declared by the Spirit of Truth, to be the "pillar and ground of the Truth,"--what is it but tradition?

For instance, the Puritan, or Evangelical,—as he is come to be distinguished,—pleads, in common with most of the sects, "Justification by Faith," irrespective of works. To those who hold this opinion, I would earnestly call their attention to the 25th chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. Our blessed Lord, after delivering the Parable of the Talents—which, to those who profess the Calvinistic view of the doctrine of predestination, intimates, at least, that something is given, which, if suffered to lie unimproved, is taken away, apparently proceeds to enlarge upon this parable, by a descriptive declaration of what we are to expect in the day of judgment. And let those who have been heard to affirm, within the very walls of the temple of God, that, " to endeavour to propitiate the favour of God by anything we can do, is not only fruitless, but positively wrong," hear what is declared by our merciful and considerate Redeemer-He that "is not unrighteous, to forget" our "works, and labour that proceedeth of love;" and consider whether even "a drop of cold water," given in His name, has not in it a sanctifying efficacy, as being done in faith of the promises of God. "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in :

naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, have done it unto Me." And then He described the condemnation of the wicked: "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me;" reflecting back-so to speak-His own declaration elsewhere given, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord" (an appeal which must be of faith), "shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven."1

ye

We may not presume that works, any more than faith, can justify; for, as in Baptism, the outward sign would be inefficacious without the inward grace; so works without faith would be unavailing. But that works should be a necessary condition, and yet be without justifying efficacy, is a doctrine at once simple and intelligible. St. Peter seems to be enforcing this doctrine, when he exhorts his converts to give all diligence "to add to their faith virtue;

! Matt. vii. 21.

and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge tem perance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." "For," he continues," he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For so" (that is, by means of this)" an entrance shall be administered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."1

It is by reason of our adoption into, and union with Christ, that our salvation is effected; and although our disobedience may cut us off from the inheritance of sons; yet our obedience can never make us sons. Adam's obedience would, doubtless, have kept him in Paradise; but it did not put him there. Hence, our obedience, though a "dutiful necessity," can never be pleaded for the obtaining of that which we already possess.

It may safely be affirmed, from the whole tenor of Scripture, that the doctrine of Justification by Faith without works, is a tradition essentially opposed to "the truth as it is in Jesus," who came into the world to redeem and sanctify "a peculiar people zealous of good works." St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, seems, on a casual reading, to bear strongly in

12 Pet. i. 5-11.

án opposite direction; but he obviously preaches Justification by Faith, in opposition to the works of the Law, of which his Jewish converts were disposed to make boast. He speaks to the effect, that God being not only the God of the Jew, but likewise of the Gentile, had, by the common law of faith-having included all under sin-brought all equally under the yoke of Christ.

Faith is the foundation-the quickening into spiritual life; while works done in faith, are the superstructure-the completion, through sanctification, of the spiritual man. It is the adding to, or building upon faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. These are the fruits by which the tree is known. "Shew me

thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works," says St. James, when repelling this incipient heresy. Repentance is, without doubt, an essential element of the true Faith which leads to the Baptismal ordinance; but this repentance springs from faith: "By faith are we saved." Viewed in this light, Faith may be regarded as the commencement of the spiritual existence; obedience as its continuance; while repentance is the door left open by the mercy of God, to the returning and contrite sinner. The popular notion of "conversion," or "regeneration," after the affixing of the seal of Baptism, is another Protestant "tradition." The prodigal was a son in his father's house, when "he went into a far

country," and spent his goods in "riotous living :" it was repentance, not conversion, which brought him to his father's feet. "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants." His sonship continued even while his disobedience separated him from his kindred and his father's house. "This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." Thus Faith brings us to God; Obedience keeps us with God; and Repentance restores us to God. We must carefully distinguish between Catholic Tradition, and the "Traditions of men." The former is strictly limited to the testimony of the Primitive Fathers,-to that which they had derived from the Apostles. The writings of the New Testament were chiefly written between the year of our Lord 56 and that of 64; and the Revelation of St. John as late as 95 or 96; and, at that period of the world, were of rare and difficult dissemination. Now, what was the teaching of the Church during this-so to speak-obstructive, yet most prolific season of the Church, but pure Tradition? It is to this traditional teaching that we owe the great bulwark of the Faith - the "Apostles' Creed;" the institutions of Christianity, as established by Divine commission by the Apostles; the ordaining of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons in the several

1 Luke xv. 18. 19.