Notes on Doctrinal and Spiritual Subjects, Vol 2

380 Pages·1866·22.228 MB·English

by  Frederick William Faber

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