Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

THE FIRST AND THE SECOND MAN.87King O who bears witness to the truth is the Godwho sanctifies the faithful people by dwelling inthem and building them in the truth. It is notmerely the individual believer, but the whole massof the faithful which grows up to be a holy temple; and the ever-abiding Spirit of truth, whosepresence is the guarantee of truth, is the equallyabiding Spirit of sanctity, whose presence impartsholiness. The Son dwells in His own house byHis Spirit for ever : as He ceases not to be incarnate,He ceases not to dwell in His house, andcould falsehood be worshipped in His temple, itwould cease to be His. That was the work ofheathenism, when a false spirit had caused errorto be worshipped for truth; the specific victoryof the Word incarnate was to set up a templein which the truth should be worshipped for ever,u the inhabitation of God in the Spirit." Butliving stones make up this temple, that is, indvidual spirits, endued with their own reason andwill, yet no less fitted in and cemented togetherby His grace, and so forming a structure whichhas an organic unity of its own, being the Houseand Temple of One. It is in virtue of this inhabitation.that the Church is termed the Houseof God, the pillar and ground of the truth, inasmuchas it contains, as between walls.20 the faith20 TOVTO yap earl rb m&ijtw rty irlaTiv Kal rb K-fipvypa. S. Chrys. in loc.Compare S. Irenaaus, lib. i. c. 10. Tovro rb tcf]pvyna TrapeiATj^i/Ta, Kal raim}vrrrf?, &$ Trpoe^a/xej/, 7) 'E/c/cA-yjcn'a, Kai-rrep & SAaj