NOTES V ON Doctrinal and Spiritual Subjects, BY FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER, D. D. PRIEST OP THE ORATORY OF ST. PHILIP NERI. *Defunctusaclinicloquitur." Heb.xi.4. VOL. II. THE FAITH AND THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. THIRD THOUSAND. BALTIMORE: JOHN MURPHY COMPANY. PREFACE. THE notes on New Beginnings (p. 121), the Manage ment of our Grace (p. 131), the Fear of God (p. 152), and Life (p. 315), were written for a second volume ofSpiritual Conferences,which it was the intention of the Author to have published. The Memoir of the Author, which it was proposed to include in the presentvolume, is in preparation, and will be published shortly. J. E. B. THE OEATOKY, LONDON, FeastofSt. Hugh, 1866. CONTENTS. THE FAITH. SECTION I. THE CHURCH. TEAR PAGE I. EpiphanyLectures 1851 1. TheHistoryoftheChurch 3 2. TheVicissitudesof the Church ... 5 3. TheEmpireoftheChurch 8 4. TheChurchatWarwith theWorld.. 10 5. TheConversionof England 13 6. ThelastAgeoftheChurchandReign ofAntichrist 15 II. The HolinessoftheChurch 1850 18 III. The living Church. Thanksgiving for the Definition of the Immaculate Conception. Second Sunday afterEaster 1855 20 IV. PeacethelifeoftheChurch. SynodofOscott 1855 22 V. ThankfulnessthatweareCatholics 1852 26 VI. On the Treatment of Temptations against JLtllLll ... ... .,. ... ... 2il VII. Mary and the Modern Church. May ... 1851 1. MarysplaceintheModernChurch... 30 2. TheChurchinIntercession 32 3. TheChurch in Thanksgiving ... 35 4. The ChurchatWarwithHeresy ... 37 5. TheChurchatWarwithSin 41 6. TheChurchmakingSaints 45 7. MarymagnifyingGod 47 Vll viii CONTENTS. SECTION II. THE SACEAMENTS. YEAR PAGE I. TheSacramentsaFountain of happiness ... 1856 53 II. TheConversionof a Soul from sin 1851 54 III. HowtoConfesswell ... 1847 55 IV. Hatredofsin 57 V. Purposeof Amendment in Confession ... 1848 58 VI. TheobligationofRestitution 1848 59 VII. Scandal ... ... 1849 1. TheNatureof Scandal 61 2. TheInjuryitdoestoGod 63 3. TheInjury itdoestoothers 66 4. TheInjuryitdoes toourselves ... 67 VIII. Godsviewof ourpastsins ... ... 1855 70 IX. Fruitsof agoodCommunion 1848 72 X. HardeningofheartfromslovenlyCommunions 1861 73 XI. The influence of Catholic Priests overtheir Congregations 1848 75 XII. ExtremeUnction ... 1848 77 SECTION III. CONTROVERSY. I. TheReasonablenessofthe CatholicReligion... 1854 1. Introduction 81 2. Initsrelation to Scripture... ... 84 3. In itsrelationtothe nature andwants of men ... ... ... 86 4. Initsrelationtothecharacterof God ... 89 II. English Catholicism 1. Actual Positionof Catholics in England 92 2. What Protestants would expect English Catholicsto belike 94 3. Thereal aspectof English Catholicismto theeyeof theinquirer 97 4. ThewayinwhichweactuponProtestants 100 5. Fearofourown doctrines 102 6. TheinfluenceofthepresenceofProtestant ismontheordinarycharacterofCatholics 105 7. The influenceof Protestantism onthede voutcharacterof Catholics ... ... 108 CONTENTS. ix TEAR PAGE III. Protestantism, itsriseand presentcondition 110 IV. Protestantnotions ofourBlessedLord ... 112 V. Conversion 1848 114 VI. Journalism. Little Oratory 1852 116 )fart If. THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. I. New Beginnings. Lent I860 1. Whathas becomeof ourold beginnings 121 2. LittleEncouragements 123 3. LittleDiscouragements 125 4. TheGod wehavetodealwith 128 II. ThemanagementofourGrace. Lent ... 1858 1. TheabundanceofourGrace 131 2. Thevarietiesof Grace 135 3. TheJealousyofGrace 138 4. TheKnowledgeofourGrace 144 5. CorrespondencetoourGrace 147 III. TheFearofGod 1859 1. TheUnityofGod 152 2. PunishmentsandRewards 176 3. Ourownsinandmisery 189 4. FromthenatureofGrace 193 5. FromtheperfectionsandcharacterofGod 194 6. Theexcellenceof Fear 196 IV. TheEyeofGod ... 1853 198 V. Theonedrawbackof life 1861 199 VI. Howitisthatlifeisshort 1856 202 VII. Self-denial theessenceofreligion 203 VIII. PersonalHoliness 1852 205 IX. The Kingdomof Heavensufferethviolence. Lent Ig6i 06 X. Lentacallto Penance 1859 209 XI, Puttinghandtotheploughandlookingback 1861 210 XII. JesusChristandHim Crucified 1856 212 XIII. To-day 214 XIV. On Frittering 216 x CONTENTS. TEAR PAGE XV. Tendernessinreligion ... ...... 1850 1. Necessityof itanditsnature ... 217 2. TheTendernessof Jesus ...... 219 3. Howtogainit ......... 220 XVI. Thedelicacyof theoperations of Grace 1856 221 XVII. Godsloveofprayer. Lent ...... 1861 223 XVIII. Holinessisaninwardsilence. Lent ... -1859 225 y* XIX. Theplaceofweepers. Lent ...... 1861 227 XX. Prosperity ............... 229 XXI. Inwardpeace ............ 1859 231 XXII. Hearingsermons ............ 1859 233 XXIII. Devotiontothepoor ......... -1860 234 XXIV. The spiritual advantages of having a badmemory ............ 236 7"* XXV. Sinsof thetongue. PassionSunday ... 1-855 239 XXVI. Acurefordetraction ......... 1859 241 XXVII. Jealousyingoodworks ......... 243 XXVIII. Childishness ............ 1858 245 XXIX. Indifference ............ 1861 247 XXX. Theawfulnessofsin ......... 1850 250 XXXI. "Lampadesnostrceextinguuntur" ... 1861 252 XXXII. "Quoniamadves2)era$cit." Sundaywith inthe Octaveof theAscension ... 1859 254 XXXIII. Dutiesof Parentstochildren ....... -1858 255 XXXIV. Dutiestoservants............ 1858 257 XXXV. Thoughtsforactivemen......... 259 XXXVI. HintsforValetudinarians ...... 261 XXXVII. Shortpapers ............ 262 MISCELLANEOUS. SECTION I. OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY. I. TheFallofthe Angels. Lent ......... I860 271 II. TheFlood. Lent ............... 1860 272 III. TheTowerof Babel. Lent ......... 1860 275 IV. TheCitiesof thePlain. Lent ......... 1860 278 V. JonasandNinive. Lent............ 1860 282 VI. BaltassarsFeast. Lent ... 1860 288 CONTENTS. xi SECTION II. SPECIAL OCCASIONS. 101 TEAR PAGE . Sunday afr&tgt;,er the opening ofthe Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street. August 5 ............... 1849 295 [I. The Ecclesiastical Titles Bill ...... 1851 297 III. Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, Islington ............ 1851 29g IV. At the profession of a Sepulchrine Nun. New Hal1 ............ 1852 300 V. The Secular Clergy. St. Edmunds College 1850 302 VI. Closing of the Oratory in King William Street. Feast ofthe Holy NameofMary 1853 304 VII. Opening of the Oratory at Brompton. March 22 ......... ... i854 306 VIII. For the Poor Schools. Feast ofthe Sacred Heart - ............ 1855 308 IX. TheWorkhouse Grievance. Lent ...... 1861 310 SECTION III. LIFE. 1. The Nature ofLife ......... 2. The Characteristicsof Life ...... 318 3. The StatesofLife............ 32i 4. The Meanings ofLife ...... 326 ?ari THE LAST THINGS. SECTION I. THE FOUR LAST THINGS. I. The light of a deathbed 185Q 333 II. Bad deaths of those who have once been - : 1856 335 Xil CONTENTS. TEAR PAGE III. The Particular Judgment 1850 337 IV. Eternity. Schools of Compassion 1852 339 V. The mistake found out too late 1853 343 VI. Thejudgment ofthe reprobate 1853 345 VII. The lossofGod 1850 347 VIII. Whyour Blessed Lord said so little about Heaven. Little Oratory 1856 349 IX. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord ... 1861 350 X. We with Jesus afterwards ... 1850 352 SECTION II. PURGATOEY. I, Our Dead 1861 357 II. The severityof Purgatory 1857 358 III. The Consolations of Purgatory 360 IV. Devotion to the Passion 1860 361 V. The love ofJesus for the Holy Souls ... 1856 363 VI. The Queen of Purgatory 365 VII. The Deliverance of a Soul 1858 366 part THE FAITH. SECTION I. THE CHURCH. Vol. II. i. EPIPHANY LECTURES. 1. THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. I. The idea ofthe Church and its kingdomin the mind of Christ. 1. Its royalty the Man Christ Jesus King above nationalities subject to noother power in spiri tuals represented in prophecy as the enemy of empires highest and most mysterious of alleg iances quite a fearful vision to see it startino- on its journey across the world. 2. Its exclusiveness in government in doctrine in tone and temper. 3. Its supernaturalness image of Christ subject to the same misrepresentations and accusations to the same treatment yet eluding all with Christ-like vitality. 4. Its sufferings, mingled with its majesty, like His within and without opposites unite in hating it. 5. Its triumph, at unexpected moments in the long run, it gains its end, and survives its enemies. Hence Catholics are not proud when they com pare Christ and the Church. 3