^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^/ ^ A^ ^ V ,*ie K^ 1.0 1.1 2.0 Hi I |L25|U,,.6 < 6" ► HiotDgraphic Sciences Corporalion 23 WiST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 €^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIViH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historicai IVIicroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notet techniquas at bibliographiquas Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagas in tha raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad baiow. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a it^ possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographiqua, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithoda normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur Coloured pages/ — 1 Pages de couleur 1 — 1 Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagie 1 — 1 Pages damaged/ 1 1 Pages endommagies 1 1 Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur6e et/ou pellicula """I Pages restored and/or laminated/ 1 Pages restaurtes et/ou pelliculAes Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Jr Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ JlJ Pages d6color6es, tacheties ou piqudes Coloured maps/ Cartes gAographiques en couleur Pages detached/ — 1 Pages d^tach^as □ D D D D D Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre da couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations an couleur Bound with other material/ Ralii avas d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intArieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutAas lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans la taxte, mais. lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6ti filmAas. Additional comments:/ Commentairas suppl6manv:aires: r^ Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualit^ inigala de I'impression Includes supplementary matarit Comprand du material suppl^mantaira Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible I I Quality of print varies/ |~~1 Includes supplementary material/ r~l Only edition available/ D Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been ref limed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiallement obscurcies par un feuiilet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont M fiimies d nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmA au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy film«d h«r« hm b—n r«produe«d thanks to tho gonorosity of: L'oxomplairo fiimA fut roproduit grico i la ginAroaiti da: New Bruniwick Museum Seint John Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha boat quality poaaibia eonaidaring tha condition and iagibillty of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract •pacifleationa. Original eoplaa in printad papar eovara ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impras- sion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illuatratad Impraa- aion, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad imprassion. New Bruniwick Museum Seint John Laa imagaa suivantaa ont 4t4 raproduitaa avac la plua grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da I'axamplaira film*, at an conformM avac laa conditiona du contrat da filmaga. Laa axamplairaa origlnaux dont la couvartura an papiar ast imprim4a sont filmte wn commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una ampralnta d'Impraasion ou d'illustratlon, soit par la sacond plat, salon la caa. Tous laa autras axamplairaa origlnaux sont fllmis an commanpant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una ampralnta d'Impraasion ou d'illustratlon at 9n tarminant par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una talla ampralnta. Tha laat racordad frama on aach mieroficha shall contain tha symbol — ^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar appilaa. Un daa symbolaa sulvants apparattra sur la darnlira imaga da chaqua mieroficha, salon la caa: la symbol* — »> signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols ▼ signifia "FIN". Mapa. platas, charts, ate., may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba antiraly includad in ona axposura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar iaft hand cornar. iaft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. Tha following diagrama iliustrata tha mathod: Laa cartaa, planchaa. tablaaux. ate, pauvant itra filmte k daa taux da rMuction diff^rants. Loraqua la documant aat trop grand pour itra raproduit an Ln saul ciichi, 11 aat film* A partir da I'angla supiriaur gaucha, da gaucha k droita, at da haut an baa, an pranant la nombra d'imagaa nicaasaira. Las diagrammaa suivants illuatrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 28S9 LETTER H O F '• -9i '.' ./ * ■* -*; ^^ /' 'i: -^ •■:■ V ^i. . ■^ * INSTRUCTION TO T H K CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES OF I 3l3cfl(ia'^cotia, ann iw 23cpenuencici6f. 14: Til ill HI By the RtvEUENU Mr. B O U II K li. rpaiifar ; VaisTCD »v A. GAY: anB sold at the St»ii» ot MICHAEL DENKLTT, Vv'ATER-SiRtrr. 1 8 U +. 1 i :■( < -N^ f\ n "4 »," I "('^; •C :^,M \ ' ^^ m V -«-r:i!g44i ^» 4'- '^^\ t <■..:,.* .,,■-:!,;; V'Mi^ ^- «V /?rw/ rt«. Ch. ifi^ ' i' 4 /i J :iy^ .'. « v ?. ^t::, ' i* !/Kif v.;.i ,;'r,; J f ;» :^* ; !i?. J i fs ^ * eJK i? ^ J ;i '.i:*-, 1 f t, < J ,i i I *4r ,,r 'i', ^- Ux'i.. '\\K<.^^:i ' < " -S ' ' * i. , ♦■^l , ' v«*> "t i ."■ H 4 - j-^ ;« <* -J-i 4**"«ss, , Re U. of th Til theC in th Ipirit revol prevj flueni leadv ifsd tlie jV fcribc lawle man) defeii lhv?C] i>i6rui truili ted, unkm thors, a :i%. -f \ ■ 11 LETTER OP INSTRUCTION . -■'• ■' ' T O T H ». t CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES > OF NOVA.£COTIA, AND ITS DEPENDENCIES. , .., ^ Rtmhid them to hefiibjell ta Vrtncet amtPoiven, to obey tie Magifiratet " and be prepared for every gcodwork." St. Paul's Epilllc to Titus, Ch.O. V. I. Revsrini* Siki, ' ' A T no time lincc the eftablifliment of the Chriftian Church, was a ilnti o'jfervance of this injundion of the Apoftlc to hi^ clilbiple TilitSy and in hh pcrfon to all the Miniilers of the Church, more indifpciifably nccefiiiry than ill thefe unhappy days in whicli we Uve : A ipirit of iufubordination, of indcpendance, (4' revolt, the fruit of irreligion and irumoralitv, prevades all ranks and extends it's baneful in- fluence to the extremities of the Earth. AI- leady have the fnieft countries in Europe fek it's direful efFe6^s ; their Churches piofaned, tiie Minifters of their Altars murdered or pro- fcribed, their wives and dauditers abufed bv lawlefs ruffians, their towns laid wafte, and in many of them the groans of innocent and defeucelefs Women and Children filcnced by lliccrnih of their houlcs all in flames. This pi6mre is not overcharged : if there be truiii ill Man, thefe crimes have been commit- ted, and others which I dare not name, crimes unknown to the heathen World. Of the au- thors, St, JuJc lays in hisKpillle, "They def- A 2 pife ( ♦ } ■»-^'* ,-'*^. T *' pile dominion, blafpheme majefty, reveling " without fear, feeding themfelves they arc " Clouds without water, whirled about by the " winds, jiutumnal trees fruillefs, twice dead, ** eradicated, raging Avaves of the fea foaming ** their own confuflon, wandering Stars for ** whom a ftorni of eternal d'arknels is refetv- « " ed.'* 'I'hefc , metaphors however ftrong, are flri(5ily applicable to thole milcreant?, who lecm determined on the deflruitionof tiic whole Chriilian World : tliey havcuothing but phi- la iitrophy and humanity, liberty and equality in their Mouths, whilfl: the poiibn of the Ser- pent rankle:? in their Hearts,, ami the favage ferocity of the tv2:e.r is manifelHn their adions : wherever their infidious arts prevail|deftruc- tion marks their progrcfs, death in it's mod ghaffcly form ftalks before them, ruin and de- va nation accomj)any them, tears and groans, cries and lamentations follow them. To prelerve the people from the infmuations of fuch iN'Ien, or imbibing- principles lb difaf- troii; in their conlequences, is the proper ob- jed' of eccleiiallical zeal, and to enforce both Ixy inllrudion and example that j^recept of the Apoftle, obedience to the condituted powers. There is nothing which the Apoftle leems to have fo much at heart : in his KpiiHe to- the Romans inftruding the faithful in all their re- lative duties, he iniills in a particular maimer on the o!)cdience due to the higher powers. " Let ever V foul, fays he, Ch. 13th. be fubje<5l " to - r"*;— . ■•%' r-y ,«• ,.>*.. ( 5 ) , reveling they arc )iit by the /ice dead, I foaming Stars for is refetv- 'rong, are nt?, who the whole : hut phi- l eqiiahty ' the ScF- ic favage r adions : jdeftruc- it's moft 1 and de- d groans, inuations fo difaf- •oper ob- )rce both ipt of the powers. leeiTTS to le to- the their re- • maimer powers. •e fubje6l "to I " to the higher Powers, for there is no power '* which is not from God : thefe which are, are " ordered by God, he therefore who refifts the " power refifls God's order and procures judg- " ment to himfelf. — The Prince is the Minil- " ter of God, — be therefore fuhmiflive not " only thro' fear of wrath but in conic icnce " —Pay tribute to whom tribute is due". In his 'm(iru£tions to Timotht/ Bifhop of Ephe- fus, he directs him to order that in the public fervice, prayers fhould be offeredfor Kings and all who are in power, and he orders Titus, Bifhop of Crete, in a fpecial manner to in{lru6t his flock in this indifpenfable duty. The fame dodrine is taught by all the Apoftles : St, Pe- ter in his firft Epiftle, C/uip, 12. v. 13, fays to the faithful in general, " be fuhjed to every " human creature for God," as if he had /aid bccaufe all power is of the inftitution of God, " whclher tosthe King as the more cxcelJent " or to rulers as fent bv him," and conle- quently, |>artaking. of that power which the King nimfelf holds from Goil. For this, con- tinues the Apollie, " is the \^'iil of God ;" and V. 17th, he lays, "-fear God, and honor the " King," alfo in his lecond E[)iflle, C/mp. iid, " God knows how toiei'erve the iniquitous to " the day of Judgment to be tormented, more " particularly thefe addicTted to u.ncleanziefs, " and who defpife dominion." Th^s doclrinc the Aj)ollleshail learnt from their divine maf- ter when he ordered in the moil exprefs maiv A, 3 ner (^ ) • iirr to give his rights to Ccrfar^ the ruling Prince. Matt, 2il Chap. *2 1 v. This has been, at all times the do<5lriiic taught by the Paftors of the Catholic Church, in regular fucceflion from the Apoftles; a pait of that depofite of faith which the Apoftle Paul committed to Timothy, ordering him, " to deliver it to faith- ** ful mei], who would be capable of teaching others," 2 Chap, to Tim. v. 1 & 2. this therefore is the doctrine which we are official- ly obliged to imprefs on the minds of the Peo- ple cntrufled to our care, and thereby counter- 8(51: the arts of deligning Men,, who may fug- geft that power is frequently abufed, thattho' we may be fubje^t to a proper ufe of power, the abufe of it does not obligCi We arc to inculcate this leading principle, that 'tis not the province of unqualified individuals to in- quire whether any a6l of power be abufive or not; that fimple obedience is their indifpenfa- ble duty if the order be not manifeftly againft the divine law or the known principles of re- ligion. But what if the ruling power fiiould exa6l any thing inconfillent with the faitb» which we profels ? To this I reply that in the prefent ftpte of things the fuppodtion cannot happen, becaufe our mod gracious Sovereign extending his ]:)aternal cares to all his Sub- je61:s, having directed his Parliament, the Su- preme Legill. tiirc of the Empire, to permit his Subjects of the Roman Catholic Commu- nion to profefs the faith of their Ancefiors, OJSU the ruling lis has been, the Payors r fucceflion depofitc of emitted to it to faith - )f teaching & 2. this re official- ►f the Peo- ^y counter- > may fug- , thattho' of power, Ve arc to It 'tis not lals to in- ibufive or Kliipenfa- ly againfl )Ies of re- cr fiiould the faitb lat in the 1 cannot 'overeign his Sub-- , the Su- > ])enrjt -ommu- ncefiors, 0J5U C 7 ) |n condition of attefting their Allegiance, ancf lifclamiiig certain opinions, which, 'twas fup- >ofcd, however groundlefs the fuppofition, lade a pait of their do61rinc, no inferior Le- jiflature can cxad more. And I add to this its a general anfwer to that queftion which of- ten occurs : that an indifj)en(able rule of Ca- tholic morality, tho' it ftridl) forbids a com- pliance with any order contrary to the divine law or known principles of Religion, does not |n any cafe permit aftive refiftance ; and this iule is founded on the exprefs authority of the Scriptures r St, Paul in his Epiflle to the Ro- mans, fays. Chap. 3. v. 8. " That evil is not •' to be done tho* good may refult from it :'* Infurrc6lion is an evil fo great in itfelf that no ftbufe of power canjuftify it: there are more crimes committed more innocent lives loft, more families reduced to thelaft ftate of indi- gence in one year of iniluTeftion than in a whole century of oppreffion, the proofs of this .affertion are public and indiiputable,to have re- Gourfe to a remedy worfe than any poflible dif- eafe argues not fimply irreligion but the mofl blind and fenfelefs extravagance. Hence ap- pears the wifdom of thefc fliong injunflions to the fiilthfiil to be obedient to the rulincr powers, and if unjuftly o])prcired to fuffer pa- tiently : " Be fubmifiive lays .S7. Peler, in his *' fecond Epiille, in all fear to your Maftcrs, " not only to the humane and to the iTiodel>, " but alfa to thole, who are difficult to pleafe, : ** thiis. c » > "this is the Grace of God, if any Man fufferi " unjuftly for confcience— if doing good you " fufrer patiently— to this you are called be^ " caufe Chrift died for us leaving you an ex- '* ample to follow his fteps, who when he was " reviled did not revile, when he lufFered did " not threaten." This rule is clearly explained by the invari- able pradlice of the Prophets, the Apoftles and their immediate difciples the primitive Chriftians : they fuffered the moft unjuft and, cruel perfecutions without refiftance not be- caufe refiftance would have been vain, but becaufe they thought fubmiifion their indifpen- /able duty : Sauf.*s peri'ecution againfl David was unjuft and ungrateful,, twice he was at David's mercy, in the Cave of Ergaddi, 1 Book of KingSy Chap. 24, and again when David and Abifai found him flceping in his tent, David was advifed by his friends to ])ut him to death as a declared enemy, who Ibught his life without caufe;, David would not, nor. would he permit his followers to do it. " Who, " faid he will ftretch out his hand on the. " Lord's anointed and be innocent ? As the ** Lord liveth, if the Lord himfelf do not fmite " him, or if his day do not come and he die, " or if he do not defccnd into Battle and ** jierifh— I will not lay my hand on him." 'Twas neither fear nor want of power, 'twas (( i( vol Sif I ( 9 ) ^lan fuffers good vou called bcr 'ou an ex- len he was ifFered did he iiivari- Apoftles primitive "ijuft and. e not be- yain, but indifpen- ift David e was at gaddi, 1 ■ill when ig in his ids to j)ut ho fought I not, nor. . " Who, i on thei * As the not fmite d he die, ittle and u him/* -r, 'twas another xample:: ample: when .Ei^ivts the I^roconful had or- ercd him to be crucitied at Patras a city of chaia, the citizens, a great majority of whom ere Chriftians, would have taken him out of ^rilbn, hut the Apoftle pra^liiing, what he al- ways taught, obedience to the ruling power, IR'ould not permit it, and prevailed on them by his entreaties to delirt from their purpofe ;. this account is taken from the ads of his Mar- tvrdom, written by the Friefts and Deacons, of Achaia who \\'cre prcfent at it, what re- iource then againft an abuie- of power ? for injured indi.ifUials humble rcmonllrance, if that prove intffe6tuala reliance om providence, prayer and patience : " Bleffed arc they who- '* lutfer pcriecution for juftice,. for their*s is the^ " kingdom of Heaven, Math, 5th Chap. 10 *' v." This Icflbn tlie l^rimitive Chriftians had learnt and reduced to pradice, hence in the great perfecutions of Nero^ of Dioclejian, of Maxi- viimis and even of Julian the Apoftate, wc don't read of any rcHftancc made by that m- calculable number of Chrillians, who were facrlhced to the relcntlels fury of thele tyrants, nor do^ we read of anv ad-l: of vencreance ex- erciled bv their lurvivinsr friends. Was it u'ant of power or means ? No, their numbers were formidable r " We are but fnice yeftcr- " day, faid Tcrntllien in his apology Book '2: " and we fill all your places, your towns, your " illes, your caflrle?, your forts, your councils, "• your camps, your tribes, your troops, your- " palace ( »« ) (( palace your fenate, your courts, we leave you but your Temples." If faid he, in ano- ther part of the work, " the Chriftians were ** to remove from the Empire you would not " have an Empire to govern." In Julian the Apoflate's time, the idolaters were compara- tively few. St. Maurice at the head of his legion, their arms in their hands, fell without refinance by an order of that ferocious tyrant Maximinus, This is the true ij)irit of Chrif- tianity ; thefe are the models which the Ca- tholic Church propofes for our imitation ; this is the j^rime motive of the canonization of faints, that by fladying their lives,, more particularly their condu6l upon tr)ing occaficns, we may learn to form our own, not as fome peoj^le are taught to believe by interefted teachers to have inferior Deities to worfhip : We know well that there are no inferior Deities ; that all the Saints and Ati- gels are God's creatures ; that their haj^pinefs refults from their obedience and fidelity to their God, of which his grace was the princl[)le ; that they can grant us neither grace nor glory ; that the only power they poffefs is to pray for us. 'Tis matter of furprile that any Man can prevail on himfelf to rcfufe the Saints and An- gels in heaven a power which Mofes exercifed with clficacy, Exodus 32 Chap. " and Mofes prayed to the Lord his God and faid, re- member Abraham^ Jfaac and Ij'rad thy Ser- viuits— -and the Lord was appeafed. — A pow- er u i£ 1 ^ - ■* .* *- we leave i, in ano- ans were vould not fuliaii the compara- ad of his 1 without us tyrant of Chrif. the Ca- tion ; this Dnization ir lives^ t upon form our beheve r Deities re are no and All- lappinefs V to their rinciple ; or giorv ; ' pray for Man can and An- exercifed id Mofes faici, re- 1 thy Ser- -A pow- er ( 11 ) cr which Job exercifed at God*s command* Job^ ¥1 Chap. " go to my Servant Job and he " will pray for you,"— a power which finncrs cxcrcile praying one for the other. After having given this general anfwcr to a queftion which is frequently prqjofed. I Ihall revert to the conditions which the Su- preme Legiilature exa6ts of Catholics. The firft is, that allegiance to the King and his fucceflbrs be folemnly promifed upon oath : To bear true allegiance to the ruling Prince is a duty to which all fubjedls in all countries are indifpenfably obliged : 'Tis ordered by the Apoftles St, Peter and St, Paul in the mofl txprefsand intelligible manner as appears from their words already adduced ; 'Tis ufelefs to inquire whether the ruling Prince be a chrif- tian or a heathen, a virtuous or vicious Prince, for this fimple, conclufive and )>eremptory realbn, that obedience is due to him not be- caufe he is a juft and virtuous Man, but be- caufe he is the ruling Prince, in whom the Supreme power is vefted, and that the powers of public charaders do not depend on their perfonal qualities : 'Twas one of Wielef's er- rors revived by John Iliifs and Jerome of Pra- gue, and condemned by the Council of Con- liance 8th Sels. From this impious principle taken in it's greateft latitude, John JIufs con- cluded, that the civil Magiftrates and Eccle- llulHcal lupcriors of Bohemia and the adjacent rouulrics had lofl all jurildi61ion, becaule they were ( 12 ) I. were, as he pretended, impious Men. He ^avc public lectures of ledition, excited tumults and confufion, which were produ6tive of the moft monftrous crimes, and the effufion of an immenfe quantity of blood : 'tis true he paid the forfeit of his life, but that did not reftore the public tranquility. That the authority of any fuperior does not depend on his perlbnal qualities, on the excel- lence of his head, or his heart, is fo manifeftly true that the heathens acknowledged it. Epic^ tetus in his manuel. Chap. i27th, " don't con- " fider what he does, but what you ought to « do." This truth then prefuppofed that the duty of allegiance is indifpenlable, to atteft on oath the intention of fulfiling this duty is i>erfe6l- ly innocent, juft and lawful, and, if requir- ed by the Magiftrate, ncceffary. The next condition required is, to renounce and abjure any allegiance to the perfbn who ililed himfelf Prince of Wales during his fa- ther's life, and was faid to afllune the iHle and title of King of Great Britain by the name of Charles the Third, after his father's death, or any other perlcm claiming or pretending a riofhtto the Crown of the Realm, This coii- dition is implied in the former, a Man can- not owe obedience and Allegiance to two dif- ferent Princes at the lame time ; the Alle- giance which he owes to the ruling IVince is an infuperable bar to all pretenders. lie is or pi had attac famil of th not fupp( not I ►len. He ^d tumults ive of the ilion of an lehe paid lot reflore r does not the cxcel- Tianifeftly it. Epic- lon*t con- ought to the duty \ on oath s [>erfe6l- f requir- enounce ion who 5 his fa- IHIe and e name s death, nding a his coii- n can- two dit- le A lie- Prince . As (13) As to the pretf* /ied Prince of Wales Charles^ lie is long fince <. vd ; dead men have no claims or pretenfions in this world, when living he had none to the Crown of England. The attachment of our anceftors to the unfortunate family of Stuart^ after the final fcttlement of the Crown, was the cfFed of prejudice, not of religion or reafon. Their efforts in fupport oi James the fecond were unfortunate, not criminal before his abdication, or perhaps more corredly his exclufion : they had pro- mifcd allegiance and thought themfelves obli- ged to perform their promiie. After the exclufion of James and final fct- tlement of the government, a total change was effe6led, and that Allegiance, which was be- fore due to Jumes^ was then transferred to his fucceflbr : A Philofopher wouM fay, that al- legiance is founded on prote6lion, that as foon as the Prince loles all |X)wer of protedion, he iofes all right to allegiance. *Tis a maxim in the Englifh law, that prote6lion and fubjec- tion are reciprocaL See Juflice Blackjione^ J3ook IfL he adduces authorities. The Juf- tice adds Book If}. 105. " That it is unquef-* *' tionably in the power of Parliament, King, *' Lords and Commons, to defeat the here- " ditary right to the Crown, and by particu- *' lar limitations, entails and provilions, cx- *' elude the immediate heir, and vefl the in- *' heritance in any one elfe." This he proves from the language of the flatatc Books, " the B " Kings ( I* ) ** King's heirs and fuccellbrs," which imply that there may be a fuccefTor who is not an heir. To maintain in any pubhc writing that the King and Parliament cannot make laws to bind the Crown, and the defcent thereof is high treafon, 6'th oi An, C. 7. But *tis not in the o])inions of Philolbpher's that a Chriftian finds rules of conduct, he takes them from mere authentic fources, that is, from the fcriptuics and the writings of thefe men vvhom J. C. has given as Paflors and teachers to his Church. EpiJL to the Kphcfi^ fl?25, 4th Chap, lithv. the truth which I have advanced is evidently deduced from both. Political government in general is both of divine and natural right ; 'tis impofHble for fbcietv to fnbllfl: without feme fort of govern- ment, hence God, who is the author of fo- ciety, is evidently the author of Governmerit in general ; the different forms of government are of that risiht which Lawyers call the law of Nations, /.v.v irenlium. bccaufe they depend on the will and confent of the Peojjle : hence it follows that tho' all power in jjolitical go- vernment is from God, 'tis by the Minillry of the people that Gucl communicates it; this therefore is placed by Cod liimft-lf m the great body of the people, and as they cannot exercifc this power in a body, they mufl trans- fer it to one or more individuals who exer- cife thiit very power, which God communi- cates (( (( (( (( (( (( is CU jiil C ^5 ) ch imply is not an 1 that the 2 laws to thereof is lofbpher's t, he takes , that is, of thefe ftors and e Ephcfi" ch L have both, is both of >fiible for f govern- or of fo- ^ernmeiit ernment the law y depend : hence tical go- Minillry it ; this f m the y cannot lil trans- iio exer* )nimiini- cates cates by the Miniftry of the people. " A Phi- ^ " lolbpher, fays Juftice Black/lone^ Book 1. J" 2H. Will conlider a King as a Man ap- " j)ointed by mutual confent to prefide over " many ' and will j)ay him that rel'ped which " the principles of fociety demand : the King . " is under thw law becaufe the law nKikc; the " King, Bract on Book 3. I'Voin thefe prin* " ciples the Juflice conckule-., that there are " in fociety inherent latent jH)'.vers to cor- •' re6l ail abufe^i in Govcmment, which no " climate, no time, no coullitution, no con- " traft can ever dedroy or dimi'ilih.'* Book 1. i24"5. I would not be und ;r!l::)oJ to llib- " fcribe the JuiHce's F}iik):bi!lilcal o])inicTr^ \ cite him as a f2:i'eat law aulb^oritv. 'J \\:..i \ -j- litical power is conveyed frorii God to the ru- ling Prince, is manifell: from the Scrij^tures : If ever Princes were of divine inflitution im- mediately, .S'rtZf/ and David were certainly of the number ; yet both the one and the other were inverted with regal authority by the IVli- niflry of the People: Saul, tho'anointed bySa- muel, \i\ Book o{ King's, Chap. 1 0th, v. I, poflelTed no authority 'till eleded by the Peo- ple, V. SiOth, and tho* that election by ballot was diredled by providence, fothat Samuel at- tributed the election to God, 'twas not the lefs free, not the Icfs dependant on the will of the j)eople, which is fo true, that becaufe tome of the People exprefled their diffent, Saul's au- thority was not confirmed till fome time after, B 2 ou ( 16 ) I •n the propofitions of Samuel all the people Went to Galgala, and made Saul King in pre- fence of God, 1 1th Chap. 15th v. And alfo David tho' anointed hy the lame Prophet at God*s exprefs command, yet he neither poirefled nor pretended to any regal authority till the Men of Jucia came and anointed him to reign over Juda, 2d Book of Ki?ig''s, Chap. SJ. V. 4. this he acknowledg- ed, laying to the Men of Jabes Galaady v. 7^ " Tho' your Mailer Saul be dead vet the houfe " of Juda has anointed me King over them- " ft Ives.'* Nor did David affumc any autho- ritv over the other tribes *lill after the death of Ishofe/li, the Elders came to him in Hebron^ made a contract with him, and anointed him King over JJrael, Book 2. Chap. 5th. The writer remarks that he reigned feven yearii and llx months over Juda in Jlebron, and thir- ty three years over J?ida and IJ'rael in Jcru^ J'alem ; as if he had faid in the mofl expreft terms that he was King by the apjjointment of the People, and from the time of that ap- pointment, not before. This right of the People to appoint their King is formally declared by Afofcs, Deut. 1 7th Chap, and 14th v. — " When you go into th6 ** land which the Lord your God will give you, *' and poflefs it, and dwell in it, and you " will fay, I will place a King over me as " other Nations all round me have, you will * appoint him, whom the Lord will choofe e people ig in pre- the lame 1, yet he my regal ame and Book of nowledg- ady V. 7dL the houfe er them- ly autho- he death L Hebron^ ited him th. The ^en yearii and thir- in JerU' t expreft ointment that ap- )int their eut. 17 th into tht give you, and you Isr me as vou will ill choofe ( n : f* of the number of your Brethren.** The Pro- Ahet forbids them to chool'e a ilranger. W Thefe ttuths, then jvici'uppofed that all po- flitical power i^ from Caod, and communicat- ed by the Minilb'y of the People, we can have lio indication whatfocver that this power is vefted in any Man or body of Men but the ex- prefs or tacit confent of a great majority of the People If the acquicfcence of other powers be added to this confent it amounts to a moral demonftration. This indication our Ancef- tors had immediately after the final fettlement of the Government ; any attachment there- fore to the excluded family was a effed of prejudice, not founded in law, rehgion or rear ion. I don't enquire whether the authors of the - Revolution were juftifiableor not, and to ob- viate all difficulties 1 lluill take it in the moft \infavourable fcnl'c, and fuppole them ])er« fe6tly unju (liable : it does not diminilh the force of my rcalbiiing in the leafl ; for fince . God, in the coui lb oi' his providence, at times % communicates power to bad Men b^- the Mv- niflrv of bad j\icn, lb he fomctimes withdraws ^ it by the Minillry of worie. I fliall inuance V a cafe in point : never was infurredion more caufelcfs if we bLlicve fome writers, than that which eficcHed the American revolution, }ct that,* the ptiwer then veiled i!i the FCirig of Great Biitain over the l^nitcd States, is now veiled in their tilablifhcd Government is in- controvertihlv truc^ 'i^) ( 18 ) To remove all doubts on this fiibjedl I flial! found my reafoning on the authority of the Scriptures. Ncbuchodonofer King of Babylon, was an impious Man, and his army compofed of Idolaters: by the Miniftry of thefe Men God gave him the Kingdom of Juda. Jer, 11, " I " have given, fays the Lord, all thefe lands " into the hand of Nebucliodonofer King of " Babylon." And Daniel lays to the King of Babylon in his time, "thou art King of Kings, and the " God of Heaven has given thee a Kingdom, '" Dan, 1i\ Chap." The ami)ition of Cyrus was boundlefs, and his wars with many Princes unjull: and op- preflive ; yet of him the Lord fays by the Prophet J/h'as, Chap. 45th. " 1 will go be- " fore thee and humble the proud ones of the *' Earth, I will buril the brazen gates, and " break the iron bolts, and give thee the hid- " den treafures." 'Tis needlefs to remark that all this was done by the Miniftry of his Sol- diers who were Idolaters as he was himfelf. — And even amongft the Jews, Solomon in the 15ook of Wifdom fcvcrclv cenfures ibmc Prin- CCS, yet admits that their })ower vvas from God, IVif'dom Chap. G. " Power was given *' to you from God, yet when you Avcre the " Miiiiders of his Kingdom, you did not judge «*juftlv." Of Chridian writers I (hall confine myfelf ^to the teflinioiiy of 67. Aujiin, " lie, faidhe, .. • "5th '^w i( gor ( 1^ ) it I flial! of the Babylon, )mpofecl [en God 27, " I "e lands King of )ylon in md the ngdom, efs, and nd op- by the go be- s of the es, and be hid- irk that lis Sol- ifdf.— in the 2 Prin- 3 from ? given ere the t juci p-c myfeJf iiid he, " 5th f (t iC " 5th Book of the City of God, who gave the Empire to Marius, gave it to CaJ'ar, He who gave it to Augu/bis^ gave it to Nero, " He who gave it to Vefpafian Father and ** Son, mild and humane Princes, gave it to '* that ferocious tyrant Maximinus, and to pafs " others unnoticed. He who gave it to Co7i^ ^"^ Jtantine gave it to Julian the Apoflate.** *Tis alfo ncceflary to difclaim that impious pofition, that 'tis lawful to murder or deftroy any perfons under pretence of their being Heretics. This pofition fb far from being a part of Catholic doctrine would difgrace the heathens fuperftition. Cathohcs have been taught by their divine mader to love their enemies, to pray for thofe who perfecute and caluminate them, Mait. 5, Chap. 2'1'th v. and he who does not praflife this leflbn in obedi- ence to his Divine IMallcr, and in imitation of his ancellors, calls Jiiniit If a Catholic in vain : his profeflion of Catholicity, fo far from ex- tenuating the crime, will only encreafe the ri- gor of that fcntence, which Cod, as a juft Judge, will })roiu)nncea?-ninil iniquity in what ever fubjcct it be fuund rcgurdlcfs of pc:lons or proi'eifiions. '* We ofK:r faid Teriullicn in hh Aj)ology, " the facrificcof our Altars for the fafety and " })rolj)cnty of y^iiir Ci'dhrs, whilil they fa- " criiice the blood of our brethren to the cruel- " ty of their cdicls." The invcdives a2;ainft the council of Con- itangc ( 20 ) ftance as if it had put John Ilufi and Jerome' of Prague to death on account of Herefy, are idle tales : The Council compofed of Ec- clefiaftic? poflefled no power of life and death, they condemned their errors, and the Em- peror Sigilmond put them to death for fedi- tion ; what any other Prince would have done, and ought to have done. *Tis alio neceflary to dilclaim this pofition, that no faith is to be kept with heretics, no Catholic nor any other Man of common {enfe, ever believed it : Catholics know from Prov» Chap. 6th, V. 17. " That God hates a lying " tongue,'' and Chap. JSith, ver. 2'2. " tha^t ** ly'iig lips are an abomination to the Lord, •' thele who a6l faithfully pleafc him," and Chap. 19, V. 5. "a falfe witnefs will not be " unpuniihed nor will he that Ipeaks lies ef- ** cape. Confirm your word and a6i faith- ** fully with }'our neighbour." Eccles. 29 Chap. 3 V. " The mouth that lies kills the "f^jul," Wifd. 1(5 Chap. 11 V. Finally 67. John fays, Rev, 22 Chap. \^ v. " That they *' who love and make lies will be excluded '* the city of God." Catliolics know and believe that all kinds of deceit and duplicity are elTentially bad, for- bidden by the divine and natural luw, ofcuurfe that there is no power on Karth which can authorile them in any pcflilile calb. "J'he indilcretion of a Cardinal and the ior- iioranceof ao Iriih Prelate of the ell:abli(hed Church.. i Chui i clau( •* thi «* of lefs Prelj Care a fei the mar " no nal's « to fenr( " is late< rl ' f 2« ) n II I Jerome Herefy, I of Ec- d death, le Em- or fedi- ve done, pofitioii, tics, no m fenfe, Ti Prov» a Ivina: " that Lord, and not be hes ef- I faith- rles. 29 kills the allv Sf. lat they xcluded II kinds ad, for- fcourfe ch can the ig- ihlirhed Church.. /Church fijave occadon to the infcition of thil I claufe : The Cardinal in a private letter faid, ^ " that credit was not to he given to the words* " of heretics," a moft indecent and ground- lefs ailcrtion, the letter was publiflied and the- Prelate thro' meer ignorance miftaking the Cardinal's meaning, tranflated the phrafe in a fenfe which was not intended and which the words cannot hear : A child at a Gram- mar School w<:)uld have tolil the Prelate that •* nofi cjl fides hnhenda heretieisj* the Cardi- nal's words fignify fnTi|)ly, " that credit is not ** to be given to Heretics," which was the (t\\(ii intended by the Cardinal, not that " faith " is not to be kept with Heretics," the Pre* lates verlion. 'Tis alfo neceflary to difclaim the opinion^ that Princes excommunicated by the Pope: and Council, or any authority of the See of Rome, may be depofed or murdered by their ful)je6l3 or others. That a Catholic Prince for atrocious Crimes of a public and fcanda- lous nature, and obftinate perfeverance in fuch a courfe of life, may be excommunicated, that is, by an Ecclefiaftical cenfure excluded from a participation of the prayers, facrifices and, other good works of the faithful, is univer- fally admitted ; but that he may by any Ec- clefiaftical cenfure be diverted of any regal power is not true ; nor can he of courfe be di- verted of any political right refulting from re- gal powerj 'twould fuppofe his political power \f ( 32 ) aii'l authority founrlcd on his pcr(()nal quali- ties, an error condemned hy the Council of Conftance. The l^rincc's authoritv i> from God by the minilby of tlie people not from the Church, or the Minillcrs of the Church as fuch. God therefore alone hy the Mini- flry of the I'coplc or othervvife at his will, can withdraw it, and \vhil(t reg:il authority con- tinues, obedience and allegiance are due to it, and no power on I'^arlh c.tn difpcnfc in that duty. I fhall pafs unnoticed the diiJHitci; be- tween Unwo Popes and Cermnn Mmpcrors, and funply remark that the Empire v as in them times conlidcrcd as a hcf depend- ing on the Roman See, on account ot the tranflation of the Empire from the Greeks to the Franks in the pcrfon of Charlemain by the authority of that See, of this there is hil- torical evidence, hence Roman Lawyers pre- tend that the Empire was of the nature of other ficfs as bv 'lie Roman Law cverv vaf- fal was deprive i of his fief for rebellion againft his liege Lord ; on that account fome Emper- ors were depofed, whether juftly or injuftly is foreign to our fuhje^l:. *Tis alfo necellarv to declare that we do not believe that the Pope of Rome or any other foreign Prince, Prelate, State or Potentate, hath or ought to have any tenipr-r;.] or civil jurifdid:ion, power, fuperiority ■- • i emin- ence diredly or indiredly within this realm. The, principles already laid down, juflify this claufe ?^ 1 quali- ii!icil oF ii from lot from Church ; Mini- vill, can ity con- ue to it, ill that iitcs bc- npcrors, ire v^as lepcnd- of the rcek^, to lain by e is hifi. ers pre- ature of ery vaf- againfl Emper- juftly is 2 do not ly other tentate, '>r civil -mill- realm, ify this claufe ( '^3 ) claufe, for fince all political, civil and temporal jurilllidion and pic-emincice refult from the I Su|)remc Authority \cfted in tiir IVlnce, and are i'uhordinate to it, 'tis muuifcft thai no luch jurfididion or pre-eminence can c ift in any foreign Prelate, State or Putciitate. IVmjyoral and Spiritual autiiority are dif- ferent in their nature ; teinjioral authority is from (jC'I, as Creator and founder of locicty, bv' ; '-I !e>' in the Chief Magiftrate by the Mini- Ury of li.; People. Spiritual Authority is from Jl'I, Chrifl, as founder of his Church, vert- ed by himltlf immediately in his Apoftlcs, and bv ♦^hcir IVliniflrv tranfmitted to their fuccef- p f(jrs : 'rem])oral Authority direds Men as they are members of lbc;ety and has no other end in view but the peace, proijjerity and tranqui- lity of the State : Spiritual Authority (lire(5^s Men as they are Chriftians, and coniincs it's views to tlieir eternal falvation, and as the ends of both are dilFerent, fo arc the means nc- ccffarv for the attainment of their ends ; Tem- poral AuthoIit^' has rccourfc to human laws and inftitutions, and S])iritual Authority to Divine laws antl Sacraments. That all pH)li- tical and tem])oral }\)v\'cr is from Cod by the Minifl-ry of tlie People, has been alieadv fhcwn tocon\iClion, that Sj:irilual Authori- ty is not veilcvi in the People at large is equal- ly certain : The Church of right belongs to Jcliis Chriil: ; he vindicales it to himfelf by the effufion of hi^l>k)o.l : " Attend to^ourlelves, faid «( ( 24 ) •* falcl the Apoflle Paul to the Minifters of the ^* Church of Ephefus and its dependent Chiir- ** cbcs, and to the whole flock, in which the *' Jrlolv G1k)11: lias placed you Bifhops to rule *' the Church oF God, which he has acquired ** with his Blood." Jets, 2oth chap. 28th v. ilence 5/. Peter calls the faithful " a people of ^ acquif^tion," 111 Ejwft. chap. 2. v. 9, he- cauie they were purchafed by Jefus Chrift at the price of his blood. " And my fervant *' David (hall be ^'ling over them, and one *' Shepherd over them all." Ezekiel, 37th -chap. 24ch v. " and my fervant David their ■•' Prince for ever," 25th v. '* Like a Shepherd he will feed his flock," Ifaias, 40th chap. 1 1th v. — 'tis needlefs to re- mark that by David the Prophets underftood the Messias who was to be of David's race. The Saviour fays of himfelf, " 1 ain the good Shepherd," John, 10th chap. 1 1th v. — !and the lO'th v. he lays, " there will be one •* Fold and one Shepherd." Hence St. Paul to the Heb, chap. 13, v. 20, " the God of ** Peace, who railed from the dead the great, *' Shcj)herd of the Sheep in the blood of an ** eternal tellament, our Lord Jefus Ckriji ;" of this Great Paftor 'tis faid in tlie 2d Pfalm, 9th V. " thou fhalt rule them with a rod of *' iron." I'o Ihew the inflexible equity of his judgments and his abl'olute power ; and *SV. Paul to the Ro?nan<':, chap. 15, v. 12, citing the piophet 7/(//tf>v, favs, " there will be a root "of ( 25 ) s of the tChur- ich the to rule :quired 28th V. ;ople of 9. be- hrift at lervant id one 37th id their flock," s to rc- erilood A' race, irn the th V. — be one f. Paid 3od of e great, of an liriji ;" Pfalm, rod of of his nd .SV. citing I a root "of " of Jejfe, and one who will life to rule na- " tions, in him the nations will hope ;" *tis in fhort the dodlrine of all the Scriptures, that all fpiritual power, authority and jurifdidion, is veiled in Jefus Chrift, as in its fource, and de- rived from him: we are now to enquire in whofe hands he has placed this authority. A teftament in the common acceptation of the word, is an authentic inftrument by which a dying perfon conveys rights and powers which are at his difpolal ; in the New Tefta- ment, therefore, of all authentic inftruments, themoft authentic we are to find, the difpoiiti- on made by Jefus Chrift of that authority which of all right belonged to him and was at his dilpo- fal — has he placed it in the hands of the p jple at large ? No ! 67. Luke lays, ch. 6, v. 13," he af- " lembled his difciples and he feleded twelve " of them, whom he called Apoftles," and St. Math, fays, chap. 10, v. 1, " and having cal- " led together his twelve diicip.les, he gave " them power over unclean ipIrit'-«, to caft " them out." — This power is pnrcjy ipirituy], and neceffary in the Church till theconfurn- mation of the world, to deliver ibiils from the flaverv of unclean i'pirits was the end of the Saviour's miflion, as declared by the Angel to Jcjfeph, faying, Jllatli. chap. 1, v. 21, *' She " will bring forth a fon, you v/ill call his name " Jcfiis, for Ire wii! deliver ];is p-^oijle from *' their linn:" thi: viour efliibliflied Vi\. is thu on c^irtii, C ) wiiijh the Sa- . » i ( 26 ) V. 34, " Jeliis anfwered them Amen, Amen, -' 1 fay unto yon, that every man who commits " fin is the flave of lin ; the ilave remains in " the houfe for ever, the fon does not ; if the " fon delivers you, you will be truly free;'* — that is, from the flavery of fui, not from the obligation of obedience to either civil or eccle- fiaftical laws, as fbme enthufiafts pretend. Next is addrd by the Evangelifts, " that * he gave them power over difeafes and infir- mity ;" — this latter was an extraordinary power neceflary to attefl: the truth of their million, as there was at that time an eftablifh- ed order of l^riefts, the public Minifters of Religion, to whom all right of teaching and preaching belonged ; if the Apomes did not by miraculous powers attefl the divinity of their legation, they would have been juflly rejed^ed as impoflors, imprudently ufurj^ing a Miniftry belonging of right to other men ; this is io true, that Jefus Chrift himfelf declared that if he had not fhcwn the divinity of his miflion by miraculous va orks, the Jews would not have finned in rejecting him : — " If 1 had not " come," faid he, Joh?i, chap. 15, v. 22, ** and fpoke to them they would not have Im- " ned : now thc}' have no excufe for fin who " hate me and hate my Father ;" — and v. 24', he adds, " if I did not do works which *• no other diti, they would not have fin- ned," that is, they would not have finned ui refufi ng to ackno\A'ledg,e him as the MelHas : a (hort \i ( 27 ) t a fhort but inftruftive leflbn to the faithful to beware of felf-conftituted teachers. In this firft commiflion to the Apoflles there is no civil or temporal jurifdi6lion men- tioned : " go," faid he, Math. chap. 10, v. G, " and preach, faying, that the Kingdom of " Heaven approaches :'* to this Ipiritual and ordinary power he adds the extraordinary powers neceflary to afcertain their million, and fatisfy the people that they were not im- j-)ofl:ers. " Cure the lick," laid he, " Raiie " the dead, cleanle the Icjjers, and call out de- " mons," and he concludes, v. 40, " he tK:it " receives you receiver me; an:l he who rc- " ceives me, receives him who fent mv.-.' This then is the authoritv which [jias (^i; lA received from his Father, and coniniunicaLeJ to his Apoflles; not to the ])eoj)]e at large, hut to a chofen few, nor by the minlflry o{ the people, but by himlelF immediately. And in that laft .aid mofl important com- milfion which he gave the eleven who were alfembled, Mark, chap. 1 (>, v. I , " go," laid he, " into the whole world and ])rcach the Gol- " pel to every creature." St. John adds, " that " Jeliis flood in the midil: of them, and " faid peace be to you," and Ihortly after " he faid again, peace be to vou, as the father " fent me 1 fend you ;" that is, as the father fent me with an exclulive power of fending others, fo 1 fend you with the fame power of fending others. The Evangelill continues, C 2 " when ( 28 ) " when he had faicl thofe things he hreathed " on them and faid to them, Receive the Holy " Ghoft, whofe fins you will forgive are for- " given ; and whofe fnis you retain are re- " tained." I'his Power is purely fpiritual, and Jcfus Chrifl: mofl certainly did not ])lace it in the hands of the ])eople at large, l)ut he himfelf vefled this jiower in the eleven Apoftles, and enabled ther.i to communicate it to others. This was fo clearly undcrftood by the Apoftles, that when 'twas necelHiry to ajipoint lubordi- nate MiniAcrs to affifl: them in the dillribution of alms, they chredkd the faithful to choofe f'even men cf known ])robity, " whom, lay '• they, we may aj)point over thi3 work," /lets, chap. 6, v. 3, thereby giving the faithful to underitand that all cccleiiaflical authority v/a > verted in themfelves. On this principle Sf. Paul placed his dif. ci()b Titus at Cr^te, " that you may," faid the 7\])oflle, ICpifh to Tit, ch. J, " correct what " are wanted, and ajjpoint })riefl:i in the cities accorclin'2: to the order v/hich 1 have civen (( (( you." 'rhe Apofrle then tell> his dilciple the qualifications pre-rcquifite in the Mini- flers vv'hich he v/as to a;)])oint in the cities of his jurildiclion. He gives the f ime dirediono to TimotJiy at Kphsfus, requires the fame qualifications i'.i the Minilters whom Timothy v/as to apj)olnt, cxprefsly forbids him '• to imjjofe hand? on anv u ( 29 ) ** any man haflllv, lead he fliould be acceflary « to his Tins;' 111 to T/m. chap. 5, v. 22. — The Apoftle therefore did not believe that any Spiritual authority was reiident in the people. From what has been faid, and the authori- ties adduced, 'tis manifefl that the people at large pofleis no fpiritual power or authority, to pretend to veft in^ othen what they don't poflefs themfelves, is to qualify it in very mild- terms, an unwarranted aftumption : it follows, of courfe, that no tem|x>ral Prince, as fuch can poflefs any fpiritual powers, autho- rity or jurifdidtion ; for all the political powers of the Prince are v&fted in him by the mini- ftry of the people, in whom they are previoufly placed by God himfelf, the Author of Society. We are now to enquire whether Jefus Chrlft inverted the paftors of his flock with any temporal or civil jurifdidion — in the com- miffions already adduced he certainly did not. Let us difcufs minutely the powers granted to Peter the chief paftor, and the terms in which thefe powers were granted, Math. chap. 1(7, V. 1 8, Chrift fays, " thou art Pcta\ that is (a rock), •* and on this Rock v ill I, build my •* Church, and the gates of hell fhall not pre- " vail a^iainft it : and I will give t'lce the kevs •* of the Kingdom of Heaven :" — in thefe words there is no power whatJoever convey- ed to Peter 'r the Saviour limply promifed that he would make Peter the foundati' n of tha; fpiritual edifice, the Church, which he him- C 3 leh 1. so ) felf as chief builder, was conftru«51ing a moft extraordinary privilege : 'tis the foundation which fupports the edifice, nor can the ecHfice lubfift if removed from the foundation. Hence it follows, that till the end of time the Church, which is one compact body, muft reft on Peter s Ipiritual powers in his fuccef- fors : he alio promifed him the chief govern- ment of his Church, fignified bv the metaphor of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven : in all cities the keys are put into the Governor's hands as an emblem of his authority : he alio promifed that the gates of hell fhould not pre- vail againft his Church, that is, that capital errors, either in faith or morality, through which, as through the gates of hell the way ta perdition is open, fhould never be found in his Church. In this authentic promile of the Saviour there is no temporal authority either granted or even promifed. This promife the Saviour fulfilled after his refurre6tion, when he faid to Peter^ " feed my lambs — teach my (heep — ** iQe(\ my ewes," Jo/m, chap. 21, v. 15 & \6,. Language cannot afford terms more lignifi- cant than thefe, by which Jefus Chrift com- mits the whole of his flock to Peter's care ; vetr in thefe terms there is not a fvllable that indicates any civil authority or temporal jurif- dicfion. The powers which Jefus Chrift communi- cated to Peler are not greater than thefe which ( 31 ) which he himfelf exerciled on earth : whilft he remained on it as a mortal man he govern- ed his Church in perfon ; when he withdrew his viiible prcfence from his Church, 'twas necefTary to appoint fome perlbn to exercife that fpiritual authority, which he himfelf, whilft vifible on earth, exercifed. The Frefi- dent of any Society muft be vifible to that So- ciety ; and a vifible body, with an invifible head, would be a monfter. — The only autho- rity therefore, which he vefted in Peter, was that which he himfelf, whilft in his mortal ftate and vifible, here on earth exercifed. 'Tis true, that Jefus Chrift as God, the fe- cond perfon of the adorable Trinity, is Creator of the World, — " all things were made by him,' Jolm, chap. 1 , that all the Beings which compofe the univerfe depend on him for their exiftence, and the continuation of their exift- ence ; — he may therefore, as fovereign Lord, difpofe of all creatures according to his abfo- lute will ; in this quality he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords ; but he did nol live on earth in this quality, he lived as a mortal man, and as fuch he neither exercifed nor j)offefred anv temjiond jurifdidtion : he had it not by the right of ijihcritance ; for though he was of the T Ic^ufe of Diivlcl, 'tis not certain tliat he VvMS the immediate heir ; add to this that he was dclbeiuled fiom Jcchonias, of whom the Lord liml by the Proj)hct Jcremi/, chap. 22, v. 30 " write that man barren, a man who ( 52 ) •• who will not profper iti his days ; nor will •' there be of his leed a man who ihall lit on * the throne of David, or ' have any power •* hereafter in Jinla ;" — 'tis therefore manifefl: that the Saviour hud no tem|)oraI power ; that, when the Angel Gabriel laid that he would Ht on the throne of David his Father, and reign in the houle oi Jacob for ever, anJ tliat there would be no end of his Kingdom, Luke^ chap. 1, v. 32 & 33, — this muft be underftood of his lj3iritual kingdom, that is Iiis Church, the indefc6libihty of which the Angel formally announced; whenever his Kingdom is fpoken of in the Scrijjtures, there is always Ibme ad- dition to fignify that 'tis a fpirixual Kingdom, as in Pfalm 2nd, " I am conftituted a K ing ** by him," there is added immediately, " { ** will announce the ordinance of the Lord ** and Daniel," the 2nd chaj). " in ihe days of " thele Kingdoms,, the God of heaven, will " raill" a Kingdom, which will never be de- " flroyed," — here, as in St. Lnhe, the conti- nuation of Chriit's Church is clcarK forctohT, The Saviour had no temporal authority by right of ele^iion : for he declined it, Jolin^ chap. C,v. 15, " Jefus knowing that they were '* to come and take him l>y force to make him " King, he retired hlmlelf into the mountain, " he alone." Me himlclf told Pilate, that his Kingdom was not of this World, Joliiiy chap. 18, v. 36. Nor did he polFefs any temporal authority by ( 33 ) by an immediate gift of God; 'twould have been ulelefs and contrary to the end of his million : he came to redeem linners by his death, and by i)recc])t and example to teach them humility, meekntfs, patience in fiiffer- ings, and a contempt of the dclufive pleafures of this world. His fpiritual authority" was fufficient for this : any temporal authority would have been an imjiediment. " The " Son of God appeared for this to diflblve the " works of the Devil," I ft Epifl:. of Jolni^ chap. 3. 'Tis therefore manifeft that Jefus Chrid as a mortal man, j^offefled no temporal authority or jurifdi6lion on any title whatfo- cver ; that he did not communicate any fuch power to Pclcr or Peter s fucceflbrs is equally evident for this limple and conclufive realbn, — that Pe'er vv'as appointed to condu(!:"t the flock of Jelin Chi'ift with that authority which he hlmlblf exercifcd whilft he was vi- fihle to his flock : in Jefus Chrifl: as a mortal man were powers incommunicable : they are called by Divines, " of excellence.''' I pais imnoticed all the arguments v/hlch may be drawn from m^ctaphors, or fuggefted by the fertile imagination of lawyers : having clearly fhewn to convi6tion, that temporal j)Ower and ipiritual authority flow from d life- rent fources : it manifeftly follows, that no fpiritual authority can flow from the fource of temj)oral power ; nor temporal authority from the fource of fpiritual power, confequently thikt. ( S4 ) that no foreign Prelate hath any temporal ju- rildi<5lion or authority in any pollil)lc Icnfe within the united kingdom or its dependen- cies. That |)art of the phrafe, " ouglU to havcy* is infignificant : oui;ht. in our lanu;uan;e im- plies an obligation on the pcrlon, 'tis the pre- terite of the verb to owe ; — 'tis manifeft: that no man is ol)liged to have a right, which de- pends on others to grant, he may defire it ; but he moil: certainly is not obliged to obtain it. I dare venture to ailert, that there is no foreign Potentate or Prelate, or any other man of common fenfe, who thinks it incumbent on him to have any civil jurildiction within the united Kingdom. Next follows a folemn declaration that the oath is taken in the plain and or- dinary fenfe of the words. 7'his condi- tion is eflentially neccflary to all oaths : an oath is a folemn invocation of God, ai ," liook IV^ 4-3'i. It appears that law reports, in '.A hich tlie ju(Hce was moic convcrfant than Church CCS the at oath I great lippofe ed the liilm, a >()U ex- s houfe in their e, and er opi- v'ith all 1 were s by an it to af- mpofed iw Ca- 'atholic :1 pam- politi- c doc- )its, as notion, ill lli])- viewy. the re- liancv, ■)• a na- mills" cjjorts, nt than I^hurch ( 57 ) Church hiftory, had ^\ arpcd his own under- ftandlng, though an intelligent and liberal man; in almofl every fcdtion of his work he ad- mires the wifdom and equity of the laws enabled by his anccOors in the days of fii"ry)li- city and truth, and almoft in the fame breath paffes fomc very fevere ccnfures on papifts ; not confidering that thcfc his anceftors, whole wifdom and equity he admires, and vvliole truth and fimplicity he extols, were without a Ungle exception, rigid Papiils. Add to this the calumnious mifrcprelenta- tions oflbme clergymen df the Catholic Com- munion ; who, to free thcmfelves from certain reflraints, and enjoy certain pleafurcs, which the leverity of Catholic difciplhie does not al- low, occafionally conform to the eflabhftied Church, and never fail to afpcrfc and mifrc- j)refent the Church which they abjure : as all deferters complain of hard duty, and rebels ex- claim againft the injuftice of the laws. Thele caufes combined, were more than fufficicnt to excite a fufpicion, and induce the legidature to oblige Catholics to difclaim opi- nit>ns of which they were fufpedlcd. Let us -then, my dear brethren and fellow- labourers, hy our whole conckiv^l, by our pub- lic infl:ru(51ion and private ad\ ice ; by all the influence which our miniilrv gives, endeavour to filence mifreprefentation. A6lions aix* more forcibly pcriuafive than protcftations ; let that uuiverfal benevolence without difliindion of '^1 I M (38 ) friends or enemies which is the true charac* teriftic of Chriftianity, appear in our a6lions : that meeknefs, that mockfty, that humility, that j)atieiice, which the Saviour enjoins, dif- tinguifh us as Chriftians and difciples of a God who taught and pieachcd all thcfe virtues in his adorable humanity. Let us not only prac- tice thefe virtues ourlelves, but imprefs on the minds of our relpe^live flocks, the indifpenfahle necefiity of pradifing them alfo : — Let us in a particular manner enforce that do6trine taught by Chrifl: and his Apoflles, " Obedience to the ruling Powers in all fim})licity and fubmif- fiortT" Thefe are the moral princij^les of Ca- tholics, this is the dc6lrinc taught in oiu' churches, in our univcrfitics, in our fchools ; — contained in our catechilms, in our authentic profefiions of faith : there the principles \^'hich we believe and j)rofefs are to be found ; not in lying pamphlets. — Thefe produ6lions of igno- rance, malevolence and fanatical phrenfy, which wild enthufiafts, and canting hypo- crites, felf-taught and conilituted teachers and indices of the world, difTeminute without nurn- l)er. Thefe deluded men, milapph ing certain text^ of fcrij)turc, v/hich they cannot pofllbly underlland in the writings ofS/. Pai/l ; there are fomc thing:-, which -SV. Pclcr fays in his le- coiul V.\>\i[, chap. .'), v. !(>, " are difficult *' to be underilood, w hich tht- unlearned and *' die unfcttlcd v/rell: to thcii- ()^^'n perdition,. "as ( 30 ) harac* 61 ions : mility, IS, dil- 'a God tiies in y prac- on the enfable us in a tauoht o s to the libmir- of Ca- in our )ols ; — thentic J ^^'hich not in f igno- hrenfy, hypo- n's and nurn- certain x)filh]y there his fe- fficLilt ed and dition, " as they do the other Scriptures f* and mif- taking the iUufions of their heated fancy, for the infpirations of the Divine Spirit, obtrude \yith amazing confidence, or rather unparallel- ed eflronterv the ravines of their wild iniai^i- nation, on a well-meaning and pioufly inclined but uninformed people. They difregard the declaration of Jcfui Chrift, Jo/m, chap. 10, " that ho him (elf is *' the door, that if any man enter the Ihcep- " fold but througli the door," that i>, if an} man prefume to feed his fheep not authorizeJi by him or the pafl:ors which he has appointed, he is a thief and a robber who comes to llaugh- ter the flock. They are inienffole to the prohibition of .SV. Paul, who fays to the Hebrews, chap. 5, V. 4, " that no man affiunes to himfelf the *' priefthood if he be not called as Aaron was," who mofi: certainly did not conftitute himfelf, nor was he appointed by tlie people, but by INloics at God's exprefs command. Lcvii. chap. 8, V. 12. " Pouring oil on Aaron's head, he anointed and confecrated him." They never refle6l on the dreadful piuiifli- ment, which God himfelf infli6led on Core, Dathan and A!)iron, for prefuming to ufur() a miniftry which had been placed in other hands. Thefe unfortunate men did not oifer incenfe to flrangc Gods, nor chd they intro- duce uncommon rites or ceremonies, nor did they preach falie dot^rine, the ravings of their D 2 own ( io > cvvn Imasriiiation : thev are not accufed of anv of thefe crimes : Mofes charged them with ufurping the j)riei}hood : " that you alio, faid he, " alfume the prieftood,'* Aj/?w^. chap. 16% V. 10. After the earth had opened, and fvval- lowed thefe ill-fated men, v. 31 & 32, fire went out from the Lord and confumed two hundred and fifty men, who prefumed to offer Kim incenfe, not being duly authorifed. Mo- fes then dire6led Eleazer, Aarotis fon, to take their cenfers, draw them into plates, and fix them to the Altar, that they mighty ferve as a monument to the children of Ifrael, leaft in fu- ture ages any flranger fhould prefume to ufurj) the miniftry, and expofe himfelf to Core's riUtimely fate. We read of a fimilar, though not fo terrible punifhment inflicted oil OziaSy kingof Jiula, a Prince who had been fortu- nate in all his undertakings, and praifed for IjIs pietv and obfervance of the law, till fedu- ccd by the f])iritofpride,l.e prefumed toullirp the miniflrv, and offer incenfe in the temple.. Me u'as inflantly ftruck with a leprofy, and excluded from the government of the king- dom, and from focicty till his death. Cliro, chap. '2(7. Thefe visible jiunifhments infli6led in the time of the old law, were but fio;ures of the in- viiible but more Ibvcre punifhments, which God inflifts for llmilar ulurpations in the new law. This truth is exnrefslv declared bv ^SV. Paul, in his tirfl: Ej)i(lle to the Carinlhiansy after (« I with o, Taid ap. 16, (J Iwal- 12, fire ed two to oiter , Mo- to take and fix ve as a ft in fu* jme to ) Core's though . OziaSy \ fortu- iled for II fedu- :o iillirp temple., fy, and ,e king- Cliro. \ in the " the in- which the new I hy *S7. iilhiansy after ( 41 ) after enumerating the crimes and fubfequent punifhments of the Children of Ifrael in the wildernefs, he fays, v. 11, " all thefc things " happened to them as types, and are written " as an admonition to us." Hence, when Si- 7)1071 the magician offered to purchafe a place in the miniftry, /Jets, chap. 8, v. 1 8, his offer was rejedled with indignation : " you have no " (hare nor part in this word," faid Peter, The defire -which Simo?i exprelTed of intruding himfelf into a miniilrv to which he was not resadarlv called, induced Pefei' to think him in a ftate of perdition, or as he termed it, " in the " gall of bitternefs, and the bond of iniquity," V. '23, Finally, they don't confider that if there be any thing new in the dodrine, which they pre- tend to teach, it muft be of their own mven- tion : it cannot therefore be any part of doc- trine taught by Chrift to his Apoftles, and tranfmitted bv them in re2;ular fucceilion to us ; it cannot be any part of that depofite of faith which 67. Paul committed to Timothi/y directing him to inllruiM faithful men caj)abjc of teaching others, \{\. \i\)'\{k. to Tim. chaj). 2, V. 2, to pall unnoticed the intolerable excefs of pride which that man l/etrays, who fcts himfelf in o}-;p(>fition, not only to all llie men of the prefent a^^c, but to all the menof lenle and Icience, who have been revered by prece- ding age,^, an exccfs of pride little inferior to that of the demon whom the patriarch Joj D ;5 calls, r" ( 42 ) calls, " King over all the Sons o/ Pride," Job^ chap. 41, V. Ii5. Of llich men the Lord fays, by the prophet Jeremij, chap. 1 4, v. 1 4, " they prophecy falfe- *' ly in my name : I did not fend them, nor " command them, nor did 1 fpeak to them : " *tis a lying vifion, and divination, the fraud " and fedu6tion of their hearts, which they pro- ^* phefy ;" and chap. 23, v. 21, '^I did not " fend thefe prophets and they ran : I did not " fpeak to them, and they prophefied." St, Paul fays of fuch chara<5lers in his Ifl Epifl. to Tiynothy^ chap. 1, v. 7, " Men de- *' firous of being teachers of the law, not un- ** derftanding what they fay, nor of v^'hat they " affirm." 'Tis not furprifing that the principles of Catholics fhould not be found in the writings of fuch men — in them we cannot difsover their own : they are as various as their fancies or their faces. Nor are the principles, which we believe and profefs, to be found in the calumnious invec- tives of fome late party writers, who in the rancour of their own hearts, pretending to fee the doctrine of Catholics atcribe to us prin- ciples of faith and morality which no Cat})olic ever believed, and which, if any man believed he would from tlmt inllant ceale to be a Ca- tholic : unity of faith Is a di(l:iii9;uifhin2j cha- rac^lerirtic of Catholics. Thefe writers are fo blinded by prejudice and ( ^3 ) le," Joby prophet ;cy falfe- lem, nor o them : he fraud hey j)ro- did not [ did not d." his Ifl: VTen de- not un- hat they :iples of writings ver their Liicies or ieve and IS invec- in the ig to fee us prin- Cat})oHc beiieyed e a Ca- ll g: cha- ircjudice and and party fpirit, that they don't perceive what is vifible — as the fun at mid-day ; that whilft they are thus endeavouring to deceive others, tiicy are themfelves miferably deceived by the Ipiritof illufion ; and that whiUl in the fuhiefs of their hearts, miftaking pharafaical malevo- lence for pure Chriflian zeal, they traduce and calumniate an immenfe body of people, of whom, at leaft, an incalculable majority are in- nocent ; they themfelves become the agents and emilTaries of that foul fiend, whom the Scriptures emphatically call " a liar, and the father of lies." John, chap. 8, v. 44', " by ** the envy of the devil death entered the " world, and they imitate him who are of his " party." Wifdom, chap. % y. 24 & 25.. But thefe writers adduce many examples to ihew that the opinions which they afcribe to Catholics, make a part of the dodrine taught in that Communion. To this I reply, that there are, and always have been, many bad men, who call themfelves Catholics ; *tis pre- iumed that bad men are not exclufively con- fined to the Catholic Communion : fome ai s to be found in other focieties. But if thelc men be bad. 'tis becaufe thev are men, who have their paffions, and are the unhappy vic- tims of thele paifiona — not becaufe they are Catholics. There is but fujjine ignoraiiCe or inteiife malevolence, whicli can alcribe to the principles of the Catholic dc6lrine : — ac- titms which it feverely ccnlures, ai^aiiid which It ( U' ) it denounces the wrath and vengeance of hea- ven. But thele writers adduce the example of fonie priefts of the Cathohc Communion : yes ! but of priefts dilbbecHent to the inftruc- tions of their lawful fuperiors ; of priefts, who for their dilbbedience and other irregularities, are excluded from the miniftry; of pi efts, whofe conduit difhonors, not their miniftry, becaule it dilclaims them, but themfelves. Let thele writers confine their ftridures and invedives to thefe, and no Catiiolic will com- plain. Againft the pernicious example of thefe bad men ; of thefe men, who, difhonouring themfel- ves, refle^l a (hade on the Catholic name ; of thefe unhappy men who give caufe to fo many ca- lumnies and mifreprefentations againft us, let us warn our people ; teach them to be parti- cularly cautious againft the artifices of thele emillaries of the demon of diibord, who ftrive to inlinuate thepoilbn of difalFeclion or revolt; to confider them as agents lent exprefsly by the enemy of man to efFe6l their ruin in this life, and their eternal perdition in the nnxt ; and if any of them has been unfortunately de- ceived, or engaged by oath in any unlawful combination, rej)relent to them that all fuch oaths are bonds of iniquity, by which the de- mon enchains his (laves ; that to make fuch an oath is an a6t of perjury, by which they be- come flaves to the enemy — and to obferve it, is to continue in that ftate of flavery. A lawful we att< pre ma 4( (( J i ( 45 ) A lawful oath is an ad of religion by which we pay homage to the veracity of God, and atteft our belief of his omniprefence. The jM'ophet Jeremy f])ecifies the conditions which make an oath lawful, chap. 4, v. 2, " thou " fhalt fwear, as the Lord liveth, in truth, in " judgment, ftnd in juftice :** that is, an afler- tion made on oath muft contain nothing but truth known to the jjcrfon,. who {wears not merely by conjecture or hearfay, but by fome certain argument — the teilimony of fenfe or confcioufnefs of mind.. A prOmife miulc on oath muft alfo contain, truth ; that is, it mull exprefs the fincere dil- j)ofition of the mind, and intention to perform the promife.;^ — a juft man will nevej prcmifc what he ought not perform. An oath muft be neither rafh nor inconfide- rate : that is forbidden by the fecond Com- mandment, " thou fhalt not take the name of " the Lord thy God in vain f ' — there mull be a neceflity for fw earing, the time, the place, and other circumftances mufl be couli- dered ; he mufl be a public character, duly authorifed, who adminiflers the oath. Chil- dren having neither judgment nor prudence are not allowed to fwcar. The lafl condition is juflice — it is {Iridlly enjoined under penalty of perdition lo pro- mife nothing unjufl or unlawful. Hence, if a man promifes any thine contrary to juflice, be is guilty of an adt or perjury ; and if he performs. ( « ) performs the promilb, he adds iiijudice toper- jury. We have two terrible examples in the Scripture— //fr. An oath vciU'd with thefc conchtions, truth, judgment and juftice, is an at^ of religion which honors God : " thou Ihait fear the Lord " thy Cod, and him only Ihalt thou fcrve, and " by his name Ihalt thou fwear." Dcul, chap. G, V. II. The Apoftles fwore, .57. Paul to the Cov, 'Jd Epill. chap. 1, V. 23, " I invoke God as a *• witnefs ;" — and to the Calatiniis, chap. 1, V. 20, " Behold in prefence of God I do not " lie ;" — the Angels fwore, Rev. chap. 1 0, V. 6% " And the Angel, whom I la^v llanding " on the lea and the land, lift up hi:; hand to- *' wards Heaven, and fwore by him that U' " veth for ever and ever." God himfelf, the Lord of Angles, confirrn- ed his promife to Abraham by an oath, Gen, chap. 22, v. 16 ; — and to David-, Pfalm lO-t, v. 9. Hence .S7. Paul to the Hebrews, chap. 6\ V. IG, fays, " that the end of every contro- *' verfy is an oath;" — and v. 17, " that Gcd, " to fliew the immutability of his counfel to ** the heirs of his promife, interpofed an oath," To ( ^" ) To pretend therefore that 'tis never lawful to fwear, argiics the mofl: ftupkl ignoiance. But if an oath, vcded with ♦•he conditions which I have marked be honorable to God, an oath deilitute of thefe conditions is injurious to God ; excites his wrath and indignation ; and makes the wretch, who fvvears, the object of his ax'erfion, and confequently of his ven- geance : 1))' an unlawful oath a man becomes a flave to the demon, and adding impiety to perjury, he j)rctends to make the Almighty God an accomplice of his iniquitous contra(!:t. I fliall add but one word more on this fub- jed . — It fometimes hapjjens, that a man in- confidcrately promifes on oath to do what is lawful and juft, and after, overpowered by paffion or perfuafion, breaks his engagement — to think that becaule he has once broken his engagement the obligation ceafes, is a ca])ital miflake — each fucceeding breach is an Acl of perjury more criminal than the former I becaule the habit which he contrads, commu- nicates a deorree of malice to everv a61, increa- ling in proportion as the iiabit cncreafes in ilrength; and though perdition be the infal- hble confcquenceof an ad of perjury not exj)!* ated by p.cnance, ydi the j)unl(hnient which God, in his juliice will inHid, is alw ays pro- j)0]-tioned to the number, and the enormity of the man's crimes. Thefe are the trutlis which \vc arc to im- prefs on the minds of our people in all our iniblic ( 48 ) public inftmdlions ; by an unwearied atten- tion to all our duties, we (hall prove ourfelves to be truty Minifters of the Gofpel — Minifters of that peace which Jefus Chrifl came on earth to eftablifli — preferve our flock from tuin and devaftation — and obtain from the Prince of Paftors, when he will come to judge the world, a reward proportioned to our la- bours. Bi/ Order of Ike lllghl Reverend The C. Bishop of Quebec, E. B. Vicar Gen. POSTSCRIPT. I^HE laft fheet of this Letter was in the Prefs, when a charge from a Prelate of the eftahhfhed Church accidently fell into my hands ; — what was my aflonifhmcnt at feeing an Official Letter, from a man high in office, added to the many Pamphlets which already difgracc our language, manificftly tending to excite diffenfions and difcontents, at a time when Ibuiid policy di6lates the indil])enfal)le neceffity of unanimity ; and when all good men are endeavouring to draw more clofely the honds of focitty. The Prelate, in his great llherality, pretends to exclude from the Public Schools, all Non- Conformifts and Roman Catholics, thinking fcience dang-erous to focietv if not united with - reliorion. — He underltands that mode of wor- ihip eftabliihed by law in the Turkifh Em- pire, Science, is excluded by a fundamental law ; — a man would imagine that the Prelate had been reading the Alcoran, aad a6ling on the principles which induced IVIahomet to ex- clude fcience. The learned Prelate may reft alfured, that few Catholics or Non-Confor- mifts are envious of the ftock of fcience which he poflefles ; to conjugate the latin \'erb £ a mo, ( 50 ) (WW, or the Greek verb iiipto, is no proof of fcience, nor is an elucidation of OviiTi Art of Love, or Saphd's Odes, the occupation of a man of fcience : — there are men of eminent Icience, who never taught, or even read, the one or the other. Hap])ily for us, the opinion of His Majefty's Imperial Parliament does not coincide with the Prelate's fentiments : — they fupport at the public expence an extenfivc School near Dub^ lift, for the inftrudion of the King*s Roman Catholic fubjeds ; — in this School the diffe- rent Sciences are taught, (not half taught,) by mercenary hirelings for fordid gain ; but by men of real fcience, who facrifice their time to the infl:ru6tion of the ignorant, without any other fee or reward but the bare neceffaries of life ; — men who don't intrude themfelves into the miniftry by flattery, nor hunt Church li- vings to make an ample provifion for wives and children. The Prelate recites the tragical events of the feventecnth ccnturv ; — the murder of Charles the firft ; and thence he takes occafion to make flrouij; allufionsand invidious infinua- tlons agaiiifl: the Non-Conformifls of the pre- fent day ; furely the ixood man does not fuf- \)ei^ any of the Non-Conformifcs now living to have embrucd their hards in the King's blood I their anccftors might have done it — I N/~ »-(-»•'» ♦"• O (51 ) no proof of nd's Art of )atioa of a )f eminent n read, the is Majefty's ncide with port at the near Dub- I's Roman 1 the difFe- aught,) by n ; but by their time ithout any ceflaries of felves into rhurch h- for wives events of nurder of :s occalion IS infinua- if the pre- ;s not fuf- ow livino- be King's done it — perhaps not ; the anccftors of many of them bled in the Royal caufe ; the Catholics, to a man, were faithful. The Prelate is not the more fparing of them : after all, if it be a crime in a man that his anccftors were ens^a- ^c(\ in fome liich commotion, in fomc ptot, infurrcdion, civil war or rebellion — there is not a man in the nation exempt. I don't exccjit even the Rio-ht Reverend and Ri2;ht Ln\al Prelate himlelf, if his anccili^rr, were not hewers of wood, and drawers of water, fincc Adam's days. *Tis unqucAionably true, tliat the Non- ConformKl:. liave coiitril)iitcd to place tlic Con- ftitution on its prcfcnt baiis ; — equally true, that they now fupport it Vvith their heads, their hands, and their purfes : — any invidious allu- fion or malicious infmuation ao-ainft fo nume- rous, fo j:)owerful, and fo refpedablc a body of men, is nijudicious in the extreme, and argues either a weak head or a malic;ii nit heart. The Prelate roundly aiierts tliat the tenets of the Methodifts are hoftilc to good Govern- ment : — with one dalh i^f his pen he iligma- tizes a great proportion of the inhabitants of this Province, lober, induftrious, inoffenlive men. Uj)on a dole inveiligation of their te- nets as alfigned by him, 1 can dilcover nothin^ hoftile to Government. — A man may be fub- je6l to the illufions of a heated imagination without being an enemy to the State, or to any E 2 one ii J- ( 52 ) one member of the State : — agitations or con- torfions may make him an objeft of pity, or even a fit fubjed of ridicule, but not a rogue or a rebel ; his expedation of Revelations or Viiions may be difappointed — other men as languine as he have been difappointed, 'tis a misfortune not a fault ; he may roll himfelf on the floor, diftort his eyes, his mouth and nofe, to expel the devil : — what then ? call it fimplicity, folly, flupidity, extravagance, give it what name you ])leafe, but 'tis not Treaibn, nor any ofFence asrainfl Lau'. ^ o A man's prejudices are a j^art of his pro- ])£rty, tliat j)aj't to which lie is moll flrong- jy. attached; if they be neither inconfiflent \vi:h the laws of the flate nor the rules of fo- ciety, why diflurb him in his j)of{effi()n r if you realbn againfjt his prejudices, atleall: fpare his perlbn — the Prelate iparcs neither the one nor the. other. This charitable and zealous Prelate does not confine his admonitions to the Non-Con- formifl:s and Method ifts, he fliares moft boun- tifully with us Catholics ; — the native Irifli, fays he, prof:::fnng the rehgion of Rome, were cxclufivelv coiicerned in the RebeUionof 17.98, tor the avowed juirpofe of extirpating heretics. Though this barefaced affertion fets both mo- ik{\y and truth at defiance — m.odefty prevents, me from qualifying it as it deferves : — the Romanifts fe or con- [)ity, or a rogue ions or men as I, 'tis a himlelf itli and ' call it % ( 53 ) :e, give 'reaibn, lis pro- flrong- )niifl:ent s of f(> fion r if il: fpare the one te does >n-Con- \ boun- c Irifli, e, were )f 17.98, leretics. )th mo- )rcvents s : — the manifts Romanics exclufively ! what ! was Lord Ed- Hard Fitzgerald a Romanifl ? were the Ta?i- df/s, the Harvci/s, the Slicarc's\ the CrojhySy the Emmets^ the Ra//cls, the Bourkes, the Wolf ^Foncs, the Grogans, the O'Connors, the Ha- vi'ilton Roivans, the Colrloi/ghs, of the Romilh Religion ? was the rebel General Blake or Colo- ?ierFaaffeRom:miih r wnsthc Reverend Docior Efniond hanged at a lamp on Eflex Bridge, the Reverend Mr. Jaekfon, or Doctor Lawlefs, a j)rofefibr of Trinity College, of the Romifli Religion r — 'Tis notorious that the leaders and contrivers of the Rebellion, with one or two folitary exceptions, were Proteftants of the eftabhlhed Church ; — that numbers of the peafantry were drawn into it is true ; 'tis not llirprifuig, that artful men poffelTed of wealth and influence, bv holdinfi; out imao;inarv ad- yantao;es to a thouahtlefs licaiantrv, fliould prevail on them to become lubibrvient to am.- bitious views; 'twould be a matter of furprize if thev did nermitt jd to remain unmolcffjvl in their homes :— this the Prelate I'.nov/s if lie knows auv thirg;. That part cf the charge v. Inch defcrlbcs the ( 54 J pretended fuperftitions of Catholics, and' th^ abandoned profligacy of the Clergy is a mere- echo, which repeats calumnies as often re- futed as publiflied. — Viewed in that light it deferves contempt,, not a ferious refutation ; however, left lilence might be confidered an acquiefcence, in a charge manifeftly intended to bias the public opinion, and make impref- fions unfavourable to the King's Roman Ca- tholic Subje6ls ; to men as fteady in their Loyalty, though not purchafed, as the Right Reverend Prelate himfelf. I fhall in my next letter give a fair and dif- paffionate difcuffion to the whole of the charge, praying the Right Reverend Author to difcufs this Letter with the fame candour and. impartiality : — Tn it he'll find the gen\iine principles of Catholic Morality : — he leeks them in. vain in the malevolent rancour of Sir Richard Mufgrave, whofe monftrous compi- lation, dignified with the pompous title of Memoirs, is comjiofed of fa6ts, fome real,, others fuppofed, all disfigured and poifoned in the recital, interfperlcd with malignant fur- mifes and atrocious calumnies, which have been immediately and publicly refuted by the men againft whom the charges were made, and who brought l)efore the public the beft jDoiiibJe evideyce cf tlieir faliehoocl, that is, that they were yet themlelves alive to refute hi:^, calumnious charges :■ for if they had been o;ui]tv, not of all, but of any one ot the crimes \^'itlk ( 55 ) and' the a mere- fteii re- light it jtation ; ered aii ntended impref. lau Ca- ;ady in ifed, as Ifhall nd dif- of the uthor to lour and. gemiine le leeks r of Sir compi- title of le real,, foned in int fur- :h have by the made, Ithe beft that is, :) refute id been crimes: vvitlt with which he charged them, they would have delervedly paid the forfeit of their lives to the laws of their country : — this compilation was ahb refuted by Mr. Town/end, Secretary to the then Commander in Chief, in Munfter ;, by Edward Hat/s, Elq ; and other Proteftant writers ; and was indignantly difclaimed by the Margins Cornwallis, whofe patronage had been furreptitioufly obtained before the con- tents of the work were known to him or even, fufi)e6led. — {'See Lord Cornwallis^ Letter,/ I fhould not have named Sir Richard, if his authority had not been obtruded on the Public 9H ' . mteftible evidence. I pafs iu filence ot^ ^>arty writers, not lefs virulent than he, holding it unfair and iticonfiftent with the morality of the Gofpel to traduce be- fore the public any man, much more lb, any body of men, but in the cafe of felf-defence : I realbn againll: opinions, not perfons, offer apologies, make no accullitions ; the good Pre- late lupjjofes opinions which have no exig- ence but in his imagination, and in thcle pre- tended opinions he iinds the fubjed matter of his declamation againfl the Catholics, to whom he finds it convenient to afcrilie them ; forgetting that 'tis the exclufive privilege of the King's Judges to deprive His Majelry's fubjecls of their reputation ; that even they confine their ltri(!.-lures to individuals tried and convicted by tlicir country ; that vague report ( 56 ) • or the lurmifes of Sir Richard Mufi^'ravf, would not be fufficient evidence in a Court of Law to hang a dog. ,': ■> May ^ve requefl that this confcientions Pre- late, wi tell us in his next publication, how many Froteftants he has Ceeii murdered by their Catholic neighbours, after being hofpi- tably entertained ? neighbours know each the others religious perfuaiions. — Ffow many at- tempts were made or. his own precious life ? by what extraordinary j^recaution he has pro- longed a life, fo necefTary to the peace of the world ? I don't remember to have feen a more wretched performance : it i'eems compofed of borrowed pieces badly afTorted ; written in a languid ftyle ; replete with dark inlinuations againll: all thoie, v\'ho have the misfortune lo difagree in opinion with the Author : as a fj)e- cimen of his realoning, hela\s, p. \6, *' that " Atheiflical princij}ies transformed a j^oliHi- " ei\ peo})le (the I'rench) into a fet of lavage " unfeeling b;arbarians ;" and aLiioll: in the fame breath he lays, " that fujiCiftition," by which he underllands the Catholic ^!o61rine, " is not lei's pernicious to the pcaceoJ- lociety/' A man is furj^riled to hear tlut this pretended lu]:erfl:ition, as j-)crnicious n*-^ Athcifm, has for ages only Icrved to polilr a peoj)le v/hom Atl]eifm immediately traiy; formed ii\to bail)a- rians ( •" ) •.^' urt of s Pre- how l.y hofpi- :h the ccl ny at- 5 life ? IS pro- of the more >red of n in a ations une lo a fpe- *' that polllh- avage In the ,". hy ftrine, lOty." nided IS for 'hom :iil)a- liiaas rians. Silent contempt is the beil anfwer to fuch a jar^^oa ; yet as 'tis manifeftly calculated to embitter the minds of the uninformed, who in this, as in all other countries, borrow their opinions from thefe to whom they look for in- formation ; and as however infignificant in it- lelf, it may derive great weight from the very honorable fituation in v/hicii its Author is- placed — I could not pafs it unnoticed. If any pofiible motive could be affigned for the man's defirhio; to weaken the defence of the Province, by encreaiing irritation and fow- iiig diflcnfion, 1 would be tempted to fufpccl ibme fuch fuiifter vicv/ ; but as no change could make his condition better, 'twould be a vicious achon, without any inducement of which no man can be fufpe6ied. E. B. Halifax, Feb, 3, 180^. ■ %*s^ • >>» •>■' Letter to Sir Richard Ali/f grave, by order of Marq u is Coniivaliis, Sir, (COPY,) Dublin CaJUc, March 24, 1801. 1 am directed by the Lord Lieutenaiit to exprefs to you his concern at its appearing that vour ^ -♦ your late publication of the Hiftory of the Re- bellions in Ireland has been dedicated to him by permiffion. Had His Excellency been ap- prized of the contents and nature of the work, he would ne^^er have lent the fandion of his name to a book which tends fo ftrongly to re- vive the dreadful animofities which have fo long diftraded their country, and which it is the duty of every good fiibjeft to endeavour to compole. His excellency therefore defires me to requeft, that in any future edition of the book, the permiflion to dedicate it to him may, be omitted. I have, Sic, &c.. (Signed) E. B. UTTLEHALES. Sir Richard Musgrave, Bart. FINIS. ■AMm^ the Rc- to him een ap- e work, 1 of his y to re- lave fo :h it is vour to ires me of the mmay, ES.