spiritual and ecclesiastical, as it is exercised over the sons of its Church; producing, as it does, a distracted allegiance in the same person, acknowledging and living under the temporal power of one sovereign, and bound in faith and morals by the authority of another, claiming to be his spiritual guide and governor, his ecclesiastical sovereign, and in effect, in all matters of supreme conscientious concernment, God's vicegerent and representative on earth."

LETTER XXIX.

SIR,

THERE are two classes of controversialists among English Roman Catholics: one class (by much the larger of the two) is bitter in reproaches, and unmeasured in calumny; the other is full of amenity, calmness, and subtle dealing.They have a Milner, Fletcher, Gandolphy, Lingard, and Andrews, to wield the Tomahawk or the Hatchet; and they have their Butlers (" apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto"), to smooth down the wrinkled brow of opponents, and to handle the keen Sabre with graceful adroitness! Bishop Milner's new Work, against the principles of Protestantism, which he calls" The End of Religious Controversy," may serve as a specimen of the former sort of writing; and Mr. Butler's three volumes of Church History (the first of which is very obligingly dedicated to You), will afford a sample of the latter kind. I beg to make some brief remarks on both these modern productions, because few English Lay-Protestants are so anxious and sincere in behalf of Christianity as to inquire what is doing by Roman Catholics at home.

Sir, our Church is assailed incessantly, and on all sides, by different sorts of weapons; and it will be well if no other

be ever allowed to such adversaries, than these legitimate weapons, of literature and a free press. It is the constant and uniform habit of those who take up their pen against us, to traduce our most faithful historians; and to cast out insinuations or direct charges of perfidy and gross falsehood, against Fox, Jewel, Fuller, Burnet, Clarendon, Usher, Strype, &c. while they praise their own Stapleton, and Ward, and Dodd, and Challoner, &c. as oracles of TRUTH. If they can but impress their readers with an idea that all Protestant Historians are WILFULLY corrupt and erroneous, their end in noticing or answering them is half gained, Another point is never forgotten: that is, to misrepresent and magnify the examples of Protestant persecution (which, when they happen, must be in direct contravention of OUR RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES); and to deny, disguise, or greatly to palliate, the numberless cases of cruel barbarity by Roman Catholics, only acting conformably to THEIR AUTHO

RIZED DOCTRINES.

66

In Mr. Butler's three last volumes (one upon the Gallican Church, and two on the Roman Catholics at home), this learned Gentleman never once loses sight of his main object—to promote the political aggrandizement of Roman Catholics, and to establish their unconditional “ Claims” in Parliament; for, though he treats on many different sub jects, and makes devious movements as his work demands (like a ship steering in almost opposite directions during a long voyage), the writer tacks about at last towards the wished-for point, and brings all the materials of his history to bear upon "the Catholic Question,"

It is, therefore, considered by me as an historical record most partial, very defective, and unworthy of credit; suppressing facts in almost every chapter, and giving so meagre or distorted a view of the state of Popery in this Empire, as will serve to blind Protestants, and make Jesuitical Catholics smile with complacency: I could easily fill a volume, in

pointing out the author's omissions, inaccuracies, and unfaithful dealings. Even already (notwithstanding two editions of the Memoirs have been rapidly sold), one of the Vicars Apostolic complains of the writer's insincerity and false statements !

I myself am also of opinion, that Dodd's History of the Roman Catholic Church is infinitely more faithful, though not so classically pure in its style of composition, and I think will justly be regarded as a safer authority for future ge nerations. The artifice with which these Memorials are drawn up is equally manifest in Mr. Butler's collection of Creeds or Confessions, of which I now shall say no more; but if time and health should allow, I may possibly hereaf ter take further notice of the book just alluded to. Of dis ingenuousness we may surely complain, even when a work is written with the utmost elegance, method, and literary skill; for nothing can compensate the want of honest and strict fidelity in a professed historical production.

Dr. John Milner's new work in three parts, comprising 660 pages, is" addressed to the Right Rev. Lord Bishop of St. David's, in Answer to his Lordship's Protestant Catechism." It explains and defends all the leading principles of the unreformed Latin Church, which some candid Statesmen are pleased to say have no existence! It alleges that Bishop Burgess, and other honourable opponents, teach and desire Protestants "TO HATE AND PERSECUTE their elder Brethren, the authors of their Christianity and civilization." It brands with infamy and blackness the character of Milton, Locke, Hoadly, and a long list of modern Prelates, some of whom are still living; not to mention Wickliff, Lord Cobham, and a host of other "Lollards," &c. &c. who are described as the most worthless and rebellious of human beings. It spares neither Kings, nor Nobles, nor Prelates, nor Scholars, nor meaner persons of unblemished morals, if they dislike Popery and its superstitions, The

author attacks all Bible-men with most malignant and un measured virulence, not omitting our venerable translators of the Bible, who are said to have committed "MANY WILFUL ERRORS."

You will pardon me, Sir, if I give (at the close of my Appendix) a single specimen of the author's gross ignorance, mingled, with the foulest calumny against those translators.

Dr. Milner's book is adorned with engravings; one of which is "THE APOSTOLICAL TREE," showing the constant succession of Bishops, &c. " likewise the chief Heretics and Schismatics who have been cut off" from the Roman Catholic Church! In this tree, I find, classed together and lopped off, the names of "Henry VIII. Duke of Somerset, Queen Elizabeth, Servetus, Chillingworth, Bayle, George Fox, Rousseau, Voltaire, Zinzendorf, Brienne, Robespierre, and Condorcet," as "Chief Heretics and Schismatics of their ages;" also, on the opposite side of this tree, are the names of "Wycliff, Jerome of Prague, John Huss, Luther, Calvin, Anabaptists, Zuinglius, Melancthon, Beza, Arminius, Gomarus, Jansenius, J. Wesley, G. Whitfield," with many others, all cut off and falling down-as being only fit for the fire, and out of the "true Church of Christ." I hardly need add, that (in this author's view)" there is and can be no Apostolical succession of ministry in the Established Church, more than in the other congregations or societies of Protestants: all their preaching and ministering in their several degrees, is performed by mere human authority," he says; and consequently, the whole work of that "Intrusive Church" is invalid, useless, profane, and a perpetual imposition, without efficacy, without real sacraments, without legitimate baptisms, or lawful marriages, or right to Christian ceremonies, or hope of divine acceptance at the bar of mercy. This is genuine Popish charity, in the 19th century, and in the British dominions!!!

I do not question the logical subtlety, the profound an

tiquarian knowledge, the deep classical erudition, and the superior acquaintance of Dr. Milner with his own Church History; but, Sir, I do question his critical accuracy, his knowledge and love of the Scriptures, his taste for pure evangelical truth, and his fairness in controversial discussion. All the writers of his class are far too dogmatical, too overbearing, too abusive and personal, too rude to their equals in literature, and too acrimonious to their inferiors in debate, -sparing no epithets of reproach or censure towards any one who thinks and speaks in the temper of an honest and independent mind! But, Sir, I regard not the contumely of such men: the fear of man never deters me from the performance of a Christian duty; and I stand fully prepared to endure all consequences, and to leave my moral reputation in the hands of a Divine Omniscient Judge.

If, as Dr. Johnson observes," no book was ever spared out of tenderness to the author, and the world is little solicitous to know whence proceeded the faults of that which it condemns;" I cannot expect any indulgence for the deficiencies or mistakes which may be detected in the foregoing pages, though written or compiled "amidst inconvenience and distraction," without the aid or concurrence of a single friend, in broken moments of time, stolen either from sleep or pressing avocations, and during so short a period as not to admit of revisal or one more day's delay.

I am, Sir,

With great respect,

Your obliged Servant,

WILLIAM BLAIR.

LONDON, April 10, 1819.