Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/248

248THE HALLIG.

souls is always only our life in him, dependent on our
understanding and our devotion ; it is not, in very deed
and truth, his life in us ; it is ourselves, not he. But
our age is not poorer than that of the first disciples, if
we do not make it poorer ourselves. We have not only.
his teachings, blessings, and promises, but we have
himself, his body and his blood. To us also, is the new
creation offered, which, penetrating and transfiguring
our souls, as well as our bodies, raises us to unity with
him. 'How can such things be?' Is not here the ques-
tion, and all theories and formulas are follies. The only
question is, Is this doctrine of the communion as taught
by the theory and formulas of the Lutheran church
— so far as human speech is capable of expressing such
things without glazing or subtilizing — in accordance
with the words of Holy Writ, with the whole wonder-
ful counsel of God in the redemption of the children of
men, with the fact of redemption itself, and with the
faith of those who deserve to be called high priests in
the great congregation of the Christian Church ? By
this last reference, I do not intend to put forward any
human authority, as such faith must find its support in
the general accordance of the answers obtained from
the other sources, but I would maintain that, as intel-
lectual knowledge is the fruit of our intellect, so spirit-
ual truth is the fruit of the divine Spirit. This Spirit
has its special times and seasons for strengthening the
faith of the Church. For that which strengthens the
faith of the individual is in no way to be connected with
the labors of councils, or with the midnight studies of
the theologian ; but its cradle is a heart, which, with
its world-overcoming faith, does indeed overcome the