power which worketh in us," and know by faith that the glory of the world to come is more real, more certain, and more true, than all which we now hear or

see.

II. But now, secondly, of that to which the first must ever lead, the duty of praise and gratitude to GOD for His unspeakable gift; the text instructs us how and where that duty is to be paid: "Unto HIM be glory in the Church by CHRIST JESUS, throughout all ages, world without end."

"The glory of GoD," says St. Chrysostom, "is in the Church. Well did St. Paul say this. For the Church is the only society on earth, which is assured to last throughout all ages. And because it standeth fast from age to age, therefore will God be glorified by us in it; and this he declares by saying, 'throughout all ages, world without end." "

Is this doctrine one of those, for which this Epistle to the Ephesians has been less regarded in modern times? Is it because we have so lost the practice of Unity in the Church, that we are content to forget the blessed doctrine of Unity in the New Testament? Or, because we are no longer as we know our fathers were, are we to seek some way to accommodate the doctrine of St. Paul to things as they are now,-to say that Christian societies divided and at strife, and in whatever form the wit or fancy of men has built them up, are altogether that same " glorious Church," of which St. Paul here declares, that it was our SAVIOUR'S will "to present it to HIMSELF, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish"? No; if we have lost so far the truth of practice among us, let us not also lose the truth of doctrine and belief; let us be led, ourselves at

least, by the spirit of Unity, as it was found in the Church when St. Paul preached, and when the Apostles ministered. Let us not be partakers of other men's sins, or help them to deceive themselves, by teaching that there may be "one Spirit," where there is no longer "one Body."

I said, that one of the main doctrines of this Epistle was the Unity of the Church. Look through it, and see how in every chapter the same theme recurs; how it is enforced by the most striking similitudes; how the union of the one Body with the One LORD is made the emblem of that most sacred of mortal ties, of the marriage-bond; how it is made the very test of Christian perfection, that "speaking the truth in love, we may grow up into HIM in all things, which is the Head, even CHRIST." But is this the doctrine, that is now received in the religious world? Is it thought a mark of perfection to seek to advance the Unity of the Church? Is the mention of these texts the most usual thing in Christian preaching? Or, must we not state the mortifying truth,—has it not come to be considered a truer mark of perfection to care for none of these things, to count them among those formal things, for which graceless zealots and self-interested leaders of a faction make a stir ?-to hold that personal religion and the gifts of Grace are to every man independent of these things, and that God has not appointed under CHRIST that one Catholic and Apostolic Church, which yet we confess in our creed, as the sacred channel through which His grace will flow?

But yet, truth is strong; and the very practice of those, who reject the visible Unity of the Church most, bears witness to this truth, which they are labouring to oppose. That sect among us, which makes the

broadest denial of a visible church, and has gone the farthest in rejecting both ordinances and sacraments, has it not been forced to substitute something in their place, to adopt distinctions of garb and speech, for mutual recognition, and for an outward sign of their brotherhood, not to be mistaken by the world around? May we not then conclude, that, even in their judgment, to despise all outward ordinances does not mark a more advanced perfection, but rather a low and carnal condition, which dreads to be singular because it fears reproach? And should not a spiritually-minded member of CHRIST'S Church be as bold to contend for its privileges as put in trust with the Word and Sacraments, as these are for a strange dress, which at best can be but as the outward bark and rind of what they bear within ?

But this doctrine of a visible Church, and a succession of Ministers, is reproached as narrow. The Church of old time was still narrower, when GoD confined it to one nation. The Church of CHRIST was far narrower, when it was struggling in the first ages against Jew and Gentile. It has been, and still is, narrow in its bounds, compared to the Mahometan and Pagan world. And what is it that keeps it narrow? We send missions to foreign lands; but little or no increase comes in. The heathen people find that we are not agreed amongst ourselves, and they are distracted among the multitude of contrary teachers. The Church must be united, before these labours can be widely blessed. The spirit of those times must again return, when "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul." The union must begin in the house of GOD, and the glory of God must be manifested in His Church.

There is nothing in this doctrine, as is commonly

supposed, to fill the mind with Pharisaic pride, or to say to those who walk not with us," Stand apart, I am holier than thou." It is a doctrine, wherever it is rightly understood, to bow the soul with a sense of unmerited surpassing privileges, and to quicken it with love to all who name the name of CHRIST. And we know not how far they who are not of this fellowship may be partakers of the grace, which we humbly believe to be ours by more special covenant and promise. We may speak in the words of one who was a former ornament of this truth in doctrine and in life:

"Of all the truths that from THEE shine,
LORD, Thy philanthropy divine

Next to my heart still lies;

And turns my ghostly eyes

From all ill-natured schemes, designed

991

To bound what THOU hast to no bounds confined."

But we cannot forget the duty "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." We cannot but listen to the Apostle when he declares, directing us on earth by the pattern which is in heaven, "There is one Body and one SPIRIT, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one LORD, one faith, one Baptism; one GOD and FATHER of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." We cannot but be penetrated, when we hear the prayer of CHRIST, "Holy FATHER, keep through thy Name those whom THOU hast given ME, that they may be one as we are ; . . . as THOU, FATHER, art in ME, and I in THEE, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that THOU hast sent ME." To HIM, therefore, with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST, "be glory, in the Church, throughout all ages, world without end."

E. C.

1 Bishop Ken.

SERMON X.

DIVES

AND LAZARUS.

First Sunday after Trinity.

ST. LUKE XVI. 27, 28.

"I PRAY THEE, THEREFORE, FATHER, THAT THOU WOULDEST SEND HIM TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE; FOR I HAVE FIVE BRETHREN: THAT HE MAY TESTIFY UNTO THEM, LEST THEY ALSO COME INTO THIS PLACE OF TORMENT."

"IF I go up to heaven, THOU art there; if I go down to hell, lo, THOU art there also !"-Such, even in ancient days, was the holy prophet's apprehension of the omnipresence and power of the LORD. But a fuller and more special knowledge has been vouchsafed to us, of" things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." On Sunday' On Sunday' last, we read how St. John heard a voice from on high, saying "come up hither," that he might learn the mysteries of GOD; and now, another voice, as from the world beneath, seems to speak to us in the well known Scripture brought before us to-day. Well indeed it is that in our Epistle this morning we are reminded that "GOD is love," when, in the Gospel, we are to behold so stern an unveiling of His justice!