supply for the want of others. a (3) Consequently we obtain benefit from the prayers of the saints; for if one can pray for another when the corruptible body pressed down his soul; he can better pray when in the presence of God. (4) That the dead can receive benefit from the prayers and sacrifices of the living. For till the judgment the eternal state is not fixed, and pardon can always be asked for sin committed. © 10. The forgiveness of sins. Y the forgiveness of sins, we mean that we believe that all sins, except that against the Holy Ghost,d can be blotted out of the book of death. Sins are original and actual. Original sin is that inherited from Adam, and this is forgiven at Baptism. The sinful concupiscence remains, but the guilt is pardoned. е Actual sin is committed after Baptism. This is either mortal or venial. Mortal sins cut us off from the grace of God, and till they are pardoned we are out of favour with God; and should we die in them, should be in danger of damnation. Deadly sins 2 Cor. viii. 14. b Rev. viii. 3, 4. c 2 Mac. xii. 43-46; 2 Tim. i. 16, 18. d S. Matt. xii. 31; 1 S. John v. 16. e Acts xxii. 16. are such as those mentioned by S. Paul as works of the flesh. a Venial sins are faults of infirmity of a lighter character, which, if persevered in, will ruin our souls, but which do not necessarily check the flow of Divine grace, and cut us off from God's favour. In order to obtain forgiveness of sin, we need true repentance. Repentance to be true must have three parts (1) Contrition, (2) Confession, (3) Satisfaction. Contrition is keen sorrow for sin; Confession is the acknowledgment of it, and Satisfaction is making amends for it. S. Paul refers to these parts of true repentance when he speaks of "Godly sorrow working repentance not to be repented of, what carefulness it wrought in you; yea what clearing of yourselves, (Confession); yea what Indignation, (Contrition); yea what zeal; yea what revenge, (Satisfaction.)" b с Confession relieves the soul of its guilt. Absolution puts the guilt away. Absolution is the application to the soul of the precious blood of Jesus, for the washing away of its stains. The power to absolve is given by Christ to all Priests, at their ordination in these words: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." d Before giving it to His Church, Gal. v. 19-21. b 2 Cor. vii. 11. c1 S. John i. 7. с Christ had Himself exercised this power, then shewed it was to be given to men, and promised it to His Apostles; and this power of absolution was exercised afterwards by S. Paul, who claims the power, and calls it the ministry of Reconciliation, and S. Peter alludes to the two means of pardon when writing "to the elect-through the sanctification of the Spirit (in Baptism) unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (in Absolution.)" f e 11. The resurrection of the body. S Jesus Christ rose from the grave, so, we believe, we shall rise also. As He will reign for ever in His risen body, so shall we dwell with Him in His eternal kingdom in our risen bodies. g Our risen bodies will have four properties; they will be (1) Incorrupt, (2) Glorious, (3) Powerful, (4) Spiritual. By Incorrupt we mean that the body will not feel pain, sickness, or death. By Glorious we mean i d 2 Cor. 1 Sam. ii. 6; S. John v. 25; Acts Cor. iv. 14; 1 Thess. i Rev. xxi. 4. a S. Mark ii. 5. b S. Matt. ix. 6, 8. c S. Matt. xviii. 18. с ii. 10. e2 Cor. v. 17-20. f 1 S. Pet. i. 2. Job xix. 25; Dan. xii. 2, 13; 2 Esdras vii. 32; iv. 2; xxiv. 15; xxvi. 8; 1 Cor. xv. 20, &c.; 2 iv. 14, &c.; Rev. xx. 13. h 1 Cor. xv. 42-44. a that it will be resplendent. By Powerful wę mean able to do whatsoever the will or imaginations may desire or devise. By Spiritual we mean not subject to the vegetative process of a natural body, but of a nature like the Angelic bodies, It will be the same body that dies which will rise again, but not the same in qualities. The resurrection will be instantaneous,d at the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. A figure of the Resur rection was shown to Ezekiel (xxxvii. I-12.) e We said that Christ was incarnate, and suffered to restore human nature, in this article we see that human nature restored. 12. And the life everlasting. Amen. E believe that the righteous shall enter into life everlasting, or a life which shall never end; whilst the wicked are cast into everlasting death, or death which shall never end. The devil by bringing sin into the world introduced death. Christ by conquering the devil, and destroying death, brings life and immortality to light. a Dan. xii. 3; S. Matt. xiii. 43. d 1 Cor. xv. 52. xxii. 30. b Isa. v. 27; xl. 31. CS. Matt.. e 1 Thess. iv. 16. f 2 Tim. i. 10. с In everlasting life we believe that we shall see God as He is, a and this, the Beatific Vision will be the chief joy. But we believe also that we shall taste of other joys, (1) health without sickness; b (2) perpetual youth; (3) perfect_beauty without deformity. "Out of Sion hath God appeared in perfect beauty," says David in prophecy of His second coming, and "we know," says S. John, "that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him."e (4) Impassibility or inability to feel pain. (5) Strength without any weakness. (6) Complete satiety with no want. h (7) Abundance without meed; so that the promise to Israel is fulfilled to (8) Freedom from restraint. (9) Knowledge without ignorance. (10) Joy without sorrow.1 (11) Safety with no fear to disturb it. m (12) Peace without break." These are the twelve fruits of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Heavenly Paradise, yielded every month." us. i k Amen means either so it is, or so be it. After the Creed it has the former meaning, as also after the curses in the Commination Service. After a prayer it has the latter meaning. a 1 S. John iii. 2. b Isa. lviii. 8. © Job xxxiii. 25; Isa. lxv. 20; Ps. ciii. 5. d Ps. 1. 2. e 1 S. John iii. 2. f Isa. xlix. 10. 8 Ps. lxxxiv. 7; xcvi. 6; Isa. xl. 31; Deut. xxxiii. 25. h Is. xlix. 10; Rev. vii. 16. Judges xviii. 10. Rom. viii. 21. k 1 Cor. xiii. 12. Isa. Ixi. 3, 7. in Isa. xiv. 3, 7. n Ps. lxxxv. 8; lxxii. 7; cxlvii. 14; Isa. xxxii. 18. Rev. xxii. 2. Note.-For a complete exposition of the Creed, see "Rule of Faith." Hodges: 1868. Price 6d. |