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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de rdduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul Ciich6, il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I PROTESTANT'S ANSWER r&' P^RT I Of - MR. EDMUND MATURIN'S "DEFENCE OF THE CLAIMS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH." BY JOHN G. MARSHALL. HALIFAX : PEINTED BY JAMES BOWES AND SONS. 1859. \1 07 * K \ ^■" \ I D !' 'n \ X f-4.07 M 35-4 /^ A PROTESTANT'S ANSWER / \. TO l^^RT I OP MR. EDMUND MATURIN'S i( DEFENCE OE THE CLAIMS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH." * « •■ A t ;BY JOHN .0. MARSHALL. HALIFAX : PRINTED BY JAMES BOWES AND SONt 1859. ^ • • • ' * * • • i « . • • ' J '...'. ./.."♦ a • ■> • ■ ■ . • • • • • * • ; . >. •A A FROTESTANT'S ANSWER, &a SECTION I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. The pamphlet recently published by Mr. Maturin, as part 1 of a "Defence" of his former work, entitled, "Claims of the Catholic Church," may, on a general view of it, be considered as little more than a repetition of the main positions and argu- ments contained in thutjirst publication. Viewed in that light, merely, this second production might well be suffered to remain without any public refutation, after the several conclusive answers to the Jirst, — and more especially the one of such an Overwhelming and annihilating character, on every point, given by Dr. Gray of New Brunswick. There are, however, in this second publication, some additional most erroneous and danger- ous positions and statements, as well as some sophistries, which for several reasons ought to receive a public exposure. The most important of those reasons is, that several assertions have been made by Mr. Maturin, in this second work, which are directly contrary to Scriptural truth, — and some of them on most essential points. This, however, may be imputed merely to his defective knowledge on the subjects concerning which those assertions have been made. There are also frequent per- versions and misapplications of revealed truth, as well as mis- representations and mistaken views as to some of the statements made by those who have written in answer to his first publica- tion. On all these points, as well as some others of lesser im- portance, explanation and correction are required. 58868 4 A Protestant's answek I It .8 b,g\Ay probable that, l,y this tin.e, our reading popula- t^n ,„ general, have become rather wear^ of saeh a lengtl ened d,se„s„„„ on subjeets which they are inclined to record a, merely of a dry theological character. With reference, how- ev-er, to those who read on snch subjects, and feel in any de-ree mterested concern.ng them, there are some, and perhaps no" a few, who are so unsettled, a„,l so detectivcly acouain cd with hem, that, t,s highly rc.uisite they should 'be accurately in! formed and guarded as to those errors concerning Scriptural others >t docs seem proper to show, what is really the trutli hat w,.h a 1 Mr. Maturin's theological and histor.L Tor , t smooth and eonsecut.ve reasoning, and his pure and adapted phraseology, he ,s not really entitled to be considered a val d or relia b e authority on any of the iu,por.ant points on which ho ha written- on some of tlicm, in.lced, no authority at ail- but, on the contrary, he is quite uninformed or deeply in error Some .nstanccs to this effect will presently be given, and others Will be found m appropnate places in this publication. Viewmg Mr. Maturin, indeed, a, he has e.vhibited or ,lefi„ea h,mself, by the particulars he has detailed in his personal nar- rative, conce>-n,ng his secret exercises, v.aciIlations and conflicts and his external movements and conduct, he really does apnea,' The writrT';^"' "" ""r"^ ''"s"'"' "^"^' -"^'^'^ »• The wiiter of this can truly say, that in a long Pfc. and after much historical and biographical reading, as well as varied a^ extensive intercourse with very many classes of mankind, he does not reeo lect read,ng of, or meeting with, a person of equal 8,ngular,ty of cha,acter. Mr. Maturin, from his own showl. ,s ev,dently of a ,nost fervent, luxuriant, and expansive imagi^ nation; of ext,-emely excitable and impulsive feelings; and of powers of just perception, and accurate judgment, in an inverse rat,o With those other qualities -or, in other words, very defec- tive. To some, these may appear to be needlessly plain and f I TO MR. MATURIN S DEFENCE. 6 even uncourteous words ; but they do not, of themselves, imply, nor are they inteiKlcd to convey, any imputation on Mr. Maturin's moral cliaracter or conduct. The description here given, and the in.stances which will now be produced in proof of its correct- ness, are submitt d merely for the purpose of showing that a person of IVIr. Ma urin's mental constitution is entitled to but very little consideration as an authority on any matters of deep importance, most especially on those of a religious description. On these latter the visions of imagination, or mere impulsive feelings in any degree, are not to be admitted ; but on the con- trary, sound reason^ enlightened and clear perceptions, a com- prehensive and accurate judgment, as well as full and correct information, are indispensably requisite. One instance in proof of the opinion expressed as to Mr. Maturin's mental character is furnished by the particulars of an external nature, which he himself has informed us powerfully contributed to draw him towards the Roman Catholic doctrine and faith, and at length to establish hin. tliere. Those external means which were so powerful towards his withdrawal from one system of religious belief to another of a directly opposite de- scription, commenced, as he informs us. their operation upon him when, " with a feeling of devout curiosity," he " attended High Mass, for the first time, in December, 1841." " This event," he says, "constituted a new era in my religious his- tory:" and he gives as reasons for it, " the so/emw<7y of the service, the splendour of the ceremonies, and the devotion of the worshippers." Immediately thereafter he goes on to speak of his "reading, praying, doubting, and believing, and his '/.-/' that after all ' his renunciation of Protestantism might be only a delusive work of the imagination and fancy," and then says, "accordingly 1 still hesitated before taking so decisive a step." These and other details which he has given, as to mental exer- cises, may be passed by with merely the remark that they all occurred before he became a clergyman of a Protestant Church. I ^ A pkotfstant's axsweu The external means only, ^vhich contributed to his chancre of rehg.ouB belief, are now under review. In hi. last publication he has mformed us of the oc.asior. and the outward means which 80 powerfuLy operated to produce that final chan-rc. That occa- sion was "the funeral of the late Archbishop of Halifax:" and he means of conversion were, - the slow and solemn procession, the long train of ecclesiastics, the chanting of the psalms, the fragrance of the incense, the lighted tapers, the elevated Cross, and all the other ceren.onies." Now that any well-balanced nnnd snould be at all influenced towards a determination as to the trutli or falsity of any system or subject whatever, especially one of a religious character in which all eternal interests are in- volved by external circumstances so extraneous and insigni- ficant for assisting to such a change, does seem to be not merely extraordinary but almost marvellous. But so it was with Mr. Maturm, as described in his very expressive words just cited and contained m page 13 of his last pamphlet. Surely Mr' Maturin knows, as well as any of us, that idolaters and impious ^ors ippers through all ancient times-Baal and Ashtaroth, !ri s ' ^ri, ^^^'^'^-^-^^ J-^ their long processions of pnes s and followers on various occasions, during which they aL,o have used incense and tapers or lights, and have elevated certain material substances, and used otLr merely outwar e e monies. Many of such idolatrous processions were, very proba bly as "slow" and even "solemn" as to the out.^.rd maTnt as the one at t e funeral mentioned. But observe the j.oZ ■M.^Jorce of each particular of the description mentioned It was not merely a ^^ train^ but a " long train of ecclesiastics" he res. .snot given); not the ;,../.., but the " cW^ of the psalms; " not the presence of incense, but the " fr! grance of the incense, "-seem to have been the unpoLnt c^cumstance. As to the "lighted tapers," if it was d". Lght surely they were not needed, but if it was night then they were useful; but one would scarcely think they wodd be at lu ! TO MR. MATURIN'S DEFENCE. 7 inlluential in determining religions faith. The "elevation" of the material '"cross" is also mentioned as an important parti- cular contributing to the subscciuent change. There is reason to believe that on many of the idolatrous processions already alluded to, the trains of priests were as " /«//§•," the incense as ^'•fra- grant,^'' and the " tapers,''^ if any were used, were just as useful or needless, as on the occasion when these merely oui- icnrd circumstances so powerfully impressed and influenced Mr. Maturin with reference to that entire change in his religious sentiments and profession which he has since adopted. In thus commenting on those particulars there has been no disposition or intention in the writer to treat that solemn occasion itself with any lightness or irreverence. It was indeed a solemn one, as every funeral is The remaj-ks have been made merely to show the strange constitution, or rather imperfection, of Mr. Maturin's mind, which made him susceptible of being at all influenced b-;- such insignificant circumstances in examining as to the truth or falsity of a religious system. After mentioning all those influential particulars attending the funeral, and referring to various associations of thought and feeling arising from that occasion, he goes on to declare as the result " all my former Catholic associations were completely revived, and I was deter- mined now or never to decide on the great question which had 80 long engaged my attention," and "determined to look at every difficulty in the face." But although he had been about sixteen yeai's doubting and believing, and believing and doubting, again and again, through that whole period, and had now, after the procession of the funeral, determined "now or never to decide" as to his system of religious belief, he did not so decide. It is true he shortly after proceeded about 3000 miles over the ocean, to England, " chiefly," as he says, " with the view of joining the Catholic Church." But how does he pro- ceed on his arrival ? Here must be given another instance of his extreme vacillation' of mind and imperfection of judgment I " A PROTESTANTS ANSWER such as to disqualify him for being any valid or reliable author- ity as to the truth or falsity of any system bearing the name of Christianity, H " was happy to have the opportunity of hear- ing two sermons from the Rev. Dr. McNeile, and had hoped that a favorable impression on the side of Protestantism might even yet be produced by the persuasive arguments and the fascinating language of this gifted orator." So then, after all, he had not yet decided, though after the funeral he had determined to do so " now or never;" but it seems that Dr. McNeile's sermon? left Mr. Maturin just about where he was before. Now here, it may be asked, were the visions of Mr. Maturin's imagination so super- latively extravagant; and after all his concealments and wander- ings, was his reliance on the divine favour and guidance so per- fect as to induce him to suppose that Dr. McNeile would be led by a special divine influence to preach two sermons in his hear- ing which should be specially adapted, and be effectual, to draw him entirely away from his Romish views and at last to confirm him in the Protestant faith ? Such seems to be the meaning of his words on the point as far as any plain or precise construction can be given to them. This, as appears from Mr. Maturin's subsequent statement, was his last vacillation between the two opposite systems, for almost immediately after, his " former plans wert fully matured," and he was admitted into what he erroneously (i^\h " the Holy Catholic Church." This final and melancholy result, however, of his numerous wanderings, is just what every truly enlightened and experienced Christian will readily perceive was most likely to occur. Neglecting or failing to abide soldij and implicUly by the light and directions of revealed truth, and going so long in dark and dangerous ways, giving his mind and even aifections, and close and long continued attention to the writings and suj5erstitions of an idolatrous sys- tem, he has, as might well have been expected, been left to strong delusions, and has be ome deeply and it may be feared irrecoverably imbedded in the quicksands of a profane and ruin- ous apostacy. A TO MR. MATURIN's DRFENCE, 9 Another instance of Mr. IMaturin's deficiency of judgment, is found in the uncalled for and needless exposures he has made of his strong and concealed tendencies and sentiments in favor of Romanism, through such a long period, while officiating as a Pro- testant clergyman, and his apparent failure to perceive, what no other person can help seeing, that the conduct he thus exhibited was. to say the least, extremely disingenuous and deserving of censure. In page 9 of his last pamphlet he has endeavored to explain away or rather to attach a different meaning to these words given in italics in p. 11 of his first publication, " my heart was essentially Catholic wliile my mind was accidentally Protestant.'' He now endeavors to explain this as meaning, in his own words, merely a '■' contrast between the effects of nature and of iT/-t^ce," and says, that the name of Catholic was used by him, "not in its strict orthodox sense, but in its popidar general signification;"' and then he goes on further to give the woi-ds "a latitude of interpretation" and as "applied,"' he says, "in this extensive meaning to all those Christians who are sincerely de- sirous to promote the true unity of the Church of Christ, in con- nexion with a spirit of deep humility and entire submission to ecclesiastical authority, as well as the practical exercise of all those feelings of awful reverence and tender devotion which are properly said to be essentially Catholic." He then remarks : " Such I trust I was. in some degree, by the grace of God, even when I was a Protestant." This long extract from his last pub- lication is given, that, in the judgment of the reader, Mr. Maturin may have the full benefit of his attempted explanation. But taking the passage in connexion with the whole context in which it is found, no attempt will avail to explain away the only and plain meaning of the sentence, namely, that his "heart" was "essentially"' Roman "Catholic,"' while his " mind was acci- dentally Protestant.'" The word '■catholic." we know — taken in a merely general or popular sense, and when not used with reference to religion, or any other special subject — means '' uni- 2 10 A PROTESTANTS ANSWER versaV When applied to an individuars spirit, or sentimenfff, as to religion in general, it signifies such a liberal or enlarged heart and mind as will, in such an individuars feelings and judgment, embrace within the Christian fold those who professed- ly belong to a variety of religious denominations. But was it with any kind of reference or allusion to such a spirit that Mr. Maturin used the word "catholic" in the passage cited, and in its context? No such thing, — as must be perfectly evident to every person of the most ordinary apprehension. Mr. Maturin, it must be remembered, is a scholar, and tnows well how to employ words and construct sentences to express his- meanings. In the whole context in which that very expressive passage is found, he was treating of the two systems of Pro- testantism and Romanism as in contrast with each other, and of his own perplexity of mind as to which of them he should finally conclude to be the genuine system or Church, and accor- dingly settle himself in it. In the context referred to, in pages 10 and 11 of his first pamphlet, he says: "I tried to satisfy myself with remaining a Protestant : I was perplexed, but not fully convinced :" and presently declares : "After all, I cannot now give any satisfactory explanation of the reasons why I did not then become a Catholic, except the want of a more full con- viction of the divine origin of the Church." What does Mr. Maturin here mean by the terms " Catholic" and the " Church /" Most manifestly, nothing else than Roman ''Cat/ioUc," and the Roman "Church." They cannot, by the utmost violence, be considered to convey any other meanings, or at all to indicate or imply, in a ^^e/^em/ or popular sense, a "universal" or an en- largml spirit. But, on the same point, he further says: "I felt a strong desire to have all my doubts removed, and to embrace the Catholic faith, if I could do so consistently with my own views of Christian truth ; and still I feel that, during all my years of separation from the Church, my heart was essentially Catholic, while my mind ivas accidentally Protestant." Here, to MR. MATHRIN S DEFENCE. 11 vn'ost evidently, in the first part of the passage, he means the Roman •'Catholic" faith, and not any faith of a universal description. J>y the words, "during all my years of separation from the Church,"' he as evidently means that he had never, in reality, belonged to (ini/ Christian Church, during the whole period of his life, previous to his un^on with that of Home. On the whole, it must be perfectly clear that, throughout the whole of these connected passages, Mr. Maturin is treating of the two opposite and contrasted systems of Ptot'estantism and Rowan- ism, and was taking no other view of the subject. All the expressions were manifestly used in a strictly theological sense, and no other ; and, therefore, it must either be concluded that Mr. Maturin's mind was so mystified, or under some such unac- countable ilhision, that he did not really understand the meaning of what he was writing : or else, that the attempt he now makes to give a different explanation of the meaning of that passage is no better than a disingenuous evasion. Byt enough, and possi- bly more than enough, has already been written on this point, both as regards the mental and moral view of it. Mr. Maturin"s defective knowledge of Scriptural truth has been already alluded to : This may, at first, seem a bold inti- mation, as advanced by a mere layman, concerning a professed theologian of so many years standing. But the truth of it will presently, as well as in subsecjuent pages of this publication, be satisfactorily shown. The writer is well aware, that it seems to be a very general impression or opinion, among the Ministerial Order in all the Churches, that no laymen can be, or are quali- fied, to give correct or reliable expositions of Scriptural truth ; or to form ss ch a cleaa: and accurate judgment on any^theo- logical points, as will be entitled to be considered of any weight or importance, worthy of particular attention or regard. As an opinion of universal application, it is altogether erroneons. as well as illiberal. With etj^ua^ natural endowments, and those equally cultivated, — with, above all, sincere and persevering I 12 A l'ilOTESTA]ST's ANSWEK prayer to the fonntain of wisdom, and deep and Gontiniied atten- tion to Scriptural truth, —with other advantages, also, in an equal degree, it must be obvious to every mind, not distorted by pride and bigotry, that a layman and one in the ministerial order must be e(|ually qualified to judge and instruct concerning Scriptural subjects. We all know, of course, that as to real knowledge of those subjects, there is nothing which gives the latter any superiority over the other, merely because he appears m costume of a certain colour and description, or arranged when he publicly officiates after the general mode or fashion prescribed, or then prevailing in his Order: or delivers his expositions, or doctrines, from a pulpit, or any other place. Will the reader be pleased to excuse this short digression 7 To return to Mr. Maturin, the first instance which may be given of his defective knowledge of Scriptural truth, is liis bold assertion, in page 32 of his last pamphlet, that ^' there is not one of the sacred writers, who directly asserts Lis own inspira- tion."' This unfounded position is again advanced, in page 63, where he says, '• the claim to inspiration forms no part of the pretensions of these writers tliemsdvesr Contrary to all this there are a multitude of passages, in which the sacred writeis do most dirertly assert their own inspiration, in composing the writings they have given. Take the following as only a fbw of them : " If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge, that the things that I vrile unto you are the commandments of the Lord/' 1 Cor. 14 : 37. Surely, here is a direct assertion of the Apostle's inspiration, for he applies it to the whole of the things he was then writing to them ; and the passage is made the stronger, on that point, by a reference to ch. 7:6, where, treating of a subject in the relation of husband and wife, he says, " But I speak this hy permission, and not of '' contmandmenf: and also in verse 25 of the same chapter. " Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord, yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained % I TO MR. MATURIN's DEFENCE. 13 mercy of the Lord to be faithful." In these two passages, he clearly distinguishes between his merely private judgment or opinion, and tlie inspiration by which he wrote the other parts of the Epistle as the commandments of the Lord. The same Apostle, in Gal. 1, in referring to the Gospel, declares, "I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ" ; and in 1 Cor. 2: 12, 13, he asserts, " now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God ; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God ; which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth " ; and in the last clause of verse 16 he says, "we have the mind of Christ" ; surely, it will not be thought, or said, that the Apostle was inspired^ when he taught verbally, but not when he gave the same truths in writing. To silence any such quiljbling supposition, or suggestion, it may be answer- ed, that the expressions, "speak," and "words," contained in one of the passages last cited, may be held to apply as strongly to the written communication, as to the oral teaching. Here is another assertion of the same Apostle Paul, as to his direct ifisjtiration when writing. Li Ephes 3 : 3, 4, 5, he says, "How that hy revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when ye 7.ead ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which, in other ages, was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." He here speaks of his writing to them, and of their reading his writings, concerning and explaining the mystery made known to him and others " by the Spirit.'" Is not all this a direct assertion of the inspiration of the irritten con^nu- nications contained in the Epistle.' No words can make the assertion more positive. Other passages, containing assertions by the sacred writers, of their own inspiration in composinns of that be pre- sumed to have existed, namely : That the first Christian Church was planted at Rome, and by the Apostle Peter,~that ho was specially appointed by our Lord as his inspired and infallible Viear upon earth, to whom all the other Apostles and other teachers in the Church were to be subject, and that his succes- sors at Rome, as the Bishops, Popes, or heads of that Church- call them which you will— were in like manner to be inspired and infallible Vicars,— and that all the other Churches wiich should be established in the world, including both clerical and lay members, down to the end of time, should be entirely sub- ject in all things to that Papal and infallible Church at Rome. Further, that the whole of the Scriptures of our New Testament were written at Rome by the direction and authority of the Church /here, and were first declared by that Church to be divinely inspired writings, and that copies of them were then sent from Rome to the various Churches, as they were from time to time established in different countries and places, to bo received and held by them for their instruction and guidance in the Christian faith : but at the same time with the direction or intimation that they were to be so received and held in union or conjunction with all such doctrines and precepts as the same Papal Church should, from time to time, make known to the others, as having been verbally taught by the first Apostles, and traditionally and infallibly preserved by her. Many of the particulars of this supposed system are actually claimed and held by the Papal Church as unquestionable truths. But in order to make her presumptuous claim consistent, the whole of the foregoing supposed particulars are essentially re- quired to be taken as true. But are such, indeed, the real facts and the truth on the subject ? Nothing of the kind ; but the whole of tlie claim of the Papal Church, as to her primary founder,— his superior authority,— the early subjection of the other Churches,— infallible decision and authority as to the true canon and the inspiration of the Scriptures, and as to Oral Tra,- '¥.. ,it^ ::i 36 ■ I ] ii 'I'll 'ft 1 -S if 1:1 m ! i ; [ h t A Protestant's answer ditions, is nothing more or better than a mere false and impw dent fabrication, and entirely contrary to the clear facts both of Scripture and history. There is not a Mord in Scripture, giving the least intimation that Peter ever was at Rome, or in any way assisted to establish a Church there ; nor is there any reliable evidence from any history on either of those points : not a Avord in Scripture about his being placed as a svperior or head over the other Apostles, or of his asserted primacy and vi- carial infalUbiUhj and authority, and that those powers would be transmitted to his successors at Rome ; nor the slightest intima- tion that the Churches planted in other places were to be at all under the control or authority of the one at Rome. Nor is a word to be found as to that Church being divinely authorized to give any proof or decision either as to the existence or the in- spired character of any of the sacred writings. Neither is there any intimation whatever in Scripture that apostolical and inspired oral traditions were to be orally transmitted by the Roman or any other Church, and to be taken in conjunction with Scrip- ture, and as component parts of the Christian faith. In several passages of Mr. Maturin's "Defence" (pp. 32, 33) he has insisted that there is a necessity for some "external" authority in proof of the "inspiration" of the Bible,— some "external institution on whose infallible testimony we receive the Bible as a divine book." To this it may be as positively answered, that there is not a word or intimation in Scripture as to any sucli necessity or as to the appointment of any such " external institution" or authority: and, further, that the sup- position of any such necessity and institution is not only altogether unfounded and untrue, but is plainly derogatory to the attributes and whole character of the Divine Author of the Scriptures, and to the authority of those sacred records. Now, let us proceed to treat more particularly of the inspira- tion of Scripture. It has been shown that Mr. Maturin expressly admits it, but only from its being declared by the Roman Church. TO MR. MATURIN S DEFENCE. 37 Protestants are not willing to receive this as the proof of that in- spiration There is infinitely higher and better evidence on the subject. Our Lord, before leaving the world, promised to His disciples that he would send them the Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, who should *• teach" them all '"things" and " bring all things" to their remembrance, "whatsoever he had said unto them," — should "guide them into all truth," and " shew them things to come." This gracious promise, after his resurrection, he personally repeated, saying, " Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." Almost immediately after he amply and most miraculously fulfilled those promises by bestowing upon them that divine spirit of truth. With the con- stant power and influence of that Holy Spirit they went forth and preached the Gospel, performing through that power the most stupendous miiacles, the Lord "working with them, and con- firming the word with signs following." Thus commissioned and inspired by their divine Lord they continued during their whole sojourn upon earth to travel into various countries, and some of them in distant regions, and planted, instructed, and nourished numerous Churches. But here Mr. Maturin's strange objection must be noticed, that they were not expressly, and at the commencement of their ministry, directed by our Lord " to write books," but " to preach the Gospel" ; and he goes on to say, at page 25, " Had our Saviour really intended that his religion should be fully re- corded in a book, which all persons might consult and explain for themselves as a complete collection of Christian doctrines, we might surely be justified in the expectation that he, himself, would have committed some portion of it to writing, or, at least, would have given some directions to his Apostles on a point of such vital importance, and made some reference to such written documents as the only directory of the Church in all future ages. 38 A Protestant's answeu warn I w I ' 1 But we find that he makes no provision whatever for such a mode of instruction." Mr. Maturin has, in one place, said that "it is certainly the highest act of presumption in us to dictate to the Almighty as to the proper mode of making his revelation to man," and in this we fully agree with him. But the same re- mark may with much force be applied to himself as regards the passage of his book just cited. The infinitely wise Lord, of course, knows best how to form his plans and effect his purposes ; but we may be permitted to say that it would have seemed rather strange, indeed, if he had directed his Apostles and the other sacred writers to sit down and write books containing all the doctrines, precepts, and pro- mises of his religion, and as to all its ordinances and institutions, its threatening' and predictions, and other truths, before they afforded any oral announcements and instructions, or exhibited any miracles in support of the new dispensation they were com- missioned to declare and establish. Who does not see that if such had been the plan and course of proceeding, much valu- able time would have been lo.st, — the day of Pentecost would have passed by, — the solemn existing impressions from the recent tragedy of the Saviour's death wou'ld have faded away,— the cavils ;ind infidel objections of his enemies would have been strengthened,— the first and convincing miracles would have been postponed, — and the faith, courage, and constancy of some of the Apostles and other disciples might have wavered and de- clined. Moreover, on such a plan, it would have been requisite to have furnished to every individual to whom the message of mercy was announced— and especially to those who believed it a copy of all those writings concerning the system. But this could not have been done. The infinitely wise and gracious Lord knew that any such mode of planning and effecting his work as that supposed or suggested by Mr. Maturin was not the best, or at all suitable under existing circumstances ; but he caused those writings to be made and published— as he does all --^ m TO MR. MATURING DEFENCE. 39 ucli a mode . that "it is tate to the velation to B same re- •egards the ow to form [jrmitted to if he had I sit down 3, and pro- nstitutions, )efore they [• exhibited were com- see that if luch valu- ;ost would from the d away, — have been ould have !y of some ?d and de- i requisite nessage of ieved it — But this 1 gracious "ecting his as not the I ; but he 3 does all t his works — at the best time, and in the wisest and most perfect mariner. Even learned or skilful human beings, who are about to introduce any ncAV system or science of their own invention, frequently introduce it first by oral communications or public lectures, before committing it to print for general and continued use. As to the first Churches into whose possession, as has been already shown, the originals or copies of the sacred Scriptures early came, they were at first independent as to any authority or subjection as regarded each other, and continued so for many centuries, except that after a short time from their formation, in various countries and places, many, or most of them, were in- cluded in bishoprics, termed for convenience, and to preserve order : but this was done only within cities, districts, or other localities. The Churches first planted, as we see from Scripture, were entirely independent of each other. They are addressed and mentioned in Scripture as such separate and independent Churches, and were merely in un.un as to the common faith. The Church at Corinth is addressed separately ; also that at Ephesus. at Galatia, Philippi, Colosse, and the others, including Rome, but not a word in Scripture about the superiority of the latter, or the subjection of any one of them to any of the others. The bishoprics also, we know from all authentic history, remain- ed for six or seven centuries independent of each other. They were at Antioch. Alexandria, Constantinople, Carthage, Cappa- docia, and in numerous other places, including Rome, but the others were under no kind of subjection to the latter, though in the closing part of those centuries they were more or less influ- enced by tae Church at Rome, by reason of its being in the old imperial city. In the last of those centuries, and during a period shortly after, that Church or apostate power, partly by intrigue, subtilty, and fraud, and partly by physical and moral force, matured and completed the subjection of most, if not all, of the other bibhopvicB to her assumed primacy ana dominion. 40 A Protestant's answer We have now before us the before-recited undoubted facts of the promises of divine inspiration to the Apostles, and their ample fulfilment,— the planting of the first Churches by those Apostles, chiefly by St. Pau\ some of those Churches being earlier than the one at Rome,— their being entirely indepen° dent of each other,— that most of the New Testament books were written by the Apostles, and the rest of them during the life time of some of the Apostles,— and that all of them, either as originals or copies, came Immediately into the possession of most, if not all, of those first Churches,-and that numerous copies or versions of them were speedily made and circulated. Let us next examine and ascertain as to the evidence internal and external regarding the inspiration of those Scriptures, independent of any proof afforded by tiie Roman Church. That Church, of course, admits that all the Apostles and other writers were inspired to teach orally all the truths of the Gospel: and, admitting this without requiring any proof, does it not at once seem strange that she should claim any right or authority to afford proof, or decide, regarding the inspiration of the same persons when composing those Scriptures, and the inspired character of the writings. But such is the inconsistency and presumption of that arrogant power. In page 32 of the -Defence,^' Mr. Maturin says, " No book can prove its own inspiration until that book is Jirst proved to be inspired^ ^ ■ and again on page 61, "How do we know that the collection of books which we call the Bible is divinely in- spired?'" and further on, "How, then, do we know what books are divinely inspired, and what books are not?" Here are hints for infidels, and they will not be satisfied with merely Rome s decision on the subject. Now, bearing in mind the before-mentioned undisputed facts as to the divine bestowment of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and their consequent inspired character and authority, — and of all the books of the New Testament coming so immediately into 10 MR. MATURIN a DEFENCE. 41 ed facts of and their i by those 3hes beinji r indepen- ent books uring the era, either ssession of numerous ulated. 3 internal icriptures, ch. That er writers ipel: and, >t at once thority to the same inspired encj and No book )roved to now that inely in- at books Here are 1 merely ted facts Apostles, — and of ^tely into I I ''J tSie possession and use of tlie first Churches as inspired writings, let us examine, in the first place, what is expressly said, in some of those writings, as to the inspiration of their authors in com- posing them ; or, in other words, the testimony those writings give as to their own divinely ins})ired character. In John 21 : 24 is this passage : "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things and icrote these things." He was one, and the beloved one, of the Apostles, who had, as already men- tioned, on the day of Pentecost, been inspired by the Holy Spirit to go forth and proclaim the Gospel ; and w^as endowed with miraculous powers for the more convincing evidence of its truth. That inspiration he constantly possessed ever after, for in his first Epistle, 3 : 24, he says, "Hereby ice know that he (God) abideth in ?/.*?, by ohe Spirit which he hath given 2/s"; again, 4 : 6, "We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth ms"; and 4 : 13, "Hereby lue know that loe dwell in him, and he in ns, because he hath given us of his Spirit.''' The words "abideth" and "dwell," here used, mean, of course, constant residence. It is plain, then, that the Apostle composed all the writings under the same degree of inspiration with which he orally taught ; and his declarations here given are a personal testimony to his constant inspiration as to both. As to the gospel by Matthew, although it contains no express assertion of the inspiration of the writer, yet it was ever universally known and admitted, as even Rome will allow, that it was written by Matthew, one of the twelve Apostles, to whom, as well as the others, the Lord piomised his Spirit to "bring all things to their remembrance," and who received and retained the same divine inspiration which was bestowed on all of them on the day of Pentecost. It is also universally admitted that his was the first of the gospels \yhich was written, and rece'^ed by the several earliest Churches, and held by them as an inspired book. By some it is concluded to have been written A. D. 40 or 41, about the eighth year after our Lord's ascension ; but by others, 6 42 A PROTESTANTS ANSWER 't I •.. |y at the latest, about A. D. 65. This last date is, also, by univer- sal admission, previous to the writing of John's throe Epistles. Moreover, the Avords '•'■ we' and "us," before cited from Johns first Epistle, as to the inspiration of tiie divine spirit, may well be considered to mean and include all the Apostles, especially when in so many other parts of the same Epistle he used the singular number, as to himself, saying, "I write," and "I have written." We have now got before us ample internal proof of the inspi- ration both of the icriters and the writings of those two gospel books. Now, let us look at the same kind of testimony as to the several Epistles. The Apostle Paul, who wrote fourteen of them, and who was miraculously converted by our Lord in per- son, says, in the Epistle to the Galatiaiis, 1 : 12, respecting the Gospel system, " I neither received it of man, nor was I taught it; but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." In his Epistle to the Romans, 12 : 3, he writes, " I say. through the grace (or inspiration) given unto me, to every man that is among you"; and then goes on to give them many inspired instructions, as he had done in previous parts of the Epistle ; and in ch. 15 : 15, says, " I have written the more boldly unto you, in some sort, as pvtting yon in mind, because of the grace given to me of God." In both of his Epistles to the Corinthian "Church," as he calls it, he repeatedly declares his own inspiration as to his vjritings as well as to his oral teaching, saying, in the first Epistle to that Church (14 : 37), "The things that I v:rite unto you are the commandments of the Lord" : and in the second Epistle, 10 : 11, '•'Such as Ave are in word by letters, W'hen we are absent, suck will we be also by deed wl'en we are present," — meaning, of course, having the same inspiralioti and Apostolic authority. In his Epistle to the Ephesians, 3 ; 4, 5, he writes, "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I rvrote afore, in few words, whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." In Col. 1, speaking of the Church of Christ, he says, "whereof 'A\ TO MR. MATURTN'S DEFENCE. 43 I am maile a minister, according to the dispensafmi of God which is given to me, for you, to fulfil the word uf God." In nearly all the otlier Epistles of St, Paul, there are expressions either directly intimating or implying the inspiration both of the writer and the rcritings. Moreover, in 2 Peter 3 : 15, 16, written after the last of St. Paul's 14 Epistles, there is the following express attestation to the inspired character of all those Enistlos : " even as our beloved brother Paul, also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath uu'itten unto you, as also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things/' Surely Rome will not reject the testimony of Peter, hci^own Primate. But what does St. Peter mean here by the words applied to Paul, " according to the ivisdom given unto him" ? Does he mean wisdom given by himself, or by John or James, Apollos or Barnabas, or any other human being? Certainly not ; but given by the Lord himself, the fountain of wisdom. The Scripture says: " in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." In both of St. Peter's Epistles lie calls himself " an Apostle of Jesus Christ"; and being one of the twelve he received on the day of Pentecost the same divine inspiration and baptism as the others ; and sure- ly even Rome will admit that he constantly retained tho,t inspira- tion. As to the inspired character of his Epistles, he says in ch. 1:5, 12, "I have toritten briefly, exhorting and testifying, that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand" : and, in the 2nd Epistle 1 : 12, 13, 15, "I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them and be established in the present truth. Yea, I thiidc it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance." Moreover, I will endeavour, that ye may be able after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance." And in ch. 3:1, 2, he says. " This second Epistle, beloved. I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that ye may be mind- 44 A PROTESTANT'S ANSWER ful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandments of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour." All these passages contain clear testimony of the inspiration of both these Epistles. And. as he said he would '' endeavour" that after his " decease" they might have these things always in remembrance," in what way, it may be asked, does he make that endeavour 7 Why, by writing to them the two Epistles, Avhich contain the same Gospel truths which he and others had orally taught them. He made those written declarations under direct inspiration ; and can anything, then, be more natural and plain to show the necessifij that the whole Gospel system should be put down and retained in written records, and no part of it be left merely to oral instructions and to be orally transmitted through succeeding ages. In regard to the book of Revelation, it contains full testimony of its divine inspiration, for it was written by the Apostle John, as he declares, by the express command of our Lord and by the direct dictation of His Spirit. We have now seen that tivo of the Gospels, tipe?iti/ of the twenty-one Epistles, and the book of Revelation, were written by three of the twelve Apostles, who always continued under the same divine inspiration ; and, further that nearly all those Avritings of theirs contain either express declaiations or plainly implied evidence that they are inspiretl works. As to the fros- pels of Mark and Luke, they were both, as is universally admit- ted, wi-itten by the persons bearing tliose names, who accompa- nied St. Paul in several of his journies mentioned in the book of Acts, and those gospels i-ecord nearly all the same facts and truths as are contained in the ether two gospels. They were certainly written during the lives of some of the Apostles, and went into immediate circulation and use in many, if not all, of the Churches, and were from the first, and alicays, held to be of divine inspiration and authority. St Mark is mentioned TO MR. MATURIN's DEFENCE. 46 lioly propfietSy the Lord and lie inspiration! ' ' endeavour ' ' ngs always in loes he make two Ei)istles, id others had rations under e natural and system should 10 part of it y transmitted ull testimony Apostle John, d and by the iKenty of the were written tinned under ily all those IS or plainly .s to the gos- rsally admit- ho accompa- in the book me facts and lels. They he Apostles, y, if not all, ays^ held to is mentioned most favorably by St. Paul, in 2 Tim. 4 : 11, and in Philemon, where he is styled Paul's fellow -labourer, and he is the same John Mark who is mentioned in Col. 4 as nephew of Barnabas. The book of Acts, as we plainly see, was written by the same Luke — the companion of St, Paul — who wrote the gospel bearing his name ; and, immediately after being written, it also went into circulation and use, among many, if not all the Churches, and also from the first has been held to be a divinely inspired book. As to the two Epistles of James and Jude, they also were written and went into use as divinely inspired books, in many, if not all, of the first Churches, and most probably during the lives of some of the twelve Apostles. It is most generally held that they w^ere written by two of the Apostles of those names : that of James, either by James the son of Zebedee, or James the son of Alpheus,— and that of Jude, by "Judas," not Iscariot. Having thus treated in a rather condensed, but, it is thought, comprehensive manner, of the subjects of the inspired character of the New Testament writers, and of the internal evidence of the inspiration of the hooks, but little need here be said, in addition to what has been already given, as to the external proof of the inspired character of all the New Testament Scriptures. Of the four Gospels, two of them, as we have seen, were writ- ten by iVpostles, and the other two by persons who accompanied the Apostle Paul on many of his journies ; and the book of Acts also by one of those two. Of the twenty-one Epistles, nineteen of them were written by three of the Apostles, and the other two, most probably, as has been mentioned, by two others of the twelve Apostles. As to the Book of Revelation, although it was, for a time, doubted by some whether it was written by the Apostle John, yet from the very first it was held by others to be his, and before any very long period was universally admitted to have been composed by him, and conseiiuently an inspired writing, and has ever since sustained that character in every I 4 t ; ! ) 46 A PROTESTANT'S ANSWER Christian Church. Although it is hero uaraitted, as stated by Mr. Maturin, that there were, in the early age of the Churclies, doubts, by some, as to the genuine and inspiied character of some of the smaller Scripture books — namely : the Epistle of James, second of Peter, second and third of John, and that of Jude — yet all these, as well as the Book of Reveli-tion, were, from the very first, held by many others, in all the Churches, to be of that inspired authority ; and. at comparatively early periods, were universally received, and ever after held, as in- spired writings. Moreover, wliat is of the utmost importance in this discussion, and establislies the matter against the Roman pretension, is the undeniable fact that the whole of our New Testament Scriptures Avere received and held as genuine, in all the Churches, long before the Popedom arose, and the Church at Rome succeeded in bringing the Western Churches, generally, under its influence and power. Any decision or act of that Church, therefore, as to the reception and inspired character of those Scriptures, subsecjuent to her attaining that power, may well be considered as quite superfluous, and merely a work of supererogation. Even the Roman Church will not be so bold and absurd as to say that if those Scriptures, when made, were not of an inspired character, her subsequent decision could or did infuse into them that inspiration. Moreover, the Asiatic and some of the European Churches who belong to the Greek communion have ever held the same Scriptures as ours, and they have never acknowledged the primacy claimed by Rome, or submitted to her rule Here let us suppose a case to illustrate and show the arrogant and even absurd claim of tiie Roman Church as to her authori- tative and infallible decision concerning the inspiration of the Scriptures. A society or a company of persons in a certain city of an empire come to the knowledge that there are certain Ic^al gold coins of the empire deposited in several very ancient insti- tutions, or concealed in places not generally known to contain TO MR. MATURIN's DEFENCE. 47 as stated by lie Churclies, character of le Epistle of and that of (iLtion, were, le Churches, itivelj early held, as in-- tnportaiice in the Roman of our New tiuine, in all the Church 3, generally, act of that chai'acter of power, may y a work of be so bold made, were m could or the Asiatic • the Greek IS ours, and y Rome, or he arrogant ler authori- tion of the certain city irtain leg-al cient insti- to contain them • and they, by their emissaries or servants, discover and oV)tain them, whether by purchase or otherwise, and forthwith put them into circulation, the coins being known to be of the genuine currency of the empire, and similar to the other coins in use, but all coined in the reign of a sovereign who ruled many years previous. Suppose, further, that the same society, many years after, should pass a resolution, or by any other way decide that the gold out of which the coins were made was first disco- vered and purified by the company, and that the impressions on the coin, and everything relating to their coinage in the royal mint, and putting them into circulation as a legal currency, were given and ordered solely under the authority of the company. Such pretences would, of course, at once be scorned and con- demned as false and absurd. Or, by way of further illustration as to this unfounded Papal claim regarding the Scriptures, sup- pose the corporation of London, the largest in tiie kingdom, should go to work, and, in one way or another, obtain as many as possible of the most ancient copies of the oldest acts of Par- liament in force relating to the corporations generally through- out the kingdom ; and suppose that the said London corporation should torture and pervert some clause in one of such old acts, so as to apply it to their corporation, and they should thereupon pass a resolution that all those laws derived their validity and binding authority solely from their corporate sanction and deci- sion. As in the other supposed case, such a pretended right or power would at once be denounced as fiilse and arrogant. E(iually unfounded is the assertion of the Papal Church re- garding her right to decide infallibly as to the canon and inspi- ratio/t of Scripture, or on any other subject. That learned men in the Roman Church, in difterent ages, have diligently sought after and obtained, in various countries, ancient manuscripts and copies of the sacred Scriptures, and have industriously collated, compared, and translated them ; and that the same Church has treasured up and retains very many of those ancient and authen- I 48 A PROTESTANT'S ANSWER tic writings, all will readily admit. In that way, and by those means, important service has been done to the cause of Chris- tianity in general. But there the })enefit from Home has ended ; and her claim of being divinclij avtiiorized to decide wJ'uUibly on any su])jects whatever relating to the Christian faith, may justly 1)0 said to be marked by an equal degree of untruth and impiety. til. SECTION 4. SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION. Nearly all which is given on tiicso subjects, in Mr. Maturin's last pamphlet, is contained, in substance, in his first publication : and tliaf having been so fully refuted, in all its material posi- tions, by the answers given to it, little need here be added on these same subjects. That of "Oral Tradition,"' and as iitfal- I'lbly transmitted, undoubtedly forms the very key-stone of the Papal superstructure of absolute spiritual dominion. Fully aware of its deep importance, Mr. ]Maturin labors hard, in vari- ous modes and forms, and by plausible assertions, to establish and maintain it as essential to the formation of the true rule of Christian faith. In page 20 of his '-Defence," he says, '-'Ac- cording to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, the \i'kole word of God consists of two parts, which are commonly described as Scripture and Tradition"; and on page 22, " When we speak of Tradition as a rule of fait /i, we refer solely to the doctrine taught by Christ and his Apostles''; again, "Tradition, in the proper sense of the word, includes Scri/it arc itself, although, merely with a view to perspicuity of arrangement, Scripture and Tradition are generally distinguished as the two component parts of divine revelation. In this limited signification, then, Tradition is regarded as svpplemental to Scripture, and each of them as incomplete without the other.'" TO MR. xMATURIN's DEFENCE. 49 Mr. Maturin has lal)orcd hard to make out a proof of this Romanist doctrine, asserted at the close of the laat cited pas- sage—that of the incompleteness of Scripture alone as a rule of faith. It was needful for him to do so, in order to show the asserted necessity of the '' Tradition"' supplement, and to era- body it in that rule. It is a common and true saying, that ''actions speak louder than words"; and it may here be applied. Notwithstanding the professions, on the part of Papal Rome, of reverence for the Scriptures, yet we know that she has always been endcavorin;. in various ways, to undermine and lessen their authority and inihience, and, we may well presume, would, if she diuc, at once set them aside entirely, as to any rule of faith, and would abide by her own Oral Traditions as fully sufficient for the purpose. In answer to the passage in Dr. Gray's letter, that "any one of the four parts of the New Testament may, under the blessing of Heaven, conduct a man to salvation,"' Mr. Maturin says: "Take, for instance, the Acts of the Apostles: where will he find in this book any statement of the doctrine of the Trinity, Incarnation, Original Sin. or other essential truths of the Gos- pel '] Are these fundamental points, oi- not 7 If they arc, then it cannot l)o true that a book which omits them contains all things necessary to salvation." So, here we see Mr. Maturin plainly declares that this Book of Acts does not contain those specified doctrines, "or other essential truths of the Gospel." Now, lot us look into that book as to those doctrines. To bejrin with the first named — that of the sublime doctrine of the Divine Trinity : We know that there is no text which, in so many words, expressly declares it, but the disputed passage in 1 John 5:7; but there are numerous other passages in the Scriptures to show its truth very clearly, and some of them in this slighted book of x\cts. In ch. 1 : 5, 7, are these words: "Wait for the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me" ; and "The times and the seasons which the Feather hath put in bis own power." 50 A Protestant's answer u( Here, then, in the very first chapter, is one of the persons of the adorable Trinity expressly named As to the next of the divine persons, the "Son" or "Word,'* this one passage alone of this book expressly shows his divine personaUly and charac- ter (oh. 20 : 28): "take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood:'' Here, it is shown that there was such an intimate union between a divine and a human nature in the one visible being or person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who suifered upon the cross, as declai-ed in other parts of the book, that the blood he there shed is called the "blood" of "God." The "Holy Ghost," also, is here mentioned, in the singular number, as a person, and also in several other passages of this book, in the following most pointedly (ch. 3:2): " Separate Me, Barnabas and Paul, for the work whereunto / have called them"; and, again (ch. 10 : 19, 20) the spirit said unto him, " Behold, three men seek thee : ariso. therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nc ing, for / have sent them." We now see, then, that there arc three several beings, or persons, named in this book of Acts, as dicine beings, and wc will also see through- out tiie book that "God" is mentioned, in the singular number, as one divine Being ; from all which passages, as well as others in this book, it is clear that there are three persons in the one divine essence or Godhead. The one cited passage alone, in ch. 20 : 28, in connection with the passages as to the Fatlier in ch. 1, show fully and decisively the sul)lime doctrine of the divine Trinity in Unity. What, then, becomes of Mr. Maturin's hasty and presumptuous denial that this tloctrine is contained in the book of Acts ? Next, as to his statement of the like omission ren-ardino- the " Incarnation,"— there are numerous passages in the book which mention the Lord Jesus Christ in his human nature, and as suf- fering and dying in that nature ; and the same cited passage TO MR. MATURIN'S DEFENCE. 51 !1 .,f \ ' '^^''' *^"* *^" ^^'''^ ^'^ thus shed was the blood of "God"; and farther sliows clearlv that essential doctrine of the " Incarnation " On this point, also, we see that Mr. Maturin is as rash, and as much in error, as on the other. As to the doctrine next mentioned, that of "Orio-inal Sin " there are very clear intimations of it in va,-ious pans of tins book of Acts, especially in this passage in ch. 4 : 12- " Neither IS there saf.mno?i in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, vkereby we must be saved " But Mr. Maturin goes very much further regarding omissions of doctrines in the book of Acts, and says, "or other essential truths of the Gospel." To name no others : are the reswrec tioti of the dead and i\\e final judgment "essential doctrinesl" 01 course, Mr. Maturin will readily allow them as such. Sure- ly, then, ho must have read in this book, how Paul preached to the Athenians the doctrine of " the resurrection of the dead," and also before Fe.^^us and King Agrippa: and must have seen that it is plainly meationed in other parts of the book. As to the final judgment, he can scarcely have forgotten that it is said in this book, that Paul reasoned to Felix of "judgment to come" until even that hardened sinner " trembled " :°or what is recorded in ch 17 : 31 : " Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness.' — Here, surely, are very strong declarations in the book as to these "cb^ential truths of the Gospel." Many other most "essen- tial truths," especially Repentance and Faith in the Savfour, are contained in this book, so slighted by Mr. JVJaturin. On the same page, in referring to St. John's gospel, he says : " There is nothing expressly mentioned in it about i\iQ birth ov ascension of Christ,— about Original Sin, or the Atonement,— about Bap- tism, or the Lord's Supper : these and other doctrines are im- plied or presupposed, but not directly asserted ixi it." Here, again, Mr. Maturin is in about equal error us conooruiug the 52 A I'liOTEiiTANT'S ANSWER book of Acts. In John 1 ; 13, is the passage, •' the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." " To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world" — (ch. 18 : 87). His mother is repeatedly mentioned, and this name alone shows that he was born in the human nature Then, as to his Ascension (ch 20 : 17) : ''I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend nnto my Fatlier and your Father, and to my God and your God."' Here is some- thing, and very expres,? too, " about the Ascension.'' Next, as to "Original Sin,"' ch 3 : 5, 6, 7 : "Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." " That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be dor n agahr\: and ch. 1:29, "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the tvorld.'' Surely, these passages contain something rather strong and plain about '-Ori- ginal Sin." Then as to the "Atonement," ch. 6 : 51 : "The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world": and 10 : 15. " I lay down my life for the sheep."' Surely, these are very expressive Avords as to the "Atonement."' As to Baptism, cii 3 : 22 : " After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and baptized'' Is then nothing here, Mr. Maturin, ^•expressly about Bapfiani." The foregoing instances, as well as tlie others of a like char- acter, in the " Introductory remarks," showing Mr. Maturin"& defective acquaintance with Scriptural truths, have been 'nven to prove that he is not a sate and reliable authority when those truths are under discussion. In several passages of his " Defence,"' Mr, Maturin has laid great stress upon the point regai'ding the time or times when the books called the Bible and the New Testament were compiled and made, being long subsequent to the promulgation and estab- lishment of Christianity. In page (JO he says, concerning the Tu MB- MATUUIN'ri DEI'KNOIi. ot 58 ally jNew Testament, "Though various parts ot it Avere univ. ^ received at an earlier period, still it was not m existence as a collection of inspired writings for 400 years after the commeiice- nent of Christlnity ■• Again (p. 81), '■ Whore .s U,c B^ble ever called by the name of the Wonl of G.d m the Senptme itself" ' And further on, referring to the book of the Hew Testament, he says, it "was not written," "w;as not in existence from the teginning of Christianity." Now, Mr. Maturm must excuse its being said that all this is r.ally no better than empty mubUin <.: We all know that the books we now call the Bble and the New Testament were not compiled and made mto the.r present /„™. until long after the establishment f thr.st.an,ty ; but we also know that all the writings or books ol the Old Tesia- ment contained in the Bible were in use, as mspn^ed wr.tmgs, by the Jews, many ages before any Christian Church was plant- ed at Ro,ne or elsewhere. We also know that all the wmmgs contah,ed in that part of the same Bible called the Ne,,: lestu- It were written and in use by most, ,f not all, ot te Churches ZL- the very first years of Christianity, and all ot them dur- t U^ IwroLomc of the Apostles. Several, indeed, of those i„rpired writings were emnposed and in use, n, some of the Churches before any Church was planted at Rome, io expose * u ter fallacy ot'this objection of Mr. Maturin's as to the t me of compiling the Bible and the New Testament, let us sup- p thata'manlndictedfor a criminal offence, descr.bed n. an act of Parlian,ent, should urge, as an objecoon or defence, hat tl l,ook in which the statute was then bound up w,th o her laws, had been printed and n.ade subsequent to the ^»^- wi, h hi, uffenee was charged to have been eonn>nlted buuly t be oMection would at once be treated with conten.pt, and he would be told that the statute itself had bee., n.ade and on record lor^g- ,,e, r PS a..es- before the ,la.c of his offence, and the n,akn,g ' h bo^k. Mr. Matnrin-s objection, as t> the tunc o: com- piling the Scriptures h, books, is just as futile and empty as the one ill tlie case supposed. 54 A PROTESTANTS ANSWER I Like all other Romish teachers, Mr. Maturin decidedly objects to the sujfic'iency of Scripture alone to form the "rule of faith." This objection arises, of course, from their doctrine of '"Tradi- tion,'" the very key-stone of their whole system of unscriptural and fabulous tenets. In page 22 he says : "In this limited sig- nification, then, 'Tradition' is regarded as supplemental to Scripture, and each of them as incomplete without the other.'" Again (p 31) : "How is it possible, then, to prove from Scrip- ture the completeness of a rule which is never mentioned in Scripture. Is it not strange that an appeal should be made to Scripture in proof of the sufficiency of the New Testament, when there is not a word in Scripture about the New Testament at all." This last (juibbling objection about the time of com- piling and making the book has been already disposed of. Now, we will briefly examine, in the light of Scriptural truth itself, as to its perfect sufficiency to form the "rule of Christian faith." In reference to all the Old Testament Scriptures, it is said in Rom. 15 : 4, ''Whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, should have hope." Also in Cor. 10 : 11, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensam- ples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." Then, as to the New Testament (John 20 : 31), '-These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, yemio-ht have life through his name." This gospel alone contains nearly every Christian doctrine. As to the book of Acts, it has been already shewn that many of the most important doctrines are clearly set forth in it. In Rom. 15 : 15, the Apostle says : ^ I have written the more boldly unto you, in some sort, as puttin*^ you in mind." And of what was he putting them in mind, but of the divine truths contained in the Epistle, which, as may be seen, contains many of tlie most essential doctrines and precepts of the Gospel '] And he put them in writing, that they might be fr( ot ar b( tl a n t: I t I TO MR. MATimiN's DEFENCE. 55 be always before them, and therefore not be forgotten or escape be always otioi ^ ,^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ from their memory, in Z L.or. lo, nt ba^s ,^,/„^^'. other ihin..s unto you than what ye read or acknorledg Tiq To -Therefore I rvrite these things, being absent, lest, ;! pi-eseM, ould use sharpness " And the words '^ th^e ^1 'Ian, of course, all the things declared in the Er^sUe, u^d^vhich are numerous, and of the deepest nni^rtance. In the ^ext Epistle that of Gaktians, which is of equal value as to doc next l^pisuc, ui.i • a ^-l "Y,. see how /a/'Se a ZtV/er practical duties ot till ibtianuy. x ^„ tn mP indeed 1 . 1 he says : " To write the same thmgs to you, to me, indeed, f, l A.ncnA merelv on the remembrance of the oral teaoh- rf ut haS"""^^'->-y^''-^ "'-^ ^™^ '™"^T°" ing, bat tiai I j therefore «"-c and ptrmamnt form. them, m t'^'^^-'f "' JYi \te char-e, ''When this Epistle I„ the next Ep>stle, tj;-^; .;\V^;,",f i,„ ;„ ti.e Church of is read among yon, a„o that. the > ^^ ^^^^ 1 a,.w Next 1 Thcs. 5 ■. 37, "I charge you by the ri tt tw/Epiftltbe ,..<. unto all the holy brethren^' ; and 2 ■ e* 3 '■ If any man obey not our word by '>- ^1-'^ ™ - ,,.t man. and have no -P-/ -•> j^^^^ ^ '^;, 1 Tim be is most solemnly cliaigea to uu»ei>v » 1 iun,, ue IS must J _ moanin^ of course, the doc- ons. 2 • 5) It seems the Apostle had some thought' or apprehension 'that that they had forgotten or were forgetting the truths he had ver- bally taught them so recently, and, therefore, he sends them all the same "things" in the permanent written form Again, he cites, " I will not be negligent to put you always in leniem- TO Mil. MATURIN's BEFKNCE. 61 brannc of these things though you know thcni."' (2:1, 12.) And how does he put them in reniembrauce of ' these things, ' being the same tilings he had orally taught them before \ Why, by putting them in writbtg. And ^Yhy does he do so? Evi- dently, that they might not be lost from memory. But Mr. Maturin's Primate, St. Peter, goes further, and says even stronger words to destroy this doctrine of oral Tradition, for he says: '-I will endeavour that ye may be able, ufUr wy dt cease, to have these things always in remembrance." (1 Eph. 1). Here 1.3 evidently means, that he will not tru'.^t to the oral in- struction that he had given them^ or might yet give them, but would endeavour, by sending them the same IniUis in writing, that they might thus have those truths always before them, un- impaired, and independent of fallible memory alone. St. John says, 1 Eph. 2:7: " Brethren, / write ho new command- ment unto you, but an old conmiandment, -which ye had from the berrinningy Here, as in the other passages, the Apostle tells them that he is writing to them only the same conmiand- ment they had received before. Also for the same reasons as already mentioned both as to them, and for the Church ever after, he, through the same Spirit who inspired all the others in their' writings, embodies in the Epistle all the commandments and needfuUruths which he had before orally taught tb ^. Mr. Maturin next goes on to say, ^'We may fairly i /ite any Protestant to prove that there was any one article of h W taught in the writings of the Apostles which had not bei already taught by th^ir oral instructions in the Church."^ It is very profeable they had taught every such article orally before com- miUing it to writing: or they might have so taught all those articles to some Churches, but not to others. But admitting that all had before been verbally taught, it proves nothing in favor of the oral tradition doctrine and its oral transmission, but rather against it, as shewing the necessity for the writings. Next."" Mr. Maturin challenges Protestants to prove '^ That 62 A PROTESTANTS ANSWER every article of faith which the Apostles delivered to the Church was afterwards particularly explained in their writin«;s." We answer, that every article of the Christian faith is contained in one part or other of the New Testament Scriptures; and most of them are mentioned and suflicientlj exj)lained in various parts of those Scriptures ; and we further say, that the oral Papal doc- trines which are attempted to be imposed upon us as true, we reject as totally unfounded and false, for these plain and suffici- ent reasons : that none of them are to be found in the Scriptures, and that some of them are directly conti-ary to the most express declarations of those inspired records We know that the Papal Church asserts that her oral doctrines are true, on the '^round that she is divinely authorized to teach infallibly ; but this Ave Protestants, deny, as being entirely unwarranted by Scripture, and, therefore, we contend that both the isumed infallibility, and the oral doctrines founded thereon, are eciually false and profane. Let us now briefly examine some passages of Scripture to which Mr. Maturin refers us in support of his doctrine of Oral Tradition, and its oral transmission in the Church. The first he mentions is in Matt 28 : 19, 20 : "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them," &c. ; '"teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have conmianded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world "' But what has this passage to do Avith the asserted doctrine of mere tradition and its oral transmission I There is not the slightest intimation of it in the text, as the most ordinary capacity will see. This text was cited by Mr. Maturin in his former publication, and in support of his doctrine of InfalUbmty, and now he offers it in support of tradition. He wishes to make it a two-edged sword but it is entirely useless for either purpose. The writer of this, in his answer to the first publication of Mr. Maturin, commented on this text, and may give the same words here as follows: " And what were they to teach? Not TO wu. maturin's defence. 63 tho traditions of iullible men. They were to teach " all things whatsoever" which lie hud "commanded" them, and nothmg contrary to those -things." And, further, it must be remem- bered that all the "things whatsoever" which he had command- ed, personally, very shortly after, by two of his Apostles, and two other of the inspired professors of his doctrines, were, by the inspiration and direction of his Spirit, committed to ivritiMff, for the benefit of his Church in all ages The^same remarks will equally serve as to the texts in Mark 16 and Luke 24, also cited by Mr. Maturin to support his Tradi- tionary doctrine and its oral transmission He next refers the writer to Acts 1 : 8, where it is said that the Apostles should be '' witnesses" unto the Saviour "unto the uttermost parts of the earth." And so they have been, and will be to the end of time, by the Scriptures they composed through the inspiration of his Spirit In this way they may be said, in reality, to be constant living witnesses. But there is not a word here at all alludmg to any oral transmission of any part of their teachmgs. The other texts to which Mr. Maturin has referred the writer, are the same which he gave in his first pamphlet, and on which the writer remarked in answering it. Had Mr. Maturin forgotten all this ' If not. his again referring the writer to those texts was simply superfluous, and giving himself and the writer need- less trouble. It is quite sufficient here to rerr^ark, as to those cited texts, that there is not, in any of tVc.n, the slightest inti- mation as to any verbal teaching of gospel truths being orally transmitted to the Church through any period of its history. In pa.-e 58, Mr. Maturin has given us the rules laid down by Cardinal" Bellarmine for ascertaining the genuine Apostolical Traditions of the Church. Here, the reader may be informed, if he did not know it before, that this Cardinal Bellarmine was one of the most violent and bigoted adherents of the Papacy, and wrote largely in drfinitlons and support of its traditiomiry do^rmas, But although he was a Cardinal, he was not a F ather. I 64 A PROTESTANT'S ANSWER I He is not old enough yet, or he did not flourisli in a sufficiently distant age, to obtain that title. Doubtless, if the Papacy should continue a few hundred years more (which is extremely impro- bable), he may, at their close, be designated with that cognomen and rank. He has given, in exact order, Jive marks for ascertain- ing those dogmas. Let us briefly examine only two of them, for It would be a useless tax of patience and a waste of time minute- ly to examine them all. From the unfounded character of the two, that of the others may be fUirly presumed. His first rule IS, "when the tcliole Church embraces any tiling as a dogma of faith which is not found in the sacred Scriptures.' Now, on the contrary of this, any person of ordinary apprehension, 'and especially any pious mind, would at once conclude that, if a Supreme Being of infinite msdom and benevolence had made a written revelation to his intelligent creatures of the only religion tliey were to believe and obey, it would be complete and perfect on every point and in every particular which could by any pos- sibibty be material or important. But not so do the Cardinal and Mr Maturin reason. They tl.ink it very far more probable that such a wise and good Being would, through imperfection or design^ omit doctrines and points material to the perfection of that system of religion, than that a particular society or Church professing that religion, and being confessedly yV/Z/Z/Ve creatures should introduce into that religion any doctrines and practices of tlieir own, contrary to that divine Scriptural revelation. Even a direct opponent of Christianity would never credit such a suo- position or conclusion as this. The following is number four of the "rules" : "When all the doctors of the Umrch teach, with common consent, whether assembled in general council or writing separately in books, that any particular article has come down from Apostolical tradition." This rule, when applied, is of an unhappy character for the Cardinal and A[r. Maturin' for it is the indubitable and well known fact that those doctors, neither m council nor separately, have at all times unanimously aetence, ' which contain such profine assertions, as well as absurdities, that they deserve a special examination and expo- sure. They are as follows: ' We believe that Cod has been pleased to delegate a portion of His own attribute, to His Uiurch, to be exercised in His name, and by His authority. We believe that the promise of infallibility is conferred upon the Church, through the medium of its visible head, as represented in the person of St. Peter, and his successor in the See of Rome " "The voice of Peter is final and decisive, whether he speaks with or ivithout the advice of a General Council " "We refer of course, to the public official judgment of the Church, as ex- pressed by the Supreme Pontiff, ex cathedra, and not to any opinions held by the individual Pope as a private Doctor As the Vicar of Christ we hold that the Roman Pontiff is divinely directed and preserved from the possibility of error in any defini- tion relating to faith and morals "' "He can add nothing to and diminish nothing from, the Catholic faith. He is stHctly imited by every doctrinal definition of his predecessors for the last 1800 years. His office is, to interpret faithfully and authoritatively the whole revelation of God." Now, let us dissect these presumptuous and profane Papal doctrines, and ..parately examine them. We see, then, in the first place, that as to the dejinitioji or establishment of any doc- trine, and indeed as to all judicial acts, the Pope alone is the -h TO MR. MATURIN S DEFENCE. 69 '•Church," for he may decide on every matter "without consult- ing councils," or resorting to any other quarter. This, indeed, would be (juite reasonable and consistent, admitting him to have divine attributes, and therefore to be infallible. Tliese sacred powers are, indeed, in the passage under review, explicitly assert- ed to belong to him. Mr. Maturin, in the name of all Roman- ists, says : "We believe that God has been pleased to delegate a portion of his attributes to the Church," and "infallibility" also; and as the Pope is the "Church," for all authoritative purposes, it is plainly declared "hat he, in his own person, is possessed of those divine attributes, and the consequent infalli- bility. The writer regrets that he is under the necessity of transcribing these impious assertions in commenting upon them. And where is the pretended authority to support them 1 Not a word of the kind is given, either from Scripture or any other quarter. The Mormons make a positive declaration concerning the truth of their system. Their pretensions and those of the Romanists, on the points in question, are equally false and impious. But, although there is no Scripture to give a sem- blance of support to these profane Papal doctrines, there are passages of Scripture, and especially one, relating to the subject. It is this very descriptive one. already cited, in 2 Thess. ; " So that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." Surely, Mr. Maturin did not tliink of this text when he wrote those words about divine " attributes" being delegated to the Papal Vicar as the head of the Church. Mark, how ex- actly he answers to the description given in the text ; and bear in mind it is Mr. Maturin who has exhibited the real person, and given the points of his character, so exactly agreeing with those in the text. He is said, in that passage of the pamphlet, to have "divine attributes," and is in the Church (or temple) as its head ; a*- \ it follows, of course, that, having those attributes, he is a God in the church or '' tewple.'' The text says of the character described, "He, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, 1(1 70 A PROTESTANT'S ANSWER showing himself that he is God." Can any two descriptions more perfectly agree? But what is most fatal and ruinous to the character and claim of this Papal God is the further Scrip- tural description which is given of the power mentioned in the text, that he is "the man of sin and the son of perdition"; and elsewhere in Scripture he is mentioned as being "cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone." Of course. Romanists will not admit that these latter declarations of Scripture have any relation to their infallible Vicar; but if, as we have seen, the correspondence between the two characters is so exact in all the particulars first mentioned— and according to their own showing, too— they cannot consistently disclaim the rest of the really infallible description, and reject the doom and punishment of the apostate power. It is well known that many of the Popes were extremely immoral and wicked persons. This, we pre- sume, Mr. Maturin himself will admit, for, doubtless, he is acquainted with the personal history of most, if not all, of them. We put it, therefore, to every Christian mind, is it not impious, in the highest degree, to say that the holy and blessed God dele- gated a portion of his attributes to such characters ? Yet the assertion is equally made as to each and every one of the Popes ; and, consistently with the Romanist doctrine, it cannot be other- wise. There is another point contained in that passage of Mr. Ma- turin's pamphlet, which, to say the least, involves some inconsis- tencies, if not absurdities. He says, in referring to the Pope, "In every controversy he is bound to pronounce judgment according to the tradition of the Church, as founded on the Scriptures, councils, fathers, liturgies, and other public docu- ments ; and, after mature deliberation and consultation with the most learned and pious divines, invoking the assistance of the Holy Spirit to illuminate their minds with the light of heavenly truth, the final decision of the Church is delivered, and all fur- ther discussion is at an end forever." Now, if a Pope ia really TO MR. MATURIN's DEFENCE. 71 possessed of a "portion of the divine attributes," and conse- quently cannot err, bwt is infallib/e^ does it not seem very extraordinary that he should be obliged to labor through such a muiiitude of authorities and documents, fallible councils, Fathers, and all the rest, and consult learned Divines, also fallible persons, before he can give an infallible judgment on any Traditionary subject whatever. After all, this infallibility of a Pope is of very little value, seeing that like other persons he is under the necessity of using so many external means and instruments, to enable him to decide. It must be laborious work, indeed, for his infallible poAvers, and a sore trial of patience. A further point contained in that portion of Mr. Maturin's work, already cited, is of such a marvellous description that it must i-eceive some special examination and remarks After men- tioning the delegation of a portion of the "divine attributes," and the consequent infallibility of the Pope in giving decisions, he says: "We refer, of course, to the public official judgment of the Church, as expressed by the Supreme Pontiff, ex cathe- dra, and not to any opinion held by the individual Pope as a private doctor." From all this, then, it seems to be a Roman doctrine, and one, of course, which Mr. Maturin holds, that it is quite possible that a Pope may have a private opinion on any subject different from his infallible opinion and judgment, and that he may hold such private opinion at the same moment that he holds and delivers the infallible opinion or judgment How this can be it will, we think, puzzle even the ingenuity and sub- tilty of Rome to explain. To all rational minds it will, doubt- less, seem to be a doctrine far beyond the reach of the most speculative metaphysics and wildest visions of the most excited and discursive imagination. But if it were possible that such different opinions, in the same mind, could thus exist together at the same moment, and while the infallible decision was being given, it would have to be said of such a Pope, that he had profanely rebelled against his own infallibility itive Chupch^s were.perfeQjly independenVof each other in all respects..' e!?c<;e|)li 9k ito: bieh'ppVjc^; whii< dfrey.'a time were formed, and these, ' for several Ct^ntUrres; * also' continued free of any authority or control as between themselves. At the commence- 72 A PROTESTANT'S ANSWER. ment of many of the Epistles, and tliroucrhout them, each Umrch is addressed m a separate capacitj, and independent of all others, except as to the common Christian brotherhood. The addresses are : " To the Church at Coriuth" ; ''To the Church of the Thessalonians"; '-The Churches at Galatia"; and in like manner at other places. They continued in the same indepen- dence for several centuries, until by ambition and intrigues, per- severingly continued, as Avell as by various arbitrary and coercive means, through the influence of secular power, obtained by the aid of superstitious or wicked temporal princes,'the Papal Church at length succeeded in bringing all the Western Churches under her arbitrary spiritual dominion. Here this Answer may be brought to a close, and it cannot be better done than by transcribing the remarks of a very learned cri- tical commentator as to the Papal claims and unscriptural tenets. The following are those remarks given at the close of his com- ments on St Peter's second Epistle: -'We have now passed over all the canonical writings of St. Peter that are extant, and it is worthy of remark that, in no place of the two Epistles already examined, nor in any of this Apostle's sayings in any other parts of the sacred writings, do we find any of the pecvUar tenets of the Romish Church : not one wor(^ of his or the Po/je s supre- macy; not one Avord of those who affect tr be his successors- nothing of the InfaWbiUty claimed by those pretended succes- sors; nothing of purgatory, penances, pilgrimages, avricnlar confession, power of the keys, indulgences, extreme unction masses, and prayers for th dead; and not one word on the most essential doctrine of the Romish Church, transubstantia- tlon. Now, as all these things have been considered by them- selves most essential to the being of that Church, is it not strange that he, from whom they profess to derive all their power, author- ity and i .fluence, in spiritual and secular matters, should have said nothing of these most necessary things ? Is it not a proof that they are 'aW false ^nd forged; that the holy Apostle knew nothing of them; that they Vive.no part of the doctrine of God- and. although they disti/tghis/i '^h'^ C\kih'ch'(if' Rome, do not belong to the Church of t^kHstT. It^s no woTid^f that the rulers of this Church endeavour, to, keep ike tScriptures from the com- mon people, for were they permitted to consult ItheseVtke impos- ture would be detected, and the solemn, destructive cheat at once exposed." y II I