raising doubts and scruples, as to the efficacy of their priesthood, and the reality and truthfulness of the acts they have performed as priests. Secession, and an immediate reconciliation with Rome, would seem to be the only path,-if St. Wilfrid's example is to be followed. But this does not appear to be what is recommended by Mr. Newman: at least, not just yet. On the contrary, he seems to dread any step of the sort being taken at present. And, indeed, this is also the tone of his Sermons on Subjects of the Day; and since that, of Mr. Ward's book. The church is to be thoroughly Romanized, by those who remain in her ministry and communion for that purpose. Seceders, therefore, not only put themselves into a false position, but retard "the blessed work of rivetting more and more tightly the happy chains" which, in the dreams of Mr. Newman's catholicism, hold "England to St. Peter's chair." In spirit and purpose, Mr. Newman and his company of "Palmers" seem to have "broken all the bands which tied them to England," and appear ready at an hour's warning to start for the Holy City. But nothing must be done prematurely; nothing to retard the general work of Romanizing. They must bide their time:-contenting themselves meanwhile with the consoling thought, that the pro

This was written a year ago, and before Mr. Ward's Ideal had been fully developed in practice, by the extraordinary course he has since taken.

cess may be longer or shorter, but CATHOLICS GET TO ROME AT LAST, in spite of wind and tide. That such is the present state of the party may be gathered from what immediately follows the words last quoted.

But, further than this, is there not almost incalculable comfort in reflecting on the actual history?. Wilfrid stood, as all men stand in their generation, amidst the blinding battle which the present always is: he was oppressed with doubts about the system of his Church, because of the relation in which it stood to the chief bishop: he was able at once, though with some pains, to clear up his position. This latter mercy may be denied to us; but we, looking at Wilfrid's days as part of the past, are permitted to see the Church whose system he doubted of recognised as an integral part of the Body Catholic, the prelates whose consecration he distrusted canonized as Saints, his own rival, whose ordination was indisputably uncanonical, now revered as one of our holiest English bishops. When we naturally couple together, almost without thought, St. Wilfrid and St. Chad, we read ourselves a lesson, which, if we would only receive it, is full of deepest consolation and most effectual incentives to strictness and holiness of life, and a quiet occupying of ourselves with present duties. -Ibid. pp. 44, 45.

It is obvious, that Wilfrid's example could give but little encouragement or direction to Mr. Newman and his friends, unless their doubts and perplexities bore some affinity to his. But, indeed, this is admitted. Wilfrid, it seems,

66

was oppressed

with doubts about the system of his church, because of the relation in which it stood to the chief bishop;" that is (as is plain from the story), he doubted the validity of English orders, because this church did

He

not choose to subject itself to the dominion of Rome. Mr. Newman's doubts are avowedly the same. and "not a few" of his party have doubts of- ·

the efficacy of their priesthood, the reality of those tremendous acts which they have performed in the name of priests, and the truthfulness of their absolutions and conse

crations.

Plainly, they represent Wilfrid's doubts and their own as substantially the same. Wilfrid, indeed, relieved his scruples and cleared up his position at once, by rejecting English orders and seeking consecration in France. "This latter mercy," says the author," may be denied to us:" in other words, there seems, on account of the state of Christendom, no way at present of clearing up the position in which Mr. Newman and his party find themselves, or improving the relation in which they stand to the chief bishop, except by actual secession from the church of England, and reconciliation with Rome; and this they feel would put them "into a false position." The meaning of all this is sufficiently obvious. For, if Mr. Newman determine on that decisive step, to whom shall he bequeath the blessed work of rivetting the happy chains of Roman power on England, when he and his friends have gone a palmering? Here lies the double difficulty. If they stay where they are,-how are they to improve their relation to the chief bishop? If they depart, who is to complete "the thorough Roman

izing" of "most erring and most unfortunate England"? For a while, then, they must endeavour to endure, as best they may, their doubts, and perplexities, and distress, and content them with what, by a considerable latitude of Euphemism, they call " a quiet occupying of ourselves with present duties;" their "present duties" consisting in their using all the interest they personally possess, or derive from their position in a Protestant church and university, for the propagation of Romish errors and superstitions; and their quietness, in a never-ceasing employment of the press,-newspapers, magazines, reviews, pamphlets, tracts, books for children, poems, sermons, translations of the Fathers, Lives of English Saints, Mr. Newman's Translation of Fleury, Mr. Oakeley's adaptation of Bonaventure, and, lastly, Dr. Pusey's adaptation of the work of Surin the insane Jesuit, &c.,-being all at once poured out upon the public.

Of all the features of this movement, none is more revolting, than the manner in which its originators have always talked of their retiring and unobtrusive quietness. If men are satisfied of the truth of their opinions, and of their duty to advocate them, who can blame them for exerting themselves to bring others to the same views? But, for a party, which has taken more pains to revolutionize the church than any other party (if we should not except John Wesley) since the days of the Puritans-a party

which, since the hour its leaders combined as a party, have been keeping themselves in all possible ways before the public, and have made more constant, persevering, and systematic use of the press, with all its variety of appliances, than any other set of men within the present century—for such a party to be continually talking of their quietness and shrinking love of retirement, and wearying one with endless lamentations at being dragged before the public, really I should not like even to think with harshness, but such amazing inconsistency between the language and proceedings of men professing to act on principles so high and holy, does leave an exceedingly painful impression on my mind.