Divine Providence (Dick and Pulsford) n. 229

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229. III. THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF PROFANATION OF WHAT IS HOLY, BUT THIS IS THE WORST KIND OF ALL. In the most general sense by profanation is meant all impiety; and therefore by profaners are meant all the impious who in their heart deny God, the holiness of the Word, and consequently the spiritual things of the Church which are essentially holy things, and who also speak impiously of these. Of such profaners we are not here treating, but of those who profess a belief in God, who maintain the holiness of the Word, and who acknowledge the spiritual things of the Church, most of them, however, with the lips only. These commit profanation because what is holy from the Word is in them and with them, and this which is in them, constituting part of their understanding and will, they profane; but in the impious, who deny the Divine and Divine things, there is nothing holy which they can profane. These are indeed profaners, and yet they are not profane at heart.


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