To Sinn up, then, it ajipears to us clear^and we are iiKt 111 be befogged by transcendental speciil;ilicins abdiit the assumed caiiabiliiies of the invisible world — that the preaching of Christ through Noah to his contempo- raries during the respite before the Hood, by virtue of the Holy .Spirit, is eminently appropriate to the course of the ajHistle's argument. In illusiraliiig the paradox of deliverance through deHlruelion, hi' says that llu! name principle of mercy throii;,'h Clirisi has prevailed in all «li«peiiHations.just as the Old World had the prof- fer of rescue by means nf the ark, and as some actually einbrnced it; so the (iosjjel both now and tiiially saves II- by a recoiislriiclioii through the seeming overthrow <if its niilhor. To introduce an allusion to some pre- hiime.l wene in tlie other world enacted in the short in- terim of Christ's l)iirial, and from which nolbiiig seems to have resulted, is wholly gratuitoiiH and irrelevant, not to Bay nugatory and puerile. Nobody uninfected with IComish «ii|K-rstilioii, we apiirehend, would have orig- iiinied so baM and yet so Itold an interpretation. See lltLi, Dhsci..M- i.NTo. See (.besides the various coiu-
mentaries, and the monographs cited by Danz, Wdrtei-h. ]>. 753), Jonrn. of Sac. Lit. Jan. 1853 ; Oct. 1800 ; Ch. lie view,. ]u\y, 1857; liibtiut/i. Sac. Jaw. 1862; Neiv-Eng- laiuler, Oct, 1872 ; Princeton Rev. April, 1875 ; Brit, and For. Ev. Rev, Jan. 1876.
Spirits, IJnclean {Trvtvuara cKa^apra), a fre- quent term in Scripture for unholy angels (Matt, x, 1, etc.). See the ChriDtian Remembrancer, July, 1862. See 0.*:.MON.
Spiritual {irriv^mTiKoQ, which in classical Greek is opjiosed to bodili), riutarch, l)e Sanct. 389) denotes in New-Test, usage, ((/) belonging to the Holy Spirit (Kom. i, 11 ; xv, 27; 1 Cor. ii, 13; ix, 11; xii, 1, 7; xiv, 1, 37; Eph. i, 3); or (t) determined or influenced by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. iii, 1 ; xiv, 37; Gal. vi, 1), such as "spiritual songs" (Eph. v, 19; Col. iii, 16), i. e. in- spired; a "spiritual house" (Col. i, 9), not angelic, nor unmanufactured, but composed of stones vivitied by the Spirit (comp. J^ph. ii. 22), like "spiritual sacrifices" (I I'et. ii, 5); "spiritual food and drink" (I Cor. x, 3), i.e. nourishment aff'orded by the Spirit (the "spiritual Kock," Deut. viii, 15; xxxii, 4), and not in an ordinary way (comp. Exod. xvii, 6). See Cremer, Lexicon of the N.-T, Greek, s. v. See Spihituai.-mindedness.
The expression "spiritual body" {(TMfia TrvfUjUari/coj', pneumatic body), used in 1 Cor. xv, 44 to describe the resurrection state, appears at first sight a palpable con- tradiction of terms; but it is interpreted bj' the antith- esis there made with the "natural body" (ffiujim i/'i'X'" Kov, paycJiic body). The apostle uses these terms in the same epistle (ii, 14, 15) to distinguish the nnregenerate man from the Christian, as being changed from his fleshly condition to a heavenh' one by the Divine Spirit. In the resurrection body, accordingly, these words denote the contrast between the earthly, decay- ing, and sin-stained costume of the soul here and its ce- lestial, immortal, and purified state hereafter. This is plain likewise from the kindred antithesis of the con- text ("corruption . . . incorruption," "dishonor . . . glory," "weakness . . . power," "earthy . . . heaven- ly"). We are not taught, therefore, to look for an ethe- real, aerial, or sublimated body in the other life, but one of bona-fide matter, substantial as at present, al- though transfigured by a divine and heavenly glory. See l-kKsfRitiiCTioN.
Spiritual Communion is the mental act of holding communion with our blessed Saviour and his saints, either in the sacrament of the eucharist, or in any other religious service. See Comjiunion.
Spiritual Corporation is one the members of which are entirely spiritual persons, as bisho])s, arch- deacons, parsons, and vicars, who are sole corporations; also deans and chapters, as formerly abbots and con- vents, are bodies wy^/'eya/e, — Lee, (iloss.<f Litunj. Terms, s. v.
Spiritual (or Ecci-esiasticai.) Courts are those having jurisdiction in spiritual or ecclesiastical matters. Besides the courts of Aim-hkkacon (q. v.) and Arches ((|. v.), they are the following :
1. The Corirt (f .■[uymentation was created in 27 Henry VIII for determining suits and controversies re- lating to monasteries and abbey lauds. The court was dissolved by Parliament, 1 queen Mary. The Aiig- meniation OJ/lcc, h<iwever, still exists, in which there are a variety of valuable records connecteil with lands formerly belonging to monasteries and abbeys.
2. The Jii.t/iop'.i or Consistory Court is held in the cathedral of each diocese for the trial of ecclesiastical causes within that diocese.
3. The Court <;/" Couxcience or Requests {Curia Con- scieutiw) was erect ed in 9 Henry VI II in I»ndon, and an actofcomnioii council then appointed commission- ers to sit in the court twice a week to determine all matters between citizens and freemen of LoikIoii in which the debt or damage was under fortj' shillings..
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
953
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
This act of common council was confirmed by 1 James I. By this the court issues its summons, the commis- sioners examine on oath, and decide by summary proc- ess, making such orders touching debts " as they should find to stand to equity and good conscience." The commissioners may commit to prison for disobedience of their summons. Various subsequent acts have regu- lated and extended these powers.