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Internet Modern History Sourcebook

Tracts for the Times 2:

The Catholic Church

[by John Henry Newman]

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> [No. 2.] (Ad Clerum.) [Price 1d.]
> 
> THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that
> shall rise against the in judgment THOU SHALT CONDEMN.
> 
> It is sometimes said, that the Clergy should abstain from politics; and that,
> if a Minister of CHRIST is political, he is not a follower of him who said,
> "My kingdom is not of this world." Now there is a sense in which this is true,
> but, as it is commonly taken, it is very false.
> 
> It is true that the mere affairs of this world should not engage a Clergyman;
> but it is absurd to say that the affairs of this world should not at all
> engage his attention. If so, this world is not a preparation for another. Are
> we to speak when individuals sin, and not when a nation, which is but a
> collection of individuals? Must we speak to the poor, but not to the rich and
> powerful? In vain does St. James warn us against having the faith of our LORD
> JESUS CHRIST with respect of persons. In vain does the Prophet declare to us
> the word of the LORD, that if the watchmen of Israel "speak not to warn the
> wicked from his way," "his blood will be required at the watchman's hand."
> 
> Complete our LORD's declaration concerning the nature of His kingdom, and you
> will see it is not at all inconsistent with the duty of our active and zealous
> interference in matters of this world. "If My kingdom were of this world," He
> says, "then would My servants fight."--Here he has vouchsafed so to explain
> Himself, that there is no room for misunderstanding His meaning. No one
> contends that His ministers ought to use the weapons of a carnal warfare; but
> surely to protest, to warn, to threaten, to excommunicate, are not such
> weapons. Let us not be scared from a plain duty, by the mere force of a
> misapplied text. There is an unexceptionable sense in which a clergyman may,
> nay, must be political. And above all, when the Nation interferes with the
> rights and possessions of the Church, it can with even less grace complain of
> the Church interfering with the Nation.
> 
> With this introduction let me call your attention to what seems a most
> dangerous infringement on our rights, on the part of the State. The
> Legislature has lately taken upon itself to remodel the dioceses of Ireland; a
> proceeding which involves the appointment of certain Bishops over certain
> Clergy, and of certain clergy under certain Bishops, without the Church being
> consulted in the matter. I do not say whether or not harm will follow from
> this particular act with reference to Ireland; but consider whether it be not
> in itself an interference with things spiritual.
> 
> Are we content to be accounted the mere creation of the State, as
> schoolmasters and teachers may be, or soldiers, or magistrates, or other
> public officers? Did the State make us? can it unmake us? can it send out
> missionaries? can it arrange dioceses? Surely all these are spiritual
> functions; and Laymen may as well set about preaching, and consecrating the
> LORD's Supper, as assume these. I do not say the guilt is equal; but that, if
> the latter is guilt, the former is. Would St. Paul, with his good will, have
> suffered the Roman power to appoint Timothy, Bishop of Miletus, as well as of
> Ephesus? Would Timothy at such a bidding have undertaken the charge? Is not
> the notion of such an order, such an obedience, absurd? Yet has it not been
> realized in what has lately happened? For in what is the English state at
> present different from the Roman formerly? Neither can be accounted members of
> the Church of CHRIST. No one can say the British Legislature is in our
> communion, or that its members are necessarily even Christians. What pretence
> then has it for not merely advising, but superseding the Ecclesiastical power?
> 
> Bear with me, which I express my fear, that we do not, as much as we ought,
> consider the force of that article of our Belief, "The One Catholic and
> Apostolic Church." This is a tenet so important as to have been in the Creed
> from the beginning. It is mentioned there as a fact, and a fact to be
> believed, and therefore practical. Now what do we conceive is meant by it? As
> people vaguely take it in the present day, it seems only an assertion that
> there is a number of sincere Christians scattered through the world. But is
> not this a truism? who doubts it? who can deny that there are people in
> various places who are sincere believers? what comes of this? how is it
> important? why should it be placed as an article of faith, after the belief in
> the HOLY GHOST? Doubtless the only true and satisfactory meaning is that which
> our Divines have ever taken, that there is on earth an existing Society,
> Apostolic as founded by the Apostles, Catholic because it spreads its branches
> in every place; i.e. the Church Visible with its Bishops, Priests, and
> Deacons. And this surely is a most important doctrine; for what can be better
> news to the bulk of mankind than to be told that CHRIST when He ascended, did
> not leave us orphans, but appointed representatives of Himself to the end of
> time?
> 
> "The necessity of believing the Holy Catholic Church," says Bishop Pearson in
> this Exposition of the Creed, "appeareth first in this, that CHRIST hath
> appointed it as the only way to eternal life. . . . CHRIST never appointed two
> ways to heaven, nor did He build a Church to save some, and make another
> institution for other men's salvation. There is none other name under heaven
> given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of JESUS; and that name
> is no otherwise given under heaven than in the Church." "This is the
> congregation of those persons here on earth which shall hereafter meet in
> heaven. . . . There is a necessity of believing the Catholic Church, because
> except a man be of that he can be of none. Whatsoever Church pretendeth to a
> new beginning, pretendeth at the same time to a new Churchdom, and whatsoever
> is so new is none." This indeed is the unanimous opinion of our divines, that,
> as the Sacraments, so Communion with the Church, is "generally necessary to
> salvation," in the case of those who can obtain it.
> 
> If then we express our belief in the existence of One Church on earth from
> CHRIST's coming to the end of all things, if there is a promise it shall
> continue, and if it is our duty to do our part in our generation towards it
> continuance, how can we with a safe conscience countenance the interference of
> the Nation in its concerns? Does not such interference tend to destroy it?
> Would it not destroy it, if consistently followed up? Now, may we sit still
> and keep silence, when efforts are making to break up, or at least materially
> to weaken that Ecclesiastical Body which we know is intended to last while the
> world endures, and the safely of which is committed to our keeping in our day?
> How shall we answer for it, if we transmit that Ordinance of GOD less entire
> that it came to us?
> 
> Now what am I calling on you to do? You cannot help what has been done in
> Ireland; but you may protest against it. You may as a duty protest against it
> in public and private; you may keep a jealous watch on the proceedings of the
> Nation, lest a second act of the same kind be attempted. You may keep it
> before you as a desirable object that the Irish Church should at some future
> day meet in Synod and protest herself against what has been done; and then
> proceed to establish or rescind the State injunction, as may be thought
> expedient.
> 
> I know it is too much the fashion of the times to think any earnestness for
> ecclesiastical rights unseasonable and absurd, as if it were the feeling of
> those who live among books and not in the world. But it is our duty to live
> among books, especially to live by ONE BOOK, and a very old one; and therein
> we are enjoined to "keep that good thing which is committed unto us," to
> "neglect not our gift." And when men talk, as they sometime do, as if in
> opposing them we were standing on technical difficulties instead of welcoming
> great and extensive benefits which would be the result of their measures, I
> would ask the, (letting alone the question of their beneficial nature, which
> is a question,) whether this is not being wise above that is written, whether
> it is not doing evil that good may come. We cannot know the effects which will
> follow certain alterations; but we can decide that the means by which it is
> proposed to attain them are unprecedented and disrespectful to the Church. And
> when men say, "the day is past for stickling about ecclesiastical rights," let
> them see to it, lest they use substantially the same arguments to maintain
> their position as those who say, "The day is past for being a Christian."
> 
> Lastly, is it not plain that by showing a bold front and defending the rights
> of the Church, we are taking the only course which can make us respected?
> Yielding will not persuade our enemies to desist from their efforts to destroy
> us root and branch. We cannot hope by giving something to keep the rest. Of
> this surely we have had of late years sufficient experience. But by resisting
> strenuously, and contemplating and providing against the worst, we may
> actually prevent the very evils we fear. To prepare for persecution may be the
> best way to avert it.
> 
>  
> 
> [FOURTH EDITION]
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> These Tracts are continued in Numbers, and sold at the price of 2d. for each
> sheet, or 7 s. for 50 copies.
> 
> LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON,
> ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD AND WATERLOO PLACE.
> 1840
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Source:
> 
> This text is part of the Internet Modern History Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is
> a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts for introductory level
> classes in modern European and World history.
> 
> Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is
> copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print
> form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the
> document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use of
> the Sourcebook.
> 
> © Paul Halsall, October 1998

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