has been distinctly affirmed. It is become necessary, then, that we should, all of us, examine and understand what is the real state of the case; and whether they do or do not, and, if the latter, in what particulars they do not, agree.

The result of such an inquiry is of extreme importance. For if there be truth in the supposition, that the Churches of England and of Rome agree together in all the fundamental articles of Christianity, the Reformation of Religion in this kingdom is justly chargeable with folly and impiety; our Reformers have shed their blood for a chimera; and our Church has been guilty of establishing, and is at this time guilty of maintaining, an unchristian schism, which it would be her duty to acknowledge and to repair: but if the supposition be unfounded, it behoves us all, whether clerical or lay members of our reformed Church, the united Church of England and Ireland, to cherish the memory of the Reformation as a signal blessing from the good Providence of God; to hallow our Reformers in our remembrance as Martyrs to the truth of God's holy word; and to be ready on all fit occasions, with Christian moderation and charity indeed, but nevertheless with Christian simplicity and firmness, to plead and contend earnestly for the faith of the Church, transmitted to us from our forefathers, and to set forth the true character of that, from which they were, and we still are, constrained to live in a state of separation.

It is the purpose of the following tract to cite the authoritative declarations and enactments of each of the Churches of Rome and England on various articles of religion; for it is only by referring to the authoritative decisions

of the Churches that any rational judgment can be formed upon the subject: thus by juxta-position to supply a ready criterion for deciding on the fundamental agreement or difference between them; which may be useful to such members of our communion, as have but vague notions of the different articles of belief, and do not know, or at least have not duly considered and compared, the authoritative documents, of the two churches: and by such means to assist, if by God's blessing I may assist, in diffusing more definite and correct sentiments, and abating that ignorance and inconsideration, whence has originated infinite injury to the welfare of the true religion established in this kingdom, and from which source, unless promptly and effectually counteracted, still more injury is to be expected.

The authoritative documents, to which it is my purpose to refer for the satisfaction of the reader, are, on the one hand, the DECREES and CANONS of the COUNCIL OF TRENT, which was first assembled in 1545, by authority of a Bull of Pope Paul the Third, and under the presidency of his legates; and thence continued by sessions under the authority of succeeding Popes, for the eighteen years following; "for the praise and glory of the holy and undivided, Trinity, the increase and exaltation of true religion, and the extirpation of heresy, the peace and union of the church, the reformation of the clergy and Christian people, and the destruction of the enemies of the Christian name." This council, which was assembled in consequence of the danger apprehended by the Church of Rome from the Reformation, and was continued during its progress, had special reference to

the religious opinions of the time: it is the latest which has been held by the Church of Rome: its decisions were sanctioned by a Bull of confirmation from the Pope, Pius the Fourth: its authority has not been superseded; its doctrinal decisions have never been repealed: and they continue to be regarded as the sacred oracles of that Church by all members of her communion: that Church, whose boast it is, (and who shall gainsay it?) that she is "always the same."

On the other hand, the authoritative declarations, to which the reader will be referred, are for the most part our "THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF RELIGION." At the time of the Reformation, the several Churches, which dissented from that of Rome, published confessions of their faith and King Edward the Sixth, the first Protestant king of England, caused to be put forth by his royal authority, forty-two "Articles agreed upon by the bishops and other learned and good men in the Convocation holden at London in the year 1552, to root out the discord of opinions, and establish the agreement of true religion." These Articles were repealed by Queen Mary, soon after her accession to the throne. But Queen Elizabeth, in the beginning of her reign, gave her royal assent to "Thirty-nine Articles, agreed upon by the archbishops and bishops of both provinces, and the whole clergy, in the Convocation holden at London in the year 1562, for avoiding diversities of opinion, and for the establishing of consent touching true religion." These Articles were revised, and some small alterations made in them, in the year 1571: since which time they have continued to be the criterion of the faith of the members of the Church of England.

These notes of time, with reference to the decisions of the Council of Trent and to the framing of our own Articles, may serve to show, that, as the Council had regard to the questions agitated by the Reformers, so our Convocations had regard to the decisions of the Council and thus, with relation to such disagreements as may be found in these respective documents of the two Churches, whilst the decisions of the Council are to be received as deliberate sentences of condemnation by the Roman Church on the peculiar opinions of the Reformers, our Articles are to be taken as deliberate declarations of protestation by the Church of England on the peculiar doctrines of the Church of Rome. This indeed is on some occasions distinctly stated: but on many other occasions, though the statement be not expressly made, the fact is nevertheless true.

The reader is now requested to grant his attention, whilst I make it my business to show by particular passages from the before-named authoritative documents, arranged in parallel columns for the sake of more convenient comparison, that as to numerous fundamental doctrines and ordinances the Roman and the Anglican Churches are so far from being in agreement with each other, that they are as diametrically opposed to each other as the east and the west; as wide apart from each other, as earth is from heaven. That in some fundamental articles there is an agreement between the Churches, as in "the worship of one God in Trinity," and "the belief of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ," I have no desire to deny, and I readily and gladly admit: though even in these, it is to be feared, that the religion of the Church of Rome is greatly

vitiated by her dominant errors and corruptions; as, in the instances just mentioned, by admitting creatures to a share of the honour due to the "one God," and the 66 one Mediator between God and men :" and unquestionably she must be purified from those errors and corruptions, as, praise be to God! the Church of England was by his blessing on the efforts of her holy fathers at the Reformation, before they can be properly said to "agree in all the fundamentals of Christianity;" before they can take sweet counsel together, and walk in the house," in the one Holy Catholick Apostolick Church, "of God, as friends."

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We proceed to particulars; and the first Article proposed to the reader's contemplation shall be the agreement of the two Churches in doctrine concerning the Rule of Faith.

RULE OF FAITH of the Roman Church, according to the decree of the fourth Session of the Council of Trent.

1. Of the Canonical Scriptures. "The sacred, holy, œcumenical, and general council of Trent, lawfully assembled in the Holy Spirit, the three before-mentioned legates of the Apostolick See presiding therein; having constantly in view the removal of error and the preservation of the purity of the gospel in the Church, which gospel, promised before by the prophets in the sacred Scriptures, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, first published with his own mouth; and then commanded it to be preached by his Apostles to every creature, as the source of all salutary truth and discipline of manners; and perceiving that this truth and discipline are contained both in written books and in unwritten traditions, which have come down to us, having been received by the Apostles from the mouth of Christ himself, or been transmitted, as if

RULE OF

FAITH

of the Anglican Church, according to her Sixth Article of Religion.

Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for salvation.

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should