notions of propriety. These Catholic countries seem in an especial manner κατέχειν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐν ἀδικίᾳ [“ to hold the truth in unrighteousness."] And the priesthood are themselves so sensible of the hollow basis upon which their power rests, that they dare not resist the most atrocious encroachments of the State upon their privileges. . I have seen priests laughing when at the Confessional; and indeed it is plain that unless they habitually made light of very gross immorality, three-fourths of the population [of Naples] would be excommunicated. ... The Church of England has fallen low, and will probably be worse before it is better; but let the Whigs do their worst, they cannot sink us so deep as these people have allowed themselves to fall while retaining all the superficials of a religious country."-Ibid. p. 293, 294. 91. Since I have been out here, I have got a worse notion of the Roman Catholics than I had. I really do think them idolaters, though I cannot be quite confident of my information as it affects the character of the priests. . . . What I mean by calling these people idolaters is, that I believe they look upon the Saints and Virgin as good-natured people that will try to get them let off easier than the Bible declares, and that, as they don't intend to comply with the conditions on which God promises to answer prayers, they pray to them as a come-off. But this is a generalization for which I have not sufficient data."—Ibid. vide Preface, p. xiii. EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF MR. KEBLE. 92. The deep and sincere dread with which Hooker regarded the errors and aggressions of Rome is apparent in every part of his writings; and so much the more instructive will it prove, should we find him of his own accord embracing those Catholic opinions and practices, which some in their zeal for popery may have too lightly parted with, but which, as Rome alone could not give them, so neither should we allow her indirectly to take them away."From the Preface to Hooker. p. iv. 93. "King James II. it is well known, ascribed to Hooker, more than to any other writer, his own ill-starred conversion to Romanism : against which, nevertheless, if he had thought a little more impartially, he might have perceived that Hooker's works every where inculcate that which is the only sufficient antidote, respect for the true Church of the Fathers, as subsidiary to Scripture and a witness of its true meaning."-Ibid. p. cv. 94. The Freedom of the Anglican Church may be vindicated against the exorbitant claims of Rome, and yet no disparagement ensue of the authority inherent in the Catholic Apostolical Church.” -From the Sermon on Primitive Tradition, p. 6. 95. We are naturally, if not reasonably, jealous of the word Tradition, associated as it is in our minds with the undue claims and pernicious errors of Rome."-Ibid. p. 20. 96. "The genuine Canons of the Primitive Councils, and the genuine fragments of the Primitive Liturgies, are reducible into a small space; even although we go so low down in both as the division of the Eastern and Western Churches, including the six first councils general, and excluding image-worship, and similar corruptions by authority."—Ibid. p. 40. 97. "The reverence of the Latin Church for tradition, being applied unscrupulously, and without the necessary check from Scripture, to opinions and practices of a date comparatively recent, has led a large portion of Christendom to disuse and contempt, not of Scripture only, but of that real and sure tradition, which they ought to have religiously depended upon."—Ibid. p. 45. 98. "Had this rule (the exclusion of novelty,) been faithfully kept, it would have preserved the Church just as effectually from Transubstantiation on the one hand, as from the denial of Christ's real Presence on the other hand. The two errors in the original are but Rationalism in different forms;-endeavours to explain away, and bring nearer to the human intellect, that which had been left thoroughly mysterious both by Scripture and Tradition."-Ibid. p. 47. 99. "Many men.. have argued against an imaginary case, instead of addressing themselves to the realities of Church History; and have thus given an advantage to Romanists on one side, and Rationalists on the other, of which neither party has been slow to avail itself. Such is not the way of the English Church; she does not so violently sever the different parts of the constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven; but acknowledging Scripture as her written charter, and Tradition as the common law whereby both the validity and practical meaning of that charter is ascertained, venerates both as inseparable members of one great providential system without confounding their provinces, or opposing them to each other, in the manner of modern Rome. Why should it be thought a thing incredible, that persons should be found among her members and ministers, desirous to follow, as God shall give them grace, in so plain, so reasonable, so moderate, so safe a way? Because they call attention to the fact, that "Primitive Tradition is recognized in Holy Scripture," as being, AT THAT TIME, of paramount authority; why should they be presently suspected of having a system of their own in reserve,- -a theory, like some parts of Romanism, still independent of Holy Scripture, and to be supported by modern traditions ?"—Ibid. p. 74. 100. " Because the Romanists make bold with the word Tradition on very different matters from this-mere instructions of a part of the present Church, in no wise able to stand the test of Vincentius, even supposing them uncontradicted in Scripture :—are we therefore to throw aside or depreciate a Tradition, established as we see the Nicene Creed is ?"—Ibid. p. 147. 101. "Of course, if so it had pleased Almighty God, the Scriptures might have been all clear of themselves; or their meaning might have been clearly revealed to individuals, at a certain stage of their progress in the Christian life; or there might be somewhere in the present Church an unerring court of appeal to fix their interpretation. 24 EXTRACTS FROM MR. KEBLE'S WRITINGS. Men may go on imagining the advantages of such a dispensation, until they have persuaded themselves that things are really so ordered. But theories of that kind, after all that can be said in their favour, must they not incur the censure of true wisdom, as partaking of “that idle and not very innocent employment of forming imaginary models of a new world, and schemes of governing it?" How much better, humbly to acquiesce in God's dispensations as we find them! How much more dutiful, with all seriousness to use our privilege of belonging to a Church, which, on the one hand, refers us to Scripture as the standard and treasure of all necessary doctrine, on the other hand, "ties her doctors, as much as the Council of Trent does, to expound Scripture according to the consent of the ancient Fathers 1."-Ibid. p. 149. 1 Bp. Taylor's Works, x. 322. INDEX. Additions, Roman, 21. 62 Catholic doctrine and practices not Corruptions, Roman, 6. 12. 13. 15. 16. 18. 20. 23. 26. 29. 31. 32. 38. 42. 43. Corrupt state of Italian Churches, 90 Dark ages, 26. 72. 74 Fathers subsidiary to Scripture, 93 Image worship, 14. 22 Infallibility, 12. 61. 63. 68. 89. 101 Invocation of Saints, 14. 22. 27. 37. Legends, 27 Masses, usage of, 14. 25. 33 Penance, 25. 34. 44 Perversions, Roman, 23. 25. 46. 76 Prayer for the dead in Christ, 53 Rome, its strength, 8; a demoniac, 64; Saint worship, 30. 36. 84 Supremacy, Roman, 2. 12. 14 Traditions, 25. 51. 62. 70. 95. 96. 97. Transubstantiation, 10. 11. 14. 25. 31. 33. 35. 49. 78. 84, 98 Unknown tongue, Service in, 14 GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London. |