greatest ardour to seek nothing in this world, but what Jesus Christ in his mortal life, that is, the kingdom of his grace: for the only aim of this servant of God was, the sanctification of his own soul, and the salvation of others. He was thoroughly instructed that a man's spiritual progress depends very much upon the fervour of his beginning; and he omitted nothing both to lay a solid foundation, and continually to raise upon it the structure of all virtues; and he sought and found God in all things. The progress which he made was very great, because he set out by the most perfect exterior and interior renunciation of the world and himself. Being sent to Majorca to study philosophy and divinity, he contracted a particular friendship with a lay brother, Alphonsus Rodriguez, then porter of the college, an eminent contemplative, and perfect servant of God: nor is it to be expressed how much the fervent disciple improved himself in the school of this humble master, in the maxims of Christian perfection. His first lessons were, to speak little with men, and much with God ; to direct every action in the beginning with great fervour to the most perfect glory of God, in union with the holy actions of Christ; to have God always present in his heart; and to pray continually for the grace never to offend God: never to speak of any thing that belongs to clothing, lodging, and such conveniencies, especially eating or drinking; to meditate often on the sufferings of Christ, and on the virtues of his calling.

"F. Claver, in 1610, was, at his earnest request, sent with other missionaries to preach the faith to the infidels at Carthagena, and the neighbouring country in America. At the first sight of the poor negro slaves, he was moved with the strongest sentiments of compassion, tenderness, and zeal, which never forsook him; and it was his constant study to afford them all the temporal comfort and assistance in his power. In the first place he was indefatigable in instructing and baptizing them, and in giving them every spiritual succour: the title in which he gloried was that of the slave of the slaves, or of the Negroes; and incredible were the fatigues which he underwent night and day with them, and the many heroic acts of all virtues which he exercised in serving them. The Mahometans, the Pagans, and the very Catholics, whose scandalous lives were a reproach to their holy religion, the hospitals and the prisons were other theatres where he exercised his zeal. The history of his life furnishes us with most edifying instances, and gives an account of two persons be ing raised to life by him, and of other miracles; though his assiduous prayer, and his extraordinary humility, mortification of his senses, and perfect self-denial, might be called the greatest of his miracles. In the same rank we may place the wonderful conversions of niany obstinate sinners, and the heroic sanctity of many great servants of God, who were by him formed to perfect virtue. Among his maxims of humility he used especially to inculcate, that he who is sincerely humble desires to be contemned, he seeks not to appear humble, but worthy to be humbled, is subject to all in his heart and ready to obey the whole world. By the holy hatred of ourselves, we must secretly rejoice in our hearts when we meet with contempt and affronts; but must take care, said this holy man, that no one think that we rejoice at them, but rather believe we are confounded and grieved at the ill treatment we receive. F. Claver died on the eighth of September, 1654, being about seventy-two years old; having spent in the society fifty-five years, in the same uniform crucified life, and in the constant round of the same uninterrupted labours, which perhaps requires a courage more heroic than martyrdom."

Having compared the two accounts together, the reader will now be able to conclude which is the most deserving of credit. In that given by Fox, we have no authorities, according to his usual custom; it rests solely on his bare assertion, and is related in his usual loose and unintelligible stile. Mr. Butler, on the contrary, gives us names, dates, and vouchers, and his narrative is at once clear and convincing. That the persecuted in China were CATHOLICS is undeniable; that the missionaries who spread the light of Christianity among these Pagans were CATHOLIC PRIESTS is equally incontestible. Thus, then, while the pretended reformers were saturating their respective countries with the blood of their fellow countrymen, and destroying churches and monasteries, the seats of learning, with Vandalic fury and

barbarity, we have it on record, and it is admitted by Fox, though in a covertly way, that Catholic missionaries were planting the cross of Christ in the vast empire of China, and watering it with their blood. That this Book of Martyrs was written with the express intention of misleading the reader is demonstratively clear, from the ambiguity of its language. Amidst the various sects which the reformation, so called, has produced, all laying claim to Christianity, how is it possible that the uninformed should be able to gather what system of Christianity it was that the three Italian missionaries planted in China? To a Catholic enough is said to afford him a clue for discovery; but a Protestant who knows nothing of "the society for the propagation of the Christian faith" must remain in a state of darkness, unless by accident he meets with a correct history of the transactions, to throw a flood of light on the gross and obscure perversions we have here exposed. The term "Christian" is studiously used for the proper name CATHOLIC, which is the only system of Christianity, the only Church that has produced missionaries to convert nations to the light of the gospel, by the aid of reason, example, and the gift of miracles. Looking at the account of Mr. Butler, one is struck with the heroic fortitude, the divine charity, and the extraordinary knowledge and abilities possessed by the Jesuit missionaries; a class of men so scandalously and unjustly reviled by the infidels of France and the bigots of England. Where among the canting hypocritical Missionary societies, now existing in this deluded country, shall we find such self-devotion, such ardent zeal, such immense labours, and so successful a harvest, as the Jesuits displayed and obtained, during their cultivation in this part of the vineyard of their divine Master? With equal ardour, fidelity, and fortitude did the other religious orders of the Catholic church cooperate in carrying the knowledge of the Christian faith among benighted nations, and with the like success. How different too was the mode which they pursued. We here see that skill, meekness, prayer, and preaching were the means used in China in the sixteenth century, to inspire confidence and gain attention to the divine truths the missionaries were commanded to impart. This was the uniform practice of Catholic apostles in every age and every clime. Having gained converts to the faith, their next object was the raising temples for the worship of the living God. Alas! how different were the ways of the pretended reformers. Pride, ambition, revenge, lust, and brutal violence, marked their progress in every country where they could get a footing.-Not a single place can be found, where the reformers of the sixteenth century had any influence, that did not suffer, more or less, dilapidation and pillage. Churches were defaced, monasteries destroyed, libraries ransacked and burned, and priests and religious murdered and persecuted. Nor was this all: crimes were laid to the charge of the innocent to excite the ignorant and unthinking to fury, and falsehood was resorted to for the purpose of deceiving the multitude and blackening the character of those who held steadfast to truth. We have here an instance in this Book of Martyrs, in every page of which misrepresen→ tation, perversion, and want of veracity are to be found. And this is the work which a set of men calling themselves "plain Christians," have undertaken to circulate, for the pretended purpose of "diffusing

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among their fellow-believers a knowledge and love of the genuine "principles, of Christianity.". What barefaced effrontery! But we

must return to their precious mass of lies and fabrications. The next head is,

"PERSECUTIONS IN JAPAN."

Under this title we have the following account which it is our intention to contrast with a more authentic one, and we therefore give it in Fox's own words :

"The first introduction of Christianity into the empire of Japan, took place in 1552, when some Portuguese missionaries commenced their endeavours to make converts to the light of the gospel, and met with such success as amply compensated their labours. They continued to augment the number of their converts till 1616, when being accused of having meddled in politics, and formed a plan to subvert the government, and dethrone the em. peror, great jealousies arose, and subsisted till 1622, when the court commenced a dreadful persecution against foreign and native Christians. Such was the case of this persecution, that during the first four years, 20,570 Christians were massacred. Death was the consequence of a public avowal of their faith, and their churches were shut up by order of government. Many, on a discovery of their religion by spies and informers, suffered martyrdom with great heroism. The persecution continued many years, when the remnant of the innumerable Christians with which Japan abounded, to the number of 37,000 souls, retired to the town and castle of Siniabara, in the island of Xinio, where they determined to make a stand, to continue in their faith, and to defend themselves to the very last extremity. To this place the Japanese army followed them, and laid siege to the place. The Christians defended themselves with great bravery, and held out against the besiegers three months, but were at length compelled to surrender, when men, women, and children, were indiscriminately murdered; and Christianity from that time ceased in Japan.

"This event took place on the 12th of April, 1638, since which time no Christians but the Dutch have been allowed to land in the empire, and even they are obliged to conduct themselves with the greatest precaution, to submit to the most rigorous treatment, and to carry on their commerce with the utmost circumspection."

The introduction of Christianity into Japan is here granted to the Portuguese: now the Portuguese being well known to be Catholics, the Christianity introduced by them must have been Catholicism; that is the very system which the evangelical reformers in Europe were condemning as idolatrous and superstitious. That very system which the "few plain Christians" themselves now represent in their prospectus as inseparable from persecution. That the Christianity introduced into Japan is the same that the Catholics of this day profess is undeniable, because there has been no deviation in Popery, as it is called, from the time it was introduced into Japan, and attempted to be overthrown by Martin Luther and his fellow-labourers in the work of error and iniquity in Europe. This work of opposition to Catholicism is still going on in this land of Bibles and delusion; for it is only while we are writing (Nov. 5th, 1824, the anniversary of the publication of the first number of this Review) a newspaper has been put into our hands containing a report of the proceedings of the London Auxiliary Bible Society, held on the day preceding at the Mansion-house, by permission of the Lord Mayor, who presided at the meeting. At this meeting the days of Catholicism were termed by several of the sapient speakers the days of darkness, of bigotry, superstition, and persecution; while the very Book of Martyrs testify that Portuguese Catholic missionaries in the latter days of darkness made numerous converts "to the light of the gos

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pel" among the superstitious Pagans of Japan!!! Was ever a people so duped and gulled as the people of England have been, since the period of the pretended Reformation, and are at the present day? We have before said that the Catholic church was the only church that has produced missionaries to convert Pagan nations to the true light of the gospel; but we now find, in the just named report, that the London Missionary Society lays claim to the conversion of one whole nation to Christianity; but what kind of Christianity is not defined. As this statement is somewhat connected with the subject under discussion, we will here give the words of the report, as we find them in The Morning Chronicle. Lord Bexley (who a short time ago was Mr. Nicholas Vansittart, and Chancellor of the Exchequer,) represented himself at this meeting as the representative of his Majesty's government, and is stated to have said, that "the Bible existed in the language of almost every nation and tribe in the world; this he granted was only a pre"parative; but he had no doubt that good fruits would speedily arise from it, although the seed might appear to have been lost. An instance of "this might be seen in the London Missionary Society-a Society es"tablished for the purpose of converting the inhabitants of the islands " of the South Seas. This society for many years met with no success. "Some of its Missionaries died in the prosecution of their labours"others returned, having relinquished their task as hopeless, conceiving "that there was no hope, where nothing but brutality and sensuality "were triumphant; but perseverance at length accomplished the mighty. "task. The savages acknowledged the true God, and now almost for "the first time since the days of the apostles, may be seen a whole nation "removing their idols, and adopting the only faith that could lead them" "to salvation." Well said, my lord; you are a very modest gentleman. But why did you not give us the name of this people who have thus been so suddenly blessed with the light of the "only faith" that could lead them to salvation, through the means of the London Missionary society? Besides, my lord Bexley, how long have this lucky Missionary society been in the exclusive possession of the "only faith" that leads to salvation? If they really have this peculiar grace, why did they go so far away to teach it? Why not impart it to their countrymen at home? As there is, according to the words imputed to you, but one faith, is not this something like the doctrine of exclusive salvation, against which so much has been said and written to make the Catholic church intolerant? But what are we to think of your charity, when you here consign nearly the whole world, from the time of the apostles to the present day, to perdition,-this single whole nation being the only one, you say, adopting the only faith that could lead them to salvation! We wish you had been more explicit; but that is not the forte of Bible-meeting speechifyers, whether lay or clerical, who love to deal in mystification rather than in plain language.

The report in The New Times tells us you informed the meeting that this Missionary Society was established ten years back; that for a long time the efforts arising from it were scarcely visible; but the illumination broke forth at once, and in their own time they had before them the example of a whole nation embracing the doctrines of Christianity. This is something like the language of John Fox. The doctrines of

Christianity! Here we are at a stand again; for how is it possible, we again ask, to know what this lord Bexley, or any other lord, means by the doctrines of Christianity, when there are hundreds of discordant sects in this country laying exclusive claim to the doctrines of Christianity? But the society has been in existence TEN YEARS, during which period, or at least till within a short time, for nothing is stated definitively, the effects produced were scarcely visible. This we believe to be verily true; save and except the visible effects of collecting money from silly people to be appropriated to the benefit of the missioners and the managers of the society. Now, Christian reader, is this the way the world was brought to know the light of the gospel? Did the apostles go forth under the auspices of a Missionary society? Did the saintly converters of the nations of the world (always excepting the nameless nation in the South seas) take their credentials from a heterogeneous club of sectarians of the most discordant creeds? To be sure not. They one and all received their commission from the supreme head of the Catholic church on earth, and the nations that received the light of faith rendered obedience in spirituals to that head. Neither did they go armed with bibles which the people could neither read nor understand. They went under a divine commission received from God, and they preached his holy word, which is always one and the same. To shew the effects produced by those missionaries duly authorized to preach the light of the gospel, and those who go commissioned by selfintruders in the work of the vineyard, we shall here give an account of the progress of Catholicism in Japan, from Mr. Butler's Saints' Lives, to which we shall add a few more particulars by way of contrast with the effects of the modern Missionary Society established by Bible Saints:

"The divine seed sown by St. Francis Xavier in Japan increased so much, that when the .persecution was raised, there were reckoned in that empire four hundred thousand Christians. Paul, the first fruits, or rather the father of this church, died happily, and in great sentiments of piety and holy spiritual joy in 1557. The prince of Omura was baptized in 1562. That prince and the two kings of Bungo and Arima, who had received baptism, sent ambassadors of obedience, who were their own near relations, to pope Gregory XIII. in 1582. They were conducted in their voyage by F. Valegnani, a Jesuit, and received with great honour in the principal cities of Portugal, Spain, and Italy, through which they passed, and especially at Rome. The faith flourished daily more and more in Japan, and in 1596, there were in that empire two hundred and fifty churches, three seminaries, a noviciate of the Jesuits, and several Franciscans. The Cubo or emperor Nabunanga, at least out of hatred to the Bonzas, was very favourable to the missionaries, and his prime minister, Vatadono, viceroy of Meaco, was the declared protector of the Christian religion. When the conversion of all Japan was looked upon as at hand, this undertaking was entirely overturned. Nabunanga was cut off by a violent death, and Taikosama usurped first the regency for the son of Nabunanga, and afterward the empire, by contriving to have that heir put to death. Partly by policy and partly by force, he subdued all Japan, and extinguished the Jacatas or petty kings. For some time he was favourable to the Christians, till, by various accidents, he was excited to jealousy at their numbers and progress. In 1586, he, by an edict, forbad any Japanese to embrace the faith, and shortly after caused many Christians to be crucified in the year 1590, no fewer than twenty thousand were put to death for the faith. In 1597, the twenty-six martyrs suffered, whom Urban VIII. thirty years after, declared such. On their death and miracles see Charlevoix, l. x. c. 4. p. 330, and this work on Febr. 5. Taikosama died in 1598; and Ijedas (to whom he left the regency and care of his young son Fidejori, a prince fond of the Christians) having. murdered the heir, his pupil, and usurped the throne, continued the persecution; and in