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beth were put to death, it was not for heresy, or by the sentence of a spiritual court, but under colour at least, of treasonable conspiracies against the crown. When penal statutes were enacted against the Papists, it was on the principle of selfpreservation against the notorious and sanguinary designs of a foreign power, that employed its ecclesiastical influence for secular purposes. It was not against them, as members of another religious communion, but as the allies and supporters of the Pope, who had actually excommunicated and anathematized the sovereign of these realms, and absolved her subjects from their allegiance.* How immensely different were these transactions, from the conduct pursued under the preceding reign! Then, it was on account of religion; it was because the accused were actually convicted of not believing in the supremacy of the Pope, and transubstantiation, and other dogmas of the Church of Rome, that they were condemned and burnt!

In the proceedings of the Pope, after the Parisian massacre, there was a horrible exemplification of the genius and tendency of popery. "A Jubilee," says Bishop Burnet, "was granted to all who had "been in this butchery; and they were command"ed to go every where and bless God, for the "success of that action: The Pope sent Cardinal "Urson, his legate to France, to thank the king "for so great a service done to the Church, and "to desire him to go on, and extirpate heresy, "root and branch, that it might never grow again. "And as the legate passed through on his journey "to Paris, he gave a plenary absolution to all that "had been actors in the massacre !"

A tremendous explosion of popular feeling on the subject of Popery, took place in this country,

ett's History of the Reformation. Vol. II. app. p. 377. INDIX. Note U.

in the year 1780. The causes of this tumult were deeply lamented by all enlightened and reflecting persons. But was there any connivance by the state, or any sanction afforded by the ecclesiastical authorities of this realm? Far from it-the civil, military and judicial powers of the government were instantly employed to check the progress of intolerance and punish the offenders. Compare these transactions with the late proceedings of the French Government towards the rioters, and murderers and assassins in the department Du Gard, in the South of France. In the name of religion, and for the sake of the Church, they continue still to perpetrate occasionally the most outrageous deeds of daring, of insult, and of injustice! Feeble and inefficient remonstrances are now and then heard. No vigorous execution of the laws-no punishment of the principal offenders-no restoration of the pillaged property of the sufferers no declaration of abhorrence on the part of his Holiness of such methods of supporting the Church and eradicating heresy-but a silent, sickening apathy-the stoicism of intolerance, the cool-blooded insensibility of despotism that looks calmly on and says, like the first murderer--“ AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER!"

cour.

I am far from charging upon all the members of the Roman Church, the spirit of bigotry and persecution, and believe that there are numbers of well informed and liberal Catholics who deplore with genuine grief these dreadful ebullitions of ranThe question however, is, not what individuals think and how do they act-but what is the natural tendency of the religious system which they espouse and defend? Are not the anathemas and execrations so frequently occurring in the canons and formularies of their Church, against all heretics and schismatics-the actual proceedings of their own Popes-and the history of those sove

beth were put to death, it was not for heresy, or by the sentence of a spiritual court, but under colour at least, of treasonable conspiracies against the crown. When penal statutes were enacted against the Papists, it was on the principle of selfpreservation against the notorious and sanguinary designs of a foreign power, that employed its ecclesiastical influence for secular purposes. It was not against them, as members of another religious communion, but as the allies and supporters of the Pope, who had actually excommunicated and anathematized the sovereign of these realms, and absolved her subjects from their allegiance.* How immensely different were these transactions, from the conduct pursued under the preceding reign! Then, it was on account of religion; it was because the accused were actually convicted of not believing in the supremacy of the Pope, and transubstantiation, and other dogmas of the Church of Rome, that they were condemned and burnt!

In the proceedings of the Pope, after the Parisian massacre, there was a horrible exemplification of the genius and tendency of popery. "A Jubilee," says Bishop Burnet, "was granted to all who had "been in this butchery; and they were command"ed to go every where and bless God, for the "success of that action: The Pope sent Cardinal "Urson, his legate to France, to thank the king "for so great a service done to the Church, and "to desire him to go on, and extirpate heresy, "root and branch, that it might never grow again. "And as the legate passed through on his journey "to Paris, he gave a plenary absolution to all that "had been actors in the massacre !"

A tremendous explosion of popular feeling on the subject of Popery, took place in this country,

*Burnett's History of the Reformation. Vol. II. app. p. 377. -See APPENDIX. Note U.

in the year 1780. The causes of this tumult were deeply lamented by all enlightened and reflecting persons. But was there any connivance by the state, or any sanction afforded by the ecclesiastical authorities of this realm? Far from it-the civil, military and judicial powers of the government were instantly employed to check the progress of intolerance and punish the offenders. Compare these transactions with the late proceedings of the French Government towards the rioters, and murderers and assassins in the department Du Gard, in the South of France. In the name of religion, and for the sake of the Church, they continue still to perpetrate occasionally the most outrageous deeds of daring, of insult, and of injustice! Feeble and inefficient remonstrances are now and then heard. No vigorous execution of the laws-no punishment of the principal offenders-no restoration of the pillaged property of the sufferers no declaration of abhorrence on the part of his Holiness of such methods of supporting the Church and eradicating heresy-but a silent, sickening apathy-the stoicism of intolerance, the cool-blooded insensibility of despotism that looks calmly on and says, like the first murderer-" AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER!"

I am far from charging upon all the members of the Roman Church, the spirit of bigotry and persecution, and believe that there are numbers of well informed and liberal Catholics who deplore with genuine grief these dreadful ebullitions of ran

cour.

The question however, is, not what individuals think and how do they act-but what is the natural tendency of the religious system which they espouse and defend? Are not the anathemas and execrations so frequently occurring in the canons and formularies of their Church, against all heretics and schismatics-the actual proceedings of their own Popes-and the history of those sove

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