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suspicion. Perhaps, if a Christian and a divine, he will begin to wonder what can be the author's views concerning justification. On this subject, he will meet with such expressions as these:

As it is the multitude of individual sins, which make up the guilt of a nation, and draw down God's anger; so is it the multitude of individual repentances and amendments, which appease that wrath, and render the nation, through Jesus Christ, acceptable in his sight. p. 136.

In another place, where he proceeds to vindicate the views of justification held by the Church of Rome, the author writes thus:

He will remark therefore, that even if the Church of Rome or her writers professed, as they are charged with doing, the doctrine of justification by works alone, i. e. without grace, or without regard had to the merits of the Saviour, the ritual of that church would be a proof that there must be some error in their manner of stating their opinions; or that we must have misunderstood their statements. pp. 76, 77.

But no. The charge against Rome and her writers is not merely that they profess" the doctrine of justification by works alone, i. e. without grace." It is, that they should have mixed up works at all with the subject. Meanwhile, by the indistinctness of his language, the author leads us strongly to suspect, that his own doctrine is that of the Romanists, and not that of the Thirty-nine Articles: so that he succeeds, if not in clearing the Church of Rome, at any rate in fixing the character of his own theology.

Suspicion is still further excited in the work before us, by the manner in which the errors of the Romanists are extenuated. Thus, on the subject of prayers in an unknown tongue, it is said, "Perhaps in extenuation of the error it may be affirmed, that the evils consequent upon the practice are not so great as might be expected." (p. 37.) So also with regard to the withholding of the Scriptures :

The withholding the Scriptures from the people, is a point which has frequently called forth the unqualified condemnation of Protestants; and no terms have appeared to them strong enough to express their indignation. Yet, if the reasons which may fairly be supposed to weigh with a conscientious member of the Church of Rome to uphold and maintain their system, be impartially examined, it is thought that it will appear to have been too much insisted on. That the custom has a bad look, is unquestionable; as seeming to betray a wish for concealment, and for avoiding the light, which none but those who do evil desire: and the woe denounced by our Lord against the Jewish lawyers, for " taking away the key of knowledge" from the people, should induce the present rulers of the Romish Church to consider seriously and deeply, whether the reasons which lead them to this course are sufficient to warrant them in coming, even apparently, within the reach of that curse. But then, in their behalf let it be said, that when they see, as they do plainly and openly, the effects of the indiscriminate distribution of the Scriptures on some persons, &c. pp. 45, 46.

All this reads very strangely from the pen of a clergyman.So also the exceedingly cautious and qualified manner of condemning "the invocation of angels and saints."

The invocation of angels and saints, in use in the Church of Rome, and the respect paid to them, have often been brought forward against that church, as conclusive proofs of idolatry and false worship; and the excess to which, in many cases, the practice has been carried, does, indeed, seem to countenance the charge. p. 50.

Neither are our suspicions allayed by the great earnestness with which we are reminded that Rome is a true church. We are well aware that there are some senses in which this position may be vindicated with a shew of reason: but the assertion is seldom made without the practical effect of conveying erroneous views, and confounding truth and falsehood: and never, never, did we know an instance of its escaping the lips or the pen, without seeing the greatest grounds for suspecting far more in the heart than the words express.-Now our author, in avowing this opinion, does not mince the matter as some do, but employs the strongest terms.

The exercise therefore of this spiritual authority is not to be denied to the Church of Rome, which is undoubtedly a true and Apostolical branch of the Catholic Church. p. 99.

And again:

To consider them, as what undoubtedly they are, our kinsmen and brethren in Jesus Christ. p. 118.

So that the bond, it should seem, is not merely ecclesiastical, but spiritual. They are not merely a branch, but a true branch: "a true and apostolic branch of the church catholic." (p. 118.) Again :

So long therefore as the Church of Rome upholds the true, essential, and fundamental faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; in defence, and for the propagation of which, she has often shed her blood, and professes her willingness to do it again, if called on; so long will that true faith keep her safe and harmless from all such envenomed shafts of accusation: they will glance off without effect; or if they produce any, it will be to return and palsy the hands that threw them. p. 139.

Certainly this is more the language of vindication than of mere impartiality and charity and if published in an anonymous form, might be taken rather for the production of some RomanCatholic priest, than of a clergyman.

But the suspicions of the reader are further excited, when he finds the two churches represented in the work before us as about equally in the right: for example, in the rejecting, on the one side, and retaining, on the other, of auricular confession and indulgences.

But to return-If it may fairly admit of a doubt in the case of auricular confession, whether the Church of Rome in preserving the mutilated remains of

ancient discipline has, or has not, consulted more wisely for the interests of piety and true religion, than the Church of England, where even the appearance of that discipline is done away with; it may likewise be doubted by which of the two these interests have best been taken care of in the case of indulgences. p. 73.

And again :

On the whole then, if it may fairly admit of a doubt-a doubt the members of each will probably solve according to the respective prejudices of their education-which of the churches consults most wisely in her practice-. pp. 74, 75.

And, as the two churches are so much on a par, each having such good reasons for going an opposite way to the other, the idea naturally suggests itself, of a union between them, as between sisters, "who have been too long and too unhappily separated" (p. 33). This idea of union was one of the most offensive features in the work of the Rev. W. Harness, M. A. reviewed in our Tenth Number; but-such an amazing increase of effrontery has taken place in the interval-that work has now by no means a prominent character, but is thrown into the background, by another still more explicit.

Thus, with all the expressions of calmness and impartiality which abound in this publication, we are continually meeting with something that excites a slight suspicion. But we are not left to these suspicions long: for, as we proceed, the true character of the work comes fully out.

To one circumstance we have already referred-namely, that with so many pleas for peace and universal harmony, and with the incessant cry for charity, there appears from time to time a spirit of extreme bitterness and rancour, together with many most vituperative terms and imputations. This leads us at once to discover, that the cry for peace is a delusion. is a delusion. And we would recommend the test, as one of general application, and, in these hypocritical days, of great use. Mock-liberals in religion are constantly urging the plea of peace and charity: but the bitterness in their hearts is sure soon to betray itself in their words; and it speedily becomes apparent that there is a certain people, namely, the uncompromising advocates of pure religion, and a certain system, namely, the Truth, for which they feel no charity, and with which they desire no peace.

These terms of vituperation are directed, in the work before us, against the opponents of Popery; to whom our author seldom alludes, but in the language of contempt, exclusion, reprobation, or personal enmity and antipathy. We have even felt more than one suspicion, prompted perhaps partly by vanity, that our own humble periodical was occasionally the object of his strictures. And here we may observe, as a general circumstance, that in this age, when ideas are scarce, and literary plunder rife,

we have traced thoughts and expressions of our own in various quarters; in periodicals, on platforms, in newspapers; and we could but notice how many have stolen our words or suggestions, who have not thought fit to recognise our existence. And, forasmuch as we perceive ourselves, in more than one quarter, to be the objects of oblique attack, we beg that those who assail us, should our publication go on, will for the future designate us, (not adopting the clumsy expedient in the Gentleman's Magazine, of mutilating our title in return for ripping up their contents) and further, as we may not always hear of it, will send their work to our publishers, addressed to us, with the place turned down. We know that we are read by those by whom we are not named: but let them remember, that if they wish their arrow to tell, they must label it with some direction, by way of feather, to carry it steady to the mark.-Whether we, in the present instance, are aimed at or not, it is clear that there is enmity against the advocates of Protestantism in the heart; and therefore the cry of general peace and charity is at best unmeaning. The fact is, that in every question of real interest, the man who takes up an air of impartiality, takes up a false position. In questions of this kind, there is no such thing. Hence, as he proceeds, the fact must sooner or later come out. No one can long appear impartial, in a case where he is really interested. A friend to Popery, who wishes to write a book in its defence, may start by saying, in a tone of feigned indifference, Come, let us calmly look into this question: let us see what may be said on both sides;" but the plan, probably, will not answer. Either he will do the thing feebly, and the whole will come to nothing; or else he will kindle as he proceeds, let himself out, and stand discovered, ere he has done, a warm and eager partizan ;-which is what has happened in the work before us.

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But it is right that our readers should see for themselves the fruits of our author's charity, especially as the expressions to which we refer sometimes stand in near approach to others, in which charity is strongly recommended. Thus, he writes, It is but an ill sample of Christian charity in one party, and but a poor encouragement to it in the other, to introduce ill names into religious controversy. pp. 37, 38.

Yet, just after, he speaks of evils produced in the Romanists by their opponents, by means of "an ungenerous and vituperative hostility." (p. 38.) Is not this introducing ill names? Again, we are told, that

Mutual charges and recriminations can serve no purpose, but to keep alive those hostile feelings which all true Christians must wish to see rooted out. p.

103.

Yet in the page before we read about "certain hot-headed and violent persons" (p. 102). At another place, the alleged opinions of some Protestants are described as " monstrous, impious, and antichristian doctrines." (p. 122.)

With regard to a certain accusation against the Pope,

All the sharp-sightedness of hatred has been put into requisition to find materials for establishing the charge. p. 150.

Another assertion is

Such a manifest contradiction of terms, as hardly any thing but the infatuation of party spirit would lead a man to hazard. p. 151.

With regard to the assertions and motives of Protestant writers of the present day,

These facts prove the falsity of the assertion; and compel one to suspect that in many who make it, "their wish is father to their thought." p. 121. And again :

Persons may be forgiven, if they think that there is something else besides the difference in religion which excites this fierce and deadly hatred. p. 123.

Yet we are solemnly warned in another place, not to "impute ill motives" (p. 38.) Thus all this pleading for charity is a farce. In the present day we have too often found it so. Where speaking of Roman-Catholic wrath and bitterness, the author extenuates; where of Protestant, reprobates it. This is not the way to be impartial. Soon may we see more of true charity prevailing! There is indeed too little of it now: but in order that it may be brought forward into its proper place and influence, the present system of spurious charity, and false liberality, must be exposed, denounced, demolished, and exploded. If already it is growing stale, if already men are beginning to suspect and see through the fraud, this is no evil, but a great point gained.

We

But now, as to hatred, rancour, party-spirit, and the like.— Such hatred as we feel in this matter, let us not deny. hate Popery. We say not that we hate the Papists. But we hate Popery. We hate it, in the Church of Rome and out of it. We hate it among Dissenters. We hate it in the Church of England, where it abounds. We hate it wherever we meet with it. We hate it in our dearest friends, as often as they shew it. We hate it in our own hearts; in which, as in the hearts of all men, it is natural, and requires to be constantly watched against and put down. In the Church of Rome, the evil is embodied, figured forth, and systematized; presented in a visible and tangible form: a horrid she-idol, blackening in the smoke of centuries, with blood dry-clotted in her serpent locks, and ABOMINATION branded in letters of fire upon her haggard and harlot front. Therefore we especially hate Popery in the Church

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