all practical purposes, its truth is a question of but little importance.

II. The second objection is this: that the doctrine of the Trinity appears to run counter to the spirit and design of Reve lation.

These objections I shall endeavour to meet with that calmness and sobriety which becomes a subject so sacred. In the first place, I hope to satisfy your minds, that, be the doctrine true or false, its truth is a question of the utmost possible importance. In the second, I shall endeavour to demonstrate, that the Catholic Church has no reason to fear an appeal, to the only tribunal competent to entertain it, the uniform tenor and spirit of the Holy Scriptures.

I. The first objection might safely be left, to find its answer in the conduct of those who urge it. To such persons, however, we may fairly suggest the consideration, that, if the doctrine of the Trinity be an unimportant speculation, then, surely, the belief and disbelief of it must also be equally unimportant. The question will then present itself, (and I apprehend it to

be a question of more practical moment than many appear to imagine), why have they, and those who with them deny the doctrine of the Trinity,-why have they, for what they conceive to be so unimportant an opinion, separated themselves from the worship and sacraments of the Church? Is it, can it be a light and trifling speculation, a mere nicety of scholastic theology, which will justify or excuse the disuniting of the members of the family of Christ? For, if this be a point of little moment, then, surely, we who believe it to be true, have not ceased to be Christians, because we have fallen into what, the objection itself (if it have any weight) will prove to be, at worst, a mere mistake; extenuated as the objectors must confess it to be, by the fact, that we have done no more than follow the teaching and example of the great majority of Christians. If they would honestly assert, that their remaining in our communion, would, in their judgment, sanction an error in faith and worship, so gross, so momentous, so bound up with all true morality, and with all rational and scriptural

notions of their Creator, that for this reason, -however they may regret the necessity of causing a division in the Church,—they find separation unavoidable: if they would say, that, in-a matter involving the foundations of piety and truth, they dare not hesitate to escape the greater evil, by choosing the less; and, therefore, that they are constrained to protest against the corruptions of our faith and practice, with all the solemnity of formal separation: if this were their language, we should, at all events, be ready to acknowledge their consistency. He who justifies his separation, by alleging, that the language and forms of our public devotions, compel our communicants to assent to a falsehood of the utmost magnitude and danger, has but to prove the truth of his allegation, in order fully to vindicate his conduct. I am persuaded, that no such allegation can be truly urged by any one, who (on this or on any other pretence) has separated from the Church. But, really, to create and maintain divisions in the Church; and at the same time to pretend, that the main cause

of the division is an unimportant speculation; a question, which, however it be decided, can have but little effect on our morality, our piety, or our future happiness, must, to any impartial person, appear something very like trifling with serious responsibilities.

1. But to proceed. No opinion can be unimportant which affects not merely the forms and language of our worship, but the object to whom our worship is directed. Some circumstances in the solemnities of devotion, may safely be left to be decided by the judgment of the Church. But, to what being our devotion is to be addressed, can never have been left undecided. Either we are, to this moment, destitute of revelation, or else this is a question, on which we have positive and infallible direction. There is no room here for acting on probabilities. We must know, whom we are to worship, with as much certainty and clearness, as we know that the worship of a Supreme Being is at all required of us. To offer our prayers and adorations to any being, merely because we imagined, that,

by the construction of some passage or passages of Scripture, some colour was given to the supposition, that this Being might, possibly or probably, be entitled to receive divine honours ;-on such grounds, I say, to offer divine honours ;-on such grounds, to offer to any being, that homage which is due to God only, would be the highest degree of presumption and impiety. If we were

mistaken in our construction of these expressions of Scripture, the worship, which, on such uncertain grounds, we had dared to offer, must be a gross and criminal idolatry; and could not but be deeply resented, by Him, who calls himself " a jealous God," and declares that he will not give his "glory to another." It can be no more a matter of indifference,—whether we are authorized to worship the particular being whom we adore,-than it is indifferent,whether we render divine honour to any being whatever.

Those duties which we owe to our fellow creatures cannot be discharged, unless we

1 Exod. xx. 5. Is. xlii, 8.