As to doctrine. I am not aware there is extant any statement comparable to the Discourse on the Religion anciently professed by the Irish and British, published in 1631, from the pen of that profound scholar and apostolic prelate, James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh. This great scholar thus wisely expresses himself:

"In judging of the religion of our ancestors, we are not to build our conclusions upon every single proposition, whether they either agree with or dissent from us, but upon the main bulk of the substantial points of doctrine which are controverted betwixt us at this day."

It is confirmatory of our faith, to read again what the same great writer says::

"I do not deny but that in this country, as well as in others, corruptions did creep in by little and little, before the devil was let loose to procure that seduction which prevailed so generally in these last times; but as far as I can collect, by such records of the former ages as have come unto my hands, (either manuscript or printed,) the religion professed by the ancient bishops, priests, monks, and other Christians in this land, was for substance the very same with that which now, by public authority, is maintained therein, against the foreign doctrine brought in thither, in latter times, by the Bishop of Rome's followers. I speak of the more substantial points of doctrine, that are in controversy betwixt the Church of Rome and us at this day, by which only we must judge, whether of both sides hath departed from the religion of our ancestors; not as matters of inferior note, much less of ceremonies and such other things as appertain to the discipline rather than to the doctrine of the Church."

The first chapter of Ussher treats of the Holy Scripture. His first quotation from Sedulius, one of the most ancient writers that remaineth of this country, hath delivered for the meaning of the rule laid down by St. Paul, "Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of God is," this interpretation "Search the law, in which the will of God is contained;" and then, having shown that the practice of our ancestors differed not from this judgment, Ussher adds :

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"Long before this time, it was the observation which St. Chrysostom made of both these islands: that although thou didst go unto the ocean, and those British Isles, although thou didst sail to the Euxine Sea, although thou didst go unto the southern quarters, thou shouldst hear all men everywhere discoursing matters out of the SCRIPTURES, with another voice indeed, but not with another faith, and with a different tongue, but with an according judgment.””

I think every good Protestant agrees in the vital and fundamental principle contained in what has been just quoted, as it was maintained in the time of the primitive purity of the Catholic faith. The old true doctrine of the Irish Christians on justification by faith is thus stated :—

"That God hath so ordered, that He will be gracious to mankind, if they do believe that they shall be freed by the blood of Christ; that, as the soul is the life of the body, so faith is the life of the soul;' and that we live by faith only, as owing nothing to the law;' that he who believeth in Christ, hath the perfection of the law.'"

This is most comforting to read.

Touching purgatory, we have a conclusive statement and quotation :

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Hitherto, also, may be referred that ancient canon of one of our Irish synods, wherein it is affirmed, that the soul being separated from the body, is 'presented before the judgment-seat of Christ, who rendereth its own unto it, according as it hath done;' and that neither the archangel can lead it unto life, until the Lord hath judged it, nor the devil transport it unto pain, unless the Lord do damn it;' as the sayings of Sedulius, likewise, that after the end of this life, 'either death or life succeedeth,' and that 'death is the gate by which we enter our kingdom;' together with that of Claudius, that Christ did take upon Him our punishment without the guilt, that thereby He might loose our guilt, and FINISH also our punishment.""

If an Irish synod held and laid down that faith, they laid down ours this day. Touching the worship of God, St. Sedulius (Ussher shows) delivered this general rule, that "to adore any other beside the Father, and the Son, and the

Holy Ghost, is the crime of impiety ;" and that "all that the soul oweth unto God, if it bestow it upon any beside God, it committeth adultery." More particularly, in the matter of images, he reproveth the wise men of the heathen for thinking that they had found out a way "how the invisible God might be worshipped by a visible image;" with whom also accordeth Claudius, that "God is to be known neither in metal nor in stone;" and for oaths, there is a canon ascribed to St. Patrick, wherein it is determined that "no creature is to be sworn by, but only the Creator."

What more sound doctrine could we desire to read or know upon these heads! It is not surprising to find that Ireland was called the "Isle of Saints."

The exposition of the sacraments is terse and conclusive. Under the head of marriage of the clergy, we read :—

"Concerning single life, I do not find in any of our records, that it was generally imposed upon the clergy, but the contrary rather. For in the synod held by St. Patrick, Auxilius, and Isserninus, there is a special order taken that their wives shall not walk abroad with their heads uncovered. And St. Patrick himself confesseth (at leastwise the Confession' which goeth under his name saith so, and Probus, Jocelinus, and others that write his life, agree therewith), that he had to his father Calphurnius, a deacon, and to his grandfather Potitus, a priest."

Therefore, St. Patrick was in favour of the clergy entering into holy matrimony, as St. Peter himself was a married man. Upon this subject of the marriage of the clergy of the ancient Church in Ireland, I once quoted the authority of Lord Coke, (who wrote in the time of Elizabeth, with more learning in his head than any lawyer that ever lived) from the 4th Institute, wherein he writes:—

"At a synod holden in Ireland by St. Patrick, their Apostle, it was unanimously agreed that Irish priests should have wives."

This quotation, which is indisputable, exposed me to censure, contained in a book published by the Rev. Mr. Gaffney, which the author had the courtesy to send me. He criticises Judge Keogh for having, in a judicial decision, expressed himself to the like effect.* I did not argue that the celibacy of the clergy was a matter of faith, as my critic supposed, but I argued and proved that there was anciently an independent authority existing in Ireland—a synod in which, and by which authority, a very important matter of discipline was decided, in direct opposition to the discipline and authority of the Church of Rome; and further, I quoted my authorities to show that our discipline to-day is the discipline of the ancient Catholic Church in Ireland on the celibacy of the clergy.

All these matters we submit to our Roman Catholic fellowcountrymen, not in the heat of controversy, but with affection and respect.

We proceed with our illustrious guide to another head of our discourse :

"And now are we come at last to the great point, that toucheth the head and the foundation of the Church. Concerning which Sedulius observeth that the title of foundation is attributed both to Christ, and to the apostles and prophets; that where it is said, 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone, &c., it is certain that by the rock or stone, Christ is signified; that 'the apostles are the foundation, or Christ rather the foundation of the apostles. For Christ (saith he) is the foundation, who is also called the corner-stone, joining and holding together the two walls. Therefore is He the foundation and chief stone, because in Him the Church is both founded and finished;' and we are to account the apostles as ministers of Christ, and not as the foundation.' The famous place whereon our Romanists lay the main foundation of the Papacy, Claudius expounded in this sort: Upon this

* The learned judge discusses all such questions in a large, tolerant, and catholic spirit.

rock I will build my Church,' that is to say, upon the Lord and Saviour, who granted unto his faithful knower, lover, and confessor, the participation of His own name, that from Petra (the rock) he should be called Peter. The Church is built upon him; because, only by the faith and love of Christ, by the receiving of the sacraments of Christ, by the observation of the commandments of Christ, we come to the inheritance of the elect and eternal life, as witnesseth the apostle. who saith, Other foundation can no man lay, beside that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus."

As to the appointment of bishops by kings:

"Now to go forward:-as the kings and people of this land, in these elder times, kept the nomination of their archbishops and bishops in their own hands, and depended not upon the Pope's provisions thus away; so do we not find by any approved record of antiquity that any visitations of the clergy were held here in the Pope's name, much less that any indulgences were sought for by our people at his hand.”

As to references to Rome, for advice or counsel, Ussher says for himself:—

"Only this will I say, that as it is most likely that St. Patrick had a special regard unto the Church of Rome (from whence he was sent for the conversion of this island, a statement disputed), so, if I myself had lived in these days, for the resolution of a doubtful question, I should as willingly have listened to the judgment of the Church of Rome, as to the determination of any Church in the whole world, so reverend an estimation have I of the integrity of that Church, as it stood in those good days. But that St. Patrick was of opinion that the Church of Rome was sure ever afterward to continue in that good estate, and that there was a perpetual privilege annexed unto that See, that it should never err in judgment, or that the Popes' sentences were always to be held as infallible oracles, that will I never believe; sure I am, that my countrymen, after him, were of a far other belief, who were so far from submitting themselves in this sort to whatsoever should proceed from the See of Rome, that they oftentimes stood out against it, when they had little cause so to do. For proof whereof I need to seek no further than to those very allegations which have been lately urged for maintenance of the supremacy of the Pope and Church of Rome in this country."