THE object of the former parts of this inquiry was to show that the distinguishing principles and doctrines of the church of Rome are erroneous and anti-scriptural; and to exhibit the faithful testi

mony of the church of England against them. It remains now to show that the church of Rome is not less corrupt and anti-scriptural in her worship, than she is in her faith. Against some parts of the worship of the Romish church, the church of England witnesses more formally in certain of her articles against the whole of it, she most decidedly protests, by that more scriptural and apostolic form of religious worship which she adopted at the time of the Reformation, and which she retains at the present day.

Ecclesiastical history abundantly testifies, that in the degree in which a church apostatises from the purity of the Christian faith, she soon becomes corrupt in her form and practice of religious worship. While "the faith once delivered to the saints” was held fast in its purity, the form and circumstances of divine worship, as derived from the apostles, were preserved, subject only to those slight variations which a change of times and circumstances demanded, and which the apostolic rule, "let all things be done decently and in order," did not prohibit. When at length the tide of worldly favour flowed into the church, with the purity of her faith also departed the simplicity of her worship. For primitive rites, which aided the devotion of the spirit, were substituted gaudy ceremonies which demanded mere bodily exercise. The Christian temple dedicated to the worship of that God who is a spirit, and who alone can be ap

proached by the "One Mediator Jesus Christ," was in effect converted into a kind of pantheon, in which departed saints were invoked by those prayers, and, together with their relics, received those honours which belong only to the Deity. The splendid ritual, and its imposing ceremonies, which had supplanted the primitive rites of Christianity, though they dazzled the eyes and commanded the servile veneration of the multitudes who had bowed their necks to the yoke of Papal superstition, proclaimed to those who retained spiritual discernment, that "the glory was departed:"--they sighed over these things, as the funereal decorations of a church, which though boasting of "a name to live," was, in truth, "dead in trespasses and sins."

Among the corruptions which distinguish the religious worship of the church of Rome, that of the invocation and adoration of saints and angels, mentioned at the head of this chapter, claims our first attention, and chiefly for the two following reasons: i. e. the church of Rome hereby authorizes worship through mediators unknown in the sacred Scriptures, and sanctions what is idolatrous;-as she offers that religious worship to mere creatures, which is appropriate only to the Creator.

How man, a fallen and guilty creature, can approach unto God, so as to find acceptance with him, and the restoration of his forfeited favour, is an inquiry of all others the most interesting. It

is the glory of Christianity that it answers this inquiry in the most satisfactory manner. This single declaration-"There is One Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus," (1 Tim. ii. 5,) contains in it more certain and cheering information than the light of nature, or philosophy, could ever make known to our fallen world. A mediator, (usoirns,) in the sense in which the term is used in holy Scripture, and in this place, is one who interposes between an offended God and sinful men, for the doing of all things which are necessary to effect a reconciliation, and to establish a covenant of peace and friendship between them. The necessity of such mediation was felt even by Pagans; hence their belief in the efficacy of sacrificial rites, and the interposition of superior beings, to propitiate the Deity in their favour. Sin has made a breach between God and man; it has rendered man disaffected towards his Maker, and obnoxious to his righteous displeasure. Though there was no want of merciful propensions in God towards his guilty creatures, yet it behoved, in order that the exercise of mercy should be in perfect harmony with every other perfection of the divine nature, that the Mediator should be one who should make a full satisfaction to the divine justice-that he should be one whose dignity and merit should be such as to render his interposition acceptable and efficacious between God and men. This work, and this office, holy Scriptures attribute alone to Christ.

As our Mediator on earth, he " made peace by the As our Mediator in heaven,

blood of his cross."

"he appears in the presence of God for us,'

intercession for them During his converse

"and ever liveth to make who come to God by him." with men, he delighted to exhibit himself under this character: hence he said, "I am the way-no man cometh unto the Father but by me;" hence, also, he taught his disciples to present their prayers to the Father only " in his name." His apostles exhibited Christ in the same character in their preaching and in their writings :-" through him,” they declared "remission of sins,"" by him we all have access by one spirit unto the Father;" and as if foreseeing by the Spirit of prophecy, that a time would come when other mediators would be invoked and confided in, they declared, "there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ;"" by him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God.”

The church of Rome, by admitting other mediators, in fact denies, and derogates from the glory of the Saviour, as the one and only Mediator between God and men. She instructs her members to invoke and to confide in the intercessions and mediations of departed saints, under the idea that "they offer prayers to God for us," and that they have sufficient merit to prevail with God on our behalf. A few specimens will show this, and make manifest the advocacy on which the members of the