The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-06-12

r THE
| The Moral Law--C Continued.
| Having elucidated, in che foregoing art
Gle tho specific idea Of the Moral Law, It
fitting we should now give . summary vie,
OF its distinctive characteristics. The Ia,
IL objective and independent Of the create
mind. 1t does not lean or bear on til
mind, ~ ample subject, according to tn
doctrine Of the Sensists, nor is it subject an
object both in one, since the mind, ~ ha
been demon strated, cannot be its own Law
az the so-called critical philosophers, an,
ultimately nearly all our hodiernal ration
aiists imagine, any more than, with tina
gifted fend, Milton, it can be otis owl
places" The objectivity Of the moral Law
results from its identity with the object o
cOgnitiOn itself; in virtue of which identity
the standard by which free-will ought t.
be guided in forming its decisions, and tc
| which affection must conform if it would
eschew Righteousness and immortality, il
no other than the standard by which reason
itself is directed in it's operations. The
Good, as we have shown, is substantially
identical with tho True, and if We perceive
any distinction between them, the distinc-
ton Is simply our own; from our inability
to unity and grasp all at once in their SUBJ
lime simplicity their extrinsic relations to
our mental or spiritual faculties.
The Law is necessary, apodictic and alb
solute. 1t confronts our intuition and per-
meates all our reflex knowledge with the
radiancy of these properties peculiar to the
ideal object. Intrinsically between that
object and the moral law there is no real
distinction. From this necessity of the
law is, of course, to be concluded it's gu
preme and incontestible sovereignty and
therefore the absolute subsection to it of
every created mind; whereas, duties are
absolute as they regard the law, and rela-
i've only inasmuch as they concern crea-
lures, although, deriving even in this re-
spect all their imperativeness from one
common absolute principle of obligation
The relative duties, which creatures owe to
one another, partake the force and are
clothed with the dignity of the Absolute.
And as duty always and necessarily pre-
supposes and implies right as its correla-
i've, absolute right resides in the moral |
aw alone, and creatures have over one |
another relative rights; which are usurpa-
ions, not rights, if disconnected with one |
centre. Here the unity we claim for the
church flashes on us with the evidences of
} mathematical definition. The law, the
properties of which we are describing, is
he Creative Idea itself, and it's subjects
re an effect of the Creative Act, which,
tarting from the absolute and terminating
a the contingent, constitutes absolute
luty in virtue of its end.
The law is immutable and subject to no
'icissitude. If it was not it would cease
o be law, lose its absolute character, and |
imply belong to the category of facts
ecause only facts change, which ideas by ,
heir very nature cannot. But contingent ,
Kings, to which the law looks, being essen ,
tally changeable, and God essentially free t
q creating them, the immutability of the ,
sw herein consists, that the nature of those !
Kings continuing the same under all varies =
les of circumstances, and bearing towards d
ach other the same relations, the law a
'hich connects them with the principle of r
nifty from which the harmony of these +
Citations emanates, must necessarily be un- Z
while if they ever should t
hange, the law in virtue of its unchange- /,
BILE character, would be found adapted to d
1e altered circumstances. But in that G.
ase it is in the objects themselves, and not i,
/ the law which would always faithfully i,
'present their essence and reciprocal rela- g
ons that the alteration would take place; i,
nee among infinite ideal possibilities in
10 Creators mind, those objects have a
'ncrete individual reality owing only to +.
he gratuitous bounty of the Creators will. G,
The law is authoritative, memorable; adj d
its of no excuse, listens to no appeal, can C,
lerate no compromise whence the legiti- n
ate conclusions of ethical science rest on II;
solid q basis and are as incontrovertible RI
the deductions of geometry and calculus. II
is authoritative because autonomous; it se
its own authority and reigns of it's own 10
ght. But its reign, unlike the brief it
urped authority of creatures, i, humane IL
ID merciful, not hard and tyrannical, and in
g submission it demands is generous, not fo
ryile. The divine law commands men I'll