Christian Religion? most evidently not. And, therefore, it is clear as the light, that no minister, or member of the Church of England can consistently with the Articles of the Church, which he receives as conformable to the Scriptures of God, call the whole religious system of the Church of Rome, properly speaking, "a Religion." And, in stating, as we do after the Archbishop, this most evident truth, we request the public attention to the mildness and moderation of the expression, compared with the expressions in the Articles and Homilies of our reformed Church.

The Archbishop did not say, that there were not parts of the religious system of the Church of Rome, which were not properly parts of the Christian Religion; he did not even say, that they had not, in their religious system, the essentials and fundamentals of Christianity; he did not say, (and we earnestly request our readers to attend to this point) he did not say, that members of the Church of Rome have "no Religion," or that they have "no religious principles ;" his Grace said no such thing. But his Grace, alluding to certain corruptions introduced into the Romish system, the character of some of which corruptions, as given in our Articles, has been stated; alluding to those corruptions, and especially to the fundamental error by which those and other corruptions have been maintained, merely said, that the system of which they form a part, cannot consistently be called by the Clergy of the Established Church, as a whole system, properly speaking, the Christian Religion. And, now we beg to ask any Protestant, be he Churchman or Dissenter, whether he can call that "the Christian Religion" (strictly and properly speaking), which denounces him, if he be a voluntary, sincere, and steadfast professor of his FAITH, as an heretic, an enemy to the REDEEMER, a servant of Satan, accursed of GOD, and justly doomed to Heaven's eternal vengeance? and if he cannot; can he properly call the system of which this forms a part, (as a whole system) the Christian Religion?

We say then, that the meaning, the truth, and moderation of his Grace's expression, as it was annouuced even before the authorized report of his Charge was published, are perfectly evident. But, in the authorized publication of the Charge, we find that clear and true, and moderate meaning, more fully stated; and, we find it remarked by the Archbishop, that "there are preserved" in the Roman Catholic religious system, "though mixed with rubbish, and much tarnished," some of the "sterling treasures of religion." It is also observed by his Grace, that the expression to which we have so particularly referred, "only speaks the language

of the REFORMATION, and merely gives in a few words, that which every sincere Protestant must maintain *." We entirely agree, that it gives in a few words, that which every sincere Protestant must maintain; but at the same time, we decidedly state, that it speaks a language much more mild and moderate, than was the language of the Reformation. Do we entertain a wish, that his Grace had adopted exactly the species of language to which we allude? far otherwise. We rejoice at the Christian moderation, which he shewed, in his zealous discharge of his high duty, without abandoning the defence of our RELIGION against her overbearing assailants"without compromising vital principles."

The Archbishop also observes, in the first note to his Charge, that the expression on which we have so fully dwelt, "has given offence.' Yet we think it will appear certain and evident, that it was not that expression, or any other particular expression of his Grace which really gave the offence; but the fact, that he stood forward the defender of our Protestant Religion in Ireland, in her day of necessity, against her overbearing Romish assailants. This it was, which gave the offence to certain Romish Bishops and Priests in Ireland, who immediately made the expression which we have stated, and a few more expressions of minor importance on which it is wholly unnecessary to dwell here, the pretext for every measure they could adopt, in order, if possible, to intimidate and to silence the great Prelate of the Irish metropolis; and thus, to deter the established Clergy of the country from following his bright example, and from obeying his salutary admonition.

We shall proceed to draw the attention of the Protestant Public to the discoveries, which we have promised to lay before them, as resulting from the Charge of the Archbishop of Dublin. But we request them to remember, that in the Rhemish Notes, of whose revival and circulation in Ireland we have given an account, it is declared that

“Our Protestants shall find all definitions and marks of an Heretic, to fall upon themselves," that "the Church of God" (meaning the Romish Church) "calling the Protestants doctrine Heresy,' in the worst part that can be, and in the worst sort that ever was, doth right and most justly," that "the new pretended Church service of England is + in schism and heresy, and therefore not only unprofitable, but also damnable," that as "HE" (our Saviour) "could

* Page 45.

Any omissions in our quotations, are only for brevity. We do not, in the slightest degree, exaggerate the pernicious meaning of the original.

not abide to see the temple of God profaned," even by business otherwise lawful and honest, "how much less can HE abide the profaning of the Churches now with heretical service, and preaching of heresy and blasphemy!"-that "it is the proper description of Heretics to forsake their former faith, and to be apostates,-to give ear to particular spirits of error and deception, rather than to the spirit of Christ in his Church, to follow in hypocrisy and shew of virtue, the pernicious doctrine of DEVILS, who are the suggesters and prompters of all sects, and are lying spirits in the mouths of all Here. tics and false preachers,"....that "howsoever Heretics pretend,.... by the apostle's own testimony, we," (observe, We, the popish priesthood, and all who shall believe Us-all true members of our Church) "We are warranted so to judge of them, as of men, that indeed, have no religion, nor conscience." It is not, that they have not what We can properly call a Religion, but that even, by the apostle's testimony! We are warranted to judge of them as of men that, however they pretend, in deed, have no Religion nor conscience,”that "in such times and places where the community, or most part, are infected, necessity often forceth the faithful to converse with such in worldly affairs, to salute them, to eat and speak with them; and the Church by decree of Council, for the more quietness of timorous consciences, provideth that they incur not excommunication or other censures, for communicating in worldly affairs with any in this kind, except they be by name excommunicated, or declared to be Heretics; yet even in worldly conversation and secular acts of life, we must avoid them as much as we may, because their familiarity is many ways contagious and noisome to good men, namely, to the simple; but, in matters of religion, in praying, reading their books, hearing their sermons, presence at their service, partaking of their Sacraments, and all other communicating with them in spi. ritual things, it is a great and damnable sin to deal with them,” that St. Jerome "useth the place, wherein the apostle (St. Paul, Gal. 1. viii.) giveth the curse or anathema to all false teachers, not once but twice, to prove that the zeal of Catholic men (who are according to the popish priesthood, members of the Church of Rome exclusively) ought to be so great towards all Heretics, and their doctrines, that they should give them the anathema, though they were never so dear unto them; in which case, saith this holy Doctor, I would not spare mine own parents,”—that when St. Paul says, (1 Cor. 16.) "If any love not our Lord Jesus Christ, be he anathema," it is "to say away with him! accursed be he! beware you accompany not with him!"—and that "the Church and Holy Councils use the word" (anathema,)" for a curse and excommunication against heretics, and other notorious offenders and blasphemers:"-that heresy and the like damnable revolts from the Church of God, is no more than a rebellion and disobedience to the Priests of God's Church:" that "this disobedience and rebellion from the Spiritual Governor, under pretence of obedience to

the temporal, is the bane of our days, and especially of our country:" that, "whoever taketh upon him to preach without lawful sending, and to administer Sacraments, and is not canonically ordained by a true Catholic Bishop," (meaning a Bishop of the Church of Rome,) "to be a curate of souls, parson, bishop, or what other spiritual pastor soever, and cometh not in by lawful election and Holy Church's ordinance," (meaning ordinance of the Church of Rome,) "to that dignity, but breaketh in against order, or by force or favour of men, and by human laws, he is a thief and a murderer:" that " so came in Arius, Calvin, Luther, and all heretics; and all that succeed them in room and doctrine; and generally every one that descendeth not by lawful succession, in the known or ordinary line of Catholic," (confining the epithet to Romish,)" Bishops and Pastors;" that" of all things, Christian People," (especially Bishops,) "should have great zeal against heretics; and hate them; (that is, their wicked doctrine and conditions,) even as GOD hateth them: for which only zeal, our Lord saith, that He beareth with some Churches and Prelates, and saveth them from perishing:" that "HE," (the Son of God,) "warneth Bishops to be zealous and stout against false prophets and heretics, by alluding covertly," (in Rev. ii. 20.) " to the example of holy Elias, that in zeal killed four hundred and fifty false prophets of Jezebel; and spared not Achab nor Jezebel themselves, but told them to their faces, that they troubled Israel, that is, the faithful people of God;" (the Popish Priests always distinguish the members of their Church as exclusively the faithful,' and exclusively Catholics!') that though the good must tolerate the evil, when it is so strong that it cannot be redressed, without danger and disturbance to the whole Church, and commit the matter to God's judgment in the latter day;" yet" where ill men, (be they heretics or other malefactors,) may be punished or suppressed, without disturbance and hazard of the good, they may and ought, by public authority, either spiritual or temporal, to be chastised or executed;" that "in short time God detecteth them" viz. heretics, “and openeth the eyes of men to see their deceits all wise men, in a manner seeing their falsehood; though for troubling the state of such commonwealth, where unluckily they have been received, they cannot be suddenly extirpated;" that "the word Roman is added to Catholic, where sects do abound, for the better distinction of true believers, and heretics, which in all ages did hate and abhor the Roman faith and Church, as all malefactors do their judges and correctors.”

Let the public also remember, that Father Gandolphy in

Though this was originally published by Queen Mary's Popish Priests, during the reign of Elizabeth, it can scarcely be necessary to observe, that the great bulk of the Irish Roman Catholics, would naturally apply it to their own time, and their own country.

his Sermons, "fit to be cased in cedar and gold," published precisely similar principles: that he defended the Inquisition-that he contrasted himself and the other Popish Priests, with the Protestant Clergy, as Elijah with the false Priests of Baal: that he calls upon Christians to anathematize all Protestant Preachers, applying to them the denunciation of Scripture

"Let him be anathema!" and adding, "Christians, give ear to this solemn imprecation of the Apostle; and know, that as the word of truth, it shall be ratified at the last day, to the eternal confusion of those who teach, as well as of those who obstinately adhere to error:" that he says, "the Church of England was, until the Reformation, a limb of the true vine, and abiding in it, brought forth much fruit: . . . . . . but having been once severed by the destructive hand of schism; with a hateful eye, HE," (our SAVIOUR,) now views the sickly sprouts, which issue from its fallen, crushed, and broken branches. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, so THIS shall wither, and they shall gather IT up, and cast IT into the fire, and IT shall burn" and that it is impossible to describe the religious principles of a Protestant." But that the Rev. Mr. Gandolphy, sanctioned and lauded from the Papal Palace," carries the point still farther, and maintains, that He has none +."

66

*

Let the public also remember that the Divinity Class book of Maynooth, maintains the fundamental principle from which the various corruptions, and all the persecuting tenets detailed in the Rhemish Notes, and published in Mr. Gandolphy's Sermons, necessarily follow-the infallibility of the Popish general Councils: that it is taught in the Maynooth Divinity Class Book, that they who shall die in voluntary, and stedfast adherence to the Protestant Religion, will be damned: and that "the deadly tongues of heretics;" and therefore, according to the same Class-book, of all voluntary sincere, and stedfast Protestants, are "the gates of hell."

And lastly, let the public bear in mind, that Friar Hayes, in his Sermons, as he calls them, of which, it seems, upwards of fifty thousand copies have, within the last few months, been circulated in Ireland, exclaims against any one who dares to deny Transubstantiation.

The words here printed in capitals, are so printed in Father Gandolphy's Sermons. + Vol. ii. p. 219.