New-York tribune., 1879-12-29
rRooFs or A REGENfR1TE LIFE.

Tie Rec Dr. Taomss s. Preston at ST. Aans c' rca Roma"
Ca,aOic.'
The Christmas decorations In ST. Ann :
Church IA 81 rwcltth-s.. had cot been removed YES
teriay ana he and sanctuary appeared III a. rch
Dir - AS on the great feast day The Rev. Thomas f.
yuch WAS me ceehraut 0f the mass and Nieai-Gensa
Preston the pastor. delivered the sermon He TOOK MS
text IRON toe second eps;le Of S. Paul To tne ooih
t,ans T. II: If ihcH any b. in Christ new crea
cure the oil things passed away; behold All thihgs
arc made knew He spoke in part as follows
IL l. fun iameuta' truth that God became man, ara
the word was made nosh that He who Is and was God.
took upon himself our nature. We have lust ceie'
hiaied ths event with great joy. IL Is the
union OF The divine and human natures III ~
also a fundamental Truth that because the word was
made flesh We may become the sons OF God. His lhr'h
Is our new birth ,he family of God II any man be-
i. Christ he is new creature. He Ia newly made ac.
cordiuc image Of Christ Heaven the end ofh
reseuerlte he IL is home THIS reSenerate HE is
totally different from our natural life. Inasmuch this
new its depends upon the OF d. and ihr grace
Of God depends on cur will, so docs our salvation
depend on our VIII. When our probation Is I'm
shtd and sand ~ tbe presence Of our Judge what
life has been Will then stand forever II
We are n great ia. We 10 part In God. We are
then those who possessed Goa and rejected
him. F need proof OF our regeneration, tnai we
have be corn Of water and the Holy spirit. We know
that slrcly the DIVINE Lord was born at Beihic-
en-. Se have been made the enid Of new life. We
ar the OLD things have passed away.
Its all important question Tor consider what
the condition regeuerate life is. Are We infants
with the weaknesses OF infant fe. growing in
manhood aud gaiainC strcngtnf Let us ask our con-
sciences few questions learn whether we are living
IN Christ or not.
A. mark OF our grow IA in this lie must have
pefiect contro animal passions Ia our fallen
life they were base passions. lie shows how may
below the oruies Of tn field Taey follow instinct and
act without any Of right wrong Bu' because
made in the image Of God. aud has the u-e OF
his reason he ia l. below The brute by grdf}iug the
lower instincts of his ture. II IN the hgni OF
cod, ANIMAL passions cease to he passions IL ihc
liz u GOD us ana growing. we are growing ava
the instincts of our lower nature aud We become
purified A. we ascend ID tr sctie we tra.u ieaNe
lower pass Let us judge ourselves by an emau-
clpafi,u nom tuese animal passions
Another test of our growth IN TINS new licui l.
greater abhorIcncr Of sn dy by day, fud of all that
leads VIZ rs there tlas has never siune1i A.
We look back upoh oui past ie we Ou-"t 10 t,I Pen
our .grcssilnS God coming into our souls
must only satisfy II are more aud more conire
for Cur iriussessi0n' IS only proc that we aI ~
God. IL Is cOniuuOn thai mekeS las waIch AuOiheI
,-arld ana ai foe world T.. " try to tnnk that The
i,.s ~ this world may he tasted without being cor
tirthrrht. T.is is mistake. Every day THAT We 40
NOT spend oi the honor ana glory ol Con j. - hucl
the world does and take JOY IN it, peasuits
a e drbase ourselv WHAT l. there between the world
aud me 1 Christi Therefore, II my rcgcn' rate
Mc l. C;UVlug 1u leaving Tic world and iis pea urcs
How arr W.. sirlng. rs al.d pilgrims here u ike che
word so luucA as 10 desIe 10 live hc.e always II We
could niOy ain and the worlds pisasur"s3 We must
abandon the w0r i. There Is no Otaog stand. Where
our heart Is there is auT measure.
And stili anoh .-n of rowth in The new birth al
earnest thirst alter eud Himself. j. ihcIt anything
4 that would satisfy the same as Gudf has mol Opd
come bs taking our natural he lie mas he-
come thar lnignt become ohilotcn Z" CD Mneh
comparing MA lin ana thinking Oi Mat we
are, there IN sOus an unsuitable thirst for
purly and holiness. The intense che thirst. the
more real our life We have no other end bat 10 seek
Him.
have tried bung before said the preacher In
cOucuson tAc iuud mental tIu.hs 0i our
IL O the. greatest mpor ance 90 know now our ne"
lie Is. Remember the time Is nO' iar distant Every
wear = passing away with great garGiiy. How so"u
shan stand before the udgn nj s- 10 ilnnk that
such a. are, Win all our sins ana lmpcriccauhS.
enjoy the sacred vision! Then, ana Onl Then, shall we
really live We saaii SEE HIM as lie le"ilF Is