cation of the Virgin Mary, and the other saints; and prayers for the dead, were the same as ours. Without entering upon any exposition or discussion of their creed, we beg leave to refer our readers to what has been written on this subject by doctor Lingard, in his Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church, and by Mr. Manning, in his " England's "Conversion and Reformation compared t."

2. To the former of these authors we refer for indisputable proof, that there was no important difference between the religious ceremonial of the Anglo-Saxons, and that which now prevails in the roman-catholic church; and that, in points comparatively indifferent, there is as little variation between them, as might be expected from the natural change of every thing, that is of human institution, or of human management. Most protestants, (but too often in criminatory language), admit this fact. What," says doctor Humphreys, "did Gregory and Augustine bring into "England? Purgatory, the offering of the wholeแ some sacrifice, prayers for the dead, relics, tran"substantiation, &c. and the rest of the confused heap of popish superstitions."

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* See doctor Lingard's Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church, c. 6, 7, 8, 9.

+ Second Dialogue, s. 7, 8, 9.

Jesuitismi, page 2.-Citations of passages to the same effect from writings of eminent protestant divines might easily be multiplied. Many are collected by father Persons in his "Three Conversions of England," part the 1st, c. 9, 10; and in Brerely's" Protestants Apology for the Roman Church," Tract 2, S. 1

3. The morality, which the apostolic missionaries taught their Anglo-Saxon flocks, was that of the gospel. I ask every candid protestant whether this does not incontestibly appear from the writings of the venerable Bede? May I not confidently call upon all, who are conversant with those valuable pages, to inform me whether the gospel inculcates a single duty, or recommends a single practice, which does not appear to have been taught and recommended by the apostles of the Anglo-Saxons, and their successors?

Much of what is said in the chapter of "the "Book of the Church," which now engages our attention, respecting the conversion of the AngloSaxons by St. Augustine, will be read by every roman-catholic with pleasure; the following passage will be read by them with surprise and concern. You mention a vision, related to have been seen by Laurentius, one of the missionaries: "This," you affirm, "must be either miracle, fraud, or fable. "Many such there are in the history of the Anglo"Saxon, as of every Romish church; and it must "be remembered, that, when such stories are mere

fables, they have, for the most part, been feigned "with the intent of serving the interests of the "Romish church, and promulgated, not as fiction, "but as falsehood, with a fraudulent mind. The legend which is here related, is probably a wonder "of the second class. The clergy of that age

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thought it allowable to practise upon the igno"rance and credulity of a barbarous people, if by "such means they might bring forward the work

"of their conversion, or induce them, when con"verted, to lead a more religious life. Whether

they thought thus or not, it is certain that thus

they acted; and it is not less certain, that a system "which admitted of pious fraud, opened a way "for the most impious abuses." In the next chapter you say, "the missionaries were little "scrupulous concerning the measures which they employed, because they were persuaded that any "measures were justifiable if they conduced to bring about the good end, which was their aim." Here we particularly lament your avowed plan of withholding from your readers, your authorities for your assertions. To support the charge which, in the passage I have cited, you make against the Anglo-Saxon clergy, it was incumbent upon you to bring authentic evidence to prove their having published or practised fictions in the manner you have described; to produce instances of it so numerous, as must justly fix the guilt on the general body of the Anglo-Saxon clergy; and to show that they acted on these occasions, not in consequence of the general weakness, or pravity of human nature, but under the impulse or sanction of their church or her doctrines.

NOTHING OF THIS KIND HAVE YOU BROUGHT FORWARD: all therefore that you say is mere accusation. To oppose, however, what you say, I shall transcribe a passage from one of the "Letters of "the late Mr. Alban Butler to Mr. Archibald "Bower," the author of "the History of the

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Popes."" It is very unjust," says that very learned man, "to charge the popes, or the catholic "church, with countenancing knowingly false

legends; seeing all the divines of that communion "unanimously condemn all such forgeries, as lies "in things of great moment, and grievous sins; "and all the councils, popes, and other bishops, "have always expressed the greatest horror of such "villanies, which no cause or circumstances what

ever can authorize, and which, in things relating "to religion, are always of the most heinous nature. "Hence the authors, when detectel, have been always punished with the utmost severity.

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"To instance examples of this nature would form "a complete history. For the church has always "most severely condemned all manner of forgeries*."

* Similar passages may be found in almost all the romancatholic controversial writers. We prefer that, which we present to our readers, on account of the acknowledged learning and moderation of Mr. Alban Butler; the great esteem in which his writings are held by roman-catholics of every country, and the respect which was shown him by many protestant divines of our own, as doctor Lowth, doctor Keanicot, doctor Pearce, and doctor Lort; and because Mr. Alban Butler is the author of the "Lives of the Saints," a work of uncommon erudition and piety, and universally admired. Translations of it have appeared in the French, Italian and Spanish languages; an Italian translation of it is now in the press.

III. 3.

Doctrine taught in Monasteries,-great Misrepresentation of it by two eminent Protestant Writers.

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If we credit doctor Robertson, "instead of aspiring to sanctity and virtue, which alone can render "men acceptable to the great Author of Order and "Excellence, the clergy imagined that they satisfied

every obligation of duty, by a scrupulous observ"ance of external ceremonies. Religion, accord

ing to their conception of it, comprehended "nothing else; and the rites, by which they per"suaded themselves that they could gain the favour "of Heaven, were of such a nature as might have "been expected from the rude ideas of the ages "which devised and introduced them. They were "either so unmeaning, as to be altogether unworthy "of the Being to whose honour they were conse"crated; or so absurd, as to be a disgrace to reason "and humanity. All the religious maxims and "practices of the dark ages," continues the royal historiographer in a note to this passage," are a proof "of this. I shall produce one remarkable testi

mony, in confirmation of it, from an author "canonized by the church of Rome, St. Eloy, or

Eligius, bishop of Noyon, in the seventh century. "He is a good christian who comes frequently "to church; who presents the oblation, which " is offered unto God upon the altar; who doth "not taste of the fruits of his own industry, until

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