11.07.2015 Views

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

162 THE SECOND MAN VERIFIED IN HISTORY.gospel <strong>of</strong> the kingdom approached them was theforgiveness <strong>of</strong> sins. This is a power belonging toGod alone, as sin is an <strong>of</strong>fence against His majesty.<strong>The</strong> conferring <strong>of</strong> this power upon the Apostlesby our Lord Himself is explicitly recorded. Butthen two sacraments exhibit the application <strong>of</strong> thispower, first that <strong>of</strong> baptism, where it is given ple-narily; secondly that <strong>of</strong> penance, where it is givenunder restriction. And further, an order <strong>of</strong> menis instituted for this perpetual application. Here,then, we see the force <strong>of</strong> the triple cord carryingon through all ages this great truth <strong>of</strong> the forgiveness<strong>of</strong> sins in and by the Church <strong>of</strong> God. <strong>The</strong>very definite mention <strong>of</strong> the grant <strong>of</strong> this powerin the written tradition is not left exposed byitself to the action <strong>of</strong> unbelieving reason. It hasa double bulwark in the two institutions whichassert its perpetual exercise as a matter <strong>of</strong> history,and in the order <strong>of</strong> men established to canit out.Take again the doctrine <strong>of</strong> the Real Presence,upon which infidelity falls as being a pro<strong>of</strong> charge<strong>of</strong> human credulity,40 on which faith and love restas the sovereign gift <strong>of</strong> God. <strong>The</strong> recorded words<strong>of</strong> our Lord Himself express it distinctly and emphatically;further words <strong>of</strong> His in the sixth chapter<strong>of</strong> S. John allude to it with equal force, and S.Paul repeatedly refers to it. But this is not enoughfor the solicitude with which the Holy Spirit has40 See Macaulay's Essays.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!