Richard Chenevix Trench

The Hulsean Lectures for M.dccxlv and M.dcccxlvi. Richard Chenevix Trench

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880. Excerpt: ... LECTUEE VIII. CONCLUDING LECTURE. 1 Thessalonians V. 21. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. It needs not, I trust, to remind you, that in these Lectures which are now concluding, we have been engaged-in seeking to discern the prophecy of Christianity, which has run through all history. I have traced in them, so far as under the conditions and limitations of such discourses I might, and so far as my own imperfect knowledge would reach, the manner in which the whole world was in manifold ways blindly struggling to be that better thing, which yet it never could truly be, save by the free grace and gift of God,--to come to that new birth, which yet it could not attain unto, till power for this mighty transformation was given it from on high. We have asked ourselves whether we could not discern an evident tending of men's thoughts and feelings and desires in one direction, and that direction the cross of Christ,--a great spiritual undercurrent, which has been strongly and constantly setting that way; so that this bringing forth of his kingdom into open manifestation, if in one sense a beginning, was in another, and in quite as true a sense, the consummation and the crowning end. And it has cohered intimately with the purpose of these Lectures, which, according to the intention of their founder, should assume more or less of a defensive character, to press the apology for our Christian faith which is here. It has been to me an argument for the truth and dignity of his mission who was its author, to find that in Him all fulness dwelt, all lines concentered, all hopes of the'world were accomplished. For surely the King of Glory shews to us more glorious yet, when we are able to contemplate Him not merely as the Prophet, Priest, and King of the New Co...