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Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de rdduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop gjand pour §tre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est fiim6 d partir de I angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en has, en prenant le nombre d images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 22% 1 2 3 4 5 6 **^ * /I ^1 SIXTH LECTURE, BBFOBB TBX PROTESTANT ALLIAITCE, t OF NOVA 80OT1A. B-V RFV. JOKC3N" HXJKTTER, PRICE FOUR-PEMCE. \ • ■•*l«M.^s ■4 '■*%;■' 1<^ J?O0''^ CO y PROTESTANT ALLIANCE LECTURES. REVIEW or E. MATURIN'S LETTER. i SIXTH LECTURE, ( ■* DELIVERED BEt'ORE TIIK PROTESTANT ALLIANCE, or NOVA SCOXIA. AT TEMPERANCK HALL, HALIFAX, dV FRIDAY EVENING. MARCH lull, 1859. B'Sr nBV- JOtlKT ^iXJaNrX33R. HALIFAX, N. S.: rKlNrKD AT TUB WE8LEYAN caNFERBNCB STKAM rHESS. 1 « 5 y . ,'M. |v** ERRATA. rap« 15. For " Aniiclerus" read " Anacletus." " 16. ¥or "deposed all tliese," read "deposed all three," " 16. For " Baltlmsa," read " Balthasar." " 18. For " they arc at once," read " they arc at one." " 18. In the hwt line omit " made." " 19. For " they are not an one," read "they are not at one." " 19. For " Losinius," read "Zosimus." Also on pp. 20,24,25. " 20 For '• communions," read " communities." " 20. For " JanMuius," read " Jansenius." ♦ 20. For "manifested views," read "maintained views." " 24. For " pictures," read "pretences." " 32. For " Are we to believe these," read " Are we to believe then." " 32. For " knowlcd^je of God," read " know'^dge of Christ." " 34. For " teaching the Divine," read " testi. >, he Divine." " 37. Omit " unanimous " before Catholic. " 37. For " Churches were not nations," read " Churches were not national." / _^ — , lt^«t'* » V- REVIEW, &c. BY REV. JOIIX IIUNTKR. ^ A FEW months ago the citizens of Halifax were startled by the information that the Rkv. E. Matcrin, Curate of St. Paul's, had become a pervert to Popery. This change on his part excited the more attention that Mr. Maturin had always been supposed to hold very Evangelical views. I know not what were the explanations he offered in private. But about five weeks since a pamphlet was placed in my hands entitled "The Claims of the Catholic Church, by E. Maturin, M. A." On perusal of it, its contents seemed at onoe naturally to fall under three heads : An explanation of Mr. Maturin's own feelings and conduct ; an insidious attack upon the Church of Enfr'and, but more especially on the fun- damental doetriaes of iio Eeformation ; and lastly, a plau- .sible defence of some of the leading tenete of Popery. At thn time when Mr. Maturin's pamphlet was published I was engaged, at such intervals as my pastoral duties would pennit, in throwing together materials for a lecture before this Alli- ance, on a different subject. This night was fixed beforehand for the delivery of it, and it occurred to me that it might be of .some use if an answer came from this platform to attacks on our common Protestantism. I do not appear here to-night as the apologist or the defender of the Church of England. She needs no as from the Fathers, I shall prove to you to-night are garbled and perverted ; and the author has left himself without excuse, for he boasts of his learning in Ecclesiastical history- ot his careful veritication of his authorities from oriij.V.al .sources. * Mr. Maturin charges Protestantism with being as, aijgres- ..on on the Church of Rome ; and in another place he con- gratulates himself that when he returned to the bosow of that ( hur(..h he was received in the use of a creed employed lonK before the days of Pope Pius IV,-by Pope Gregory the Oreat .Now does Mr. Maturin profess to be a scholar versed in Ecclesiastical History, and yet remain ignorant that it whs this very ]'ope Gregory the Great who first brought England nito connection with the See of Rome-that the mission he sent landed in the Isle of Thanet. A. D. 590, and that on it, ariiyal tue emissaries of Rome found in full existence a Rntish Christian Church, which had been there for coDturi.(j3 r* /" ^ /I ])eforo, perfectly independent of the Pope, denying and resist- ing his supremacy, joining with the Eastern Church on those points in which she differed form the Eomish communion ? Further, let me tell you, and I do so on the authority of r, Romis-li historian, that so far from Protestantism' beino- an* aggression on the Church of Rome, the Christianity of Eng- land, Ireland, and Scotland dates back for eenturies bcforC' their intercourse with l^opcry. iVnd the history of Itouie's first .'utercourse with those early Christian Churches is that of a foul and bloody ago;ression oa tlie rights of conscience, and. the liberties of frcftmen. It was by fraud and force that she paved the way for the reign of her Idolatry on the ruins of the ancient Chrietianity of Britain. Our time will not permit nic this evening to say more on the singularly interesting topic of ancient British Christianity. For the same reason I nmst abstain from noticing a number of statements scattered through the pages of the pamphh't. It is more profitable to consider the grand (jucstion in dispute — tliat of Church authority. If Home can prove her claims,, (and you have them set forth in Mr. Maturin's letter by her own chosen champion), then she in the main substantiates her position to be tiio only true Church. But if these claims are disproved, the Church of Borne stands convicted of the vilest fraud ever attempted, — a fraud in tlie upliolding of which human bhisphemy has been mingled with Satanic craft. She must be bereft of her title to the very name of a Chris- tian Church ; and men must be warned against licr as one of the greatest instruments for the ruin of innnortal souls. Lot me start with one proviso. My remarks are d''rGoted against a system, not against individuals who go by its name. There are many llomauists who are far better than their Church — it is not possible they could be worse. If they were properly enlightened respecting the teadiing and prac- md resist- i on those imunion ? 3rity of f, being a» ' of Eng- ies bcfoiG' I:' lionio'.s is that of 3nce, and ! that she i ruins of more on istianity. number amphhit. fi dispute r daims,, ;r by her stantiates ■se chiims mI of tlie »hling of iiic eraft. a Chris- is one of Is. directed ts name, an their If they md prac- I tiees of Rome, they would no doubt come out of her, and touch no longer the unclean thing. The grand question in disputerthat on which hinges all the controversy between Rome and us, is the question of "Tnr. CiruRcir." Mr. Maturin thus states it:-" And after all It must be observed that the proper test ot orthodoxy or heresy does not consist so nnich in parttcular doctrines as ni ffcncrnl principles. The groaf, question is between the prmople of 0/mrch authority and the priticiple of private jtidffment;" &c. Now this is an incorrect '.ecause imperfect, statement of the grounds of opposition between Popery and Protestantism Tt IS true of the Church of Rome that she stands or falls with the "principle of Church authority^ But it is not true of Protestantism that its opposing principle is that of private judgment. When the question is asked, what guide are we to take in Spiritual matters? Rome answers, be guided by the authority of the Church-Protestants answer be guided by the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures, and in the hearts of believers. The object of this lecture is not to establish Protestant doctrmes but to examine " the claims of the Catholic Church." "Which then is the true Church of Christ?" "She alone possesses all the marks of the true Church laid down m the (^reed." "The Church is Dirine, therefore all she teaches ,s truo., cortain, an.l in^lllMc." Here we have a variety of statonicnts, anqilified and explained in Mr. Matu- nn's pan.phlet, pp. S(i-(I2. They n.ay be sunnue.l up thus : Christ has estal)li,shed on earth the Church as a distinct Soci- ety, which is always to exist, visible, infallible, without fail and separate from all other societies, civil or spiritual. This Church has four marks by which it may be discovered, viz : I nity. Holiness. Catholicity, Apostolicity. These marks are Pll exhibited by the Church of Rome, and by no other • 8 therefore she is the only true Church of Christ and every doctrine taught by her an an article of faith must be received on divine authority. To this I reply, < 1st That the foregoing, in the Popish sense of it, is not a correct description of the Church of Christ upon earth. 2nd. That if it was correct, it is not m the least apph- cablc to the Church of llouic. T It is true that the Lord Jesus Christ has founded a Church upon the earth ; but it is not true that Visibdity is an essential characteristic of that Church. ^-^^ sage of Scripture in which it i. promised that the Chuich should always be' visible. We know from the statements ot the New Testament that the true Church is to eon.st o those for whom Christ dicd-whom He purchased with ILs bh.od- and that tbcse persons are often hidden from the knowledge of man, though well known unto Him who is Head over al thin<^B to the Church. The eye of a Prophet once scanned anx-musly the face of ancient Israel ; and though an inspned :i his testimony was, " the children of Israel ave forsaken thv covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slam thy lo- ; ets with the sword; and I, even I only - lett ; and liey seek my llfo to take it away."-l Kings, x.x 14. K v i y "n of a visible church of Uod had been blotted out, yet the heLord declared, verse 18, " I luive left mC seven thousand in Israel all tlie knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and ev'; ilth which hath ^ot kissed him." Here was an invisible Church-one unseen by man-unknown to n.an-m existence before God, amid the m.dions of apostate Judah and Israel after the last tokens of visibility had perished. But as pertains to the present discussion, it is of more im- portance to show, as I shall now do, II That the description which Home gives of the Church pf Christ is not in the least appli.'ubl* to that society of which 9 1 every eceived , is not rth. t appli- inded a ibility is i no pas- Church ments of ■j of those blood — nowlcdge . over all ) scanned inspired ! forsaken thy Pro- and they :, Every t, yet the I thousand Baal, and re was an man — in Judah and ed. [ more im- the Church ty ^ e m > dcnce without ceremony. ^ ^^^ of N-t --,1— * r — -;o about A. B. vorv different stamp fvomPapms i ^^^^^^ j^ 179 to the effect that tbe Chureh »f ^"'^ ^^ ,„ ,^,,,,A Pete, and Paul, and that ^^Z": —, because it ,,,„,. I"-«;X'-*~:Z*hshowsthat„ci. is contrardictory to the Wew i ,, ,,„{ B„„e, and because ther Paul nor Peter f«»"'»'='l .^^ '^^^ ^ fc, other Fathers. Ws statement about Lm«s - ^^f^^ViiUe myself for Surely Papists cannot ob^ct to a poor her cubing to have the unammous ^n^sen^ "C ^^^ ^^^^^^^^ It would be mere was o of """;"/„,,;,,, of course evidence for Peter's havmg been at Itan . «^^^__^ teomes weaker and «f f f T^ ^ one astounding times. But I cannot »- «s Eomanist that we proof. I"""^'^"";''"' VntPetrever was at Rome. Protestants will not beheve tha^Pe^- « ^^^^ ^^ ^^ Have they not got h.s cha.r-Ae vej c ^^^ ^j, when, as Prince of the Apos rtes he w^ hrs P^_^ .^ ^^_^ „,e„ kissed hb toei Ala. " X„hen the French „te,_it is called the cha-r of Pete . B ^^^^.^ .^^^^j. occupied Kome in the days of the first jSap ^^^ i,y could not be saf>sfied w.h >"">>X fight-critically «- Jrippedofitstrappings-brough the^g ^^ ^^ ^^ amined by competent scholax. Jf ' 'V .„,,,^ci with the eomparativelymoa.n »—--;, J-.,, ^^^^^ , „„e ^ell known creed of the Arauiau God, and Mahometis Ins proP^^^^^^ ^^^ „,,„^ ,,a„ U,at «-"« '""^tml He was not the Apostle of the Peter never was at Wmc Ue ' „i,,„„„.eisi„„ or Jew., uncireumciscd or Gentiles, but ol the /. ' •obalilo tr \veak lis evi- man of t A. D. ided by succeed ccause it that nei- . because Fathers, lyself for rs remaining of course Apostolic istounding 5t that we at Home, liich he sat pe, and all iierc is the the French heir infidel- 5 chair was iritically ex- id to be of id with the bere is one jr side that lostle of the ion or Jews- 13 It is at Jcrusaloin wo arc to look for hi.n, and tlicrc wo find hi.n He was oace .vt Antioch, whoro ho was rebuked of Paul about Tnf f; ^''' '''' ^'^''' '''^^''^ons he is found at his post. In the first chapter of Galatians Paul records how he went to Jerusalem t n.e years after his conversion, and visited Peter. Ihe Acts of the Apostles shows that during the next few years Peter was a resident in Jerasalcm. Another tinie seventeen years after his conversion, Paul returns to the cit; of his people and Peter is still living there as the Apostle of the cu-cumcislon. i"jsuc ui After (hi., when „„ l,is fiftu j„„„ey, which, for the firsl »«. brought Paul to Rome, he wrote, about A. T) CO hL V^tle to tl,e Romany which shows clearly that the €^2 bere was not fouu.ld by an Apostle at all. and that Peter wa .0 m Rome at the ti„,o, for he closes with an address to „Z of th clnef persons in that Church, yet ne.er mentio,. J>2 -a thmg „,conce,vable if he had been its chief pastor. Soon after wr,t,„g bis Epistle, Paul reached Rome L a prisot and abode two years in his hired house. Duri„» this time 1.0 wrote son. Epistles, in which, as in that to Coins „sL s nds n,o.ss..,jes from these about him. StiU no w„,^ If 1 etor l.u,iher. i„ A. D. CO. the year in which both PeVr and lau are believed to have suffered death. Paul wr tes h Rome Tf «n , I c ' ^ '"°'' ™* "'«" i" Rome. If so. w„ have Scripture testimony tlu,t he did a . cond tune deny Ins Lord. Rut if wo .shrinlc from this con us,„n, wo arc con.pelled to n.aintain that Peter wa. o ™ and tU be had no personal connection of any ,/„d wi.l "ll: V[, to this point it has been shown that the nllcn.d primacr ot I'eter over ,,,e apostles is a „,ore empty pretext, wll^^ 4.^r^:j»j«-»;- vM I ili h: 14 „„y foundation in ScnpUne ov in ^'-^^^^^^ or W ^'S^^^^^'^^^'"'-f^''\^'^,^lX.o; that tWs Clmrf, v.. any connection mth t» C mich tnc , ^^^_^ ^^^^^^^_ not funded b, the AF^'I- »' »' ;^ ™ ^^ „„a Apost.. T f "":™* s:r./ra«ion « add that CYcn it Peto i^^as ^^^ discussion „pcntain,isdaysinKome>ore w ^^ ^^^^^^^^ two vei-y imi«tan ci"«f »' 3'° „„ „cnts would could in ™y-'y^^;*f"Cf-">"f"--"^^»™ "'■ .oiiulvo to prove ;W * P"^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^,_^^^,^ ^f ^,„.y Votov-inlicnting 1- J''' 7;^ .,,„,„;„,i Vitb the pesont „t Kome in the days of ^f-"^^' . ^^ „,,„o ot the covmiit and degraded system which goes ny Church ot llome. examination is the The next point which naturally auscs " -^^^ „f j,,„ elaimsof the Popes to ^^ ^-^'ttul- alChurcii. apostle Peter, and -P-^.^X f^^t V* Pot« '""l ««'' Supvo- it was granted fw f ■ ^» -^\ .^ .^ „„ „v„>u i„ llome as Primate over e Ctach, w ^^ ^^^^^^__ .^ ^^.^ Scripture or from bistory hat h had i ^^^^^ ^^___ authority to other men after '"'" ■'.. ;,f ^,^ „„ Ung hut thoir — "^Me"":;^*'^^ •nnpudence. At™ ietcr ^ , „;„„ for a period ot lived in the M' — ^f .''J^t.Led that Peter eould nearly forty years «' ' " ' , ■, ^^Js oxalt him to a taUe any man, and hy !»« ''" °' ^,,,„ i,„a veceived his superiority over '^^'^^''''''^t^^ZumX.^n.ion His Mgh authority from the !"*";-» J ,,,,,,,,,, fticnd-to .acred breast-who had be n hs n ^^^ ^^^^^.^^^,^ whom He appeared » 8 W; " ^ f„, ,„,„„,,."'! The and was dead, and behold I ,m a ^ ^ ^^^ i.^pi^ts thought is too preposterous to be coneel^ec 1') u'lust mai.ifain this ri.]icul.)us assumption, thut tho ordlnati.Hi of Peter gave more authority than the ordination of our Lord aceordmg to their theory that Peter ordained a successor to be' 1 rnnate over the whole Church. The next difficulty in the way of the Pope's succession is even more serious than the last. It reminds me of an occur, rence ui the reign of Queen Elizabeth. On her arrival at a eertam town there was no salute fired to welcome her majesty but the mayor appeared to apologise for the omission. He told the Queen that he had twenty-seven good reasons to give for not firing the salute. The first reason was that they had no guns-whereupon the Queen graciously declined hearin o —Bomfaco lA at ivomc, a" ,ii'P t" "» "-^ '"^'^ at Pisa elected Balthusa tossa to ^^^^ ^^. a XXIII. Few greater viUams Aan 1- "^^^^^j,.,; y,,, 17 'opo to ter and ;nry III oncdict, of their ,nd take iring tbis .1 crimes, orainalile mockery at Rome ;ad of tlie cb otlier, istendom, •e find the ; within it- 3 death — Let VIS now ival Popes , Avignon, iting scenes those who a Council, ilcated hotji stinatc, per- lie Church. : having met ,110 of John ,ve disgraced calling him be fearlessly all the mou- .4crs that hnvo dcliled our ('arth tl.o great^-st have sat upwj the pretended chair of St. Peter at Kome. In the year 1415, the Council of Constance deposed John XXIII from being Pope, on account of crimes such as simony, extortion, poison*^ ing, adultery, incest, ol which they found him guilty. But this is by no moans a full statement of thc"evil condition of the Popish Church nt that tune. Besides John XXIII, tiie Council of Constance had to deal with two other Popes- all living at the sauie time— all claii.iing to be Vicars of Christ —all trying to prove their claims by the strength of their anathemas. If you wore to take every virtue for wliicli all three ever got cretlit from their own adherents and roll them together they would not make a decent character for one lay- uum, nevertheless they .lid for Popes. They were no worse than many who went before them, or than others who came after them in that office. They cared nothing for religion, which they disgraced by their lives. The only guide of their oouduct was their own fancied interest. One good service they rendered to future times, they exposed the empty boast of Kome to unity, as well as to holiness ami infallibility, for it is not easy to believe in the unity of a C^mrch which was openly split into three sections— the various nations of Christendom ranking into three parties, under as many infallible successors of Peter. I might proceed with these sickening details— each page becommg daikei- than the last in its catalogue of enormities— but this is surely needless. Enough has been stated to show that these Popes, reeking with every foul and abominable crmie caimot be the A'icars of the Ifoly Jesus. Is ordination, even if they had got it from Peter, and could prove their descent, of such virtue that it can bestow heavenly power on nionsters that seem ripe for perdition ? Do they not know, on the express declaration of Peter himself, that Judas by trans- gression fell from his .Apostlcship ? And while I verily believe h lt;l IS V • ^ ..11 ;♦ i« onlv sufli as Jvulus „t boasting not u littlo ol ""•"■/ C'l,u.cl.-and i\wy .,„,„,,...,, coutvust tW un -.1. ^^^ „^,„,,.^ amon„ x ^^^^ Protestant m Avians and bocinum. to ^^^\\ ""^ ^ ^^^^ to ho informed /^i • X- Anrl if ho does not know no ougui lo n«. tliat there IS much moic HkciK^s , ,^|i p°p«'^'"'r^^r::a~:r:.sXhM.. Vvotcstant Chuvch. 1 lo cxaiu ^^^^_^^ know vci-y m-ll that Ihoro ,» no '^ff^ ,„ ^„ f„i,,y „i tha.^aUO«K....,»^.I-^^^ reduced to four hcaab,\i^. J-t- > i:.« .lo not 'MmT -h Let ^- '}■ '0 ^^^^^^^ *^'^J '" ^''' ''''' , ,,.,,,, „„ it xi-e Protestants tenu < 3 • =s ^-'O = 0^ l^y ^"^ Svc^^t stress on it, ice are zvU- ntially one . ^^^ ^^^^.^ But is there unity m Home? IMost ccrtan ) 1 ov,. omntv Bishop Hail has cuUectcU iioi" was ever made more empty, i:*!.-"*^ ^ !r> l'<-|.isl. writcM-s,m.ofsof tl,,. ..xistone.. among Pjipists tlion.- .-(-•Iv.'s, ,.f throe Imn.lriMl coiitroversios on inipoifant tmints of fa.th and pructic-o. They have contended anion^ themselves on the deorees of God, the dor-trines of grace and freewill. J hey are r.ot as one as regar.ls the external government of their (Jiurch ; and are by no means agreed respecting the Tm- maculato Conception. And when we renunnber Ihat Mr Maturin, m common with all ]>api«ts, calls on men to bow to the authority of the Church while yet they huNe not settled among themselves to whom this authority belonrrs, or where the Church's infallibility i. to be found, it certainly is a stretch ot unwarrantable impudonce to speak of the unity of the ( -'hurch of Ivomo. ^eme of the cMitroversies within the Clunvh of Eomo have been of no trivial nature. The Don.inicans and Jesuits wa-^ed a .cngthoned warfare with one another regarding the nature of JJivme Crrace, and its n(>ed for salvation. Tliis contest in- volved topics so important as the inlierent corrnption of uian his abdity to do good, God's grace, and predestination. Yet' thought these were discussed before two Successive Popes' with Cardinals, Theologians, and Bishops, to help them for a period of five years (l(;oi to IGIM;) there was not 'found enough of infallibility in the Church of lion.e to settle the matter. Of what possible use is the pretended infallibility of the Church of Home, if she cannot settle important disputes which have rent her unity '{ ]iut on this subject I cannot allow 3Ir. ^faturin, or his liomish advisers, to depart with only one knotty question to answer. '1 he points at issue between the Dominicans and the Jesuits were essentially the same as those in the beginning of the i ifth century discussed between Augustine and Pela-ius It so happens that Pelaglus persuaded Losinius, wlio was then iiishop of Kome, that he was right, an.l Losinius .^ave his i>tit Augustme having better sentence in favor of PelaHii k tiO teenth century, at tl.o Counc. ii ^^ ^_^ ,ere made articles o the - ^ ^f j,,.\l,i„ ,,,. the unity, and where ,s tl,c >"f»' '' ^^^^^ .,i„ „„„ „,ide of If Losmms was riglit when n^ n -j^ jf ^^^ ^,^, n -1 - fl,.,t tlun-e is a want of uiuty ni the taitn oi p or Counc,^^^^^^^^ ,,„„,,,„t „ati,.„s, t\,o Komish t^limtli. "i ,i„, 0„mt of Kome, both l,avo held ditfoveu. oi-nm.ns fro„, ie ^-» ' ' ,,.„, ,e.ardi„g doctrine and g-"-"- ^^ ' .jl ."these «-ro deaves to the doctrn,e. "f J"^'™^^"'*;"?!,, A„athe iuencli Chulcl. I as ,|ia,netncal\y o[>- "^''rr^l'^W 'i''" ™» o,.culy n,anite.,ted in that assunu-tions of llen.e «ero rehnlced and the Oalhcan "^French Church receives a, infallible the docreo. of the :;;r;;rL:e:rcouncii,.con.ir,ae..b^^^^^^^ ereed that a f 1« --:;Sr,, t cli.. Popo against rurif ^d : i'l ^V:,., htfallibUity on one side of ntinst infallii'-ility on ,l,c other side of tl,c..lp. Ilili .¥ 21 ;VCTC- blX- aeral, iagius s the rs the Lcle of and a Pope, leii he he was ncil of ividual faith of nations, le, both nation so were And the ling the cally op- in that when the L liberties ecs of the )uncil Nvas ! infalliljle v'hich de- ■e we have )pe against one f^ido of the Alps. This looks to he very like dissention, l)ut Homo sees nothing in it except a holy unity. Let me now beg of you to go back with me to the question of the Pope's supr<>macy. It has been shown already that there is no foundation for this claim in Scripture, in history, or in tile Fathers,— that Peter had no primacy over the apos- tles—that ho never was in Rome— that the line of descent is broken at the beginning, while it is marred with innumer- able blots and breaks throughout its pretended course. There remains, however, one of Mr. Maturin's statements regarding this matter to which I should like to direct your attention" He expresses his surprise that Ave should ask Romanists "to demonstrate the supremacy of the Pope," &c. " It is suffi- cient for us to reply that the Church is already in actual possession of these doctrines for 1800 years," &c. (i3. 40.) Bfr. Maturin further states, (pp. 30-41), the way in which he proves that the Church has had this long possession of these doctrines— - We go back to the earliest ages— we examine the writings of the Fathers, and the decrees of Councils, and we find manifest traces of the same general system as far as the evidence goes." " It is admitted that the Church of Rome, in the first century, was in possession of the pure doctrines of the Gospel. It must be proved, then, that the Church of the second century was essentially different in doctrine from that of the first century, and so on, and consequently that the Church of Rome in tlie nineteenth century is essentially the same in doctrine with the Church of Rome in the first century." Here we have two separate methods by which Mr. Maturin would prove the apostolicity of a doctrine, e. g. that of the I'ope's Supremacy : 1. By supposing that, century after century, no essential change has taken phice, so that the nineteenth truly repre- sents the first. 2. IJy direct evidence. r" ir I !« This first method may be t.on on th n ■ haWtants of this city and of this provineo. I do not wonder „, i Thov have high authority for such a course of ma- tLjZ even a Pope has thought it needful to prac..e fa.ery in order to maintain his eluin,s to supremacy. I. veuf 419 Pope Loslnius, in or-dor to u.amta.n some of h,. iSons, Lt delegates to the Council of Oartha^to p,v- t L c-mons of tho Council of Nice as lavorable to his : 1! Btl African Church found that the Niceno e nons sent by Losinius were different from then- own cop.es, Tfo he m,cicnt JISS. presented at Constantmople, A .lia, Antioch. It was discovered that these N.eene fa ons of t ,eP ope were never put forth by the Councd o Not ail-that they were the work of a pretended Conned !t Balf which wi thus pabued off tmder the ven^n e „an,e of the Nicene Fathers, and that this Conned o bald u,, r leaned, was another specimen of trickery and vand ou Ipart of Popes of P>ome. Here lot ,ne present an alternuti.c i unti- ice yet fortietli i)le and Pcomish f. Ho fessions larnlng. tudy of lacy of But I lot true. •t. Sl'.e as of the is chain- 's, stands n the in- t wonder of nia- ) practise In the ic of his ge to pri'- )lc to his Nicene ^^n copies, antinople, se Nicene Council of ;d Council venerable jf Sardica, kI fr;>nd on alternative 25 to the niemb3rs of the Church of Rome. Either Pope Losinius knew the aforesaid canons to be forged or lie did not If he did, then it is plain he could not believe in his own supremacy when he used such foul means to maintain it. If lie did not know them to be forged what became of his infallibility v Let us now look at this rpiestion from another point of view i he Church of Home demands our obedience to her authorita tivo teaching on two grounds. First^Because she is the sole keeper of Apostolical Tradition. Second-^Because she IS Infallible, Mr. 3r.turin says:-" Divine traditions are those taut thou driakest. Drink Josus Ciirisl;, that thiu maye^t drink the bloo.l w'loroby thou hast been redoeaud. Drink J Chri,^ order that thou it drink dl h esus IS sayings. is:, ui oruer tiiac tnou mayest urniK ui ai We drink Holy Scripture, we devour Holy Scripture, when the juice of the everlasting Word descends into the veins of our mind and penetrates the energies of our soul." In the meantime lot this much from the Fatiiers suffice. Let us now look at the mode in which the early Christians recei\L'd the faith. Was the Church or the Word of God their rule '! For answer, I will at })resent accept the starting- point ciioson by Mr. Maturin.page 52 — " ' Go ye into all the world and [)reach the (iospel to every creature, teaching them to ob.sjrve all things whatsoever I have commanded you.' We lind from the Acts of the Apostles that they proceeded to fultil tlieir commission, and thus the unwritten Word was certainly the first llule of Faith to the primitive Chris- tians." Tins as v3rtIon, and foregoing ones quoted from Mr. Ma- turin's painiihlet, contain perversions of the facts of Scripture, which, if they proceeded from ignorance, would be disgraceful t) a Sabbath School child. Our Saviour had not two sets of doctrines — one for the peo[)le and one for His Apostles. Ho answered the High Priest — " I spake openly to the world, I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing." (John xviii. 20.) So that when He went up on High, and enjoined His Apostles to teach whatsoever Ho commanded, 29 tliej li;i(l no secret doctrine to I either faitli or practice. Tl leir main duty explained hy our Lord himself, and by tl Apostles Peter and Paul.— (Acts i. ii you work to bear unto me." It was their great noss was not the Kule of Faith to the first Christians. Nuthin.' can be more plain from the teacliing of the Apostles, as r..- °,rded in the boMk of Acts, than this, that they based their prmchinq on the Old Testament. They claimed froui their hcu-ers a Divme faith m its predictions, becau.se it was the ^\\m\ of Ood ; thoy claimed for themselves only the belief that be- longs to honest evidence. There, they said, are the prophe- cies which point to Christ ; here are we, living witnesses that the.sc things are fulfilled. This is precisely the position taken up by Peter in the first Christian sermon. (Acts ii ) He refers to the prophecies of Joel and of Daniel ; then adds, _" This Jesus God raised up, wlieroof we are ivltnesses. " It IS m remarkable consistency with this view that we find the doctrines of Christianity to be the facts of the New Tes- tament. ()ur religion is not based on opinions, but rm facts The birth, life, death of Christ-his miracles, .sayings, resur- rection, ascension, were all taught to the first believers as matters of personal evidence. It is as matters of hi>torical evidence that they have come down to us. Now. evidence is not Tradition, in the Popish sense. AM.cmi a witness enters our cocs of the life of Jcsas. It could oulv he preserved in tlie Xew Mr. Mafurin lahors Iianl fo ninke tradition iiiitlioritative, and to con found the Apostles' Avitness \vith this authority. IJut tiiere is j,n evident (iistmction that must suit i,e overlooked. ' The value of a fact IS one tlmiir, the mode of estai)lishin>r it is another and very difleient tinn.-. Jt It fan he ascertained as a fiiet that a certain person st;Muls related fo certain other pers(.ns, he will -et an estate. Surelv. ulien a witness enters the court, and proves the relationsiiip, he does not I'mh- that relationship hy his evidence. Neither does he j:iye value to the relationship; the cvidenee only hrin-s it to liuht. So, Avhcn t le Aiinsties hore witness to the liirtli, death, reMirreetion of Jele passage in the Bible which declares that the wiiole revealed truth of God is contained in His written AVord alone ? We answer, without hesitation, there is not oj>e. It IS usual, indeed, to refer to some remarkable declarations of fecripture winch relate to this subject, and especially to tho.e three nnportant passages-John, v, 3D, Acts, xvii, and 2 Inn., ni, 15, 17. But it requires only a Httle attention to perceive that these i^assages do not establish the point.'' ^ Thus far Mr. Maturin. He has answered without hesita- tum, perhaps it would have been as prudent had ho paused. I am glad to have these ex| licit statements put forth in the inidst of us. Rome shall have her answer. She haa stated what IS proof, and that shall be given, both positive and negative, both internal and external. The Divine sufhciency of Scripture for salvation shall be proved from its own words The existence of any other rule shall be disproved. And while, m regard to this argument, Mr. Maturin grants the Divme mspirafon and Canonical authority of Soripturo tl^s concession is by no means accepted as a favor or as bein^ of t?, N', 32 ^0 sHghtost cr,n.o,iuo„t30. for hud ho dented tliem these thi,K^ woukl have been proved likewise. ° Let us bo^rin with the pr^sitive proof. What ..aitl, Scripture^ reganhng .t.elf V For an.swer. I be, ,our attention to a l^or^ himself, tiiough by no mean« sure that these aro tJK) strongest to be found in the Bible. ° John, V, 81)-" Searcl» tlm Scriptures, for in them ve think je have eternal life, and they are they whieh testify of n.e." Tes! ,{y of Chr..! ! Surely this is not the same as savin, that they contani all that C d has revealed to man " Now" this js not the question. It is a deliberate alteration of it.' We have started on the enquiry, not whether Seripture eon- tams all knowledge M ha.s eon.munieated to n.an but wet or'; Hdy Seripture containeth all things neees a,y ^ salvation." It .s this latter question alone that we ar at present conoerr.d with. And I n.aintain, on the authority of -od s Word, that to say the Scriptures "testify of Christ " h equivalent to saying that they do tell us all we need for sal- vation. I do not woiuler that llon,n«i^s think there is not mueh nva Scripture testimony al.mt Chri.st, for their Church .as obscured His mediation, lowered thedignity. and insulted the agony of his sacnhee, so surrounded his intercessorv office with samts and angels, that he cannot be to them " th'e chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely." But it w-.^ a very different view of the matter that was taken by the oreat Apostle of the Gentiles-" I determined," says he to%he Connthians "to know nothing among you save Jesu. Christ a,^d him crucified." Are we to believe these, that Paul did not carry to the Corintluans knowleong them save Jesus thrist i Are we to suppose that Peter (2 Peter i 1. 8) thought the knowledge of God a defective salvation' when, after enumerating t]?,c precious gifts of God's S.^i.-'t ti 88 the redooniod. lie '^•ii'« «< le fi.« xt • aljoun.l t i,.v ,n.,L.r. .1 -^ 3"^" and 1.0.1 ' ii,o„ 1,, ,,„, „, i,i„,^^,|f J «,,,i ,r will 1,„ P 1 ""-''"'"". tl'l'« WOnls of OUl- L.„a to tllO J(,K, «.ooa a„,o„. thelJ: i 7 'if ''■'"""■ "' """ «■•>« notbolievo him. Then ho . -i ,/, "'""^•'^' -tifoydid - tl.« .Scri,,,u|.«,'. fe ' '"'"' ''°'™ "■""-- "f '-•■■ " Soaioh of lit r , """''"^'^'' '"'""'■">« "- ''■■!»«' word ™^i;t;;h!:tt;:,rrji:'r«^T ?"■'"'• « x'^s tt::r: !^ff ""■ .''- ^"- - t;.ae H.0,.0 „a.. no nood T ,:" v^ / , '"„:'"'" "^ -«" '■-nc.:c.„t«„,pt..„„o.pe*eUhaUh:i:ra:^ 34 citint rule for tcacliing the Divine truth of any oral teaching:, — of any written statements, even of Ilis own. lie estalh lislies conolusively that no ('hureh gives authority to Scripture, but that tlie Bible is tlie supreme judge as to the teaching of any Church — that all tradition is subject to the written Word — must 1)0 tried by it — received or rejected by it. And this example of our Lord was followed carefully by His Apostlc.«. We read (Acts xvii, '2.) how " Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." And in verse 11 the Spirit of God record.s his approval of those who brought Apostolical tradition to the test of Scripture : " These were more noble than they of Thessalouica, in that they received the word with all readi- ness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so." Can you desire a more picturesque descrip- tion of the mode of teaching adopted by the Apostles, or one that more effectually destroys the claims of tradition while establishing the autliority of Scripture. Paul, with his com- panions, enters a synagogue : he opens the roll of Moses and the Prophets, he reads the promises concerning the Mighty One who is to come — the pro{)het, like unto Moses — the Priest of royal line, of the order of Melchisedeck — of the house of David. He reads of his humiliation, sufferings, sorrow, death — how his face was more marred than any man — how ho bore the ini(^uities of his people — making his grave with the wicked ami with the rich in his death Then he would say, thus spcaketh Scripture concerning Messiah, and here are we living witnesses that these things have met and centred in the person of Jesus Christ. And when some enquirer, filled with honest difficulty, would step forward and take the roll and read out of Scripture tlio prophecies con- cerning the kingly glory of Messiah, asking, how can you reconcile tho.tiQ ,statomcnl:s with the particulars you have given of the sufFjrings of Jesus? did the Apostle crush enquiry 35 « with tl.o autlioi'ity of his tradition ? wonders of the Did lie not toll of the of Jo resurrection— the vision of an-els— t ■sus — his marvellous iie glory rigl '^n«i""—5'i« kingly thro... .,„., of the I ather v adding that of these things we are w^r^sses Thus was the New Testament Cln.^^^ U^ foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ hin.elf b ng ho elnef eornor stone,' -and the great test, the .(uarc and rule apphed to the whole was the one Infullihle Word of Hnnse If regarding Jesus. It is n.ost certainly not on this inneipe that llon.anists act in reasoning with Protestants Ic^ do not test every fv.t, eve,y doctrine taught then, by Churc,withthotouchstone of Scripture; hut, placing then Church ,n a position which Christ and His ApostlcS never assumed, they make the holy Word of God Lend and bow to their tradition. There still remains for examination the third of the pa.- sagcson which Mr. Maturin has chosen to hang the settlement of tins .question. And here I must complain of the discredit- able uiethod adopted by him in handling the passage. On pago^44 he refors to it correctly enough, as 2 Timothy, iii ;-l ^ . Lut on page 40, when he comes to grapple with the a.fficulty It presents, he takes care to quote and comment on onlyone verse -leaving out of sight the remaining two verses which present insuperable obstacles to the Eoniish doctrine.' I forbear further remark on this conduct. ^^ Let it be remembered that the .question in dispute is this : JJoes Holy benpture contain all things needful to Salva- tion r (.an there be a phuner answer-" Fmm a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ »'esus. lo add one word would weaken the force of this in>pnvd answer. But as though to meet an objecticm, more IS said 111 the verses left out by Mr. Maturin. It mi.dit be 36 said, now if Scripture will do for tlie ordinnvy mombers of tlie Churdi liow are its teachers to bo fitted for their responsible office? To this it is replied, " All Scripture (i. e. all books shewn to be Scripture, whether of Old or New Testament^ is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable f(jr doctrine, for reproof, for Cf)rrection, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God (i. e, the minister of Christ) may bo perfect, througldy furnished unto all good works." I do not wonder tliat Mr. Maturin felt it impossible to handle this passage. It contains a statement of our Protestant views regariling the suHiciency of Scripture so clear — a rebuke of the pretences of Kome so powerful — that I feel it imi)ossible to add to its effect by any explanation. It is now time to look at the negative side of tliis question, and disprove the existence of any otlier rule cf faith than Scripture. There are many pretended j'ules of faith, — such as the Hindu Shastres, the Koran, the Book of Mormon, and the Apostolical Traditions held by Rome. The present topic requires that attention should be given to this last ; and I proceed to sliow that the Apostolic Ti'aaitions hold by the Church of Eome are not a rule of faith for Christians. Whai are these traditions? Mr. Maturin's description is given at lengtli on pages G7, G8, 09. I refer you to it, and co|)y Mr. Newman's far n)ore condensed and powerful definition : "Whatever doctrine the primitive vgos nnanimoitslij aftest, whether by consent of Fatiiers or by Councils, or by the events of history, or by controversies, or in whatever way — whatever may be fairly and reasonably considered tlie univer- sal belief of those ages is to be received as coming from the Apostles." Hero, in precise language, ^Ir. Newman defines that whicli never had any existence— that shadow of a shade — the unanimous consent of primiti\e ages. This unanimous consent does not exist, and never did exist. It is not to be found in the ancient Creeds, or in the decrees of Councils— 37 in tbo writings of the Fatliors. or in the Clmrch of Eome herself. Two of the earliest Creeds that have come down to us are hose put orth by Tertullian and Origon. Each of them say that all the Churches agreed with them. If they did it would matter little, as their Creeds are so short nnd ...ne'ral as to settle no point in dispute between us and Rome" But the staten.ent is not true, as both these Fathers were diamet- ncally opposed to each other on the intrepretation of acrin- ture; whde, m regard to the doctrine of the Trinity thoy not only difP.r, but both of them are in error. ^ If we turn to look for unanimous Catholic consent in the Decrees of Councils, the result will be found still n,ore unsafs actmy to the claims of Rome. A Couacil was an assenddy ot_ office-bearers of the Church, for the settlement of ere were present three Vas^ tors to represent a third of Christendom, while from a sig- nificant patch of country, (Isauria.) without any great city no less than seventeen Pastors were present. Xut only we e 38 Councils insufficient to represent tlic Universal Cliurcl., but we know that on almost every important point decided their authority was resisted. Further, the Councils contradict one another, so that what may be called " consent" now, is not consented to a few years after. A. D., ?,'2'), The Council of XIcc decided against Arianisra, A. D., J350, The Joints Councils of Ariminum and Stducla, with vastly mere members than at Nice, decided in favor of Arianisni. A. ])., 448, The Council of Constantinoiilo condemned the Eutytihlan heresy. A. 1.)., 44!), The Second General Council at Ephosus de- cided in favor of the P]utychian heresy. A. 1)., 451, The Council of Chalcodon again decided against it. I might prolong this list until your patience was cxliausted , but surely enough has been said to show that unanimous consent, in other words Apostolical Tradition, is not to be found among the Councils of the Church. Let us now en- quire if it has taken shelter among the Fathers? Here we find differences and disputes innumerable upon things trivial and upon matters of tlie highest moment. They disagree in the interpretation of individual passages of Scrip- ture—they differ as to the general principles of Scripture in- terpretation. There is a continual clashing of opinions ainong thorn as to matters of fact, points of doctrine, and airange- nients of discipline. Justin Martyr, Iren;\)us, and TertuUirn, contend with Dionysius, Alexandrinus, Gregory Nazianzen, and J roine, as to whether the passages in the Book of Revel- ation regarding the New Jerusalem are to be interpreted after an caithly manner, or according to a spiritual meaning. The Bishops of Asia Minor dispute witli I'ope Victor alfout the obsorvancQ of Faster. Cyprian contended witli Stijicn about the baptism of heretics. Tertullian and Jerome differ- 39 c(l in regard to the production* of tlie human soul. " Some of the Fathers hold that the meeting together of the faitliful at the Eucharist thrice a week is an Apostolic tradition— otliers maintain the contrary. Some think that our Saviour suffiu-ed c^ath in the fortieth or fiftietli year of his age— others would persuade us that he died in the thirtieth or thirty-first year of his age : both which opinions are manifestly contrary to the toxt of the Gospel. " They differed as to the original position of Presbyters and Bishops— whether they were of equal or differing degree. Tliey could not agree regarding the j.roces- sion of the Holy Spirit. And on many otlier topics waged disputes with more or less bitterness. We leave the Fathm-s ; and we leave them, satisfied that no unanimous consent, and consequently no Apostolical tradition, is to be found amonu.re her infallibility is to bo found. Here is a short sketch of the history of Home's Latin Bible. Latin versions of the Scriptures were early made for the sake of the latin speaking Christians. One of the Fathers named Jerome made a translation which superseded the old Vulgate. In the seventh century Pope Gregorv I. san.-ti..nnd Jerome's Vulgate, and it was exclusively adopted by the Romisli Church. The Council of Trent ordained " that the ^ 40 Vulgato alone shouMJi^ es'teAned authentic in the piihlic reading of ScriptupefllT'dLsputations, in proacliing, in ex- pounding, and that no one should dare to rejeet ft on any pretext whatever." Thus decreed the last General Council hold l»y Papists to 1)0 in&lliblo. Not many years, however, after this authorita- tive decree. Pope Soxtus V. found this Vulgate, approved by an infallililo (Council, so incorreet that ho puLlislied a new edition. This edition was from twenty to twenty-live years in pie])arati()u under three infallible Popes, yet wlien it camo to the light it was found to be teeming witli errors ; not less than two tlionsand were speedily discovered in it, and it was suppressed by the infallibility of Pope Gregory XIY, After all tliis, in liVj^ anpther edition was bmught out (of course infallible like the rest) by P:m boast of the unity, infallibility, apottol- icity and holiness of Rome ! r