already--the knowledge
of divine truth?

FOOTNOTES:

[366] Gibbon, Hist. ch. 27.

CHAPTER II.

WHAT SAYS VINCENT OF LERINS?

1.

It is pretty clear that most persons of this day will be disposed to
wonder at the earnestness shown by the early bishops of the Church in
their defence of the Catholic faith. Athanasius, Hilary, Basil, Gregory,
and Ambrose resisted the spread of Arianism at the risk of their lives.
Yet their repeated protests and efforts were all about what? The man of
the world will answer, "strifes of words, perverse disputings, curious
questions, which do not tend to advance what ought to be the one end of
all religion, peace and love. This is what comes of insisting on
orthodoxy; putting the whole world into a fever!" _Tantum religio
potuit_, etc., as the Epicurean poet says.

Such certainly is the phenomenon which we have to contemplate: theirs
was a state of mind seldom experienced, and little understood, in this
day; however, for that reason, it is at least interesting to the
antiquarian, even were it not a sound and Christian state also. The
highest end of Church union, to which the mass of educated men now look,
is quiet and unanimity; as if the Church were not built upon faith, and
truth really the first object of the Christian's efforts, peace but the
second. The one idea which statesmen, and lawyers, and journalists, and
men of letters have of a clergyman is, that he is by profession "a man
of peace:" and if he has occasion to denounce, or to resist, or to
protest, a cry is raised, "O how disgraceful in a minister of peace!"
The Church is thought invaluable as a promoter of good order and
sobriety; but is regarded as nothing more. Far be it from me to seem to
disparage what is really one of her high functions; but still a part of
her duty will never be tantamount to the whole of it. At present the
_beau ideal_ of a clergyman in the eyes of many is a "reverend
gentleman," who has a large family, and "administers spiritual
consolation." Now I make bold to say, that confessorship for the
Catholic faith is one part of the duty of Christian ministers, nay, and
Christian laymen too. Yet, in this day, if at any time there is any
difference in matters of doctrine between Christians, the first and last
wish--the one sovereign object--of so-called judicious men, is to hush
it up. No matter what the difference is about; _that_ is thought so
little to the purpose, that your well-judging men