Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

352 THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMhis admiration that it won his acceptance, he wouldfind it the same in all places, and its sameness toconsist in a triple force distinct yet bound togetherin its operation. This force corresponds to the intellectand the will in the human soul, which is at onceboth intellect and will, and, thirdly, to that homageof both these powers, which the soul offers to itsMaker. This force is the office of teaching, and soinforming the intellect; the office of ruling, and sodirecting the will in action ; the office of sacrificing,which is the presentation of both intellect and will totheir author. These are the three rays of the divinesovereignty as partitioned to the Prophet, the King,and the Priest in the great type of the Jewish people,which together form a perfect government and commonwealth,which satisfy the needs of human nature,and produce its good. These are the powers whichwo have seen dislocated in heathenism, bestowedindeed upon the race in its first ancestor Noah, butdisturbed by the treason of man in giving the incommunicableName to the offspring of his own lusts, andfinally, in the lowest descent of corruption, set againsteach other. These are the powers which the IncarnateGod took up into His own Person, giving themby that assumption a divine consecration, and fromthat Person recommunicated them to men exalted andenhanced. The triple force, as it remains everywhereidentical in character, so it is everywhere bound togetherand no more separable. The teaching cannotbe exercised fully without ruling, nor both withothe sacrifice, which betokens their completeness. TheTeacher, the Shepherd, and the Priest is one in origin,being none other than a divine Person, as He appearsin that adorable act of power, wisdom, and love which