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September
24 (Seventeenth Pentecost)
[The Old and New Testaments]
1. INTROD.—On
the gospel.
2. 'The Lord said to my Lord.' [Note
1]
3. Great truths put obscurely in the law. Both as
regards prophecy and religion and morals.
4. The law of Moses and the Old Testament like a
bud, and the new law the open flower, e.g.—
5. The first commandment.
6. The thoughts of the heart—'with all thy
heart,' Matt. v.; 'If thy eye is single.'
7. Impurity, Matt. v.—divorce and polygamy.
8. The second great commandment—parable of the
good Samaritan.
9. But something the same—faith, the Church,
the order of ministers, and rites.
10. But all these might be dead without
love of God, etc.
11. Let us beware lest we are outside Christians.
{221}
March
31, 1872 (Easter Day)
[Victory of Good over Evil]
1. This day commemorates the victory of truth
over falsehood, of good over evil, of Almighty God over Satan—quote
Matt. xxviii. 1.
2. Not a recent event, the existence of
evil—millions of ages ago, a revolt in heaven—rebel angels; thus
Satan the god of this world. And the conflict began first in
heaven—'Michael and his angels.' Then the devil was cast out, and
came down to the earth. Then it went on to the greater conflict with
the Son of God.
3. Wonderful there should have been such a
conflict and such a victory.
4. (1) No evil without His permission. This is
one wonder.
5. (2) Then when permitted, He might have
destroyed it by a word; but He suffered it.
6. (3) He might have let it run its course, and
die as a conflagration dies out.
7. (4) But He determined on a conflict and a
victory.
8. (5) And a victory of apparent weakness over
force.
9. This was His will, and since He chose this
way, we believe it to be the best way.
10. This has been the character of the conflict
ever since. There has been a conflict, and a victory of weakness over
might. Martyrs.
11. Holy See.
12. Comfort of this time. {222}
13. We do not know what is coming, but we do know
that we shall conquer.
April
7 (Low Sunday)
[Faith Conquering the World]
1. Faith is inculcated on us both by the epistle
and gospel of this day.
2. What is faith? Why it is that secret inward
sense in our conscience and our heart that God speaks to us,
accompanied by a sense of the duty to obey Him [Note
2]—a sort of voice or command bidding us to believe, telling us
to yield ourselves to Him.
3. Thus, if we hear any one scoff at religion,
speak against God, or against our Lord, or the Blessed Virgin, the
saints or truths of the Gospel, or at the Church, we are spontaneously
shocked and turn away. And if unhappily we listen or read, a feeling
of remorse and distress and sorrow comes upon us.
4. Faith not opposed to reason, but anticipates
it. It is a short cut.
5. It is (1) evidently the beginning of religion.
And (2) it was a new thing when our Lord came (except among the Jews).
(3) It 'overcame the world.'
6. It overcame the world. St. John prophesied
when he said it should 'overcome.' How would Christianity have
progressed without it?
7. It overcame the world—by contrast, 'When the
Son of man cometh,' etc. [Note 3]
{223}
8. We need not take this to mean there will be no
faith, but observe a contrast.
9. We do not know when this time will be, but we
understand from what we see that a time will come. The unbelief
now is dreadful, and should remind us of that time.
10. Let us pray that when He comes we may be
found watching.
11. The trial came on the apostles suddenly,
their faith failed.
April
14 (Second Easter)
[Faith Failing]
1. INTROD.—The
good Pastor hardly made Himself known to His disciples than He went to
heaven. He went away before men believed in Him.
2. This was His will—'Not to all the people.'
Enumerate how few—the most five hundred brethren at once—but then,
as it seems, 'some doubted.'
3. For it was His will that 'the just should live
by faith,' Hab. ii. 4—and then thrice in St. Paul [Note
4].
4. Accordingly elsewhere He says, 'We live by
faith, not by sight' [Note 5]—Abraham's
faith. So our Lord's miracles. And He said, Mark xi. 22-23, 'Have
faith in God. Amen I say to you, That whosoever shall say to this
mountain, Be thou removed, and cast into the sea; and shall not
stagger in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he saith shall be
done unto him; it shall be done.' {224}
5. Thus the FOUNDATION
of the Church is faith, Matt. xvi. 13-18, and when faith goes the
Church goes. The angels: 'Ye men of Galilee ... so also will he come
again.' [Note 6]
6. The Church cannot go till faith goes;
and as the Church will last as long as the world, therefore when faith
dies out the world will come to an end.
7. I repeat few had faith when our Lord went, and
few will have faith when He comes again. The foundation of the Church.
8. Hence the words, Luke—'Shall He find faith
on earth?'
9. All this makes us look to the future,
especially when there is a failure of faith.
10. The prophecies distinctly declare a failing
of faith.
11. On listening to prophecies in circulation [Note
7]—not to be trusted.
12. Of course I am not denying that holy people,
nuns, etc., sometimes prophesy, but Scripture is surer, 2 Peter [Note
8]. Of course it requires an interpreter, but still there is
something to guide us in the literal text.
13. The awful future—'of that day and hour
knoweth no one'—but it is profitable to read the words of Scripture,
though we but partially understand them. {225}
April
21 (Third Easter)
[The Second Coming]
1. INTROD.—'Modicum,'
etc. 'A little while' [Note 9]—the
disciples were perplexed.
2. Our Lord spoke as if He were to come again
soon. And certainly many of His disciples thought He would. They
thought not exactly that He would end the world, but that He would
come to end the present state of it, to judge the wicked and introduce
a holier world. Nay, at one time even the apostles.
3. But no one knows when, not even the angels.
4. It seems to have been our Lord's wish that His
coming should always appear near.
5. He gave indeed signs of His coming, but every
age of the world has those signs in a measure.
6. The signs were the falling away and the coming
of some great enemy of the Truth called Antichrist, who should bind
together all the powers of the world; that as there was war between
the good and bad angels in heaven, so between the servants of Christ
and Antichrist on earth.
7. This then is our state. In every age things
are so like the last day as to remind us that perhaps it is coming;
but still not so like that we know.
8. Every age is a semblance, a type in part of
what then at last will be in fulness. {226}
(Same as last; another scheme.)
1. 'Modicum.'
2. So they would explain the angels' words, 'Viri
Galilaei.' [Note 10]
3. And the mass of the disciples did think our
Lord would come back soon.
4. Our Lord said 'no,' 'but of that day,'
etc.—'like a thief in the night,' etc.—2 Peter iii. [10] [Note
11], 2 Thess. ii. 3 [Note 12].
5. Here, then, signs mentioned—viz. discessio
[a revolt] and Antichrist.
6. Before the end a great spiritual war between
Antichrist and the remnant of believers in the world.
7. You may say, 'Then the time of Christ's coming
is known.'
8. No, for this reason—every time is such as to
be like, and to remind us of the last day.
9. True, always [cause for] fear—the world
always seems ending.
10. It is the great mercy of God, and the power
[of prayer that delays the end].
11. However, at length the time will come. [Some
alterations or additions were made in secs. 7-9, which it has been
found impossible to embody in the text given above. Their placing
must be left to the ingenuity of the reader.]
Sec. 7. (a) 'In spite of this, in every age
almost, Christians have thought the end coming.' (b) {227} 'Moreover,
though its fulness at the end, always in the world; many Antichrists.'
(c) 'But still it is our duty ever to look out for Him.'
This last, viz. (c), is followed by—'8. Hence
He has made the end always seem near.'
Another addition to or substitution for sec. 8
is, 'At this time things very [?] like the end.'
Added in pencil as a substitution or addition to
sec. 9: 'It will also keep us from being over frightened now about
present signs.'
April
28 (Fourth Easter)
[Prophecy]
1. INTROD.—I
have said that as our Lord went away suddenly, so will He come again.
Next, that there will be a great token of His coming, viz. a falling
away. Thirdly, that it will still be sudden, because that falling away
is in almost every age, or, at least, again and again.
2. Now some passages in Scripture about the
falling away: 1 Tim. iv. [1] [Note
13], 2 Tim. iii. [1-5], ib. iv. [Note
14] [3] [Note 15], 2 Peter
iii. [3-4] [Note 16].
3. About the suddenness, Matt. xxiv. 27, 'For as
lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth {228} even unto the
west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.'
4. Infallible word, commented on by theologians
through ages: 'Blessed are those who hear,' etc.
5. Of course at all times there is a spirit of
prophecy in the Church, and there are holy men and women, though there
is no proof of this [in the stories now abroad].
6. It seems to me a great pity that Catholics
leave Scripture prophecy, which is the infallible word, for rumours
and stories about prophecies without foundation, e.g. at this
very time.
7. Orval coming up again [Note
17] (vide Rambler, vol. iv. p. 73).
8. Shifting according to circumstances—instance
of 1748.
9. But still the word of God stands sure and
cannot be superseded. If they are true, they co-operate with Scripture
and do not oppose it.
10. Now this great contrast between these
so-called prophecies and Scripture, the one prophecy good, the other
evil.
11. Those who are always looking for good, are
always disappointed; but it is our comfort and glory to know that the
Church always triumphs, though it seems always failing.
12. Hence two lessons: (1) The bad state of
things is to remind us of His coming and its suddenness. (2) We are
encouraged under it by the feeling it is our special portion to
be in trouble, 2 Cor. iv. 8-9 [Note
18]. {229}
13. Three lessons: (1) To remind and warn. (2) To
calm us, because in every age. (3) To give us faith and hope, from the
sight of the Church's continual victory.
May
5 (Fifth Easter)
[Holy Scripture]
1. We are so ignorant, and the world so confused,
that there is a natural desire to know the future (trust in
superstitions, fortune-tellers, etc., etc.). A future must come, and
we know nothing about it, and desire to know it.
2. Fortune-tellers about ourselves and public
affairs—almanacs; and so Catholics have their prophets.
3. All those reports such as Catholics are apt to
be beguiled with, have two tokens of error. They do not appeal to or
carry on Scripture prophecy; next, they are different from Scripture
prophecy, as I said last week.
4. Now, though there was no direct comfort and
instruction to be gained from Scripture prophecy, it would be a duty
to keep it in view, because it is in Scripture—because it is
the inspired word of God.
5. And this great evil arises from neglecting it,
because Protestants take it up and interpret it wrongly; they
interpret it against us—our Scripture becomes a weapon
in their hands because we have relinquished it to them.
6. But great edification does come from
reading Scripture prophecy; and a blessing is promised on those who
read. Very little is told us about the {230} future; nothing to
gratify our curiosity, but with it real edification.
7. The Apocalypse brings before us the conflict
between Christ and the world.
8. And so of other Scriptures—the Gospel the
best spiritual book—St. Paul's epistles, the Psalms.
9. Pius VI.'s
declaration [Note 19]. This why
so many French and Italians have become infidels.
10. To know Christ is to know Scripture—an
anchor.
May
12 (After Ascension)
[The Wonderful Spread of Christianity]
1. INTROD.—On
the wonderful beginning and spread of Christianity.
2. (Describe it.) Twelve men, etc., etc.
3. So they went on gaining ground for centuries,
till at length, etc.
4. Then how great their greatness! Think of the
Pope, etc., etc.
5. Yet which was the more wonderful of the two?
Why it is not wonderful that a temporal power should have temporal
strength.
6. Another most remarkable thing is that while it
was gaining ground, it all along thought that it was failing, and the
end was coming.
7. They did not think so in the time of
its great prosperity, when it really was failing.
8. (Now this presentiment of failure is to show
{231} the strength of the Almighty. We have this grace in earthly
vessels.)
9. It arises from the prophecies. We know evil in
this world, not good, is promised us.
10. Again, it is a type to bring before us the
last age when it will fail (God so contrives the events of this world
that, etc.), and when Christ will come from heaven at the last moment
to save.
11. (Horsley's letter [Note
20].)
12. Passages from Malvenda about Rome.
13. The wisdom of God is stronger, etc.
June
9 (Third Pentecost)
[The Fall of Man]
1. INTROD.—The
ninety-nine are the angels, the one is man.
2. Man is one because perhaps there are
indefinitely more angels than men; and next, because Adam was one
head, the head of our race. We all sinned in Adam, but each angel who
fell sinned in himself.
3. The account of Adam's fall.
4. Now, to understand how great it was, we must
consider Adam's high gifts. It was a miracle almost, a violation of
his nature and state, that he fell, for he had so many gifts.
5. Had he been like us we could understand it;
but he was not like us. But on his falling he lost those gifts,
and became what men are now, and that we can understand. {232}
6. He came under God's anger—he was prone to
sin; he was under captivity of the devil. The whole face of the world
external was changed, as winter instead of summer—that world,
I may say, deprived of angels, of God's countenance, and full of the
devil; even innocent things became infected and means of temptation.
7. He lost those gifts, and therefore, when he
had offspring, he transmitted to them that nature which he had; but he
could not transmit those gifts which he had forfeited.
8. Such, then, is our state as children of Adam.
We are what he was after sinning—in precisely the same state—and
that state is called 'original sin.' We have not the advantage
which Adam had.
9. Now, if a man says this is mysterious, hardly
consistent with justice, I answer: (1) The whole of revelation must be
mysterious, we do not know enough to defend it, because it is part of
a whole system.
10. (2) God is not bound to give us high gifts
such as He gave Adam. It is sufficient that He gives us such grace
that it is our fault if we do not go right.
11. (3) But, again, Christ came to set all right.
June
16 (Fourth Pentecost)
[The World, the Flesh, and the Devil]
1. INTROD.—The
whole creation travaileth.
2. All creatures must be imperfect and tend to
corruption if left to themselves. All creation which we see—the
visible world. {233}
3. The visible world requires a support to its
laws; they cannot support themselves.
4. And still clearer as regards separate beings.
All things in fluxu et transitu.
5. Brute animal passion—but without sin—but
no brute passion but exists in man.
6. Such excesses the gift of reason is to hinder
and subdue; and therefore sin in not doing so.
7. But the conflict so strong that it requires
the grace of God.
8. Now we see the state to which original sin,
the sin of Adam, has reduced us. It has rendered us like the brutes,
because it has deprived us of grace, yet left us in sin.
9. This stripped human nature is called in
Scripture the flesh—(Cain's fratricide, the flood,
destruction of Sodom, state of things when our Lord came)—
10. And is our second giant enemy. Our first
enemy is the devil.
11. Now trace the effects of the flesh—the
growth of evil in individuals, in bodies; the power of
example—encouraging each other, appealing to each other; false
maxims—affecting to teach.
12. This the world, a creation of the
flesh—our third great enemy.
13. Thus fallen man has to fight against three
great enemies.
14. Let us never forget we are servants
and soldiers of Christ, Eph. vi. 11-17 [Note
21]. {234}
June
23 (Fifth Pentecost)
[The World Rejecting God]
1. All men like to be independent and have their
own way, and in many things they can profitably be so and get on more
to their advantage than when they are under rule, but—
2. In one thing they cannot—in religion and
duty.
3. And for this reason: because we are made up of
two principles which war against each other. One or other must be the
master.
4. Satan knew this, both man's desire to be
independent and the impossibility of it. He knew that man must either
be God's servant or his own, and that he, man, did not know this. So
he tempted him with, 'Ye shall be as gods,' and waited securely for
his consequent falling under his own power.
5. Therefore man, rejecting his true Lord,
admitted a usurper. This brings in atheism, i.e. idolatry with
immorality. And therefore he always tends to get worse and worse, and
unless God interfered he would become unbearable.
6. But God has always pleaded with man ('My
spirit shall not always,' etc., and 'The Spirit intercedes'), and thus
reserved a remnant. This remnant has pleaded for the world and saved
it. It is the salt of the earth. {235}
7. The deluge—till only eight persons. Earth
filled with violence. 'They ate and drank,' etc.
8. Sodom. 'If ten persons.'
9. When our Lord came. Rom. i.
10. Ever since, it has been the elect few who
have saved the world and the Church.
11. When at length 'He shall not find faith on
the earth,' He 'cometh.'
12. On what in this age takes the place of
professed idolatry, and is really atheism.
August
4 (Eleventh Pentecost)
[Miracles—I]
1. INTROD.—The
gospel miracle; other miracles.
2. People say, Why are not miracles now? (1) in
complaint; (2) in unbelief. We know there are not such nor so
many as once.
3. But let us consider why miracles were
necessary in the beginning—the then state of the world. Even if the
great powers of the world had been inspired to enforce Christianity,
how would that prove it true?
4. Mere men as the preachers, so weak,
they would need something to give them authority and weight.
5. (1) The world had to be startled and awed,
which weak preachers could not do;
6. (2) Secondly, to be convinced, which worldly,
powerful preachers could not do.
7. A miracle when real is what man cannot
do.
8. It was just suited to the case. Common sense
tells us it is just what would convince us.
9. Why not now then? It was necessary, especially
in the beginning. {236}
10. And hence it is still accorded by God in
converting the heathen—St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, St. Martin, St.
Augustine, St. Patrick, St. Boniface, St. Francis Xavier.
11. But though we have not miracles as in the
beginning, (1) dealings of God with the human soul are like miracles.
12. And (2) so are providences and answers to
prayer. (Not miracles now, because want of faith. Vide the
gospel).
August
11 (Twelfth Pentecost)
[Miracles—II]
1. INTROD.—Why
we do not see miracles.
2. We believe that miracles are wrought
now, though they are few.
3. I have spoken of miracles wrought by apostles
of countries.
4. And so of saints. If I am asked why miracles
scarce, I answer, Saints are scarce. We cannot conceive common men
doing miracles.
5. You will ask, Why are saints scarce
now? It has ever been that times vary. There are sometimes bursts of
supernatural power and greatness.
6. So the Psalms, xliii. [Note
22], lxxiii. [Note 23],
lxxxviii. (finis) [Note 24], and
Isaias li [Note 25]. {237}
7. But when there are saints there are
great miracles. St. Philip.
8. But you will say, If there are few saints on
earth, yet there are many in heaven; why do they not do miracles from
heaven, as St. Philip used to do, as we read in the accounts appended
to his life?
9. Because we have not faith—not individuals
merely, but the population. (Enlarge on this.)
10. Vide Luke xix. 26, Matt. xxi. 27, Mark
ix. 23, Mark vi. 5.
11. Because men say, 'Unless we see signs and
wonders,' etc., in a haughty way.
12. Miracles now come as a reward to faith, in
those who do not look out for them. Not denied then.
August
18 (Thirteenth Pentecost)
[Christ's Presence in the World]
1. INTROD.—We
have read, Sunday after Sunday, as today, of our Lord's miracles; but
did we see Him, I do not think that [the miracles] would most strike
and subdue us.
2. Not His works, but Himself.
3. But here I explain something. Strange to say,
it was His will that, seen by casual spectators, He should seem like
another man, Isa. liii. 3 [Note 26];
and hence John i. 5, 10 [Note 27],
and Mark vi. 3 [Note 28]. And
the Samaritan {238} woman, John iv. And this specially so in the case
of bad men, Luke xxiii. 11 [Note 29],
John xix. 9 [Note 30].
4. When we had seen Him two or three times, if we
were not utterly dead to truth we should find that He had made a deep
impression on us, on looking back, though we did not perceive it at
the time, Luke xxiv. (Emmaus).
5. Next, supposing we could stay and gaze on Him,
then what would first strike us would be His awful infinite repose,
the absence of all excitement, etc., etc. All that is told us of Him,
all His words and works, brings out this—and doubtless His aspect.
6. Next, if we could still look on, if we could
see His eyes, two things would strike us; first, His seeing us through
and through. Hence He is often said to 'look.' Mark iii. 5, 'And
looking round about on them with anger'; ib. viii. 33, 'Who,
turning about and seeing his disciples, threatened Peter,' etc.; ib.
xi. 11, 'And he entered into Jerusalem, and having viewed all things
round about.'
7. Secondly, compassion. Mark x. 21, 'And Jesus
looking on him loved him'; Luke xxii. 61, 'And the Lord turning,
looked on Peter: and Peter remembered the word of the Lord.'
8. And then when He began to speak! the tones of
His voice! John vii. 46, 'The ministers answered, Never did man speak
like this man'; Matt. vii. 28, 'And it came to pass, when Jesus had
fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his
doctrine: For he was teaching them as one having power.' {239}
9. Hence He draws men. Matt. ix. 9, 'And
He saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew: and he said
to him, Follow me. And he rose up, and followed him.' Virtue going out
of Him. Mark v. 30, 'And immediately, Jesus knowing in himself the
virtue that had proceeded from him, turning to the multitude, said,
Who hath touched me ?' ib. vi. 56, 'And whithersoever he
entered, into towns, or into villages, or cities, they laid the sick
in the streets, and besought him that they might touch the hem of his
garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.'
10. All this, even though He did no miracle.
11. This is what we must look for in heaven.
12. And yearn for it [Note
31] in the Blessed Sacrament.
August
25 (Fourteenth Pentecost)
[The 'Two Masters']
1. INTROD.—Two
masters. Why cannot we serve two masters? Most men wish to
serve God and the world.
2. What is it to have a master? what is meant by
it?
3. Not merely an employer; this not enough.
4. A master is one who has some hold over us. In
old times slaves, but now it is by compact. If I promise, if I take
wages, I willingly take a master. As children are naturally subject to
parents, so, by free will, servants to masters. They may change,
but while they have a master they are bound. {240}
5. Now on serving a master. Consider St.
Paul, Eph. vi. 5-6 [Note 32].
6. And if so of all masters, so especially of the
good—idea of a household.
7. Now we see what in religion is meant by God
being our master. (1) He has created and bought us. (2) We have
made an everlasting contract with Him. (3) It is not a contract in
this or that— as employers—but we are of His household and
family. (4) We are one of His, and must study His interests. (5) He is
a good master.
8. Hence, if our Lord is our master, we
can have no other master, and we must be full of zeal and love.
9. He has given Himself wholly to us.
10. The other—Mammon! So not only we can't
have two; we must have one.
11. Now let us ask ourselves: Is in fact
God our master? Do not we follow our own will, taking one day one
master, another another.
12. There would not be all this variety of
religions, and this infidelity in the world, if men really made God
their master. They would soon agree together.
On men of no party. Apoc. iii.—Laodiceans [Note
33].
September
1 (Fifteenth Pentecost)
[Miracles]
1. INTROD.—Miracle
on the widow's son at Naim.
2. Open, public—so on Lazarus, John xii. Matt.
{241} ix. [6], 'that you may know.' [Note
34] So Acts iii. [Note 35];
so Elias, 3 Kings xviii [Note 36].
3. But many others our Lord forbids the
proclaiming. Thus He takes the blind men into a house, or charges
them, etc., Matt. ix. 27 ff. [Note
37] And again, still more remarkably Jairus's daughter, Mark v. 43
[Note 38], Luke viii. 56 [Note
39].
4. Now this will tell us how to answer the
question about miracles now. There are miracles now, but not such
miracles as in the beginning—not public ones. They were in order to
establish the religion—but now the religion established.
5. Then they might be wrought by bad men—by
Judas—Matt. vii. 22. But now they are marks of sanctity of the
persons or the things by which they are wrought.
6. Hence (1) the workers do not proclaim
them.
7. (2) Not so marked, by running into [i.e.
not easy to be distinguished from] providences.
8. (3) Not so discernible—to one, and not to
another. {242}
9. (4) No necessity to believe them, for the
Church does not propose them.
10. (5) Not to be urged on unbelievers.
11. As I have said before, the miracles of the
Catholic Church are those which are personal to ourselves. (1)
Goodness of God to us in the course of life. (2) His grace given to
our souls.
September
8 (Sixteenth Pentecost)
['The Riches of His Glory']
1. INTROD.—The
epistle [Ephesians iii. 13-21].
2. Do you understand St. Paul's words, 'The
riches of his glory,' etc.?
3. We have here a glimpse of what heaven is. 'Eye
hath not seen,' etc.
4. It was the support of St. Paul against the
world.
5. The world has its 'depth' and 'height,'
etc. Illustrate deep science, high power, glory, etc.
6. It is this which makes the world the false
prophet; it preaches and seduces us with false maxims.
7. It is grievous to say, but it must be said,
that almost all we read, the periodical press, is in this respect a
false prophet.
8. The devil said he had 'all the kingdoms of the
earth.' Things good under bondage of evil.
9. Therefore God gave us the Church—as the true
Prophet to bring the glories of heaven before us.
10. All sacraments, etc., with this object.
11. So Scripture a revelation of the next
world—especially our Lord's person. {243}
12. And so the saints and their history—a whole
family round our Lord.
13. This is the reason why we are allowed to
think so much of our Lady; why she is given us to employ our
thoughts. Protestants say we make too much of her. Now which is best,
to think too much of her, or of the world?
September
22 (Eighteenth Pentecost)
[Disease a Type of Sin]
1. INTROD.—The
paralytic in the gospel.
2. The cures to typify the spiritual disorders
and diseases of mankind. This one reason of the special
character of our Lord's miracles.
3. And it is well to consider the variety
of bodily diseases with this view. They are horrible, but we may be
sure that the various spiritual maladies are far more horrible.
4. And the least sin, for its quality is
so bad—in this it goes beyond bodily diseases, for bodily
infirmities admit of degrees much more. And it goes beyond the analogy
of disease in these respects: (1) because universal to the race; (2)
because so intense.
5. But the case of sin may be likened to the
analogy of offences against the senses, as to which the least
imperfection is destructive; e.g. the sweetest nosegay
spoiled by one bad scent of one dead leaf. One drop of bitter in the
most pleasant drink. And so of hearing, one discordant note. And so in
the sciences—in astronomy the slightest motion {244} [vibration in
an observatory]—or in the mirror or glass the slightest dimness; and
in chemistry, poisons; and in medicine, etc.
6. The whole creation marred. Then why did God
allow it? I answer—
7. That is a question not for the present time.
You don't inquire how a fire arose before you have extinguished
it.
8. Next, our Lord came to destroy sin.
This the characteristic over all other religions ('not the righteous,'
[Note 40] 'repent ye,' [Note
41] the lost sheep); they [other religions] acknowledge sin, but
they cannot cure it.
9. He takes away the guilt, and the power [of
sin].
10. This by His death and passion.
11. This the fundamental doctrine—texts.
October
13 (Twenty-first Pentecost)
[Forgiveness of Injuries]
1. INTROD.—Today's
gospel [the king taking an account of his servants].
2. Parallel passages; Luke xvii. 3-4 [Note
42].
3. So far easy, for it is scarcely supposable
that {245} one should have so little generosity as to refuse
forgiveness to one who confessed himself wrong and asked to be
forgiven.
4. But when he does not ask to be forgiven; if he
persists in opposition and injury, and goes on doing harm, and takes a
wrong course. Yet this commanded too. The Lord's Prayer—Matt. vi.
14-15 [Note 43], Mark xi. 25-26
[Note 44], Rom. xii. [18-20] [Note
45].
5. Or again, supposing he does not do so, asks to
make it up, still there may be, you may say, such difficulties as
these: I may wish to keep at a distance, for:
6. (1) E.g. I cannot trust him; he is a
dangerous man.
7. (2) He is likely to do me spiritual harm.
8. (3) The sight of him is a temptation, an
irritation to me; we shall be best friends at a distance.
9. (4) I shall be a hypocrite if I make it up,
for I don't like his doings.
10. (5) I ought to protest against him.
11. ANSWER.—'If
you in your hearts forgive not {246} every one his brother'
[Matt. xviii. 35]. You must love him. Col. iii. 12-13 [Note
46]; Matt. v. 44-47 [Note 47].
12. OBJECTION.—'But
I do not like him.' How can I love him? This is a fundamental
difficulty.
13. ANSWER.—Can
you pray that you may meet him and love him in heaven? You and he are
both far from what you should be; and each has to change. Look
on the best part of his character—learn sympathy with him.
Think how he suffers. Purgatory useful for this—to bring you and him
nearer to each other.
October
20 (Twenty-second Pentecost)
[Final Perseverance]
1. INTROD.—Epistle
for the day, perseverance in grace.
2. Two things plain: (1) perseverance necessary,
Matt. xxiv. 13 [Note 48], Ezech.
xxxiii. 18 [Note 49]. {247}
3. (2) Not in our power, but a special gift of
God. We cannot merit it.
4. Now what is merit? (Explain.) By ourselves not
only not perseverance, but nothing can we merit.
5. Because (1) by ourselves we can do nothing
pleasing to God, because of our sinfulness; and (2) because how can
anything we do be worthy of heaven? what proportion? Luke xvii.
7-10 [Note 50].
6. (1) Therefore the grace of God, and (2) His
promise; thus we can be said, first, to please God, and secondly, to
merit.
7. And these two by the merits of our Lord and
Saviour.
8. But there are two things we cannot merit—the
first grace and the last.
9. As to the first grace, it is plainly God's
free bounty which has made us Christians.
10. As to the last, it is God's free bounty, in
spite of the accumulation of merits. No extent of merit is sufficient
to gain perseverance—the just may fall, however holy, etc. Think of
Solomon; think of Judas. It is a special gift to die in grace.
11. Two conclusions. First let us continually
pray that God would give us this special gift of dying in grace. {248}
12. This may comfort us when we lose our friends,
that God may in His mercy have taken them then, when they were in
grace.
January
12, 1873 (Sunday in Epiphany)
[Manifestation of the Kingdom of Christ]
1. INTROD.—The
Magi.
2. They were a prophecy and anticipation of what
was coming.
3. We know the kingdoms of this world became the
kingdom of Christ.
4. Two things wonderful: (1) that such a conquest
should be made; (2) that it should be prophesied.
5. That kingdom is passed by, three hundred years
ago. We have, however, the remains—cathedrals, ruins of
abbeys—the usages of society, etc.
6. So that we are known as the 'old religion.'
And what is old comes from our Lord, and what is new came from men.
7. This, then, is the wonderful manifestation of
past times.
8. But now it is wellnigh past—while it lasted
it was comparatively easy to believe when there was only one
religion.
9. But now Satan, who has his instruments in
every age, says: 'There are so many religions, none is true; they are
all false.'
10. Those who live will find a wave of
infidelity overspread the land. What they are to do. {249}
11. There is another manifestation [Note
51]: 'Come and see'—whereas men keep you from coming and seeing.
'A witness in court'—we say, 'Let us actually see him.' But
no—here it is 'so many religions, etc., Catholicism is going down,'
or 'Catholics are a fallen race,' etc., etc., instead of above, 'Come
and see.' Reading the Gospels. John ix., Luke xvii. By 'religious men'
is meant those who have experiences.
January
27 (Third Epiphany)
[Men of Good Will]
1. INTROD.—The
centurion in the gospel of the day. Account in St. Matthew, in St.
Luke.
2. He was a heathen, etc. This is how our Lord
began the Church, when as yet there was none, and addressed Himself to
those who were well inclined, and gained them.
3. This is what is meant by men of good will in
the angels' song.
4. Instances: Nicodemus, John viii.; Gamaliel in
Acts v.; Luke ix. [49], 'who followeth not us' [Note
52]; Syrophoenician [woman], Matt. xv., Mark vii.
5. And so now. We must not repel them or treat
them harshly, or laugh at them, etc.
6. They illustrate the secret work of
grace—from grace to grace. {250}
7. Tests of being bonae voluntatis [of
good will]—not justice, sense of fairness, and benevolence,
though these are praiseworthy—and we must be grateful to such men.
8. But (1) humility from sense of sin. 'Lord, I
am not worthy.' 'Even the dogs,' etc.
9. (2) Sense of duty. 'I am a man under
authority.'
10. (3) Devotion. 'He has built us a synagogue,'
Luke vii.
11. Let us beware lest those who have less
advantages than we have outstrip us. 'Many shall come from the east
and the west,' etc.
March
2 (First Lent)
[God Our Stay in Eternity]
1. INTROD.—We
must draw near to God.
2. This means to contemplate, to recognise, to
fear, to love. Now let us see the necessity of this.
3. Here we are tempted to make the world our God,
because we see it, and do not see God.
4. But consider what our state is when we are
dead; our senses then are all gone.
5. Consider this: we have five senses, and we
know what a deprivation the loss of any one—sight or hearing or
touch or feeling—any one.
6. But in death they all go together. See what we
are reduced to. It is true we cannot have any bodily pain—and that
is what people are apt to say, 'All his pain is over.'
7. True, but is there no pain of the mind? Do
{251} we know how acute pain of the mind is?—surely we know it even
in this life.
8. Let us consider our being suddenly cut off
from all intercourse except with ourselves—a truly solitary
confinement; worse, for that here is only loss of hearing, i.e.
conversation.
9. Supposing in addition it comes on us that we
should not be thus, except for our own fault!
10. Now it is clear that we should have no remedy
unless God visited us and gave us light.
11. The light of glory, the light of heaven, the
only thing.
12. But suppose we have no desire for it, no love
of it. Suppose we look back in fond regret to this world.
13. Therefore the love of God is the only
way in which we can be happy.
June
22 (Third Pentecost)
[The Lost Sheep the Type of Fallen Man]
1. INTROD.—Gospel,
one sheep in wilderness, man; the ninety-nine, angels.
2. Contrast between angels and man. They so
great, we so low.
3. Yet Psalm viii. 4-5, 'What is man,' etc. [Note
53]; 'out of weakness were made strong' [Note
54]; 'when I am weak, then I am strong' [Note
55]; 'these things the angels desire,' etc. [Note
56]; 'joy among the angels of God.' [Note
57] {252}
4. For, see the difference. Even angels fell; and
even for angels no restitution. You would think they were more
convertible—they had no powers to return.
5. Could, then, any being return, if not angels?
6. Man not only in the image of God, but of the
beasts of the field.
7. Incarnation.
8. All things possible with God.
9. Hence a great multitude.
10. Hence saints.
11. Woe is us, if elect, yet such as we
are.
January
4, 1874
[The New Year]
1. Difference of feelings of young and old
towards a new year.
2. The young with hope and expectation; the
mature with anxiety.
3. The young look forward first for a
change—each year brings changes. And to them they are changes, as
they think, for the better; they are older, stronger, more their own
masters, etc.
4. And secondly, the future is unknown, and
excites their curiosity and expectation.
5. It is different with them who have some
experience of life. They look (1) on change as no great good;
they get attached to things as they are, etc.
6. But (secondly) the ignorance of the future, so
far from being good, is painful—in truth it is one {253} of our four
wounds. Ignorance of all things, especially of the future—of what a
day may bring forth—of suffering, bereavement, etc.
7. Thus, like railway train, bowling away into
the darkness.
8. Ignorance what sufferings and bereavements are
in store—of death—of the day of death. We walk over our own
dying day, year by year, little thinking.
9. It may be a work-day, or holiday, or a 'many
happy returns' [day].
10. All things make us serious. This we know,
that death is certain; and then the time comes when there will be no
change—for time is change—and no ignorance.
June
28 (Fifth Pentecost)
[The Jewish and the Christian Church]
1. 'Unless your justice [exceed that of the
scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven,' Matt. v. 20].
2. The Jews, then, God's people, and their Church
God's Church. It was the Ark. The world lay in wickedness, and in the
wrath of God, except that holy Church which God founded by Moses. The
Pharisees its rulers.
3. It was salvation, for 'salvation of the Jews.'
So now.
4. It taught God's law. 'Moses' seat.' So now.
5. Indefectible, never to end. You will say it
ended. No, it changed into the Christian Church.
6. But though Jewish Church could not fall away,
{254} its members could. And so now. Even its rulers could fall
away, though they taught what was right—Moses' seat; and so could
the body of its people, and so it did. They relied on their
privileges, and were cast off. St. John the Baptist said, 'Flee
from the wrath to come,' to Pharisees coming to His baptism. And so
Christians may [fall away]. This is a warning to us, and St. Paul so
makes it, Rom. ii.
7. Therefore whatever is said to or about the
Jews is a warning to us.
8. Thus what is said about the Samaritans. (Who
were the Samaritans?) Many are singled out as better than the Jews.
(1) The good Samaritan; (2) the grateful Samaritan [Note
58]. They are like Protestants. So Protestants may be better than
we in spite of 'salvation from the Jews.'
9. Nay, heathen were better than the Jews, e.g.
centurion—'Many shall come,' etc., Matt. viii. 11-12 [Note
59]; Tyre, Sidon, Sodom [Note 60]
[Matt. xi. 21-23].
10. Thus at present countries on the
Continent—they may be cast off as the Jews were. Protestants in
England may be better.
11. But we must look to ourselves. Many are
called. Strive and seek [Luke xiii. 24].
12. All those who are in earnest, though they
know their imperfections, must not fear. {255}
August
2 (Tenth Pentecost)
[Revelation—Word of God (I)]
1. INTROD.—I
have been reading from Scripture, viz. an epistle and gospel. Why?
2. What is meant by Scripture, Scriptures?
Writings, the Word of God, or revelation—through different
ages.
3. Why has God given us a 'Word'? Because we are
so ignorant.
4. Two Testaments. First with one nation (Old),
then with people of all nations (New).
5. The Bible, the Book.
6. By the by, why are Catholics said to burn
the Bible? They never do, or have (unless they committed an act of
sin); but what they burned was not the Bible but a Protestant
translation. (Also without comment.)
7. The Church comments and explains.
Now as to the Old Testament, or the Word of God to the Jews,
8. Law and prophets,
9. Till our Lord came.
August
9 (Eleventh Pentecost)
Revelation—Word of God [II]
1. INTROD.—Recapitulation.
Scripture—Scriptures—two Testaments—Bible—teaching, and
therefore inspiration.
2. When I say 'inspired'—not in science or art,
etc. {256}
3. Difference of Old and New—Old imperfect, and
through so many ages; New perfect, and once for all in one age.
4. Here I shall speak of the New. The
Apostles—inspired—our Lord God. Heb. i. 1-2 [Note
61].
5. OBJECTION.—Why
not their words [inspired], if their writings? Why not their speeches?
Why not their conversation? Of course it was. All they said about RELIGION
was. They might not know about the earth going round the sun, etc.
6. But it might be objected, on the other hand,
that such sayings were not recollected. But some might be.
7. This is what Catholics called 'tradition,' and
in which we differ from Protestants. Meaning of the word 'tradition.' Vide
epistle for this Sunday [Note 62].
8. Things we know by tradition: (1) that
Scripture is the inspired Word of God; (2) what books the Bible
consists of—for these Protestants need tradition; (3) the Mass, etc.
9. And so natural. Every school, every set of
workmen, go by tradition—'common law' is tradition.
10. Hence we say there are two parts of the Word
of God, written and unwritten.
11. But still, surely tradition may go
wrong. Yes, and Scripture may be wrongly interpreted. {257}
12. Therefore the Church decides, as being
infallible.
13. Hence there may be mistaken reports of
miracles, prophecies, etc., but we must see what the Church says about
them.
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Notes
1. 'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right
hand … If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?'—Matt. xxii.
44-45.
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2. See Note
18, pp. 342-3.
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3. ' … shall he find, think
you, faith upon earth?'—Luke xviii. 8.
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4. Rom. i. 17, Gal. iii.11,
Heb. x. 38.
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5. 2 Cor. v. 7.
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6. 'Ye men of Galilee, why
stand you looking up to heaven? this Jesus who is taken up from you
into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into
heaven.'—Acts i. 11.
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7. On the number of these
prophecies and their character, see Poulain, The Graces of Interior
Prayer, p. 346 [English translation].
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8. The reference may be to 2
Peter iii. 9, 'The Lord delayeth not his promise,' etc.
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9. 'A little while, and now
you shall not see me; and again a little while, and you shall see
me.'—John xvi. 16 (opening words of the gospel of the Sunday).
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10. See footnote 1 [Note
6],
p. 224.
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11. 'But the day of the Lord
shall come like a thief … '
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12. 'Let no man deceive you:
... for unless there come a revolt (discessio) first, and the
man of sin be revealed,' etc.
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13. 'Now the Spirit
manifestly saith, that in the last times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to spirits of error, and doctrines of devils.'
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14. 'Know also this, that in
the last days shall come dangerous times. Men shall be lovers of
themselves ... having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying
the power thereof.'
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15. 'For there shall be a
time when they will not endure sound doctrine,' etc.
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16. 'In the last days there
shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts, saying,
Where is the promise of his coming?'
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17. See Poulain, The
Grace of Interior Prayer, p. 345 [English translation].
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18. 'In all things we suffer
tribulation, but are not distressed; we are straightened, but not
destitute; We suffer persecution, but are not forsaken; we are cast
down, but we perish not … '
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19. Letter to Martini,
Archbishop of Florence, 'on his translation of the Bible into Italian,
showing the benefit which the faithful may reap from their having the
Holy Scriptures in the Vulgar Tongue.'
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20. See Discussions and
Arguments, pp. 107-8 where the letter is quoted.
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21. 'Put you on the armour
of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the
devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this
darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
Therefore take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to
resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect. Stand
therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the
breastplate of justice; And your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace; In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith
you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked
one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit (which is the word of God).'
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22. Deus auribus nostris.
In which the Church commemorates former favours and present
afflictions.
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23. Ut quid Deus. A
prayer of the Church under grievous persecutions.
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24. 'Be mindful, O Lord, of
the reproach of thy servants,' etc.
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25. An exhortation to trust
in Christ. He shall protect the children of His Church.
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26. 'His look was as it were
hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not.'
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27. 'The light shined in the
darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it.' Ib. 10, 'He
was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew
him not.'
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28. 'Is not this the
carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and
Jude, and Simon? are not also his sisters here with us? And they were
scandalised in regard of him.'
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29. 'And Herod and his army
set him at nought, and mocked him.'
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30. 'And Pilate said to
Jesus, Whence art thou?'
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31. These last words are
barely, if at all, legible.
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32. 'Servants, be obedient
to them that are your lords according to the flesh, with fear and
trembling, in the simplicity of your hearts, as to Christ; Not serving
to the eye, as it were pleasing men; but as servants of Christ, doing
the will of God from your heart.'
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33. It is not clear where
these words were intended to come.
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34. 'But that you may know
that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he
to the man sick of the palsy,) Arise,' etc.
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35. The miracle upon the
lame man.
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36. Elias cometh before
Achab. He convinceth the false prophets by bringing fire from heaven;
he obtaineth rain by his prayer.
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37. 'And as Jesus passed
from thence, there followed him two blind men, crying out and saying,
Have mercy on us, O Son of David. And when he was come to the house,
the blind men came to him.'
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38. 'And he charged them
strictly that no man should know it.'
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39. 'Whom he charged to tell
no man what was done.'
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40. 'I am not come to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'—Mark ii. 17.
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41. 'Jesus preached: Repent
ye, and believe the gospel.'— Mark i. 15.
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42. 'Take heed to
yourselves: If thy brother sin against thee, reprove him; and if he do
penance, forgive him. And if he sin against thee seven times in a day,
and seven times in a day be converted to thee, saying, I repent;
forgive him.'
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43. 'And if you will forgive
men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your
offences: But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father
forgive you your offences.'
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44. 'And when you shall
stand to pray, forgive, if you have ought against any man: that your
Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if you
will not forgive, neither will your Father that is in heaven forgive
you your sins.'
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45. 'If it be possible, as
much as is in you, having peace with all men. Not revenging
yourselves, my dearly beloved, but give place unto wrath: for it is
written, Revenge to me; I will repay. But if thy enemy be hungry, give
him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink: for doing this thou shalt
heap coals of fire upon his head.'
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46. 'Put ye on therefore, as
the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity,
humility, modesty, patience; Bearing with one another, and forgiving
one another, if any have a complaint against one another: even as the
Lord has forgiven you, so do you also.'
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47. 'Love your enemies do
good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute and
calumniate you; That you may be the children of your Father who is in
heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good and bad, and raineth
upon the just and the unjust. For if you love them that love you, what
reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this? And if you
salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens
this?
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48. 'He that shall persevere
to the end shall be saved.'
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49. 'For when the just shall
depart from his justice, and commit iniquities, he shall die in them.'
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50. 'But which of you,
having a servant ploughing or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he
is come from the field, Immediately go sit down to meat? And will not
rather say to him, Make ready my supper, and gird thyself, and serve
me, whilst I eat and drink; and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink?
Doth he thank that servant for doing the things which he commanded
him? I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these
things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we
have done that which we ought to do.'
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51. The other manifestation
seems to be the Church with her notes. The claims of this witness to
be interrogated are put off with 'There are so many religions,' etc.
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52. 'And John, answering,
said, Master, we saw a certain man casting out devils in thy name; and
we forbade him, because he followeth not with us.'
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53. 'What is man, that thou
art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou
hast made him little less than the angels,' etc.
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54. Heb. xi. 34.
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55. 2 Cor. xii. 10.
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56. 'Which things the angels
desire to look into.'—1 Peter i. 12.
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57. ' ... upon one sinner
doing penance.'—Luke xv. 10.
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58. The leper who returned
to give thanks.
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59. 'Many shall come from
the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall
be cast out.'
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60. See p. 47 (footnote).
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61. 'God, who at sundry
times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the
prophets, Last of all in these days has spoken to us by his Son, whom
he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world.'
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62. 1 Cor. xv. 1-10. 'For I
delivered [tradidi] unto you first of all which I also
received.'
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