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tion consequently rejected as absurd―The true idea of the infinite-of
space and time-The ideas of space and time inapplicable to God-
relative only-The Word the equation between the Infinite and the
finite-He is the Mediator as well
Page 115
CHAPTER IX
THE EVIDENCE FOR THE INCARNATION
Private Judgment the basis of Certainty-Man accepts some truths by
conviction, other truths on authority-Historical evidence always dis-
putable evidence of an historical religion especially so—' -The evidence
of miracles unsatisfactory-Prophecy no evidence to the divinity of
Christ-Scriptural evidence weak-1. Scripture lays no claim to inspi-
ration-2. It is full of inaccuracies-3. And of discrepancies-4. Un-
certainty of authorship-Difficulty of proving from Scripture the Divi-
nity of Christ-The weakness of Protestantism-The authority of the
Church-The evidence of our own Nature-The legitimate position of
the Bible Page 128
CHAPTER X
CATHOLICISM
Catholicism the religion of inclusion-a consequence of the Incarnation-
The conciliation of Reason and Faith-of Individualism and Solidarity
The conciliation of all philosophies-of all Religions-of Paganism—of
Sectarianism-Catholicism demands universal toleration, its opposite is
intolerance and persecution.
Page 148
CHAPTER XI
PROTESTANTISM
The affirmation of self and of God two duties-Medieval Catholicisın
affirmed God but neglected the affirmation of self-Protestantism the
affirmation of self-Division and opposition the source of all misery and
error- -Distinction not division-Christian ethics consist in the affirma-
tion of distinctions without division and opposition—The distinction of
God and His relations by meditation, prayer, and worship—Luther de-
nied these modes of affirming God-The affirmation of ourselves depends
on our affirmation of God-Immorality the division between higher and
lower natures-Duty to our neighbours consists in recognition of their
rights and non-interference with their liberties-The negation of moral
duty by Luther-He was disposed to sanction adultery-The evil of
opposing religion to morality-Calvin denied free-will and therefore
denied duty-The Reformers denied the holiness of God-The system of
negation and division carried on-Deification of negation-Opposition
of the Church to God-Comte-Neo-Hegelian opposition of man to
man-and negation of the Absolute-Subjective Christ opposed to his-
torical Christ—and negation of the reality of the personal Christ—The
Protestant spirit one of universal negation and opposition—it has
pposed all truths, religions, and philosophies, scientific and æsthetical
Page 167
CHAPTER XII
CHRISTIANITY AND INDIVIDUALITY
The will the individualizing faculty-Individual will and collective will—
The tendency of society to destroy individuality-Yet individuality is
necessary for social advance-The rights of man were ignored before
the appearance of Christianity-The slave had no rights logically or
really-The poor had no place-The woman had no rights-nor had
the child-The dogmatic basis of right laid down by Christianity—
Christianity a social revolution-Testimony of the Apostles to its liberal
character-Equality in the Church-The union of Church and State
interfered with the emancipation of individuality-The doctrine of
equality of rights ignored in the Middle Ages - Exaggeration of
authority to the annihilation of liberty-Da Vinci freed science from
authority and made observation the test of truth-Luther made the in-
lividual judgment the criterium of religious truths-Descartes made it
the basis of philosophic certainty-Rousseau founded morality on the
individual conscience-The French Revolution established politics on
individual right
Page 191
CHAPTER XIII
THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF THE INCARNATION
The Ideal Man must have a double aspect, individual and social-The social
Christ is the Church-a necessary consequence of the Incarnation—The
characteristics of the individual Christ must also characterize the social
Christ-The marks of the Church-the marks also of its members-The
Communion of Saints a consequence-The organization of the Church—
The object to be secured by organization is the preservation of all rights
-The Church contains the ideally best organization-The election of
bishops-essential to the welfare of the Church-the assembly of
councils also essential-The State interferes and assumes the right of
nominating bishops-The history of the struggle in France-Had not
the rights of the Church been invaded there would have been no
Papacy, no ecclesiastical tyranny, no Reformation-Summary of argu-
ments and conclusion
CHAPTER XIV
THE INCARNATION AND AUTHORITY
Page 219
Moral and effective authority mutually destructive-A theocracy de-
structive of the dogma of free-will-The Papacy and its results-Sub-
ordination of temporal to spiritual authority-The separation of spiri-
tual and temporal authorities-Temporal authority is justifiable when
exercised in its own domain-but immoral when it invades religion—
Spiritual authority can only devolve from God-Man cannot delegate
it-because man cannot make another represent God to him-No moral
obedience due to the temporal power when it invades spiritual rights-
The representation of authority in the Church necessary-The priest-
hood necessary-Confusion of functions between priest, magistrate, and
soldier ruinous to authority-Authority lodged in the whole Church—
but devolves from Christ-it is absolute and it is limited-Ecclesiastical
authority must be confined to the declaration of religious truths-In-
fallibility resides in the whole body—Fallibility in negation—Are mem-
bers of branch churches bound by negations?-The duties of Catholics
Page 243
CHAPTER XV
THE DOGMA OF GRACE
The relation between man and God-Deism admits the relation of origin
alone-Pantheism confuses the factors-Christianity preserves the
factors and determines the relation-Man free to accept life, reason and
grace, or to reject them all or severally-Protestantism vitiates the re-
lations-Catholicism maintains them-The mode of God's operation
the same always-Vitally, intellectually, morally He acts mediately-
the medium material-The sacramental system the materialization of
grace-Grace given at every time of life to meet all necessities-
Loss to the ignorant through the mutilation of the sacramental system
Page 265
CHAPTER XVI
EMMANUEL
Prayer the affirmation of the link between God and man—affirms grace—
Grace must coincide with the law of the Incarnation-An historical
Christ does not satisfy the needs of man-Man needs a Christ immanent
in the Church as an object of worship-This is also necessitated by the
nature of the Incarnation-The Real Presence in every Christian—in all
Sacraments in the Eucharist-Impossibility man labours under of avoid-
ing localization of the Deity-Christ, as God, is everywhere present-
as Man is localized-These ideas do not contradict one another, both
are true-The worship of the localized Christ springs up at once-
doctrine in accordance with the law of the Incarnation-Eminanuel,
God with us in many ways
-This
Page 277
CHAPTER XVII
THE DOGMA OF THE ATONEMENT
Sacrifice the expression of Love-not necessarily involving an idea of pain
-The dogma of original sin signifies the prevalence of opposition and
contradiction—The Protestant doctrine, the negation of all good in
man; the Catholic doctrine, the opposition of good faculties-The
Incarnation the reconciliation of all oppositions-The Passion its neces-
sary climax-Why suffering was necessary-Descent into the midst of
every antagonism, sin and death-The Atonement is the restoration and
reconciliation, completing the work of the Incarnation-Suffering touches
a chord in man's nature-Justification the restoration of man by his
co-operation-The Protestant doctrine different, the imputation of
merits-The doctrine of vicarious suffering a Protestant theory-It
makes God unjust-Summary
Page 293
CHAPTER XVIII
THE CHRISTIAN SACRIFICE
The Holy Communion the application of the Atonement—The Resurrection
of the body one result of the Atonement-The Eucharist not a com-
memoration of the death of Christ only-The necessity man feels of
offering Sacrifice-As the link between man and God is love, of which
sacrifice is the expression, the restoration of love is the restoration of
sacrifice-Love the motive of asceticism-Love the motive of action in
the material order—also in the spiritual order-The love of man to God
necessitates the Eucharistic sacrifice-That sacrifice identical with the
sacrifice on Calvary-Christ, as head of humanity, combined in His
Passion the idea of sacrifice to God with that of sacrifice to man-The
idea of sacrifice an enigma to those who do not love-The idea of com-
pensation creates ritual splendour-The love of the Church for Christ
overflows in rite and symbol
CHAPTER XIX
THE DOGMA OF IMMORTALITY
Page 313
The basis of Christian hope-Proofs of Immortality inadequate to give
certainty-Future life of fame unsatisfactory-Future life desired by
the suffering-It is a necessity of the soul-Because the soul cannot
satisfy all its desires here-Because the capability of enjoyment is
limited here-Contrast between what we have and what we hope for-
The Christian heaven corresponds with the desire felt for it on earth—
The blunting of the finer faculties incapacitates man for enjoyment-
destroys his aspirations-and therefore limits his Heaven-The idea of
Hell not necessarily one of pain but of low enjoyment-The idea of
Purgatory one of gradual education-The idea of the Resurrection of
the body necessarily part of the Christian's hope
CHAPTER XX
DEVELOPMENT
Page 334
Development, a subject ably treated by others must be considered here-
Were all the propositions of the Faith simultaneously or successively
evolved?-Probably by degrees-If development be denied, two other
theories must be maintained-Scripture an absolute authority-This
the Protestant theory-Its impossibility-Or that development was
suddenly arrested-This the Anglican theory, unsatisfactory—Develop-
ment apparent in the Bible-and in the history of the Church-De-
velopment of doctrine—of Christian art-of appreciation of nature-of
science of constitutionalism-The limits of development-Conclusion
-The prospects of Christianity
Page 360