AN ADDRESS TO THE CLERGYMEN OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

"A marvellous project, (is) i'faith, and a merry jest withal!"

Most Reverend Gentlemen,

You cannot be surprised, that I have not taken my text from the Scripture, for many of you tell the people, that we Catholic Clergymen wish to conceal from the people that sacred volume. To have, therefore, taken my text from the Scripture for the sake of the people, would be like falsifying your words, and to have quoted it for your instructions, would have been most presumptuous on my part, as every one knows you are masters of Israel, both in word and deed, in the knowledge of that sacred volume. Had I, therefore, been so presumptuous as to have quoted Scripture for your information, you might have perhaps addressed me in the words of the Poet—

Well, among the great diffusion of biblical knowledge, which has been so gloriously spread among the people by your Scriptural Church, as by Law established, I happened one day fortunately to hear, that you Reverends often told the people, that there was a golden and heavenly rule in the Scriptures, viz.:—that they were never to do unto others, what they would not wish others to do unto them. Now we cannot for a moment suppose, that like spiritual guide-posts, you would wish to inculcate this golden rule to others, and not follow it yourselves. Well then, you have been lately trying to arouse the indignation of the people, by informing them in the most dignified manner, that the Pope of Rome has just made a most "extraordinary, and presumptuous movement" on the Protestants of England. Now what shall we say, if it turn out, that you and your Reverend Protestant ancestors, have for a long time been making a "most extraordinary, and presumptuous movement" on the pockets, and on the intellects of Englishmen?

Let us then proceed to examine coolly, and calmly, the above points. I will endeavour, most Reverend Gentlemen, to discuss these points with as much temper, and forbearance as I possibly can. But, you must remember, that you and many of your Reverend body, have been endeavouring to convict, without ceremony, the numerous and respectable Catholic body of England, of the crimes of wishing to extend their popish spiritual and temporal domination over the Protestants of England. For this purpose, your zealous and Reverend body have, with pious industry, raked together the filth of ancient controversy, and poured it without mercy on the heads of Catholics, and on that Church, of which it is my pride to be a minister. Now, Reverend Gentlemen, you, who deal so copiously in hard words, certainly ought not to complain, if you should happen sometimes, to meet with them in return. If you demand respect from others, you ought certainly to respect a more numerous body of Christians, (I mean the Catholic Christian world,) who have no reason to think themselves, your inferiors in talent, learning, or judgment. Well then, let us now proceed to the discussion of the above two points.

Most Reverend Gentlemen, in a book (but mind not the Scripture) called the extraordinary Black Book, published in London in the year 1831, by Effingham Wilson, Royal Exchange, I find the following statement of the income of the Church of England as by Law established. Of course, I am aware, that certain changes have been made by Government (since the publication of the above book) as to the amount of individual incomes, but the aggregate sum is still absorbed by the Protestant Church, as by Law established. Well then, in the above-mentioned, extraordinary Black Book, I find the various incomes of the Church of England there stated, and would you believe it! they form a sum of money, TO THE TUNE of nine millions, four hundred and fifty-two thousands, five hundred and sixty-five pounds per annum.

Now let us see, how well the Bishops, and Archbishops of the Reformation, have thriven on the above spiritual food. The following is an extract from the probate duty returns, and of course, must be real testimony as to the worth of these poor in spirit children, when they awoke "in that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveller returns."

EXTRACT FROM PROBATE OF WILLS.

£

Stopford, Bishop of Cork, left his family25,000

Percy, Bishop of Dromore40,000

Cleaver, Bishop of Ferns50,000

Bernard, Bishop of Limerick60,000

Knox, Bishop of Killaloe100,000

Fowler, Archbishop of Dublin150,000

Beresford, Archbishop of Tuam250,000

Porter, Bishop of Clogher250,000

Hawkins, Bishop of Raphoe250,000

Agur, Archbishop of Cashel400,000

Bishop Warburton500,000

Now just add up the above items, and then, you will see that these Protestant Bishops and Archbishops, after maintaining themselves, their wives and families, left behind them, according to the probate duty returns, no less than the enormous sum of two millions and seventy-five thousand pounds sterling. Really, when these mammon-godly souls entered the gates of heaven, with all these paraphernalia of gold, how amazed must the celestial inmates have been! They would wonder whence these golden spirits came, but of this they would be convinced, that they must have come from the land of the living, and had certainly piously reformed the words of the Scripture, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," and really verified the words of my text, "What a marvellous project is faith, and a merry jest withal!"

So far, Reverend Gentlemen, I think the people will begin to conclude, that your Reverend body has, for some time, been making a most "extraordinary and presumptuous movement" on the pockets of Englishmen, and would to heaven! I could stop here. But I must now show the people of England, that your Protestant Church as by Law established, is receiving more money by four hundred and fifty-three thousands, five hundred and sixty-five pounds, than all the other Christian churches in the whole world. The above extraordinary Black Book, gives a scale of the comparative expenses of the Church of England, and of all the other Christian churches in the whole world. Now by this scale, it is shown that the total income of all the Christian churches in the various parts of the world, is eight millions nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand pounds; and the above scale shows, that the income of the Church of England, is nine millions, four hundred and fifty-two thousands, five hundred and sixty-five pounds. Now, if you will just place the smaller of these under the larger number, and subtract the one from the other, you will see that the income of the Protestant Church in England, exceeds the total income of all the other Christian churches in the whole world, by four hundred and fifty-three thousands, five hundred and sixty-five pounds. Oh, mighty England! thou boastest, and justly, that thy majestic fleet rides on the waves, the triumphant mistress of the seas; and thou mayest also as truly, but not so justly, boast, that thy Scriptural Church, as by Law established, rides triumphant on the golden waves of mammon, and that she is really mistress of the world, in point of mammon; she is truly the grand and golden emporium of clerical incomes. Oh, how justly may the ministers of this Church, address her, as their golden calf, in these words of the Scripture, "Where thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; and thy people shall be my people." (Ruth i. 16.) "Yea! and we will kill the fatted calf, and slay the rams, and make merry." (Prov. v. 9.)

But you will reply, we got all this money from you papists. Yes, courteous clerks, to the honour of the Catholic Church be it said, that all this money was left by our charitable ancestors; and I will now judge you from your own mouths. Mind and mark it well, that in the Catholic times of old England, the above sums of money were divided into three parts: one for the maintenance of the clergy, the second for the repair of the churches, and the third for the support of the poor. In those good old Catholic times, there were no church-rates, nor poor-rates. But your god-like church as by law established, thought it more just, or at least convenient, to pocket herself the whole of the above sum, and to leave to the public the charitable office, of providing for the other two purposes. Really, Most Reverend Gentlemen, I candidly appeal to you, if this was not "a most extraordinary and presumptuous movement" of your clerical ancestors on the pockets of the people; and really, must not people of the present day think it "a most extraordinary and presumptuous movement" on the part of you Reverend Gentlemen, to continue these pious frauds, and godly practices of your ancestors? In this, at least, you fully observe the commands of the Scripture, "Remove not the landmark of thy forefathers." Oh ye poor! (whom I sincerely love for the sake of my Saviour,) when I enter your hovels, where sickness, misery, and want meet together, and witness the scenes of distress that are passing there;—when I see a few handfuls of dying embers, that are calculated rather to starve you, than afford you the necessary comforts of warmth;—when I see the bed of wretchedness, on which you cast your wearied limbs;—when I view the tattered clothes, which scarcely cover you decently, much less protect you from the inclemency of the weather;—when I behold your pale and sickly countenances, that bespeak the poorness and scarcity of your food;—when I view your poor little children, begging in vain, with tears of artless innocence, a morsel of bread to satisfy the cravings of hunger;—when I witness scenes of this heart-rending description, (scenes which are not very uncommon now-a-days), the charity of our Catholic ancestors, and the inhumanity of your Church as by law established, rush vividly on my mind, and call to my recollection the words of our Saviour, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me. Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil, and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you covered me not; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least," (namely the poor), "neither did you do it to me." (St. Matt. xxv. 34 to 45.) Oh how strikingly does the first part of this sacred passage apply to our charitable Catholic ancestors? But shall I apply the second part to you, or your Protestant ancestors? Oh! heaven forbid I should! I say with the great St. Paul, I judge no man; but charity for you, and the poor, induce me to entreat of you, and to ask of God to give you His grace, to commence a real reform in your church property, for the sake of the poor, and to restore to the poor, what your Protestant ancestors so unjustly took from them.

But you will perhaps reply, that all this church property, has been justly given to your Protestant Church, by the law of the land; for as the law of the land, justly secures to the landlord, his rents, so the law of the land, justly secures to your church, the tithes. I answer, in the first place, that by no law, either human, or divine, can property be justly applied to any other purpose, than to that for which the intention of the testator left it. Now one-third of this church property, was left by our Catholic ancestors, for the support of the poor; and as long as this property, was in the hands of the Catholic Church, the poor always received their just share. Hence, among all the calumnies against the Catholic Church, even her basest enemies, could never accuse her of injustice to the poor. I answer secondly, the law of the land, as to landlords, is a good law, because the landlord gives to his tenant value (viz., the use of the land) for what he (the landlord) receives; whereas the law of tithes is a bad law, because it often exacts tithes, where the payer has never received, one farthing of value from the parson. Now in this case, it does appear to me (and I am sure it must to many others) most unjust to demand it from persons, who never received a pin's-worth of good, from your ministry in their lives. Nay, perhaps the only return they got, for the payment of their tithes was, to hear their religion abused, and to be held up before the public, as guilty of those very crimes, which these reverends themselves were really committing, either by their robbing the poor of their just share, or by unjustly exacting from others money, for which the payers had never received one farthing of value.[H]

And now, most Reverend Gentlemen, I must just let the people see, how you contrive to blind them, by throwing popish dust into their eyes. All the noise, which you make, about the pope's bulls, and about popish spiritual and temporal domination, is a mere ruse de guerre of many of you, (some of you indeed, I believe, are sincere in your motives, and actions,) to divert public attention, from the great temporalities of the established Church. You call, and hold your public and glorious meetings. With upturned hands and eyes, with high-souled strains of devotional eloquence, with cordial community of feeling, got up between the established Church, and those whom you indeed honour with your lips by the title of reverends, but whom, in your hearts, you deem mere phantoms of ministers, with silvery tones, and well-turned periods, of rag-tag and bob-tail inspirations; you excite the breathless attention of your audience, and profess the most sanctified attachment to your godly Church, and to your glorious Constitution, under the protection of whose wing, you are slyly basking in the sunshine of godly mammon, and worldly wealth. Should any poor Catholic, or charitable dissenter, (who wishes you to do to others as you would be done by,) obtrude himself on the notice of your meeting, a thundering philippic is instantly raised against popery, and gaining strength and speed, and loudness in its progress, rumbles onward, until at last, it bursts forth into a tremendous elemental roar, increased by the zealous acclamations of an enraptured and fanatical audience. Oh, most Reverend Gentlemen, this is really a glorious, and very profitable humbug. As long as you can manage, to keep the people in this feverish state of excitement, the gulls will think more of discussing pope's bulls, Guy Fawkes's, and Gunpowder Plots, than of questioning the moral basis of the law, which entitles you to take from the poor, their just share of Church property, left by our charitable ancestors, and of exacting tithes and Church-rates from those, who do not belong to your flock, and for whom you do nothing in return. Thus, you successfully stave off the discussion of Church property, professing all the while, the most devotional concern for the spiritual welfare of the gulls, on whose pockets, you are making a most 'extraordinary, and presumptuous movement.' Thus you reap the profits, and laugh at the fools, who are cajoled by your grand displays. Really, most Reverend Gentlemen, this extraordinary and presumptuous conduct, does, in my humble opinion, beat all the powers of impudence.[I]

Most Reverend Gentlemen, I have now proved "the extraordinary and presumptuous movement," which your scriptural Church as by law established, has been making for a long time on the pockets of Englishmen. I must now proceed to show, what "a most extraordinary and presumptuous movement" she has been making for a long time, on the intellects of Englishmen. Would to God that occasion had never been given to me to touch on this subject! But remember, that many of your reverend body, have been publicly advancing the most pretty, and polite things against us Catholics. The newspapers, will bear ample testimony to the strange, and horrid things, which many of your reverends, have lately uttered against the Catholic Church. Now, what they have in general uttered against us, is, unfortunately, not founded on truth; but mind, what I shall advance is really true, although most awful, nay almost incredible, had not your Protestant testimonies borne ample witness to it. Remember, also, that although Our Saviour was the most meek, and kind creature that the world ever beheld, still, when the honour of His Heavenly Father was insulted and outraged, He cast the buyers and sellers out of the Temple. Now, some of your reverend body, have, in my ideas, lately used all their endeavours to insult, and outrage the Catholic Church, which, I consider, the Temple of God. Pardon me, therefore, if I should with the spiritual arms of truth, (and I hope of charity,) cast them out of that temple, and show the world, they had better have been in their own temple, and have tried to have reformed it, before they had endeavoured to turn masters of Israel, in their neighbours' temple.

But this, Reverend Gentlemen, I must say, that if the Catholic Church, had no better foundation than declamation against the Protestant Church, I would not be either a minister, or a member of it for a single day. But mind, the Catholic Church has both a good foundation, and can also show the flimsy texture of the Protestant Church, when Protestant ministers are so imprudent as to attack her.

Most Reverend Gentlemen, I can only say, had you remained quiet, I should have been innocent of the disagreeable task, of having to state the following awful facts. But as you have not, I can only add, I am innocent of the consequences, look you to them. I will not indeed exclaim, with the Scripture, "Its blood be upon you, and upon your children;" but I will rather say, in the spirit of charity, may it bring you, and your followers, to a serious consideration, and to a sense of duty. But some of you reverends will perhaps infer, from the awful truths which I shall advance, that I must believe that all, who are not of our communion, must go to hell. Appalling sentence! Christ certainly has said, that he that will not hear the Church, is to be to us as a heathen and a publican (that is, excluded from our spiritual communion.) But Christ does not say, he will go to hell, much less, therefore, ought I to rashly condemn him. St. Paul, also, warns us to judge no man, for this good reason, because we, also shall have to stand before the tribunal of Christ. Far, therefore, be it from me to open the flood-gates of damnation, even on a single individual, much less on the whole body of our Protestant brethren. Although, therefore, I shall shortly advance truths, most awful, and almost incredible, still, let no one imagine, I mean anything PERSONAL. Oh, no, I will say with the poet—

Well, then, let it be remembered, that I shall advance only undeniable facts, without intending to deal damnation on you, or on the whole Protestant body.

A certain Spanish chemist, thought that God's formation of his master, had not been executed in the most perfect, and durable manner; and this chemist had the audacious presumption to imagine, that if he demolished his master, he could raise him to life again, to a more perfect, and durable specimen of workmanship, than he was, when God first made him. For this purpose, this audacious chemist cut his master into pieces, and put the various parts into his sublimatory glass, with the design of raising his master again, by chemical operation, to a more durable, and perfect state of life than he was, when he was the handiwork of God's formation. Now, Most Reverend Gentlemen, I will not apply this to your Church, but this I will do, I will show you what the Church was, and is, which the fathers of the Reformation wished first to demolish, on account of her imperfections, and then, to raise her again to a more perfect specimen of spiritual life; I will show the characters of these spiritual chemists; I will show you the wonderful works of their spiritual chemistry, and the wonderful spiritual works of their scriptural hands; and then, I will leave you, and others to judge, whether these first reformers, and these new soul menders, did, or did not, really imitate the strange, and presumptuous conduct of this Spanish chemist.

When God first created man, He imprinted on his heart the light of reason, which (whether aided by revelation or not, it is not necessary here to enquire) taught him his duty to his God, to his neighbour, and to himself. This light was also imprinted on the hearts of his descendants; but as man fell from God by sin, the light of this natural law was greatly impaired, both in the hearts of our first parents, and of all their descendants. The light of this natural law, though much impaired by Adam's fall, is, and ever has been, imprinted on the hearts of all, and is, and ever has been, the foundation of all moral rectitude. The imperfection of this natural law was, before our Saviour came, supplied by the aid of revelation, which Almighty God communicated to mankind, at various times, through His chosen servants. But at last, the Almighty was pleased to send His only Son from heaven to earth, to supply the deficiency of this natural law, and to teach mankind, in the most perfect manner, their duty to God, to their neighbour, and to themselves. Hence our Saviour beautifully says, "He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it," that is, He came to supply the imperfections of the natural law, caused by Adam's fall, and to teach us, in the most perfect manner, our duty to our God, to our neighbour, and to ourselves. Hence, for this purpose He became man, and united our humanity to His divinity. In this God-man, were concentrated all the treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge; and to this God-man, were given all power in heaven, and on earth. It is plain, therefore, as our Saviour beautifully says, He came to be the way, the truth, and the life to all mankind; that is, He came to be the way, by showing us the true way of heaven, which had been darkened, and obscured by the sin of our first parents; He came to be the truth, by revealing to us those supernatural truths, which the natural law did not reveal, and by revealing to us more clearly those truths, which the natural law revealed only obscurely; and lastly, He came to be our life, by communicating to mankind His graces, by which they were enabled to practise the truths, which this divine law taught, and thus, by the knowledge, and faithful practice of this divine law, to arrive at last at the kingdom of heaven. Hence, fully sensible of this truth, the Apostles are continually in the Scriptures reminding us, on the one hand, of man's fall, and the sad consequences of that fall; and on the other hand, of our liberation from sin, and of the abundant blessings we have received, by redemption through Jesus Christ.

Now, that mankind in every age, might be partakers of these abundant, and spiritual blessings, Jesus Christ was pleased to found a Church, and to invest this Church with the same spiritual powers, which He had received from His heavenly Father. This Church, through Jesus Christ, was to be the infallible source of all spiritual knowledge, and of all spiritual grace; in short, it was to be the visible, the infallible, and the incorruptible Church of all ages, with the world for its boundaries, and time for its duration.

I will now, give you a short description of this Church of Christ; attend, and I will tell you, in as few words as I can, what this Church always was, and really is. Catholicity, or Christ's Church, began with our Saviour, received her mission, her powers, and her doctrine, from Jesus Christ. She has been distinguished in every age, for the unity of her faith, and the sanctity of her doctrine, for the universality of her extent, and the apostolicity of her origin. No earthly consideration, could ever induce her, to swerve one iota from the sacred deposit, and unity of faith, delivered to her by Jesus Christ. Hence, whenever she found any in her communion, either layman, priest, or bishop, or even a whole nation, wishing to change, or add to, or diminish one tittle of the faith, delivered by her heavenly founder, she at first, like a tender mother, expostulated with them, appealed to the grounds and truth of her faith, and traced it to the mouth, either of our Saviour or His Apostles; but if they disregarded her tender expostulations, she then, as St. Paul did the incestuous Corinthian, cut them off from her communion, and showed them, when her faith was at stake, she feared neither the frowns of individuals, nor the strength of nations. Every article of her faith is so holy in itself, and so conducive to true holiness, that she challenges her greatest adversaries, to show the smallest stain in any part of what she really teaches, and the most convincing proof of their being unable to do so, is, that not daring to attack her true doctrine, they, by calumny and misrepresentation, lay things to her charge which she even detests and condemns.[J] And then, after combating a phantom of their own creation, exult in an easy and decisive victory. From the dawn of Christianity to the present day, there has not been a nation converted to Christianity, but what was converted by her zealous exertions, nor is there a religion under the sun except hers, that can prove that any of her members, were ever honoured on account of their virtues, and sanctity, with the name of saint. She can look back through eighteen centuries, and shew that the unity and sanctity of her doctrine, are the very same in the nineteenth century, as they were in the first century. She can trace a long succession of popes, even to the first pope, who was St. Peter. She can present you a long catalogue of learned and polite nations, of scholars, philosophers, and divines, of generals, statesmen, and princes, of saints, martyrs, and confessors, who looked upon her faith as their best inheritance, a treasure which they held more dear than life itself. In short, she can prove, that she is now that Church, which our Saviour first founded on a rock, against which, He promised, that the gates of hell should never prevail, and that He, and His Holy Spirit, should remain with it, teaching it all truth, until the end of the world. Hence, she has passed through the stormy trials of eighteen centuries, which would have long since shivered any human institution into atoms, and now stands forth, ever fresh and vigorous, in all her pristine strength, but silvered with the venerable hoar of ages.

This is a short description of the visible, infallible, and incorruptible Catholic Church of Christ; I will now show you how this Church was formed, and how it was to be perpetuated, from age to age, with the world for its boundaries, and time for its duration. The Prophet Daniel foresaw this Church, when he said (Dan. c. ii.), "The God of heaven should set up a kingdom, which should never be destroyed." And our Saviour (Matt. xvi.) informs us, that He is the maker and builder of this Church. Hence He assures us, that as He Himself was sent by His Heavenly Father to preach the Gospel (Luke iv. 18.), so He, also, sent His Apostles: as My Father hath sent Me, I also send you. (John xx. 21.) For this purpose He revealed to His Apostles all the divine truths which He had received. "All things," says He, "whatsoever I have heard of My Father, I have made known to you." (John xv. 15.) He then gave them a commission, to teach all these truths to all nations. "All power," says He, "is given to me in heaven and on earth: go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world." (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.) But when our Saviour gave these commands to His Apostles, He at the same time, imposed upon mankind a strict obligation, to hear and learn His gospel from the Apostles. Hence He says to His Apostles, "He that heareth you, heareth Me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth Me, and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent me." (Luke x. 16.) But whilst our Saviour, imposes upon mankind the necessity of hearing His Apostles, he pledged His infallible word, that they should never lead the people astray, or teach any false doctrine. For this reason, He promises that He will send down His Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, to teach them all truth, that He and His Holy Spirit will remain with them for ever, teaching them all truth, and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. (John xv. Matt. xvi.)

That this absolute, and infallible authority of preaching and teaching, was not to be limited merely to the persons of the Apostles, nor merely to the period of their ministry, but was also to extend to their successors in office, and to all future ages, I will now prove. Our Saviour tells His Apostles, that they are to go, and teach all nations, and that He will be with them, even until the end of the world; and that the Spirit of truth, shall remain with them for ever. Now, as the Apostles, did not teach all nations, in their own persons, and were not to continue on earth, until the end of the world, it was manifest, that the commission was not to be confined to their persons, but was to be given to their office, that is, to them and their successors in office, who shall continue until the end of the world, to complete the great work of teaching all nations, which the Apostles first began. That this was actually the intention of our divine Saviour, we learn in positive, and distinct terms, from these words of St. Paul: "And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some pastors, and doctors for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." "That henceforth we may be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive." (iv. 11, 14.) Such is, most Reverend Gentlemen, and such always was, the visible, the infallible, and incorruptible Church of Christ, which was to be perpetuated from age to age, with time for its duration, and the world for its boundaries.

Oh, but you will reply, this Church once fell into error, at least so say the first Reformers. If, most Reverend Gentlemen, I were to assert that you all once committed murder, you would very sharply ask, when, where, and how? And if I could not prove when, where, and how, I think you would deem me (and justly too) a very near relation to the father of lies. Now, your first Reformers said, indeed, that the Catholic Church once fell, but most unfortunately, they forgot to prove when, where, and how. As, therefore, these first Reformers, forgot to prove these most essential circumstances, you must excuse us Catholics, if we prefer God's infallible word, to the mere ipse dixit of these first celestial lights of the Reformation. You know God says, heaven and earth, shall pass away, but His word shall not pass away.

But you will, perhaps, answer, really they must have been strange beings to have asserted, that God's infallible Church had fallen, and not to have been able, or at least to have forgotten, to prove such a bold assertion. Do you know, I was just thinking the same; and, therefore, I beg to introduce a few of these beings to your notice: and I know none, that has a greater claim to our first notice, than Martin Luther, both for the originality of his spiritual doctrines, and for the sublimity of the celestial revelations, with which he was honoured. And mind, had not Luther and his disciples, left the most incontestible testimony of what I am about to advance, it would really have outraged and defied all credibility.

Well, then, know, and never forget, that Martin Luther, the first luminary of the Reformation, had a conference with the devil, in which Martin assures us, that he was convinced by the devil's powerful argumentation, that the Popish Mass was a heap of idolatry. The following are the words of this angel of light on this subject: "Being awakened at midnight, the devil began to dispute with me, according to his custom. "Listen to me, Master Doctor," said he: "do you consider that, for fifteen years, you have said mass almost every day? What, if all this while, you have been guilty of idolatry, and, instead of adoring the body and blood of Christ, have adored only bread and wine?" I answered him, that I was a priest lawfully ordained by the bishop; and that having, from a principle of obedience, discharged my ministry with a sincere intention of consecrating, I saw no reason to doubt the validity of the consecration. "True," replied Satan; "but in the Churches of Turks and Heathens, is not everything done in an orderly manner, and in the spirit of obedience? Does that authorize their worship as orthodox, and perfectly correct? What, if your ordination were null, and your consecration as vain and useless as that of Turkish priests, in the exercise of their ministry, or of the false prophets under Jeroboam?" Here (adds Luther) I was seized with a violent sweat, and my heart began to beat in a strange manner. The devil is very artful in adjusting his reasoning, and he also pushes his arguments with great force; he has a voice, strong and rough, and is so pressing in his objections, one after another, as scarcely to allow you time to breathe. Hence, I can conceive, how it has repeatedly happened, that persons have, in the morning, been found dead in their beds. In the first place, he may suffocate them; he may also, by his method of disputing, cause such a trouble in the soul as to render her unable to make any further resistance, and thus she may be compelled instantly to leave the body; which has nearly been my own case, more than once."

After this preface, Luther mentions five reasons which the devil alleged against the sacrifice of the mass; reasons extremely frivolous in themselves, but which Luther considered of sufficient weight to justify his yielding to them, saying to those who might blame his conduct, that "if they had heard the devil reasoning in the same forcible manner as he had done, they would take care not to appeal from his arguments to the practice of the Church, and the usages of antiquity, which would never satisfy them." This conference may be seen in three different editions of Luther's works, printed by the care of his disciples, viz., (Wittemberg, T. 7, p. 479. Jenæ, Ed. Germ. per Thomas, p. 82. Attenberg, T. 6. p. 86.)

Really, most Reverend Gentlemen, this is a very strange history. Certain, however, it is, that Luther omits nothing to persuade us of its truth: for he mentions the very words which the devil used, the tone of his voice, the nature of his arguments, the impression which the conference made on his body and soul, which sometimes follow from debating with this king of the lower regions.

After the death of Luther, his disciples, and especially Melancton, took care to insert the conference in the collection of Luther's works, printed in Latin at Wittemberg, and the writers of the Luthern and Calvinistic party agree, that it was certainly the production of Luther.[K] (Hospinian, par. 2. Hist. Sacramentariæ, p. 26, et. p. 131.)

Now Luther either had or had not this conference with the master of lies. If he really had, Luther ought to have known, that such a master was not very likely, to teach him anything very good, and that he was not a very fit person, to convince him of the idolatry of the mass. For if the mass, had really been idolatry, I think the devil, would rather have encouraged, than tried to overturn it. But if Luther had not this conference, then the ambition of Luther, for having wished to appear connected with so bad a master, indicates so strange and exotic a genius, so depraved and bad a taste, that it reflects almost as much dishonour on Luther, as if this conference had really taken place.

You will perhaps object "that Luther is nothing to us." Most Reverend Gentlemen, I have not quoted him to insult you, or to throw any disrespect on you; for you are certainly not to be answerable for Luther's deeds. But I have quoted him to let you see, what kind of a genius, this father of the Reformation was, and I must now candidly ask, if you think he was a fit person, to reform Christ's Church. Had he indeed begun, by endeavouring to reform the devil himself, we might have pardoned his religious enthusiasm; but for him to tell us, that the infallible Church of Christ, had fallen into error, and that he had come to reform it, under the instructions, and guidance of the master of lies, is really most outrageous, and cannot be equalled by any thing, that I have either heard, or read on this side the grave. That the human mind, should be capable of falling into such dreadful delusion, would appear almost incredible, had not the Holy Ghost assured us, that God abandons to a reprobate sense, those who wish to change truth into falsehood. (Romans i. 25-26.)

Zuinglius, another bright son of the Reformation, professes to have learnt his main argument against the Real Presence from a spirit, which appeared to him in the night, but whether it was a black, or white spirit he does not remember. However, he made great account, of this nightly instruction of his unknown friend; read the place of Exodus, which had been pointed out to him by his unknown friend, and afterwards preached before the whole congregation, on the subject of this wonderful discovery. (Hosp. ii. p. 25-26.) Luther was positive and sure, that the devil, whom Œcolampadius, (another reformer,) employed, strangled him during the night in his bed. "This is the excellent master," continues Luther, "who taught Œcolampadius that there are contradictions in the Scripture. See," says Luther, "to what satan brings learned men." (De Miss. Priv. Luth.)

Such were the nocturnal revelations, with which some of the first reformers were honoured, and I think now, you will not be surprised at the following character, which is given them, and the other reformers, even by Protestant testimony. Zanchius, the celebrated Protestant professor, thus complains of the conduct of his reforming Protestant colleagues: "I am indignant, when I consider the manner, in which most of us defend our cause. The true state of the question we often, on set purpose, involve in darkness, that it may not be understood; we have the impudence, to deny things the most evident: we assert what is visibly false: the most impious doctrines, we force on the people as the first principles of faith, and orthodox (true) opinions, we condemn as heretical: we torture the Scriptures, until they agree with our own fancies, and boast of being the disciples of the fathers, while we refuse to follow their doctrines: to deceive, to calumniate, to abuse, is our familiar practice: nor do we care for anything, provided we can defend our cause, good or bad, right or wrong. Oh what times! what manners! (Zanchius ad Stormium, tome viii. col. 828.)

"But forgery—I blush for the honour of Protestantism while I write it—seems to have been peculiar to the reformed * * * and I look in vain, for one of these accursed outrages of imposition, among the disciples of Popery." "But forgery, appears to have been the peculiar disease of Protestantism."—(Vindication of Mary, Queen of Scots, vol. iii. p. 2 and 53. By the Rev. John Whitaker, B.D., Rector of Ruan Langhorne, Cornwall.)

You have now seen, who was the instructor of some of the first Reformers, and the two above passages (mind, from Protestants,) must convince you, that they and their reforming Protestant colleagues, appear to have been apt scholars of this master of lies. Well, I have shown you now, the character of the spiritual chemists of the Reformation. I will now show you, some of the wonderful spiritual works, of some of their supernatural, and chemical hands.

Among these, I must rank as first and foremost, the wonderful spiritual deeds, of your Scriptural Church as by Law established. Most Reverend Gentlemen, The Thirty-nine Articles, are the fundamental Articles of your Protestant Creed. Now, in the Thirty-fifth of those Articles, I find, that your Scriptural Church professes to believe, in the Protestant homilies there named. Among which I find the second is, "against peril of idolatry." Now, the following, are the words of your Protestant homily against idolatry. Its words are these: "The preaching of God's word, most sincere in the beginning, by process of time became less and less pure, and afterwards corrupt, and last of all, altogether laid down and left off, &c. Not only the unlearned and simple, but the learned and wise; not the people only, but the bishops; not the sheep, but also the shepherds themselves, being blinded by the bewitchery of images, as blind guides of the blind, fell both into the pit of damnable idolatry; in which all the world, as it were drowned, continued unto our age for the space of eight hundred years; unspoken against in a manner, so that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, of all ages and sexes and degrees, of men and women and children of whole Christendom, (an horrible thing to think,) have been at once drowned in abominable idolatry, of all other vices most detested by God, and damnable to men, and that for the space of eight hundred years together. And to this end has come that beginning of setting up of images in churches, then judged harmless, in experience proved not only harmful, but exitious and pestilential, and to the destruction of all good religion universally." Thus far, your Protestant homily.

Really, most Reverend Gentlemen, if in my comments on the above passage, I have often to use the word damnable, you must really pardon me, for you see, I have just been taught this pretty word, by your Scriptural Church, and you know, she is master in Israel. Pray, most Reverend Gentlemen, where was your Protestant Scriptural Church, during this eight hundred years of damnable idolatry? If it was a member of no Church, then, it was not a member, or part of Christ's Church. But if it was a member, or part of any one Church in all Christendom, then, it was utterly drowned in abominable, and damnable idolatry. I wonder how your Scriptural Church, can extricate herself out of this spiritual labyrinth.

Well, then, here we have, according to your Scriptural Church, a universal apostacy. The true Church decayed, the whole of Christendom drowned in damnable idolatry, and all good religion destroyed universally, and that, for eight hundred years; and we have also your Scriptural Church either not existing, or buried in this universal spiritual destruction. Really, your Scriptural Church, Sampson-like, not only demolished the whole spiritual fabric of Christendom, but also perished herself under the ruins of this universal spiritual destruction; but the strangest thing of all is, whilst with one hand, she was endeavouring with her spiritual power, to hurl the Catholic Church, into the vortex of this universal spiritual destruction, she, with the other hand, charitably saves us Catholics (as Moses was saved from the waters) from this deluge of universal spiritual idolatry; and I will now show you how; for your Scriptural Church, in her sixth article of the Thirty-nine Articles, teaches that, "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation." Now, this very Scripture, (the book of salvation,) declares (as I have already shown in my above description of the Catholic Church,) that, the Catholic Church should never err, and of course, could never fall into idolatry. And, therefore, in obedience to your Scriptural Church, and to the Scripture itself, we believe that the Catholic Church, never has fallen, and never will fall into idolatry. For the Scripture says, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but God's word, shall not pass away." Really, your Scriptural Church, is very kind to us in this respect, and I almost begin to think, she must be a worthy descendant of Pharo's daughter, who saved Moses from the waters of the Nile.

Well, Most Reverend Gentlemen, you see your scriptural Church, has now hurled the whole of Christendom, into the vortex of universal, abominable, and damnable idolatry, and either involved herself, in this sweeping deluge of abominations, or committed suicidical destruction on herself; but, strange to say, she has charitably saved us benighted Papists, from these abominable, and universal waters of idolatry, as Pharo's daughter, kindly saved Moses from the waters of the Nile. Now, how your scriptural Church as by law established will contrive to gather together again, and unite all the various parts of this universal, spiritual edifice, just destroyed by her hands, I am at a loss to determine. If she really can collect, unite, and form these various spiritual parts, into a more perfect, and durable edifice, than God Himself had made it, I shall then begin to think, that she is invested with powers, which even God Himself does not possess. But by what spiritual art of chemistry, is she to perform this wonderful, and superhuman operation? If she has recourse to the Scriptures, she will there learn, that God had built this spiritual edifice on an imperishable, infallible, and incorruptible foundation. And surely, for her sake, God will not contradict Himself; and if she has recourse to her thirty-nine articles, they have already annihilated her. O poor scriptural Church! thou hast often made sad work with other Churches; but at last, alas! thou art in sad straits thyself. O! how thou remindest me of the man, who

Well, but you will say, this immense spiritual edifice must for the sake of the salvation of mankind, be re-built. Should I offer my officious services, to assist in this pious work of reconstruction, your scriptural Church might perhaps say, I destroyed more than I built. Well, she could not, even then, justly complain of this; for she has just cut into pieces, demolished, and annihilated the whole of Christendom, with her destructive weapons of universal, abominable, and damnable idolatry.

In all material edifices, it is considered of the greatest importance that the foundation should be firm, safe, and substantial. Of course, we have reason to expect these requisites in the foundation of all spiritual edifices; and of course, we may naturally expect them, in the new erection of God's work which your Church has just destroyed, but which she is now going to re-construct into a more perfect and durable form than God had made it. Now, upon what foundation will your Church reconstruct this demolished spiritual edifice? In her twenty-first article of her thirty-nine articles, (and mind, she has sworn to these articles as God's truth,) I find the following words: "General councils may not be gathered together without the commandment, and will of princes. And when they be gathered together, (forasmuch as they be an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed by the Spirit, and word of God,) they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God."

Now, please tell me, Most Reverend Gentlemen, of what is your new spiritual Church to be built? Surely not of brick and mortar! but of course, it is to be erected, on the testimony of man, or of some body of men. But your article says, men may err, and have erred, even in things pertaining to God. Therefore, your council, or councils, of your new Church may err, and therefore, how will you build upon these fallible men an infallible foundation?

But you will indignantly reply, the article intimates, that they may err unless governed by the Spirit, and word of God. Well, Most Reverend Gentlemen, is it likely God will give them his Spirit, and unerring word to reconstruct a new Church, when they have just destroyed the infallible, and beautiful work of God's own hands? Is it in the nature of things, that God should contradict Himself, to second the BABEL ideas, of your scriptural Church, yet to be formed?

Really, Sir, some of you Reverends will exclaim, how you are garbling that twenty-first article! Why have you slyly omitted to quote the last part of that article?—Well, as you have called, for the last part of this article, I will now quote it; and as your Church (first, indeed, unfortunately destroying herself) has just so charitably saved us, benighted papists, from the waters of idolatry, I do sincerely hope this last part of your article, may enable you, to rebuild a godly and spiritual edifice. Well, then, now for the last part of this twenty-first article, which you say, I have slyly omitted. It runs thus verbatim: "Wherefore, things ordained by them, as necessary to salvation, have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared, that they be taken out of Holy Scripture." Now, Most Reverend Gentlemen, as you have just asked me a question, allow me to ask you another. If any of you, were wishful to purchase an estate, would you not first, have the title deeds of that estate, carefully examined by some eminent and respectable lawyers, to be sure that the title deeds, were perfectly good, and satisfactory, before you advanced the money? Now we have just learnt, from the last part of your twenty-first article, that the Scriptures, properly speaking, are the deeds of a Christian, by which he is to obtain a good title to salvation. Of course, therefore, we may naturally suppose, that your scriptural Church would hand down to her followers the Scriptures, in the most perfect and unmutilated state.

Well, we will now see whether she has done this, and then we shall be able to determine, if she can rebuild her godly, and spiritual edifice on so heavenly a foundation. We will now consider how she got the sacred Scriptures, after her shipwreck amid the perils of idolatry, and whether, after she got them, she handed them down to her followers in the perfect and unmutilated state, in which she first received them from the Catholic Church. Luther, the father of the Reformation, even after he had left the Catholic Church, candidly says, in his Commentary on the 16th chapter of St. John's Gospel: "We are obliged to yield many things to the Papists, that with them is the word of God, which we received from them, otherwise we should have known nothing at all about it." And, in his book against the Anabaptists, he makes the following confession: "Under Papacy are many good things, yea, everything that is good in Christianity. I say moreover," continues he, "under Papacy is true Christianity, even the very kernel of Christianity." From these two passages of Luther, it is evident, that your scriptural Church, first received the Scriptures from the hand of the Catholic Church, and that she received them, in a perfect and unmutilated state; otherwise, how could Luther's words be true, (and mind, he uttered these words after he had left the Catholic Church) when he assures us, that under Papacy is "true Christianity, yea, everything that is good in Christianity, nay, the very kernel of Christianity."

Now let us see how your scriptural Church, corrupted and mutilated the sacred volumes which she had received from the Catholic Church in a perfect and unmutilated state.

Luther was the first, after the Reformation, who put out a Protestant translation of the Scriptures, which was immediately condemned by Osiander, Rickerman, and Zuinglius. Of this translation of Luther, Zuinglius says, (Lib. de Sacra.) "Luther was a foul corrupter, and horrible falsifier of God's word. One, who followed the Marcionites and Arians, that razed out such places of Holy Writ, as were against him. Thou dost," says he to Luther, "corrupt the word of God. Thou art seen to be a manifest, and common corrupter, and perverter of the holy Scriptures. How much are we ashamed of thee, who have hitherto esteemed thee!" But Luther not only falsified, but he also added, to the texts of the Scripture. "I know well," says Luther, "that this word, alone, (which he added to St. Paul's words, Rom. iii.) is not found in the text of St. Paul, but should a Papist, annoy you upon it, tell him at once, without hesitation, that Dr. Martin Luther, would have it so, and that a papist, and an ass, are synonymous." (Tom. 5, Jena Edit. p. 141, 144.)

But Luther, soon had an opportunity of retaliating, on his disciple Zuinglius. When Proscheverus, the Zuinglian printer of Zurich, sent him a copy of the Zuinglian translation, Luther rejected it, and sent it back to him, calling at the same time the Zuinglian divines, in matters of divinity, "fools, asses, anti-christs, deceivers, and of an ass-like understanding." (See Zuing. tom. 2, ad Luth. Lib. de Sacr. fol. 338.)

Of the translation set forth by Œcolampadius, Beza says, that it "is in many places wicked, and altogether differing from the mind of the Holy Ghost." And he also condemns that of Castalio, as being sacrilegious, wicked, and heathenish. (In Respons. ad Defens. and Respons. Castal.)

We should naturally expect that Beza, after thus reproving the translations of Œcolampadius and of Castalio, would himself have produced an immaculate one; but the learned Molineus observes of his translation, that "he (Beza) actually changes the text, of which Molineus gives several instances." (In sua Translat. Nov. Testi. part 20.)

Castalio wrote a whole book against Beza's corruptions of the Scriptures, and yet, he adds, "I will not note all his (Beza's) corruptions, for that would require too large a volume." (In Defens. Transl.)

Of Calvin's translation the learned Molinæus thus speaks: "Calvin, in his harmony, makes the text of the Gospel to leap up and down. He uses violence to the letter of the Gospel; and besides this, adds to the text." (In sua Translat. Nov. Test. part 12.)

Here, then, you have Zuinglius and others against Luther's translation, and Luther against Zuinglius's translation, Beza against Œcolampadius and Castilio's translation, and Castilio against Beza's translation, and Molinæus against Calvin's translation. Now, which of all these false translations was your scriptural Church to adopt as her only rule of faith and for that of the people? Why, you Reverends will reply, she was to adopt her own English translations.

Well, then we had better examine, and see whether they were any better than any of the above translations, Carlile, in his treatise on Christ's descent into hell, says of the English translators, that they have "depraved the sense, obscured the sense, obscured the truth, and deceived the ignorant; that in many places, they do detort the scriptures from the right sense, and that they show themselves to love darkness more than light, falsehood more than truth." And in an abridgment which the ministers of the diocese of Lincoln delivered to King James, they denominated the English translation, "A translation that taketh away from the text, that addeth to the text, and that sometime to the changing, or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost; a translation which is absurd and senseless, perverting, in many places, the meaning of the Holy Ghost." Burges, in his Apology, sec. 6, exclaims, "How shall I approve under my hand a translation, which hath so many omissions, many additions, which sometimes obscures, sometimes perverts the sense, being sometimes senseless, sometimes contrary?" And Broughton, in his letter to the Lords of the Council, gives this reason for requiring a new translation without delay, that "That which is now in England is full of errors." And, in his Advertisement of Corruptions, he tells the bishops, "That their public translations of Scriptures into English is such, as that it perverts the texts of the Old Testament, in eight hundred and forty-eight places; and that it causes millions of millions to reject the New Testament, and to run to eternal flames."

But some of you Reverends may reply, those were the Protestant translations of earlier times; but we have got better translations now. Well, then we must now examine the truth of your assertion. In November, 1822, the Irish Protestant Society passed the following condemnatory resolution of the Irish translators: "Resolved, that, after a full enquiry, the members of this society feel satisfied, that material and very numerous errors, exist in the version of the New Testament, edited by the British and Foreign Bible Society." According to Mr. Platt, thirty-five variations were discovered in the first ten pages, of which seven were considered to be material. "This proportion in a Testament of four hundred pages," says the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Percival, "gives fourteen hundred variations, and two hundred and eighty material errors in a single volume." We find in the Monthly London Review, page 220, "That in April, 1832, a memorial was addressed on the subject, to the vice-chancellors of the Universities of Cambridge and of Oxford, and the other delegates of the Clarendon press." It was signed by the following gentlemen:

T. Bennet, D.D.

T. Blackburn.

George Collinson.

F. A. Cox, L.L.D.

Thomas Curtis.

T. Fletcher, D.D.

E. Henderson.

J. P. Smith, D.D.

T. Townley, D.D.

R. Winter, D.D.

The names, attached to this memorial, are too respectable not to communicate a great degree of importance, to any statement to which they are affixed. This memorial states, "That the modern Bibles, issued from the press of the University of Oxford, abounded with deviations from the authorized version of King James the First. That, though some of these errors were merely typographical, yet of those that were intentional, the number was of a serious amount. That in the Book of Genesis, there were upwards of eight hundred errors; in the Psalms, six hundred; in the Gospel of St. Matthew, four hundred and sixteen; and in about the fourth part of the Bible, an aggregate of two thousand, nine hundred and thirty-one."

The same Monthly London Review, for February, 1833, speaking of the pamphlet of Thomas Curtis, of Grove House, Islington, on his discoveries of the falsification of the Bible, says: "In this comparatively brief pamphlet, we find the exposition of one of the most singular deceptions, to which the world has yet been exposed. The imposition, is nothing short of a downright falsification of the text of Scripture. Need we add a syllable more, to rouse the attention of the thinking community?" In the same pamphlet Mr. Curtis remarks: "About twenty years ago, an intelligent reader at one of the printing offices, where the Bible was in a course of printing, took the trouble of drawing up a specification of a number of gross errors, which he found in the very copy, that had been selected by the proper authorities, as the standard of correctness to which he was to adhere. The errors pointed out by the penetrating reader, amounted to no less, than seven hundred and thirty-one, and these occurred in the various chapters, from the beginning of Genesis, to the end of Jeremiah."

Well, most Reverend Gentlemen, it is plain from what I have stated (and where is the person who can contradict what I have stated), that the first Protestant foreign Reformers, corrupted and falsified the sacred Scriptures, that your English Protestant Reformers, did also the same, and that even at the present day, your English Protestant translations of that sacred volume, are in a most awful and corrupt state. And would to heaven I could stop here!

But what will the English people say, when they learn, that your Protestant scriptural Church, has not only falsified and corrupted the Scriptures, but that she has had the audacity, to expunge from the canon of the Scripture many books, which are as much canonical (that is, as much the inspired word of God) as those, which she still retains in her present Protestant canon. I will now prove this. The Protestant Church, received at first (as Luther truly informs us) the Scriptures from the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church, therefore, must be good authority in this respect, otherwise how can the Protestant Church be, sure that her first Scriptures, were the real word of God? Now, the Catholic Church has ranked, for at least fourteen hundred years, many books as canonical, which your Protestant Church rejects as uncanonical. In the year 397, a Catholic council was held at Carthage, at which the learned and pious St. Augustine assisted. In that council, the canon of the Scripture, was satisfactorily determined; and in that very council, many books were declared to be canonical (that is, the inspired word of God,) which your Church, has had the audacity to tell the people, are not canonical, that is, they are not to be considered the inspired word of God. But what reason had your scriptural Church, to assume the audacious power, to condemn as uncanonical, books, which were declared by this illustrious, numerous, and learned body of Christians, to be canonical, (that is, the inspired word of God?) I ask you, what reason had your scriptural Church for this audacious step? I answer, none. O but I fancy I hear some of your reverends exclaiming, You are wrong for once, old papish botheration. Look at the passage in the sixth of our articles, between our canonical and uncanonical books, and there you will find a good reason for your popish question.

Thank you, courteous clerks; I will now quote the passage, and give your scriptural Church the benefit of it. "And the other books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read, for example of life, and instruction of manners, but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine." (Art. 6, Ch. Eng. P. Book.) Well, most Reverend Gentlemen, truth and falsehood are in this passage, mixed up together to a nicety. In the first part, your scriptural Church tells the people that she, like Hierom (and mind, St. Hierom was a great Catholic Saint), reads her uncanonical books, for example of life and instruction of manners. Well, her object for reading these books, as far as it goes, is very good; but then, your scriptural Church slyly adds, "but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine:" an artful inuendo that St. Hierom did the same. Now St. Hierom wished, indeed, the Catholic Church to read these books, for example of life, and instruction of manners; but St. Hierom, at the same time, included in the Catholic canon all the books, which had been ranked in the Catholic canon by antiquity. Now, if your scriptural Church, quoted St. Hierom's authority in confirmation of the first part of this passage, why does she slyly intimate, to follow him in the second part, where she contradicts St. Hierom, by asserting that certain books of the Scripture, are uncanonical, which St. Hierom believed, and taught were really canonical? Come, Reverend Gentlemen, your Church must have had some sly reason, for this contradictory conduct. Now, do tell us what this reason was. Well, if you will not tell, I must.

You have seen, how the first reformers falsified the Scriptures, to make the sacred text, harmonize with their reformed ideas; but what puzzled them most was, they found there were certain books, which they could not possibly tune to their new ideas. They durst not indeed, entirely reject these sacred books; for they knew in what veneration, they had been always held by antiquity; but on the other hand, they durst not admit them as canonical; for then, the testimony of these books, would upset their new-fangled ideas; they thought, therefore, the most convenient method, was to make flesh and fish of them, and then, they could either admit, or contradict them, according to their own spiritual convenience.

And that I am speaking the truth, I will give you one single instance, and from this one, you will be able to judge of the rest, of their sly method, of squaring the scripture to their new, and reforming ideas. Of all the tenets of the Catholic creed, there is none, that has been more lustily inveighed against, and accordingly, none that sound so awfully, to an English Protestant ear, as Purgatory, and Prayers for the dead. (O keep your seats, Most Reverend Gentlemen, I am not going to put you into Purgatory, although you may imagine it smells very strongly of it on this side the grave.)[L] Well, mind this doctrine of Purgatory, and of Prayers for the dead, was the belief of the Jews, and of all the first Christians, and continued even to the time of the Reformation. Now in the book of Machabees, this doctrine is so plainly laid down, that no man in his senses, can contradict it. Read the following passage, and tell me, if I am not speaking the truth. "And making a gathering, he (Judas Machabeus) sent 1200 drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice, to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well, and religiously, concerning their resurrection. (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain, should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous, and vain to pray for the dead.) And, because, he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is, therefore, a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." II. Mac. xii. 43-46.

Now this passage was so clear, and positive a proof of purgatory, and of prayers for the dead, that the first Reformers found, that they could not get rid of it, without denying the divine authority of the book. Accordingly, these new soul-menders, told the people that the two Books of Machabees, were not included in the Jewish Canon, but unfortunately, they forgot to tell the world the reason, (viz.,) because the Jewish Canon was compiled by Esdras, long before the Books of Machabees were written. And now, you may understand the sly words of your sixth article, "but yet it doth not apply them (these books) to establish any doctrine," viz., to establish the Catholic doctrine, and to overturn their new-fangled ideas.

Now, Gentlemen, is it not plain that your Church, hath both corrupted the Scriptures, and expunged from her Protestant Canon, many of the inspired books of those sacred volumes?

And now, allow me to quote the first part of the sixth Article of your Church, and then, tell me what the people are to do, to save their souls, and how your Scriptural Church, is ever to be raised again, to a new spiritual life. "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that, whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be approved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith, or to be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture, we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church."

Now this part of your Article, assures us, in the strongest manner, that the Holy Scriptures, contain all things necessary for salvation, that they are the sure palladium of a Christian, and his title-deeds to eternal life; and it also says, that in this sacred volume, are to be included all the books of whose authority, was never any doubt in the Church. Now, it is also plain from what I have advanced, (and find me a person who can overturn by solid argument what I have advanced,) it is plain, I repeat it, that your Church has both falsified the text of the Scripture, and expunged from her Protestant Canon, many books, whose authority and divine inspiration, were held by antiquity in the greatest veneration. Now, most Reverend Gentlemen, do tell me what the people are to do. On the one hand, your Church tells the people, there is no salvation without the Scripture: and on the other hand, your Church has falsified the text, and also expunged from her Protestant Canon, many inspired Books of the Scripture. Really, can you obtain the possession of property by corrupt and mutilated title-deeds? Certainly not. How, then, are your people to obtain eternal life by your false, and mutilated title-deeds of the Scripture? Really, most Reverend Gentlemen, if the prejudices of my popish education do not strongly deceive me, your Protestant mutilation of the Scripture, and your Sixth Article, are pregnant with the most paradoxical consequences. O how justly may I apply to your Scriptural Church, the observations which a distinguished minister of the Church of England, applied to the operations of the Bible Society; these are his words: "Surely, it is enough to make a Christian's blood run cold, to think of the sacrilegious presumption of a Society, which dares thus to tamper, and trifle with the revelation of the Almighty, and dares publish to the heathen, and attempt to pawn upon its credulous supporters, these schoolboy exercises of its agents, as the Sacred Word of God! It is the circulation of such translations as these, that, more than once, at the meetings of this Society, have been blasphemously compared to the miraculous gift of tongues. And such a system is supported, and such comparisons applauded by many, who, on other occasions, lay claim, and justly, to the characters of piety and intelligence."[M] O how justly might he have applied these observations to his own Church.[N]

We have now seen, most Reverend Gentlemen, the falsification, and mutilation of the Sacred Scriptures, by the Protestant Reformers. Your Sixth Article tells the people, that the Scriptures are the only means of salvation; but of course, she must mean correct copies, and authenticated translations of those sacred volumes. Now, what are the people to do for eternal life, placed as they are, on the one hand, between your falsified, corrupt, and mutilated Scriptures, and on the other hand, the absolute necessity (according to your Sixth Article) of culling their religion from the Scriptures? But, as there is no hope of salvation, for the people in this awful fix, do you think, you could raise a church for the people, instead of these falsified scriptures? But then, it is evident, that you cannot raise that church, on the frail foundation of these falsified, and mutilated scriptures. Really I am sorry, that I declined the assistance of the Spanish chemist, as he might, perhaps, have thrown some new light, on this subject by his wonderful chemical operations. O! but a very bright idea, has just popped into my mind, that your Protestant prayer-book, was first made 'by the aid of the Holy Ghost, and for the honour of God.' Surely, we shall now succeed, by the aid of the Holy Ghost, and for the noble object of God's honour. Well, then, we will now see, how this prayer-book, was first made by men, 'aided by the Holy Ghost, and for the honour of God;' we will then see, how these very men who at first declare, that this prayer-book, which was made by the aid of the Holy Ghost, and for the honour of God, afterwards most solemnly swear, that all these inspirations of the Holy Ghost were heretical, and contrary to true religion, and then, how they bring back this prayer-book, and enact the most severe penalties on all, who will not adopt its use.

In the reign of Henry the Eighth, the faith of Protestantism, and defection from the Catholic faith, first partially began. In the reign of his son, Edward VI., Protestantism, made a-head, and Catholicism, rapidly declined. It was in the reign of this youth Edward VI., (only eleven years of age,) that the Protestant prayer-book, was made by Act of Parliament. In the preamble of this Act (i. & ii. Edward VI.) we are informed that Edward (only eleven years of age) appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury, and others, who, "aided by the Holy Ghost, and for the honour of God," made this prayer-book. Take notice that this Act (i. & ii. Edward VI.) declares, that this Protestant prayer-book, was made by these men, "aided by the Holy Ghost, and for the honour of God." This Act of Parliament, provided also, that if any clergyman, refused to use this prayer-book, in the public service, he should, for the first offence, forfeit to the King one year's income of his benefice, and be imprisoned for six months; for the second, he should be deprived of the whole of his benefice, and be imprisoned for one year; and for the third offence, he should be imprisoned for his whole life. But this Act, was not confined merely to the clergy, it extended also to the laity. It enacted, that if any layman, should by interludes, plays, songs, rhymes, or by other open words, declare, or speak anything to the derogation of the said common prayer-book, penalty after penalty, was to follow, until he had forfeited all his goods, and chattels to the King, and to be imprisoned for life. Such, was the first formation, of your Protestant prayer-book, as the Act of Parliament, (i. & ii. Edward VI.) plainly shews.

Now, let us see the result, in the next reign. Edward died seven years afterwards, and was succeeded by his sister, Mary, who was a Catholic. Almost, as soon as Mary had ascended the throne, the very men repeal the whole of the famous Act, for making the common prayer-book, and that too, on the grounds that this prayer-book, was contrary to true religion, although, in the former reign, they had solemnly declared, they had been assisted, "by the Holy Ghost" in the making of this prayer-book; they also abolished all the pains, and penalties, which they had enacted, in the former reign, against the clergy, and laity, for not using this common prayer-book, and this too, on the express ground, that they had been for years, wandering in error, and schism, although, they had had the barefacedness to assert, in the previous reign, that the Holy Ghost, had assisted them in the formation of this common prayer-book.

Well, Mary died about five years afterwards, and was succeeded by her sister Elizabeth, who was at first a Catholic, but shortly turned Protestant. Now the second Act of this Queen, (i. Eliz. chap. 2.) brought back again, this prayer-book. In Mary's reign these very men, had abolished this very prayer-book, as schismatical, they now recall this common prayer-book, and inflict the most severe penalties, upon all, who will not use it, in the public service. For the first offence, it was now enacted, the clergy were to forfeit a year's income, and be imprisoned for a year; for the second offence, they were to forfeit all their incomes, and be imprisoned for life, for refusing to use this common prayer-book, in the public service. The people also, were compelled on Sundays, and holydays, to attend the Church, and to use this common prayer-book, under various penalties, and in failure of paying these penalties, they were to be imprisoned. Bishops, Archdeacons, and other Ordinaries, were to have power, to inflict these punishments. Really the conduct of these men, is, so inconsistent and monstrous, that if we had not Acts of Parliament for it, I should have been afraid to state it, upon any other authority. In the reign of Edward, these very men make the common prayer-book, and declare it a work of the Holy Ghost, and for the honour of God; then, in about seven years afterwards, in the reign of Mary, they declare this book to be schismatical, and contrary to true religion, although in the former reign, they had asserted, it was a work of the Holy Ghost, and for the honour of God; and then in about five years afterwards, these very men recant again, recall this prayer-book, and inflict the most severe pains, and penalties, both on clergy and laity, who refuse the use of it. Most Reverend Gentlemen, may I ask you, what kind of a prayer-book, must that be, which was made by these inconsistent, and monstrous men? and yet, such is your Protestant prayer-book, of the Church of England as by Law established.

But some of you reverends, will perhaps reply, really, Sir, it is too bad of you, thus to lower our Protestant Prayer-book, for we Protestants all know, how many beautiful, and admirable parts there are in that Church Prayer-book. Most Reverend Gentlemen, before I answer this objection, we must quietly trace back our steps to the Spanish chemist. Of course, I have forbidden myself the application of his wonderful, chemical operations to your Church. But then, you yourselves can apply them, and judge whether there really is, any analogy or not, between his chemical operations, and the spiritual works of your scriptural Church. Well, then, I have shewn you, what a beautiful Church God and Jesus Christ first built; and I have shown you the sure, and infallible foundation of that Church, which was to be perpetuated from age to age, with the world for its boundaries, and time for its duration. I have shewn you, how, in the sixteenth century, arose a body of men, the most audacious, and strange spiritual chemists, that the world ever beheld, whether you consider the spiritual instructor of some of them, or whether you consider the strange doctrines they advanced, and the barefaced manner, in which they defended, and propagated their new-fangled ideas. I have shewn you, how these strange spiritual chemists, wished to demolish God's infallible Church, how they cut it into pieces of universal and damnable idolatry, how then, they put these various parts into the sublimatory glass of falsification, and mutilation of God's word. You then saw, how these spiritual chemists, and their followers, have been trying in vain, for these three hundred years at least, to collect, and unite, and form these various parts of Christ's Church (which according to their bare assertion, had fallen into error), into a more perfect, and durable form, than that which God had first given it. You have seen, how these Protestant children of the Reformation, honoured England with a Protestant Prayer-book, the formation of which, almost defies all the power of credibility; and were there not Acts of Parliament to show this, it would be an insult to any Englishman, to assert such a thing in his presence. Now with all these facts before you, is there not a great analogy, between the outrageous conduct of your Church, and that of the Spanish chemist, who destroyed his master, with the design of raising him, to a more perfect and durable state, than that which God had first given him?

I ask you, most Reverend Gentlemen, with all these awful and incontestible facts before you, will your Protestant Church, ever be able to raise Christ's Church, to as perfect and as durable a state, as she is now, and was then, when you withdrew from her? Your Protestant Church has been trying her hand, at this work of reformation, for more than three hundred years, and still she is something like the Irishman's wife: Pat got married, and in about three months after, went to the priest, and said, "Plaise your reverince, you didn't marry me and my wife rightly." "Well," asked the clergyman, "how did I marry you wrongly?" "Plaise your reverince, didn't you say, I was to take my wife for better, and for worse?" "Certainly," replied the priest. "Now, plaise your reverince, she's all worse, and no better." Really, how justly may we apply this to your Church of England as by law established. In short, this country, the wonder of the world in commerce, in the arts and sciences, in the extent of her navy, and the power of her army, this wonderful nation, presents, in point of religion, a confused medley of every sort, and of every form of worship, a perfect chaos of doctrines, in which every one plunges, and tosses, dogmatizing as fancy or feeling directs. In consequence of this confusion of religious opinions, men know not, to whom to listen, what to believe, or what to do. This confusion of religious opinions, and doctrines, commenced with the Reformation, and has continued, and daily increased ever since. O how justly did a chief of the savages, address, near Boston, a missionary, who had gone with his Bible, to convert the pagans of that country. "How," asked this chief, "can your religion be the true one, since you white men do not all profess the same? Agree among yourselves in this point, and then we will attend to you." (Phil. Gaz. Nov. 1817.)

But some of you reverends, will ask again: Really, sir, do you pretend to assert, that our Common Prayer-book, and that our Protestant Church, do not contain any spiritual treasures? I answer, that in all counterfeit coin, which is well executed, the gold is often laid on the base metal rather thickly, and with great ingenuity. Now, this is the case with your counterfeit prayer-book, and with your counterfeit religion. Whoever will take the pains to examine carefully, the strange mixture of good, and of evil, which is to be found in your Protestant Prayer-book, and in your Protestant religion, will, at first, stand astonished, but his astonishment will soon cease, when he finds that the little good which is in them, flows from the Church of Jesus Christ, which you formerly left, and that the evils with which they abound, flow from the inventions and the ingenuity of man.

Allow me to give you a few instances of this. In the Apostles' creed (and in your Thirty-nine Articles you admit this creed as the word of God), you profess to believe, in the Holy Catholic Church. Now, this is the real word of God, which your Church admits; but then, you also solemnly declare, that you believe in your hearts, and from your soul, that the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church is idolatrous. Now this is the mere human invention of your Protestant Church. Now when these two doctrines, the one from God, and the other from man, are brought in contact, let us see what sad consequences they make with you, and your scriptural Church. You profess to believe, in the Catholic Church; but Catholic, means universal, and as the Roman Catholics form the greatest body of Christians, their Church only, can be the Catholic, or universal Church; for Catholic, and universal, mean the same thing. But mind, you destroy this Catholic or universal Church. How? Why you swear, that her doctrine is idolatrous. How, then, can she be holy? Thus, you see, by joining in religion the word of God, with the inventions of man, you destroy (though perhaps without intending it) the holy Catholic Church, in which you profess to believe.

I will now give you another instance. At the end of the Communion Service of your Common Prayer-book, I find these words: "It is hereby declared, that thereby no adoration is intended, or ought to be done, either unto the sacramental bread or wine, there bodily received, or to any corporal presence of Christ's natural flesh and blood. For the sacramental bread and wine, remain still in their very natural substances, and therefore, may not be adored, for that were idolatry, to be abhorred of all faithful Christians." Of course, the plain meaning of these words is, that Jesus Christ is not present in the Lord's Supper, and therefore, it would be a great crime to there adore him. But, what does your Church Catechism (which is in your prayer-book) teach children on this subject? Why, it asks them, "What is the inward part, or the thing signified?" Your Church Catechism answers: "The Body and Blood of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken, and received by the faithful, in the Lord's Supper." Now this declares, that our Saviour, is really present in the Lord's Supper, for how can you really, and indeed take Him, and receive Him, if He is not really there? Thus, in one part of your prayer-book, you solemnly declare, that our Saviour is not present, in the Lord's Supper, and therefore it would be idolatry there to adore him; but in another part of the same prayer-book, you teach children that He is present; and that they verily and indeed take Him and receive Him in the Lord's Supper. The Act of Parliament of Edward VI., for the making of this Common Prayer-book, declares it to be a work of the Holy Ghost; but I hope you will excuse me for saying, that I think it was a very curious Holy Ghost, and whether it was black, or white, really I have not sufficient of the prophet in me to divine. But how was this manifest contradiction, introduced into your prayer-book? Why, I will tell you; the doctrine of the real presence of our Saviour in the Blessed Sacrament, had been believed by the great body of Christians, ever since the time of our Saviour, until the Reformation. Luther and Zuinglius, indeed, as you know, were convinced by the devil, that our Saviour was not present in the Blessed Sacrament, and that, therefore, it would be idolatry to believe it; but then, how were they to manage to substitute their new-fangled opinions, for the constant belief of all former christian ages? Why, they made flesh and fish of them; they mixed together again the word of God with the inventions of man, and then, thought that the people's orthodox stomachs, would swallow better their new-fangled religious ideas.

But, what has often amused me the most, in your scriptural Church, is this; you solemnly declare, that the doctrine of Catholics, is idolatrous; but, should any of these poor Catholic sinners, condescend to lay their idolatrous bones, in any of your churchyards; what do you then declare? Why, that you commit to the dust, this Catholic, (who according to you during life has been a most idolatrous sinner,) "in the sure, and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ;" for you would thus pray: "O merciful God, we meekly beseech Thee, that when we shall depart this life, we may rest in Him (Christ) as our hope is, this our brother doth." Thus you tell us, that during life, we Catholics live in the horrible sin of idolatry, and then, after death, you are willing to commit us, for a comfortable fee, "to the dust, in the sure, and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Again, you often warn the people, against the idolatrous practice of praying to the Saints, and assure the people, there is only one mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ. And yet, on Sundays, you have no difficulty, in recommending the sick, to the prayers of the faithful. But, why should you do this, when according to you, there is only one mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ? If you can thus ask the prayers of the faithful, without injuring the mediation of our Saviour; why cannot the Catholic, ask the prayers of the Saints, without injuring the mediation of Jesus Christ? O! but you will say, the Saints, and Angels cannot hear our prayers. Well but does not the Scripture tell us, "that the devil goes about, like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour," and does not our Saviour say, "there is more joy in heaven, over one sinner doing penance, than over ninety-nine just?" It appears, therefore, the devils know, and hear what is passing upon earth, and why should not the saints and angels of God? Nay, it is evident, they must know and hear things, which are passing upon earth, otherwise how could they rejoice in heaven, on the conversion of sinners on earth?

But, as you boast so much of the admirable, spiritual treasures of your prayer-book, and of your scriptural Church, just tell me, most Reverend Gentlemen, why they have never yet, been able to produce a single saint? The Scripture, tells us, that a tree, may be known from its fruit. And yet, among all the rich spiritual treasures, of your prayer-book, and of your scriptural Church, for these three hundred years, you have never yet produced a person, who, on account of his virtue and piety, has been honoured by posterity with the name of saint. Nay, so great is your poverty in this respect, that your Church, has been obliged to steal Catholic Saints, and barefacedly insert them, in your Protestant calendar. Really most Reverend Gentlemen, your scriptural Church, is of a very strange texture. I have shewn you above, how remarkable she has always been for forgery; I have also shewn you, how she unjustly robbed the poor of their just rights, and how, she has endeavoured, by all means possible, to rob us of the honourable name of Catholic; and how, she has stolen many of our great Catholic Saints, and presumptuously inserted them in her Protestant calendar. Really, Gentlemen, may I not exclaim with the poet—

But, Sir, if the Protestant prayer-book, and the Protestant religion, be such a monstrous compound of inconsistencies and errors, as you would fain lead us to suppose, pray tell us, why England, was so foolish, as to renounce the Catholic, and embrace the Protestant faith? The answer to this objection I would most willingly waive, as it would lead me into a field of persecution, and cruelty, over which my feelings would not wish to travel. But as the answer to the above objection, has been so ably given, by a Protestant member of Parliament, to a Protestant Lord, I think I cannot do better, than give it in his own words. And mind, when you read this letter, you must not imagine, that you are reading the mere opinions of this writer; no, the opinions which he there states, are incontestible facts, which stand, almost as large as life, in our English Statute-Book; and are there, recorded so plainly, that no man in his senses, can have the presumption to deny them. I beg leave, therefore, to lay before you, the following letter, of a Protestant member of Parliament, to a Protestant lord, on the present subject; and I am sure, that the incontestible facts, facts of our own English Statute-book, there stated, will convince you, how England once Catholic, was brought over to Protestantism.

A LETTER TO LORD TENTERDEN, LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF ENGLAND.

April 6th, 1829.

"My Lord,

"I have read the report of your Lordship's speech, made on the 4th instant, on the second reading of the Catholic Bill, and there is one passage of it on which I think it my duty thus publicly to remark. The passage to which I allude relates to the character of the Law-established Church, and also to the probable fate that will, in consequence of this bill, attend her in Ireland.[O]

"Now, with very sincere respect for your Lordship, I do think it my duty to the people of this country, to show that the character which you have given to the Church of England as by law established, is not correct; to show that she is not, and never has been, tolerant in matters of religion; and is not, and never has been, favourable to civil liberty. In short, with most sincere respect for your Lordship, with greater respect for you than I have ever had for any public functionary in England, and with the greatest admiration of your conduct in your high and important office, with all these, I think it my duty flatly to contradict your Lordship with regard to the character of this Church, and especially in the two particulars mentioned by you. I do not charge you with insincerity: for why should you not be in error as to this matter, when I know that twenty or thirty years ago I myself should, in a similar case, have said just what you have now said on this subject? Nevertheless, it being error, and gross error too, and I knowing it to be error, I am bound, in duty to my readers, to expose the error; and I am the more strictly bound, because this error coming from you, is the more likely to be widely spread.

"First, then, my Lord, let us take your proposition, 'that there is no Church so tolerant as this.' I am sure your Lordship has never read her history; I am sure you have not; if you had, you never would have uttered these words. Not being content to deal in general terms, I will not say that she has been, and was from her outset, the most intolerant Church that the world ever saw; that she started at first, armed with halters, ripping-knives, axes, and racks; that her footsteps were marked with the blood, while her back bent under the plunder of her innumerable innocent victims; and that for refinement in cruelty, and extent of rapacity, she never had an equal, whether corporate or sole. I will not thus speak of her in general terms, but will lay before your Lordship some historical facts, to make good that contradiction which I have given to your words. I assert that this Law-Church is the most INTOLERANT Church I ever read or heard of; and this assertion I now proceed to make good.