LETTER IX.

SIR,

PROBABLY you will allow that my first supposition is sufficiently established; viz. THE REVIVAL OF POPERY, not only in Europe and other quarters, but also in this part of the British Empire. I shall have no difficulty in convincing you, that the spirit or genius of Roman Catholics, as a body, remains the same which it was in former ages; though the means of exercising their spiritual intolerance Should be more limited by outward circumstances. may these restraining circumstances, however, by any change of events, be greatly altered in their favour, it cannot be doubted that Popery may then rise into immediate and powerful operation; her true and inherent character will then be developed; her political importance and pretensions will rapidly advance; and her ambitious demands on the State will be enforced with proportional arrogance and domination. We are now, therefore, to inquire, on what avowed and unchanging PRINCIPLES the Roman Church still acts, and by what injurious MOTIVES, she is evidently governed; rather than to ask, for an exact description of her present secular encroachments among the neighbouring States, or for a positive exhibition of her widely extended political do

minion.

I have admitted that the latter must be waited for, and can only be anticipated as really existing under more favourable circumstances: then, indeed, it may be too late to resist, and all regrets will be unavailing; but, now we are called on to use the best means of prevention, as foreseeing and avoiding the evil. The direct proofs in point of fact, of her unaltered spirit of intolerance, do not manifest them

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selves merely in an open avowal of tyrannical sentiments, quite at variance with the peace and liberty of other Churches; but also, by her recent determination to send out the wily Jesuits, like an army of Locusts, to over-run ALL STATES AND DOMINIONS," as the Pope's Bull of August 7th, 1814, sets forth! In England, and even in London itself, are found many bold defenders of this odious and hostile measure; some of whom, disguised and under a mask (as Mr. CHARLES BUTLER), do not hesitate to cover or soften down all the past enormities of that Order with one hand, while they hold out the other towards Protestants, as if to offer terms of mutual amity and concord!

That Ex-Jesuits should have hailed with gratitude and joy the day of their regeneration, is natural; but that such men (who know this Order was at first established, and now again is restored, for no ostensible object besides opposing the Reformation of Religion) should assume the sacred garb of friendship, is a mockery to our understandings, too obvious to deceive any person who does not willingly shut his eyes. Yet these same defenders of Jesuitism have the effron tery to pretend that no harm whatever is intended against our Protestant Church, our Protestant Government, our Protestant Legislature, or our Protestant Crown!!-Credat Judæus, non ego.

It is not against Infidelity, Sir, but against "Schism and Heresy" (for so the Reformed religion is called), that 66 THOSE VIGOROUS AND EXPERIENCED ROWERS," as the Sovereign Pontiff names them, are brought at this time into action: yes, it is manifest that the successful efforts of Bible Societies were meant thus to be counteracted, and the fundamental principles of the Reformation withstood. Accordingly, the Briefs of His Holiness are now freely circulating in various languages of the oriental and western nations; while Jesuits, together with other religious Orders,

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are working the grand engine of Papal Inquisitors, &c. recast and newly fabricated in the Vatican. §

The late DR. GEDDES, a truly respectable Roman Catholic Priest, whom I knew, wrote "A Modest Apology for the members of his own Communion in Great Britain; which was "addressed to all moderate Protestants, particularly to the Members of both Houses of Parliament, 8vo. 1800." This book has become scarce; and, I shall therefore exhibit a few select passages, bearing on my present subject. You have sometimes expressed to me your deep regret, that it was not in your power (for want of time) to read certain works which I had named as important, and have requested me to make occasional extracts for your perusal; a task, however, which as little comports with my scanty leisure as with your own.

Dr. Geddes, p. 136, observes that there are Protestants, " and their name is LEGION, who are not easily satisfied; to whom our real or pretended tenets, in which we differ, or seem to differ, from Protestants, appear in some degree, and indirectly, politically dangerous; in as far as they are supposed to influence our moral conduct, with respect to those whom we deem Heretics; and, at the same time, to be injurious to the interests of genuine religion, which is the great bond of civil society; and corruptive of the pure Word of God, by ridiculous ceremonies, superstitious rites, I and even gross idolatry."-This is not an unfair view of my own objection to granting them such eligibility to high offices of power, as might finally lead to a decided preponderance in the State, or at least to a perpetual struggle for domination

§ The Spanish Sovereign takes an Oath-" to persecute, and command to be persecuted, all heretics and apostates," and also that he will "command to be given to the Holy Office of the Inquisition, all aid and protection, in order that heretics, disturbers of their holy religion, may be scized and punished, conformably to the laws and holy canons," &c. &c.

over Protestants. The author then undertakes and endeavours" to apologize for the British Roman Catholics, and their distinctive tenets," in the following manner:

"Now the first," says he, "that strikes my view as the most objectionable, is the doctrine That there is no salvation out of the Catholic Church; a doctrine which appears to me so harsh, so uncharitable, and (let me add) so Antichristian, that I cannot possibly acquiesce in it. But, is this doctrine peculiar to the Roman Catholic Church? No: it has, with certain modifications and explanations, been adopted by almost every Christian Communion; and Creeds and Confessions of Faith, containing that doctrine, are said, or sung, or subscribed to, by every established Protestant Church with which I am acquainted! I know that, of late, the Theologians of most Protestant communions have laboured to mollify this odious tenet; particularly those of the Church of England, who allow" [Mark this]" that salvation may be had even in the Communion of the Church of Rome and as concession commonly begets concession, the Theologians of the Church of Rome have found out two expedients to save Protestants; invincible ignorance, and invincible necessity. Thus, in theory," adds he, "they are nearly on a par."-In the concluding opinion I cannot agree, and must deny them to be “ on a par.”

But, Sir, I do not intend to draw you into a discussion of Popish tenets, nor to demonstrate that any of those we object against are unscriptural or false: all I propose is, to show that some of their principles of moral and political conduct, now openly acknowledged and avowed by the Ro man Church, are hostile to our peace and security as Protestants. This you will confess to be worthy of notice and consideration, even to Politicians; who do not, perhaps, much care whether the dogmas themselves be true or false, provided they will not excite any civil disorder and national mischief. Men certainly cannot agree on all points of opi

nion, and the forcible attempt to make them do so is about as foolish (not to say wicked) as the attempt to contrive perfect time-pieces, which always shall exactly agree; a kind of absurdity that the Emperor CHARLES V, saw in his retired moments to be absolutely impracticable by human means, after having bitterly persecuted Lutherans for many years, because they would think and believe differently from himself.

SIR,

LETTER X.

THE Papal doctrine of infallibility must necessarily lead to two serious evils: first, that an infallible Church can never reform itself; and secondly, that her disciples, if sincere in their profession, must believe all who do not receive the Church-doctrines of faith to be damned, as infidels or heretics.--Now these consequences have been the prac tical and uniform result of the Papal notion of such infallibility-a fixed article of faith (as it applies to their Hierarchy) which no Roman Catholic denies, not even the English petitioners themselves. If you tell me that Dr. Geddes would not believe so, I can only say he was then very inconsistent, and not really a Son of the Church; but, I think he did assent to this infallibility most fully (not of the Pope alone, yet of the whole Church), and only disliked the deductions which we say clearly flow from the admission. It is, nevertheless, a doctrine taught in all their authorized Catechisms, and cannot any how be got rid of: it is this which forms the basis of their cruel despotism, and spiritual tyranny; it is this which gives plausibility to their Episcopal Claims of jurisdiction, and the right of universally directing or controlling conscience,