another? When Christ says, "Ask, and ye shall find," He does not specify the mode of seeking; He means, as we may suppose, by all methods which are vouchsafed to us, and are otherwise specified. He includes the Church, which is called "the pillar and ground of the Truth." Our Service applies the promise to seeking God in Baptism, and as it may include the use of the Sacraments, so may it include the use of Catholic teaching.

Again, no Christian can doubt that without divine grace we cannot discern the sense of Scripture profitably; but it does not follow from this that with it we can gain every thing from Scripture. The grace of God seems to be promised us chiefly for practical purposes, for enabling us to receive what we receive, whatever it is, doctrine or precept, or from whatever quarter, profitably, with a lively faith, with love and zeal. If it supersedes Creeds, why should it not supersede Sacraments? it acts through Sacraments, and in like manner it acts through Creeds. Sacraments, without the presence of the Holy Ghost, would sink into mere Jewish rites; and Creeds, without a similar presence, are but a dead letter. The appointment of Sacraments is in Scripture, and so is the proof of the Creed ; yet Scripture is no more a Creed than it is a Sacrament. By continuous Tradition we have received the Sacraments embodied in a certain definite form; and by a like Tradition we have received the doctrines also; Scripture may justify both the

one and the other when given, without being sufficient to lead individuals to frame and observe them, before they are given. Besides, if the Holy Spirit illuminates the word of God to the individual in all things, then of course as regards unfulfilled prophecy also; which we know is not the case. As then, for all that the Spirit is given, yet the event is necessary to interpret prophecy, so in like manner a similar external fact may be necessary for understanding doctrine. True then though it be that "the natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God;" it does not therefore follow that the spiritual man discerneth spiritual things through Scripture only, not through Creeds.

Lastly there are texts which recite the various purposes for which Scripture is useful; but it does not follow that no medium is necessary for its becoming useful to individuals. Scripture may be profitable for doctrine, instruction, and correction, that the man of God may be perfect, without thereby determining at all whether or not there are instruments for preparing, dispensing, and ministering the word for this or that purpose which it is to effect. Certainly Christ says, "Search the Scriptures," but He is speaking to the Jews about their Scriptures, and about definite prophecies; how does it follow that because it was the duty of the Jews to examine documents as prophecies, which profess to be prophecies, that therefore we are meant to gather our doctrines from documents which do

Besides, when Christ

not profess to be doctrinal? told them to search the Scriptures for notices of Himself, He had vouchsafed already to present Himself before them; He was a living comment on those Scriptures to which He referred. What He was to be, was not understood before He appeared. The case is the same with Christian doctrine now. The Creed confronts Scripture, and seems to say to us, "Search the Scriptures, for they testify of me." But if we attempt to gain the truth of doctrine without the Creed, perchance we shall not be more successful in our search than were the Jews in seeking Christ before He came, yet under circumstances different from theirs, in which knowledge is necessary to salvation, and error is a sin.

Enough has now been said on the theory of Private Judgment. I conclude then that there is neither natural probability, nor supernatural promise, that individuals reading Scripture for themselves, to the neglect of other means when they can have them, will, because they pray for a blessing, be necessarily led into a knowledge of the true and complete faith of a Christian. I conclude that the popular theory of rejecting all other helps and reading the Bible only, though commonly maintained through ignorance, is yet in itself presumptuous. I make but one remark in conclusion. One main reason of the jealousy, with which Christians of this age and country maintain the notion that truth of

doctrine can be gained from Scripture by individuals, is this, that they are unwilling, as they say, to be led by others blindfold. They can possess and read the Scriptures; whereas of Traditions they are no adequate judges, and they dread priestcraft. I am not here to enter into the discussion of this feeling, whether praiseworthy or the contrary. However this be, it does seem a reason for putting before them, if possible, the principal works of the Fathers, translated as Scripture is; that they may have by them what, whether used or not, will be a check upon the growth of an undue dependence on the word of individual teachers, and will be a something to consult, if they have reason to doubt the Catholic character of any tenet to winch they are invited to accede.

LECTURE VII.

INSTANCES OF THE ABUSE OF PRIVATE JUDGMENT.

I PROPOSE now to follow up the remarks last made upon the Abuse of Private Judgment, with some instances in which it has been indulged, and in which, as might be expected antecedently, it has been productive of error, more or less serious, but never insignificant. These instances shall, on the whole, be such as no orthodox Protestant shall be able to look at with any satisfaction, and some of them shall be taken from the history of Romanism itself.

Without further preface I enter upon the subject, viz. what are the chief precedents, which past ages afford modern Protestants, of the exercise of Private Judgment upon the text of Scripture to the neglect of Catholic Tradition, and what is their character?

1. First might be instanced many of the errors in matters of fact connected with the Scripture history, which got current in early times, and, being