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obnoxious in the eyes of our forefathers; and therefore it appears, in the result, that either our ancestors were fools, or some people must be insane.-We are proud to say, that the distinguished prelate, whose admirable publication demands our gratitude, thinks as we do.

Can that (says his lordship) be thought a matter of indifference, which cost so many lives, and employed so much learning to establish? If, then, we cry aloud and spare not" against the danger of giving coun tenance to the unscriptural errors of Popery, we do so because it is our duty; not with a view to excite animosities against the Papists, or to provoke their antipathies against us, but because we are not contending for trifles; because they are not slight matters which first separated the Church of England from the Romish Church, and which still make us anxious for the protection of those bulwarks which our greatest lawyers have thought necessary for the stability both of our civil and ecclesiastical constitution ; and for which those who wish to remove them, have never proposed any equivalent substitute. No political expediency can be put in competition with religious duty. The great question involved in what are called the "Catholic" Claims, is not enough considered in a religious view. As Protestants we are bound (from the King to the humblest of his subjects) by an imperious duty to the Reformation. If the Reformation was worth establishing, it is worth maintaining, and it can only be maintained by a constant vigilance in support of those principles which effected it in the sixteenth century, and have since placed the present Royal Family on the throne of this United Kingdom.

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We are told, indeed, by the advocates of Popery, that every security shall be given for the support of the established Chutch, and of the Protestant succession, that is consistent with the rights of conscience. As long as the Romish Church continues in its unreformed state, those rights of conscience must be an insuperable bar to any thing like reciprocal conditions on their part. Even the unavailing measure, called the Veto,*

The Kings of Spain have long regarded themselves as the immediate patrons of all the benefices, dignities, and bishoprics in their dominions. The Chapters of the Cathedrals were indeed in the custom of electing their Bishops, but the Crown had always a preponderating influence over these elections. In the year 1482, the Catholic King obtained for himself a Papal bull, granting him the power of nomination to all bishoprics in his dominions.-De Laborde's View of Spain, Vol. V. p. 26. Other Princes on the Continent, Protestant and Popish, possess the same right; yet our Roman Catholic brethren have declared that they cannot, in conscience, consent to the King's exercising such a power.

which was held out to both Houses of Parliament, on their own authority, is a proof of such impediment. Though this offer was made much use of on the occasion, it was afterwards declared by themselves to be impracticable and impossible. What step towards reciprocation has ever been made by the Romanists in return for all the concessions which have been made to them within these last thirty years,—the removal of penalties, and the grant of valuable rights? What has been done by them towards lessening the objections which Protestants have to the constitution of their Church, and to their religious creed? The errors of their creed were among the chief grounds of our separation from their Church; and the connection of their Church with a foreign jurisdiction, is inconsistent both with those civil and ecclesiastical rights, which the King is sworn to maintain, and for the support of which the Protestant succession was established by law. And yet their advocates, who plead so loudly for their rights of conscience, are altogether silent on the consideration that is due to the consciences of Protestants-a Protestant King, a Protestant Government, and a Protestant Clergy; who, in fidelity to their respective functions, feel themselves bound to resist the progress of Popery, and are persuaded, that to admit the Papists to the privileges which they solicit, without any renunciation on their part, of the errors which distinguish their Church, would be to abandon all the principles adopted in the Reformation in one century, and in the Revolution in the next. What security can be given against the abuse of power in the hands of those whose principles and conscience are at variance with doctrines which we revere as Christians, and with rights which are most dear to us, as Englishmen, and members of the Established Church?

Transported with pleasure should we be, if the wish of the venerable Bishop of Durham could be realized, viz. the accomplishment of a union between the churches of Rome and England: but until the Romanists shall prove themselves worthy of the confidence of the Legislature, we must persist in the use of defensive measures. Let toleration be indulged to them-power must yet be withheld.

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The Petition of the English Roman Catholics considered; in a Charge delivered to the Clergy in the Diocese of Gloucester, at the triennal Visitation of that Diocese in the month of June 1810. By George Isaac Huntingford, D.D. F.R.S. Bishop of Gloucester, and Warden of Winchester College.-Cadell and Davies.

WE have to notice a most excellent charge of another of our prelates. The Bishop of Gloucester, author of " A Call for Union with the Established Church," writes with that moderation which might naturally be expected. Not that his charge wants vigour, or is deficient in spirit; but it has none of that acerbity of expression which too often disgraces controversial writers. Towards the conclusion of his publication, having cited several of the prayers used by Roman Catholics, permissu superiorum; and several passages from the Missal;-his lordship says,

The selection of prayers and of other passages, from a Manual and the Missal of the Romanists, shall here be ended. It has been made, for the purpose of giving you some, though a brief and imperfect, specimen of the Divine Service, which with very little variation from the service used in past ages, is still continued among them. A specimen has been laid before you but it has been unaccompanied with a single observation. It seemed advisable that your thoughts should be turned to their Prayers and Forms; but it appeared neither proper nor necessary to intersperse any comment. And for these reasons. In that tenderness, with which we should treat the religious worship of all Christians, most carefully to be avoided was even the possibility of uttering an expression, which, though without design, might have been offensive.

Thus does a Protestant Bishop treat the Papists: but what is the language of the Papists concerning Protestants? The fol-' lowing extract from Bishop Huntingford's Charge, may suffice for a specimen. Speaking of the Romanists, to his clergy, he

says,

They exult in vilifying the Translation of the Holy Scriptures appointed to be read in your Churches; and by endeavouring to vitiate the Consecration of a Metropolitan at an early period of the Reformation, they labour to destroy the foundation on which rests the validity of your Sacer

"

dotal Functions. Witness the late republication and † continued notoriety of Ward's "Errata ; the character and objects of which Work: need not here be described, as they have been ably drawn and justly exposed by Dr. Ryan among the Irish, and by § Dr. Kipling among our: English Divines; Men, both eminent; and both entitled to our griaeful. thanks for successful exertion of their abilities in our behalf.

A popular || Tract pronounces this judgment of Catholics on Pro

testants:

"We are convinced that they are Schismatics, by separating themselves from the Communion of the Church of Christ; and Heretics, by dissenting from her Doctrine in many substantial Articles; and consequently that they have no part in the Church of Christ, no lawful Mission, no Succession from the Apostles, no authority at all to preach the Word of God, or administer the Sacraments: in fine, no share in the promises of Christ's heavenly kingdom, (excepting the case of invincible ignorance) from which the Scripture in so many places excludes Heretics and Schismatics."

A Book of Instruction, well received among Catholics, inculcates ab-' horrence of Protestant Worship, by appeal to the decision of a Pope, and to an observation made by the Translators of the New Testament at Rheims.

The¶ decision is this; "On no account go to the Churches of Heretics,' or hear their Sermons, or joia in their rites, lest you incur the wrath of God; for it is not lawful for you to do such things, without dishonouring God, and hurting your own souls."

The Rhemish Translators affirm, "That in matters of religion, in praying, hearing their sermons, presence at their service, partaking of

* In the year 1807.

+ See Keating's "Catalogue for 1810," p. 17, which exhibits a Title-Page not corresponding with that prefixed to the Edition of Ward's "Errata" given by Coyne; but introduces expressions very offensive.

See "Analysis of Ward's Errata of the Protestant Bible; by the Rev. Edward Ryan, D.D.

§ See " Certain Accusations brought recently by Irish Papists against British and Irish Protestants of every Denomination, examined," by Thomas Kipling, D. D.

I See "A Roman Catholic's Reasons why he cannot conform to the Protestant Religion," p. 8.-In Keating's Catalogue, p. 10, it is enumerated among the Works of Dr. Richard Challoner.

¶ See p. 369, Vol. 2d. of "The sincere Christian Instructed." By Keating's Catalogue, p. 9, this Work is called Bishop Hay's.

their sacraments, and all other communicating with them in spiritual things, it is a great and damnable sin to deal with them."*

On such and other grounds the Prelate writes in most forcible terms against frequenting our places of worship, because in his opinion we are not within the pale of the Christian Church.

What shall we say to these Facts? What inferences are immediately deducible from the Writings just mentioned; Writings not disavowed by the Catholics as obsolete and virtually rejected; but recognised as standards of Catholic Principles, and at this day industriously recommended by them? What but these are the obvious inferences? Your Ministry is holden in contempt; your Churches are considered as profane; your Rites are branded with condemnation; you are shut out from all participation of God's mercy in Christ! Such are the ideas the Catholics entertain, and such the boldness with which they scruple not to avow and propagate their ideas concerning you, even though they are in a state of political inequality. And can we think it Expedient, that Men so persuaded and so disposed should be invested with political authority over us Can we think it Expedient, that opinions thus uncharitable and inimical towards us, should be strengthened with Power to carry their operation into full effect? Impossible; unless for the punishment of our insensibility to the blessings of pure Religion, the time is come when in our own persons shall be verified the adage,

"Deus dementat, quos vult perdere."

Subjoined to the Charge, is a copy of the petition of the Eng lish Roman Catholics to the House of Lords, 1810; and his lordship, with admirable clearness of discrimination, refutes its allegations, seriatim. Those who read the bishop's little tract, will presently see how groundiess the most popular claims of the Roman Catholics are; and will wonder how such flimsy pretensions could obtain the serious attention of the House of Lords; and much more, how any persons at all studied in law, or acquainted with fact, or accustomed to argumentation, could be found to support them. That our readers, (such of them, at least, as have not seen the Charge itself,) may judge of his lordship's mode of discussing the question; we shall insert an extract

or two.

It is affirmed by the Petitioners, that "none of the Principles, which occasion their refusal (of tests, oaths, and declarations) affect their moral,

Sce p. 366, Vol. 2d. of "The sincere Christian Instructed."

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