Quotes from Joseph Pohle

an expression of Theodoretus in regard to the Angels, who, he says, " do not see the Divine Essence, but only a certain lustre, 05 which is adapted to their nature." It is likely that this passage is the source of the heresy of the fourteenth century Palamites, 56 who alleged that the divine attributes can be contemplated separately from the divine Substance in the form of a " garb of light" enveloping the God head. 57

St. Augustine repeatedly speaks of the power inherent in the desire for Baptism. " I do not hesitate," he says in his treatise De Baptismo against the Donatists, " to place the Catholic catechumen, who is burning with the love of God, before the baptized heretic. . . . The centurion Cornelius, before Baptism, was better than Simon [Magus], who had been baptized. For Cornelius, even before Baptism, was filled with the Holy Ghost, while Simon, after Baptism, was puffed up with an unclean spirit.

more common opinion holds that the votum implicitum is all that is required. This " implicit desire " may be defined as " a state of mind in which a man would ardently long for Baptism if he knew that it is necessary for salva tion.

they envisage the Infinite Being Himself (infinitum), but they do not envisage Him in an in finite manner (infinite). As a keen eye, says Richard of Middletown, 77 perceives the same color more dis tinctly than a weak eye, so the saints' supernatural power of vision is proportioned to the measure of their merits, that is to say, to the different degrees of the light of glory vouchsafed to each, although they all be hold the same object. 78

A careful comparison of all the Patristic passages bearing on this subject shows that the Fathers nowhere assert that our idea of God is innate, though they frequently insist on the spontaneity with which, by virtue of an uncon scious syllogism, this idea springs from any, even the most superficial, consideration of na ture. What is inborn in our mind is not the idea of God as such, but rather the faculty readily to discover God in His creatures.

St. Augustine says: " It would be an affront to pray for a martyr; we should [rather] commend ourselves to his prayers.'*

Substance and accident are conse quently related to each other in the same man ner as the potential is related to its actuation. As 6 &v, God is incapable of being perfected. In other words, while the created substance pos sesses and supports its properties, which in turn are possessed and supported by their substance (ratio habentis et habiti), God is what He has. Hence there can be no accidents in Him. 37 Thesis

The amount of sanctifying and special grace bestowed by a Sacrament depends chiefly on the disposition of the recipient.

when we consider the question carefully, we find that creation and sanc tification do not add to the perfection of God, but merely to that of the creature. It is not the divine operation as such that undergoes an intrinsic change, but solely the product of this operation. Hence God's free operation ad extra furnishes no objective reason why His operation and nature should be split up and His simplicity endangered. 39

In case of necessity, not only a priest or a deacon, but a lay man or woman, nay even a pagan and a heretic, can [validly] baptize, provided only that he observes the form prescribed by the Church and has the intention of doing what the Church does.

Up to the time of the so-called Reformation no one ever questioned the power of the Church to forgive sins. The ancient Montanists merely attempted to limit it un duly, 1 while the Cathari and the Waldensians erred with regard to those who exercise it. 2 It was reserved for the self-styled Protestant Reformers to deny that power in principle. This explains the thoroughness with which the Tridentine Council defined and explained the teaching of the Church on the subject of Penance. 3

the Council of Florence forbade the postponement of Baptism even for forty or eighty days. Since the Tridentine Council it is a strict ecclesiastical precept that infants must be baptized as soon as possible after birth.

To allow a baptized child, when he attains the use of reason, to choose freely between the true and a false re ligion, to decide whether he will keep the holy law of God or repudiate it at pleasure, betrays rank indifferent-ism.

This Sac rament," he says, " can effect the forgiveness of sin in two ways. First of all, by being received, not actually, but in desire . . .; secondly, when received by one in mortal sin of which he is not conscious, and for which he has no attachment; for possibly he was not suffi ciently contrite at first, but by approaching this Sacrament 9 Cone. Trident., Sess. VII, can. in peccato existens,

devoutly and reverently, he obtains the grace of charity, which will perfect his [imperfect] contrition, and bring forgiveness of sin.

St. Bruno of Asti, who says: " The first tabernacle, therefore, is the Synagogue; the second, the Church; the third, Heaven. . . . The first was in a shadow and an image, the second is in an image and in truth, and the third [will be] in the truth alone. In the first, life is foreshadowed; in the second it is given; in the third it is possessed.

St. Ephraem Syrus writes: " Without the venerable and divine institution of the priesthood men could not obtain forgiveness of their sins.