'fast in filthy mire-by the affection they bear to other lusts, which their errors are fitted to gratify.' (1) 'It is impossible that any sincere person should give an implicit assent to many of their doctrines; but, whoever can practise " upon them can be nothing better than a most 'shamefully debauched and immoral wretch.' (2) Another author, a prelate of late promotion, gives a comprehensive idea of Catholics, where he calls them Enemies of all law, human and 'divine.' (3) If such be the tone of the episcopal bench, it would be vain to expect more moderation from the candidates for it; but I must contract my quotations in order to proceed to more important matter. One of these, who, while he was content with an inferior dignity, acted and preached as the friend of Catholics, since he has arrived at the verge of the highest, proclaims Popery to be Idolatry and Antichristianism; maintaining, as does also the Bishop of Durham, that it is the parent of Atheism, and ' of that Antichristian persecution' (in France) of which it was exclusively the victim. (4) Another dignitary of the same Cathedral, taking up Dr. Sparke's calumny, seriously declares, that the Catholics are Antinomians, (5) which is the distinctive character of the Jumpers, and other rank Calvinists. Finally, the celebrated city preacher, C. De Coetlogon, among similar graces of oratory, pronounces that Popery is calculated only for the meridian of hell. To say the best of it that can be said, Popery is a most horrid compound of idolatry, superstition, and blas6 phemy.' (6) The exercise of christian virtues is not at all necessary in its members; nay, 11) Bishop Fowler, vol. vi. p. 386. (2) Ibid. p. 387. (3) Dr. Sparke, Bishop of Ely, Concio, ad Synod, 1807. (4) Discourses of Dr. Rennel, Dean of Winchester, p. 140, &c. (6) Seasonable Caution against the Abominations of the Church of Rome. Pref. p. 5. there are many heinous crimes which are reck oned virtues among them, such as perjury and 'murder, when committed against heretics.' (1) And is such then, dear Sir, the real character of the great body of Christians throughout the world? Is such a true picture of our Saxon and English ancestors? Were such the clergy from whom these modern preachers and writers derive their liturgy, their ritual, their honours and benefices, and from whom they boast of deriving their orders and mission also? But, after all, do these preachers and writers themselves seriously believe such to be the true character of their Catholic countrymen, and the primitive religion of this country? No, Sir, they do not seriously believe it: (2) but being unfortunately engaged, as I said before, in an hereditary revolt against the church, which shines forth conspicuous, with (1) Ibid. p. 14. (2) This may be exemplified by the conduct of Dr. Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury. Few writers had misrepresented the Catholic religion more foully than he had done in his controversial works; even in his commentary on the Catechism he accuses it of heresy, schism, and idolatry; but, having entered into a correspondence with Dr. Dupin, for the purpose of uniting their respective Churches together, he assures the Catholic divine, in his last letter to him, as follows: In dogmatibus, prout a te candidé proponuntur, non admo. 'dum dissentimus: in regimine ecclesiastico minus: in fundamenta'libus, sive doctrinam, sive disciplinam spectemus, vix omnino.' Append. to Mosheim's Hist. vol. vi. p. 121.--The present writer has been informed, on good authority, that one of the Bishops whose calumnies are here quoted, when he found himself on his death-bed, refused the proferred ministry of the Primate, and expressed a great wish to die a Catholic. When urged to satisfy his conscience, he exclaimed, What then will become of my lady and my children? Certain it is, that very many Protestants, who had been the most violent in their language and conduct against the Catholic Church, as for example, John, Elector of Saxony, Margaret, Queen of Navarre, Cromwell, Lord Essex, Dudley, Earl of Northumberland, King Charles II. the late Lords Montague, Nugent, Dunboyne, Dunsaney, &c. did actually reconcile themselves to the Catholic Church in that situation. The writer may add, that another of the calumniators here quoted, being desirous of stifling the suspicion of his having written an anonymous No-Popery publication, when first he took part in that cause, privately addressed himself to the writer in these terms: How can you suspect me of writing against your religion, when you so well know my attachment to it? In fact, this modern Luther, among other similar concessions, has said thus to the writer: I sucked in a love for the Catholic religion with my mother's milk. every feature of truth in her countenance, and wanting the rare grace of acknowledging their error, at the expense of temporal advantages, they have no other defence for themselves but clamour and calumny, no resource for shrouding those beauteous features of the Church, but by placing before them the hideous mask of misrepresentation! Before I close this letter, I cannot help expressing an earnest wish that it were in my power to suggest three most important considerations to all and every one of the theological calumniators I have referred to. I pass over their injus tice and cruelty towards us, though this bears some resemblance with the barbarity of Nero towards our predecessors, the first Christians of Rome, who disguised them in the skins of wild beasts, and then hunted them to death with dogs. -But Christ has warned us as follows: It is enough for the disciple to be as his master; if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household! In fact, we know that those our above-mentioned predeces sors were charged with worshipping the head of an ass, of killing and eating children, &c. The first observation which I am desirous of making to these controvertists is, that their charges and invectives against Catholics never unsettle the faith of a single individual amongst us, much less do they cause any Catholic to quit our communion. This we are sure of, because, after all the pains and expenses of the Protestant Societies to distribute Dr. Porteus's Confutation of Popery, and other Tracts, in the houses and cottages of Catholics, not one of them ever comes to us, their pastors, to be furnished with an answer to the accusations contained in them. The truth is, they previously know, from their catechisms, the falsehood of them. Sometimes, no doubt, a dissolute youth, from libertinism of 'principle and practice,' as one of the abovementioned Lords loudly proclaimed of himself on his death bed-and sometimes an ambitious or avaricious Nobleman or Gentleman, to get honour or wealth-finally, sometimes a profligate Priest, to get a wife or a living, forsakes our communion-but, I may challenge Doctor Porteus to produce a single proselyte from Popery, throughout the dioceses of Chester and London, who has been gained by his book against it; and I may say the same with respect to the Bishop of Durham's No-Popery Charges, throughout the dioceses of Sarum and Durham. A second point, of still greater importance, for the consideration of these distinguished preachers and writers, is, that their flagrant misrepresentation of the Catholic religion is constantly an occasion of the conversion of several of their own most upright members to it. Such Christians, when they fall into company with Catholics, or get hold of their books, cannot fail of inquiring whether they are really those monsters of idolatry, irreligion, and immorality which their divines have represented them to be; when, discovering how much they have been deceived in these respects, by misrepresentation, and, in short, viewing now the fair face of the Catholic Church, instead of the hideous mask which had been placed before it, they seldom fail to become enamoured of it, and, in case religion is their chief concern, to become our very best Catholics. The most important point, however, of all others, for the consideration of these learned theologues, is the following: We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to be examined on our observance of that commandment, among the rest, thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Supposing then these their clamorous charges against their Catholic neighbours, of idolatry, blasphemy, perfidy, and thirst of blood, should then appear, as they most certainly will appear, to be calumnies of the worst sort, what will it avail their authors that these have answered the temporary purpose of preventing the emancipation of Catholics, and of rousing the popular hatred and fury against them?-Alas! what will it avail them? I am, Dear Sir, yours, &c. J. M. LETTER XXXIII. To JAMES BROWN, Esq. &c. ON THE INVOCATION OF SAINTS. DEAR SIR, THE first and most heavy charge which Protestants bring against Catholics, is that of Idolatry. They say, that the Catholic Church has been guilty of this crime, and therefore of apostacy, by sanctioning the Invocation of Saints, and the worship of images and pictures; and that, on this account, they have been obliged to abandon her communion, in obedience to the voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plaques. Rev. xviii. 4. Nevertheless it is certain, Dear Sir, that Protestantism was not founded on this ground either in Germany or in England: for Luther warmly defended the Catholic doctrine in these particulars; and King Edward's uncle, the Duke of Somerset, with his party, only took up this pretext of Idolatry, as the most popular, for revolutionizing the ancient religion when they were actively carrying on this measure, from motives of avarice and ambition. The same motive, namely, a persua |