positive evidences of Scripture to convince. The 10th verse of the Epistle to the Corinthians, quoted by the Pope, is preceded by these :-" But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part, that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many; so that, contrarywise, ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest, perhaps, such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; wherefore, I beseech you, that you would confirm your love towards him; for to this end did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things."-Is there any Christian who reads the Scriptures who dare deny that this exhortation of St. Paul is to prevail on the Corinthians themselves to forgive their offending brother?-The person alluded to had sinned with his step-mother (1 Cor. v.); and, as we have shown what Popery has been pleased to call an indulgence for sin, we will now see the penance inflicted on the culprit by St. Paul. In the first place, be it observed, that St. Paul neither saw him nor named him; but (ch. v. 1.) tells the Corinthians that it is reported that the occurrence, as above, had taken place; and that (ver. 10, 11, 12), although they could not upon all occasions shun evil persons whilst in this world, yet not to keep company with any man called a bro ther who was guilty-and this is the penance inflicted by St. Paul!-The Pope has forgotten to tell us to whom the sinner's confession was made, since without confession it is said that there can be no remission, and, consequently, no indulgence can be granted?-To what wretchedly impious ter giversations are those reduced in supporting the falsehoods of Popery, whilst the celestial light of the Gospel shines with full lustre upon the whole Christian world !-Mark the following verses of the above chapter (which we have quoted in the early part of this work), and with which it concludes !— Let any Roman Catholic, capable of even reading them, apply them to the infliction of a penance if he can:-v. 12, 13, "For

what have I to do to judge them also that are without ?-Do not ye judge them that are within; but them that are with out God judgeth."

The origin of Indulgences commenced in the twelfth century*, for the purpose of filling the coffers of the Popish clergy at the expense of a deluded multitude; for "all the various ranks and orders of the clergy had each their peculiar method of fleecing the people." The Bishops commenced the traffic in Indulgences; whilst the Monks and Abbots, who were not qualified to grant them, " carried about carcasses and relics of their Saints, which the million were allowed to look at, touch, or hug, at stated prices; and who thus often gained as much by this raree-show, as the Bishops did by their indulgences." When the Popes saw the business to be done in this way, they limited the power of their Bishops, and engrossed the whole trade to themselves, making" the Court of Rome the general magazine of Indulgences;" and, at length, they "not only remitted the penalties which the Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws had enacted against transgressors, but audaciously usurped the authority which belongs to GOD alone, and impiously pretended to abolish even the punishments which are reserved in a future state for the workers of iniquity:-a step, this, which the Bishops, with all their avarice and presumption, had never once ventured to take."- "The penitentials † were now suppressed, by which a loose rein was given to every descrip<tion of vice." In the following century, In the following century, "to justify these scandalous measures of the Pontiffs, a most monstrous and absurd doctrine was now invented, supported by Thomas, a Papal Saint, and which contained the following enor mities:

*The whole account of these Indulgences is quoted from Mosheim.

+Books in which were registered the penances considered to be due to each crime respectively.

John Tetzel, the Dominican, was chosen by Albert, Archbishop of Mentz, for his uncommon impudence, to preach and proclaim those famous Indulgences of Leo, X.,

"That there actually existed an immense treasure of merit, composed of pious deeds and virtuous actions, which the Saints had performed beyond what was necessary for their own salvation, and which were, therefore, applicable to the benefit of others; that the guardian and dispenser of this precious treasure was the Roman Pontiff; and that, of conse quence, he was empowered to assign, to such as he thought proper, a portion of this inexhaustible source of merit, suitable to their respective guilt, and sufficient to deliver them from the punishment due to their crimes!" It is a most deplorable mark of the power of superstition, says Mosheim, that a doctrine so absurd in its nature, and so pernicious in its defects, should yet be defended in the Church of Rome*.

At the conclusion of the thirteenth century, Boniface VIII. introduced the Jubilee, as it is called, to the other rites of the Romish Church. He issued a mandate, enjoining all Papists to confess their sins, &c., visit the churches of SS. Peter and Paul at Rome, by which, he asserted, a plenary remission of all sins and offences were to be obtained; and that this jubilee should take place every hundred years.

t

The first festival, however, of this sort proved that it was not a bad speculation, since the city of Rome was filled with the most wealthy visitors from all parts, so that fifty years after the first jubilee, Clement VI. enacted that it should take place every fifty years. This period was, however, of too long a date where so rich a harvest was to be obtained by merely a few Indulgences for sin to be disposed of by those who declared they had the power of granting them; and Urban VI. lowered the term for dispensing them to twentyfive years. We cannot step out of our course to state the

which administered the remission of all sins, past, present, and to come, however enormous their nature, to those who were rich enough to purchase them. Mosh. ut supra.

The second section of the Bull of Leo XII., 1825, says "The year of universal jubilee, when the infinite treasure of the precious merits of our Saviour and his saints, which the divine mercy had intrusted to our dispensation.... so long kept shut, was again, through our feeble ministry, to be laid open," &c.

particulars of the ceremonial part of the business of the processions of the Pope knocking at the church door with a golden hammer, &c. But we shall state the following fact as we received it from a Priest at Rome, during the last Jubilee in 1825, nor is it unworthy of remark. The inhabitants of Rome, to "gain the Jubilee," as it is called, were to visit St. Peter's and other churches for thirty days; but, as an encouragement to the stranger (who, of course, brought cash with him), his penance, duty, or whatever else it may be called, was to make these visits but for fifteen days. We will now give a few brief extracts from the mandate of the Vatican's entitled, "The Bull of his Holiness, Leo XII., extending the Universal Jubilee, celebrated at Rome, A. D. 1825, to the whole (Roman) Catholic world."

In the 10th section, the Pope says" This year, therefore, has truly been a year of salvation, not alone to the inhabi tants of this city, but to the many foreigners who performed this pious pilgrimage, and who, on their return to their homes, can attest the truth of what we here record. They have more than once had to admire the wonderful effects of Christian charity,... that true charity which is nowhere found but in the (Roman) Catholic Church! . . . . They will not only have to recount, on their return, how the weak and tottering were confirmed in virtue, the sick restored to health," &c. “ but they will also prove that they themselves are renewed in the spirit of their mind," &c. By the 12th section, we learn) in what this spirit of charity consists:After claiming the supreme power of binding and loosing, and stating the number of visits to be made to the churches, the Pontiff says, his subjects are to pour out their supplications

Addressing his clergy, the Pope (Sec. 21, 22) says, "Take up, venerable Brothers, take up the shield of faith, &c.-Doubt not that all (Roman) Catholic kings and princes, our dearest children in Christ, will favour you. They know that it is written, there is no power but from God; and again, by ME kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things.' By ME princes rule, and the mighty decree justice!!!""

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to God for the exaltation of holy Mother Church, and the extirpation of heretics*! (Pro sanctæ matris ecclesiæ exaltatione hæresum extirpatione)-Protestants, we fear, would be but ill off, had Popery the power of INDULGING herself to the extent of her wishes. To this Bull is attached a " Supplement from the Audience of the Most Holy Father, given on the 8th of January, 1826," wherein it is said, that in those countries where heresy and infidelity prevail (that is, all professing the Christian faith, Papists alone excepted), and there are no churches, the Pope, " in his benignity and wisdom," provides other means for his followers to obtain a participation in the salutary treasure of the Jubilee-provided always "—that the pious prayer as cited above be fervently offered!

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CHAP. XI.-OF THE SUPREMACY OF ST. PETER AND HIS

SUCCESSORS.

What is the Catholic doctrine as to the Pope's supremacy ?

It is comprised in these two articles:-1. That St. Peter by divine commission was head of the Church of Christ. 2. That the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as successor to St. Peter, is at present head of the Church, and Christ's Vicar upon earth.

How do you prove St. Peter's supremacy?

First, From the very name of Peter, or Cephas, which signifies a rock, which name our Lord, who does nothing without reason, gave to him, who before was called Simon, to signify that he should be as the rock or foundation upon which he would build his church. According to what he himself declared, Matt. xvi. 18, when he told him, "Thou art Peter," (that is, a rock) "and upon THIS ROCK Will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

2dly, From the following words, Matt. xvi. 19, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt

*The English version of this passage, as published by the Roman Catholic booksellers in London is very differently expressed;-perhaps Popery, in England, deemed it prudent to make some little alteration.-The words run thus:-" IV. The fourth condition required for gaining the Jubilee, is the visiting of certain churches appointed by the Bishop, for fifteen days, and there devoutly offering up their prayers for the intentions prescribed by his Holiness; viz. for the exaltation of the holy (Roman) Catholic Church throughout the world;--for bringing back all straying souls in the ways of unity and truth," &c. How Priests can thus render it we know not -let them prove their translation correct, and we will admit that their miracle-days are not yet past.