cused for having somewhat digressed, with a view of rescuing the Catholic Church from the odious imputations of intolerance and persecution;—allowing, as I said before, abuses to have existed, though by no means sufficient to justify that deplorable defection which took place in the sixteenth century, yet, I am not disposed to accede to the pretension that its faith has at any time been adulterated by the admixture of error. On the contrary, I contend, that whatever may have been the private opinions and practices of individuals amongst its members, for which it does not hold itself responsible, the genuine tenets of its creed have ever remained unalterably the same. For, in reality, my friends, to pretend that the ancient Church of Christ has failed, to pretend that that Church which he announced it to be his intention to build upon a rock, against which he declared the gates of hell should never prevail, and to which he promised the perpetual guidance of the Holy Spirit "who should abide with it for ever;"-to pretend, I say, that that impregnable fortress of truth, thus firmly established, thus constantly protected and directed from above, should at any time be compelled to yield to the stratagems or assaults of error,-what else is it but to attempt to make void the promises of Christ, to arraign his divine veracity, or to call in question his irresistible omnipotence? Be assured, then, my Catholic friends, that that Church,-that One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, of which have the distinguished privilege to be members-is

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"the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;" that, as it braved, in its infancy, the combined efforts of tyrants and persecutors, so it will continue to triumph over all its enemies of every description, till time shall be no more; and that at the final consummation of all things, when heaven and earth shall pass away, it will be translated with honor to the regions of immortality, where composed exclusively of the just made perfect, and free from every spot and wrinkle, it will remain for ever an imperishable monument of the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of its Divine Founder.

How thankful should we be, my Catholic friends, to the "God of hope, who hath filled us with all joy and peace in believing," for having called us into fellowship with the members of that Church by whose infallible authority we are happily preserved from the perplexing doubts by which the consciences of those who are not blessed with the same advantage, are liable to be disturbed! And how grateful should we be to him for that perfect ease and tranquillity of mind which the consciousness of security fails not to impart! But whilst, under the direction of this unerring guide, we have the satisfaction to be convinced that we are safely pursuing our way to heaven, without the slightest danger of being misled, let us cautiously abstain from being too curiously inquisitive respecting the future destiny of those who may not have been, in like manner, equally favoured. Mindful of the injunction delivered by our blessed Saviour in reply to the

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unprofitable, not to say presumptuous enquiry of the man in the Gospel respecting the number of those who should be saved,-" Lord are they few that are saved?" (LUKE, c. xiii. v. 23.)—let us, in compliance with that reply, "strive to enter in by the narrow gate;" "let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling;" and endeavour, "by good works, to make our calling and election sure." And whilst, on the one hand, we manfully disclaim that spurious liberality and that latitudinarianism of faith, extending indiscriminately to every denomination of Christians the privileges limited by Christ exclusively to one; us, on the other hand-with that genuine liberality which is the spirit of the Gospel, and with that latitudinarianism of charity, which, in the thirteenth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle of the Gentiles has so highly extolled, and so beautifully described as "believing all things, and hoping all things,"-let us, I say, on the other hand, fondly cherish the charitable belief and hope, that among those who dissent from us in their religious creed, there may be sincere, earnest and well-disposed Christians, who, though not outwardly, and in the sight of men, yet inwardly, and in the sight of God, are included with us in the one fold of the one shepherd. And let us fervently pray, that through the infinite merits and all-powerful intercession of our common Redeemer, High Priest and Advocate, they may be admitted with us hereafter into the happy pasture of life eternal.

SERMON VI.

FESTIVAL OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

THE MODE OF HONOURING THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY MOST ACCEPTABLE TO HER, AND MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO HER PIOUS VOTARIES.

GOSPEL. Luke, c. x. v. 38—42. Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town; and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me. And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things. But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

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THE Gospel for this festival begins by giving us an account of the entrance of the blessed Jesus into a small town or village, and of his hospitable reception by a female of the name of Martha, who had also a sister living with her called Mary. "Now it came to pass, as they went, he entered into a certain town, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house, and she had a sister called Mary." It appears, likewise from the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of St. John, 豪 * Κώμην.

that these two sisters, together with their brother Lazarus, were special objects of our blessed Saviour's affection. "Now Jesus," says that Evangelist, "loved Martha and her sister Mary, and Lazarus." (JOHN, c. xi. v. 5.) It is clear moreover, from the interesting domestic scene exhibited in this day's Gospel, that the tender yet reverential attachment of these two devout sisters to their Divine Master was of no ordinary description, although they expressed it in different manners, according to the peculiarity of their respective characters. Martha, being of an active and lively disposition, manifested her feelings by a multiplicity of kind attentions and offices, for the promotion of the comfort of her honoured guest; whilst Mary, being of a more quiet and pensive temper of mind, sat silently at his feet, listening with docility to his heavenly instructions. "Who sat also," continues the Gospel," at the Lord's feet. But Martha was busy about much serving." Dissatisfied with the apparent apathy of her sister, and anxious to afford that entertainment to her Lord and Master, to which she felt her own unaided exertions to be wholly inadequate, Martha requested him to order Mary to assist her in her multifarious occupations. "And she stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister has left me alone to serve? Speak to her therefore that she help me." To this petition our blessed Saviour immediately replied by a gentle expostulation on the solicitude with which, in her eagerness to serve him, she suffered her mind to be unneces