Faith, the victory ; or, A comprehensive view of the principal doctrines of the Christian religion.

Front matter

LIBRARY OF

^ORYXMIVERsiTy iWiliMMiViftMilililiHiliWili'iMli'ili'ilifiliHiWiiVi

FAITH; THE VICTORY;

Dedication

We presume to dedicate to our Father in Christ, His Holiness Pope Pius IX., this little volume, as an affectionate token of admiration of his eminent talents, exalted virtues, and benevolent character, and of humble submission to his supreme authority, as visible head of the Church, and vicar of Jesus Christ.

The Author.

Preface

The actual condition of the country, because of the deplorable and sanguinary war now waged, and of the blockade which is enforced, prevents us from procuring the many excellent works, which have been written and published elsewhere, for explaining and defending the doctrines of religion. Yet it is not only desirable, but even most necessary, that we should have some books of religious instruction for our people, and especially for the youth of both sexes, who, either in the schools, or under the paternal roof, are at present receiving their education. Moreover, among those not of our church, there appears to be a growing disposition to become acquaiated with Catholic doctrines, and to examine for themselves into the nature and grounds of our faith, and it is difficult for them to obtain the necessar}^ books, or for the priests, from whom they are asked, to furnish them. As in other cases, when men cannot obtain what ia deemed necessary or very important, they exert themselves to prepare a suitable substitute which may answer, I have been induced, in view of our manifest need, to write and publish this volume, notwithstanding the difficulties attending such an enterprise in our present circumstances. I entertain the hope that my Right Reverend and Reverend Brethren of the Clergy, to whose enlightened criticism I submit it, being prepared to receive and profit by their suggestions,

VI PREFACE.

will not find it unworthy of their approbation and patronage, and that both for members of the church, and for candid and ingenuous readers of other denominations, it will not be without interest and utility, even though they may have access to the standard works, which give expositions of the various points of our doctrines. Many of these are in the catechetical form, not the most pleasing to some minds, and which I have not adopted, though I recognize and appreciate its advantages. I have also aimed to condense as much as I have been able, without a sacrifice of perspicuity, in order to present a general view of our principal tenets in a small volume. I must, however, admonish the reader, that it was more my purpose to set before him a plain statement of the principal doctrines of religion, than to bring forward the various proofs from the Holy Scriptures and from the testimonies of early Fathers and Doctors, which might be adduced, and which manifest that they are divine revelations and Apostolical traditions. I desired to show what is taught ljy the church, and what we have to receive with faith, giving on different points some of the proofs, but not to exhibit and controvert the various errors and objections, at different times, devised by the pride of human reason, in scrutinizing the mysteries of God, and the claims of his church.

From the text of St. John, on the title page, will be perceived the reason why I call this book, " Faith, the Victory." The greatest victory, that man can achieve, is that by which he conquers his own passions, and thus foils all his enemies, "the world, the flesh, and the devil," and merits the crown of glory and everlasting life. " To him who shall overcome, I will give to

PREFACE. VII

sit with me in my throne, as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father, in his throne." Apoc. iii. 21. But this victory, over self and over our spiritual enemies, can only be obtained by faith, which hears, believes, and obeys God. " An obedient man shall speak of victory." Prov. xxi. 28. When God reveals any thing, our duty is to believe and obey him. To begin to reason about what he has revealed is to act unreasonably. We should use our reason to examine if God has spoken, but not to inquire whether what he says is credible. The reason of God is infinitely superior to our reason, and he can reveal to us things above our comprehension. We can only know what God has said, in the sense he has said it, from his church. It is therefore only by " hearing the church," that we can have faith, which will enable us to overcome ourselves, and secure salvation.

Many, who have come into life to receive immediately the blessing of the true faith by baptism, being born of Catholic parents, and having the opportunity to be instructed, lose the victory because of their ignorance of the principles and reasons of their faith. They neglect to study the motives of credibility, to understand exactly what the church has defined, and to ascertain upon what grounds and proofs she rests her teaching, and when their faith is misrepresented and denounced as absurd, they know not what to reply, become ashamed of what should be their glory, and therefore they fall away in time of temptation. Had they been equally ignorant on all other matters, they might have been secure in the humility which confides in the authority of the church, and^asks only to know what it is necessary to believe and do in order to secure eternal life.

VIII PREFACE.

But thinking themselves wise, they imagine that they should be able to defend all they should profess, without having, by study and reading, acquired the necessary science, which would qualify them to know precisely what the doctrines are, and to detect the misrepresentations and sophisms by which they are impugned.

But it is almost impossible to induce men to interest themselves about that which is most important to them, their eternal destiny, and the means to ensure their happiness forever. Either they are unwilling to submit their minds in obedience to faith, or unwilling, when they do believe, to " deny themselves and carry the cross," as Jesus Christ requires to be done by those who would follow him to his glory.

As I have undertaken to treat of those'doctrines, upon which depend the destinies of men for eternity, and where it is of the utmost importance to present only what is true, it is a duty and satisfaction to submit the whole, to the judgment of the Holy See, whose authority is supreme, and I do this with the ready will, to expunge any thing which it may find herein not consistent with Divine revelation and Catholic doctrine. I have, however, been as careful as I could be, to present as pertaining to faith, only that which is certainly revealed in the Word of God, and believed in the church. With this declaration, and noting that the last chapter is less complete than those preceding, because I had to condense three that were prepared, in order to avoid increased cost, I leave the book to the considerate attention and impartial judgment of the reader.

RlCHMOND,KFEBRUAni\ 1865.

PKINC1PAL DOCTRINES

of tse

CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

Chapter I

The Existence op God. — The Nature, of God.-— The Unity of God. — The Trinity.

" The fool hath said in his heart, There is no &od;"* but this denial springs up in the heart from a corrupt will, and is never the conclusion of the mind. The denial of the existence of God cannot in any sane mind find place, since in addition to the intimate sense of God's existence, which every one has, there are irresistible proofs, adduced from the principles of metaphysics, and from the experience of a Supreme Providence overruling the world and human affairs, superadded to the express revelation which the Deity has made of himself, that establish/^ the fact beyond all doubt.

There never was a nation that did not worship some God ; for as the Psalmist declares : " The light of thy countenance, 0 Lord, is signed upon us." f The wonderful order of the different parts of the universe manifestly declares the supreme architect. For as Cicero says : "No art, no hand, no workman can, by imitating attain the dexterity and skill found in nature." % Even the human body itself, with its wonderful conformation, and its co-ordination of so many delicate parts, proclaims its divine Maker. " The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of hig

A OF GOD.

hands,"* says the Eoyal ^Prophet ; and we read in wisdom : " For by the greatness of the beauty, and of the creature, the creator of them may be seen, so as to be known thereby." f

The Nature of- Grod.

No words can more fitly express to our minds the divine nature, than those which Moses represents that he received from God himself : "I am who AM." These words indicate a being, self-existing, depending upon no other being, and upon whom all other beings are dependent ; and whatever perfection can be thought or imagined must belong to this being, self- existent, independent, and therefore- infinite. To exist of himself, dependent upon no other, is to be eternal, infinite, and to have all possible perfections.

God, being supremely perfect, is therefore a pure spirit, most simple in his nature, eternal, immense, immutable, knowing all things, omnipotent, and ruling all things. God is a pure spirit, and has not those things which are perceived by the human senses. He is simple, or without parts, and, having neither commencement nor ending, exists always the same. Eternity is defined by Boetius : " The entire and perfect possession of interminable life." J In God there is no before and afterwards, no succession, ^distinction of past and future, but the plenitude of life. He is immense, because circumscribed neither by place nor time, he exists everywhere, and fills all things. He is not subject to vicissitude or change, and all things are present to him, and he^sees the past and the future at the same glance. There is nothing which involves power, that lies not within the reach of his omnipotence ; and if there be any thing he cannot do, it is only such things as involve imbecility, weakness, imperfection, or deficiency in the

*Ps. xviii; 3. | Wisdom, ch. xiii: 5. JBoetuis liv, o , ilatione. ' d» «e - solation6

OP GOD. S

one who should do them. All things else depend on him, because he created, preserves, and governs them according to his own supreme will and pleasure. The Psalmist says : " He spoke and they were made ; He commanded, and they were created." * " When Thou openest thy hand, they shall all be filled with good. But if Thou turn away thy face, they shall be troubled : Thou shalt take away their breath and they shall fail, ami shall return to the dust."f

Of the Unity of God.

God is one. " If God is not one, there is no God," says Tertullian. Indeed the supreme, absolute, and infinite could not be found in two or more beings. The absolutely perfect and infinite admits of nothing equal to it. For supreme perfection is to have no equal. When the pagans worshipped many gods, they were subjected to gross blindness of mind and obduracy of heart, and "professing themselves to be wise they became fools, and they changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and of four-footed beasts, and of creeping things." J Not the common herd only, but the Philosophers and learned, because of sin, were given over to this reprobate sense ; " Because that when they knew God, they have not glorified him as God, or given thanks ; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened." But even the pagans had the idea of the Supreme Deity. And they could never have supposed that those men and inferior creatures, so foolishly considered by them as gods, could be endowed with the infinite attributes and perfections, which can only be found in one being. " Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord our God is one God;"§ and again : '' See ye that I alone am, and there is no other God besides me." I!

OF GOT>,

The Most Holy Trinity.

God, though one in his divine being and nature, exists in a trinity of persons. This article of divine faith is a sublime mystery, which we are not bound to comprehend, but to believe. "Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and ef the Holy Ghost."* The Constantinopolitan creed says : " God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, and yet these are not three Gods, but only one God." And "These three are one," says the Apostle" St. John.f It follows from God's revelation that this is true, even though we may not comprehend it. Our reason is not able to comprehend the infinite. But our reason tells us, that the infinitely perfect being cannot teach us a falsehood. If we were required to- believe that God is one and three under the same respects, it might seem to us absurd, but we ane taught that God is one in respect to his being and essence, but three under the respect of personality only — " one God in three persons." And if God tells us this is so, we can only say : I do not comprehend how it is so ; but we cannot say, I. do not believe it. Because God is worthy to be believed, and we ought " to bring into captivity our understanding unto the obedience of Christ."J The mystery requires us to believe that all the divine attributes, eternity, majesty, omnipotence, omniscience, and all absolute perfections belong equally to each of these three divine persons, because they are all one God, and one God only.

The Father is the fountain and origin of the others himself produced from no other, and called Father, because from* eternity and. always, Ha generates the Son con substantial with himself — that is, of the same substance with Him. " God of God, light of li»ht true God of true God."§

The Son is begotten of the Father from all aternity

*Math. xxviii: 23. fl John v:#7. £2 Cor. x: §Nicene Creed

OP GOD. 5

generated, not made, and is called the Word, the wisdom of the Father. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son as from one principle, but He is not generated. He is a person, and the term of the mutual love which the Father and the Son have for each other.

In contemplating this mystery, we should not allow our imagination to seize upon it, as if we could picture it to ourselves. We cannot imagine that this generation and procession require priority, because in God there is no succession of time, but the generation and procession are always, as God exists always from eternity to eternity. To help us slightly to understand this, we may consider how light? proceeds from the sun, and^yet both are of the same antiquity of time. But God exists in Eternity, and the three divine persons have the same antiquity, notwithstanding the generation of the Son, and the profession of the Holy Ghost. We believe this, because, it is the revelation which God has made to us concerning himself. While the human mind cannot comprehend this mystery, yet having known it by revelation, it sometimes makes an effort to show, from the image' thereof found in man, that it must of necessity be found in God. Of this we have an example in the Sixth Elevation of Bossuet, on the mystery of the Trinity. He writes : "We exist, we understand, we will. Now, to understand and to will is not absolutely the *same thing ; -tfere it absolutely the same thing, persons would not distinguish them. But they do distinguish them : for we understand what we do not will, what we do not love, although we cannot love or \ljll what we do not understand. God understands and knows what he does not love — as for example, sin ; and how many things do we understand and hate, and which we would* neither do nor suffer, because we understand that they are hurtful to us ?"

" We are therefore something intelligent, something which understands itself and loves itself ; which loves only what it understands, but which can know and understand what it does not love. Thus to understand t> Off GOD.

and to love are distinct things, but so inseparable, that there is no knowledge without some will. And if man' like the angel, knew all that he is, his knowledge would be equal to his being : and loving himself m proportion to his knowledge, his love would be equal to the one and the other. And if the whole of this were well ordered, the whole together would constitute but one and the same happiness of the same soul, and, to speak truly, of the same happy soul ; in this, that by the uprightness of its will, conformed to the truth of jts knowledge, it would be just. Thus, these three things well ordered, to he, to know, and to will, make one only happy and just soul, which "could not be without being Icnown, nor be Jcnoum without being loved, nor separate froln itself one of these things, without losing the whole entirely, and with the whole its happiness. For what would it import to a soul to be, and yet not know itself? or to know itself, and not to love itself in the manner it should to be truly happy — that is, without lovingitself in reference to God, who is the whole foundation of our happiness."

".Thus, in our. imperfect and defeetive manner, do we present the image o^an incomprehensible mystery.* A created Trinity, which God has placed in our souls, represents to us the uncreated Trinity, which He only could reveal to us ; and to make us represent it the better, he has mingled in our souls, which represent it, something of the incomprehensible. We have seen that# to understand and to will, to know and to love, are acts very distinct from each other ; but are they so distinct that they are entirely and substantially different ? This cannot be : the knowledge is nothing else than our.soul affected in a certain way ; and the will, but the substance of our soul, affected in another way. When I change either thought or will, have I this thought or ■will without ihj substance entering therein ? Undoubtedly it enters ; and at bottom it is nothing else than my substance affected, diversified, modified in different ■ways, but in its base always the game. For in changing thought, I do not change substance \ and my sub-

Oi' SOD. {

stance remains one, whilst my thoughts come* and go, and whilst my will" goes on distinguishing itself in my soul, whence it continues to proceed ; just as my knowledge goes on distinguishing itself from my being, from which likewise it proceeds, and whilst ..both, viz.: my knowledge and my will, in so many manners distinguish themselves, and successively direct themselves to diverse objects, my substance ever remains the same at bottom, although it enters entirely into all these man- .ners of being, so different from each other."

" 0 God ! In whose presence I contemplate myself, and to myself am an enigma ! I have seen in myself three things : to be, to understand, to will. Thou dost will that I should forever be, since thou hast given to me an immortal soul, the happiness or woe of which shall be eternal; and didst Thou will it, I should understand and will always the same thing ; for it is thus thou wiliest that I may be forever, when thou shalt make me happy by thy presence. Did I will and understand but the same thing, as I ha?e but one only being, I should also have but one only knowledge and will, or, if the expression be preferred, one only to understand and to will. However, my knowledge and my •love or rny will would not for this be less distinguished from each other, nor less identified — that is to say, would not be the less one with the basis of my being, with my substance. And my love or my will could not but proceed from .my knowledge ; and my love would be always a thing" which I should produce within myself, nor should I the less produce my knowledge ; and there would always be in me three things, being, or to be, producing knowledge, knowledge produced, and also love produced by the one and the other. And if 1 were of a nature incapable of all accidents occurring to its substance, and in which everything must of necessity be substantial, my knowledge and my love would be something substantial and subsistent ; and I should be three subsisting persons in one only substance — ■ that is, I should be G-od."

"But as things are not thus with me, I am only made

OE ANGELS.

to the image and likeness of God, and an imperfect sketch of that unique substance, which is at the same time Father, Son and Holy Ghost; a substance which is incomprehensible in its triune divinity, at bottom but one same thing, sovereign, immense, eternal, perfectlyone, in three distinctly subsisting persons, equal to each other, consubstantial ; to whom is due one only worship, one only adoration, one only love."^

The length of this citation will be forgiven us, on account of its beauty, and even sublimity. Bossuet* considers the soul a created trinity, and avers that were it infinite, its three faculties or powers would be three subsisting persons. No accident can occur to the divine substance, infinite and eternal ; and knowledge and love in God must then be something substantial, subsistent, living, and therefore in vfod there must be three living subsistences in one only substance — subsistences called divine persons, not in the sense of person applied to men, but in a sense as incomprehensible asthe essence of God, which is one and indivisible, and belongs entire to each of the three persons, who are uncreated, and distinct from each other in personality only. We cannot comprehend this Trinity of persons, nor this unity of substance and essence ; no*1 can wecomprehend our soul, one^ substance and three powers, but we can believe these mysteries, because God reveals them.

Chapter II

Of Creation.— Of Angels.— Of Good Angels.— Of Demons.

God created Heaven and Earth, and all things th they contain. These things are called the Avorks of C 1

OF ANGELS. 9

They are the works of God, as the one first cause of all things, and the three divine persons alike in them manifested their glory and power. Yet, in considering these works, we attribute different operations to the different persons of the Holy Trinity. What flows from Omnipotence, is attributed to the Father; what from wisdom, to the Son, who is the Word and wisdom of the Father ; and what from goodness and love, to the Holy Ghost. This attribution to the different persons of the Holy Trinity assists our understanding to contemplate them, amd appeals to our admiration, gratitude and love. God created the heavens and the earth "in the beginning." Upon the earth he placed the first naan and woman, whom also He created. But besides man, He created beings superior to men — for the Scriptures often speak to us of his angels.

Of the Angels.

At what time God created man, we are told in the Scriptures ; but these do not tell us at what time precisely he created the angels. St. Epiphanius and others infer from the Scriptures, that the angels were not cheated after God had given existence to the stars, since i^fsaid in the book of Job : " When the morning stars praised me together, (or were made,) and all the sons of God made a joyful melody."* Nor were they created before the heavens and the earth, since before the creation of these no created things existed, because God created these "in the beginning."

We are taught by the church, that "from the beginning, God, by His omnipotent power, created out of nothing- both creatures, the spiritual and the corporeal, to wit, the angelic and the mundane, and then the human, as if common, constituted out of spirit and body."f From which declaration some infer that the angels were created before mere corporal things ; which seems also to be the opinion of St. Augustine. The angels are spiritual, intellectual creatures, without bodies, as theo-

*Job, ch. xxxviii: 7. "fCounc. Later., ch. i: 4, an. 1215.

OP ANGELS, logians commonly teach, although no definition has been made by the church that they have no bodies.* "Who makest thy angels spirits : and thy ministers a burning fire."f They have the power to know and to understand in a degree far superior to man. A characteristic difference between the angel, and the human soul is, that the angel of his own nature exists as spirit, while the human soul of its nature tends to a connexion with a human body. The body is its compljjirent, and though for a time it be separated from it by death, it is again, at the resurrection, to be re-united with it.

The number of the angels has not been made known to us, but from the Scriptures we learn that their number is very great. We also find mention made of different ranks or orders. We are told of the seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations, principalities, powers, the virtues of Heaven, archangels, and angels. These constitute nine choirs, and by theologians these nine choirs have been classed in three hierarchies, each consisting of three choirs. As Gfod created the' angels, that he might bestow upon them eternal felicity, we are assured that He liberally granted to them whatever was necessary to enable them to secure this happiness, which consists in knowing God as He is, in loving Him, and possessing him forever.

Of the angels, some obtained eternal felicity, and some, by their own fault, lost it. The first are called holy angels, or simply angels, the last are called devils, demons, evil spirits, the powers of darkness. In the beginning all the angels were good, their nature was good. But being intelligences, and endowed with liberty, they had to !be subjected to trial. God, givingto them grace, left them to choose their lot freely". If they were faithful, and under this trial persevered in grace, their destiny was fixed in eternal happiness • but infidelity brought a loss of grace, and eternal reproba-

*Some have held the opinion that angels are invested to" ) sort of subtle body, rather spiritual than material; but the Ps 1 ■ * as above cited, declares : "Who makest thy angels spirits >, m>

fPs. ciii : 4. ■

OF ANGELS. 11

tiom Unfortunately, many of them, exalted with pride because of their own excellence, fell by sin and became demons. Wishing to be independent of God, they were consigned to everlasting misery.

Two cities being thus formed, according to St. Augustine's idea, the city of the holy angels and the city of demons, there was an eter-nal separation between them. But in creation nothing is isolated, and between this world and the world of spirits, there are numerous points of contact. Relations exist between men and the angels, both good and bad, as we are taught to believe by the church.

The good Angels in their Relations with Men.

•

The sublime and acceptable office of those intelligences who remained faithful to God, and who enjoy his friendship, was shown to St. John, as he informs ua in the Apocalypse : " And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the ancients, and the four living creatures ; and they fell dpwn before the throne upon their faces, and adored God saying : Amen. Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honor, and power, and strength to eur God for ever and ever. Amen !" * But besides their presence before God, they are his messengers, as their very name of angel imports. They are the instruments of his providence over men. The Holy Scriptures are full of testimonies to this truth, and the. church has always taught it. St. Paul asks : " Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them, who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?'^ The fathers speak of the angel who presided at baptism ; of the angel who intervened in the oblation, and. bore it up to the sublime altar, which is Jesus Christ; of the angel of prayer, who presented to God the vows of the faithful.

"The ancients," writes Bossuet, "were so affected by this ministry of the angels, that Origen publickly

12 OP ANGELS.

and directly invokes the angel of baptism, arid rec'onimends to him an old man, who was about to become the child of Jesus Christ by this sacrament/' „ " When,1' Bossuet continues, " when I behold in the prophets, in the Apocalypse, in the gospels themselves, that angel of the Persians, that angel of the Greeks, that angel of the Jews,' (Dan. x. : 13, 20, 21;_xii: 1,) the angel of little children, who undertakes their cause before God against such as scandalize them, (Mathew xviii.. 10,) the angel of the waters, the angel of the fire, (Apoc. xiv: 18, xvi: 5,) and thus of" others ; when, among ajl the angels, I behold him who places the incense of prayers upon the celestial altar; (ibid, viii: 3,) I recognize in these words a kind of mediation of holy angels ; I even see the grounds which gave occasion to the pagans to distribute their divinities in the elements and in kingdoms to preside over them: for ..every error is founded upon some truth that is abused. But God forbid that I should see, in all these expressions of the Scripture, any thing which injures the mediation of Jesus Christ, whom all the- heavenly spirits recognize as their Lord, or anything -which savours of pagan errors, since there is an infinite difference between recognizing, as did the Pagans, a God whose action cannot extend to every thing, and who needs to be aided by subalterns, after the manner of earthly kings, whose power is limited ; and a God who doing all things, and able to do all things, honours his creatures by associating them ivith his acHon when he pleases, and in the manner that he pleases."*