Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/301

Rh annexed the penalty that it should never lead to entire or full truth. He abandoned the Popish doctrine of transubstantiation; but having lost the link, which bound him to the old Catholic truth of direct spiritual influence, conveyed through the medium of the Sacraments, they became to him mere signs or symbols. He had in his mind constantly the two truths, that the Sacraments, could not in themselves convey grace, and that alone was the author of all grace and spiritual influence, and he could not find the central point, wherein the old Catholic doctrine might yet hold good with both these truths; namely, that  conveyed His grace through His Sacraments. Here his rationalistic tendency interfered. He could understand, how whatever strengthened faith, was a mean of greater grace: and also, how faith might be strengthened by these external symbols, as well as by preaching,—by the visible announcement, as well as by spoken word—and for this he could refer to experience : but he could