Sermon Notes
1. Introd.—All the saints of God, all holy persons, all the faithful have, each in his measure, purity and love—the two graces go together. What is purity but the having the heart fixed [on], the loving (al. an affection for) things unseen? What turns away the soul from God so much as impurity? What is impurity but loving (al. having affection for) what is sinful? We have such an affection for money, etc.
2. Yet, though this be so, here as in other graces, some [saints] are instances of one grace, some of another; and therefore it may be said without exaggeration that there [are] two kinds of saints, the saints of purity, the saints of love—the lily and the rose.
3. St. John the Baptist, sanctified from his mother’s womb, living in the desert. St. John the Evangelist, the virgin saint—perhaps he never voluntarily yielded to venial sin, and hence so much favoured—lying in our Lord’s bosom. How different these two, yet agreeing in this that they lived out of the world. It is the characteristic of the virgin saints that their love [is] contemplative, tranquil, etc.—nay, can hardly be called love; so intimately one with the Supreme that it is with Him rather than it loves Him. It does not approach towards Him so much as already have Him; it is heaven rather than loves heaven; it is a partaker of the divine Nature rather than a lover of it. Therefore we talk of such for their purity.
4. Such above all the Virgin Mother. She therefore, as coming so near to God, is associated with His titles—sedes sapientiae, janua coeli, vita, dulcedo, etc.
5. But on the other hand, when a soul has given itself to sin, when it has lost its first estate or never had grace—when it is in bonds, whether to be converted or to be reclaimed, what is to counteract and antagonise to pride and pleasure? [to compete] with formed habits? What but a superior attraction? (St. Augustine in Pentecost 2.)
Hence love is the great instrument of conversion: (therefore as purity is the emblem of the one [the Innocent], i.e. it shows itself more, takes a prominent place—so love of the other [the Penitent]), therefore, as the love of the pure is tranquil, so the love of the penitent is energetic, zealous, active, belligerent, [full] of emotion, of work, of passion—the one the love which is of peace, the other which is of warfare. [Examples of the love of the penitent.] (1) David in the Psalms; (2) St. Mary Magdalene—her energy, thrusting herself into the room, tears in the room and in the garden; (3) St. Peter—loving more than the rest—walking on the sea—John xxi. (contrast St. John’s tranquil ‘It is the Lord’) rushed forward—weeping for his denial—crucified head downwards; (4) St. Paul, ‘the life I now live in the flesh,’ 3 ‘the love of Christ constraineth us,’ 4 etc.; (5) St. Augustine represented in pictures as loving; (6) thus in the Confiteor 3, [Our Lady, St. Michael, St. John the Baptist, the Innocent] then 2, [SS. Peter and Paul—Penitents].
July 8 Power of Prayer
1. Introd.—If there is anything which distinguishes religion at all, which is meant by the very word, it is the power of prayer. Yet wonderful at first [sight] that prayer should have an effect.
2. The order of the world seems to forbid it—sun rising and setting—everything uniform—laws (causes and effects) 5—winds, indeed, and atmosphere and sea irregular, but a regular irregularity. All things cause and effect, bound together like a steam-engine; would prayer to its Maker make it stop?
3. Hence at all times the wise in this world have laughed prayer to scorn: they have thought it was a superstition 6.
July 22 Causes which Keep Men from Catholicity
7 1. Introd.—Catholics often surprised that every one does not become a Catholic. And they have a difficulty, how any one can see the Church without acknowledging it.
2. Now this often arises from invincible ignorance, as almost all would admit; viz. when the reasons for Catholicity have never been brought home to a man. Born in another religion—not come across the Church—never been a practical question. They are Protestant simply from Protestantism being in possession.
3. Prejudice, violent—yet some danger here that not invincible ignorance, because they cannot but hear other side in part.
4. The reason I shall here mention is a main one, viz. not liking to belong to a body. (1) Contrast of Church of England—taking a pew, etc.;—they can believe what they please, they are not bound. (2) This applies in part to dissenting bodies. You will say ‘I grant it in part.’ Still a great difference, for the Catholic Church [is] a body, a society such as no body of men is.
Enumerate particulars.—(1) Not able to believe what they please, not knowing what they are pledged to; strictness of confession, the Church having a hold upon them. (2) Pride—not liking to condescend. (3) Human respect—not liking to be laughed at. It involves outward profession.
5. But this is the strength as well as the difficulty, for it is a body or society which has privilege from Christ. Men come for the sacraments—for pardon of sin—hence they feel peace on joining it. Communion of saints, of merits, of indulgences.