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The Communion Service from the Book of Common Prayer
With Select Readings from the Writings of the Rev. F. D. Maurice, M.A.

Edited by the Right Rev. John William Colenso, D.D.
Lord Bishop of Natal.

London: Macmillan and Co., 1874.

Transcribed by Charles Wohlers, 2006.


(26.) THE HOLY ANGELS.

"At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven and things in earth."

"The Name of Jesus" is the Name, to which all the intelligences of the universe refer themselves, and all the energies and impulses of tl1e unconscious creation. They bow to it, as denoting the only source of their strength; they bow in it, as containing the only secret of their humiliation. If they did not confess Jesus to be the Lord of all, they would fall into all strife and separation,--each seeking to be Lord himself,--each supposing that the more he could lift up himself, the more he could depress his neighbour, the greater would be the triumph,--each discovering at last that in this effort lies all weakness and ruin. If they did not bow in the Name of Jesus to God the Father, they would never feel that He was their Father, and that they were His children,--that He had given them their distinct tasks to fulfil,--that He was imparting to them a common Spirit.

This, therefore, is the law of the heavenly world; knowing which, we need not care how little we know about hierarchies of angels, and their attributes and relations; because we are sure that this must be the centre of their unity,--,that they must do the commandments of Him, Who gave Himself up to die, hearkening to the voice of His words,--that, as He did nothing through strife or vain-glory, so neither can they,--that, as He was lowly, so must they be,--that, as He lived for others, not for Himself, that must be their life,--that they must be ever acting, because He is inspiring them with His ever-acting Love,--that they must be always at rest, because He is ever resting in His Father's Love.--Sermons on Sacrifice, p. 226.


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