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3. The Scriptures the Instrument of Conversion.

Psalm xviii. v. 7. Luke, c. viii. v. 4. John, c. v. v. 24. Rev. c. x. v. 17. 1 Thess. c. ii. v. 13. James, c. i. v. 18. 1 Pet. c. i.

v. 23.

4. Sufficient as a Rule.

Deut. c. iv. v. 1, 2; c. xii. v. 32. Prov. c. 30. v. 6. Luke, c. xvi. v. 27. John, c. xx. v. 30. 1 Cor. c. xv. v. 2. 2 Tim. c. iii.

v. 16.

Rev. c. xxii. v. 18.

5. The Rule of Controversy.

Isa. c. viii. v. 20. Acts, c. xvii. v. 11. Gal. c.i. v. 8. 1 Thess. c. v. v. 21. 2 Thess. c. ii. v. 14.

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Isa. c. viii. v. 20. Luke, c. xii. v. 57. 1 Cor. c. x. v. 15. 1 Thess. c. v. v. 21. Bereans commended, Acts c. xvii. v. 2. Paul to be tried by his own gospel, hence an apostle appointed by God;* all others. Gal. c. i. v. 8. Eph. c. ii. v. 2. Eph. c. ii. v. 2. 1 John, c. iv. v. 4.

ART. 13 of Pope Pius's Creed." I most firmly admit and embrace the apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions, and the other observances and constitutions of the said church." Art. 14. "I admit also the holy Scriptures according to that sense which the holy mother church has held and does hold, whose province it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the holy Scriptures; nor will I ever *I am indebted to my friend J. E. Gordon, Esq. for this very valuable selection of texts.

receive and interpret them otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the fathers."

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ART. 24. Also I undoubtedly receive and profess all things delivered, defined, and declared by the sacred canons, and general councils, and more especially by the most holy council of Trent."

Lords, March 21, 1825.

Right Rev. J. Doyle, DD.

Is the creed of Pius the Fourth, the creed acknowledged by the Irish Roman Catholic church? Yes, every Catholic acknowledges

that creed.

Lords, March 21, 1825.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Doyle.

Have you in any instances allowed the circulation of the Bible among the laity without notes? I do not know that we have. You consider yourself pledged to all matters contained in these notes? No, not by any means. On the contrary, there were notes affixed, I believe, to the Rheimish Testament which were most objectionable, and on being presented to us, we caused them to be expunged. The notes carry in our editions of the Bible no weight, for we do not know the writers of many of them.

Uncertainty of Doctrine.

Commons, March 22, 1825. Report, p. 224.

The most Rev. Dr. Murray.

In what books are to be found the most authentic expositions of the faith of the Catholic church?

In the creed of Pius the Fourth; and in the catechism which was published by the council of Trent, called the Roman Catechism, or the Catechism of the Council of Trent; an Exposition of the Catholic Faith, by the Bishop of Meaux, Bossuet; Verron's Rule of Faith; Holden's Analysis of Faith, and several others.

Lords, March 21, 1825.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Doyle.

Q. When Roman Catholics are required to profess their assent to

all things declared and found in the canons of councils, what councils are meant ? A. The canons universally received by the church, or such parts of them as are received by the church. Q. The whole of some, and parts of others? A. Just so. Q. What is the most approved and authentic summary of the creed of the Roman Catholic church? The most approved and authentic summary of the Roman Catholic church will be found in the decrees of the council of Trent, and in the profession of faith by Pius 4th, and in what we call the Roman Catechism, or Catechism of the Council of Trent.-Lords, p. 502. Besides the articles enumerated in the creed of Pius the Fourth, there are others to be received as of faith. These are defined in the sacred canons, of which some are received entire, some in part, and of which no account can be obtained from the formularies to which the Roman Catholic bishops have referred as authentic.

The above evidence from the Journals of the Lords and Commons, (and that before the Lords was given upon oath,) is drawn from "A Digest of Evidence taken before Select Committees of the two Houses of Parliament, appointed to inquire into the State of Ireland, 1824, 1825. By the Rev. W. Phelan, B. D. and the Rev. M. O'Sullivan, A. M.

The writers whence we deduce our proofs of the genuineness of the Scriptures are in the 4th century-Athanasius, Epiphanius, Jerome, Rufinus, Augustine, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nazianzum, and others.

In the 3rd century we have Origen, Gregory of Neo-Cæsarea, Dionysius of Alexandria, Cyprian, and fragments of Caius, Hippolitus Portuensis, Ammonius, and Julius Africanus.

In the 2nd century, we have Tertullian, who was born in 160, and died 220,Clement of Alexandria, Theophilus of Antioch, Athenagoras, Irenæus, a letter from the Christians in Gaul preserved by Eusebius, some fragments of Melito, bishop of Sardis, preserved by Eusebius and Jerome, Hegesippus, Tatian, Justin Martyr, Papias.

* In the first century, we have the five apostolic fathers, Barnabas, Clemens Romanus, Hermas, Ignatius, Polycarp.

Testimonies of Heathen Adversaries to the Lives and Characters of the first Christians.

The first persecution of the Christians was raised by the emperor Nero, an. Dom. 65, that is, about thirty years after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Concerning this persecution, we have the testimonies

* Horne's Introduction to the Critical Study of the Scriptures, c. ii. sec. 11. Also,

Lardner's Testimonies.

of two Roman historians, Tacitus and Suetonius. Tacitus was contemporary with the apostles. His words are,

"But neither human assistance, nor the largesses of the emperor, nor all the atonements offered to the gods, availed: the infamy of that horrible transaction still adhered to him. To suppress, if possible, this common rumour, Nero procured others to be accused, and punished with exquisite tortures a race of men detested for their evil practices, who were commonly known by the name of Christians. The author of that sect was Christ, who in the reign of Tiberius was punished with death, as a criminal, by the procurator Pontius Pilate. But this pestilent superstition, though checked for awhile, broke out afresh, not only in Judea, where the evil first originated, but even in the city (of Rome), the common sink into which every thing filthy and abominable flows from all quarters of the world. At first those only were apprehended who confessed theselves of that sort; afterwards a vast multitude was discovered by them, all of whom were condemned, not so much for the crime of burning the city, as for enmity to mankind. Some were torn to pieces by dogs, some were crucified, some burnt to death.-(Tac. Annal. lib. 15, c. 44.)

The testimony which Suetonius bears to this persecution is in the following words :-"The Christians likewise were severely punished, a sort of people addicted to a new and mischievous superstition."(Suetonius in Nerone, c. 16.)*

The testimony of the younger Pliny is as follows. He wrote the Epistle to Trajan, an. Dom. 107.

"Others were named by an informer, who first confessed themselves Christians, but afterwards denied it; the rest said they had been Christians, but had left them-some three years ago, some longer, and one or more above twenty years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods; these also reviled Christ. They affirmed that the whole of their fault or error, when Christians, lay in this, that they were wont to meet together on a stated day, before it was light, and sing among themselves alternately a hymn to Christ as God, and bind themselves by an oath, not to the commission of any wickedness, but not to be guilty of theft, or robbery, or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor to deny a pledge committed to them when called upon to return it. When these things were performed, it was their custom to separate, and then to come together again to a meal, which they ate in common without any disorder? but this they had forborne since the publication of my edict, by which, according to your commands, I prohibited assemblies.

"After receiving this account, I judged it the more necessary to examine, and that by torture, two maid-servants, which were called ministers. But I have discovered nothing besides an evil and excessive superstition.

*These testimonies are taken from " Horne's Introduction to the Critical Study of the Scriptures."

"Suspending, therefore, all judicial proceedings, I have recourse to you for advice; for it has appeared unto me a matter highly deserving of consideration, especially upon account of the great number of persons who are in danger of suffering; for many of all ages, and every rank, of both sexes likewise, are accused and will be accused. Nor has the contagion of this superstition seized cities only, but lesser towns also, and the open country. Nevertheless, it seems to me that it may be restrained and corrected. It is certain that the temples, which were almost forsaken, begin to be more frequented, and the sacred solemnities, after a long intermission, are revived. Victims likewise are every where bought up, whereas for some time there were few purchasers. Whence it is easy to imagine what numbers of persons might be reclaimed, if pardon were granted to those who shall repent."-(Plin. Epist. lib. 10, ep. 97, tom. 2, p. 127. Edit. Bipont.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Council of Toulouse, held in the time of Pope Gregory 9, An. Dom. 1229.

Can. 14.

We prohibit also the permitting of the laity to have the books of the Old or New Testament, unless any one should wish from a feeling of devotion to have a psalter or breviary for divine service, or the hours of the blessed Mary. But we strictly forbid them to have the above-mentioned books in the vulgar tongue.The Holy Councils published by P. Labbaus and Gabriel Cossarte, at Paris, 1671, tom. 11, part I.

Certain Articles upon the Reading the Scriptures condemned in the Bull Unigenitus.

Clement 11. An. Dom. 1713.

Art. 79. It is useful and ne

* Not a general council.

Concilium Tolosanum, P. Gregory 9, An. Ch. 1229.

Can. 14.

Prohibemus etiam, ne libros Veteris Testamenti aut Novi, laici permittantur habere; nisi forte psalterium, vel breviarium pro diviniis officiis, aut horas beatæ Mariæ, aliquis ex devotione habere velit. Sed ne præmissos libros habeant in vulgari translatos, arctisssimè inhibemus.Sacrosancta Concilia, Studio Phil. Labbai et Gab. Cossartii, tom. 11, pars. I. Lutetia Purisiorum, 1671.

Clemens Undecimus. An. Dom. 1713.

Unigenitus Dei filius, pro nostra et totius mundi salute filius hominis factus, &c.†

79. Utile et necessarium est

From the Bullarium Magnum Romanum, printed at Luxembourg.

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