been baptized as heretics, and apostates generally, and also baptized schismatics can be compelled by corporal punishments to return to the Catholic faith and the unity of the Church. The reason is, that they by baptism are made subjects of the Church, and therefore the Church has jurisdiction over them, and the power of compelling them by ordinary means to obedience, and to fulfil the obligations contracted in their baptism. This also obtains in the case of those who have been baptized in their infancy, or who, compelled by fear of any necessity, have received baptism; as the Council of Trent teaches, Session 7, Canon 14 : and the fourth Council of Toledo, Canon 55. You may object, No one believes against his will; but the will cannot be compelled; therefore no one can be compelled to the faith.' We answer by denying the consequent, for he is not compelled to believe against his will, but that from being unwilling he should be made willing.'

The Council of Trent has not informed us in the fourteenth Canon of its seventh Session, what are the punishments to be inflicted upon persons baptized in their infancy, who will not lead a Christian life, i. e. who will not conform to the tenets of Popery. But it has informed us elsewhere. It has affixed its sanction to the Creed and Oath of Pius IV. in which every Roman Catholic is made to say, I likewise undoubtedly receive and profess all other things delivered, defined, and declared by the Sacred Canons and the General Councils.' Now amongst these 'General Councils,' which, be it observed, have been

ratified by the Council of Trent, stand conspicuous the third and fourth Councils of Lateran. The former of these, which is reckoned the eleventh 'General Council,' in its 27th Canon, subjects to a curse all heretics, their protectors or harbourers, and all persons who admit them into their houses or lands,' decrees that their houses and goods should be confiscated, and themselves reduced to slavery by their princes,' and takes off two years penance from such of the faithful as shall, by the counsel of their Bishops, take up arms against them, for the purpose of subduing them, &c.' The latter, which is the twelfth General Council,' in its third canon breathes, if possible, a more demoniac spirit against heretics. It compels all secular powers to 'extirpate' all heretics marked by the Church of Rome from their respective territories under pain of excommunication; and, should they persist for one year in refusing to fulfil their obligations, it decrees that the Pope may declare their vassals absolved from their allegiance, and bestow their lands on the faithful children of the Church. It decrees also that those who afford sustenance, protection, or asylum to Heretics lying under the anathema, shall themselves incur the penalty of excommunication. Such are the exterminating Canons of the Eleventh and Twelfth General Councils!' And be it remembered, they are sanctioned by the Council of Trent in the Creed of Pius IV. which emanated from the authority of the Council: and every Roman Catholic undoubtedly receives and professes whatsoever is

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delivered, defined, and declared by' these two ' Sacred Canons, and' these two General Councils.'

But to return to the seventh session of the Council of Trent, it is curious to compare the fourth, eighth, and fourteenth Canons together.

The Fourth Canon secures to Protestants the priviliges of true Baptism. 'Si quis dixerit baptismum, qui etiam datur ab Hæreticis in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, cum intentione faciendi quod facit ecclesia, non esse verum baptismum, anathema sit. If any one shall say that baptism, which is adminstered by Heretics in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, with an intention of doing what the Church does, is not true baptism, let him be accursed.'

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By the Eighth Canon, the Church of Rome declares baptized Protestants subject to her laws, both written and traditional. 'Si quis dixerit baptizatos liberos esse ab omnibus sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ præceptis, quæ vel scripta, vel tradita sunt, ita ut ea observare non teneantur, nisi se sua sponte illis submittere voluerint, anathema sit.'-' If any one shall say that baptized persons are free from all the precepts of the holy Roman Church, either written or traditional, so that they are not obliged to observe them, unless they will submit to them of their own accord, let him be accursed.'

The Fourteenth Canon, as we have seen, subjects all recusants to indefinite punishment.

In the first of these Canons the Council appears all liberality. In the second the cloven foot appears.

In

the third the tyranny of Popery is seen without disguise!

'What a striking commentary on these Canons of the Council of Trent have we in the history of the Inquisition ! Refractory (Roman) Catholics born under the spiritual dominion of Rome, and Protestants originally baptized out of her pale, have equally tasted her flames and her racks. Nothing, indeed, but want of power, nothing but the much-lamented ascendancy of Heresy, compels the Church of Rome to keep her infallible, immutable decrees in silent abeyance. But the divine authority of those decrees, the truth of their inspiration, must for ever be asserted by every individual who sincerely embraces the Roman Catholic faith. Reason and humanity must, in them, yield to the infallible decree in favour of compulsion on religious matters. The human ashes indeed are scarcely cold, which, at the end of three centuries of persecution and massacre, these decrees scattered over the soil of Spain. I myself,' says

Blanco White, 'saw the pile on which the last victim was sacrificed to Roman infallibility. It was an unhappy woman, whom the Inquisition of Seville committed to the flames under the charge of Heresy about forty years ago: she perished on a spot where thousands had met the same fate. I lament from my heart that the structure which supported their melting limbs was destroyed during the late convulsions. It should have been preserved, with the infallible and immutable Canon of the Council of Trent over it, for the detestation of future ages.' (Practical

and Internal evidence against Catholicism,-pages 124-6.)

In strict unison with the decrees of the Council of Trent are the sentiments of DENS, in his chapter on the Punishments of Heresy. What are the punishments decreed against those infected with that stain? Notorious Heretics are infamous for the very cause itself and are deprived of Christian burial. Their temporal goods are for this very cause confiscated; but before the execution of the act, the sentence declaratory of their crime ought to proceed from the Ecclesiastical Judge, because the cognizance of heresy lies in the Ecclesiastical tribunal. Finally, they are justly afflicted with other corporal punishments—as exile, imprisonment, &c. Are Heretics justly punished with death? St. Thomas answers (22 quest. 11. art. 3. in corp.) YES: because forgers of money or other disturbers of the state are justly punished with death; therefore also Heretics, who are forgers of the faith, and as experience testifies, grievously disturb the state. This is confirmed, because God in the Old Testament ordered the false Prophets to be slain; and in Deut. xvii. 12. it is decreed, that if any one will act proudly and will not obey the commands of the priest let him be put to death. See also chap. xviii. The same is proved from the condemnation of the fourteenth article of John Huss in the Council of Constance.' (See Rev. R. J. M'Ghee's Letter to the Protestants of the United Kingdom.)

DENS has informed us what those punishments are to which the Council of Trent alludes in Session 7,