of their articles of belief, as the word heretic signifies, and from those disobedient separatists, as the word schismatic means. For this purpose the title of CATHOLIC, or Universal, was adopted, and applied to the True Church and her children. Accordingly, we find it used by the immediate disciples of the Apostles, as a distinguishing mark of the True Church. One of these was the illustrious martyr St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who, writing to the Church of Smyrna, expressly says, that 'Christ is where the Catholic Church is.' In like manner, the same Church of Smyrna, giving a relation of the martyrdom of their holy Bishop St. Polycarp, who was equally a disciple of the Apostles, addresses it to The Catholic Churches.' (1) This characteristic title of the True Church continued to be pointed out by the succeeding Fathers in their writings and the acts of their Councils, (2) St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, in the 4th century, gives the following direction to his pupils: If you go into any city, do not ask merely, Where is the Church, or House of God? because the heretics pretend to have this but ask, Which is the Catholic Church? because this title belongs alone to our Holy Mother.' (3) 'We,' says a Father of the 5th century, are called Catholic Christians.' (4) His contemporary, St. Pacian, describes himself as follows: Christian is my name, Catholic is my surname: by the former I am called, by the latter I am distinguished. By the name of Catholic, our society is distinguished

(1) Euseb. Ecc. Hist. l. iv. c. 15.

(2) SS. Justin. Clem. Alex. Appolin. 1 Nicæan. can. 8. 1. C. P. can. 7. &c. (3) Catech. 18,

(4) Salvia de Gubern. Dei, 1. iv.

from all heretics.' (1) But there is not one of the Fathers or Doctors of antiquity, who enlarges so copiously or so pointedly on this title of the true Church, as the great St. Augustin, who died in the early part of the 5th century. Many things,' he says, 'detain me in the bosom of the Catholic Church the very name of CATHOLIC detains me in it, which she has so happily preserved amidst the different heretics; that whereas they are all desirous of being called Catholics, yet, if any stranger were to ask them, Which is the assembly of the Catholics? none of them would dare to point out his own place of worship.' (2) To the same purpose, he says elsewhere: We must hold fast the communion of that Church which is called Catholic, not only by her own children, but also by all her enemies. For heretics and schismatics, whether they will or not, when they are speaking of the Catholic Church with strangers, or with their own people, call her by the name of Catholic; inasmuch as they would not be understood, if they did not call her by the name by which all the world calls her.' (3) In proportion to their affection for the glorious name of Catholic, is the aversion of these primitive doctors, to every ecclesiastical name or title derived from particular persons, countries, or opinions. What new heresy,' says St. Vincent of Lerins, in the 6th century, 'ever sprouted up, without bearing the name of its founder, the date of its origin,' &c. (4) St. Justin, the philosopher and martyr, had previously made the (1) S. Pacian, Ep. i. ad Symp.

(2) Contra Epist. Fundam, c. 1. (3) De Ver. Relig, c. 7.

(4) Common. Advers. Hær. c. 94.

same remark in the 2d century, with respect to the Marcionite, Valentinian, and other heretics of his time. (1) Finally, the nervous St. Jerom lays down the following rule on this subject: We must live and die in that Church, which, having been founded by the Apostles, continues down to the present day, If, then, you should hear of any Christians not deriving their name from Christ, but from some other founder, as the Marcionites, the Valentinians, &c., be persuaded that they are not of Christ's society, but of Antichrist's.' (2)

I now appeal to you, dear Sir, and to the respectable friends who are accustomed to deliberate with you on religious subjects, whether these observations and arguments of the ancient Fathers are not as strikingly true in this 19th century, as they were during the six first centuries, in which they wrote? Is there not among the rival churches, one exclusively known and distinguished by the name and title of THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, as well in England, Holland, and other countries, which protest against this Church, as in those which adhere to it? Does not this effulgent mark of the true religion so incontestably belong to us, in spite of every effort to obscure it, by the nick-names of Papists, Romanists, &c., (3) that the rule of St. Cyril and St. Augustin is as good and certain now, as it was in their times? What I mean is this: if any stranger in London, Edinburgh, or Amsterdam, were to ask his way to

(1) Advers. Tryphon.

(2) Advers. Luciferan.

(3) St. Gregory of Tours, speaking of the Arians, and other contemporary heretics of the 6th century, says: Romanorum nomine vocitant nostræ religionis homines.' Hist. l. xvii, c. 25,

the Catholic Chapel, I would risk my life for it, that no sober Protestant inhabitant would direct him to any other place of worship than to ours. On the other hand, it is notorious, that the different sects of Protestants, like the heretics and schismatics of old, are denominated either from their founders, as the Lutherans, the Calvinists, the Socinians, &c.; or from the countries in which they prevail, as the Church of England, the Kirk of Scotland, the Moravians, &c.; or from some novelty in their belief or practice, as the Anabaptists, the Independants, the Quakers, &c. The first father of Protestants was so sensible that he and they were destitute of every claim to the title of Catholic, that in translating the Apostles' Creed into Dutch, he substituted the word Christian for that of Catholic. The first Lutherans did the same thing in their Catechism, for which they are reproached by the famous Fulke, who, to his own confusion, proves that the True Church of Christ must be Catholic in name, as well as in substance. (1)

I am, &c.

J. M.

LETTER XXVI.

To JAMES BROWN, Esq. &c.

ON THE QUALITIES OF CATHOLICITY.

DEAR SIR,

To proceed now, from the name Catholic. to the signification of that name: this is to b gathered from the etymology of the word itself, an

(1) On the New Testament, p. 378.

from the sense in which the Apostolical Fathers and other Doctors of the Church have constantly used it. It is derived from the Greek word Katoλixòs, which means Universal; and, accordingly, it has ever been employed by those writers, to discriminate the great body of Christians, under their legitimate Pastors, and subsisting in all nations and all ages, from those comparatively small bodies of Christians, who, in certain places and at certain times, have been separated from it. The Catholic Church,' says St. Augustin, is so called, because it is spread throughout the world.' (1) If your Church,' adds he, addressing certain heretics, is Catholic, show me that it spreads its branches throughout the world; for such is the meaning of the word Catholic.' (2)— The Catholic or Universal doctrine,' writes St. Vincent of Lerins, is that which remains the same throughout all ages, and will continue so till the end of the world. He is a true Catholic, who firmly adheres to the faith which he knows the Catholic Church has universally taught from the days of old.' (3) It follows, from these and other testimonies of the Fathers, and from the meaning of the term itself, that the true Church is Catholic or Universal in three several respects, as to Persons, as to Places, and as to Time. It consists of the most numerous body of Christians; it is more or less diffused wherever Christianity prevails; and it has visibly existed ever since the time of the Apostles. Hence,

(1) Epist. 170. ad S. Sever.

(2) Contra Gaudent. l. iii, c. 1.

(3) Commonit. The same Father briefly and accurately defines the Catholic doctrine to be, that which has been be lieved Semper et ubique et ab omnibus.