 when perfection shall have come, and all that is '* in 
 part" shall for ever be done away with." (1 Cor. 
 xiii. 10.) 
 
 That perfection — the germs of which only can be 
 attained in this life — consists of fom* conditions of 
 being, which all should seek as far as possible to 
 realize. These conditions are essential to the perfect 
 development of our moral and spiritual being. 
 
 I. To know nothing hut the truth. — A large portion 
 of that imperfection which produces so much of the 
 misery and sin of the world, comes from men walking 
 in the uncertain paths of error and deceit. They miss 
 the way of truth ; they gain opinion, which is selfish, 
 false, and partial ; and thus they lose all real know- 
 ledge of God, His Church, His grace, and His means 
 of salvation ; of themselves, their strength, and their 
 weakness, the purpose and end of their lives. Of how 
 many who are still tied and bound by the chain of sin, 
 and who have never risen to the higher life, may 
 it be said, '* The way of truth they have not 
 known." 
 
 II. To desire nothing hut hajjpiness. — All desire 
 happiness in some form or other, but few desire true 
 happiness. The happiness which is to be desired is — 
 1) Satisfying : leaving no wish unfulfilled, no capacity 
 empty. As long as one small craving remains, happi- 
 
Perfection, 159 
 
 riess must be considered to be imperfect. 2) Lasting : 
 not an enjoyment for to-day to pass away to-morrow, 
 leaving blankness and desolation behind it. Ephemeral 
 happiness is imperfect, for a sense of its coming de- 
 privation tinges it with a certain sorrow. 3) Pro- 
 gressive ; increasing with the capacity for its reception. 
 That which is sufficient for happiness to a soul of one 
 capacity, would leave an aching void in another of 
 higher culture or of keener feeling. 
 
 III. To feel nothing hut love. — The heavenly life 
 is a life of perfect love. All forms of the unloving ; 
 of hate ; envy ; selfishness, etc., disturb the soul and 
 mar its perfection. Love fixes the soul upon — 1) God 
 Who "is love " and unchangeable. The author of every 
 blessing. 2) Man, in his best and noblest points, with 
 many of his weaknesses and imperfections covered. 3 ) 
 All that is true and good and beautiful in every relation 
 of life, in every creation of the mind. God, Who is 
 perfection, is also love ; and the perfect nature is one 
 of infinite capabilities of loving. 
 
 lY. To work 7iothing hut holiness. — Sin, whether 
 of the thought or deed, destroys perfection, since it 
 brings loss, punishment, and unhappiness in its train. 
 Sin makes man too imperfect for heaven; too imperfect 
 to fulfil his due and proper work upon earth. Sin is 
 a disturbance of the equilibrium of perfection. 
 
 Epilogue . — The Lord Jesus Christ, as the Perfect 
 
160 Perfection. 
 
 Man, came to lead us to this perfection ; to be our 
 truth, our happiness, and eternal salvation, our loving 
 brother, our source of holiness. In Him we find our 
 own future perfection prophetically personified. 
 
( 161 ) 
 
 SERMON XLIL 
 
 THE PATH OF DUTY. 
 
 ** Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife 
 Elizabeth shall bear thee a son." — S. Luke i. 13. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " It is not likely tliat Zacharias— 
 who was a righteous man, and old in experience and 
 years — when he was offering for the sins of the people, 
 for their salvation and redemption, whilst, too, they 
 all were waiting for His offering — that he, an old man, 
 having an aged wife, leaving the public intercession, 
 would pray that he might receive children. Hitherto 
 he had despaired of offspring, and now he disbelieved 
 the angelic message. ' Whereby shall I know this V 
 The sign of dumbness was vouchsafed (S. Luke i. 
 20), which signified that prophecy lacked an intelli- 
 gible sound, that it was not understood until it was 
 fulfilled by the Lord. What said the Angel to him ? 
 ' Thy prayer is heard.' His prayer for the people ; 
 whose salvation and redemption, and the abolition of 
 whose sins was about to be wrought by Christ. To 
 
 I. M 
 
162 The Path of Duty. 
 
 this end was the son to be born, announced to Zacha- 
 rias, because the child was destined to be the pre- 
 cursor of Christ/' — Qucestiones Evangelicce, lib. i. 21. 
 vol. iv. p. 130, C. 
 
 The unselfish, strict discharge of duty always brings 
 a blessing with it. To do or to suffer is in itself 
 healthful, when duty calls us to one or other of these 
 lots. In the case of Zacharias the reward for his 
 unselfish following of the path of duty was : — 
 
 I. Unexpected. — All hope and expectation of being 
 blessed in his issue had long since died away with 
 him. There was a time when he thought that it 
 might be his happy lot to possess a son who should 
 carry on his name and office when he was gathered to 
 his fathers ; but that time had now passed by long 
 since. Resignation had succeeded expectation. The 
 just and calm fulfilment of the duties of life, and a 
 due preparation for his coming end, w^ere now his 
 thought and care. In fulfilling his duty, he enter- 
 tained an Angel unawares; and the prayer of long-gone- 
 by days, the yearnings of his youth and spring-time, 
 were alike to be answered now. An unexpected bless- 
 ing, light, and joy, was to be his portion. When we 
 are walking in the way of duty, humbly, stedfastly, 
 unselfishly before God, then the unexpected help, and 
 comfoH, and blessing comes. When the sacrifice of 
 
The Path of Duty, 163 
 
 all that is dear is to be offered at the shrine of obedi- 
 ence, the eyes are opened, and the ram is seen holden 
 in a thicket by its horns. (G-en. xxii. 13.) 
 
 II. Grateful. — No gift was so precious to the Jew 
 as that of posterity. Riches and honours, the highest 
 advancement in life, Zacharias would gladly have sacri- 
 ficed to gain a son. The birth of an heir fulfilled the 
 long desire of a life. A child was the one thing wanting 
 to complete his happiness. God, therefore, rewarded 
 him for his honest discharge of duty in the way of all 
 others, which was acceptable to him. So was Ruth 
 gratefully blessed for remaining with Naomi. 
 
 III. Bountiful.— Duty ought to claim no recom- 
 pense, for man can never perfectly fulfil it ; and the 
 testimony of a good conscience is a sufficient remuner- 
 ation for all toil, suffering, and sacrifice of self. God 
 ever rewards the true and faithful by blessings manifold, 
 which are far beyond their merits ; for godliness hath 
 the twofold promise of this world and the next. Small 
 service, performed from right motives, never fails of 
 an overflowing blessing. Joseph is exalted and en- 
 riched for interpreting Pharaoh's dream, instead of 
 refusing in anger so to do. 
 
 Epilogue. — Shrink not from the path of duty, be it 
 ever so hard, ever so rugged. The reward will surely 
 come sooner or later. In due time you shall reap if 
 
 you faint not. 
 
 M 2 
 
( 164 ) 
 
 SERMON XLIII. 
 
 JESUS SLEEPING. 
 
 " He was asleep." — S. Matt. viii. 24. 
 
 S. Augustine. — "We sail throiigli a certain sea, 
 and winds and gales are not wanting ; our ship is well 
 nigh filled with the daily temptations of this world. 
 Whence is this, save that Jesus sleeps ? But what is 
 it for Jesus to sleep ? Thy faith which is in Jesus 
 has slept. The storms of this sea arise ; you behold 
 the evil to prosper, the good to toil ; it is a trial ; it is 
 a wave; and thy soul exclaims, '0 God, is this really 
 Thy righteousness, that the wicked should flourish 
 and the good should toil.' You say to God, ' Is this 
 Thy righteousness ?' And God says to you, ' Is this thy 
 faith ?' Have I promised you these things ? Was it 
 for this that you became a Christian, that you should 
 prosper in this world, and that in the future you should 
 be miserably tormented in hell? Here the wicked 
 flourish who afterwards will be tormented with the 
 devil. Why do you speak thus ? Wherefore are you 
 
Jesiis Sleeping. 165 
 
 disturbed by the waves and tempest of the sea ? It is 
 because Jesus is sleeping, because your faith in Jesus 
 is asleep in your heart ? What do you do that you 
 may be delivered ? Awake Jesus and say, ' Lord, we 
 perish !' The uncertainties of the sea move us, 'we 
 perish.' He will watch, that is. He restores your 
 faith to you, and He assisting, you will consider in 
 your heart that what is given to the wicked only, will 
 not remain with them, for it will forsake them living 
 or be forsaken by them dying; but that which is 
 promised to you will remain for ever." — Enarr. in 
 Psal. XXV. vol. viii. p. -14. H. 
 
 The Presence of Jesus Christ, which He gives to 
 every one w]io is baptized into His name, is a 
 Presence which is of infinite value for this present life, 
 as well as our only security for the life to come. 
 When this Presence is not realized ; has no hold or 
 action upon the soul ; then Jesus is surely sleeping in 
 the ship of the soul. When Jesus Christ is sleeping 
 we lose — 
 
 I. Faith. — The storm of doubt carries us hither and 
 thither ; our creed changes with the moon. We are 
 seeking to navigate a difficult and most treacherous 
 sea without either compass or chart ; and the clouds 
 of doubt above the head prevent any observations being 
 
166 Jesus Sleeping. 
 
 taken to learn the course. Doubt leads to error ; error 
 to destruction. Shipwreck is imminent. The rocks 
 and breakers are around and hem us in. '' Lord, save 
 us, we perish." 
 
 II. Love. — It is love that lightens care and toil. 
 There is neither care nor toil for the beloved object ; 
 they are swallowed up in a higher feeling, which casts 
 its care upon the loved one and toils with a ready will 
 and a light heart which is gladdened by sympathy. 
 When love dies out, care presses down the soul ; the 
 waters are coming in. " Lord, save us, we perish." 
 
 III. Hope. — When we lose hope, the waves of 
 sorrow sadly buffet us. With hope as a companion we 
 ride upon the cresting billows, triumphant and rejoicing. 
 When hope is lost, we sink under the waters of sorrow ; 
 we are swallowed up by over much sorrow. " Lord, 
 save us, we perish." 
 
 IV. Ohedience. — The tempest of sin, with its gales 
 of temptation, tears our sails, breaks our spars, and 
 drives us before it at its most cruel mercy. The pilot 
 is sleeping ; the rudder-bands are loose ; all is dismay, 
 lawlessness, and in a confusion which must end in 
 death. '' Lord, save us, we perish." 
 
 Epilogue. — Keep Jesus waking in the soul, by ever 
 earnestly thinking upon, praying to, and referring all 
 things to Him. 
 
( 167 ) 
 
 SERMON XLIV. 
 
 HAPPINESS. 
 
 "We call the proud happy."— JJIa?. iii. 15. 
 
 S. Augustine, — " Assuredly all men desire to live 
 happily, neither is there any one of the human race 
 who would not agree to this sentiment almost before 
 it were fully spoken. But in my opinion, I cannot 
 call that man happy who has not that which he loves, 
 whatsoever thing it may be : neither he who has that 
 which he loves, if it be harmful ; nor he who does not 
 love what he has if it be the best. For he who desires 
 that which he cannot obtain is tormented ; and he 
 who has gained that which he does not desire is 
 deluded ; and he who does not desire that which can 
 be gained is sick. None of these men are happy. 
 The fourth case remains as I see it, in which the 
 happy life can be found, when that which is the best 
 for man is both loved and possessed." — De Mor. 
 Eccles. lib. i. ciii. vol. i. p. 287, A. 
 
168 Happiness. 
 
 Mistakenly then, we call the proud happy ; and not 
 the proud alone, but the noble, the wealthy, the 
 honourable, and the beautiful. We confound happiness 
 with what seems to be a prosperous or successful lot 
 in life. We confuse some of the means of happiness 
 with the end which is joy and contentment of heart. 
 True happiness is an inward feeling ; it can only pro- 
 ceed from the state of the mind, and not from any 
 outward or bodily circumstances of life. We learn 
 that true happiness consists in a state which is — 
 
 I. Satisfied, — To be perfectly happy we must be 
 perfectly satisfied — we must possess that which we 
 both love and desire. No unfulfilled longing can find 
 any place in a soul which is perfectly happy. Longing 
 implies incompletion, whilst completion is the very 
 basis of happiness. They only are happy who have 
 that which supplies their every longing. As we are 
 immortal, spiritual, and sympathetic natures, the 
 object of our love and our fruition must be — 1) Im- 
 mortal ; never to perish with the using thereof, or 
 capable of separation from us. 2) Spiritual ; other- 
 wise it cannot appeal to our highest and best faculties, 
 it cannot fill up the void in a nature which is itself 
 Spiritual and Godlike. 3) Sympathetic ; as so to 
 answer to the thousand pleadings of the soul that 
 seeks for sympathy and love. The loved object must 
 have certain fixed relations with the one who loves ; 
 
Happiness, 169 
 
 and it must be " that which is the best for man " to 
 possess. 
 
 II. Safe. — The gratification of any harmful desire 
 cannot confer pleasure. Men often look for happiness 
 in the indulgence of the lower appetites of both body 
 and soul ; in a course of sensuality, avarice, ambition^ 
 and the like ; and they obtain their end, which wholly 
 cheats them when it is gained. Sin is an offence 
 against the law of our being — physical, moral, spiritual ; 
 all things harmful are sinful ; so that the acquirement 
 of a harmful possession is a rebellion against the law 
 of life, and as such must necessarily bring, not happi- 
 ness, but sorrow and misery in its train. Things 
 harmful cause — 1) Eemorse for the past; 2) Dis- 
 content for the present; 3) Fear for the future. With 
 these three elements at work within the soul, where is 
 the room for happiness ? 
 
 III. Appetitive. — The finest food is of no avail to 
 that body whose power of enjoying meats and drinks 
 is lost. Nothing can bring pleasure to a soul that has 
 lost its appetite for enjoyment. Heaven will realize 
 the fulness of the appetitive faculty with its ample 
 fulfilment. All the flowers of the universe would be 
 valueless to the bee without the desire and power to 
 appropriate their honey. The power to possess is 
 implied in the happiness of possession. This appeti- 
 tive faculty which is essential to true happiness implies 
 
170 Happiness. 
 
 — 1) An ardent longing; 2) A vigorous application; 
 3) An entire assimilation. This happiness is a sign 
 of spiritual health ; since " he who does not desire that 
 which can be gained is sick." 
 
 Epilogue. — Happiness implies three factors — a 
 longing ; a good thing longed for ; and a perfect sense 
 of satisfaction in its possession. The truly happy are 
 they who long after holiness' as including both faith 
 and knowledge — the greatest and most enduring good — 
 and who find therein the completion of their nature ; 
 the fulfilment of their every desire. 
 
( 171 ) 
 
 SERMON XLV. 
 
 THE NIGHT. 
 
 " The nigbt is far spent." — Rom. xiii. 12. 
 
 S. Augustine. — "Night is that humility where 
 there is the sorrow of mortality ; it is night in the 
 proud doing very unjustly ; night in the weariness, 
 from sinners leaying the law of God; lastly, it is 
 night in the place of this pilgTimage." — Enarr. In 
 Psalm, cxviii. yol. iii. p. 490, C. 
 
 Night is then morally representatiye of a state of 
 imperfection which mainly flows from mortality, in- 
 justice, sin, and change. The present life is one 
 long night, saye when it is enlightened by the shining 
 in upon it of the rays of the " Sun of Righteousness." 
 The future in glory will be one long day. " Sorrow 
 may endure for the night" of this world, but "joy 
 Cometh in the morning," in the day of the Paradise of 
 God. The conditions then of this moral night are — 
 
 I. Mortality. — " The sorrow," or wretchedness, of 
 mortality " brings humility in its train ; not that 
 humility alone which results from an entire submis- 
 
172 The Night. 
 
 sion to the Divine will, but that kind of humility 
 which flows from a crushing sense of defeat. For 
 mortality — 1) Weakens life, and curtails its power, since 
 death comes in to stay both man's work and progress. 
 Had there been no mortality, the good might have 
 gone on to almost infinite goodness, knowledge, and 
 rule ; and the punishment of evil would have been more 
 fully, than it now is, worked out in this world. Whilst 
 now, but few mature years are allotted to man, and 
 then the humility of helplessness and loss of faculty 
 stays his course, and he sinks gradually out of sight. 
 2) Frustrates : it does not allow a full and perfect 
 end to any work and labour under the sun. Life is 
 but a seedtime, the harvest of which must be gathered 
 in by others. 3) Discourages : all work in the world 
 seems to be performed against such tremendous 
 opposition. The worker may at any moment be 
 called from his work, and become as if he had never 
 been. Yes, mortality is truly night; a seeing 
 through a glass darkly ; with the dark cloud of un- 
 certainty ever hanging veiled. 
 
 II. Injiistice.—-'EYerj form of injustice darkens the 
 conscience. Injustice darkens — 1) The doer : until 
 by habit, might becomes right, and the law of doing 
 unto others as they w^ould we should do unto us a 
 dead letter. Habitual injustice completely blunts the 
 moral sense. The reflex action of sin upon the sinner, 
 
The Night. 173 
 
 is a direr evil than sin itself. 2) The sufferer : in- 
 justice turns peace into turmoil ; joy into sorrow ; and 
 darkens life, by depriving it of its due and lawful 
 elements. Life is ever dark under a great wrong. 3) 
 The indifferent : the looker on who sees wickedness 
 flourishing, and truth and goodness depressed ; who 
 sees injustice stalking boldly before men, becomes of 
 darkened faith, and loses his hold upon the spiritual 
 world. 
 
 III. Sin. — All the real moral and spiritual light in 
 this world is but the pale reflection of the glory and 
 holiness of the world which is out of sight, proceeding 
 from Him Who is the fountain of light. Sin inter- 
 cepts these rays of Divine light as they are proceeding 
 to enlighten the soul ; it casts its own dark shadow 
 between the soul and the light of God ; and in pro- 
 portion as the sin becomes deadly, so does the night 
 become dark. This night of sin is — 1) Terrible : as 
 the Egyptian ninth plague. 2) Dangerous : for in it 
 the soul cannot see its secret enemies, the right 
 way, and the dangers in the path of life. 3) Un- 
 profitable : no work can be done in utter darkness. 
 *' The unfruitful works of darkness." (Eph. v. 11.) 
 4) Solitary : since sin robs the soul of all true love 
 and friendship. 
 
 IV. Pilgrimage. — '^ It is night in the place of this 
 pilgrimage," since this world leads onwards to the 
 
174 The Night. 
 
 next, just as night leads on to day. This life, as 
 being a pilgrimage towards heaven, may be said to be 
 night, because it is — 1) Imperfect : " Now we see 
 through a glass, darkly." 2) Changing : even as the 
 night changes to the day, so does the night of time 
 change into eternity. 3) This world is both a shadowy 
 and dreamlike life, for the '^ fashion of it passeth 
 away." 
 
 Epilogue. — Turn the night of this world and life. 
 turn ye to the light of Holy love, truth, and good- 
 ness ; even to Jesus Christ, Who '' is the true light, 
 which lighteth every man coming into this world." 
 He will make all your darkness to be light, and in this 
 light shall ye see light. In the day of God there will 
 be immortality, righteousness, holiness, and an 
 eternal home. 
 
( 175 ) 
 
 SERMON XLVI. 
 
 GOD. 
 
 " God, Thou art my God."— Ps. Ixiii. 1. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " God, the true and highest life, 
 by Whom, through Whom, and in Whom all live, 
 who live truly and blessedly. God, from Whom to be 
 estranged is to fall, and to Whom to be turned is to 
 arise, in Whom to remain is to be. God, Whom no 
 one loses unless deceived ; no one seeks unless ad- 
 monished ; no one finds unless cleansed. God, Whom 
 to know is to live ; Whom to serve is to reign ; Whom 
 to praise is salvation and joy to the soul. Thee I 
 praise, bless, and adore, with heart and lips and all my 
 powers." — Meditat. cxxxii. vol. ix. p. 305, F. 
 
 Such a God could David claim to be his ; and we 
 as His sons, by our new birth, can more truly claim 
 to be ours. Do we make good our claim ? A needful 
 question, since there are some who — 
 
 I. Lose God. — Sad thought, God was mine once. 
 Long ago I loved Him, rejoiced in Him, tried to obey 
 
176 God. 
 
 Him and to know more of Him. Now I have lost 
 Him : I am living without God in the world. I did 
 not mean to lose Him, it was not a wilful loss ; but I 
 was beguiled and deceived into losing Him. I was 
 deceived for — 1) My mind was blinded. I could not 
 see things as they really are. The light of heaven, of 
 revelation, of God's truth and Presence was darkened 
 within me. Blindfolded was I led by the de\dl captive 
 to him at his will. 2) My affections were perverted. 
 I loved that which I ought to have hated, and I hated 
 that I ought to have loved. I placed my soul upon a 
 foundation which was w^orthless and perishable — sowing 
 to the whirlwind to reap the storm. 3) My talents 
 were prostituted. I turned against God my time, my 
 thoughts, my speech, the whole endeavour of my life. 
 I was compelled to sin ; I was living as if under a 
 spell. Oh ! fearful state ! 
 
 n. Seek God. — There are seekers after God — if 
 haply they might find Him — in every age ; earnest, 
 fervent seekers after Him ; knowing no rest until they 
 can say, " Abba, Father," " God, Thou art my 
 God." Such seekers are admonished by the voice of 
 — 1) Conscience. Conscience is God's witness of 
 Himself in the soul ; it never lets the godless have 
 rest; it is ever bearing witness against them in 
 reproaches, regrets, self- accusations, and self-con- 
 demnations. 2) Providence. ^' There are it may be 
 
God. 177 
 
 so many voices in the world, and none of them without 
 signification." (1 Cor. xiv. 10.) Providence, in the 
 way of unexpected blessings and severe trial. 3) Of 
 God Himself speaking by the mouth of His Priests, 
 His Word, His Sacraments, and the Services of His 
 Church. 
 
 III. Find God. — Not all who seek God, find Him. 
 Some seek Him carelessly or despairingly, for them- 
 selves, with no feeling of love for Him, or honour of 
 His Name. We must be cleansed from all impurity 
 of the flesh and of the spirit, if we would hope to find 
 Him. (2 Cor. vii. 1.) We must — 1) Resist habitual 
 sin; 2) Pray and strive against occasional sin; 3) 
 Be adorned wdth the graces of holiness, love, and 
 fear. 
 
 Epilogue. — In losing God, all is lost, earth and 
 heaven. In seeking God, there is a discipline and a 
 reward. The gaining God conveys the fulness of 
 blessing. 
 
( 178 ) 
 
 SERMON XL VII. 
 
 FAITH A TEACHER. 
 
 " Tour father Abraham rejoiced to see My day : and he saw it and 
 was glad." — S. John. viii. 56. 
 
 S. Augustine. — *' It is faith to believe that which 
 you not yet see; it is the reward of this faith to 
 see that which you believe. In the time of faith, 
 therefore, as in the time of sowing, let us not fail, and 
 to the end let us not fail, but let us persevere until we 
 reap that which we have sown." — De Verb. Apost, 
 Ser. xxvii. vol. x. p. 129, G. 
 
 The cultivation of many of the arts and sciences, 
 may be said to so develope the senses of touch, sight, 
 and hearing, that they may be almost considered to 
 have been created during the process of technical 
 education. All definite and real study in like manner, 
 so draws out and strengthens the powers of the mind, 
 that in due time, it seems to have become the recipient 
 of almost supernatural gifts. Hence the vast difference 
 
Faith a Teacher, 179 
 
 which is to he foand between the educated and the 
 ignorant in their perceptive faculties of both body and 
 mind. As there are earthly teachers of mark and 
 value, both for the development and purification of 
 man, so faith can be considered to be essentially the 
 heavenly teacher, leading the mind into regions which 
 are not contradictory to, but which are simply beyond 
 the ken and the domain of reason. As an element of 
 justification, faith is a state, a condition which is both 
 passive and quiet ; as a teaching factor it is most ac- 
 tive and successful. It acts as a Divine intuition, 
 bringing down heaven to earth ; the mind of God to 
 the mind of man. Faith opens the book of God ; 
 His revelation ; His providence ; His grace ; in the 
 same way ; although in an infinitely higher degree ; 
 that education opens the book of nature. Now 
 education is the product of thought, care, discipline, 
 toil, and bodily denial ; and faith is likewise the 
 product of prayer, meditation, holiness, love, and re- 
 pentance, all combined. We spare no pains to gain 
 the key by which we may unlock the knowledge of 
 that which relates to time. What study and care 
 do we give in order to obtain the key which unlocks 
 the knowledge of eternity ? As a citizen of the world, 
 no one can afford to slight education. As a citizen of 
 the kingdom of God, no one can live without faith, 
 which both teaches us, and applies to us the mind 
 
 N 2 
 
180 Faith a Teacher 
 
 and will of God. God cannot be known now, save by 
 faith, and unless He be known. He cannot be obeyed 
 and loved ; hence, " without faith, it is impossible to 
 please Him/' (Heb. xi. 6.) "Words, sermons, in- 
 structions, etc., are all so many pedagogues, or 
 leaders, to the school of Jesus Christ, but the true 
 teacher in that school is faith. How does faith teach ? 
 By way of revelation or vision to the soul; which 
 vision is — 
 
 I. Prophetic. — It enabled Abraham to look over a 
 chasm of two thousand years, A longing to penetrate 
 into the secrets of the future, pertains to man's nature ; 
 and faith in part lifts up the veil which shrouds our 
 Saviour and His Heavenly home ; giving glimpses of 
 — 1) His Blessed Person, '* Whom not having seen " 
 with the eye of the flesh ; but Whom having seen 
 with the eye of faith ; "we love" — prophetic of that 
 time when we " shall be like Him, and see Him as 
 He is." 2) Of " the glory which shall be revealed in 
 us;" when we shall be clothed upon, and when 
 mortality will be swallowed up of life. 3) Of the final 
 condition of those who will "be turned into hell;" 
 ha\dng in this present life forgotten God. To bring 
 vividly before a soul, all too bound to this fleeting 
 time and life, the eternal realities of its everlasting 
 condition, is the prophetic office of faith as a 
 teacher. 
 
Faith a Teacher. 181 
 
 II Ennohling, — To walk by sense is to live in one 
 world instead of two. Faith reveals the ennobling 
 vision of a spiritual world, by which we are surrounded. 
 1) Angels both good and evil. 2) Spirits and souls 
 of the righteous ; '* great cloud of witnesses " which are 
 ever about our path. 3) The hidden charm and 
 power of all the Sacraments, and other means of 
 grace, which place us in a world of supernatural 
 influences. Faith annimates a '' letter that killeth," 
 with " a spirit that giveth life." 
 
 III. Real. — The vision of faith is so real, that it 
 has — 1) Sustained Martyrs in their last moments. 2) 
 Guided the Saints along the pathway of holiness. 3) 
 Given a depth and earnestness to character, before un- 
 known. It is no mere intellectual conception, but a 
 living principle of life and action. 
 
 Epilogue. — The conditions of this spiritual life and 
 teaching are, that we must first believe, and then we 
 shall see. The heavenly vision is the reward of faith ; 
 and in proportion to our faith will the brightness of 
 this vision be — 1) Clear ; 2) guiding ; 3) sustain- 
 ing ; 4) joy-giving; 5) transforming. (2 Cor. iii. 
 18.) Having this foretaste of the Beatific Vision, we 
 can look over the intervening tract of sin, sorrow, and 
 death ; and we can obtain a far-off sight of that 
 Heavenly Canaan, in which can be recognized, in the 
 land that is very far off, our Lord and Saviour, our God 
 
182 Faith a Teacher. 
 
 and King, in His beauty, majesty, and glory ; whence 
 we gain also a glimpse of what our own future estate 
 will be, when we shall be like Him, when we shall see 
 Him as He is. 
 
( 183 ) 
 
 SERMON XLVIII. 
 
 HEAVEN THE LEGACY OF PEACE/ 
 
 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you." 
 —S. John xiv. 27. 
 
 S. Augustine, — " About to go away, ' peace I leave 
 with you.' He will give to us His peace w^lien He is 
 about to come again at the end of the world. He 
 leaves peace with us in this world ; He will give us 
 His peace in the world to come. He leaves peace 
 with us, abiding in which we overcome the enemy ; 
 He will give us His peace when we shall reign without 
 any enemy. He leaves peace with us, that even here 
 we may mutually love ; He will give us His peace 
 when we never can dissent. He leaves His peace 
 lest we should judge each other in our secret things, 
 whilst we are in this world ; He will give us His peace 
 when He will make manifest the thoughts of the heart, 
 and ' then shall every man have praise of God.' 
 (1 Cor. iv. 5.) In Him, verily, and from Him is peace 
 to us, whether He leaves it with us, about to go to 
 
184 Heaven the Legacy of Peace. 
 
 His Father ; or whether He will give it to us when 
 about to lead us to the Father. But what does He 
 leave to us, when ascending from us, save Himself, 
 whilst He departs not from us ? ^ For He is our 
 peace Who hath made both one.' (Eph. ii. 14.) He, 
 therefore. Himself is peace to us, both when we 
 believe that He is ; and when we see Him as He is." 
 — In Joan. Tract Ixxvii. vol. ix. p. 157, A.B. 
 
 This peace which our Blessed Lord left when He 
 was going away was an earnest of that peace which 
 He would not only leave behind Him, but also give in 
 His kingdom and glory ; and it draws the world of the 
 future into close connection with the world of the 
 present; so much so, that heaven itself may be said 
 to be represented by this legacy of peace. This legacy 
 and gift bring heaven home to us in its nearness by its 
 present — 
 
 I. Influence. — Heaven is not so far off as we may 
 sometimes deem it to be. It is true of the elect, ''the 
 Kingdom of God is within you." There is such a 
 thing as a present heaven in which the first-fruits of 
 that which is to be hereafter, can be tasted by us now. 
 (S. Aug. Confess, lib. ix. c. 10. vol. i. p. 61, E.) 
 
 It is a great mistake to put the world unseen so far 
 away from us as is so very often done. The holy live 
 
Heaven the Legacy of Peace, 185 
 
 under "the shadow of the Almighty." The influence 
 of the legacy of peace is noted in — 1) The reconciliation 
 of God with man by the Cross. Man, who was some- 
 time afar from God, is now brought very nigh unto 
 Him. This reconciliation in its effects is but partial 
 now — the body of this death separates us from God — 
 it will be perfected when this legacy and gift of peace 
 is wholly ours, to be enjoyed without any stint or 
 hindrance. 2) In the true mincha, or peace offering, 
 which as His greatest legacy of peace the Lord left 
 behind Him in the Sacrament of the Altar. The 
 Holy Eucharist brings peace to the soul ; since with 
 Its pardon It reveals to us the nearness of the kingdom 
 of heaven. Hence at the time of making our Com- 
 munion, we are taught to sing : 
 
 " Thou Thyself art dwelling 
 In us at this hour." 
 
 3) In the guardianship of the holy Angels, who bring 
 a spiritual presence with them from heaven, and who 
 wait upon us, who are still abiding here on earth. 
 Many — in fact, all God's Saints — have both lived and 
 walked as if heaven were very nigh to them, for they 
 have seen it by the eye of faith. 
 
 II. Associations. — Have we never lost a relative, a 
 friend ; one both near and dear to us ? Who can say, 
 " I have not !" Smarting, then, under the sad 
 
186 Heaven the Legacy of Peace, 
 
 bereavement, the legacy of peace has softened the 
 sorrow ; such are not lost to us, but only gone before 
 us ; such, have but entered upon a new phase of the 
 spiritual life ; have been gathered into another fold of 
 the great Church of God. These '* spirits and souls 
 of the righteous " bring the kingdom of heaven nigh 
 to us indeed, for — 1) our treasure is there ; 2) our 
 hope is there. We shall all be re-united some day. 
 
 III. Actual Nearness. — We cannot tell the minute, 
 hour, day, or week of our translation into that kingdom 
 of peace, in which we shall receive this legacy of peace 
 in its perfection. They in whom " the peace of God 
 which passeth all understanding " abides — the truly 
 wise — ever hold themselves prepared to receive a 
 sudden call, when the Master calls for them; and this 
 perpetual and continuous preparation brings heaven 
 down with a startling reality, close upon the confines 
 •fthis daily life. Heaven becomes near to the soul 
 in — 1) Anticipation : it is entered in the spirit, before 
 the actual presence is therein contained. 2) Effect : 
 the peace of heaven is making a " great calm " upon 
 the troubled billows of this world's stormy life. 3) 
 Communion : near and dear with Him " Who is our 
 peace." 
 
 Epilogue. — Live now in that faith and holiness, in 
 that peace of Jesus which makes a present heaven of 
 this earth ; as being a true citizen of that heavenly 
 
Heaven the Legacy of Peace, 187 
 
 country ; then at length shall the Lord's legacy of 
 peace resolve itself into the New Jesusalem, that 
 Vision of Peace which will be glorious, eternal, and 
 perfect. 
 
( 188 ) 
 
 SERMON XLIX. 
 
 THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE SOUL. 
 
 *' Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of 
 life."— Prot;. iv. 23. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " Sin is not simple ; it is not only 
 wickedness, but it consists in admitting that which is 
 forbidden." — De Vera Relig. c. xxvi. vol. I. p. 
 276, A. 
 
 As well as a positive and an actual, there is a 
 relative guilt in sin ; just as the most harmless meats 
 or drinks may be very injurious, if not poisonous, when 
 used in certain conditions of the body. Before the 
 teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, absolute sin was 
 alone acknowledged, and then was only allowed to be 
 sin when it had broken out in either word or deed. 
 But He taught that the root of sin was within, that it 
 lay in the heart ; that sin in thought was more to be 
 guarded against, was more to be dreaded, than sin in 
 word and action ; since the mind can be subject to no 
 outward laws and has a certain liberty of its own, 
 
The Guarcliansliip of the Soul. 189 
 
 which makes it so very easy to sin in thought. Yes ! 
 the admitting of that which is forbidden into the soul ; 
 the allowing it there to germinate and leaven ; is 
 indeed planting within the soul itself a root of bitter- 
 ness. We must guard and pray against granting — 
 
 I. A Presence of sin to the affections. — The affec- 
 tions are prone to sin from several causes. 1) They 
 fasten themselves upon visible objects ; they love the 
 walk of sight rather than that of faith. Hence, they 
 naturally place themselves upon the creature rather 
 than upon the Creator ; upon that which appeals to 
 the senses, rather than to the higher principles of 
 holiness and faith. They set up an idol in the heart, 
 w^hich is in itself a snare and a sin. 2) They strive 
 to content themselves with the imperfect sympathies 
 of this present life, during which they are but half 
 revealed and half understood. They do not care to 
 rise to the higher sympathy with the " Man of 
 Sorrows." 3) They place the present before the 
 future ; time before eternity ; earth before heaven. 
 The presence of sin in the soul can be traced to one 
 or other of these causes notwithstanding the infinite 
 varieties of sin in thought, w^ord, and deed. 
 
 II. A Permission of sin hy the loill. — Many sins, 
 like sudden storms, overtake us all in times of sudden 
 temptation, and weakness finds us all unprepared. 
 Sudden temptation, sudden passion, sudden fear, bring 
 
190 The Guardiansliip of the Soul. 
 
 a consequence with them that an after lifetime of 
 repentance cannot wholly obliterate. By far the 
 greater number, especially of our smaller sins, are per- 
 missive. The will consents to them. If the will were 
 duly exercised they could not be committed, for it has 
 the power to — 1) Guard the avenues of the soul, 
 which are the senses. 2) To discipline the affections. 
 3) To strengthen our every power of resistance. 
 
 III. The Counsel of sin by the understanding. — 
 This is the most deadly form of sin, when the under- 
 standing takes counsel with itself to break God's 
 revealed law ; His moral law which is written in the 
 conscience ; and man's natural law which is founded 
 upon justice. It renders man an outlaw to God ; to 
 himself ; and to his fellow-man. All great crimes 
 imply a planned wickedness ; which proves — 1) the 
 dominion; 2) the habit; 3) the prostituting nature 
 of sin. 
 
 Epilogue. — Oh! guard well, watchfully, and jealously 
 the portals of the soul from the thought, word, look, 
 and influence of sin. For when once it is admitted 
 within the heart, it acts as a leaven, fermenting and 
 corrupting the whole of the inner man ; as a slow and 
 subtle poison, altering and perverting all the natural 
 functions and powers of the will, reason, memory, and 
 affections ; as a traitor within the camp, betraying all 
 that is best and most sacred to the deadliest enemy 
 
The Guardianship of the Soul. 191 
 
 and foe. Of what avail is it to guard the walls, when 
 treason lurks within the citadel ? May the Lord's 
 solemn warning ever be present to the memory in 
 seasons of temptation, irresolution, and weakness : 
 *^ Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts." (S. Matt. 
 XV. 19.) "Out of the heart " that is not kept '^ with all 
 diligence." 
 
( 192 ) 
 
 SERMON L. 
 
 WILL AND DEED. 
 
 " Whatsoever the Lurd pleased, that did He." — Ps. cxxxv. 6. 
 
 S. Augustine. — " To will, and to be able to do, are 
 two different things ; whence, neither he who wills is 
 able immediately to do ; nor does he who is able to do, 
 immediately will ; for as we sometimes will that 
 which we are not able to perform, so also we are 
 able sometimes to do that which we are unwilling to 
 do. As therefore he who wills [vult] has the will 
 [voluntas], so he who is able [potest] has the power, 
 [potestatem.] But that anything may be done by 
 the power, the will must be present." — De Spwit. et 
 Lit, c. xxxi. vol. iii. p. 280, A. 
 
 The whole ground of life and action is covered by 
 these few and simple words. They embrace alike the 
 perfection of God and the estate of lost and ruined 
 creatures ; they probe to the very depths of thought 
 and action ; they bring before us most plainly and 
 
Will and Deed. 193 
 
 forcibly the three estates, to one of which we must 
 belong ; they represent to man his own starting-point, 
 and his lawful progress. In them we note those 
 who — 
 
 I. Will and can, — This is the highest and perfect 
 state ; it belongs to Grod alone, in Whom the will and 
 power to do, are united. " Whatsoever the Lord 
 pleased," or willed, ''that did He." So in our 
 Blessed Lord's miracles. '^ I will, be thou whole." 
 *' God which worketh in you both to will and to do of 
 His good pleasure." (Phil. ii. 13.) This marvellous 
 combination of will and power brings some of the 
 other attributes of God out into a bold relief. Con- 
 sider — 1) God's creative, conservative, and redemp- 
 tive providences ; the adaptation of means to end ; the 
 schemes of man, the universe, of the worlds outside, 
 and far beyond our solar system. God made all 
 things, and ordered all things as He willed : the result 
 is law, harmony, and beauty. Had an imperfect 
 creature this union of will and power, how horrible and 
 terrible would be the result ; but God wills in 
 perfect wisdom, as He does or acts in infinite power. 
 Hence our gain in submitting ourselves to His all- 
 powerful and wise will. 2) That with God, thought 
 is action ; the desire or will includes its accomplish- 
 ment ; so that God must be necessarily complete in 
 Himself ; as He imagines and conceives, so He is. 
 I. o 
 
194 Will and Deed, 
 
 " Who then by searching can find out God ?" save 
 he whose mind is as great as is the mind of God. We 
 learn to bow in holy reverence before the Divine 
 Majesty of His Person. 
 
 II. Will and cannot. — This represents our present 
 state of human imperfection, in which *' to will is 
 present with me ; but how to perform that which is 
 good I find not. (Eom. vii. 18.) This sad schism 
 between thought and action accounts in great part for 
 that which we see in the world of — 1) Inconsistency. 
 Desire and will run beyond the power of their fulfil- 
 ment. Men aim high, but fall low; they desire 
 holiness, yet are ever falling into sin. Life is, there- 
 fore, one continuous struggle and combat ; a perpetual 
 seeking to realize an ideal state, which weakness, sin, 
 and sorrow, render an impossibility here on earth. 2) 
 Unhappiness. When the will has far outstripped the 
 power, disappointment, nay, despair, cannot but follow. 
 Desiring great things, small things alone become 
 ours ; things, which convey in their very presence a 
 keen sense of defeat and weakness. 3) Unproductive- 
 ness of life. I cannot attain my desires, why then 
 should I struggle and strive in vain? My 
 goal is beyond me ; I will not compete for a lesser 
 prize. Earnest souls who will and cannot, are ever 
 receiving help from above ; so that the Christian ideal, 
 in part realized here, may be altogether realized here- 
 
Will and Deed. 195 
 
 after. The agonizing seeker after holiness, love, and 
 knowledge, receives the Saviour's promise : *' My 
 grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Cor. xii. 9), and 
 thereby is comforted. 
 
 III. Can and will not. — This condition pertains 
 to — 1) Devils and lost spirits ; endowed with power, 
 yet wasting will. 2) To those who squander and idle 
 away the precious season of this present life. Such a 
 state implies — 1) the severest punishments ; 2) the 
 highest form of self-reproach ; 3) an unthankful 
 neglect of means and opportunity. 
 
 Epilogue. — Pass onwards and upwards, Christian 
 soul, from power to desire ; and from desire again to 
 power and will united ; from sin to the desire, and strug- 
 gle after such hoHness as thou mayest be able to attain. 
 Know then it is thy glorious prerogative to be able to 
 do all things through Christ Who strengtheneth thee ; 
 that whilst there is one sin to be conquered; one 
 desire to be subdued ; one step toward Heaven to be 
 gained ; there is one more jewel to be earned by thee ; 
 there is one more glory to be added to thy Heavenly 
 crown. 
 
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