test of holiness which Catholic doctrine would supply, and which I have already mentioned, they are obliged to take as their test some more external form, either necessarily unconnected, or not at all necessarily connected, with the inward. life of the soul.

Of the former kind is the use of certain (as we may most truly call them)' cant' terms and phrases; the fluent and familiar enunciation of which, seems considered by multitudes an almost unfailing note of spirituality, and the absence of which is taken as a quite unfailing note of worldliness. True it is, no doubt, that whereas religious Catholics have impressed on their moral perception various most definite, most important, most individually distinguishable, ideas, during the course of Church History technical terms have been invented to express those ideas. Such terms too it is of the very utmost importance to appropriate most scrupulously to the particular object for which they were devised, else well-instructed Catholics must be indefinitely baffled and perplexed, and the lessinstructed could be hardly guided into the true reception of these ideas themselves. But though technical terms are always confined to particular ideas, these ideas on the contrary are also expressed in every variety of untechnical St. Athanasius, (to take an extreme case,) the proverbial champion of strict orthodoxy, hardly uses in his works, so we are told by learned men, that very word oμoovσiov, which was the technical term then in dispute; and nothing is more common than to read Catholic books, in which the deep orthodoxy of the writer appears in every page, but into which no terms whatever of the kind have found their way. On the other hand, the Evangelical,' using his technical terms, not to express already existing ideas, but to conceal from others and from himself the absence of all such, is full of trouble and dismay at the slightest variation from the established formula. The Catholic, as being sure of his ground, conscious of his position and of his doctrines, expatiates throughout all the range of ordinary language, adopting now this expression now that, as best may suit his momentary purpose; but the Evangelical,' should you omit one single phrase on some occasion which, according to their strange

terms.

and pedantic etiquette, is considered to require its use, has no means left whereby to judge the soundness of your belief; for he has no idea to fall back upon. No! no one substantive idea is in his mind, distinguishing him from the orthodox, but only a confused medley of conflicting and inconsistent ideas, drawing him one this way one that; some leading in all consistency to sanctity in the fullest sense, some leading in all consistency to wickedness of the deepest dye. He has no idea then which he can recognise as his characteristic mark; and so is obliged to constitute as such, the stiff stereotyped adoption of certain strange and uncouth expressions.

Belonging to the latter class of forms I specified, are exercises, worthy of all honour in themselves, but which sometimes become snares to the soul rather than means of grace, when an external compliance with them is made the sufficient passport to Christian brotherhood. The principal of these is the strict observance of Sunday; an observance of which I would not for the whole world speak disparagingly, and which, I cannot doubt, has been blessed as a means of grace to thousands, and has rescued them from much of the pernicious consequences flowing from their religious views. It is very plain, however, that men of the most unsanctified hearts, of the most worldly and carnal affections, will readily compound, by a scrupulous performance of ceremonial duties (such as going to Church and reading at home none but religious books) on one day of the week, for the free and unbridled exercise of their thoughts during the other six. While on the contrary those who during the week have been engaged, not merely in their worldly occupations, but in an incessant struggle against the temptations, whether in a more open or more subtle shape, which encounter them amidst those occupations, require on their day of rest much more of actual relaxation and refreshment than would otherwise be needful: a circumstance this last, which on every account deserves especial notice.

That self-righteousness' and 'formalism,' the very charges which religionists of the day are so fond of bringing against Catholics, should in so remarkable a manner recoil on them

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selves, is merely one instance of what seems a certain inherent fatality. Thus, as has been often enough said, no sect is so superstitiously formal, as the Quakers who boast of rejecting forms; few so unreasonable, as the Rationalists who profess to go by reason; none (says Mr. John Mill) are so incompetent judges of history, as those who think to build political science on history; none argue themselves so weakly, as those who accuse Catholics of arguing weakly; none most certainly are so shallow intellectually, as those who dream of supporting religious conviction on an intellectual basis.

XI. Again, an evil of which I spoke several pages back as necessarily resulting from the abstract tenet of Lutheranism, flows from it, in no small degree, as found existing in real life. Evangelicals' have, I should say in general, very far from an adequate impression, how deeply important is the early training of their children in habits of obedience." Some I know, perhaps many, consider all punishment as wrong, and supply its place by prayer in their closet for the child's conversion. This arises probably from an idea that fear is no really Christian motive; but it will not be considered necessary, I suppose, by any of my readers, that I should trace in detail the most pernicious consequences that must flow from such a course.

A further observation here suggests itself, bearing however on the effects of Evangelical' principles on others rather than on their upholders. The ordinary language used by these religionists, as to the necessity of passing through a stage of doubt and alarm into a state of unclouded peace, this language so unreal, so technical, so contradictory to all genuine experience, must most seriously impair, in many cases even destroy, the influence over the youthful mind which religious precepts might otherwise attain. I know myself a young man of extreme seriousness and strictness of

u Mr. Burns has published a beautiful little tale called Little Alice and her Sister,' which impresses on the mind true ideas on this most deeply important subject, more successfully than any other I have happened to see; though I dare say, if I were well acquainted with his series, others also would be found equally excellent. There could hardly be, I should think, a more useful present to a child than this little tale.

life, who on reading Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion,' (a work in many respects so beautiful and so instructive,) was perfectly bewildered and amazed by meeting with a sentiment of the kind. It is impossible indeed to conceive the degree in which the young may be perplexed and confused by such statements; nay, the more sensitive may be brought by it almost to utter despair and recklessness of living.

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XII. Lastly, it is involved in the Evangelical' theory, that the misery of man in his natural state consists, not in the sense of sin, but in the fear of punishment. This, I say, is involved in the Evangelical' theory; because while on the one hand it is acknowledged by all that it is the very, object of the Gospel to relieve this misery, Evangelicals' proclaim that a knowledge of our personal pardon is the great Gospel gift, and denounce Catholics for considering inherent righteousness to be such. Peace of mind, say they, follows on an assurance of certain salvation, even before sanctification has begun; it cannot exist without that assurance, though an inward gift of sanctity be poured into the soul. It is difficult to conceive any principle more contrary to all experience, and more disparaging to the attributes of God: certainly the latter, for the universal reconcilement of happiness with holiness may be taken as the elementary truth of natural religion; and certainly the former, for it is even proverbial that sin and sorrow are indissolubly connected, that our evil passions are our worst and most deadly enemies. "The happiness of the soul consists in the exercise of the affections: . . . this is our real and true bliss, not to know, or to effect, or to pursue; but to love, to hope, to joy, to admire, to revere, to adore. Our real and true bliss lies in the possession of those objects on which our hearts may rest and be satisfied. . . . . The thought of God, and nothing short of it, is the happiness of man; for though there is much besides to serve as subject of knowledge, or motive for action, or instrument of excitement, yet the affections require a something more vast and more enduring than any thing created. . . . . . If we are allowed

to find that real and most sacred Object on which our heart may fix itself, a fulness of peace will follow, which nothing but it can give. In proportion as we have given up the love of the world and are dead to the creature, and on the other hand are born of the Spirit unto love of our Maker and Lord, this love carries with it its own evidence when it

comes.

This being so, it follows that a continued mortification of our earthly affections is the one only road to true peace of mind; for by that means alone can our heart be opened, in ever-increasing measure, to the presence of God. But 'Evangelicals' consider that peace of mind is sufficiently secured by the emotions which follow from a knowledge of our pardon; and the result is, that when they feel a blank and dreary melancholy stealing upon them,—not understanding that its remedy must be sought in a vigorous and self-forgetting contemplation and performance of duty,-they endeavour by a direct effort of the will to stimulate and renew these emotions. It is not necessary here to speak of the extreme and most deplorable consequences which have at various times flowed from this, especially among Dissenters whether here or in America; we may confine ourselves to what persons, even with but little experience, have witnessed in members of our own Church. A revulsion of mind ensues; a violent distaste for what pleased them before; a sickness and weariness of mind; or a great disappointment; or a confusion and perplexity and despondence.' "The way of peace they have not known," yet are bound by their principles to consider themselves as infallibly knowing it. I believe that even madness in some shape has before now ensued from a similar state of mind.

And thus I bring to an end this most invidious part of my task; a part in regard to which I feel, that nothing can excuse me for having entered upon it, except absolute necessity yet surely quite necessary it is. I most gladly and willingly acknowledge it as one of the many benefits our * Newman's Sermons, vol. v. pp. 357-363.

derful Sermon.

But read the whole of this won