towards the world, by absolutely recommending AS A VIRTUE THE MOR

TIFYING OF OUR UNDERSTANDING.

Now what part of our nature, is to set up and mortify our reason? It must be some part that is not reasonable, and therefore the recommendation of Saint Philip is absurd. Reason is to be governed, by what is not reason! Protestants may be unable to believe that such things are taught expressly by a canonized saint, whose works are recognized by the Church which canonized him; and who is the founder of a flourishing Roman sect, the Oratorians.

And whilst Protestants may find it hard to believe this, Romanists would not scruple to deny it, unless they feared that St. Philip's book was at hand, to give them an opportunity of blushing. But this little book from which we are now quoting, "the Maxims and Sayings of St. Philip Neri; arranged for every day in the year, and adapted to the feasts of the Church, from the Italian, by the Rev. F. W. Faber, WITH AUTHORITY;" is surely authority enough. Besides this part of the title page, there is a device with this circular motto, "Sancte Wilfride Ora pro Nobis." Holy Wilfrid pray for us. Mr. Faber's preface is dated "St. Wilifrid's, Feast of St. Bridget."

These are illustrious persons; and the book (which may be carried in the waistcoat pocket) is published by Thos. Richardson and Son, London. Our readers may therefore easily carry about with them this little pocket companion, and point out to Romanists, the passages we have referred to, as well as the following, which crown the whole by taking away the crown of reason, the crown of humanity, that in our imbecile condition, we may prostrate ourselves before the priest, "And crown HIM Lord of all.

June 28.-"Those who pay a moderate attention to the mortification of their bodies, and direct their main intention To MORTIFY THE will and UNDERSTANDING, even in matters of the slightest moment, are more to be esteemed than they who give themselves up exclusively to corporal penances and macerations."

July 29.-" A man OUGHT TO MORTIFY HIS UNDERSTANDING in little things, if he wishes easily to mortify it in great ones, and to advance in the way of virtue." (!)

Aug. 22.-"A man should not so attach himself to the means as to forget the end; neither must we give ourselves so much to mortify the flesh as to forget to mortify the brain, which is the chief thing after all."

Nov. 5.-"THE SANCTITY OF A MAN LIES IN the breadth of three fingers, (the forehead,) that is to say, in MORTIFYING THE UNDERSTANDING, which would fain reason upon things."

We shall take advantage of some observations that have already appeared on these and similar maxims, in the fourth "Oration to the Oratorians," the first of which was noticed in our last number.

Speaking of Father Newman's doctrine of persecution, the Protestant orator proceeds

"To prevent the occurrence of persecution,' observes the Father, 'she (meaning the Church) must head a movement which it is impossible

* Orations to the Oratorians, being a Supplement to the Rev. Dr. Newman's Lectures on Catholicism in England;" by the Rev. BREWIN GRANT, B.A. London: Ward and Co. Twopence each.

to suppress,'-and then there will be no persecution, for she will effectually suppress all heretical thoughts, crucify reason in the cradle, make all men religiously imbecile, and then there will be no one possessing sense, soul, or courage to encounter persecution. And this will be the Millennium for which St. Philip, of Neri, the patron saint of the Oratorian, seems to long,-in his 'Maxims and Sayings,' where he tells us that, in order to be really obedient [i. e. to our human superiors] it is not enough to do what obedience demand, we must do it without reasoning upon it.' (Jan. 22.)

"And again, a man ought to MORTIFY HIS UNDERSTANDING, in little things, if HE WISHES TO MORTIFY IT IN GREAT ONES, and to advance in the way of virtue.' (July 29) In other words, according to St. Philip, the greatest saint is the greatest fool,—having a mortified understanding! Now the Bible tells us to mortify our lusts, and to use our understandings; nevertheless says Paul, in malice or wickedness be ye children, BUT IN UNDERSTANDING BE YE MEN. The priests cannot understand this; they translate it,-in understanding be ye children, and by this they mean childishness! "The scrupulous,' says Dr. Newman's St. Philip, 'should remit them always and in everything to the judgment of their confessors, and accustom themselves to have a contempt for their scruples.' (May 11.) St. Paul says, 'whatsoever is not of faith, is sin; let every one be fully persuaded,' and respect his scruples, which St. Philip says we are to despise. Neither must we,' says the sainted Philip, 'give ourselves so much to mortify the flesh as to MORTIFY THE BRAIN, WHICH IS THE CHIEF THING after all.' (Aug. 22.) So the one thing needful for a Romanist is to clear out his brain pan, and make room for Romanism, by having first an empty head: so writes the saint whose picture hangs over Dr. Newman's head. Whether the Doctor has taken the advice, is for him to say; but he assures us, that only a Catholic can understand Catholicism, in other words, we must lose our understanding before we can understand it. Such are the Logical consistencies of the Romanist's view.' St. Philip says, 'THE SANCTITY OF A MAN LIES in the breadth of three fingers (the forehead,) that is to say, IN MORTIFYING THE UNDERSTANDING, which would fain reason upon things.' (Nov. 5.) And this he says, in his meditation for the fifth of November, gun-powder plot day. This is a more horrible plot, to blow up man's reason, or in the physical language of the saint, to mortify man's brains by blowing them out! What a dear, good saint; how well he mortified his understanding. The great means of this mortification is implicit faith in our confessor, and this is a grand proof of the state of that three-fingered' region.

1

6

"When we go to confession,' observes our patron, we ought to persuade ourselves TO FIND JESUS CHRIST IN OUR CONFESSOR: (Dec. 2) and see the blessedness of this blasphemous persuasion, whoever is directed by his spiritual superiors, as our most dear son' in Satan, the Bartholomew butcher, he,' says the patron of lies, the patron of the Oratorians, he who always acts in obedience [i. e. to spiritual superiors]

MAY REST ASSURED THAT HE WILL NOT HAVE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIS ACTIONS TO GOD.' (Feb. 4.)

1 Cor. xiv. 20.

"May he rest assured of this,-then Paul is a liar, for saying that we must ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ, to give an account of EVERY DEED done in the body, whether it be good or bad. Is not this a magnificent instrument of tyranny, the very secret of persecution, that our spiritual advisers can thus take our sins upon themselves, and not even absolve us, but what is more infamous, ungodly and diabolical, remove our responsibility? But what does the Scripture say to victims of auch shameless deceivers of the nations? 'Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap.'*

"What then shall this founder of the Oratory reap, who sowed lies? What is the true divine answer to this glozing sophistry of these Oratorians, in their opposition to our private judgment and their denial of the judgment of God,-two Roman heresies which go together, denying man's liberty and God's exclusive prerogative? There is but one answer, - So then EVERY one of us shall GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF to God! -(Rom. xiv. 12.) May we have Christ now, as our "only hope," and then we shall rejoice at his appearing to judge the world by his word.

"Thus far we see how Dr. Newman would free Protestantism from the logical inconsistency of persecution, that we may join THAT PARTY IN

WHICH IT IS LOGICALLY CONSISTENT.

"And if, as his whole argument implies, persecution be an inconsistency with us, but a consistency with him, it follows, that persecution is a logical element of his religion, which religion (according to Philip, the founder of the Roman sect of the Oratory) has no logic in it, but requires the absence of brains or a mortified understanding, as the road to perfection in virtue, instead of the road to Bedlam. If Dr. Newman and his brethren be logically consistent with their founder, they should baptize the new Oratory, the New Asylum.' And if we need further proof of the lamentable mental condition of the founder of the Oratorian heresy, we need quote only one other passage, pointed out by a friend who kindly provided us with 'Philip's Maxims and Sayings.' It is the reflection, meditation, or spiritual food set down for the 4th of October; and the reader is directed in the preface, to read only one a day: it is called a repast. Now here is splendid entertainment: we ought to desire to be in such a condition, as to want sixpence, and not be able to get it.'

"Brothers of the Oratory, here is a 'philosophical difficulty,' to explain on what principle a man ought to be such an arrant booby? This St. Philip is your great light; but the light that was in him was darkness, and you rejoice in that darkness."

Need more be said, to convict St. Philip, and through him, the Roman Church, which sanctions his teachings, canonizes himself, and harbours his followers-to convict St. Philip and the Roman Church of teaching "doctrines of devils," denying God's word, dethroning man's reason, destroying man's responsibility to God, to set up the temple of superstition, in which the priest shall fill the shrine;-" who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that as God, he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God?" -(Thess. ii. 4.)

* Galatians vi. 7.

III.

STATESMEN'S RELIGION.

"EVERY PLANT WHICH MY HEAVENLY FATHER HATH NOT PLANTED, SHALL BE ROOETD UP." (Matt. xv. 13.)

In those who think a National Church right, Dissent is a sin; in those who think it wrong, silence is a shame.

THE REV. I. E. N. MOLESWORTH, D.D. AND HIS WESLEYAN

CONVERT.

A LITTLE Pamphlet with the following pithy title, "Go to Churchby W. G. formerly a Wesleyan," may amuse if not astonish our readers; it would be quite safe to print it without note or comment, though it is "published at the request of I. E. N. Molesworth, D.D., Vicar of Rochdale."

The Author gives a very interesting autobiography in his "preface:the sentiments contained in this Tract are those of one who had been brought up in the Wesleyan connexion. On arriving at years of maturity, he was enabled, by earnest prayer and a diligent study of the subject, to throw aside the prejudices of early instruction, to adopt the principles and services of the Church of England, and to seek admission into its communion, from a firm and decided conviction that the English Church is the true Apostolic branch of the Church of Christ in this country; that its teaching is the pure Christianity of the Bible; that in principle and practice, it approaches more nearly to the primitive Church than any other; and that, consequently, its claim to be received as a correct standard of faith is superior to that of any other system.

W. G." This preface may teach our Church friends to exclaim, "save us from our friends;" for the tone is an Oxford intonation; and the finger-post points to Rome.

The reasons why we should "go to church," are very discriminating and emphatic; they are marked off by numerals, and begin with 'Because-thus, "go to church,"

"I. Because in the authorized principles of the Church we meet with nothing but purely orthodox and evangelical Truth. The doctrines of the Holy Trinity; the natural sinfulness of man; the atonement of Christ; the influence of the Holy Spirit; justification by faith; the Sacraments, as means of grace; the necessity of good works, with the happiness of the righteous after death, and the eternal destruction of the finally im

penitent, are some of the leading principles the Church has derived from God's word."

Do the Wesleyans deny the Trinity and atonement? Then why not stop with them?

"II. Because of the suitableness and completeness, the Scriptural and devotional character of its Liturgy. In spirituality and tendency to assist the devotions, and promote the edification of the worshipper, it may fairly challenge a comparison with every other uninspired production. And in no other religious service whatever is so large a portion of the sacred Scriptures read. On some occasions nine chapters of the Bible are repeated during one service.”

It is a pity W. G.'s Wesleyan friends did not know about the Bible, or perhaps they also would have read it in their chapels. But we are to 66 go to church" again,

III. Because it is the only Protestant system which provides efficiently for public worship; that is, for the worship of God, in which the whole congregation is required publicly to join. In other systems, the minister alone worships publicly, and therefore sustains the part of a theatrical performer, rather than any thing else. Whereas, in the Church, provision is made for all to unite in prayer and praise."

By worshipping, our pamphleteer seems to mean speaking out; some Methodists do this.

"IV. Because of the Scriptural character of its mode of Church government, which is Episcopacy. No one can read the New Testament attentively, especially the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, without perceiving that the Episcopal form was sanctioned and adopted in primitive times by the Apostles themselves."

This is not doubted; but what is a bishop? Independency, is Epis

copacy.

"V. Because its ministers possess authority to dispense the word of God, and to administer the sacraments, derived in a direct line through the Apostles, from Christ himself, who alone has absolute authority in the Church; and who has given commission to his Apostles, and through them to their successors alone to the end of time, to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation to every creature under heaven.”

When did Christ give them this authority, and take it from others? "VI. Because, in separating from the Church, you render yourself guilty of the sin St. Paul refers to, when he requires "that there shall be no schism in the body.* By schism is meant the separation of one or more members of the Church from the rest, to form a distinct seet or party by themselves. [!!] And if separatists repudiate this appellation, on the ground that it refers to division in the Church, not to separation from it, I answer, that those who make a division in the universal Church are schismatics, those who separate from it are apostates. Under one or other of these denominations, those who separate must be classed." [Unfortunately, no one can separate from the universal Church, so we are safe.]

"Most of the differences now unhappily existing in the Establishment have arisen from the disposition manifested by some to sympathize with

1 Cor. xii. 12-27.