owe to each other; and we have the grateful reflection that we have received from our Protestant neighbours many instances of their good will towards us. Such, however, has not been the case with regard to all our neighbours; there have been some few, (they are known to many of you, though perhaps not known to all) who have for some years past endeavoured to molest us by many wanton provocations. They have not confined themselves to the verbal dissemination of their abuse against us, but have moreover circulated it in calumnious tracts, which they have brought to our very homes. These have found their way into the hands of our neighbours, dependants and tenants, and have contained charges, not against our speculative doctrines merely, but against the principles of our moral conduct; they have contained charges for which, if true, we ought to be expelled from society. Forbearance seemed only to increase the violence with which we were assailed! and it was at length deemed necessary, in self-defence, that some one, (I charged myself with the task,) should request those persons, who thus violated the laws of justice and charity towards us, to come forward and substantiate those charges; or make some satisfaction for the past, and give us reason to hope that we should not be so assailed for the future.

This was refused; and one consequence of this refusal has been before you. There have been published the letters which passed between me and the parties to which I have alluded; and you may therein see that we could not obtain that satisfaction which, I believe, every reflecting man will think due to us. In consequence thereof, I deemed it necessary to reply in a number of tracts, six of which I published, to the accusations and calumnies brought against us, in a certain pamphlet called Popery Unmasked. To my work an abortive attempt at reply was made; no other has found its way to the public.

In December last I received an invitation from the organ of the parties which assailed us, inviting me to contend with the gentlemen of the Reformation Society, at a public meeting to be held in Bath. I declined it, because I felt that I should not be justified in introducing the excitement, prevailing here, into a different neighbourhood. Since that, I have been told that the person in question was not authorised by the Reformation Society to make such a proposal.

However, on the 10th of January this year, by public

notice, a meeting was called by the British Reformation Society in our immediate neighbourhood; and although the delegates of that Society have since declared that they did not call the meeting for the purpose of connecting themselves with the controversy that had been going on, it was notwithstanding understood by the neighbourhood generally, so at least we heard from various quarters, that they came forward for the purpose of identifying themselves with the aggressions which had been made upon us. The terms of that meeting were such as I found I could not, in justice to the cause of which I appear the humble advocate, accept. A friend of mine, however, was present, and hearing my name frequently mentioned by the Chairman, and used by others during the meeting, he stated at the conclusion, (unauthorised by me certainly, for I did not know that he had it in contemplation to say any thing regarding me,) that I was ready and willing to meet on fair terms the members of the Reformation Society. I say that I knew nothing of his making such a proposal: but whether I should have approved, or whether I now do approve of it, is not to the question. Many reasons there are why I might have instructed him to do so; for I am convinced if we did not meet the gentlemen of the Reformation Society-and had the meeting which took place at Old Down been suffered to close without such a signification of our willingness to meet them, I am convinced that a shout of triumph would have been raised by the opposite party. Even though I declined meeting the Reformation Society at Bath, under circumstances that clearly justified me, an insinuation was made to me in a letter which I received, that through fear I did not appear there upon the platform. I am convinced, moreover, that the aggressions against us would have been carried on with tenfold violence; and therefore I rejoice that this meeting now takes place, not that I like such public meetings, but because I feel it necessary to defend my religion and the religion of my Catholic friends. Accordingly, at a private interview with the members of the Reformation Society at the house of a common friend, it was agreed that there should be a public discussion, and this is the consequence of that agreement.

Now, with regard to the place, it was certainly thought desirable by both parties, that the meetings should be held in one of the Dissenting chapels in this neighbourhood, as being capacious, and affording great accom

modation, and we had reason to hope that this wish would have been gratified. It turned out, however, that the trustees of the various chapels were reluctant to allow them for such a purpose, and we had but the choice of two other places; one was the ball-room at Old Down, which was certainly smaller, and less commodious than this chapel; the other was the Baptist Chapel at Paulton, offered by the Rev. T. Clarke: but the distance from us being five miles, would make a journey of ten miles a day necessary, and the uncertain state of the weather made it appear far more desirable that the meeting should be held here. I hope, therefore, that those friends of mine, who have been disposed to disapprove of my conduct, will now see that I was justified in the steps I have taken.

With regard to public controversies, it is proper for me to. state, what my friends know, that I have a personal dislike to them. It very rarely happens that they are productive of much good. There is generally an excitement so great, that it obscures the understanding, and throws obstacles in the way of truth; moreover, many who attend such public meetings, come not for the purpose of seeking after truth, but in order to witness the triumph which their respective champions are expected to gain. Accordingly, my own feelings are averse to public meetings. The Reformation Society, however, seems to have courted them, and it has threatened us with meetings year after year in this neighbourhood. I hope I shall be able to convince the respectable assembly before me, that the Reformation Society is not justified in holding us up to the taunts with which they have assailed us, and to general obloquy. I know not, indeed, what could induce them to select this particular spot wherein to hold their annual meetings. It has happened that Catholic Doctrines have not made any great progress in this neighbourhood; but if any good shall result from such meetings, that, certainly, in my estimation, will be to the advantage of the Catholic Religion. The spirit of inquiry which may be excited will lead, I trust, to a change of sentiment amongst those who are now prejudiced against it. I never heard, indeed, that a public discussion brought about the apostacy of any one from the Catholic religion; but this I know from my own personal acquaintance, and I have heard the like from many friends, that the contrary has been frequently the result of public discussions. With regard to the party feeling which may exist, I

trust that the regulations now adjusted will prevent any of its evil consequences which have attended similar controversies. I trust that while we discuss the motives of our belief and of our hope, we shall not violate charity, which is the greatest of the three virtues; that we shall not violate that virtue, which shall endure, when faith and hope are exchanged for the sight and possession of God.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I must own, that I do to a certain degree feel hampered by the restrictions under which I am placed with regard to the Rule of Faith; whereby I am excluded from impugning the right of private judgment, and am to consider the Bible as the only rule of Protestant belief. I am willing to allow that, abstractedly considered, the Bible alone is the rule of faith to the Protestant; but it is extremely difficult to discuss this subject, if I am not allowed to notice the medium by which the rule of faith is applied, namely, the private judgment of every individual. Such a prohibition as is now fixed on me, has not been fixed on others on similar occasions. At the public discussion in Cheltenham, the rule of faith was the subject proposed to be debated; and it was considered by the Chairman, without any remonstrance on the part of the Reformation Society, to include not the Bible alone, but also private judgment, by which the Bible is interpreted by Protestants. It was the same

at Birmingham, it was the same at Dublin, it was the same at Edinburgh, and it was the same at Liverpool. Nay, Mr. Finch, on the third day of the discussion at Liverpool, according to the printed report, did say that the Protestant rule of faith was the Bible, interpreted by private judgment, and the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

If Mr. Tottenham will not allow me to make remarks on private judgment, I think that he should not have fallen into the error which he committed in his opening speech, wherein he defined the Catholic rule of faith, (as it is considered by us not abstractedly, but practically,) to be scripture and tradition, proposed and explained by our Church. Moreover, he introduced into his speech a great deal upon private judgment and the authority of the Church, which was irrelevant to the question, if I am not allowed to consider interpretation by private judgment as part of the Protestant rule of faith. Having premised this much, I shall throw myself on your indul

gence. I wish only to remark, that as I am not accustomed to public discussions, or to address great meetings, I therefore feel much less qualified than the Gentleman opposite to make that impression upon you which is desirable for the justice of the cause I am about to advocate. Still, I come forward strong in the security of my faith, and in my conviction of the doctrines I maintain; and I trust that I shall be able, before long, to transfer a portion of the conviction in my mind to the minds of my hearers.

Divine faith is necessary to salvation. This the Apostle has assured us in Heb. iii. 6, " Without faith it is impossible to please God." Again, in Eph. vi. 16, the Apostle has exhorted us

"Above all things taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked."

This faith is not limited by Christ to one or the other doctrine of belief; nor to the doctrines considered as the most essential and fundamental articles of faith, but it extends to every doctrine of revelation-" Go ye," says Christ," and preach the gospel,

"He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."-Mark xvi. 16.

The term which our Saviour used is not applicable to the gospel only, such as we have in the printed copies, but it included all the doctrines which he came to teach"Preach the gospel to every creature." The Greek term for " Gospel," Εὐαγγέλιον,” signifies the whole of the good tidings which Christ came from heaven to communicate.

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Moreover, faith can be but one, in Ephesians iv. 5, we are told there is "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Christ in like manner, came down from heaven to reveal to us but one religion. He could not have come to reveal contradictory doctrines, being the God of truth; therefore, to preserve this unity of doctrine, he promised to be with the teaching Ministers of his church even to the consummation of the world. Matt. xxviii. 20.

Hence, then, as he who does not believe the whole Gospel,-the whole of the divine communications of Christ, if duly announced to him, will, according to the declaration of Christ himself, be damned; in order that we may not lose the immense advantages purchased by the death of Christ, and arising from his divine communications, it is of the most vital importance, that there should be