ex 
 
 5133 
 P992t 
 
 PYE 
 
 TEACHER SENT 
 FROM GOD
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 THE TEACHER SENT FROM GOD. 
 
 A SERMON 
 
 PREACHED AFTER THE ORDINATION 
 
 HELD BY 
 
 THE BISHOP OF OXFORD, AT CUDDESDON, 
 
 ©n ^rinitg .Suntrag, 1856. 
 
 REV. H. J. PYE, M.A., 
 
 RECTOR OF CLIFTON CAMPVILLE. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REaUEST. 
 
 LONDON : 
 JOSEPH MASTERS, ALDEllSGATE STREET, 
 
 AND NEW BOND STREET. 
 
 MDCCCLVl.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY JOSEPH MASTERS AND CO.. 
 
 ALDERSGATE STEEET.
 
 
 A SERMON. 
 
 S. Mark hi. 23. 
 " How CAN Satan cast out Satan ?" 
 
 What argument could be more unanswerable than 
 that which our Lord opposed to the Jews ? He 
 makes them witnesses for Him in spite of themselves ; 
 they had been compelled to admit the fact that He 
 did really cast out devils, and He shows them that 
 from this admission followed the truth, they sought to 
 deny, that the kingdom of God was come unto them, 
 (S. Matt. xii. 28.) For the fact of the miracle (which 
 they admitted) proved that our Lord had more power 
 than man, and the nature of the miracle showed that 
 their way of accounting for it was manifestly \NTong, 
 and that it could not be from Satan that such power 
 was derived. 
 
 And, my brethren, such is the argument that we 
 shall be able to use to the world, unless our ministry 
 be useless and in vain. The world must be led to 
 acknowledge the fact of our spiritual miracles, and to 
 see at the same time that the effect of them is to 
 weaken Satan's poy^f^tiji-^y^'^ are obliged to say of
 
 us, as Nicodcmus said to Him who sends us, " We 
 know that Thou art a Teacher sent from God, for no 
 man can do the miracles that Thou doest, except God 
 be with Him." But before the world can realize this 
 truth with regard to the priests of God's Church, we 
 must realize it ourselves ; the priest who will stand 
 firm in evil report and good report, requires an assu- 
 rance in his own mind that he is doing the work of 
 God ; and in satisfying himself on this matter he must 
 consider his position with respect to the Church uni- 
 versal. He must also have weighed well the ground 
 of his teaching in connection with the particular part 
 of the Church to which he belongs, and he must feel 
 within himself that his object is to promote the glory 
 of God, and that the Spirit of Holiness is working in 
 his own soul. 
 
 Our assurances then that we are teachers sent from 
 God will be the subject of this sermon ; in which we 
 shall consider the priest's character, as it is catholic, 
 national, and individual. May God give us His bless- 
 ing, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 I. "As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I 
 you," was the commission of our Blessed Lord to the 
 eleven Apostles. He "whom the Father had sanc- 
 tified and sent into the w^orld" gave them a work to 
 do for Him and with Him in the world ; and thus in 
 the fullest sense the Apostles became teachers sent 
 from God : for it was not only that they were sent by 
 Christ, who Himself was God, but they were asso- 
 ciated with Him in the work of winning souls from 
 the power of Satan. He joins them wath Himself in 
 that commission which as Man He had received from 
 the Father. " As My Father hath sent Me, even 
 so send I you."
 
 But this work which the Head of the Church called 
 the Apostles to do with Him was to last, as He Him- 
 self declared, "even unto the end of the world;" and 
 therefore the commission and authority which He gave 
 them must also last in the Church even when they 
 were dead. It follows, therefore, that there must be 
 a means of continuing that commission in the Church, 
 and accordingly we find that the Apostles (believing 
 they were authorised so to do) proceeded, after our 
 Lord's Ascension, to increase their number by the 
 ordination of Saint Matthias, and referring to the 
 charge of S. Paul to Timothy we find proof that such 
 extension of the Apostolic commission to others was 
 in accordance with the will of God ; for in this case 
 we see that with the commission the grace to execute 
 it was also conveyed by the laying on of hands by S. 
 Paul and the Presbytery. Now I am not concerned 
 here to enter into the difference of orders, or to show 
 in what way the Bishops who succeeded the Apostles 
 might be inferior, and in what way they were equal 
 to them. It is enough to remark that from this it is 
 evident that in some degree the Presbytery are united 
 in the Apostolic commission which our Lord gave to 
 the Eleven. 
 
 But we must also consider that the Apostles were 
 sent to act for Christ in His Church collectively. 
 Their spiritual powers and authority were not given to 
 them as separate individuals, that they might act in- 
 dependently of one another, but rather as a trust 
 reposed in their united body, so that they were all 
 equally responsible for the welfare of the Catholic 
 Church. So does S. Cyprian teach us, in that well- 
 known passage, where he speaks of the apparent 
 priority which the Saviour gave to S. Peter.
 
 " Certainly," he says, " the other Apostles were what 
 Peter was, endued with an equal fellowship of honour 
 and powei-." Pari consortio pr?editi et honoris et 
 potestatis. 
 
 Then as this undivided commission which God gave 
 them was extended to others, it follows that every one 
 receiving it through the appointed medium in the 
 Church, becomes a sharer of that grace and authority 
 which was given to the Apostles, not as a separate 
 teacher, but, as one who in common with others is sent 
 forth for the whole Catholic Church. The Church, 
 (as we shall have occasion to consider presently,) may 
 limit us in the actual exercise of our commission to 
 particular localities, but looking at ordination in its 
 essence, we see that it gives us each a work to do, and 
 so far makes us each responsible for the welfare of the 
 whole body, of which Christ is the Head. We have 
 been received into that fellowship of honour and power 
 in which the Eleven were united to their Lord ; and 
 thus it is that we venture to realise to ourselves the 
 truth of those awful words spoken to us at our ordi- 
 nation, "Whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven: 
 whose sins ye retain they are retained." They are the 
 Lord's words to the Apostohc body, to which wc, 
 through the appointed medium of the Church, have 
 been made to belong. — Truly our position with respect 
 to the Catholic Church is very awful ; for our respon- 
 sibility is very great ! 
 
 We have incurred tlie responsibility of the whole 
 Apostolic company, for we have been united with them 
 in that undivided commission which the Eleven re- 
 ceived. Surely such a thought must make us feel 
 more anxious for the welfare of the whole Church, 
 and more earnest in our prayers on her behalf; but
 
 at the same time it will not make us afraid, for while 
 we feel the responsibility w^hich we incur, by being thus 
 joined in fellowship with the Apostles, we find in 
 this fact the very assurance we most require, for we 
 see that the undivided commission which the Apos- 
 tles received, is the commission of the Man Christ 
 Jesus, - As My Father hath sent Me even so 
 send I you;" and thus through Christ in His 
 Human nature, as Head of this holy brotherhood, 
 "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession," 
 the "Bishop of souls," we have this assurance to our 
 comfort, as priests of the Catholic Church, that we 
 are teachers sent from God. But in considering the 
 priest as a teacher sent from God we must also notice 
 his special connection with that part of the Church in 
 which he is called to minister : for though his orders 
 received from God, through the appointed medium in 
 the Church, enable him to act in common with his 
 brethren in the ministry for the whole Catholic Church 
 throughout the world, so that his ministrations where- 
 soever performed are valid, yet in order to prevent 
 confusion in the body, the Church has from the very 
 first appointed different men to different spheres of 
 action, and therefore the priest also requires to be 
 assured that he has missmi in the Church, else the 
 very exercise of his Apostolic functions may be the 
 means of rending the body of Christ ; and while he 
 ministers the gift entrusted to him in his orders, to 
 the saving of individual souls, he may be helping on 
 the mischief which Satan had planned against the'' Ca- 
 tholic Church as a whole, for whose welfare (as I have 
 endeavoured to show) we are each responsible. For 
 instance, a schismatical priest might go and minister in 
 parts of Christ's fold where the Church had not given
 
 8 
 
 him mission, and if he were to proceed to absolve 
 penitent sinners, undoubtedly his act would be vahd, 
 and those who were truly penitent, and were not con- 
 scious of sin in making use of his ministry would 
 be really absolved : but though his act would be 
 valid it would be irregular, and as tending to create 
 schism, it would be to the injury of the Catholic 
 Church, and therefore the priest himself would grie- 
 vously sin. 
 
 We proceed, then, to look for a further assurance, 
 with respect to our mission, and to consider the 
 priest's character as it is national, which is our second 
 part. 
 
 II. In the consideration of our mission as priests of 
 the Church of England, many apparent difficulties 
 present themselves in consequence of the schism 
 which at present unhappily divides the Catholic 
 Church ; for when we claim to have mission here as 
 teachers sent from God, we cannot shut our eyes to 
 the fact that we are liable to be asked, on what ground 
 we teach the doctrines of the Church of England ? 
 — whether it is because we judge them to be true, or 
 because we receive them on Church authority ? And 
 if we say, on the one hand, because we judge them to 
 be true from our own personal inquiry, then w^e are 
 told that we must give up all authoritative teaching, 
 for our thinking these doctrines true will bind no one 
 else to receive them who may happen to come to a 
 different conclusion : if on the other hand we say we 
 teach them on the authority of the Church, then we 
 arc brought at once to the question, how can the 
 Church teach differently in different lands ? 
 
 Now in order to show the consistency of our posi- 
 tion as teachers sent from God having mission through
 
 the Church of England, I must first ask you to con- 
 sider the position of a priest in any National Church 
 when the whole was in a healthy state, and we shall 
 then proceed to inquire how far that position is affected 
 by the schism which at present prevails. 
 
 First then, the position of every National Church is 
 twofold, relative as regards the rest of the Catholic 
 Church, and abstract as being the Church in that land : 
 in its relative character the Church in any land pro- 
 mulgates absolutely the doctrines of the Catholic 
 Church for the whole body : in its abstract character 
 it decides all matters arising within itself conditionally , 
 i.e., so far as they are undecided by the Church at 
 large. Now it is evident, that acting in her former 
 character, every National Church has a claim upon 
 the faith of her members, and can call them to ground 
 their belief upon her teaching ; for then she utters the 
 voice of the undivided body, to whom it was promised 
 that the Holy Ghost should guide it into all truth; 
 so far therefore, as the Priest teaches for the National 
 Church what has been decided by the whole Church, 
 as a teacher sent from God he teaches the same in all 
 lands, and speaks infallible truth. But when a 
 National Church speaks in her abstract character, she 
 has only a claim upon the respect, and not on the 
 faith of her members, for it is the act of a sect to take 
 the promise as applying only to itself which was made 
 to the Church as a whole ; a part of the Church how- 
 ever large, in its abstract character, can only decide 
 matters conditionally, and therefore can only have a 
 claim on the respect of those to whom it delivers its 
 teaching, on points which the whole Church has not 
 decided. 
 
 Thus, to take an instance, in the case of the Synods
 
 10 
 
 held at Alexandria to consider the doctrine of Arius, 
 the Alexandrian Church could only decide the matter 
 conditionally . No doubt its decision would have great 
 weight with the Christians of that province ; but 
 (humanly speaking) it was possible for the Catholic 
 Church to have reversed the decision, and the counter 
 Synod held at that time in Bithynia, is exactly a case 
 in point ; therefore, at that stage of the controversy, no 
 National Church could claim of its members that they 
 should ground their faith upon its decision ; but when 
 it had become clear, after the Council of Nice, that 
 the Catholic Church had decided the matter, then the 
 position of the Church of Alexandria was altered with 
 respect to the doctrines of Arius, and speaking in its 
 relative character with the voice of the undivided 
 Church, it could call upon its members, for conscience' 
 sake, to accept its teaching. 
 
 We see then, that teachers sent from God, might 
 teach differently in different places, even when there 
 was no schism in the body, for they could only deliver 
 as coming from God what the whole Church had 
 decided ; and when they spoke on controverted points, 
 they could only on behalf of the Church which gave 
 them mission, lay claim to the respect of their hearers : 
 their position was surely a consistent one, for while 
 the controversy was pending, how could they teach in- 
 fallible truth ? Their Apostolic commission did not 
 authorize them to teach a doctrine absolutely, till the 
 Catholic Church was agreed ; what was decided they 
 spoke as teachers sent from God in virtue of their 
 orders ; what was not decided, they could only deliver 
 as the opinion in tliat part of the Church through 
 which they received their mission. 
 
 Such was the position of a Priest in any National
 
 11 
 
 Church when the Catholic Church was undivided. 
 Let us now go on to inquire what effect the schism 
 which now prevails has had in altering it. We see at 
 once that the schism has had the effect of destroying 
 the relative character of different parts of the Church, 
 and from this there result two serious evils, — 1st, that 
 the mission received in one part of the Church is 
 neither claimed nor acknowledged in another, even 
 though the orders may be undeniable, so that a neces- 
 sity is involved of having Priests acting in one country 
 who hold their mission from the Church in another. 
 Such is one unavoidable irregularity arising from the 
 schism in the Catholic Church ; but 2ndly, these 
 Priests who act in the same place as teachers sent 
 from God, and yet hold their mission through dif- 
 ferent parts of the Church, are liable to be continually 
 teaching differently on undecided doctrines, for the 
 relative character of the different parts of the Church 
 being destroyed, there necessarily followed a stagna- 
 tion in the action of the Church as a whole, so that 
 all controversies, at that time undecided, remain as 
 they were, and as different Councils and Synods in 
 different parts of the Church acting in their abstract 
 character, came to different decisions, the teaching of 
 the Priest must vary systematically on such points, 
 according as he receives his mission through one part 
 of the Church or another. But though this creates a 
 confusion, it does not alter the position of the Priest 
 from what it was under similar circumstances in 
 primitive times before the Church was divided, for as 
 we have seen these different parts of the Church acting 
 in their abstract character could only decide doctrines 
 conditionally, and therefore according to the doctrines 
 of the Church, through which they received their mis-
 
 12 
 
 sion, the Priests in one land may teach differently 
 from the Priests in another on such matters, and yet 
 all be teachers sent from God ; for in those things 
 which God has revealed through His Church they all 
 agree, and in the controversies which God has not led 
 His Church to decide, no wonder they disagree. 
 
 In applying this to ourselves as Priests of the 
 Catholic Church having mission through the Church of 
 England, we look upon the Church of England in the 
 first place as having a relative position with respect to 
 the rest of the Church up to a certain period, and 
 accordingly we see that our mission authorizes us to 
 deliver, as teachers sent from God, the doctrines which 
 at that period the Church was teaching throughout 
 the world. The doctrines of Nicsea, Constantinople, 
 Ephesus, and Chalcedon, are declared as absolute 
 truths by the Church of England, as well as by the 
 Church in other lands ; but with regard to the con- 
 troversies which have arisen in later times, and on 
 which the Universal Church has been able to come to 
 no decision, in consequence of the schism which divided 
 her, w^e find the Church of England warning us not to 
 teach absolutely, and telling us that it is possible even 
 for general Councils to err ; and we see in her Articles 
 of religion that her object is rather to guard us against 
 innovation and error, than to pronounce dogmatical 
 decisions. This is sometimes made her reproach, that 
 her teaching is on many points so indefinite ; but 
 those who make this complaint seem most strangely 
 to overlook the fact that, if she had decided absolutely 
 on such matters, apart from the rest of the Church, 
 she would have been doing what every sect, that ever 
 troubled the Church, has done, putting herself in the 
 place of the Church Universal.
 
 13 
 
 Then, brethren, there is nothing to destroy the 
 second assurance, that we have through the Church of 
 England, that mission which is needful to make our 
 ministrations regular, in the fact that this part of the 
 Church teaches differently to other parts on some 
 points, for this only proves to us that God has not 
 yet been pleased to reveal these things, and what He 
 has not revealed we cannot teach, as teachers sent from 
 God. We may grieve over the confusion which the 
 schism has caused in the Church, and wish that we 
 had more definite teaching, but it is one of the diffi- 
 culties we cannot avoid, go where we will. No part 
 of the Church, however large, can give us authority to 
 teach absolutely what God has not led the whole Church 
 to decide ; all that it concerns us to ascertain in order 
 to have the assurance we require, is whether the 
 Church of England holds a true position as the 
 Catholic Church in this land ; and having satisfied 
 ourselves fi^om the historical evidence on this matter, 
 we rest assured that we receive a true mission at her 
 hands, and we take the conditional decisions of her 
 Synods on undecided points of doctrine, as the 
 nearest approach to Catholic teaching which we 
 can have. 
 
 We have thus considered our assurance that we are 
 acting according to the Will of God, as teachers sent 
 from Him both as regards the Catholic Church, and 
 also as regards the Church of this land. 
 
 But though we find in these considerations sufficient 
 assurance to satisfy those to whom we are sent, yet in 
 order to make us happy in the discharge of our minis- 
 try, we require a further assurance with respect to our 
 own souls ; it is an awful warning to every Priest that 
 one of the Apostles proved a traitor. We may receive
 
 14 
 
 the gifts which S. Paul speaks of, to the saving of 
 others, and yet be lost ourselves. We may cast out 
 Satan by virtue of an office, and yet hear it said to us 
 as individuals, " I never knew you." We may preach 
 to others, and yet be cast away. We turn then to 
 consider the assurance which the Priest requires in his 
 individual character : which is our third part. 
 
 III. The Priest is not only sent to act in common 
 with others for the whole Catholic Church, but we 
 have also seen that he holds a mission to act specially 
 for a particular part of the Church, and if we descend 
 one step further, we see that he is not only sent to act 
 in common with others for the National Church to 
 which he specially belongs, but that in most cases he 
 receives a particular charge in the National Church to 
 minister personally for certain individual souls. Now 
 it is when we thus consider him in the more imme- 
 diate exercise of his ministry, that we see the necessity 
 of holiness in himself, in order to give him the full as- 
 surance he requires ; for when he comes to deal with 
 individuals, it is not the diHgent exercise of his func- 
 tions, or the soundness of his teaching which will 
 suffice in all cases to save the souls of those committed 
 to his charge ; for though the unworthiness of the 
 ministers hinders not the effect of the Sacraments : 
 and therefore the due performance of his various 
 duties externally, may be enough for some, yet there 
 will always be others among his flock who require his 
 example and his experience. He is sent as the guide 
 of those who are benighted in the wilderness, to lead 
 them onward to where the Jordan may be crossed with 
 safety ; and therefore before he can feel liapjiy in liis 
 ministry, he must assure himself that liis own lamp 
 is still lighted, and that he knows something of the
 
 15 
 
 way. We must be able to feel that we are setting an 
 example to those whom we teach ; otherwise (however 
 true) our teaching will come powerless from our lips. 
 We must have a consciousness that we are going for- 
 ward, before we can really venture heartily to arouse 
 the careless ones who would pitch their tent in the 
 desert, or turn back to Egypt in their hearts ; for if 
 we know in ourselves that we are really as careless, as 
 worldly, as self-indulgent, as they are, we shall feel 
 that we are giving them an excuse for not listening 
 to us : that we are casting a stumbling-block in 
 their way. 
 
 And not only our example, but our experience is 
 also required ; and we must satisfy ourselves that we 
 have some knowledge of spiritual things ; for how 
 shall we, with any feeling but that of the hypocrite, 
 venture in secret to speak to others of the particulars 
 of a converted life, while we are conscious that we 
 know nothing of them really ourselves ? How shall 
 we direct them in the attaining such a grace, or the 
 conquering such a temptation, if we have never 
 struggled against temptation or grown in grace our- 
 selves ? It is not enough that we should know by 
 books the rules of holiness, so as to be able to try ex- 
 periments on those who seek counsel of us. We must 
 be able to tell them of remedies which we have found 
 efficacious in our own souls. It is not enough that we 
 are able to advise them to use some plan recommended 
 by the Saints of old ; but we must be able to sym- 
 pathise with them in their difficulty, or their temp- 
 tation, and to answer their question, " How do you 
 act in such a case?" 
 
 Such, brethren, are the assurances we require as 
 teachers sent from God, to cast out Satan, and to
 
 16 
 
 weaken his power in the world, in the nation, and in 
 the hearts of those committed to our special care. And 
 if these assurances be not realised in our own souls, our 
 ministry will commence in fearfulness, and end in our 
 own dreadful ruin. We have only to look forward for 
 a moment to the actual exercise of our Apostolic func- 
 tions, and we see how it must be so. Thou goest 
 forth to thy work joined in commission with thy Lord, 
 and there are many such as came to Him when on 
 earth, ready to meet thee on thy way. See this 
 sinner grieving over the past, and trembling at the 
 thoughts of the future ; and lo ! thou hast a balm to 
 soothe his unquiet spirit ; the Lord hath sent thee to 
 this miserable creature to say, "Be of good cheer." 
 See this wretched one, " who long hath tossed on his 
 thorny bed of pain:" this paralytic who hath no one 
 to help him, while others are cured ; this blind man 
 like Bartimaeus, whom the multitude will not care for ; 
 and thou art sent to give them a comfort that health 
 and strength cannot inspire, and which pain and sick- 
 ness cannot destroy ; yea, look again and see this one 
 so sore distressed : this widow, like the widow of 
 Nain : these sisters like Martha and Mary : and then 
 think thou art joined in commission with the conqueror 
 of death : thou art sent to stop the mourners, and 
 cheer them on their way. Or once more, behold these 
 careless men of the world, who, like Herod and Pilate, 
 hate and are reconciled, regardless of the Saviour's 
 sorrows : these fallen ones held in bondage by their 
 passions and their lusts : ready to meet thee with the 
 cry of the Demoniac of Gadara, " let us alone ; what 
 have we to do with Thee ?" or, these " fools who make 
 a mock at sin," " who corrupt other and speak of 
 wicked blasphemy :" and then consider that the Lord
 
 17 
 
 hath sent thee armed with the " sword of the Spirit, 
 which is the Word of God ;" the sword which hath 
 been put into thy hands this day, that thou mightest 
 go for Him to face the enmity of the world, and tell 
 them the truth, they will not stop to hear ; that thou 
 mightest cut asunder the bonds with which Satan's 
 captives are bound, and let them go free ; that thou 
 mightest turn the hearts of the disobedient to the 
 wisdom of the just, and make ready a people prepared 
 for the Lord. " Per te quasi per aqueeductum ver- 
 bum suura emittet, gratias suas et merita distribuit." 
 
 Brethren, when we look at the work we are going 
 forth to do, we indeed require the assurances that we are 
 endued with power from on high, and that we have 
 a true mission to use that power here. And being 
 satisfied on these points, we have need of that further 
 assurance, that we are striving to be personally holy : 
 lest it should come to pass, that our worldliness or in- 
 dolence, or sin, should cause us to forget the gift that 
 is in us, to neglect our mission, and to leave God's 
 work undone ; for what if in the Judgment day there 
 should be one whose contrition ended in the despair 
 of Judas, instead of the penitence of Peter : because 
 through our carelessness or want of faith he did not 
 find the relief that his burdened soul was sighing for ; 
 what, if there should be any who turned aside to curse 
 God and die, because in their pain or their sorrow 
 they could not find the comfort that ice were entrusted 
 to convey to them ? What, if some impenitent 
 sinner should be able to plead against us at the last, 
 that we sought not the lost sheep when he might have 
 been found? 
 
 Brethren, 1 can only leave you to apply such a 
 thought for yourselves, remembering that the text
 
 18 
 
 must be our unanswerable argument that we were 
 teachers sent fi'om God ; or otherwise it will be the 
 proof that notwithstanding His gifts for others, we 
 have sold ourselves to His enemy, by accounting for 
 the fact, why Satan remained where we were sent to 
 cast him out. 
 
 JOSEPH MASTERS AND CO., PRINTERS, ALDKRSGATE STREET, LONDON.
 
 ^'i; fUUIHtKN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 AA 000 979 248
 
 
 ^:. 
 
 vr