diously the system of doctrine and practice maintained by the church of Rome. 1. The word popery I was unwilling to employ : both because I have no inclination to give needless offence; and because the marked difference of opinion in regard to the papal authority, which subsists between the Cisalpines and the Transalpines, has rendered that word not universally proper. 2. On the other hand, the word catholicism 1 could not employ: because such a term, when nakedly and exclusively applied to the theological system of the western Latin church, has always appeared to me most singularly incorrect. That the Latins are catholics in the same sense that the Greeks and the Armenians and the Syrians and the Abyssinians and the English are catholics; in other words, that the Latins constitute one of the many branches of Christ's Universal Church; I am far from wishing to deny: but when a generic name is applied specifically to a single particular branch, this palpable inaccuracy of nomenclature can only produce a correspondent erroneousness of conception. The name catholic belongs EQUALLY TO ALL the members of Christ's catholic church, wherever dispersed and however distressed. Hence a name, which belongs EQUALLY TO ALL whether oriental or occidental, cannot be correctly employed, as the special and exclusive and descriptive appellation of a PART only because, when the term is thus used, the common character of catholicism is by implication denied to every christian, who happens not to be a member of that provincial western church which is in com munion with the bishop of Rome, and which acknowledges him as its chief or patriarch. 3. Rejecting then the two words popery and catholicism for reasons which to myself appeared fully sufficient, I have adopted the unexceptionable term Romanism and I wish to be understood as employing it to designate the peculiar system of doctrine and practice, which the church of Rome in all her branches maintains and inculcates. : IX. Not ignorant of the impatient indolence of an age which claims to have discovered the long hidden royal road to knowledge, I have laboured to be brief; yet, aware at the same time that in one mode only can the discussion be satisfactorily conducted, I have endeavoured to condense within small space no small quantity of matter. Should it please God to render this manual for the English laity extensively and permanently useful, I shall have my reward. The opprobrium is at least avoided, that the English clergy, by their silence, have accepted a Latin offer to spare them their embarrassment, and to accomplish their defective ministrations. LONG-NEWTON RECTORY, Sept. 17, 1825. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT, p. 35. Apostolic antiquity and unbending immutability are the peculiar boast of the church of Rome, p. 35. I. Its apostolic antiquity is no proof of its unbending immuta- II. In considering the difficulties of Romanism, it is equitable to hear a Latin himself propound his own scheme of doc- III. For this purpose, the bishop of Aire's Amicable Discussion, professedly addressed to the English laity, is adopted as a IV. The main object of this work is to proselyte the English laity, partly by rendering them dissatisfied with their own national church, and partly by a dexterous vindication of the system inculcated by the Latin church. Hence it may be viewed, as exhibiting the most favourable statement of The whole Romish controversy virtually hinges on the doctrine of the infallibility of the Latin church, viewed as claiming to identify herself with the catholic church, p. 39. I. Though by the Latin doctors the infallibility of the church is strenuously maintained, there is a difference of opinion as to where that infallibility resides, p. 39. 1. Popes have decided against popes, p. 40 2. Councils have decided against councils, p. 40. 3. The church of one age has decided against the 4. Councils have decided against Scripture, p. 48. (1.) Instance from the case of oaths which are ad- verse to ecclesiastical utility, p. 48. (2.) Instance from the case of the enforced celibacy II. The abstract arguments of the bishop of Aire in favour of ecclesiastical infallibility, cannot stand against the direct III. Remarks on the only true and legitimate mode of settling points of doctrine or of practice, p. 56. 1. Whatever cannot be proved from Scripture either explicitly or inductively, must be rejected, p. 56. 2. Whatever claims to be proved from Scripture rests, of necessity, upon the basis of the interpretation (1.) The Latin theory, that all interpretation must be regulated and fixed by the absolute autho- ritative decision of the church, p. 57. (2.) The vague and unsatisfactory theory, that interpretation depends wholly upon the exer- cise of insulated private judgment, p. 57. (3.) The only genuine and satisfactory theory of an THE DIFFICULTIES OF ROMANISM IN REGARD TO TRADITION AND THE DOCTRINAL INSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH, p. 64. The Bishop of Aire's vindicatory remarks on tradition and the doctrinal instruction of the church abound in fallacies, p. 64. I. Fallacy of the objection, that protestants receive some doc- trines of the Latin church, while they reject others, p. 64. II. Fallacy of the objection, against the principle of the English church, that nothing is to be enforced as an article of faith, save what can be proved from Scripture, p. 65. III. Fallacy in regard to the formation of the canon of Scripture, |