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firmation, and have been elucidated with remarkable vigour, by two of the greatest masters of wit and reason, that the world has produced-Bacon and Pascal. "The light of nature, (says our English philosopher) is used in two several senses; the one, that which springeth from reason, sense, induction, argument, according to the laws of heaven and earth; the other, that which is imprinted upon the spirit of man by an inward instinct, according to the law of conscience, which is a SPARKLE of the Purity of his first estate: in which latter sense only he is participant of some light and discerning touching the perfection of

weeks in that City, it is reported, that he gave utterance to the following sentiment-" It is said that we worship saints, &c. Our doctrine is, 'accursed be those who worship any creature as God,'-but we honour them. Are not all who benefit mankind honoured, conquerors, statesmen, and all who in any way serve their fellowmen? Is it considered wrong to honour them? Yet they are only the friends of man. The saints are the friends of God: can it then be wrong to honour them?" We feel it our duty briefly to call the attention of our readers to this oft-repeated, unprincipled chicanery, and impudent falsehood. This species of charlatanry has been one of the numerous snares and covert ambushes of Popery, since the days of Bossuet, to entrap the unsuspecting, and the ignorant, whether Protestants or Romanists, -by divesting Romanism of its hatefulness, -by concealing as much as possible its frightfulness, and by softening its harshness. It is thus that the papal advocates take advantage of the extreme laxity of an affectedly liberal age, and so too often dazzle their deluded vassals and partisans, with the gaudy exterior of a more engaging attitude; and contrive to give to their atrocious system a supposititious symmetry, form, and beauty : by which means as Gibbon truly remarked of Bossuet's "Exposition de la doctrine de l'Eglise catholique "-" The ten-horned monster, is, at their magic touch, transformed into the milk-white hind, which must be loved, as soon as she is seen." It was just so from the beginning. We are assured that to the dupes of the "Mystery of Iniquity" a strong delusion" is sent "that they should believe a lie" (Thess. ii. 11.). We know that Satan " is a liar and the father of it" (John viii. 44.). And we are warned that though he " is transformed into an angel of light" (2 Cor. xi. 14.), yet he at the same time "fills the heart to lie to the Holy Ghost" (Acts v. 3.). Knowing, therefore, that the papal, antichristian apostacy is distinctly marked out by the unerring finger of heaven as "a Lie," and being equally as certain who is the Author of it, we may be altogether assured, that the delegated emissaries of its infernal Parent, will employ for their diabolical stratagems those very weapons, which Revelation specially

VOL. I.

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the moral law: but how? sufficient to check the vice, but not to inform the duty. So then the doctrine of Religion, as well moral as mystical, is not to be attained but by inspiration and revelation of God." ("Advancement of Learning," Book ii.).

In a similar but more extended manner, likewise, the great Pascal, when proving, in his wonderfully profound, and highly sublime thoughts on Religion, that the several contrarieties of strength and impotenceof greatness and misery, which seem most calculated to alienate men from the knowledge of any religion whatever, are the very things, which, with a proper

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enumerates as the characteristic marks of Popery. We may be quite certain that the Satanic and scripturally recorded engines of "deceit"-" iniquity" carried on, enveloped in a cloud of dark and hidden mystery"-" lying wonders"-"all deceivableness of unrighteousness"" no love of truth"-" doctrines of devils"--" speaking lies in hypocrisy "-"forms of godliness"-" deceiving and being deceived" -" evil men and seducers" -" turning unto fables" "names of blasphemy"-" speaking great things and blasphemies against God" "fornications" and "whoredoms" - will be all vigorously, and industriously plied, to bewilder not only the "ignorant and unstable," but to " deceive" likewise " if it were possible the very elect" (Compare 2 Thess. ii. 1-10; 1 Tim. iv. 1-3; 2 Tim. iii. 1-5.7-9. 13. iv. 3-4; 1 John ii. 18-19. 22. iv. 3. Rev. xiii. 1-18. xviii. 1-8.). To overlook the heaven-marked predictions, and strikingly descriptive characters of the Romish Heresies and Apostacy, is, therefore, a fearful disregard of the truths of Revelation-a tasteless insipidity in marking the wonderful fulfilment of Prophecy-a thoughtless contempt, and stupid ignorance of those principles which induced our glorious Reformers, and blessed Martyrs, to "separate and come out from among them," and to obey the "voice from heaven" which commanded them and us, saying "come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues" (Compare Rev. xviii. 4. with 2 Cor. vi. 17.). It is in truth a reproach, and despite to the teachings, and warnings of the Spirit of grace-to turn aside in cold indifference from some of the most remarkable declarations of God's Holy Word, and which formed the powerful motives, that constrained our apostolic Fathers to bring about, under the guidance of Heaven, the most stupendous event, that has occurred in the history of man, namely, their abandonment of Babylon when it had " become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" (Rev. xviii. 2.). But let it not be so in our case. Let us, however we may compassionately pity, or mourn over every manifestation of the Man of Sin, regard each and every such attempt, of

regard to original corruption, should most effectually avail to guide them to the true-makes the following deeply searching reflections-"The greatness and the misery of man are both so manifest, that it is essential to the true religion, to recognize the existence in man, of a certain principle of extraordinary greatness, and also a principle of profound misery. For that Religion which is true, must thoroughly know our nature in all its grandeur, and in all its wretchedness, and must understand and comprehend the source of both"-"For my own part, I avow, that as soon as the Christian religion reveals this one principle

whatsoever kind it may be, as an astonishing, and indubitable verification of the oracles of divine Prophecy. A few particular examples will illustrate the above general remarks, and show in what light, the deceitful prevarications, and lying hypocrisy of this Baines, or any other such Romish advocate, are to be regarded. In the "Catechism of the council of Trent" which is now regarded and universally upheld, as an authoritative publication of the Church of Rome, the following instruction is given to the Clergy. "With good reason the holy Church of God has added to this giving of thanks, prayers also and imploration addressed to the most holy Mother of God; in in order that we thus might piously and suppliantly have recourse to her to reconcile (!) God by her intercession to us sinners, and to obtain for us those good things which are necessary as well for this life, as for life eternal (!!!) Therefore we exiled sons of Eve who inhabit this Vale of Tears, ought constantly to invoke the mother of mercy, and advocate of the faithful, that she may pray for us sinners, and by this prayer we ought to implore help and assistance from her, of whom no one, without impiety and nefarious wickedness, can doubt, both her pre-eminent(!) merits with God, and her very great willingness to assist mankind" (Catech. Trident. Par. iv. cap 5, ad finem.). In the above passage there is blasphemously ascribed to a fallen, sinful creature that office, which our Gracious Redeemer exclusively claims, as the fruits of his cross, passion, and all-perfect righteousness which he paid to the law for man. For of the Messiah only was it prophesied, that he should "make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in everlasting righteousness" (Dan. ix. 24.). In confirmation of this great truth, we have the numerously repeated declarations of the Evangelists and Apostles:-"Having made peace (says St Paul) through the blood of his cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto himself, by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven" (Col. i. 20.); and we are told that God "hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ (2 Cor. v. 18.). And as to eternal life we are instructed "that whosoever believeth in Christ shall have eternal life" (John. iii. 15), "and I give unto them Eternal Life (says

that human nature is depraved and fallen from God, my eyes open at once to discover the characters of this truth, inscribed on every thing around me. All nature, both within and without us, most manifestly declares the withdrawing of the presence of God""What then do this sense of want, and this inability to obtain, declare to us, but that man originally possessed a real bliss, of which no traces now remain, except that cheerless void within, which he vainly endeavours to fill from the things around him; by seeking from those which are absent, a joy which present things will not yield, -a joy which neither the

our compassionate Great High Priest) and they shall never perish" (John x. 28.). The following is the opening of a Lesson in the "Officium B. Mariæ in Sabbato" -" Grievously, my beloved, were we hurt by one man and one woman (Adam and Eve); but thanks be to God, not less by one man and one woman (!) are all things restored, aye and with great usury of grace; for not as was the offence, so also is the free gift, &c." (Mense Junio). In this passage, the great, and blessed work of man's Salvation is equally as much ascribed to the Virgin Mary as to our Lord himself. In one of the prayer-books now very commonly used by the laity, is the following horrible, and execrable blasphemy-"Daughter of the eternal Father! Mother of the eternal Son! and Spouse of the Holy Ghost!" (Devout Communicant, p. 66.). It is to be observed that the Romish Church has affected a similarity between the Virgin Mary and our Saviour, in almost all the various incidents in their respective lives. Thus for example, (ex uno disce omnes), not only is the assumption of her body into Heaven made to parallel our Lord's glorious Ascension, but that body itself is stated like our Saviour's to have been miraculously preserved, absolutely free, and entire from all corruption. On the fourth day of the week after the Assumption, a Lesson is read, in which it is declared that "at the time of her glorious falling asleep (her death) all the Apostles, who were employed in their holy mission through the whole earth, for the Salvation of mankind, were in a moment carried aloft through the air (!) and brought together to Jerusalem:-while they were there, they saw a vision of Angels, and heard the hymns of the Hosts of Heaven, and so with Divine Glory she delivered her Soul into the hands of God (!!!) But her body was taken amidst the songs of Angels and of the Apostles, and deposited in a coffin at Gethsemane, in which place the melody of Angels continued for three days. At the end of those days, the Apostles opened the tomb, to enable Thomas, who alone had hitherto been absent, to fulfil a wish which he felt, to adore that body which had borne the Lord (!!) On opening it, the body was no where to be found, but only the grave

present nor the absent can bestow on him; because this illimitable chasm, this boundless void, can never be filled by any but an infinite immutable object." Pascal then proceeds to show the absolute necessity of the divine communications, conveyed to us through the channels of Revelation, in order to counteract the strength of pride, arrogance, and presumption, which those men must necessarily have, who feed their vanity by the inward impression yet remaining of their former grandeur-by esteeming their nature as hitherto uncorrupted-and by being inordinately alive to the excellency of man;-at the same time, also, to avoid

clothes in which it had been wrapped; and from them issued an ineffable odour (!) pervading the atmosphere around. So wonderful, and mysterious an event astonished the Apostles, who could draw from it but one conclusion, that it had pleased the Word of God, that her immaculate body (by which he was incarnate) should be preserved from corruption (!), and should be at once translated to Heaven, without waiting for the general resurrection of all flesh (!!!)." In the service of the next day is the following Lesson. "But who is sufficient to conceive, how glorious on this day was the progress of the Queen of the World (!) - with what transport of devout affection the whole multitude of the Heavenly Hosts went forth to meet her!--with what hymns she was conducted to the throne of Glory(!) -with how placid, how serene an aspect! with what divine embraces she was received by her Son, and exalted above every creature (!!!.)". The Title here bestowed on the Virgin Mary, of "Queen of the World," is not the highest which she has received. In the Bull of Sixtus IV., which was particularly confirmed, and formally adopted by the Council of Trent, she is styled "Queen of the Heavens," and her Son is spoken of in the very same sentence as "King." In the very popular Prayer-Book, to which we have above alluded, she is thus addressed, "O glorious Queen of Heaven" (Devout Communicant, p. 29.). This same title "Queen of Heaven" is given to her in the Breviary, where she is also called the "Mistress of all creatures" (Brev. Off. B. Mariæ, tempore Paschali.). On the fifth day of the week of her Nativity occurs the following:--" She alone has surpassed Heaven and Earth in her greatness. For what is more holy than she? Neither Prophets, nor Apostles, nor Martyrs, nor Patriarchs, nor Angels, nor Thrones, nor Powers, nor Seraphim, nor Cherubim, nor aught beside of created things, visible, or invisible, can be found greater, or more excellent. She is at once the handmaid, and the mother of God, a Virgin and a Mother (!)." We cannot forbear inserting the following Lesson from an exposition on 1. Sam. i. 1. "The most blessed, ever-virgin Mary, Mother of God, may be designated by the name of the Mountain. For she was in

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