judgment, I admit,) you have imagined, I say, that this movement was destined to promote your objects, and to bring converts to you. You have been buoying yourselves up with this hope, not without occasional misgivings that it might prove delusive in the end. You have indeed been compelled to assure your people, that men who studied Christian Antiquity, with a disposition to submit to its doctrines, could not fail to become Romanists; for had they been permitted to think any other result possible-had they been made aware that the study of Catholic Antiquity would only rivet men in their opposition to Romish errors, they might have been led to doubt whether those errors were really supported by Catholic tradition, as you pertinaciously and loudly assert them to be.

But, Sir, Time will dissipate these vain prognostics, these empty and baseless visions. If there has been in any instance, what might seem to afford any countenance to your hopes-if there has been, in any case, any seeming approximation to your errors, it has arisen from incaution or indiscretion of mind-from the hasty writing or thinking of men undisciplined in the crafty and cautious language of Jesuitism-from any thing but love of the errors of Romanism. If I am not mistaken, (and I have more opportunities of knowing the intentions of the writers alluded to than you can have,) there has never been any intention to afford countenance to your errors and superstitions, but,

on the contrary, a hearty wish to adopt the very best and soundest methods of refuting them. It may be, that the popular line of argument against you did not seem very judicious to the persons alluded to, and that they have sought for other and more convincing arguments. It may be, that their attention has been directed chiefly to the strengthening and beautifying of their own Church, and that they have not turned aside to assail your errors. But this, Sir, however it may excite transitory hopes, cannot long mislead you. Already you are beginning to open your eyes to the truth, and to assail those whom you professed to regard as the friends of Romanism. A little time will suffice to develope the truth more fully, and will teach the world what sort of reason you have to rejoice at the spread of Church principles.

In my former Letter, your doctrine of Indulgences and Purgatory was briefly noticed, with a view to shew, that the tenets authorized in the Church of Rome had not been unfairly represented I must now invite your attention to some further observations on the same subjects, and on some other branches of your doctrines connected with them.

I need scarcely point out to your sagacity, that a vast body of your doctrines and practices to which we object, depends altogether on one principle, which is as it were the foundation-stone, the very vital essence of the whole. I mean, your

doctrine of a debt still remaining due to Divine Justice after the remission of sin-the doctrine of temporal punishments to be endured for sin after its eternal penalty has been remitted. It is the doctrine of your Church, that by the Divine Law, temporal as well as eternal penalties are due to sin; that while the latter, together with the guilt of sin, are remitted in the Sacrament of Penance, the former still remain due to Divine justice; and that they may be averted by works of satisfaction, such as prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds, and by the suffrages of the Church, especially by the sacrifice of the holy Eucharist. Let me, in order to make my meaning still clearer, extract from your own writings a very clear and accurate exposition of the doctrine in question-an exposition which is perfectly in accordance with the tenets of all your divines on this subject.

"Now let us come to the remaining part of the "Sacrament [of Penance]. We believe that upon "this forgiveness of sins [in it], that is, after the "remission of that eternal debt, which God in his

justice awards to transgressions against his law, "he has been pleased to reserve a certain degree "of inferior or temporary punishment, appropriate "to the guilt which had been incurred; and it is on "this part of the punishment alone, that, according "to the Catholic doctrine, satisfaction can be made "to God. What the grounds of this belief are, I

will state just now. At present, I wish to lay

down the doctrine clearly and intelligibly; that "it is only with regard to the reserved degree of temporal punishment that we believe the Chris"tian can satisfy the justice of God"."

I must also avail myself of your subsequent description of the Romish doctrine on this subject. "The doctrine which is thus collected from the "word of God, is reducible to these heads: 1. That God, after the remission of sin, retains a lesser "chastisement in his power, to be inflicted on the sinner. 2. That penitential works, fasting, alms"deeds, contrite weeping, and fervent prayer, have "the power of averting that punishment. 3. That "this scheme of God's justice was not a part of "the imperfect law, but the unvarying ordinance "of his dispensation, anterior to the Mosaic Ritual, "and amply confirmed by Christ in the Gospel. "4. That it consequently becomes a part of all "true repentance to try to satisfy this divine justice, by the voluntary assumption of such penitential works, as his revealed truth assures "us have efficacy before him."

66

These propositions contain the Catholic doctrine concerning Satisfaction"."

This, Sir, is a very fair and correct statement of the doctrines taught in all parts of your Church ̊,

a Lectures on principal doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church, vol. ii. p. 41, 42.

b Ibid. p. 47.

C Vide Catechism. Concil. Trident. Pars ii. De Pœnitentiæ Sacramento, c. xc; Bellarmin. De Pœnitentiæ, 1. iv. c. ii.

and it is quite consistent with the following decrees of the Council of Trent; though in this, as in other cases, your authorized doctrines go beyond the definitions of that Conventicle.

"If any one saith, that the whole punishment is always remitted with the guilt [of sin] by God, "and that the satisfaction of penitents is nothing "but the faith by which they lay hold on Christ's "satisfaction for them; Let him be Anathema.

"If any one saith, that no satisfaction is made to "God for sins, as to their temporal punishment, through the merits of Christ, by punishments "inflicted by Him [God] and patiently endured,

or enjoined by the Priest (not spontaneously "undertaken), such as fasting, prayer, almsgiving, or other works of piety; and therefore that the "best penitence is only a new life; Let him be "Anathema.

"If any one saith, that the keys of the Church "are only given to loose and not to bind also, and "therefore that Priests, in imposing punishments

on those who confess, act contrary to the end of "the keys and the ordinance of Christ, and that it "is a fiction that in virtue of the keys, temporal

66

punishment remains, for the most part, to be

Tournely, De Poenit. t. ii p. 3; Bouvier, De Pœnit. p. 128, &c. 280; Trevern, Discussion Amicale, t. ii. p. 205; Milner, End of Controversy, Letter xlii; Horny hold, Real Principles of Catholics (on Penance); Faith of Catholics by Berrington and Kirk, p. 339. Walenburch. Opera, t. ii. p. 19; &c.