of Popery in the British realms. At the auspicious era of the Reformation, when those different sections into which Protestants are now unhappily divided, were unknown, the church of England stood forth, in the majesty of divine truth, as God's chosen and faithful witness, against the errors and corruptions of the church of Rome. Her venerated reformers, in compiling her Articles, Catechism, Homilies, and Liturgy, in that great work, kept this object steadily in view. Rejecting the authority of councils and traditions, they asserted the sufficiency and sole authority of God's written word, as the standard of christian faith and morals. With them it was an axiom"the Bible-the Bible alone, is the religion of Protestants!" They had a nearer and fuller view, and a deeper feeling of the errors of Popery, than we have in the present day. It is necessary to bear all this in mind, to attain to a just view and feeling of the true meaning and value of the Articles and offices of our national church. While contemplating the church of England under her true character, of "a faithful witness against the errors and corruptions of the church of Rome," and confirming her claims to this high character by an appeal to her Articles, Homilies, and Liturgies, and the writings of the reformers, the author feels that the church, in which he has the honour to minister, has to present additional claims to the veneration and love of all to whom the blessings

of Protestantism are precious. In claiming this high and exalted character for the church of England, there is no intention of undervaluing the testimony of those separate from her communion, against Popery. This character is appropriated to the church of England, because she bears her protest against the errors of Romanism more formally in her Articles and Liturgy, than any other portion of the visible church; and did so, before the existence of those bodies of Protestants in this nation, who are now separate from her communion.

In stating the errors and corruptions of the church of Rome, great care has been taken not to misrepresent the faith and practices of that church. Popish writers, who charge Protestants with misrepresenting their faith, invariably appeal to the creed settled by the Council of Trent as the acknowledged and authoritative standard of their faith. The Trent Council was the last general council assembled by the Romish church; there is, therefore, no pretext for affirming that its canons and decrees do not represent the present faith of that church. The statement of the faith of the church of Rome, as settled by this council, is here given as contained in Bishop Marsh's valuable work, "A Comparative View of the Churches of England and Rome."

"under

Pope Pius IV.," says Bishop Marsh, whose pontificate the decree was made, published a Profession of Faith, according to the doctrines

maintained by the Council of Trent, with the following title :-Professio fidei Catholica secundum Concilium Tridentinum ex bullâ Pii Papæ IV. Consequently, this is the authorised profession of faith to which all beneficed clergymen belonging to the church of Rome are bound to subscribe, not only by the bull of Pius IV., but by a decree of the Council of Trent. Indeed, the words of that decree are quoted in the bull itself. This profession of faith begins with the Apostles' Creed, which is succeeded by the twelve following Articles :

"1. I most firmly admit and receive the apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions, and all other observances and constitutions of the church.

"2. I admit also the sacred Scriptures according to that sense which holy mother church, to whom it appertains to judge of the true meaning and interpretation of the sacred Scriptures, hath holden, and still holds; nor will I ever receive and interpret them otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers.

"3. I profess, likewise, that there are truly and properly seven sacraments of the new law, instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, and necessary for the salvation of mankind, though not all of them to every one; namely, baptism, confirmation, the eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony; and that they confer grace; and that of these sacraments, baptism, confirmation, and

orders, cannot be repeated without sacrilege. I receive, also, and admit, the received and approved rites of the Catholic church, in the solemn administration of all the aforesaid sacraments.

"4. I embrace and receive all things, and every thing, which have been defined and declared by the holy Council of Trent concerning original sin and justification.

"5. I further profess, that in the mass is offered unto 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 really, truly, and substantially, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ: and that a conversion is made of the whole substance of the bread into his body, and of the whole substance of the wine into his blood; which conversion the Catholic church calls transubstantiation.

"6. I confess, also, that under one kind only is received the whole and entire Christ, and the true

sacrament.

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7. I strenuously maintain that there is a purgatory, and that the souls detained there are assisted by the prayers of the faithful.

"8. Likewise that the saints, who reign together with Christ, are to be venerated and invoked ; and that they offer prayers for us to God; and that their relics are to be venerated.

"9. I most firmly declare, that the images of

Christ, and of the ever-virgin mother of God, as also of the other saints, are to be had and retained; and that due honour and veneration are to be shown to them.

“10. I affirm, also, that the power of indulgences was left by Christ in his church; and that the use of them is very salutary to christian people.

"11. I acknowledge the holy, catholic, and apostolic church of Rome, to be the mother and mistress of all churches; and I promise and swear true obedience to the Roman pontiff, successor of the prince of the apostles, St. Peter, and the vicegerent of Jesus Christ.

12. Further, I do, without doubt, receive and profess all things, which have been delivered, defined, and declared, by the sacred canons and œcumenical councils, especially by the holy Council of Trent; and all things contrary thereunto, and all heresies of whatsoever kind, which have been condemned, rejected, and anathematised by the church, I in like manner condemn, reject, and anathematise.

"This true Catholic faith, out of which no one can be saved, which by these presents I profess and verily hold, I, N. N., do promise, vow, and swear, most firmly to keep, and confess (by God's help) entire and inviolate, to the last breath of my life; and that I will take care, as far as in me lies, that the same be holden, taught, and preached, by all