The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-12-23

Sermon by the Very Rev. DIR. Power, at 81.
Peters Church, delivered on Sunday eye-
ming, 2Ist Inst.
" Prone all Gtings-hold fast that phich is good
LIST 1hessatofttans, v. chap, 2lst verse
"The Roman Catholic and the Protestant religion arc
not merely differences OF epnion, they opposite and
must always mutually countsract each other II the
but abomnsble-a rebellion against tho powers estab-
hshsd by God himself II hold the truth the chief
trousan offence to heaven instead of reasonable
vice. Between such con.rafie,es can be no ANAL
gamation. "--B'iish Critic, vol 80, p Sal
These sentiments perfectly coincide with my own
view of the subject. If the Catholics are right then
the reformation il monstrous rebellion against the
powers established by God himself; but if, on the
other hand, Protestants are right then it is certain
that the Church OF Rome is erroneous in the ex-
IRENE. Looking al the subject In this point of view,
IL becomes a duty incumbent on every earnest and
sincere Christian 10 resort To every OF disco.
verng the truth. 1t is in the fullest conviction OF
this duty that appear before we this evening. | feel
that must preach truth wo TO if we keep it cap
tive; know that truth Is unpalatable to the world ;
know that the world wishes 10 be fiatered. In
preaching the truth we must net unmndful OF
charity; charity has bewltching charms the great
apostle of the nations tells us that truth without IT, is
III our mouth but an empty sound. Ii is a melan
choy tact, my friends, that there are very Important
controversies OF faith between christians. Now,
how are those controversies 10 be decided The
proestans say they are to be decided by the scrip
lures alone. The catholic denies this and says
''hear the church." Our doctrine on this point will
enter INTO the subject OF this lecture. The subjec
Are the holy scriptures the rule OF faith and the
Judge of controversy Z" Here you observe that two
things are TO be consldered the Judge and the rule
we call HIM the Judge who passes sentence and de-
cdes between the lilgaling parties W. call the rule
that according 10 which the Judge decides am here
To show ye IN the FIRST place that the holy scriptures
are not the Judge OF religious controversy, land second
y that they are not the sole and only rule OF faith
Ally reason tells that scripture cannot be Judge
controversy II tells that judge OF any controversy
ought to decide in such way enable the contend
Ing parties to see how the stands Do the scrip
know My experience tells me that the scriptures do
not decide IN "a clear and peispicuous manner The
Lutheran and the Csvinists have been divided the
following points first the b. ptism of infants; I'd, the
real presence OF Chrsts body il the Holy Eucharist
and 3D. on predestnaion. Both parties have appealed
10 the scriptures us the only jucge of controversy
Have the scriptures deci3ed They have not; for we
had them as much divided as ever ON the points have
stated. Now seeing that both Lutherans and Calvnists
that the holy scripture. are capable Of giving
iull, clear, and unauWooa decision controversies
points am not justified OH view of their long and con
tnued dssenson, TO daw the other OF the fol-
lowing conclusions FIRST either the scriptures have
not and cannot give clear aud full decision of the con
troversy; and secondly, if it have, the Lutherans
Calvniss are contumacious and disobedient. In the
second epstle of Paul the Corinthians 3D. chapter
and 9th verse read the following words -: The letter
killsh; the spirit vivifeth. The obvious meaning Of
the apostle is, that savish adherence to the letter
balefu and that adherence to their meaning
and import Will greatly promote spiritual welfare
interpretation, by the greatest light of Christian anti
guilty. St. Augustine, in his 10th sermon, De tempore,
in aliusion to the words above quotsd that the
letter killed the Jews also the hcreties who
the saint are like body, without 9uickening
spirit" The letter killed the Jews, Who as St Paul
says, in the 10th OF the chapter above quoted.
have veil their hearts, to this day because
they do not know Christi who is hidden under the
Jewish sacrifices and ceremonies as under veil and
thnUd O nntIt
up the veil, and see what it The letter killed
tie heretcs. Let us open ecclesiastical history,
there not three persons in God. They say that
God called father. because he created all things
mat he is called the because he assumed human
the womb of the Virgin Mary that he is called
me Holy Ghost because be sancied US, and all this
from literal Interpretation OF the text found the 10Th
chapter OF st. John, The Father and - contra
to the Interpretation so the church, which teaches
that they are one in essence and three persons The
equal to his Father aahering to s text found in
John, l4th chapter, 2sh The Father is greater
than J." contrary to the Interpretation OF the church.
which that the Son is not equal to the Father
sdered III his human nature but that he is equal the
Father considered in his divine nature he himself hav
ing said, The Father and are one" Tho letter killed
The Macedonisns, who denied the divinity of the Holy
a4Ss from tn. text LIST Corinthians I'd cesp 10Th
they argued thus-he that searcheth seeketh he that
scekeh, doubteth; he that doubsth igporsn he tina.
ignorant is not God therefore Holy Ghost is not
God. The Interpretation o; the church that the Holy
Ghost and knows all things and she points
represented searcnef
Of hearts Some very ancient heretcs denied the
recon OF the body the strength of the words OF the
Redeemer recorded in tho 9th chapter OF the Gospel
according to 81; John, 1.-The flesh pronteth nothing" If
the flesh profit nothng, why say that will rise again.
Calvin urged the text against the real presence
Chrsts body in the Eucharist. If his flesh profit no.
thing said Calvin, why give to in the Eucharist
| We all acknowledge that the ancient hereics were
wrong-and say that Cslvins Interpretation is also
wrong for this simple reason if Calvin be right. then
we can ask why did Christ assume human na,ure7 Why
did he suffer for US in the esh1 This simple observa-
fare
MARKS that we must look for another Interpretation
the text beside that which Calvin and his followers give
10 it. These examples sufficient to show, and 10
vince the sincere enquirer after TRUTH that the Scrip
lures, considered in their letter. not and cannot be-
the Scriptures considers in their import meanng7
say that IN this point of view they cannot be Judge
OF controversy. Why Because the controversy is
often about their own meaning which obscure and il
So how can they give that clear and unequivoca deci-
sion which is expected from Judge ofcontroversy But
we are told that the scriptures clear and that if any
obscurity be found in is dispeed by the per-
spicuty OF another This is what opponents call
ference OF places But this be the case why is there
not an end 10 their controversial There is wide
difference my friends between the grammatical persp-
Guilty and the theological meaning OF the sacred writings
Nothing can be more perspcuous than the grammatical
perspcuity of the text, This is my body" and all
Know the numberless controversies that have grown
Mary Magdaene came to the sepuchre whilst it was yet
dark And in the Gospel Of St Mark read that Mary
Nag daene came to the sepuchre when the sun had al
ready risen Now, nothing can be more roundly or
clearly expressed than distinct variations Of the
svangeists, considered in grammatical sense; but
leave to your own common to say the theolog
sense be SO very evident The reader of the sacred
volume Will meet many passages which to his mind are
very clear but which to another not cleartske for
example this passage IN the and chapter oil the Acts ohe
Apostles Thou shalt leave my soul in HE'LL The
Catholic says tais passage clearly confirms that article
81 the creed me descended into hell" Calvin says that
this passage does not prove Chrsts descent into hell
put that he actually endured the tormens OF hell by his
sunerngs on the cross, when he exclaimed, My
God, my God, why hast thou forssken me ~ He
also says that he'll means the grave, and that the
text ought to ba road thus Thou shalt not leave
my body in tho grave How we to decide
this controversy Arc we to reour 10 the Scripture p
The Scripture does not change its langusgethe words
oil the Scripture ere still these -: Thou shalt net leave
my soul in hell" This reminds of what took place
at the Conference OF Ratabons, between the famous
Jesuit Gre'zer and Hailoionner Here are said the
jesuit, IN presence OF the Holy Ssfipture-let it
speak-let II say thou, James Greixer cast in thy
cause and thou Hsilbronasr, hast won it, Let it say
THIS and am satnhsd-but If IL cannot say this, how
canst thou ssy that il 10 Judge oil
troversy." And he goes ON IN say that no criminal