(now thank God !) impotent malice with contempt. The charity of Popery towards those whom she loves is not of kin to the charity taught by Christ, who says, Love your enemies! Instead, therefore, of writing his own opinion off what is charity in heaven, Pope Pius had been better employed, we think, in recommending to his brethren that they should evince a greater portion of it (were it but for their own soul's sake) on earth. The allusion to the glutton in hell is an unlucky one: the words quoted are from the very chapter which incontestably proves the non-existence of a Popish purgatory; and the very reply of Abraham is directly opposed to the Pope's assumption :-" Abraham saith unto him ("the glutton"-ver. 29), they (those petitioned for) have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them." Can there be a greater proof than this that mankind are to rely upon their own faith, not trusting to the merits of others?

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The sixth reason alleged is certainly the most direct and condemnatory of Popery herself of any throughout her whole faith."The souls of the martyrs" shall be avenged on their "persecutors!"—Let history decide whether the persecutions of Nero, Domitian, Decius, Dioclesian, or, taking the whole number of the forty-five Emperors, from the predecessor of Nero (Claudius), A. D. 54, until the reign of Constantine, A.D. 306-is Popery, we ask, prepared to show that all the inhuman atrocities exercised upon unoffending Christians, from the death of Claudius to the reign of Constantine, exceeded in cruelty, or have equalled in numerical extent, those which she has herself inflicted upon the Christian world under the very same pretext alleged by these heathen Emperors, viz. Heresy? The sword, the rack, the stake, the gibbet-in short, let the refinements upon torture, without extinguishing vitality, as practised in her own Inquisitions, answer the first; whilst the reiterated massacres in every country where she has had the power of exterminating all who have sought to free themselves from her galling yoke-this is the test that

must furnish a reply to the latter question *. We will merely add upon this subject, may God forgive our enemies + !

In the last paragraph is conveyed another broad hint, that to be liberal to the priest is the surest way to heaven, as he, as it is held out, will help those, when he gets there himself, who help him here. We must still express our doubts on this subject, since we rely upon a much better authority for our belief in a contrary opinion. Abraham, who is the father of us all—was called the friend of God (Rom. iv. 16 and Jam. ii. 23). If, therefore, any soul in heaven which had once animated a human body, knew our minds and heard our prayers, would it not be so highly favoured a saint as he?

Our own elegant Addison says, "The most notable way of managing a controversy is that which we call arguing by torture. These disputants convince their antagonists with a sorites, commonly called a pile of faggots. The rack is also a kind of syllogism which has been used with good effect, and has made multitudes of converts. Men were formerly disputed out of their doubts, reconciled to truth by force of reason, and won over to opinions by the candour, sense, and ingenuity of those who had the right on their side; but this method of conviction operated too slowly. Pain was found to be much more enlightening than reason. Every scruple was looked upon as obstinacy, and not to be removed but by several engines invented for that purpose. In a word, the application of whips, racks, gibbets, galleys, dungeons, fire and faggot, in a dispute, may be looked upon as POPISH refinements upon the old heathen logic."

Dr. Milner sarcastically observes, (Let. to Mr. J. Toulmin), "You next extol the alleged sanctity of the Protestant sufferers called martyrs, in the unhappy persecutions of Queen Mary's reign." The following, we presume, are this Priest's best reasons for such persecutions (Let. XLIX, to J. Brown, Esq.): "In the first place, when (Roman) Catholic States and Princes have persecuted Protestants, it was done in favour of an ancient religion!" "In the second place, if (Roman) Catholic States and Princes have enforced submission to their Church by persecution, they were FULLY PERSUADED (a) that there is a Divine Authority in this Church to decide in all controversies of religion, and that those Christians who refuse to hear her voice, when she pronounces upon them, are obstinate heretics. But on what grounds can Protestants persecute Christians of any description whatsoever? Their grand rule and fundamental charter is, that the Scriptures were given by God for every man to interpret them as he judges best."

(a) That Romish Princes and States were "fully persuaded" by Popes and Priests to slaughter their unoffending fellow-beings by wholesale, we needed not Dr. Milner's confirmation to prove; but when men of learning, who boast of their liberality of sentiment (!) as Dr. M. does-when Englishmen thus justify the bloody work of Popery, well may Papists exclaim that " Popery is unchangeable!" Dr. Milner should have known that the Protestant is not a persecuting religion at all.-Had it been so, surely such tenets as the above would have called forth her most severe sentence of condemnation? It is those very Scriptures denied by Popery that have taught Protestant Christians, whilst they propagate and defend the religion of Christ, that His was not a persecuting religion.

Yet we are assured (Isaiah lxiii. 16) Abraham is ignorant of us. Again, we are told positively, that after this life those who were of this world have no knowledge of us. (Job xiv.) The sons of man 66 come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.(Job xv. 15.) Hast thou heard the secret of God; and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?-Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints.-(Col. ii. 18, 19, 23.) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility (or in being a voluntary in humility, in the marginal reference to the original) and worshipping of angels—not holding the head from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together increaseth with the increase of God-which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in willworship and humility.-The Apostle says (Rom. xiv. 23)— Whatsoever is not of faith is sin-Praying to Saints is any thing but a faith in CHRIST; but as Popery makes her own saints, and teaches her followers to believe, that by paying them liberally here, or, in the Pope's own words, "helping them with our alms," "they will help us" to get into heaven, it is no marvel that those who can thus believe should pursue so easy a course to obtain so desirable an end. St. Peter says (Acts viii. 20),-Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Popery, however, teaches differently-" pay my priests," says she, "and they will help you to get to heaven— when they get there themselves." Surely the scriptural quotation for this duty is ill chosen?" Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness; that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." Such is the extract selected from the 16th chapter of St. Luke. It is certainly the commencement of a precept of our Saviour which merely requires the latter part to complete it; and which will be found at the 13th verse-"No servant can serve two masters-ye cannot serve God and Mammon."

Papists must make their own election-whether they will embrace the doctrines of Christ, or still worship the "Mammon of unrighteousness."

SECT. III.-Of the Invocation of Saints.

What do you mean by the Invocation of Saints?

I mean such petition or request as are made to desire their prayers and intercession for us.

Do Catholics pray to saints?

If by praying to saints, you mean addressing ourselves to them as the authors or disposers of grace and glory, or in such manner as to suppose that they have any power to help us independently of God's good will and pleasure, we do not pray to them: but condemn all such addresses as superstitious and impious. But if, by praying to saints, you mean no more than desiring them to pray to God for us, in this sense we hold it both good and profitable to pray to the

saints.

How do you prove that it is good and profitable to desire the saints and angels in heaven to pray to God for us?

Because it is good and profitable to desire the servants of God here upon earth to pray for us: for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much," James v. 16. Moses by his prayers obtained mercy for the children of Israel, Exod. xxxii. 11, 14. And Samuel by his prayers defeated the Philistines, 1 Sam. vii. 8, 9, 10. Hence St. Paul, in almost all his epistles, desires the faithful to pray for him, Rom. xv. 30, Eph. vi. 18, 19, 1 Thess. v. 25, Heb. xiii. 13. And God himself, Job xlii. 8, commanded Eliphaz and his friends to go to Job, that Job should pray for them, promising to accept of his prayers. Now, if it be accceptable to God, and good and profitable to ourselves, to seek the prayers and intercession of God's servants here on earth; must it not be much more so to seek the prayers and intercession of the saints in heaven; since both their charity for us, and their credit and interest with God, is much greater now than when they were here upon earth.

But does it not argue a want of confidence in the infinite goodness of God, and the superabounding merits of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, to address ourselves to the saints for their prayers and intercession?

No more than to address ourselves to our brethren here below, as Protestants do when they desire the prayers of the congregation; since we desire no more of the saints than what we desire of our brethren here below, viz., that they would pray for us, and with us, to the infinite goodness of God, who is both our Father and their Father, our Lord and their Lord, by the merits of his Son Jesus Christ, who is both our Mediator and their Mediator. For though the goodness of God and the merits of Christ be infinite, yet as this is not to exempt us from frequent prayer for ourselves, so much recommended

in scripture, so it is no reason for our being backward in seeking the prayers of others, whether in heaven or earth, that so God may have the honour, and we the benefit, of so many more prayers.

But is there no danger, by acting thus, of giving to the saints the honour which belongs to God alone?

No; it is evident, that to desire the prayers and intercession of the saints, is by no means giving them an honour which belongs to God alone; so far from it, that it would even be a blasphemy to beg of God to pray for us; because whosoever desires any one to pray for him for the obtaining of a grace or blessing, supposes the person to whom he thus addresses himself to be inferior and dependent of some other by whom this grace or blessing is to be bestowed.

Have you any reason to think that the saints and angels have any knowledge of your addresses or petitions made to them?

Yes, we have. 1st, Because our Lord assures us, Luke xv. 10, that "there is a joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth." For if they rejoice at our repentance, consequently they have a knowledge of our repentance; and if they have a knowledge of our repentance, what reason can we have to doubt of their knowing our petitions also? And what is here said of the angels, is also to be understood of the saints, of whom our Lord tells us, Luke xx. 36, that “ they are equal unto the angels.”

2dly, Because the angels of God, who, as we have already seen, are our guardians, are always amongst us, and therefore cannot be ignorant of our requests; especially since, as we have also seen from Rev. v. 8, and viii. 4, both angels and saints offer up our prayers before the throne of God, and therefore must needs know them.

3dly. Because it appears from Rev. xi. 15 and Rev. xix. 1, 2, that the inhabitants of heaven know what passeth upon earth. Hence St. Paul, 1 Cor. iv. 9, speaking of himself and his fellow-apostles, saith, “We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men."

4thly, We cannot suppose that the saints and angels, who enjoy the light of glory, can be ignorant of such things as the prophets and servants of God in this world have often known by the light of grace, and even the very devils by the light of nature alone: since the light of glory is so much more perfect than the light of grace or nature, according to the apostle, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. "For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even also as I am known:" that is, by a most perfect knowledge. Hence, 1 John iii. 2, it is written, "we shall be like him (God), for we shall see him as he is." Now, it is certain, that the servants of God in this world, by a special light of grace, have often known things that passed at a great distance, as Elisha, 2 Kings v., knew what passed between Naaman and his servant Gehazi; and 2 Kings vi., what was done in the King of Syria his private chamber.