spect, it was meet for your religion to resemble its divine Founder, how, as he was ever calumniated, and persecuted, and ill-treated by men, so must you likewise expect that—whether in prosperity or in adversity-your doctrines, and opinions, and institutions, should be held up to the hatred and the scorn of the world. But remember, that while your Redeemer submitted in every other respect to the will of his persecutors, while he allowed himself to be bound, and scourged, and crowned with thorns, and mocked, and scoffed, and even crucified for your sins, there was one thing only, in the course of his passion, wherein he refused to yield to the designs of his enemies; one point in which he would not submit to their inflictions; and that was, when they attempted to force gall and vinegar upon his lips; for, when he had tasted he would not drink.* And in this respect, therefore, do you likewise refuse to submit to that whereunto others may wish to drive you. Allow nothing which they may say-allow no excesses on their part-to lead you to the utterance of one word of bitterness or acrimony. Let them not ever gain the triumph over you of making you in this respect, like themselves, by extorting from you reviling and scoffing words, instead of sound and solid argument, urged in the mildest phrase.

And, in conclusion, brethren, allow me so say, that it is only the grace of God which can give us mutual strength to go through the task which I have proposed; that all our efforts will fail, that your attendance will be without profit, and my ministry without fruit, unless God send his blessing upon us; unless he give force and efficacy to my unworthy lips, and put a candid and teachable spirit in your hearts; that so ye may be moved to come hither, not by idle curiosity, or a desire to hear something new, but from a real anxiety every day to learn more and more, and to improve yourselves, not merely in the knowledge of your faith, but in the practice of all it inculcates and teaches; that so you may be not only hearers of the word, but also doers-a blessing which I pray God to grant you evermore. Amen.

LECTURE II.

ON THE PROTESTANT RULE OF FAITH.

1 THESSALONIANS,, v. 21.

Try all things, and hold fast that which is good."

I own, my brethren, that I feel considerably rejoiced and comforted at seeing the good-will with which you have commenced you attendance upon this course of lectures; and still more, to see such a full and gratifying attendance here this evening. For, I must own, that I had feared lest the necessarily abstract nature of the subject, which I treated in my opening discourse, added, perhaps, to the circumstance that, from previous fatigue, I had not, in my estimation, done justice to the interesting view which I wished to propose to you, might, perhaps, have deterred many from continuing their attendance upon what promised such comparatively slight interest. Nothing, indeed, my brethren, is easier than to throw considerable interest over any subject, by condensing its facts into a small space, and crowding together the most striking views that it will bear. But, although I may, upon another occasion, have been compelled to follow that course, it is always an unsatisfactory one: because, thereby, injustice is done to two important parties—the cause in hand, and those who are anxious to hear its demonstration. To the cause, for this simple reason, that, although, in every question, there must be some more leading and more important points, yet are the connecting links likewise of essential importance; and though, by sweeping away that intermediate matter, you may place the object in a more striking and moving point of view; yet do you essentially weaken it, by depriving it of that support and consistency which the connexion between it and other

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parts of the system, through those less important elements, alone can give. And injustice is, likewise, done to those who come to learn: for, it may, perchance, be, that their difficulties, if they differ from us, do not so much lie in the leading and important features of the case, as in some comparatively insignificant circumstance, some trifling objection, which, from their particular cast of mind, appears to possess much greater force than we can understand; and so they may depart with the impression, that we have only acted the part of skilful advocates, putting forward some few favourable points, while we passed over the weaker portions of our case. And hence it is that I shall have, more than once, to claim your indulgence--but I feel that, in simply asking it, the boon is granted -for entering into more minute particulars, and, comparatively more secondary matter, than may appear to some of sufficient value to occupy your attention. Even this evening,

it will be impossible for me to grapple so closely with the matter in hand as I intend, hereafter; and if, upon seeing me place in the way so many preliminary observations, and removing, to a certain distance, the closer and more immediate examination of the important points which I have proposed for discussion, any one should be tempted to think that it is my wish to escape from it, I only entreat of him to continue his attendance; and I will promise him, that, in due time, and when such observations shall have been laid down as I consider absolutely necessary, for the full understanding of the question, he shall see every point met in the fairest, the fullest, and the most impartial manner. Now, therefore, to connect what I have to say, this evening, with what I have premised, I shall take the liberty of giving you, in a few sentences, what I proposed to you at our last meeting. I there endeavoured to establish a very important distinction between the grounds on which a man justifies himself to his conscience and conviction, in his adherence to any particular religion, and the essential foundation whereupon rests its creed-the principle, if I may so say, of its very existence. I observed, that many pro

fessed the Protestant religion, merely because they were born in it; because they have always heard it spoken of as certain and true, or because they are accustomed to hear every other religion rejected and rebutted, as absolutely untenable; and I pointed out the clear distinction between this resaoning and the grounds on which that religion must justify itself. I observed, that a person might be a Protestant, on most of these motives —and the great majority of Protestants are so on many of them—and yet, that not one of these touched upon, or led to, the fundamental principle which Protestantism proposes as its basis the individual examination, and discovery of its doctrines in the Word of God; whereas, on the contrary, it was impossible for any man to be brought to the Catholic religion, or to adhere to it, upon any principle whatever, without, in the act of entering it, embracing, and identifying with his conscience and conviction, the fundamental principle of Catholicity. For, no one is, or can be, a Catholic, but by his entire submission to the authority of his Church.

The consequence I wished to draw from these reflexions was of an important character, namely, that, in all discussions upon this important topic, we have nothing to do with the motives which many give, why they are attached to, and love, their religion; but only with the grounds whereupon they believe, whereupon they found their faith, and justify their particular profession; and this, therefore, leads us to the examination of what is the vital, fundamental, principle of the Protestant, and what of the Catholic, religion: so that the discussion of these two points will form the subject of the course on which I have entered. This evening, I shall confine myself, exclusively, to treating of that principle which is held, by Protestants, as the essential and fundamental principle of their faith. And having, thus, occasion to speak so largely of the Word of God, and wishing to complete that section of my subject, I will explain what is the doctrine of Catholics regarding it: but will proceed no farther with their belief, reserving to myself to open it more largely and completely at our next meeting.

There is nothing easier than to give the popular and ordinary statement of the difference between Catholics and those who dissent from them, regarding THE RULE OF FAITH. It is very easy to say, that Catholics admit the authority of the Church; and that Protestants allow of no rule but the written Word of God. It is easy to make such a statement; but, if any one will take the pains to analyse it, he will find it fraught with considerable difficulties.

In the first place, what is the meaning of the Word of God, or the Scriptures, being the only rule of faith? Does it mean, that it is to be the rule for the Church, or for its individual members? Does it mean, that the public instrument or symbols of the faith are based upon the Word of God; or, as ancient philosophers used to say, that each man is a microcosm, or, a little world, that so, likewise, he is a little Church, with the power of examining and deciding upon matters of religion? Does it mean, that, in order to apply this rule, there is an individual light promised, or granted, by God, so that he is under the guidance and the infallible authority of the Holy Ghost; or, that, abandoned to those lights which he may possess, from his own learning or acquirements, his peculiar measure of mind and understanding is to be his rule and guide in the Word of God? But, to show that these difficulties are not imaginary, let us examine the Articles of the Church of England, and we shall find its rule of faith there laid down, which all the clergy must subscribe to, and teach, as their belief. In the Sixth Article it is said, that "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation." In this passage there is not one word about the individual right of any one to judge for himself—it is, only, that no one is to be charged with the belief of any doctrine, no one can be required to give his adhesion to any article, which is not contained in the Word of God. But it is evident, here, that the rule is placed in other hands; that the rule is more to prevent