important its influence was in restraining the tyranny under which Europe had groaned for ages, and would still have groaned, but for the mighty power and influence of this Protestant kingdom. But under this controul the real character of Popery remained unchanged. A tiger in a cage cannot do much mischief, but he remains a tiger still. Woe, then, unto them who have unbarred the doors of his cage! for they are guilty of all the enormities which he may hereafter commit.-But a third cause of the delusion is, that the Church of Rome has become more specious and deceitful than before the Reformation. We have briefly pointed out, that the mere existence of a great Protestant power in Europe must have greatly affected, yea, entirely changed, the policy of Rome. In fact, it has obliged it to substitute craft and policy for domineering insolence. But the attacks of the Reformers upon its corruptions in doctrine and practice, and the setting up of the standard of Evangelical truth in so large a portion of Europe, compelled the advocates of Popery to do their utmost in giving the most specious appearance to the doctrines of their church, and to exert all their ingenuity and subtlety in palliating and defending its errors, so as to make them plausible. We have referred to the Council of Trent, as the period when this politic and deceitful system was adopted by the Romish church. We might have gone a little further back for it was in 1540, five years before the meeting of that council, that the order of Jesuits was established, for the express purpose of defending the Church of Rome against the attacks of heretics. What have been all along the principles of that order is in some measure known, insomuch that the name of Jesuit has become proverbial. Certainly its devotion to the Roman see, and the subtlety which many of its members have shewn, the perverted ingenuity and talent which they have exercised in putting a specious appearance upon abominations, have made that order a most useful servant to the Popish cause. We say, then, that since the time of the Reformation, and during that period in which Popery might seem to some to have been renouncing many of its grosser enormities, the fact is that all the abominations of Jesuitism have been added to its former unrepented atrocities; and as it has become more specious, it has become in reality worse, and not better. We observe, too, that, though some Roman Catholics seem to have no liking to the Jesuits, and profess to be of another school, the Church of Rome generally has become more and more Jesuitical in its conduct and statements, ever since the period to which we have referred. And of this the Digest contains abundant

proofs. We are not aware that any of the Roman-Catholic bishops examined are actually Jesuits, but certainly their conduct and answers throughout have been sufficiently Jesuitical. The Council of Trent used abundance of Jesuitical artifices on many points. For example, in the softened manner in which it stated the doctrine of indulgences, and those concerning saints and images: also, in the silence it observed concerning the supremacy of the Pope above general councils, and his personal infallibility; and in the dubious manner in which it expressed itself concerning some doctrines, respecting which Romanists were divided in opinion. All these things have served the purposes of deceit so far beyond what any mere human foresight could have conceived, that we do not hesitate to give the credit of them, not to the Pope, the cardinals, the bishops, or any or all the members of the council, but to the father of lies himself, under whose special direction and superintendence that council was convened and conducted. The Pope did his utmost to manage and controul it; but could not in all points make it serve his purpose: but it served Satan's purpose much more effectually than if this short-sighted mortal had carried every thing his own way. From that time to this there have been continual efforts made, by certain confidential writers of the Romish Church, to delude Protestants by means of softened statements of the most obnoxious of their doctrines, and to make us believe that the difference between Popery and Protestantism was not so great as the Reformers supposed or represented. But, strange to say, while some writers (such as Bossuet) were honoured and applauded by the Pope for such politic statements, other Roman-Catholic writers, who made the same statements in simplicity and good faith, were censured and punished! (See pp. 258-266.) What a horrible system of deceit does this indicate! Sometimes, indeed, we come to curious and important discoveries, by contrasting the declarations of the same individual under different circumstances. Take, for example, the following extract from the last chapter of the Digest, pp. 256-258.

Dr. Doyle's overture for the "re-union of the churches" is thus expressed in his letter to Mr. Robertson: 'I would presume to state, that if Protestant and Catholic divines of learning, and a conciliatory character, were summoned by the Crown to ascertain the points of agreement and difference between the churches, and that the result of their conferences were made the basis of a project to be treated on between the heads of the churches of Rome and of England, the result might be more favourable than at present would be anticipated. The chief points to be discussed are, the canon of the sacred Scriptures, faith, justification, the mass, the sacraments, the authority of tradition, of councils, of the Pope, the celibacy of the clergy, language of the liturgy, invocation of saints, respect for images, prayers for the dead. On most of these it appears to me

that there is no essential difference between Catholics and Protestants; the existing diversity of opinion arises, in most cases, from certain forms of words which admit of satisfactory explanation, or from the ignorance or misconceptions which ancient prejudice and ill-will produce and strengthen, but which could be removed: they are pride and points of honour which keep us divided on many subjects, not a love of Christian humility, charity, and truth.' Of the twelve points enumerated here, every one, but that of the authority of the Pope, is defined by the Council of Trent with scholastic nicety; and an anathema, which, according to Dr. Murray, is the official seal of infallibility, is annexed to every definition. As a specimen, the editor inserts one or two canons respect

ing the mass.

'If any one shall say that there is not offered to God a true and proper sacrifice, let him be anathema.' Conc. Trid. sess. xxii. cap. 9. can. 1.

'If any one shall say, that the sacrifice of the mass is not a propitiatory sacrifice, let him be anathema. Ibid. can. 3.

'If any one say, that the mass ought not to be celebrated in an unknown tongue, let him be anathema.' Ibid. can. 9.

So the council proceeds, through thirty or forty canons, pledging...........its own infallibility for every one, and passing sentence of anathema, that is, of excommunication, with all its consequences, upon those who should say, or (as it is added in many instances) those who should think, the contrary. These are the forms of words which, according to Dr. Doyle, admit of satisfactory explanation; and would be explained, only for pride and points of honour.

Such was Dr. Doyle in May 1824. In the December of the same year, he and the other prelates of his communion published a Pastoral Address to the Roman Catholics of Ireland, in which it is declared, that the Church (of Rome), like her Divine Founder, was yesterday, is to-day, and always will be, the same, until the consummation of ages; that she has condemned all other churches, herself uncondemned; and that those which she has condemned, are as so many withered and lifeless branches lopped from the parent tree.'

In April 1825, Dr. Doyle appeared before the Committees of both Houses, and protested that he had the highest respect and esteem for the Church of England.

In the September of the same year, he writes thus to the priests of Carlow:'The church at Trent invited the heretics of the sixteenth century to plead their own cause before the council; these blind and obstinate men refused to do so, but their cause was examined fully and dispassionately; sentence at length was passed, and the matter set at rest for ever. Causa finita est. It can never be revived: it hath seemed good..........to our fathers so to determine; and there can be no re-hearing of the case; there is no higher tribunal constituted by God, no one or many to whom a new issue could be directed for trial: "Whosoever will not hear the church, let him be as a heathen and a publican." Those who are cut off on account of their obstinacy may complain, but there is no remedy for them but in submission; the church may soothe, may explain; she may relax or alter her discipline, to favour their weakness or assist them to return, but the ONE FAITH she cannot alter........As to the consequences of separation from the church, it is not mine to state them, or to give expression to that deep affliction which the consideration of them excites within me. I once was moved by such reflections to suggest, through an eminent individual, to one of the highest states of the realm, a proposal for seeking to bind up that which has been broken, to heal that which has been infirm, and to bring back that which has strayed; but the spirit which was once sent to seduce Ahab, has been permitted to seduce many in this empire, and the term of his seduction has not yet expired: perhaps it will yet terminate; if it should, the means of grace and conciliation are at hand; if not, it is our duty to adore the counsels of that God, whose judgments are inscrutable, and whose ways cannot be investigated.'

We hope that this extract will suffice, as a specimen both of Romish immutability and arrogance on the one hand, and of Romish duplicity and insincerity on the other. We would gladly have transcribed the greater part of the last chapter, especially so far as relates to the "softened statements" of the Papists, as furnishing abundant proofs of that Jesuitism which characterizes them, and whereby (in addition to all the unrepented crimes of former times) they seem now to be filling up the measure of their iniquities. But though we have much more to say, we fear that few of our readers will have ears to hear. At this momentous crisis, when every thing relating to the doctrines, designs, and policy of the Church of Rome has become doubly, yea, tenfold, important, on account of the nearer contact into which we are brought with her, and the increased power and influence and opportunities of doing us mischief which are given her: at this time, when many who have even advocated the late measures confess that there is no hope or safety for the Protestant cause but in the increasing earnestness, zeal, and vigilance of the ministers of our church, rousing up themselves and others to the occasion: at this time, we say, we receive daily new proofs of the dreadful, deadly apathy and indifference which prevail. As the danger increases, men lie down to sleep, and stop their ears against the warning voice which would awaken them. The events which are now taking place in Ireland prove how vain and foolish it was, to expect any good effects from such wicked concession as has been recommended and practised: but men are so resolutely blind and deaf and stupid, that even facts like these will not make them to see, or hear, or understand. What is this but judicial blindness and infatuation? We see the gathering storm, and would warn our fellow-Protestants of their sinful neglect and abuse of their duties and their privileges, and of the judgments already begun, and of the danger of yet more fearful judgments which are the consequences of their sins. But if even these awful signs are disregarded, what avails it to lift up our feeble voice? We are warned to go more frequently and humbly to Him who will always hear, and earnestly to cry to Him, for ourselves and for our country, Lighten our eyes, lest we sleep the sleep of death!

But if any one will ask us, What ought we to do in these perilous and awful times? we reply, Study the subject deeply; read the volumes before us; get real and solid information on the true nature and designs of Popery; have your own mind and heart deeply impressed with the evils and abominations of the system. This is the first point. Then seek to inform others. If a minister of Christ, preach against Antichrist. Warn your

congregation against Popery, in such a manner as to point out to them the subtle workings of this mystery of iniquity in their own hearts. Shew how the Church of England is directly opposed to Popery at every point; and let them know, both by your preaching and example, what a true Protestant and a true Church-of-England-man is. Circulate tracts upon the subject: the Prayer-Book and Homily Society and the Tract Society have both published abundance to your hand. Distribute the Homilies of our Church, the writings of the Reformers, accounts of the lives and deaths of martyrs, and whatever else may excite them at once to " abhor that which is evil," and "cleave to that which is good." If you have Protestant feeling yourself, whoever you may be, and in whatever station, seek to stir up the same feeling in others. Above all, cry earnestly to God, to arise and plead his own cause, to confound his enemies, and scatter their devices; that men may know that He, whose name alone is Jehovah, is the most high over all the earth.

To conclude: if any one will yet imagine, in spite of all we have adduced and referred to, that the Church of Rome is improving, we can only refer to one plain scriptural principle, which settles the point, and shews that such improvement is impossible; for THUS IT IS WRITTEN: Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Tim. iii. 13.)

S.

THOUGHTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

(Continued from page 313.)

66

BY A CLERGYMAN.

LXXIII. CONCERNING the observance of the Christian Sabbath in the primitive church, I find in the Bible these things.— It was a day of assembly: "Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together." (Acts xx. 7.)

It was a day when the Lord's Supper was celebrated: “The disciples came together to break bread."

It was a day of preaching, or public discourses: "When the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them." It was not, apparently, when it could be avoided, a day of travelling: "Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the

morrow.

It was a day when each was to lay something by, for the relief of the poor saints: "Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store." (1 Cor. xvi. 2). This was no local custom, but a general ordinance: "As I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye." (ver. 1.)