prayer; by searching the Scriptures with a particular view to learning from them our own character; by direct views of the blessed Redeemer's character, sufferings and obedience as the only foundation of hope; and by studying to maintain a holy walk with God, and daily to grow in grace. How was it, my beloved friends, that the apostle Paul, and other primitive Christians, were able to decide with so much confidence that Christ and his great salvation were theirs? How did they know it, as they say with so much frequency and decision they did? Hear their own language. We know that we are of God, because we love God and keep his commandments: and again; we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us. And again; We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. And again; In this the children of God are manifest, he that doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. Are there any, then, now feeble, languid and doubting in regard to their good estate; ready to ask, how shall we gain assurance? I answer-get more religion. Strive to live nearer to God.-Be more conversant with the Bible, and the throne of grace-pray without ceasing, for more of the spirit of Christ. For, rely upon it, my dear friends, all that assurance which does not flow from growing evidence of sanctification is unscriptural and vain.

3. We may see from what has been said that it is very possible for some who ought to have the comfort of assurance, to deny themselves that comfort. Some have, no doubt, had all their spiritual hopes clouded by bodily disease. They have been so much under the influence of nervous or hypocondrical disorders as to give a melancholly cast to all their mental exercises. There are others who enjoy not the comfort of assurance from an entire missapprehension of the nature of that evidence on which assurance ought to rest. They seem to think, that there must be some voice; some light from Heaven; some sensible impulse, something, in short, addressed to the external senses, and thus banishing all doubt. But, nothing of this kind is taught in Scripture. Doubting, trembling soul! are you satisfied that you are sincerely and habitually resting on the merits of the Saviour as your only hope? Are you conscious of unfeigned love to him? Are you conscious that his cause and kingdom are dear to you "above your chief joy?" Are you certain that sin is your grief and your burden; and that it is your unfeigned desire to be delivered from its pollution as well as from its guilt? Can you say, that you have no doubt of any of these things? Then you ought to have no doubt that Christ and his salvation are yours, and will be yours forever.

4. But are there not some who, instead of being able to adopt the language of our text;-instead of knowing that "they are of God" -have rather reason to conclude with a confidence amounting to a dreadful assurance, that they are still aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenant of promise. They are conscious, perhaps, that they believe in the reality of religion, and that they respect it; but they are conscious, at the same time, that they are strangers to its sanctifying and consoling power. To such, if there be any of this character present, I would faithfully and affec

tionately speak My dear fellow mortals! if the conviction that this is your situation presses upon your minds, reject it not, turn not away from it, but dark and awful as the conclusion is, look at it often, solemnly, and with earnest crying to God for mercy. Recollect the consequence of living and dying in this state. Remember those tremendous words of our Saviour-if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. And, O my friends, what is it to die in your sins? It is to die with all your sins unpardoned; with all your corrupt nature unsanctified; under the power of that fleshly mind which is the essence of alienation from God; and which, if it be not removed, will inevitably press down your spirits to the prison of endless despair. Are you conscious, then, of living in a state in which, if you die, all this must be the consequence? And are you at ease in this awful condition? Is there no anxiety in contemplating it? Is there no falling tear; no heaving sigh; no secret groan; no crying to God over such a condition as this? O how great is the infatuation of men! May the Lord have mercy upon you, and open your eyes, and pluck you as brands out of the burning, and prepare you for the joys of his presence! Amen.

LITERARY HISTORY OF THE PAPAL CONTROVERSY.

GENTLEMEN,

No. 1.

It is matter for devout gratitude to God that he has been pleased within a very few years past-and not a little through your labors to awaken the attention of the American people, to the nature and evil designs of Popery.

This is under God, the great point. Let honest enquiry have a free course, and there is nothing to fear.

But still there are difficulties to be removed, though no obstacles that cannot be surmounted. One of the chief difficulties is the want of access to the proper sources of knowledge. The books are often not to be had-and indeed when they are, but few persons know which are able; which accredited; and which not. Such information is a great desideratum among us at this time. It is my purpose to attempt in some manner (through your pages) to supply their want, by pointing out the proper books, and giving some account of their character and contents. For the better distinction and recollection, we shall name six classes of books relating to the popish controversy, which is important to know something of, in order fully to understand it.

I. The first class consists of the accredited standards of Romanism—such as the Decrees of Councils, Bulls of Popes, authorized Catechisms, books of Devotion, &c. &c. These are avowedly infallible-on these the church rests her faith.*

*Books and Documents of a peculiar character which have all the sanction necessary to constitute Papal infallibility, and which enter into the essence of their systemand yet of which Papists are sufficiently ashamed to distinguish between this and the former class. These are the Taxae, the Indexes, the Lives of the Saints, the provincial fomularies, various legends, scattered traditions, books of devotion, books of discipline, &c. &c.

II. Standard writers of that communion, who though not inerrable, are endorsed by the universal, or very general approval of the church; such as Bellarmine, Thomas Aquenas, Dens, Baromies, &c. III. Impartial writers of that faith, "Honest Romans," who have dared to speak the truth-though devoted to the system; and have been denounced and blazoned in the index of the Pope, (as might have been expected) without mercy or measure.-These are such as the author of Onus Ecclesiae, (the noble Bishop of Saltzburg.) Pascal, Dupin, Thuanus (De Thou) Father Paul, (the historian of the Council of Trent) and a great number of the French Roman Catholics, who stood up for ages, for the liberties of the Gallican church against the encroachments of the Italian party, for treason, as it is to say it, there are parties in the Church of Rome!

IV. The whole tribe of Protestant writers, great without number, and without measure various in their points of attack, and degrees of merit.

VI. Writers incidentally illustrating the subject; often as much opposed to Protestantism, as to Popery-senters in history-as Gibbon,-Hume,-on politics-antiquity-criticism, &c. &c. whom it would be tedious to mention-and superfluous to say, often give very important evidence and illustration.

It will at once appear from the extent of this classification, that no one man can be expected to peruse all the books comprehended in it. The quintesence of the subject may be gotten from a very small number under each class. Every minister of the gospel ought to possess a compendious circle of works on this great controversy making a system, and embracing the substance of the matter. The laity may be supplied with all the essential works in a still smaller compass. If some enterprising publisher in our country, would throw into circulation, some twenty or thirty small, cheap volumes in the form of a Protestant Library, the good done would in all probability be immense. Most of the books are already prepared, and have been for ages;-the rest would chiefly need only some abridgement-and at most two or three original works, adapting the controversy to the present age, and to the American people, would be abundantly sufficient.-We sincerely hope that the growing demand for works on this subject, will force such a publication forth, in the course of trade, if not from the power of a public spirit among our publishers. It is in order to supply in some degree the lack of such a work, that we have now began a series of brief articles, in which we design to examine a few works under the several heads, and in the order mentioned above.

The first work which I shall present to your readers is the Catechism of the Council of Trent.-(Catechismus ad Parochas ex Decre to sacrosancti concilii Tredentini.)

The Council of Trent in its 24th session, passed the following decree: (as I give a translation by a Papal author, the Latin need "not be repeated)-"That the faithful may approach the Sacraments "with greater reverence and devotion, the Holy Council commands "all Bishops not only to explain in a manner accommodated to the "capacity of the receivers, the nature and use of the sacraments

"when they are to be received themselves, but also to see that every "Pastor piously and prudently do the same, in the vernacular tongue, "should it be necessary and convenient. This exposition is to ac"cord with a form to be prescribed by the holy council, for the ad"ministration of all the sacraments IN A CATECHISM which the Bish"ops will take care to have faithfully translated unto the vernacular "language and expounded to the people by all Pastors."

In the preface to this catechism, the compilers have said of the Reformers "besides those voluminous works by which they sought the subversion of the Catholic faith...... they also composed innumcrable smaller books; which veiling their errors under the semblance of piety, deccived with incredibie facility, the simple and the incautious." To remedy this evil which as they confess, was keenly felt, the Holy Fathers ordered this catechism to be compiled on the basis of the doctrine, set forth by the council, for the Parish Priests -that they might instruct the people.

The result was this catechism. It was laboriously and ably compiled by a few distinguished prelates-(four in number) and revised, and finally fitted for the press by the celebrated Poggiano. It appeared in the year 1560-under the pontifical sanction of Pius V. It is written of course, in the Latin language, but was very soon translated into the Italian, and several other languages; and in 1687 into English by John Bromley. In 1829, the Rev. Jeremiah Donovan, professor of Rhetorick in the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth, issued a new translation, (it has recently been republished in this country with the sanction of the Catholic priesthood) which for bare faced and innumerable frauds, has perhaps no parallel in this or any other age.

Though called a Catechism, yet being addressed to the Parish Priests, it was designed to teach the teachers, and is the best com pend of the papal system now extant.-Though guarded in its terrors and skilfully adapted to the circumstances of the age in which it appeared, it yet furnishes in a portable form, a summary of the essential errors of Popery.-It ought therefore to be in the hands of every minister of the gospel, in the original if possible, if not in translation. In the latter form it may be purchased for a few shillings, in any Roman Catholic bookstore.

Our object is not a minute review, and still less, any attempt at refutation. It is rather as historians than as critics or polemics that we now write, and even in this we must confine ourselves within very narrow limits.

This work (after a preface giving an account of the intention of the council, of the object and authority of the production, and its use and end) divides the whole subject matter, into four parts-the Apostle's creed, the Sacraments, the Decalogue, and the Lord's Prayer. Under these is comprehended the whole Papal system, not indeed without some forcing.

A few specimens of the character of the whole may suffice. On page 65 (for example)-in the edition of 1802, 1st part, chap. 10, sec. 9th, is the following decisive article "Haeratici vero atque schis mati, quia ab ecclesia desciverunt: neque enim illi magis ad écclesiam spectant, quam transfeugae, ad exerciturn pertineant, atquo defecerum

Non regandum, tamen, quin in Ecclesiae, protestate sint ut qui ab ea in judicium vocentur puniantur, et anathema te dam nentur,-"Heretics and Schismaticks, because they have separated from the church, and belong to her only as deserters, belong to the army from which they deserted. It is not however to be denied that they are still in the power of the church, as those who are liable to be called into judgment by her, to be punished, and to be denounced with anathema."

This is strong food for an American stomach;-bold claims to be promulged in a free land. All heretics and schismatics are deserters from the church of Rome-and may still be tried and punished, and cursed. What is meant by these terms is clearly seen by the scripture proofs cited in the margin.-Among others Rom. xiii. ch. 4 v. "For he beareth not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute the wrath of God against him that doeth evil. Protestants apply this to the civil magistrate, who alone has the power of life and death. Papists say, as we see above, that sword is in the hands of the church. Again, Deuteronomy 17 ch. 21 v. "And the man that will do presumptuously, and that will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die.”—That is, they claim as a church the same right over life, that was exercised under the Jewish theocrasy by priest or judge!

We have said above that Donovan's translation of this catechism, in use in this country, and recommended by the priests, was unparalleled for its frauds. Now for the proof. He translates the above passage, as follows: "It is not however to be denied that they are still subject to the jurisdiction of the church in as much as they are liable to have judgment passed on (their opinions) to be visited with (spiritual) punishments, and denounced with anathema." The words. marked in brackets are fraudulently interpolated, as any Latin scholar will see they do not belong to the sentence-and the scripture proofs cited in the books, expressly declare that it is not spiritual only, but the sword, and not for opinions only, but for disobeying the priest!

From the above we learn three important lessons

I. Forgeries and frauds for the good of the church are not sinful -the American Catholic priests who have recommended this author of course think so, for besides their recommendation, they have been fully told of this and other frauds in the discussion between Messrs. Hughes and Breckinridge-yet neither Mr. Hughes nor any other priest or prelate has confessed it or denounced it, though two years have passed.

II. We learn that the church of Rome is on principle, a persecuting church; that she avows-openly, and orders all her priests to teach this doctrine to all her people.

III. We learn from the above case that they are ashamed of this doctrine, and by fraud, conceal their true system. How can such men be trusted? How can we ever confide in their accounts of their doctrines and books? They say hear us, we hear them! and lo! they deliberately commit fraud on their own standards. Let us then hear their standards.

My next example shall be from the 1st part coNCERNING THE EUCHARIST:-chap iv. sec 33.