doctrines they professed to preach, they every where established a greater laxity of morals, and, instead of reforming the wickedness of the times, only fostered and increased it; breaking down all the bulwarks against the tyranny of the passions, at the same time that they undermined the citadel of faith. Nay, even the principal champion of Protestantism does not hesitate to acknowledge in his own writings—as if to confound his followers, and open their eyes to his deceit—that he learned the principal tenet of his new creed, not from the spirit of light and the God of Truth, but from the spirit of darkness and the Father of Lies," giving

(1) For an account of the increase of immorality, as a consequence of the Reformation in this country, see Dr. Milner's Letters to a Prebendary, Lett. 5th. And for the scandalous lives of the Reformers, see Appendix 2nd to Lett.II. of the Amicable Discussion.-"In a word," says the learned author of this admirable work, "the only point upon which they agree is to blacken and condemn one another, and it is but too certain, that this point, in which they were all agreed, is also the only one upon which they were all right."

(r) St. John, viii. 44. See an Account of Luther's conversation with the devil, in The Faith and Doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, proved by the Testimony of the most learned Protestants, &c. p. 54; by the Author of the Protestant Apology for the Roman Catholic Church. Dublin, 1813.

heed to spirits of error, and doctrines of Devils," and thus making himself a real object for the application of the words of St. Paul to Elymas; O full of all guile and of all deceit, child of the Devil, enemy of all justice, thou ceasest not to pervert the right ways of the Lord."

The Church of England is not holy, because it sprang from such unhallowed sources-because it originated in the lust of Henry VIII., was nurtured by the rapacity and profligacy of the ministers of Edward VI., and perfected by the ambition of Queen Elizabeth. Surely a religion with so impure an origin, which was fostered in vice," and which neither improves the piety nor the morals of the people, cannot pass for the work of God:" by its fruits you shall know it.") Such a Church

(s) 1 Tim. iv. 1.

(t) Acts xiii. 10.

(u) St. Matt. vii. 16. "The very authors of the Reformation were themselves the first to mark its baneful effect upon the morals and piety of the people. The world,' says Luther, 'grows every day worse and worse. It is plain that men are much more covetous, malicious, and resentful; much more unruly, shameless, and full of vice, than they were in the time of Popery.'-The greater part of the people,' says Martin Bucer, 'seem only to have embraced the gospel in order to shake off the yoke of discipline, and the obligation of fasting, penance, &c. which lay upon them in Popery, and to live at their pleasure, enjoying their lawless appetites without control. Hence

must, at least, be liable to strong suspicion, and it is, therefore, the duty of men to examine it narrowly.

Instead of endeavouring to bring our morality into a stricter conformity with the severer precepts of the gospel, and the maxims and the conduct of our Saviour, Protestantism has absolved its followers from many of those salutary restraints and mortifications, such as confession and fasting, which the religion of Christ had wisely imposed upon us for the subjugation of our passions, and as some slight atonement for our sins, through his infinite merits. She contradicts the Scriptures, by making the road to Heaven wide and smooth, while they declare it to be rough and narrow. The evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit: do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?(*) Instead of encouraging the people to pay a daily public homage to their God in the house of prayer, the doors are closed against

they lent a willing ear to the doctrine that we are saved by faith alone, and not by good works, having no relish for them.'

Frederick the Great has said, "If you reduce the causes of the Reformation to their simple principles, you will find, that, in Germany, it was the work of interest; in England,'the fruit of lust; in France, the effect of novelty." (*) St. Matt. vii. 16, 17.

them; and, except on the Sunday, when, indeed, no one who bears the name of Christian, would willingly absent himself from the service of his Creator, their altars are silent, and their Churches empty. With what feelings would our Catholic ancestors, whose piety was proverbial, and whose daily practice it was to assemble in public adoration of that God who was their daily benefactor and protector, have looked upon the degeneracy of these days, upon the melancholy fruits of Protestant Reformation!

Whatever, to a superficial, and, perhaps, a prejudiced observer, may be the general appearance of

(y) The bishop of London, in his Charge for 1790, p. 11, observes: "Scarcely one symptom of religion ever appears amongst us, except on the Lord's day."-"It must be acknowledged," says he, in another publication, "that the present remarkable thinness of our churches on Sunday, at the east as well as the west end of the town, is a proof that the neglect of divine worship is not confined to the great, but has pervaded almost every class of people in this capital." Sermons, Vol. I. p. 212.-Will not the same observations equally apply at the present day?

"Liberal opinions, that is, no fixed principle whatsoever, are professed in every quarter: and, in spite of the apparent tranquillity which reigns around, the day cannot be distant, in which there will be as little belief among the gentlemen of England, as there now is among the philosophers in Germany-that is, none at all." — British Critic.

immorality and irreligion in Catholic countries, in our own times; and whatever may be the real degree of vice among the wealthy and the great, whose virtue, as is usually the case, is too generally choaked up with the cares, the riches, and the pleasures of this life; there is, at any rate, to be found, even in demoralized France, a large portion of sincere and unaffected piety. One can never enter a Catholic Church, at any hour, even upon a week-day, without being edified by the devout comportment of at least a few, and at the hour of morning service, of a great number of pious Christians.(")

(*) "Even on week-days the Churches are not deserted; pious Christians may be seen on their knees at all hours; and the ancient and affecting custom of the Catholic Church, so much recommended by Erasmus, is not yet forgotten or neglected, even in this profane capital." (Eustace's Letter to G. Petre, Esq.)-It is to be remarked that, since this period, religion has made immense progress in France, especially in the provinces.

The Catholic Church is holy in her people, from the number of devout persons of both sexes, who, preferring the part of Mary to Martha, have retired from the bustle and temptation of the world, to adore their God in solitude and in silence:

"Who quit a world where strong temptations try,

"And since 'tis hard to combat, learn to fly."

Without taking into consideration the preference which the Almighty has generally been pleased to shew to a