But in 1688 the theory of continuity had not been invented by the
father of lies, to bolster up a lost cause, so the letter actually
appears in Barnes' History, to tell its own unvarnished tale: and to
bear its uncompromising testimony to the truth.
In the meanwhile, time wears on, and the end draws near when each man
will have to give an account of his life and conduct to the Supreme
Judge of the living and the dead. And it will go hard with us if we
turn our back upon the truth. God is speaking in this England of ours,
and shedding His light, and many are finding their way back to that
glorious Faith of which they were cruelly robbed at the "Reformation".
"To-day, if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts," but
lend an attentive ear to His invitation, and pray that you may have
courage enough to join hands once again with Bede, and Dunstan,
Anselm, and Thomas a Becket, and with Edward III. and his royal
predecessors, all faithful sons of St. Peter and the Holy See, and to
enter that Church which was built by God Incarnate on Peter, and upon
no other foundation; which still rests securely upon Peter, and which
(if there be any truth in God's promises) will continue to rest on
Peter till the end of time.
Pages:
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141