The kingdom of Christ : or, Hints respecting the principles, constitution, and ordinances of the Catholic Church

Front matter

7 "

Maurice, Frederick Denison,

1805-1872 .

Dedication

ambition of his admirers to make him responsible for their statements of his views or their inferences from them. To this evil I wished not to be accessory. I had never enjoyed the privilege of intercourse with him. I had no means therefore of correcting the impressions of him which I had derived from his works. I was of course liable to the greatest mistakes of judgment in my interpretation of these, as well as to the moral temptation of perverting them to my own purposes. I thought it better therefore, to seem even to myself ungrateful and a plagiarist, than to incur the risk of abusing his name to the support of sentiments which he might have disapproved, and perhaps, of hindering some from profiting by his wisdom, because I had taught them to connect it with my follies.

This caution, however, was of little avail. The only two reviews which, so far as I know, bestowed any attention upon my book — the one treating it with extreme kindness, the other with unbounded contempt, — brought my name into flattering, but most undeserved juxtaposition with Mr. Coleridge's. And I could not help fancying that one of these critics would have been well pleased that its readers should have attributed to the master, the monstrous absurdity, self-sufficiency, love of priestcraft, hatred of the rights of conscience, preference of Fathers and Councils to Scripture, which were affirmed to be characteristic of the disciple. Every person, I conceive, who has been thus spoken of, should be ready to explain, as well as he can, how far the charge is true, that he has derived his method of thought from his supposed teacher, and if it be true, to what extent that teacher is answerable for his application of the method. Such an explanation I am anxious to make now for the relief of my own mind, and that I may rescue your father's memory from any injury which I may have done it. I might have addressed my confession to many dear friends who are admirers of his writings. But I would rather make it to one of his family, first, because I rejoice to think that those who have most profited by what he has taught them, do not and cannot form a school, and because it is most desirable that the English public, with its party notions and tendencies, should not suppose that they form one ; and secondly, because my feeling towards him, though as I have said not founded upon any personal acquaintance in the ordinary sense of the word, is yet so strictly and vividly personal, that I cannot bear to think of him chiefly as a writer of books, and that I am always delighted to connect him with any human representative.

DEDICATION.

Contents

INTRODUCTORY DIALOGUE.

PAOB

A Quakers reason for being discontented with his own Society .... 33

Chapter I. Quakerism

SECTION L

CN THE POSITIVE DOCTRINES OP THE QUAKERS.

Quakerism as described by modern Quakers 48

Quakerism as described by Penn and Fox 49

Mental history of Fox 50

Discovery of man's relation to the Living Word . 51

Quaker doctrine respecting an universal light and a spiritual kingdom ... 52

Quaker doctrine of spiritual influences . '54

Section II. Ordinary Objections To These Doctrines

Objection to the doctrine of the inward light or indwelling Word, that it is mystical, how far tenable .... 55

Objection to it as unscriptural, how far tenable 56

Objection to it as unsupported by evidence from heathen records, how far tenable . . 57

Objections to the other Quaker doctrines 62

Section III. The V7akbr System

Renunciation of formulas 63

Renunciation of ordinances 64

Renunciation of national distinctions 64

CONTENTS.

Opinion respecting the Scriptures as an authority 65

Opinion respecting studies, amusements, language 65

Section IV. Practical Working Op The Quaker System

What evidence is admissible on this subject 66

Quaker attempts at spiritual purity, why abortive 67

Quaker attempts at universality, why abortive 68

Quaker attempts at education, contradictory to the principle in which the society

stands 70

Quaker protest against the world ineffectual 70

Final issue of the Quaker experiment 73

Section I. The Leading Principles Of The Reformation

Martin Luther — The processes of his mind — Idea of Justification by faith . . 75 Second Reformation principle — Election — how connected with the first — How far

characteristic of Calvin 77

Third Reformation principle — Authority of the Scriptures — Its relation to the two

other — Its connection with Zuinglins 79

Fourth Reformation principle — Distinction of nations and Rights of sovereigns — Its

connection with the previous history of Europe — With other signs of the

Reformation ... SO

Section II. Objections To The Principles Of The Reformation Considered

The objections to the Lutheran doctrines of Justification, as exalting an outward

Object of faith 84

Objection to the same doctrine, as involving the idea of Satisfaction and Propitiation 87

Objection to the same doctrine, as mistaking the Act of Conversion for a theological

principle 89

Objection to the same doctrine, as substituting individual Consciousness for the universal Atonement ......... 96

Objection to the Calvinistical doctrine of Election, as interfering with the acknowledgment of men's relation to the living Word ...... 97

Objection to the same doctrine, as interfering with human Obedience ... 98

Objection to the same doctrine, as substituting the selection of Individuals for the

selection of a Body ............ 99

Objection to the Reformation doctrine, respecting the Bible, as interfering with the

acknowledgment of an inward Light 99

Objection to the same doctrine, as asserting the right of ■private Judgment 101

Obje«tion to the same doctrine, as attributing the teachings of the Spirit to individuals,

The doctrine of the Reformation respecting Nations 104

Section III. Protestant Systems

Lutheranism — How it became a system — Joint influence of Luther and Melancthon 105

Calvinism, the essentially Protestant system — Development of it .... 107

Zuinglianism — Its principle— Its negative character 109

Arminianism — Its relation to Protestantism and to Popery 109

CONTENTS. 21 SECTION IV.

THE PRACTICAL WORKINGS OP THE PROTESTANT SYSTEMS.

Luther's feelings respecting his own work 110

How formularies became important to the Lutheran Ill

Reaction of spiritual feelings against them 112

Fictions of Lutheranism 113

Reaction of common sense against them 114

Calvinism in its strength 115

Continental Calvinism 116

Scotch Calvinism 117

English Calvinism 121

Final result of the pure Protestant experiment 122

Chapter III. Unitarianism

1. Change in the opinion of Protestants during the 18th century respecting the character and importance of those principles which are not peculiar to them-

2. Change of opinion respecting the source of knowledge 124

3. Change of opinion respecting the origin and principles of society . . . 125

The positive side of Unitarianism 126

Effect of natural studies in leading to an impatience of every doctrine which'seemed

to contradict the idea of the Divine Unity 126

Or to involve any qualification of the Divine benevolence 128

Or to represent the condition of Humanity as wholly lost 129

Attempted confutation of the positive parts of Unitarianism, why unsuccessful . 130

Its negative elements how connected with them 131

Their essential contradiction to each other 132

Final result of the Unitarian experiment 134

Chapter IV

ON THE TENDENCY OF THE , RELIGIOUS, PHILOSOPHICAL, AND PO- LITICAL MOVEMENTS WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN PROTESTANT BODIES SINCE THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST CENTURY.

Section I. The Religious Movements

Methodism — How far a reassertion of the Protestant principle .... 136

In what respects it stood upon a different ground 137

Attempts at an extra-national religious Organization 140

Attempts to discover a wider Theology than that which is founded upon mere

Protestant principles, in Germany, America, and Scotland .... 142

Attempts to form a New Catholic Church 149

Section II. Philosophical Movements

Materialism of the eighteenth century 150

How it affected religious men 151

A gradual revolution 152

Its connection with religious feelings and principles 153

Change in men's feelings respecting Natural Philosophy 155

Modern Poetry and Criticism 156

Their practical effects 159

Pure Metaphysics— Influence of Kant 162

Old and new Rationalism 164

CONTENTS.

Connection of new Rationalism with Catholicism 166

Inferences from it, and reactions against it 167

Eclecticism 170

Its practical influence on our age — visible in all directions 172

Section III. Political Movements

Change in the feelings of Protestants respecting monarchical government . . 174

Puritan colonies in North America 175

Progress towards the French Revolution — Ordinary Parisian Philosophy — Philosophy of Rousseau — Glorification of Nature 176

Effects of the French Revolution upon Protestant countries — Assertion of the superiority of Law to Nature 179

Recent reaction against these effects. — Assertion of the superiority of Will to

Law 180

Consequence of this reaction 181

The French Revolution, an attempt to establish an Universal Polity . . 183

Reaction against this attempt in Protestant countries 183

Renewal of the attempt in different forms, Benthamism, St. Simonianism, Owenism 184

Result of these experiments 190

Rousseau's doctrine of Education. — Reaction against it in Protestant countries . 190 More recent, feelings on the subject, grounded on the actual circumstances of Society 191

Spiritual tendency of these feelings; the acknowledged object of Education to obtain a dominion over the human will 193

Effort of States to obtain a control over Education — at variance with this feeling —

how justified 194

Part II

OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE ROMISH SYSTEM. CHAPTER I.

RECAPITULATION.

Popular modern notion respecting the gradual Substitution of the Ideal for the

Personal and Historical ,n religious systems 197

Is it supported by the failure of the Quaker system ? 198

Is it supported by the failure of the Protestant systems ? 199

Is it supported by the failure of the [Initarian system ? 201

Popular modern notion respecting the substitution of an Idea for a Spiritual Society — Is it borne out by the failure of the Reformers, the Quakers, the

Unitarians, modern Philosophers, to establish a united society ? . . 203 Popular modern notion that there may be a universal society not grounded upon

Revelation 206

Is it borne out by the history of Quakerism, Calvinism, Unitarianism ? . . 207

Is it borne out by the discoveries of recent philosophers 1 208

Popular modern notion that there may be a universal society not governed bv an

actual King 209

la it borne out by the history of Quakerism, pure Proetstantism, Unitarianism ? . 209

CHAPTER II.

INDICATIONS OF A SPIRITUAL CONSTITUTION.

The existence of families treated as unimportant by religious sects and by philosophers 212

The fact that they do exist — the first indication that a spiritual Order is appointed

for men — and yet belongs to them as voluntary creatures .... 212

CONTENTS.

The fact that Nations exist, a second indication of the same truth — How connected with the foregoing 215

Indication of a feeling in men after a more comprehensive Society . . . 218'

CHAPTER III.

THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF THIS CONSTITUTION.

Character of the Bible not systematic, but methodical 220

Idea of a covenant between God and man — the central one in it — This covenant

first wilh a family 221

Secondly, with a nation — Development of the nation out of the family . . . 223

Wherein the nation was distinct from the family 224

How the nation was identified with the family 225

Attempts at Babylonian and universal monarchy — How resisted by the Jewish

nation 226

Vision of a true Universal Kingdom, of which this was the counterfeit and perpetual enemy 227

The JSew Testament begins with the announcement of a Kingdom . . . 229

Charge against this language that it is Jewish, considered 229

Connection of this kingdom with the old Jewish kingdom 230

Effects of the proclamation of this kingdom upcn different classes of the Jews . 231

How interpreted by the acts of our Lord's life 233

The establishment of a Kingdom grounded upon a Name — The consummation

of the gospel history 234

Development of' this idea through the Acts of the Apostles and the different

Epistles 234

CHAPTER IV.

SIGNS OF A SPIRITUAL SOCIETY.

Question to be considered 240

Section I. ; Baptism

Statement of the fact — Use and prevalency of this sign 240

Is it connected in the Gospels with the Kingdom which our Lord came to establish ? 241

Inference — The baptized man is a member of Christ's spiritual and universal

Kingdom ... . 243

Quaker objections to this inference — " A spiritual fact cannot be denoted by an outward sign" — " It is false to give the sign to one who has not the reality" — " The sign is useless to a man who is already united to the Divine Word" — His interpretation of John's Baptism 244

Antipaedobaptist objections — "Those who have no spiritual consciousness or capacity cannot be admitted to baptism" 247

Modern Protestant objections — " There are two kingdoms, one outward and one

inward — Baptism admits to the first, Conversion to the second" . . . 250

Modern philosophical objections — 11 Baptism cannot be the sign of a universal society, it belongs to the members of a certain religious sect" — " It does not distinguish the wise from the unwise" — " It involves the acknowledgment of an incomprehensible dogma" — "It presumes the existence of an evil Spint" . 256

The Romish system — Idea of the opus operatum 263

Why this idea is in direct opposition to that which has been set forth in this section • 265

The Caiholic and Romish doctrine found side by side in the same writers — How

to distinguish them 267

CONTENTS.

Section II. The Creeds

How the Catholic idea of Baptism reconciles the doctrines of those who oppose if.

— Transition to the Creeds 268

The Apostles' Creed, its form, its relation to Baptism, its relation to the Scriptural idea of Christ's Kingdom 271

The Nicene Creed, wherein it resembles the Apostles', wherein they differ . . 273

Q,i alcer objection to 1 the outward character of the Creed' 275

Modern Protestant objection.— ' The Creeds interfere with the Bible' . . . 286 Rationalistic objections. — 'The Creed embodies an idea, the historical elements in

it is imaginary' 278

The Romish System. — 'The notions and opinions of the Doctors of the Romish Church are necessary to elucidate Scripture, and to supply that which is

deficient in it' 281

The Catholic Creeds are a defence of the Scriptures and of the poor man against

the attempts of Doctors, to confuse the one, and rob the other . . . 282

Section III. Forms Of Worship

Varieties of worship in different countries 285

The existence of common Liturgies belonging to different nations, a strange fact 286

Explicable only upon the hypothesis, that there is a spiritual and universal kingdom 287

Quaker objection to Liturgies— 1 Prayer is given by the Spirit, prepared iorms

make it the utterance of the will and reason of man' 288

Objection of the pure Protestant — 1 Forms of Prayer cannot be adapted to changes

of circumstances and individual feeling' 291

Objection of the modern Philosopher — 'The idea of Worship is inconsistent with

the immutability and perfection of God' ....... 296

The Romish System. — Romish Prayers not distinguished from Catholic Prayers,

by a chronological line 303

True distinction — The one treats the Church as if she were admitted into the

presence of God, the other, as if she were not 304

Section IV. The Eucharist

Evidence of permanency and universality in thi3 sign 307

Scripture explanation of it 309

Inference — This Sacrament is an actual and not an imaginary bond between

God and, man, and fulfils the idea of the Jewish Sacrifices . . .311

Quaker objection. — 'The Sacrifice required ot Christians is real and personal —

the Encharistic Sacrifice is formal and fantastic' 312

Division of Protestant Objections 317

General Objection. — 1 If any sacrificial character be imputed to the Eucharist, the

Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross was not complete' 318

Zuinglian Doctrine. — ' This Sacrament is merely the memorial of a paBt Transaction' 321

The Calvinistical Doctrine. — t There is a real presence in the Sacrament to those

who believe' 326

Lutheran Doctrine.—' 1 he divine body and blood are consubstantiated with the elements' 327

Rationalistic Objection.— ' The Christian mysteries are only a continuation of the

old heathen mysteries' . . . . . 329

The Romish System — The Romish doctrine respecting the eucharistic sacrifice and respecting transubstantiation, is in more direct opposition to the Catholic idea of this Sacrament, than it is to the doctrine of the pure Protestants 337

Participation of the Spiritual Ijoiy practically denied by the Romanist . 340

Priesthood degraded by the Romanist 341

CONTENTS.

Section V. The Ministry

Character commonly imputed to a Sacerdotal caste — Spirit of Domination — Disposition to enslave — Narrowness 342

Idea of the Christian Ministry — All who belong to this caste, servants — Its principal office, absolving or setting free — Its highest office, a witness to the

universality of the Church 343

Connection of this sign with the general idea of a Spiritual Kingdom . . . 347

How expounded in the New Testament . 348

Inference — ' A Ministry grounded upon an Episcopal order, and possessing an

absolving power, is a permanent institution of the Christian Church' . 350 Quaker objections — 1 A true minister is made such by an inward call' — 1 The idea of succession belonged to'the Old Dispensation' — 'A minister is fitted for

his work by the teaching of the Spirit' 351

Presbyterian Objections — 1 Christ is the only Bishop of his Church' — 1 The Bishop is not in Scripture distinguished from the Presbyter' — 1 The Episcopal order has introduced corruption and secularity into the Church' . . . 367 Objections to the absolving power in Ministers — 1 The minister sets the conscience free by preaching ; when he tries to absolve in any other sense, he usurps

the power of his Master' * 373

Objection of the followers of Mr. Irving — 1 There should be an order of Apostles

superior to that of Bishops' 377

Philosophical Objections — 1 Men of letters and of science are the true priests' . 382 Tfte Romish System — The Romish System maintains a vicarial, the Catholic Church a representative priesthood — These two ideas are in direct contradiction to each other 386

How the Romanist has destroyed the idea of absolution by his vicarial doctrine 388

How he has set at nought the Episcopacy 389

How he has destroyed the connection between the Jewish and Christian economy 391

SECTION YL

THE SCRIPTURES.

The Scriptures interpret the other signs of the Spiritual Kingdom, but are also

themselves signs of it 392

The Canon explained by looking at the Scriptures in this light .... 393

Different methods of interpreting them reconciled 393

The Question, where are the interpreters of the book to be found? considered 384 The question, how criticism can be applied to the Scriptures? considered . . 396 The question of inspiration, and of the relation of Scriptures to other books, considered ... 402

The question of miracles considered 409

The question of the Gospel narratives considered 412

The Romish System — The Romish doctrine respecting the concealment of the Scriptures from the Laity — The inspiration and miracles of particular men, and the lives of particular saints considered in reference to this subject . 416

Chapter V

ON THE RELATIONS OF THE CHURCH AND NATIONAL BODIES. INTRODUCTORY.

Different views as to the permanence of the Jewish institutions .... 424

The Ten Commandments 424

Illustration of these commandments from Pagan history , . . . . 426

The institutions to which these commandments refer, exist in Modern Europe 427

They may be national institutions and yet divine . 429

Punishments, Oaths, War, belong to the religion of the Jewish State . 429

And of every heathen State 430

CONTENTS.

They cannot belong to our Dispensation if they are prohibited in the New Testament— They may belong to it, though they are not enjoined in the New

Testament 431

The relation between Spiritual and National life exhibited in the Old Testament 433

Exhibited in Pagan history — Lost under the Roman empire 434

The Christian Kingdom felt to be incompatible with this empire .... 435

Attempted union with it 436

Overthrow of the Roman empire, and gradual rise of national societies under the

influence of the Church 436

SECTION L

OBJECTIONS OP THE QUAKER.

1 The Sermon on the Mount annuls the laws of the old dispensation' . . 440 ' A national provision for ministers is unchristian' 467

SECTION II.

THE PURE THEOCRATIST.

4 The Nation is to be used for religious purposes' — The Covenanter — The Millenna-

rian — The Non-juror 470

SECTION III.

THE SEPARATIST.

' The union of the Church with the State is the union of an antisecular with a secular body' . 474

SECTION IV.

THE PATRICIAN.

' The golden age of the Church was that which existed before the rise of national

life in Europe' 478

SECTION V.

TnE MODERN STATESMAN.

1 If the Church and the nations be united according to the idea set forth in this chapter, the education of each nation must belong to the Church — Such a pretence was always dangerous, is now intolerable' 495

Section VI. The Modern Interpreters Op Prophecy

'The constitution of Society cannot be right and divine now, for Christ at his second coming will make all things new' — 4 The Jewish nation is the divine nation' — 4 The Latin Church is apostate, and will be cut off" ' . . . 506

Chapter I. Introductory

HOW FAR THIS SUBJECT IS CONNECTED WITH THOSE PREVIOUSLY

DISCUSSED.

What the inquiries of the English Churchman ought to be 518

I

CONTENTS. 27 SECTION I.

DO THE SIGNS OF AN UNIVERSAL AND SPIRITUAL CONSTITUTION EXIST IN ENGLAND *

All the Catholic institutions exist here 519

The meaning attached to these deduced from the Liturgy— The meaning of the Liturgy from the complaints of those who object to it 520

The relative claims of the two sets of persons in England who call themselves

Catholics, to represent the Church 527

The Articles— the first division of them sets aside the Calvinistic system— The second division the Romish— The Calvinistical principle asserted in the one as the Catholic is in the other 527

section n.

DOES THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH IN ENGLAND EXIST APART FROM ITS CIVIL INSTITUTIONS, OR IN UNION WITH THEM 1

The answer to this question unanimous 531

The nature of the union determined from history ~ . ...... 531

How affected by the Reformation 533

How affected by subsequent events 533

SECTION III.

WHAT IS THE FORM OF CHARACTER WHICH BELONGS ESPECIALLY TO ENGLISHMEN 1 TO WHAT DEPRAVATION IS IT LIABLE 1

The ordinary answer ihat Englishmen are essentially political, the true one . . 537

We cannot throw off this character 538

That part of our literature is the noblest which exhibits it most strikingly . . 539

It is not unfavourable to the highest virtue and devotion 539

It belongs equally to all parties . . 540

How it was depraved in the period between the English and the French Revolution 541

Form which it assimed in the reign of George III 542

Attempt to discover a substitute for it 543

Section I

THE LILERAL SYSTEM — THE EVANGELICAL SYSTEM — THE HIGH CHURCH OR CATHOLIC SYSTEM.

The Liberal protest against English orthodoxy — ' It is opposed to all improvement

and comprehension' 544

The Evangelical protest against it — 1 It substitutes conduct for faith' ■ . . 544

The Catholic protest against it — 1 It confounds the Church with the civil power' . 545