Note L — AN ADDRESS TO THE CLERGYMEN OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

But some will perhaps ask, why did the first reformers inveigh so much against Purgatory and Prayers for the dead? Why the first reformers liked spiritual commerce, without duty if they could only contrive it. Now, as a remuneration for Prayers for the dead, our charitable ancestors had left certain handsome sums of money; now these reformers liked the money, but not the obligation of the Prayers; and, therefore, they inveighed right lustily against the Prayers, but took care to slyly pocket the money. But when this spiritual commerce could not be carried on unless the duty was performed, they very kindly retained the popish practice, and thus secured the money; witness the tolling of the bell for persons just dead, the churching of females, and of burying the dead. These and other are in reality the remnants of popish ceremonies, and the performance of them inspire on the Catholic mind devotional feelings; but by Protestants are, in general, looked upon very lightly, in a spiritual point of view. But then take away these popish ceremonies, and off flies the fee. Will the fee for baptism be now demanded, as baptism has been lately declared to be an unnecessary act of religion in the Protestant Church? Our Saviour said to His Apostles, "Go, teach all nations, baptizing them," (that is, all nations,) but the Protestant Church says to her ministers, "Go teach all nations," but as to the absolute necessity of baptism, our Saviour must have been wrong, and, therefore, go please yourselves about it.