is obtained from the mercy of God by daily supplications, it is of the works and merits of him in whose see his power lives and his authority is pre-eminent. For, beloved, that confession which inspired the apostolic heart by God the Father, rose above all the uncertainties of human opinions, and received the firmness of a rock, which may be shaken by no impulses obtained thus. For, in the universal Church, Peter daily says, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' This faith conquers devils," etc. (Ser. iii). Again, on the assumption of Peter (Ser. iv.): "All are kings by the sign of the cross, all consecrated priests by the unction of the Holy Spirit," etc. "But Peter was chosen," etc., " that, although in the people of God there are many priests and many pastors, yet Peter should, as by proper title belonging to himself (proprie), rule them all whom Christ also rules as prime and chief (principaliter), a great and wonderful community (consortium) of His power, beloved, has the divine esteem (dignatio) bestowed on this man; and if it has willed that anything should be common to other chiefs with him, it never gave but through him, whatever it did not deny to others;" then quotes Matt. xvi. again, interpreting thus: "As I am the inviolable rock, I the corner-stone who make both one, I the foundation besides which none can lay any other, yet thou also art a rock (petra), become identified with my virtue (i.e. power and strength, as we say virtue of a medicine or herb), that what things are proper to me in power, should be common to you by participation with me." See also Ser. lxii. (xi. de Pass. Dom.) Again (Epist. x. ad Episcopos per provinciam Viennensem constitutos): "But the Lord willed that the mystery of this function should so belong to the office of all the apostles, as placed by Him first and chief (principaliter) in the blessed Peter, head of all the apostles, and as being His will that from him, as from a kind of head, His gifts should flow into the body, that whoever dared to get away from the solidity of Peter, should understand that he was deprived of any portion in the divine mystery; for He (Christ) was pleased that he, taken into the community (consortium) of [His] indivi of the Fathers about it. the racter of God by daily •Sorks and merits of him in v » his authority is preeminent : rose above all the incr eived the firmaer si a vez, ving God? Tas faits rain, Peter daily ear.' I on the ATAG However, the following Pope, Zosimus Leo, an ab much cleverr give an ide forward in of research in De-How far the science were connected vements of different ages, Satan may have marred and of these unguarded souls. And apply to various sects, so-called, the sixth century onward, at least as er heretical bodies. But the facts are "For to estimate, and even to ascertain, and the prince o' of the testimony to be sifted as coming Take, for example, as obvious instances. es. in Pete and the Paulicians. full. # there the und EXTRACT. ple. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy 1/ this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let tim be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy till: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a (Rev. xxii. 10-15). lie of the Fathers about it. 327 works and merits of him in whose see rose above all the uncertainties etion of the te," that, priests title HRISTIANS? JUR PRAYER Y GHOST? il the people of God to Holy Ghost has returned and has to be sent again on Lessing, or whether He remained, earth with us, since that great is the important subject now under eighteen hundred years ago, a small the disciples of Jesus were accustomed to an upper chamber for prayer and supplication, pectation of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, ording to the promise of their blessed Master, to be hortly accomplished (Acts i). They were feeble and earful (John xx. 19, 20), and quite unenlightened as to the purposes and counsels of God respecting the calling of the Gentiles and the Church, having still, for the most part, Jewish views and feelings (Acts i. 6), with prejudices, which nothing but the action and direct authority of the Spirit of God afterwards sufficed to overcome (Acts x. 45-47, xi. 15-18). Besides this they had no power to preach or declare the Word of God, and were specially directed by the Lord Himself to wait until this was conferred on them, by the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts i. 4, 5, 8); nor could they, until that event took place, be formed into one body, the Church (1 Cor. xii. 13), and its order, organisation, and privileges, were unknown to them. This state of things continued until the descent of the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentecost, which is thus described:-"When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And dual unity, should be called that which He was saying, Thou art Peter," etc." that the building of the eternal temple by a wonderful gift of the grace of God should stand in the solidity of Peter, strengthening His Church by this firmness, that neither human rashness might reach it, nor the gates of hell prevail against it." Here I close my note. The place given to Peter speaks for itself to every Christian. As to doctrinal claim, it would be needless to pursue the Papacy any further. With its political influence I have here nothing to do: I have sufficiently given its history already. A most interesting but difficult subject of research in connection with this sketch would be-How far the workings of divine light and conscience were connected with some of the heretical movements of different ages, even though the craft of Satan may have marred and corrupted the movement of these unguarded souls. And this interest would apply to various sects, so-called, which arose from the sixth century onward, at least as much as to earlier heretical bodies. But the facts are very difficult to estimate, and even to ascertain, and the greatest part of the testimony to be sifted as coming from enemies. Take, for example, as obvious instances. Tertullian and the Paulicians. EXTRACT. "And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie " (Rev. xxii. 10-15). No. XXII. WHAT IS OUR POSITION AS CHRISTIANS? AND WHAT OUGHT TO BE OUR PRAYER IN RELATION TO THE HOLY GHOST? IT is of the utmost moment to all the people of God to ascertain *** whether the Holy Ghost has returned to heaven since Pentecost, and has to be sent again on every fresh occasion of blessing, or whether He remained, and still remains on earth with us, since that great event. And such is the important subject now under our consideration. More than eighteen hundred years ago, a small company of the disciples of Jesus were accustomed to meet in an upper chamber for prayer and supplication, in expectation of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, according to the promise of their blessed Master, to be shortly accomplished (Acts i). They were feeble and fearful (John xx. 19, 20), and quite unenlightened as to the purposes and counsels of God respecting the calling of the Gentiles and the Church, having still, for the most part, Jewish views and feelings (Acts i. 6), with prejudices, which nothing but the action and direct authority of the Spirit of God afterwards sufficed to overcome (Acts x. 45-47, xi. 15—18). Besides this they had no power to preach or declare the Word of God, and were specially directed by the Lord Himself to wait until this was conferred on them, by the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts i. 4, 5, 8); nor could they, until that event took place, be formed into one body, the Church (1 Cor. xii. 13), and its order, organisation, and privileges, were unknown to them. This state of things continued until the descent of the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentecost, which is thus described:-"When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And |