Parochial and Plain Sermons

"And one cried unto another, an 1 said, Iloly, 1Yol£1, Hol£1, is the Lord of lIosts."

VERY Lord's dav is a day of test, but this, perhaps, more than an)'. It commemorates, hOt an act of God, however gracious and glorious, but His own unspeakable perfeetions and adorable mvsteriousness. It is a day especially stiered fo peaee. Our Lord left His peace with us when IIe went away; " I)eace I leave with)-ou; My peace I give unto yon: not as the world giveth, give I unto youl; '' and He said IIc would send them a Comforter, who should give them peace. Last wcek we eommemorated that Comforter's coming'; and to-dy, wc commemorate in an especial wny thc gift Ho brought with Him, in that g'reat doctrinc whieh is ifs emblem and its means. "These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace: in the world ve shall bave tribulation:." Christ here says, ihat instead of this world's  John xiv. 27.? John xvi. 33.

Pcace çn «licvin. 363 troubles, IIe gives His disciples peace; and, accordingly, in to-day's Collect, we pra.y that we nm.y 1,e kept in the fifith of the Etemal Trinity in Unity, and be " deibnded from all adversities," for iu kecping that fidth we are kept from trouble. Hence, too, in the blessing which Moses told tlle priests to pronoulIce over tl,e children of Israel, God's ame is 1)ut upon them, and that thrce rimes, in order to bless and kecp thcln, fo make IIis ri,ce shine on thclu, and to give them peace. And hcnce again, in our own solenm fbrm of blessing, with which we end our public service, we impart to the people "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding," and "the blessing of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." God is the God of peace, and iii giving us peace He does but give Itimself, He does but manifest IIimsclf to us; for His prescrite is peace. I[ence our Lord, in the saine discourse in which He prolnised His disciples l»eace, promised also, that " He would corne and manifest Himself unto them," that " He and His Father would corne to filera, and make Thcir abode wifl fhem ." Peace is His everlasting state; in this wofld of space and rime He has wrought and acted; but f'roln everlastinR" i was llOt so. For six davs IIe wroughf, and then He rested according fo that test which was His eterlml state; yet hOt so rested, as not in one sense fo "work llifheloEo," in mercy and in judgment, towards that world which He had created. And more especially, when He sent His Only-begottcn Son info the world, and fhat most Gracious and All-pitifid Son, our Lord, 1 John xiv. 21.23.

condescended to corne o us, both tIe and IIis Father x-ouzht with a nfighty hand; and Thcy vouchsafed the tIoly Ghost, thc Comfi)rtcr, and IIe also wrought wondcrfully, and works hithcrto. Certainly thc whole economy of rcdcmption is a stries of reat and continued works; but still they all tend to rest and peace, as at thc first. Thcy began out of rest, and thcy end in rest. They end in that eternal state out of which thcy began. Thc Son was ri-oto ctcrnity in the bosom of the Fathcr, as IIis dcarly-belovcd and Only-begotten. He loved IIim before thc foundation of the wodd. IIe had glory with Ilim bcfore thc world was. IIc was in the Fathcr, and the Fathcr in IIim. None kncw the Son but the  Son. " In the beginlfin Fathcr, nor thc  ather but hc was le Vord, and hc Vord was with God, and the Vord was God." IIe was " the Brightness of God's glory and the express Image of His Person;" and in this unspeakable Unity of Fathcr and Son, was he Spirit also, as being le Slfirit of the Father, and the Spirit of le Son; the Spirit of Both af once, not separac from them, yet distinct, so tlmt they were Three Persons, One God, from everlasting. Thus was it, we are told, from everlasting;before the heavens and the earth xvcrc ruade, bcforc man fell or Angels rebelled, before the sons of God were formed in the morning of ereation, yea., belote therc were Seraphim to veil their faces before Him and cry " Holy," He exisd xvithout ministers, without atendants, thout court and kingdom, without manifested glory, qthout any thing but Himself; He His o Temple, His o infinite rest, His own supreme bliss, from eternity. O wonderful mystery! O Che dcpth of Ilis majesty! O deep things whiel Che Spirit only knowcth! Wonderful and stranze fo creatures who rovcl on this earth, as ve, Chat IIe, the All-powerfil, Che 'kll-wise, Che.kll-good, Che All-g'lorious, shonld for an ctcrnity, for years without end, or rather, al)art ri'oin Lime, which is but one of His ereatures, Chat IIe should have dwelt without Chose throug.h whom He mig'ht be powerfil, in wholn I[e mig'ht be wise, towards wholn IIe might be good, by whom IIe might be glorifie& O wondcrfuI, Chat all IIis decp and infinite attributes should bave been without maniiç.station! O wondcrfitl thoug'ht! and vithaI, O thoug'ht comibrtable to us worms of Che earth, as often as we fêcl in ourselves and sec in others g'ifts whieh have o exercise, and powers whieh are quieseent! IIe, Che _kll-powerfitl God, rested ri'oto eternity, and did nos work; and yet, why sot test, wonderfial thoug.h if be, seeing He n'as so blessed in tIimself? whv should seek external objeets to know, fo love, and o commune with, who was all-suffieient in I[imself? I[ow eould He need fellows, as thoug.h tic were a man, when IIe n'as hot solit_qry, but had ever with Him tIis Only-beg'otten Word in whom I[e delig'hted, whom ]Ie loved ineffably, and tl:e Eternal Spirit, the very bond of love and peaee, dwelling in and dwelt in by f'ather and Son? Rathe- how was it {hat:IIe ever beg'an fo e'eate, who had a Son without beginning, and without imperfection, whom He eould love with a perfeet love? What exeeeding exnberance of g'oodness n'as it Chat IIe should deign at leng'th to surround IIimself with ereation, n-ho had need of nothing', and to ehang'e His everlasting silence for the course of Providence and the conflict of good and evil! I say nothing" of the apostasies ag'ainst Him, tbe rebellions and blasl»hcmics which men and devils hure committed. I say nothing' of that unuttcrable region of woe, the prison of the impenitent, which is fo last for cternity, cocval with Himself henceforth, as if in rivalry of His blissful hcavcn. I say nothinof this, for God cammt be touched with cvil; and all the sins of those reprobate souls cammt impair lIis everlasting" felicity. But, I ask, how was if that ][e who ncedcd nothing, who was ail in ail, who had infinitc Equals in the Son ald thc Spirit, who wcre Ont with ]Iim, how was if that IIe creatcd ]Iis Saints, but ri'oto simple love of them from etcrnity? Why should Ho make man in the Imae of God, whose ]mage already was tbc Son, All-pcrfect, Ailexact, without variableuess, without defeet, by a natural propriety and unity of substance? And when man fell, why did He hot abandon or mmihilate the whole race, and create otbers? why did ][c go so far as to begin frcsh and m.»re wonderful dispensation towards us, and, as He had wrouht marvcllously in Providence, work marvellouslv also in g'race, even sendin tIis Eternal Son to take on tIim out fallel nature, and to purify and renew if by IIis union with if, but that, infinite as was tIis blessedness, and the Son's perfectiolb and lnan's unprofitableness, yet, in ][is loving'-kindness, He determined that unprofitable man should be a partaker of the Son's perfection and His own blessedness? And thus if 'as that, as He had ruade man in the beg'inning-, so also He redeemed him; and the history of this redemption we have been tracing" ibr the last sLx months in out saered Services. We have one t.hroug'h in out memory Che whole course of t.haC DispeusaCiçn of active providences, which God, in order Co out rcdemption, bas superindueed upou IIis eternal and infiniCe repose. FirsC, ve eommemoraCed Che approach of Christ, in Che weeks of Advent.; Che tIis birth, of Che Blessed ary, afCer  miraeulous conception, aC Christmas; then tIis eireumeision; tIis manifestaCio fo Che wise men; IIis bapCism and beinuing of miracles; IIis preseuta- Cio in Che q?emple; ttis fastin and temptation i Che wilderess, in Lent; tIis ag-ony in Che g'arden; tli. betrayal; lIis moekin ad scourg'in; tlis cross and passion;Itis burial; IIis resurreeCion; lIis fi»rty days, converse wiCh Itis disciples ater iC; then ]Iis Ascension; and, lastly, Che eoming, of Che Itoly Ghost in IIis stead t.o remain 'ith Che Chureh unCo Che eud,uuto Che ênd of Che world; for so long is Che Almihty Comforcer fo remain with us. And thus, in eommemorating" Che SpiriC's gracions office during, Che pasC week, we were brouht, in out series of representa.tions, Co Che end of all Chines; and now whaC is le buC fo eonamemorate whaC will bllow after Che end?—Che return of Che everlasCing" rei of God, Che infinite peaee and blissfui perfection of Che FaCher, Che Son, and Che I[oly GhosC, differing indeed from whaC iC once was by Che t'»uiCs of ereation and redempCion, but noC differing" in Che supreme blessedess, Che ineffid»le mutual love, Che abyss of holiness in whieh Che q?hree Persons of Che iECernal q'rinity dwell. Ite, then, is the subjeeC of this day's eelebraCion,—the God of love, er holiness, of blessêdness; in whose presence is fulness of joy and pleasures foi" evermore; who is what tic ever was, and has broug, ht us sinners fo/ha whieh He ever was. He d no bring into being peaee and love as par of His creation, bu ]Ie was IIimself pcace and love from eternity, and IIc blesses us by mal;ing us partakers of Himself, through the Sou, by the Spirit, and Ho so works in His temporal dispensations that I[e may bring us  that whieh is cterml. And hence, in Scripture, the promises of cternity and sccurity go tog'ethcr; for where rime is hot, there vicissitude also is ava3-. "The Eternal God is thy refuge," says Moses, bcçorc his dcath, " and undenmath are the everlasting arms: and IIe shall thrust out the enemy from beforc thee, and shall say, Destroy them; Israel thon shall dwell in safcty alone." And aain, "Thou wil keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thce, because he trusth in Thee. Trus ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jchovah is everlasting strcngth." And again, "Thus sMth the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity.... I dweH in he high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and hmnble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones..... I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is afilr off, and fo him tha is near." And, in like manner, out Lord and Saviour is prophesied of as being "the Everl«si»g Father, the Prince of 2eace." And aain, speaking more especially of wha.t He has donc for us, "Thc work of righteousness shall be 1;eace; and the eilct of righteousness, quietness and assuratwe]br ez'er .'"  Deut. xxxiii. 27, 28. Isa. xxvi. 3, 4; lvfi. 15.19; ix. 6; xxxil. 17.

Pcacc iz lclicviGoE 369 As then we lmve for many weeks eommemorated the eeonomy hy whieh righteousness was restored fo us, which took plac in rime, so fi'om this day forth do we brin befor out minds the infinite perfeetions of Almighty God, and our hope hereafter of sedng and ênjoying them. Hitherto we lmve celebrated His g'reat works; henceforth we magnify Himself. Now, for twenty-five weeks we represent in figure what is tobe hereafter. We enter into out test, by entcring in with Him who, having wrought and suffered, has opened the kingdom of hcavcn fo ail bclicvers. For half a. year we stand still, as if oecupied solely in adoring IIim, and, with the Seraphim in the text, crying, "Itoly, I[oly, Holy," continually. Ail God's providences, all God's dealings with ns, ail tlis judgments, mercies, warniugs, deliverances, tend to peace and repose as their ultimate issue. Ail our troubles and pleasures hcre, ail our anxiêties, fears, doubts, difficulties, hopes, encouragements, afflictions, losses, attainments, tend this one way. After Christmas, Eastm; and Whitsuutide, cornes Trinity Sunday, and the weeks that follow; and in like lnalmer, after our soul's anxious travail; aftcr the birth of the Spirit,; after trial and temptation; after sorrow and pain; after daily dyings fo the world; af ter daily risings unto holiness; at length cornes that "rest which remaineth unto the peoplê of God." After the lever of lire; after wearinesses and sicknesses; fightings and despondings; languor and fretfidness; struggling and failing, struggling and succceding; after all the changes and chances of this troubled unhealthy state, af length cornes death, at length the White Throne of G-od, at length the ]3eatific Vision. After restlessness eomes test, peace, joy;—our eternal portion, if we be 'orthy; —the sight of the Blessed Three, the ttoly One; the Three that bear witness lu heaven; in light uuapproachable; in glory without spot or blemish; in power without "variableness, or shadow of turning'." The Father God, the Son God, and the IIo]y Ghost God; the Father Lord, the Son Lord, and the ]Ioly Ghost Lord; the Father uncreate, the Son unereate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate; the Fa/her incomprehcnsible, the Son iucomprehensil»le, and the t[,,ly Ghost icomprehensihle.:For there is one l'erson of the Father, auother of the Son, and another of the ]Ioly Ghost; and su«.h as the Father is, sueh is the Son, and sueh is the Holy Ghost; and yet there are hot three Gods, nor three Lords, nor three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated; but one God, one Lord, one uncreated, and one ineomprehensible. Let us, then, use with thankfiIness the subjeet of this dav's Festiwd, and the Creed of St. Athauasius, as a means of peace, till it is given us, if we attain thereto, to see tbe fi,ce of God in heaven. What the Beatific Yision will thea impart, the coutemplatio of revealed mysteries gives us as in a figure. The doctrine of the ]31t, sscd Trinity has been ruade thc subject of especial conteution among the professcd followers of Christ. It has broug'ht a sword upon earth, but it was inteuded o bring peace. And if does bring peace fo those who humbly receive if in ihith. Let us beg of God fo bless it fo us to ifs right uses, tlmt if may hot be an occasion of strife, but of worship; hot of division, but of unity; hot of jealousy, but of love. Let us devoutly approach ff cacc Dt c[dcvi;t: 3 7 I Him of vhom it speaks, with the confession of out lips and of our hearts. Let us look forward to file rime when this v«orld v«ill have passed away and nll ifs delusions; and when we, when every one born of womnn, must either be in heaven or in hell. Iet us desire fo hide ourselves under fle shadow of His wings. Iet us beg Him to give us an understanding hear, anti tha love of Him vhich is the instinct of the llCW creature, and the breath of spiritual lire. Let us pray Him to give us the spirit of obedience, of truc duifulness; an honest spirit, earnestly set to do His vill, with no secret ends, no selfish designs of our own, no prefcrences of the creature to the Creaor, but open, clear, conscientious, and loyal. So will He vouchsafe, as rime goes on, fo take up His abode in us; the Spirit of Truth, whom the wofld cannot reeeive, vill dwell in us, and be in s, and Christ "will love us, and will manifest Himself to us," and "the Father -ill love us, and They vill corne unto us, and lnake Their abode with us." And when at length the inevitable hour cornes, we shall be able meekly fo surrender our souls, our sinful yet redeemed souls, in muh weakness and trembling, vith much self-reproach and dee» confession, yet in firm faith, and in cheerfifl hope, and in calm love, fo God the Father, Goal the Son, Goal the Holy Ghost; the Blessed Three, the Holy One; Three Persons, One God; our Creator, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier, our Judge.