the examination of similar forms of speech in other parts of Scripture; that, whenever a commission is given by God to accomplish what appears impossible by human means, he guarantees its complete success and perfect execution, by adding the words, "I am with thee." And if so, we have a right to conclude, that, in the text under examination, Christ, by the same words, promised to His Apostles, and to their successors till the end of the world, such care, such a scheme of especial providence, as might be necessary and sufficient, to secure the full accomplishment of the commission given them. Nothing therefore remains save to see what that commission is, and the case is closed.

"Go teach all nations;" such is the first part of the commission intrusted to the Apostles. It comprises universality of teaching and governing, an authority and an influence beyond that of the Roman Empire. How far above the reach of twelve poor Jewish fishermen! And further, what are the things to be taught? "To observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you!" How can they, dull, illiterate men; how, still less can their successors in remote countries and ages, hope to retain with accuracy or to teach with unfailing authority, all and every thing which our Lord has taught? This twofold commission is surely far beyond the power of man. Yet still it has to be fulfilled and will be, for Jesus Christ Himself has added to it these words of certain sanction: "BEHOLD I AM WITH YOU." Therefore the Church has ever been, is, and will continue till the end of time to be the universal instructor of all nations. Therefore her teaching will ever include “all things whatsoever" her Lord and Founder "commanded" to be taught, to the seclusion of whatever would confuse and vitiate the sum of His truth, or shake her authority.

I ask you, is not this a commission exactly comprising all that I have said we might be prepared to expect? Does it not institute an order of men to whom Christ has given security, that they shall be faithful depositaries of His truths? Does it not constitute His kingdom, whereunto all nations have to come?

Does it not establish therein His own permanent teaching, in lieu of prophecy, so as to prevent all error from entering in? and is not this kingdom of His Church to last till the end of time? Now here is all that the Catholic Church teaches, all that she claims and holds, as the basis and foundation whereupon to build her rule of faith. The successors of the Apostles in the Church of Christ have received the security of His own words and his promise of "a perpetual teaching," so that they shall not be allowed to fall into error. It is this promise which assures her that she is the depositary of all truth, and is gifted with an exemption from all liability to err, and has authority to claim from all men, and from all nations, submission to her guidance and instruction.

Such is the first ground of the system which I endeavoured to lay before you at our last meeting; but, although I fear I have already trespassed too long on your attention, I am anxious, not, indeed, to close the argument, but to finish the counterpart of what I represented to you in the first portion of my discourse, and for that purpose to refer to one or two other texts. I said then, that, even as, to fulfil the ends of prophecy, we might have expected to find Him whom the prophets typified, not only removing, but preventing error in the more perfect law; so might we hope to find the Holy Ghost, who was the inspirer of the prophets, who moved their tongues, and directed their teaching, in like manner substituting for them, His own infallible and unquestionable instruction. Now, we do find several texts of Scripture, connecting themselves clearly with what I have already said; and, obviously pointing out an institution for this very purpose. For, in the · 14th chapter of St John, (vv. 16, 26,) we hear our Saviour say, "I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Paraclete, that He may abide with you for ever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, nor knoweth him: but you shall know Him, because He shall abide with you, and shall be in you." "But, the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father shall send in my name, He

will teach you all things." And again, in the 16th chapter, (v. 13,) "But when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He shall teach you all truth."

Here again are words addressed to the apostles. I know there are some who consider them as spoken individually to all the faithful, and suppose them to contain a promise of inspiration to all. But we must be consistent; if you allow that these words contain a promise not confined to the apostles, but to be extended, not merely to later ages, but to every individual; then you must not limit the other promise made to the apostles to the compass of their lives alone. It must be extended in the same degree, and be considered as given for the benefit of every future age. I just now remarked that the two passages are clearly related one to another, for the object of both is the same, to provide for the teaching of truth. Not only so, but these words are addressed in a peculiar manner, to the apostles; because it is said that the Holy Spirit, is to be the supplementary teacher to the Son of God, and will complete what He had begun; so that this guidance is clearly for those, who had been already appointed and instructed by our Saviour Himself.

Now, certainly no one will say, that the commission before discussed extended to all the faithful; for if so all would be commanded to preach and teach, and then whose duty would it be to listen and learn? It is manifest that it establishes two orders one of superiors, of directors, of governors, of instructors; the other of subjects, of scholars, and of followers. The texts too now more immediately under consideration, taken in their context, lead to the same conclusion. For, in the same discourse, our Redeemer clearly distinguishes between the teachers of His doctrines, and those who, through their means, are to learn them.* Thus do the two promises, joined together, afford the strongest proof of a constant security against error given to the Church of Christ, until the end of time, through the authoritative teaching of the successors of the Apostles,

*Jo. xvii. 20

with the guarantee and sure co-operation of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit.

There remains another passage containing words of our Saviour, which would deserve to be commented on at some length; I mean that interesting promise, wherein, after basing His Church on a certain foundation, He says, that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."* But I shall have occasion, some evenings later, to dwell more fully upon this text, because it is connected with the important doctrine of the authority of the Holy See; and I will therefore reserve it for my discourse on that subject.

But, having thus spoken of those promises and pledges which Jesus Christ gave to his Church, of unfailing protection and direction, may I not be met by other texts of a character apparently contradictory, such as must, if not destroy, at least neutralize, those which I have alleged? Are there not a series of strong passages in which so far is the stability of the church from being secured, that its total defection is foretold? Is there not to be a universal and awful apostacy from the truth, as taught by our blessed Redeemer? Nay, still more, have not grave and learned divines placed these prophecies among the strongest evidences of Christ's divine mission, proved, as it is, in their fulfilment ?†

My brethren, in replying to this species of objection, I must be on my guard. I must avoid touching upon that view of it, however popular it may be, which pretends to see in the Ca tholic Church the foul characteristics attributed to the enemies of Christ in the Apocalypse, and other writings of the New Testament; and I must follow this course for several reasons. First, because I would not profane the holiness of this place with the blasphemous calumies which I should have to repeat, nor stoop to notice accusations, whereof it would degrade me in mind to think, that they could be ever made but

*Matt. xvi. 18.

"We shall add but two

† See Horne's Introduction, vol. i. p. 328. more instances in illustration of the evidence from prophecy. The first is the long apostacy and general corruption of the professors of Christianity, so plainly foretold."

through a pitiful ignorance, or a lamentable prepossession; secondly, because my plan does not allow me to seek out adversaries, but leads me to proceed by an onward line of positive demonstration; thirdly, because I cannot persuade myself that any of you who have so kindly continued to attend these lectures, listen to me with the impression that you are hearing the upholder of idolatry, or the advocate of antichrist.

Leaving aside, therefore, that class of applications, let us simply take and try the position, that a general defection from the truth is foretold in the New Testament; and that this prediction is even to be reckoned among the evidences of Christianity. Good God! and is it possible that any believer in the divinity of our Lord can assert so monstrous a proposition, as that He could have ever given such a proof as this of His heavenly mission and authority! I will present the case familiarly to you in the form of a parable. A certain king lived at a great distance from his children whom he tenderly loved. They dwelt in a tabernacle frail and perishable, which he had long and often promised should be replaced by a solid and magnificent abode, worthy of his greatness, and of his affection towards them. And after many days, there came unto them one, who said he was sent by him to raise this goodly building. And they asked him; "what evidence or proof dost thou give us that the King our father hath sent you, as fully qualified and able to build us such a house as shall worthily replace the other, and be our future dwelling?" And he answered and said; "I will raise a costly building, spacious and beautiful; its walls shall be of marble and its roofs of cedar, and its ornaments of gold and precious stones; and I will labour and toil to make it worthy of him that sent me, and of me its architect, even so that my very life shall be laid out on the good work. And this shall be an evidence of my mission to the work, and of my approved fitness for undertaking it; that, scarcely shall it be completed but the lustre of its precious stones shall be dimmed, and the brightness of its gold shall tarnish, and