him a suppliant, a dependant on the will of the Almighty; and surely these terms and these ideas are in exact contradiction to all we can possibly conceive of the attributes and qualities of God.

But I go further still. Instead of taking any thing from God, it is adding immensely to his glory: by thus calling on the Saints to pray for us, instead of robbing him of a particle of the honour which belongs to him, we believe him to be served in a much nobler way than any other. For we thereby raise ourselves in imagination to heaven; we see the Saints prostrate before him in our behalf, offering their golden crowns and palms before his footstool, pouring out before him the odours of their golden vials, which are the prayers of their brethren on earth,* and interceding through the death and the passion of his Son. And surely, if this be so, we are paying to God the highest homage, which his apostle describes as paid in heaven; for we give occasion, by every prayer, for this prostration of his Saints, and this outpouring of the fragrance of their supplications. Such being the Catholic belief regarding the Saints, we must be further convinced that it is, and can be, no way displeasing to God, that we should show a respect and honour to their remains on earth, or to those images and representations which recal them to our remembrance. Nay, we believe more than this: for we believe that God is pleased with this respect we show them, inasmuch as it is all ultimately directed to honour him in them. We doubt not, that he may be pleased to make use of such outward and visible instruments, to excite the faith of his people, and to bring them to a disposition of fervour, which may produce salutary effects.

This is the sum of our belief on this subject, which I intend to explain and support this evening. Before leaving this introductory portion of the subject, allow me to make one or two remarks on the ambiguity of terms employed in the explanation, and still more in the rejection, of this doctrine. The *Rev. iv. 10, v. 8.

words, "to worship," for instance, are constantly quoted; it is said, that we speak of worshipping the Saints as we do of worshipping God, and that so we necessarily pay the same honour to both. This conclusion only arises from the poverty of language, and from the difficulty of substituting another word. We all know perfectly well, that the word 'worship' is used on many occasions, when it does not mean anything more than respect and honour; and such was its ancient and primary signification in our language. For instance, in the marriage service, no one attaches to it the signification of giving supreme or divine honour to the person said to be worshipped. “With my body I thee worship." We know that it is also a title of civil honour; and no one imagines, that when a person is called worshipful, he is put on a level with the Almighty. Why then, if Catholics use the term in speaking of the Saints, when they tell you again and again that they mean a different honour from what they pay to God,-why shall they be charged with paying an equal honour, merely because they make use of the same term? It would not be difficult to find innumerable words and phrases, which are applied to the most dissimilar acts, and the most varied circumstances, where no misunderstanding is occasioned, simply for the reason that I have stated; because mankind have agreed to use them for different purposes; and no one will call his neighbour to account for so using them, and taking them in any one of their peculiar senses. It is the same with the Latin word, "to adore," of which the primary meaning was to place the hand to the mouth; it simply signified to show a mark of respect by outward salutation. The term was later applied to supreme worship, but was applied also in the Church to other objects of respect; but in ordinary language, we no longer use it, except when speaking of God. It would be very unjust to hold us accountable for the word being found in those formulas of devotion, which were instituted before these controversies arose, and when its meaning was so well understood, that no ambiguity could occur. And certainly they are not

consistent, who quote against us those services in which we are said to adore the Cross, for they are taken from liturgies used in the very earliest ages of the Church.

There is another point on which I shall not be able to deal at length; although if time allow me I may touch upon it later; I mean the abuses said to follow from the Catholic doctrine. We are made responsible for all its abuses. Why so? We have only to demonstrate our doctrines; and supposing-granting, that abuses have at times and in some places crept in, I would ask is that any reason why what is in itself lawful should be abolished? Are men to be deprived of that which is wholesome, because some make an improper use of it? Is there any thing more abused than the Bible, the Word of God?—is there any thing more misapplied?—has it not been employed for purposes and in circumstances which may not be named? Is there any thing which has been more frequently called in to the aid of fanatical proceedings than this sacred word of God, or which has been more repeatedly quoted in such a way, by the thoughtless and ignorant, as to expose it even to ridicule? And are others to be charged with these abuses? Shall we say that the Word of God is to be abolished? The same must be said here;-when I have laid down the Catholic doctrine, and its reasons, I leave it to any one's judgment how far the Church can be expected to abolish any doctrine received by it from Christ, on the ground that it has given rise to abuse. But, as I before observed, if I have time, I may touch upon these supposed abuses, and inquire how far they exist.

The Catholic doctrine regarding the saints is therefore twofold;—in the first place, it teaches that the saints of God make intercession before him for their brethren on earth;-in the second place, that it is lawful to invoke their intercession; knowing that they do pray for us, we say it must be lawful to turn to them, and ask and entreat of them to use that influence which they possess, in interceding on our behalf.

There is a doctrine inculcated in every creed, known by the

name of the Communion of Saints. Perhaps many who have repeated the apostles' creed again and again, may not have thought it necessary to examine what is the meaning of these words, or what is the doctrine they inculcate. It is a profession of belief in a certain communion with the saints. How does this communion exist between us and the saints? May any friendly offices pass between us, or if no sort of intercourse

exists, in what can this communion consist? What is the meaning of communion among the faithful, among the members of a family, or among the subjects of a state, but that there is among them an interchange of mutual good offices, and that one is ready to assist the other in any way. If therefore we believe in a communion between us and the saints, assuredly there must be acts, reciprocal acts, which form the bond of union between them and us. Where then does this exist? The Catholic Church has always been consistent in every portion of its doctrines. It does not fear examining to the quick any proposition it lays down, or any dogma or profession of faith to which it exacts submission from all its subjects. It is not afraid of pushing to the furthest scrutiny all the consequences that flow from its doctrines; and, consequently, if you ask a Catholic what does he mean by the communion of saints, he has no hesitation on the subject; his ideas are clear and defined, he tells you at once that he understands by it an interchange of good offices between the saints in heaven, and those who are fighting here below for their crown; whereby they intercede on their part on our behalf, look down upon us with sympathy, take an interest in all that we do and suffer, and make use of the influence they necessarily possess with God towards assisting their frail and tempted brethren on earth. And to balance all this, we have our offices towards them, inasmuch as we repay them in respect, admiration, and love; with the feeling that those who were once our brethren having run their course, and being in possession of their reward, we may turn to them in the confidence of brethren, and ask them to use that influence with their lord

and master, which their charity and goodness necessarily move them to exert.

This is a portion of the doctrine, and seems to enter so naturally and fitly into all our ideas, of Christianity, as to recommend itself at once to any unprejudiced mind. For what is the idea which the Gospel gives us of the Christian religion? As I showed you on another occasion, the very expressions and terms used of religion in the Old Law were continued in the New, whence I deduced, that the religion of Christ was the perfection, the completion, but still the continuation, of that which preceded it. Well, in like manner do we find that the very same terms and expressions, applied to the Church of Christ on earth, are constantly adopted in allusion to the Church in Heaven, the reign of the saints with God. This likewise is spoken of as the kingdom of God, the kingdom of the Father and of Christ, precisely as the Church on earth; as though it formed with us but one Church and community of brethren-they in a glorified and happy, and we in suffering and tempted state-still having a certain connexion implied, and being considered in the same manner under the guidance and direction of God. It is spoken of in these terms by St. Paul. Instead of representing the Blessed in Heaven as removed immeasurably from us, as Lazarus in Abraham's bosom was from the rich man, he speaks as if we already enjoyed society with them as if we had already come to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels,* and to the spirits of the just made perfect; thus showing that the death of Christ had actually broken down the barrier or partition wall, made all extremes one, and joined the Holy of Holies to the outward precinct of the Tabernacle.

We are told likewise by St. Paul, that those virtues which existed on earth are annihilated in heaven-all except one, and that is Charity or Love. Faith and Hope are there extinguished, but Charity, affection, remains unimpaired, and even is become the essence of that blessed existence. Who will for a moment *Heb. xii. 22.