human authority, and not on the Word of God as enemies to the circulation and to the reading of the Holy Scriptures—as guilty of idolatry in the sacrifice of the Mass, in the adoration (as it is called) of the Virgin Mary, and in the worship of the saints, and of the images of Christ and of the saints-and as guilty of superstition, in invoking the saints, and in praying for the souls in purgatory—as usurping the divine power of forgiving sins, and imposing the yoke of confession on the people—as giving leave to commit sin by indulgences-as despising the obligation of an oath-as dividing their allegiance between the King and the Pope-as claiming the property of the Church Establishment—as holding the uncharitable doctrine of exclusive salvation—and as maintaining that faith is not to be kept with heretics.1

· Particular Observations on this Paragraph.

Notwithstanding all their declarations to the contrary," their own CREED "still exhibits them to the public, as holding the most erroneous, "unscriptural, and unreasonable doctrines," or, at least, those, which they themselves have here denominated such: as, for example: FIRST, that they "ground their faith on human authority," in many points, and not on " the Word of GOD." All those parts of this famous CREED, which follow the part which is commonly called the Nicene Creed, afford sufficient evidence of this. It is difficult, indeed, not to perceive, in this compendium of the Roman faith, how far human authority is allowed to preponderate over that which is divine: for "apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions," as they are called, "and all "other constitutions and observances of that Church," are placed, in the order of precedency, before the Holy Scriptures: and it is only after they have had all possible honour done them, that the Romanist is taught to say," I also admit the Holy Scriptures;" as if he were to consider himself as conferring a favour upon their divine Author, by so doing! But, as if even this were too much, the admission is immediately qualified by the restriction, that it be only "according to the sense which the Holy Mother Church has held, and does hold:" the manifest consequences of which have been, that she teaches for "doctrines the com

"mandments of men," and "makes," in many instances, "the Word of "God of none effect through her traditions." See Articles I. and II.

It must be observed, however, that there is some want of precision in the terms in which this charge is preferred in the Preamble above recited. They are far too comprehensive; and might give to an unwary and inexperienced reader some reason for supposing that the Church of Rome is accused of "grounding her whole faith on human authority, "and not on the Word of GOD." This, how implicitly soever her members may ground their faith on her authority, is by no means the case with her; nor do I know that it has ever been asserted by Protestants to be so. On the contrary, there are certainly some doctrines of her creed which are founded upon Holy Writ, and in which all sincere and well-informed Christians will cordially agree with her. And to

shall mark with Roman numerals, for the sake of distinction and reference:

I. "I most firmly admit and embrace apostolical and ecclesiastical ""traditions, and all other constitutions and observances of the same "Church.1

II. "I also admit the sacred Scriptures, according to the sense "which the Holy Mother Church has held and does hold, to whom it "belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Holy "Scriptures; nor will I ever take or interpret them otherwise, than ""according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers."

III. "I profess also, that there are truly and properly seven sa"craments of the New Law, instituted by Christ Jesus our Lord,3 "and for the salvation of mankind, though all are not necessary for "every one; viz. Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Ex"treme Unction, Order, and Matrimony, and that they confer "grace; and of these Baptism, Confirmation, and Order, cannot "be reiterated without sacrilege.

IV. "I also receive and admit the ceremonies of the Catholic ""Church, received and approved, in all the solemn administration of "all the above-said sacraments.

V. "I receive and embrace all and every one of the things which ""have been defined and declared in the Holy Council of Trent con"cerning Original Sin and Justification.

VI. "I profess likewise, that in the Mass is offered to God a true, "proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead; and

that, in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, there is truly, "really, and substantially the body and blood, together with the soul "and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is made a "conversion of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and of ""the whole substance of the wine into the blood; which conversion "the Catholic Church calls Transubstantiation.*

Of the same Church;"] that is, of the Church of ROME, assuming itself to be the "one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church;" of which, in truth, she is only a branch. See Article XII.

2 This clause, which is founded upon the presumed infallibility of the Roman Church in matters of faith, takes away all right and power of private judgment from the Christians attached to her communion; and fully explains the reason, why she will in no wise consent that the Holy Scriptures should be circulated among them, without her own glosses, or authorized annotations, annexed.

3 Baptism and the Lord's Supper were certainly Sacraments of the Christian Church from the very first, because they were ordained by Christ himself: but where will the Romanist find, that he instituted any of the rest; or that they have “ any visible sign, or ceremony,

"ordained of GOD?"

4 See the remarks on Sections I. and IV. of this Declaration, where this subject is illustrated in every requisite point of view.

distinguish these from the rest, which have not the same claim to divine authority, is one object of the present Remarks.

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SECONDLY, that they are "enemies to the circulation and to the "reading of the Holy Scriptures." Their aversion from the general circulation and reading of the Sacred Writings, is the natural consequence of a fear, lest they should not be admitted" according to the "sense” insisted on by their Church. And we have an ever-memorable illustration of the truth of this, in a public Act of the late Pope Pius VII. In his Bull against Bible Societies, issued from Rome, June 29th, 1816, to the archbishop of Gnezn, primate of Poland, he says to that prelate: "The general good imperiously requires us to combine all our means and energies to frustrate the plans which are prepared by "its enemies for the destruction of our most holy religion; whence it "becomes an episcopal duty, that you first of all expose the wicked"ness of this nefarious scheme, and openly publish the same, according "to the Rules prescribed by the Church; namely That BIBLES, printed by HERETICS, are numbered among OTHER PROHIBITED BOOKS by the Rules of the Index No. II. and III.; for it is evident "from experience, that the HOLY SCRIPTURES, when circulated in the 66 6 VULGAR TONGUE, have, through the temerity of men, produced 66 6 more HARM than BENEFIT.'" See the translation of the whole of this Bull in the Annual Register for 1817.

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But the question here may naturally be asked-Who those persons are, who, in the summary language of the Church of Rome, are denominated "HERETICS?" "The Catechism of the Council of Trent,"

-a work of first-rate authority-shall supply the answer:-" He is "to be called a HERETIC, who, having disregarded the authority of "the Church, defend's impious opinions with a pertinacious mind.” The Church, here spoken of, is the Church of Rome: the opinions, said to be impious, are such as she has condemned. Whoever entertains such opinions, does it in opposition to her authority; and if he persist in doing so, notwithstanding the means made use of to reduce him to obedience, he is then pronounced a HERETIC. It follows of course, from this definition, that PROTESTANTS of every denomination, are, by the Church of Rome, regarded as HERETICS. And this should afford a useful lesson to them all.

THIRDLY, that they are "guilty of idolatry in the sacrifice of the Mass," etc. That the Romanists are guilty of idolatry in a vast variety of instances, is clearly proved from Articles IX. and X. of the Creed now cited. Indeed, so repugnant have the principles and practices of the Roman Church been, upon this point, to the plain and authoritative language of Scripture, that she has presumed to omit the SECOND Commandment of the Decalogue in many of her books of instruction; and, in order to preserve the number of the Commandments complete, has divided the tenth into two! See Bishop Stillingfleet's Works, Vol. vi. page 572. where instances of this are produced.

* "Hæreticus dicendus est. . . qui, ecclesiæ auctoritate neglecta, impias opiniones pertinaci animo tuetur."-Catech. ad Parochos.

+ But see also, what is further said upon this subject under Section IV. of this Declaration.

VII. "I confess also, that, under either kind alone, whole and "entire Christ, and a true Sacrament, is received.

VIII. "I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory; and that the "souls detained therein are helped by the suffrages of the faithful. IX. Likewise, that the saints, reigning together with Christ, are "to be honoured and invocated; that they offer prayers to GOD for us; and that their relics are to be venerated.

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X. "I most firmly assert, that the images of Christ, and of the Mother of GOD ever-virgin, and also of the other saints, are to ""be had, and retained; and that due honour and veneration are to "be given them.

XI. "I also affirm that the power of indulgences was left by "Christ in the Church, and that the use of them is most wholesome "" to Christian people.

XII. "I acknowledge the Holy Catholic and Apostolical Roman "Church, the MOTHER and MISTRESS of all Churches; and I "promise and swear TRUE OBEDIENCE to the ROMAN BISHOP, "the successor of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, and Vicar of "Jesus Christ.1

There never was a greater imposition upon the world, than that which is exhibited in the latter clause of this Article-the SUPREMACY of the Bishop of ROME.

When did it take its rise? On what foundation does it stand?

It certainly had no existence so late as the latter end of the sixth, and the beginning of the seventh century: for, from the year 590 to the year 604, GREGORY I. sat in the chair of that see,—a man, on whom, for his magnanimity, and other eminent endowments, his own age, and every succeeding age, have concurred in bestowing the epithet of THE GREAT;" and who, by his own confession, was one of the last persons in the world to aspire to this supremacy. The zeal and earnestness with which he protested against the ambition of JOHN, the patriarch of Constantinople, who in the year 586 had assumed the title of Ecumenical or Universal Bishop; and the correspondence he carried on with that prelate, with the emperor Mauritius, and other persons of eminence, in relation to that subject, are an evident proof how averse he himself was to such an invidious distinction.

To look only to the style and substance of his correspondence with the Patriarch :

In one place he inquires:-" Whom do you imitate, in assuming that "haughty title? Is it not him, who, swelling with pride, exalted him"self above so many legions of angels, that were his equals; that he "might be subordinate to none, but that all might become subject to "him? The Apostle Peter was the first member of the Universal "Church. In respect to Paul, Andrew, and John, they were only the "heads of particular congregations; but all were members of the Church "under one head, and none would ever be styled Universal." In another part of the same letter, he employed this argument:-" If none of

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That they are also "guilty of superstition in the invocation of saints;" assuming, that they are "reigning together with Christ" before their resurrection from the dead; and that they offer prayers to God for us," and thus act the part of mediators and advocates with GOD, (when the Holy Scriptures expressly assure us, that " there is one GOD, and 66 one Mediator between GOD and man, the Man Christ Jesus;"* and that, 66 if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus "Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins,"+)-the same Creed unequivocally proves, in Article IX. This is literally what St. Paul calls (didaokaλía Aaporiwv)" a doctrine of DEMONS," or of imaginary mediating intelligences. But the superstition does not excuse the idolatry.

That they are also guilty of the superstition of "praying for the "souls in purgatory," appears from Article VIII. The very existence of this state was never formally asserted in the Church of Rome till the latter end of the sixth century.§

That they are likewise "guilty of superstition," if not of something worse, in "the sacrifice of the Mass," and "in the most Holy Sacra"ment of the Eucharist," is evident from Articles VI. and VII. The doctrine of Transubstantiation, therein held forth, "cannot be proved "by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, "overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions."||

FOURTHLY, that they " usurp a divine power in forgiving sins," etc. A belief in the power of absolution, to the extent to which the Church of Rome carries that doctrine, as also of the necessity of auricular confession and penance to obtain it, and indeed every other doctrine and practice of that Church, which is not particularly specified in this Creed, are summarily included in Article XIII.

FIFTHLY, that "they give leave to commit sin by indulgences." In granting indulgences, they are certainly responsible for all the consequences. "The power of indulgences" is affirmed in Article XI. And though it is there declared, that "the use of them is most wholesome to "Christian people," yet that they have a tendency to encourage men in the commission of sin, has had the attestation of the most extensive experience but if this be the case, the sale of indulgences becomes an indirect means of "giving leave to commit sin."

SIXTHLY, that they "despise the obligation of an OATH." How justly this has been urged against them, will appear from the following FACTS:

1. The seventeenth Canon of the Council of Clermont, held in the year 1095, under Urban II. prohibits bishops and priests from taking an oath of allegiance to KINGS, or any other LAY ruler; thus confining all their allegiance to the POPE.

And an instance of the efficacy of this Canon, which will ever stand

§ See the Remarks on Section I. of this Declaration.

See the twenty-eighth Article of Religion.

1 Tim. iv. 1.

Du Pin's Eccles. Hist. vol. ix. c. 6. p. 74. and Labbe et Cossart.

de Concil. Carolomont.