deny that there is any knowledge or power in the Church on earth to pronounce upon the salvation, much less upon the glorification of any particular saint. We may hope and trust, and feel a happy persuasion of their bliss, but the Lord alone can pronounce an authoritative judgment. We also deny that the angels are to be worshipped or addressed in prayer, and the whole mass of worship established by the Church of Rome in honour of the virgin Mary and the saints, we hold ourselves prepared to prove to be unscriptural, unknown to the primitive Church, and utterly unfavourable to the best interests of the gospel.

These are strong assertions, brethren, but not stronger, I trust, than the evidence will fully justify. I should not undertake, however, to prove the correctness of our doctrine, if I were confined to Dr. Wiseman's statement of the other side. He tells us, indeed, that the Church of Rome thinks it right to apply to the departed saints for the benefit of their supplications; but he does not inform us how the application is made, what sort of power is attributed to the saints, and in what terms of honour, praise, and invocation, this portion of their worship is conducted. These defects I must supply in the first place, by setting before you a pretty copious selection from the standard books of the Church of Rome, and then, brethren, you will be prepared to understand the importance of this portion of our controversy.

To begin, then, with the virgin Mary: the catechism of the Council of Trent declares that "she is truly and properly called Mother of God and man," and "Immaculate,' that is, without spot or stain, (p. 47.) As the apostles sometimes call Jesus Christ the second Adam, so "the virgin mother we may also," continues this catechism, "compare to Eve."—" By believing the serpent, Eve entailed malediction and death upon mankind; and Mary, by believing the angel, became the instrument of the divine goodness in bringing life and benediction to

the human race. From Eve we are born children of wrath, from Mary we have received Jesus Christ, and through him are regenerated children of grace. To Eve it was said, in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children: Mary was exempt from this law, for preserving her integrity inviolate, she brought forth Jesus the Son of God without experiencing any sense of pain." (Ib. 49.)

In another part of this catechism, on the subject of prayer, we read as follows: "To the duty of thanksgiving belongs the first part of the angelical salutation. When we say by way of prayer: 'Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women;' we render to God the highest praise and return him most grateful thanks, because he accumulated all his heavenly gifts on the most holy virgin; and to the virgin herself, for this her singular felicity, we present our respectful and fervent congratulations. To this form of thanksgiving the Church of God has wisely added prayer to, and an invocation of, the most holy mother of God, by which we piously and humbly fly to her patronage, in order that, by interposing her intercession, she may conciliate the friendship of God to us miserable sinners, and may obtain for us those blessings which we stand in need of in this life, and the life to come. Exiled children of Eve, who dwell in this vale of tears, should we not earnestly beseech the mother of mercy, the advocate of the faithful, to pray for us? Should we not earnestly implore her help and assistance? That she possesses exalted merits with God, and that she is most desirous to assist us by her prayers, it were wicked and impious to doubt." (Ib. 435.)

To have a distinct idea, brethren, of the quality of the worship thus enjoined, we must look at the language which the Church of Rome puts into the mouth of the worshipper.

Thus the angelical salutation, or Hail Mary, as it is often called, is as follows:

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen." (True Piety, p. 23–4. New York edition of 1826.)

We may next cite the language of their confession.

"I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary, ever a virgin, to blessed Michael the archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought word and deed, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary ever a virgin, the blessed Michael the archangel, the blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for (Ib. 24.)

me.

The invocation of the virgin, the guardian angel, and the patron saint, enjoined on every worshipper, is as follows:

"O holy virgin, mother of God! my advocate and patroness! pray for thy poor servant, prove thyself a mother to me. And thou, O blessed spirit, my guardian angel, whom God in his mercy hath appointed to watch over me, intercede for me this day, that I may not stray from the paths of virtue. Our glorious apostle St. Patrick, and thou, also, O happy saint, whose name I bear, pray for me that I may serve God faithfully in this life as thou hast done, and with thee glorify him eternally in heaven. Amen.’ Amen." (Ib. p. 25.)

From the Litany of the blessed virgin, I shall next extract some of the prayers and titles addressed to her.

"We fly to thy patronage, O holy mother of God, despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed virgin."

"Holy mother of God, mother of divine grace, mother of our Creator, most powerful Virgin, most merciful Virgin, mirror of justice-pray for us. Seat of wisdom, cause of our

joy, Tower of David, House of Gold, Ark of the covenant, Gate of heaven, Morning Star, Health of the weak, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, Help of Christians, Queen of angels, Queen of patriarchs, Queen of prophets, Queen of apostles, Queen of martyrs, Queen of confessors, Queen of virgins, Queen of all saints,-pray for us." (Ib. 38-9.)

Here is a marvellous collection of glorious titles, brethren, to offer to any creature; but perhaps there is still more force in the following prayer.

"O blessed Virgin, mother of God: and by this august quality worthy of all respect from men and angels, I come to offer thee my most humble homage, and to implore the aid of thy prayers and protection. Thou art all powerful with the Almighty, and thy goodness for mankind is equal to thy influence in heaven. Thou knowest, O blessed Virgin! that from my tender years I looked up to thee as my mother, my advocate and patroness: thou wert pleased to consider me, from that time, as one of thy children, and whatever graces I have received from God, I confess with humble gratitude that it is through thee I receive them. Why was I not as faithful in thy service, as thou wert bountiful in assisting me! But I will henceforth serve, honour and love thee. Accept, O blessed Virgin, my protestations of fidelity; look favourably on the confidence I have in thee; obtain for me, of thy dear Son, a lively faith, a firm hope, a tender, generous, and constant love. Obtain for me a purity that nothing can soil, a humility that nothing can elate, a patient submission to the will of God, that nothing can ever disturb. In fine, O glorious Virgin, obtain for me so faithful an imitation of thy virtue in my life, that I may experience the power of thy protection at my death. Amen." (Ib. 180.)

A little farther on in this authoritative book of Roman Catholic devotion, we find what is called a “Consecration of one's self to the blessed Virgin."

"Holy Mary, virgin mother of God, I this day choose thee for my mother, queen, patroness and advocate, and firmly resolve never to depart either by word or action from the duty I owe thee, or suffer those committed to my charge to say or do any thing against thy honour. Receive me therefore as thy servant for ever, assist me in all the actions of my whole life, and forsake me not in the hour of my death. Amen." (Ib. 182-3.)

After this follows the "prayer of St. Bernard to the blessed Virgin."

"Remember, O most pious virgin, that it is unheard of, through all ages, that any one who had recourse to thee, implored thy aid, and begged the assistance of thy prayers, ever was forsaken. Animated with the same confidence, I fly to thee, O virgin of virgins, mother of my God! I come to thee and cast myself at thy feet, a wretched sinner, groaning and weeping. O mother of the eternal Word, despise not this my humble supplication, but graciously hear and mercifully grant my request." (Ib. 183.)

In the introduction to another form in this same book of devotion, namely, the Rosary of the blessed virgin, the prayer called Hail Mary, is commended in these words: "It was composed in heaven, dictated by the Holy Ghost, and delivered to the faithful by the angel Gabriel, St. Elizabeth, and the Church of Christ." And afterwards we find that in this Rosary, for every single repetition of the Lord's prayer, it is ordered that the prayer to the Virgin shall be said ten times; from which we learn that the supplications addressed to her in this favourite form of devotion, are beyond all reasonable allowance, more frequent than those made to the Almighty. (Ib. 275.)

The third part of this Rosary presents to the worshipper what is called the fourth and fifth glorious mysteries, being there placed in company with the resurrection and ascension