XIV.

S. Philip and S. James' Day.

Subject. The occasion.

Text.

Zech. iv. 14. "These are the two anointed ones, that tand by the LORD of the whole earth." ·

Parallel Text. Rev. xi. 4.

בְּנֵי־הַיִצְהָר .Principal Words

THIS discourse will not seek to fathom the meaning of this sublime but obscure chapter, or even to apply the text as it may have been directly applied by the Prophet. If the prophecy has been fulfilled once, there is yet another fulfilment to come (parallel text): perhaps its primary fulfilment was in Joshua and Zerubbabel. Still, though the text be not here applied as the Prophet applied it, it shall not be expounded otherwise than Holy Scripture warrants the application.

[Sketch briefly the heads of the chapter.]

The general meaning of the chapter, however applied, whether to Joshua and Zerubbabel, or to others, may be thus given. The candlestick is the Church, the pillar and ground of the truth, (1 Tim. iii. 15,) the witness and keeper of Holy Writ, (Art. xx.,)

holding forth the Word of Life (Phil. ii. 15, 16) as a candlestick upholds the candle which gives light to; the house. (S. Matt. v. 14, 15; Rev. i. 20.) The seven lamps are the perfect light of the truth; so the oracles of GOD under the law were called Urim and Thummim, lights and perfections, the perfect ligh: The oil is the HOLY SPIRIT, (Isa. lxi. 1; Acts x. 39 1 S. John ii. 20, 27,) by Whom the light of truth nurtured and supplied; and the olive trees are "twe anointed ones that stand by the LORD of the whol earth:" two holy persons, anointed, consecrated, tha is, to GOD, largely endowed with His Spirit, chose to be instruments and channels of grace to His Church, that thence the light of Divine truth may illuminate the world.

Whoever may be intended by Zechariah and 8. John, two such anointed ones the Church commemorates this day, and prays that she may follow them in the way that leadeth to eternal life. Through them the Church is abundantly supplied with the light and unction of the HOLY SPIRIT. Though S. Philip has left nothing in writing, yet he is one of her foundstion stones. (Eph. ii. 9; Rev. xxi. 14.) Like Zerubbabel, (Zech. iv. 7,) he set before the people the Head Stone of the corner, amid acclamations of joy and praise from multitudes of happy converts. He spake by the same SPIRIT by Whom S. James wrote; by that light he made way for the enduring illumination which was to abide with the Church in the writings of S. James and the other Apostles. S. James, as Bishop of Jerusalem, supplied the Church with the oil of Divine Truth for twenty-six years; and

› the present day continues to enlighten her by an pistle of beautiful simplicity, but weighty argument, orrecting the mistakes which had been made conerning faith, mistakes which ever will be made, while he heart is what it is; and guiding to true religion nd active duty.

The text being, therefore, as legitimately applicable o these holy Apostles as to any persons contemɔlated by Zechariah's prophecy, let us deduce some practical reflections.

I. GOD, in the enlightenment of the world, works by instruments. He gives the sun for a light by day, the moon and the stars by night; (Jer. xxxi. 35;) and it will not be till we come to beaven that the LORD Himself, independently of these created luminaries, will be our light. (Isa. lx. 19.) It is so in spiritual illumination likewise. The Gospel is not imparted immediately from heaven. GOD employs the candlestick, the oil, the olive trees. He gives to His ministers the deposit of the Word, which is the mind of His Spirit, which they are to convey to His Church, and His Church is to uphold and display it to the world. The truth cannot be altered by human power, but must be imparted by the Spirit of God; (Zech. iv. 6;) and those who despise any one of His appointed channels of grace, tempt Him to withhold the gift. To refuse Holy Scripture, and seek light from the Church alone, is to cut off the oil from the candlestick, and thus extinguish the light. To refuse the teaching of the Church, and to pretend to make out Scripture for ourselves, is to take the candlestick away, without which the oil will not give out light or

warmth. From the Church we have received the Scriptures; our authority for holding them to be the p work of the SPIRIT is, that she never doubted that they were so. (Art. vi.) "There are two ways, by GoD blessing, of preserving ourselves, (from heresy) first by the authority of Holy Scripture; next, by th teaching of the Church Catholic." (S. Vincent Lerin. 1.) Whatever has been held "always, every where, by all," (S. Vincent. Lerin. 3,) we may fairl allow to be the genuine unction of the Spirit of Go: And the ordinances of the Church are necessary to the due communication of this unction; not as addir: to Holy Scripture-for the candlestick adds not to the oil-but as using it, and thus diffusing the light to the innermost chambers of conscience, and the darkes abodes of ignorance.

II. The natural inadequacy of the instrument is no objection to its efficacy, or to the use of it: for it is wielded by GOD. (Zech. iv. 7, 10; See Exod. iii. 11. 12; iv.) Zerubbabel was an individual man: but every difficulty was to fall before him: for he acted as the instrument of GOD. (Zech. iv. 7.) S. Philip was of a place noted for the ignorance and rudeness of its inhabitants; yet three illustrious Apostles were taken thence. (S. Matt. xi. 21; S. John i. 44.) S. James, as the kinsman of our LORD, was of an humble origin. There was nothing in the position of these men which enabled them to change the religion of the world, or plant the Cross amid its ruined temples. Yet this they, and men like them, did. (1 Cor. i. passim.) The question is not, Are the means adequate ? but, Has GOD appointed them?

III. The foregoing consideration makes nothing in avour of uneducated teachers. The Apostles were not neducated. They had an education which altogether superseded all human instruction; they were taught of GOD, (Gal. i. 11, 12; S. John xiv. 26; xvi. 13,) nointed ones, especially set apart for this purpose. Will uneducated teachers claim this supernatural learning? If so, let them remember the Apostles proved their claim. The HOLY GHOST descended visibly upon them; they spake languages they had never learned, and wrought the most stupendous miracles. Will uneducated pretenders do these things? In ordinary circumstances, religious truth, like other things, must be acquired by ordinary means. But He Who enlightened the Church by those goodly olive trees, S. Philip and S. James, can work in us to shine after their example. (S. Matt.v. 14, 16.) We need not those gifts which the infant Church needed; Holy Scripture is to us in the place of miracle for evidence. But we need strength against our spiritual foes; and the subjugation of these is at least as difficult to the greatest of earthly potentates, as the conquest of the world to a few Galilean fishermen. "Who art thou," then, "O great mountain ?" What is the obstacle which the might of GOD, in His servants, cannot overcome? (S. Matt. xvii. 20; Zech. iv. 7.)

IV. Let us follow the blessed steps of S. Philip and S. James. This we have prayed to do. Let us trace them. No sooner did S. Philip hear his SAVIOUR'S call, than he followed. To follow Him, then, is to follow JESUS; and that early. We have had many calls; may that of the present day be not in vain!