ments, the conferring and exercising of jurisdiction purely ecclesiastical, are spiritual matters.

By the term temporal, we mean that which in its nature tends directly to the end of civil society. Thus the right of making laws for the civil government of the state, the administration of civil justice, the appointment of civil magistrates and military officers, are temporal mat

ters.

The allegiance which Catholics hold to be due and are bound to pay to the sovereign, and to the civil authority of the state, is perfect and undivided. They do not divide their allegiance between their sovereign and any other power on earth, whether temporal or ecclesiastical. They acknowledge in the sovereign, and in the constituted government of these realms, a supreme civil and temporal authority, which is entirely distinct from, and totally independent of the spiritual and ecclesiastical authority of the Pope and of the Catholic Church. They declare that neither the Pope nor any other prelate or ecclesiastical person of the Roman Catholic Church, has in virtue of his spiritual or ecclesiastical character, any right, directly or indirectly, to any civil or temporal jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or authority, within this realm; nor has any right to interfere, directly or indirectly, in the civil government of the United Kingdom, or any part thereof; nor to oppose, in any manner, the performance of the civil duties which are due to his Majesty, his heirs, and successors, from all or any of his Majesty's subjects; nor to enforce the performance of any spiritual or ecclesiastical duty, by any civil or temporal means. They hold themselves bound in conscience to obey the civil government of this realm, in all things of a temporal and civil nature, notwithstanding any dispensation or order to the

contrary had, or to be had, from the Pope, or any authority of the Church of Rome.

Hence we declare, that by rendering obedience in spiritual matters to the Pope, Catholics do not withhold any portion of their allegiance to their King, and that their allegiance is entire and undivided; the civil power of the state, and the spiritual authority of the Catholic Church, being absolutely distinct, and being never intended by their Divine Author to interfere or clash with each other. "Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the things that are God's."

SECTION IX.

On the claim of British Catholics to the property of the Church Establishment in England.

British Catholics are charged with entertaining a pretended right to the property of the Established Church in England.

We consider such a charge to be totally without foundation. We declare that we entertain no pretension to such a claim. We regard all the revenues and temporalities of the Church Establishment as the property of those on whom they are settled by the laws of the land. We disclaim any right, title, or pretension with regard to the same.

SECTION X.

On the Doctrine of Exclusive Salvation.

Catholics are charged with uncharitableness, in holding the doctrine of exclusive salvation.

Catholics are taught by their Church to love all men, without exception: to wish that all may be saved; and to pray that all may be saved, and may come to the knowledge of the truth, by which they may be saved.

If the Almighty himself has assigned certain conditions, without the observance of which man cannot be saved, it would seem to be an act of impiety to attempt to annul those divinely-established conditions: and an act of great uncharitableness towards a fellow-man to tell him, that he may be saved without complying with the conditions prescribed by the Almighty.

The doctrinal principle of exclusive salvation belongs to the law of Christ.

Has not Christ, who commands the belief of his revealed doctrines, pronounced, that he that believeth not shall be condemned? (Mark xvi. 16.) Has not Christ, who instituted baptism for the remission of sins, declared that except a man be born again of water and of the Holy Ghost, he CANNOT enter into the kingdom of God? (John iii. 5.) Has not St. Paul enumerated a list of crimes, such as adultery, idolatry, hatred, seditions, heresies, murders, drunkenness, &c., of which he declares, that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God? (Galat. v 21.) Are not these exclusive conditions?

Whoever professes the law of Christ must profess the principle and doctrine of exclusive salvation. It is not the Catholic, it is God himself who will exclude from heaven those who are not duly qualified for it by faith and good works.

But the Catholic, whilst he is bound to admit, and with firm faith to believe this doctrinal principle, is bound also by the divine commandment not to judge. He is not allowed therefore to pronounce sentence of condemnation on individuals, who may live and die out of the external communion of the Catholic Church: nor to pronounce sentence of condemnation against those who may die in an apparent state of sin. All those he leaves to

the righteous judgment of the great searcher of hearts, who at the last day will render to every man according to his works.

But surely charity, as well as truth, must forbid one Christian to deceive another in a matter of such infinite importance as the eternal salvation of his soul. He who should persuade his neighbour that no condition for salvation is required on the part of man, would deceive him. He who admits that any one such condition is required by the Almighty, admits the principle of exclusive salvation.

SECTION XI.

On keeping Faith with Heretics.

Catholics are charged with holding the principle that they are not bound to keep faith with heretics.

As Catholics, we hold and we declare, that all Catholics are bound by the law of nature, and by the law of revealed religion, to observe the duties of fidelity and justice to all men, without any exception of persons, and without any distinction of nation or religion.

British Catholics have solemnly sworn, that "they reject and detest that unchristian and impious principle, that faith is not to be kept with heretics or infidels.”

After this, the imputation of their holding this principle, cannot but be felt by them as grievously injurious to their religious and moral character.

CONCLUSION.

Having in the foregoing declaration, endeavoured to state, in the simplicity of truth, such doctrines of our Church as are most frequently misrepresented or misunderstood in this country, and to explain the meaning in which Catholics understand the terms by which these

doctrines are expressed in the language of their Church; we confidently trust that this declaration and explanation will be received by all our fellow-subjects in a spirit of candour and charity; and that those who have hitherto been ignorant of, or but imperfectly acquainted with our doctrines of faith, will do us the justice to acknowledge, that, as Catholics, we hold no religious principles, and entertain no opinions flowing from those principles, which are not perfectly consistent with our duties as Christians, and as British subjects.

This declaration, we, the undersigned, approve and publish, as an exposition of our principles and doctrines, on the subjects to which it refers.

+ WILLIAM, Bishop of Halia, Vic. Apost. in

the London District.

+ PETER BERNARDIN, Bishop of Thespiæ, Vic. Apost. in the Western District.

+ THOMAS, Bishop of Bolina, Vic. Apost. in the Northern District.

+ THOMAS, Bishop of Cambysopolis, Vic. Apost. in the Midland District.

+ ALEXANDER, Bishop of Maximianopolis, Vic. Apost. in the Lowland District in Scotland. + RANALD, Bishop of Aeryndela, Vic. Apost. in the Highland District in Scotland.

+ PETER AUGUSTINE, Bishop of Siga, Coadjutor in the Western District.

+JAMES, Bishop of Usula, Coadjutor in the London District.

+ THOMAS, Bishop of Europum, Coadjutor in the Northern District.

+ ALEXANDER, Bishop of Cybistra, Coadjutor in the Lowland District in Scotland.

May, 1826.