Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

384 THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMwas the full accomplishment of that design, for in itthe body of man, which had been raised to inexpressiblehonour by its assumption on the part of the DivineWord, entered into the visible and everlasting possessionof its rank in creation.But, secondly, from this fact was to spring thecorrection of an intense moral corruption.The resurrection of Christ in His Body was notmerely proclaimed by word of mouth ; it ran structurallythrough the whole fabric of the Church. Itwas the seminal principle of the sacraments. Andthe great Sacrifice of the new covenant-the daily actof Christian worship-presupposed it and rested onit. A comparison will best illustrate this whole view.Some of the worst impurities of heathen life wereconnected with the worship of Ceres and Bacchus.These false gods were considered to preside over theprinciple of increase and multiplication in the fruits ofthe earth; the one over corn and every sort of dryseed, the other over wine and every sort of liquid.Their festivals, celebrated with an extraordinary concourseof people, became infamous for the open exhibitionof debauchery, a sort of glorying in deeds ofshame. It was the very consummation of turpitudein the devil's kingdom to abuse in this manner forevil that very bounty of the Creator in which Heopened His hand to fill all living things with plente-ousness. But now it was precisely of corn and winethat the divine Restorer took hold to convey in Hissacrament the grace of purity. He caused the cornof wheat which had died in His Body to become thefood of His people, and of the natural fruit of thevine He made His Blood to become tbe wine whichproduces virgins. Thus the true King, in overthrow-