vided for the perpetuity both of truth and grace. For what is the perpetuity of the Church but the perpetuity of the society of them that are "sanctified through the truth?" And how shall this be, unless the means of sanctification, the Faith and the holy Sacraments, are likewise perpetual? The universal promulgation of the truth, and the universal delivery of the holy Sacraments to the Church planted in all lands, is a supernatural fact—a miracle sustained by Divine power, wrought once for all, and containing the surest provisions of perpetuity, through the presence of Christ by the Spirit. Therefore, as the Church is indefectible, though particular members of it may fail of life eternal, so it can never lose the truth, though particular branches of it may err. In like manner of the holy Sacraments and mysteries of grace. Our Lord said to His Apostles, and through them to us, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." The commission, authority, succession, and power of the Apostles, is included in that presence, and upheld by it. Howsoever it may be forfeited by any branches of the visible Church, yet it will always be perpetuated with the gift of increase and multiplication, until the day of Christ's coming. And in that apostolic commission are contained all the acts and sacraments by which the grace of Christ is bestowed upon mankind, from the first engraft

ing of souls into His body, to the last strengthening food which is given to the passing saint. It is in the tenderness of His pastoral care that He has ordained the priesthood of His Church. He who gave His life for all, "would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher ?" How shall they? It is the voice not more of the Gospel than of the pure reason, that the perpetuity of faith upon earth is bound up with the perpetuity of the apostolic commission; nay, further, that the evangelical ministry is the means to the perfection of the saints. "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints" and more, the perfection of the true city of God depends, by Divine will, on the organization and unity of the apostolic body which was ordained" for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." And fur

ther still, in the perpetuity of this same ministry is also contained the perpetuity and unity of the faith itself; " that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine," "-as all human schools and teachers ever have been and ever shall be "by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." And lastly, in the same stedfast succession of the Church, both Pastors and Flock, is the virtual perfection of the whole mystical body of Christ: "but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

How thankless and disloyal are we, then, to the Good Shepherd, if we use the great and blessed truths of the Unity of His Fold, and the succession of His pastors, as antagonistic and controversial dogmas. What can be more meagre and melancholy than to contend for them as externals and forms, and theories of Church-government? Surely, there are no truths more strictly and simply practical than these-none more full of direct benedictions to the 1 Ephes. iv. 11-16.

faithful-more vivid, real, and sustaining. For what is the unity of His fold, but the everliving token of the presence and love of the heavenly Shepherd, gathering in one the world-wide flock under His own pastoral staff? Is it not a living and life-giving sign of His perpetual indwelling? Is it a mere pale which encompasses His true fold ? a hollow external form, remote from the life of the Church? Is it not the one Body of the one Spirit -the living organization of the life-giving unity of Christ? What then do controversies and bickerings about the nature of His Church, and divisions for the sake of its unity, prove, but that we have not attained to so much as a perception of the spiritual reality that quickens the one Fold under one Shepherd? It may seem to be empty and lifeless to the wise of this world; but it is full of tenderness for the poor and lost. It is specially for them that He has called His servants to a fellowship in His pastoral care. "Thus saith the Lord my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter"

that is, the elect, despised, neglected, slain"whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not." "I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock;" that is, I will

1 Zech. xi. 4, 5, 7.

send and seek you; I will find you, O wandering sheep the young, the ignorant, the helpless; "the sheep-the poor" shall have the Gospel preached to them."

If there be one institution of Jesus Christ, in which the love, tenderness, care, and providence of the Good Shepherd be revealed, it is in the commission and perpetual succession of His pastors: for, in one word, it is this, that from the time of His going away to the time of His coming again, there shall never be wanting, in the darkest day, a chosen brotherhood, bound by all the vows which can constrain the hearts of men to live a life of pity and compassion, humility and gentleness, toil and love; and that not for themselves, nor for their own kindred, nor for their own blood; but for "the poor of the flock"-for the ignorant, wandering, weary, soiled, outcast, perishing sheep of Christ. If the goodness of the heavenly Pastor be not here, let any one shew where it may be found. If there be any persuasion, any faith, which is full of warmth, life, energy, consolation, love, to all the faithful, but above all to the ignorant, helpless, afflicted, and poor, it is that of the One Holy Catholic Church, as we confess it in our Baptismal creed, the one true Fold of the one Good Shepherd. It is He that still visibly discharges upon earth the manifold functions of His pastoral office, signing His sheep in holy Baptism, guiding them