pressed down, and is not suffered either to rise, or breathe again.

Now it was said, "He hath been dead four days." So in truth the soul arrives at that habit of which I am speaking, by a kind of four-fold progress. For there is first the provocation, as it were, of pleasure in the heart; secondly, consent; thirdly, the overt act; fourthly, the habit. For there are those who so entirely throw off things unlawful from their thoughts, as not even to feel pleasure in them. There are those who do feel the pleasure, and do not consent to them; death is not yet perfected, but in a certain sort begun. To the feeling of pleasure is added consent; now at once is that condemnation incurred. After the consent, progress is made unto the open act; the act changes into a habit, and a sort of desperate condition is produced, so that it may be said, "He hath been dead four days, by this time he stinketh." Therefore the Lord came, to Whom of course all things were easy; yet He found in that case, as it were, a kind of difficulty, He groaned in spirit, He shewed that there is need of much and loud remonstrance to raise up those who have grown hard by habit. Yet at the voice of the Lord's cry, the bands of necessity were burst asunder. The powers of hell trembled, and Lazarus is restored alive. For the Lord delivers even from evil habits those who have been dead four days; for this man in the Gospel, who had been dead four days, was only asleep in respect of Christ, Whose will it was to raise him again. But what said He? Observe the manner of his arising again. He came forth from the tomb alive, but he could not walk. And the Lord said to the disciples, "Loose him, and let him go." He raised him from death, they loosed him from his bonds. Observe how there is something which appertaineth to the special Majesty of God, Who raiseth up. A man involved in an evil habit is rebuked by the word of truth. How many are rebuked, and give

no ear! Who is it then who deals within with him who does give ear? Who breathes life into him within? Who is it who drives away the unseen death, gives the life unseen? After rebukes, after remonstrances, are not men left alone to their thoughts, do they not begin to turn over in their minds how evil a life they are living, with how very bad a habit they are weighed down? Then, displeased with themselves, they determine to change their life. Such have risen again; they to whom what they have been is displeasing, have revived; but though reviving, they are not able to walk. These are the bands of their guilt. Need then there is, that whoso has returned to life should be loosed and let go. This office hath He given to the disciples, to whom He said, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven also h

Let us, then, dearly Beloved, in such wise hear these things, that they who are alive may live; they who are dead may live again. Whether it be that as yet the sin has been conceived in the heart, and not come forth into open act; let the thought be repented of, and corrected, let the dead within the house of conscience arise. Or whether he has actually committed what he thought of, let not even thus his case be despaired of. The dead within has not arisen, let him arise when he is carried out. Let him repent him of his deed, let him at once return to life; let him not go to the depth of the grave, let him not receive the load of habit upon him. But peradventure I am now speaking to one who is already pressed down by this hard stone of his own habit, who is already laden with the weight of custom, who "has been in the grave already four days, and who stinketh." Yet let not even him despair; he is dead in the depth below, but Christ is exalted on high. He knows how by His cry to burst asunder the burdens of earth, He knows how to restore life within by Himself, and to deliver him to the dis

b St. Matt. xviii. 18.

ciples to be loosed. Let even such as these repent. For when Lazarus had been raised again after the four days, no foul smell remained in him when he was alive. So then let them who are alive, still live; and let them who are dead, whosoever they be, in which kind soever of these deaths they find themselves, see to it that they rise again at once with all speed i.

1 St. Augustine, Ser. xlviii.

It is worthy of remark that seven resurrections are related before our Lord's, of which the first was that of the son of the widow of Sarepta (1 Kings xvii. 22), the second of the Shunamite's son (2 Kings iv. 34), the third which was caused by the remains of Elisha, the fourth which took place at Nain, as is here related, the fifth of the ruler of the synagogue's daughter, the sixth of Lazarus, the seventh at Christ's Passion, for "many bodies of the saints arose." The eighth is that of Christ, Who, being free from death, remained beyond for a sign that the general resurrection, which is to come in the eighth age, shall not be dissolved by death, but shall abide never to pass away. (Maxim. (non occ.) in Cat. Luc.)

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

THE EPISTLE.

EPHESIANS iv. 1-6.

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord," &c.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

He who holds not this unity of the Church, does he think that he holds the faith? He who strives against and resists the Church, is he assured that he is in the Church? For the blessed Apostle Paul teaches this same thing, and manifests the sacrament of unity thus speaking, There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God.

The Church is one, though she be spread abroad, and multiplies with the increase of her progeny; even as the sun has rays many, yet one light; and the tree boughs many, yet its strength is one, seated in the deep-lodged root. And as when many streams flow down from one source, though a multiplicity of waters seems to be diffused from the bountifulness of the overflowing abundance, unity is preserved in the source itself. Part a ray of the sun from its orb, and its

unity forbids this division of light; break a branch from the tree, once broken, it can bud no more; cut the stream from its fountain, the remnant will be dried up. Thus the Church, flooded with the Light of the Lord, puts forth her rays through the whole world; yet with one light which is spread over all places, while its unity of body is not infringed. She stretches forth her branches over the whole earth in the riches of plenty, and pours abroad her beautiful and onward streams, yet is there one head, one source, one Mother, abundant in the results of her fruitfulness.

Who is the criminal and traitor, who so inflamed by the madness of discord, as to think aught can rend, or to venture on rending, God's unity, the Lord's garment, Christ's Church. He Himself warns us in His Gospel, and teaches, saying, "And there shall be one flock and one Shepherd "." And does any think that there can in one place be either many shepherds or many flocks? The Apostle Paul, likewise intimating the same unity, solemnly exhorts, "I beseech you, brethren, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you; but that ye be joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment b." And again he says, Forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Think you that any can stand and live, who withdraws from the Church, and forms himself a new home and a different dwelling? Whereas it was said to Rahab, in whom was prefigured the Church, "Thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. And it shall be, whosoever shall go out of the door of thine house, his blood shall be on his head "."

And likewise the Sacrament of the Passover doth require just this, in the law of Exodus, that the lamb which is slain for a figure of Christ, shall be eaten in

St. John x. 16.

b 1 Cor. i. 10.

Josh. ii. 19.