I must almost apologise to you, Brethren, for thus bringing before you this accredited teaching of the Church of Rome. Her impurities, however, must not be allowed to purchase her indemnity, nor procure a way for her escape. If the Pope and the Cardinal mean to make us Romanists, it is only just and right that we should know what Romanism is. It requires but to be thoroughly known, in order to be avoided. I ask but that Popery should be unfolded to view in her true colours-that an intelligent knowledge of this controversy be imparted to our people; and then let Old England, as a nation, send this Diplomatic message to the Pope of Rome:

"Tell him this tale; and from the mouth of England
Add this much more,-that no Italian priest

Shall tithe or toll in our dominions."

But bear with me for five minutes more, while I show you the uncertainty of these Indulgences with regard to the dead, which is still greater than their uncertainty with regard to the living. In this book we find, as I told you on a previous occasion, that great uncertainties exist as to the effect and value of Indulgences to the dying and the dead. At p. 90 the clergy are instructed to be "assiduous in explaining to the faithful the doctrine of the Church on the temporal punishment due to sin; on the obligation. of satisfying God's justice by fasting, alms-deeds, prayers, and other good works; on the danger of a temerarious reliance on the efficacy of the sacrament of Penance, and of a Plenary Indulgence at the hour of death; for it is uncertain, at our departure hence, of whatever kind our death be, whether we shall receive a Plenary Indulgence at that awful moment, and whether, although the external rite be applied, we shall reap the fruit thereof, or even a part"!

Yet, in p. 92, we find an extract from the "Ritual," in which the Priest is directed to comfort the dying man, and to give him hope of eternal life !—

"Tunc piis ipsum verbis consoletur, in spem erigens fore ut, ex divinæ munificentiæ largitate, eam pœnarum remissionem et vitam consecuturus æternam."

"Then with pious words let him (the Priest) console the (dying) man, building him up in hope that from the bounty of Divine mercy, he may obtain remission of his punishment, and eternal life."

And then he is directed to state to the man, viz.:

'Indulgentiam plenariam et "I grant to you a Plenary Inremissionem omnium peccatorum dulgence and remission of all your tibi concedo." sins."

Yet, notwithstanding all this, Mr. Oakeley states that "it is uncertain at our departure, whether we shall receive a Plenary Indulgence at that awful moment, and whether, although the external rite be applied, we shall reap the fruit thereof, or even a part"! And as with the dying, so with the dead. Notwithstanding all the promises of Popes -all the absolute grants of Indulgences for "the souls in Purgatory;" yet hear Mr. Oakeley in his Preface (p. xvii.):-" All, therefore, that we can know for certain is, that to perform faithfully the conditions proposed, in order to gain a Plenary Indulgence for the dead, is a work highly meritorious and acceptable to God; but to what extent, or even WHETHER AT ALL, benefit thence accrues to the particular soul in view, God has not declared!" What uncertainty, both in life, at death, and after death!

This must conclude my review of Mr. Oakeley's book. My task is done. And, let me ask you; upon whose side are truth and reason? We have made every proposal in our power to induce Mr. Oakeley to come forward and vindicate his own book, or in any way to reply to my assertions with regard to the origin, the progress, the practice, the uncertainty, and the inefficiency of these Indulgences. I ask you, especially, my Roman Catholic Brethren, to come at once to that which is certain,—the infallible, inspired Word of God; and there you will find but One ransom for sin, and that is CHRIST! There you will find that there is but One sacrifice for sin, and that is CHRIST! There you will find Jesus is the beginning and the end, first and the last," able and willing to supply the need of those who come unto God by Him. He bled and died for us.

66

"the

See Him in the garden of Gethsemane,-in His agony and bloody sweat,”—see His “ cross and passion." And why all this? For your sins and for my sins! How enormous, then, must be the sin of man! What an aggregate of guilt was this, which brought the Saviour from above!-which caused Him thus to bleed and die for us! 'Tis thus, and thus alone, we can view our sins in their real enormity.

If a fellow sinner can pardon our sins, then must those sins be small indeed. If an Indulgence can cancel either penalty or guilt, it, in fact, hides from view the gross enormity of our sins! But the Son of God,-Himself the sinless Jehovah,-thus atoning for our sins, because no other ransom could be found, or, though found, could possibly satisfy God's offended justice,-this, this, my Brethren, must humble self and exalt the Saviour; and this much we know of His ability and willingness to save, that "He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, seeing HE ever liveth to make intercession for them," Heb. vii. 25.

LONDON:

J. H. JACKSON, ISLINGTON-GREEN.