UC-NRLF B 2 TbT SOI O O A LETTER > • i ■ i 1 . ■ • . ■ . to .'. : ::,•"■ ■ ' N. WISEMAN, D.D. (CALLING HIMSELF BISHOP OF MELIPOTAMUS,) CONTAINING REMARKS ON HIS LETTER TO MR. NEWMAN, BY THE REV. WILLIAM PALMER, M.A. OF WORCESTER COLLEGE, OXFORD. OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER | J. G. F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON. 1841. • • • •: -•• • •• A '*»! BAXTER, PRINTER, OXFORD. - . ... A LETTE R, Sir, Having ascertained from Mr. Newman that it is not his intention to make any reply to your Letter, (a resolution which, considering his recent labours, cannot excite surprise,) I take the liberty of offering to your notice certain remarks which the perusal of your Letter has irresistibly suggested, and I sincerely hope, that the " plain- " ness of speech" which, in a discussion of such importance, it is necessary to employ, will not be regarded by yourself or by others as indicating any want of respect for your abilities and attainments, or any deficiency in charity and good feeling. You will excuse me therefore, if I seem to ques- tion your right to the title of " bishop" which you assume, and which your adherents are willing to recognise. You, at least, cannot deny, that episco- pal consecrations, performed ostensibly for Churches without clergy or people, but really for the purpose a 2 826500 of introducing or perpetuating schism, are illegi- V ; tima : te, and confer no canonical mission or juris- . • • : diction"".-. You are aware, that such ordinations are, ' according to the Canons, virtually null and void ; and that they do not constitute those who receive them real bishops — successors of the Apostles. If therefore, as is reported, you have received the form of episcopal consecration at Rome, this does not prove you to be a bishop, or excuse you for exercising episcopal and sacerdotal functions with- out the license, and in opposition to the authority, of your legitimate Diocesan, the Bishop of Wor- cester ; an offence which subjects you to deposition and excommunication by the Canons received by the whole Catholic Church. You have availed yourself with characteristic sagacity of the existing controversy, to invite pub- lic attention to those views of Romish doctrines and practices, which the leaders of your party are anxious to impress on us. I rejoice for the sake of Truth that you have stepped forward so promptly in vindication of those views. It will afford an opportunity for testing their accuracy. Circum- stanced as Romanism is in this country, it is perfectly natural that its advocates should endea- vour to disembarrass themselves, as far as possible, of various doctrines and practices which have given serious offence. The interests of your com- munion are so obviously promoted by such a policy, a Dublin Review, vol. v. p. 288, &c. 5 that language and sentiments are tolerated under your circumstances, which in a purely Romish country would be visited with severe reprobation — perhaps, might put you in the prisons of the In- quisition. The end for which you labour sanctifies, in the eyes of your superiors, means which they would otherwise view with jealousy and displea- sure. Romanists in England have long been deeply sensible of the obstacles which are presented to their system of proselytism by the existence of general prejudices (as they regard them) against the superstitions of their Church. They have felt with you, that " it is exceedingly difficult to think " differently from what every body about us has " always been thinking and saying. It is almost " impossible to stay the mind, when hurried on by " the press of those behind and on either side of us." (p. 19.) And as the general impression has been and continues to be, that superstitious and ido- latrous doctrines or practices are more or less authoritatively sanctioned by the Church of Rome, you avail yourself of the opportunity afforded by Mr. Newman's statement to that effect, to clear your communion as far as you can from imputa- tions so injurious to its interests, and so distressing to your own feelings as an active agent in the system of proselytism. It will be my endeavour in the following pages to shew, that public opinion is not so grossly mistaken in these matters as you would fain have us imagine, and that, while it would be undoubtedly most unjust to attribute superstitious and idolatrous notions or practices to those individuals of your communion who disclaim them for themselves, the stain adheres most deeply to the community at large, and that the Roman is, emphatically, a cor- rupt Church. You have, as you imagine, detected at the com- mencement of Mr. Newman's Letter to Dr. Jelf an untenable position, and you direct against this assumed position a vast deal of argument more or less plausible ; but you have so obviously mistaken and misrepresented his views, that I can only account for the mistakes you have committed, by the haste with which you have rushed into this controversy. Mr. Newman states his persuasion, that the Thirty-Nine Articles " do contain a condemnation of the authoritative teaching of the Church of Rome'* on the subjects of Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration of Images and Relics, the Invocation of Saints, and the Mass. He asserts indeed, and rightly asserts, (speaking generally,) that whereas those Articles " were written before the Decrees Gf Trent, they were not directed against those Dtcrees*." But still, he maintains that the Church of Rome does, even now, in some sense authoritatively teach the errors and super- stitions against which the Articles are directed, b Letter to Dr. Jelf. p. 6. and which were held by Romanists when those Articles were compiled. His next words are, I The Church of Rome taught authoritatively ' before those Decrees (of Trent) as well as since. ' Those expressed her authoritative teaching, and ' they will continue to express it, while she so 1 teaches. The simple question is, whether taken 1 by themselves, in their mere letter, they express it ; ' whether, in fact, other senses, short of the sense 1 conveyed in the present authoritative teaching of the ' Roman Church, will not fulfil their letter, and may ' not even now, in point of fact, be held in that ' Church." (p. 6.) The meaning of this passage is obvious. It asserts as plainly as words can do, that the wording of the Decrees of Trent in some points may not convey doctrines which our Articles condemn ; while the interpretation generally given by the Romanists — their practical comment — the com- ment furnished by Authority exterior to the Council of Trent, is objectionable. Mr. N. in the next page explains that he is speaking of the " popular " system" of Romanism, and soon afterwards he mentions, " the comment which the Church of " Rome has put on them (the Decrees of Trent) " in preaching and practice." (p. 9.) Having perused all these passages, you thus ad-? dress Mr. N. " Your intention seems to be, as far as I can II gather it from these and other passages in the 8 " Letter, to establish a distinction between the " doctrines defined or decreed in the General " Council of Trent, and the authoritative teaching " of the Roman Church." Certainly : so far you have caught his meaning. He undoubtedly does draw a distinction between the Decrees of Trent, and the authorized teaching of the Church of Rome on these points. That is, he is of opinion, that the words of the Decrees of Trent "fall short of the " sense conveyed in the present authoritative teaching) " of the Roman Church." (p. 6.) The Decrees are encumbered by a practical comment which goes far beyond them. You now triumph in the persuasion that you have placed your opponent in an absurd position, and you ironically remark, " The existence of anv such authoritative teach- " ing at variance with the doctrines of the Triden- " tine Synod, is to me a novel idea, and I think it " will prove so to all Catholics." (p. 5.) Permit me for a moment to arrest you in this hasty jump to a conclusion. You have correctly stated, that Mr. Newman maintains a distinction between the Decrees of Trent on these subjects, and the present authoritative teaching of the Church of Rome ; but surely distinction does not necessarily imply variance or opposition. You have studied so long in the Roman schools, that this cannot have escaped your observation. Why then do you so readily assume that Mr. N. would set the present 9 authoritative teaching of the Roman Church " at •' variance' with the Decrees of Trent? You have commenced by mistaking the plain meaning of your Author, and in this mistake you steadily persist to the end of your Pamphlet. Excuse me, Sir, if, on further consideration, it appears to me that this mistake is not quite unintentional. One might hesitate indeed before one presumed to think, that so practised a controversialist as yourself had permitted any thing to escape from his pen inadvertently. Romish controversialists have be- fore now found it convenient to close their own eyes, and to endeavour to close those of the public, against distinctions in which the turning points of con- troversy are involved. Nothing would be less in accordance with the system which has been adopted by the English Romanists in their con- troversies with us, than the recognition of such a distinction as that which you have assailed. The language of the Council of Trent has been your invariable refuge, whenever we have pressed you hard with the errors and superstitions prevalent in your Church. To this alone you would gladly direct our attention, as presenting the only exposition of doctrine authorized by all the Churches in com- munion with Rome. Whatever else may be held or practised amongst you, is, you would assure us, only a matter of private opinion or practice — quite unauthorized. And your Church is therefore to be held responsible for nothing but the guarded and 10 comparatively moderate statements of the Council of Trent. You would persuade us, that because idol- atry and superstition are not pronounced necessary to salvation bv vour Church — because vou are not obliged to practise them under pain of Anathema — because they do not enter into the very language of the decrees de fide — your Church is quite free from the offence of allowing and authorizing them. You seem to argue, that because you may be Romanists without superseding the worship of God by that of the Virgin Mary, the Saints, Images, and Relics, you are therefore actually free, generally speaking, from the guilt of so doing. Your argument goes to prove, that a man who deliberately takes the life of another, is not a murderer, provided that his act is purely voluntary, and is not done in obedience to the law of God or of the Church. This is a very convenient system of argument indeed. It enables you to avoid any discussion on the weak points of your Church, and to raise an outcry against the prejudice and bigotry of those who would venture to impute superstitions or errors to the Church of Rome generally. It will be my endeavour to shew, that there is some authoritative teaching in the Church of Rome besides that of the Council of Trent, and you will yourself afford testimony to the correctness of this position. But I return to your pamphlet. You ask Mr. N. what his reply would be, if you should assert that an interpretation at variance with that which he believes II "to be the only one reconcileable with catholic truth" is generally prevalent in the Church of England, and should thence argue, that the Church of Eng- land is " not to he judged hy the Articles, hut by " such authoritative teaching, and that therefore its " doctrines, and consequently itself, are not catholic." (p. 5.) The reply is obvious and easy. You have no reason to assume that Mr. N. believes his inter- pretation to be " the only one reconcileable with " catholic truth." He merely advances what appears to him a catholic interpretation. I am of opinion that the language of the Articles, and the circumstances under which they were written, point to an inter- pretation somewhat different from that advanced by Mr. N. and yet 1 have not the least doubt that he would readily admit the orthodoxy of that inter- pretation, though different from his own. Your premises therefore break down ; and your conclu- sion finishes in smoke. Supposing however, that, for the sake of argument, he were to admit, that the Articles are unsoundly interpreted by many persons, still that would not render the Church uncatholic, while such interpretations are openly opposed by many other persons of learning and authority, and while they are not recommended and urged by the authorities of the Church. When you can shew, that the idolatrous and superstitious doctrines and practices authorized in your Church are openly opposed and condemned by any influen- tial portion of its members, we shall be rejoiced to (( ( 1 12 relieve your Communion from imputations which must, until then, adhere to it. " It is a serious thing," you continue, " to charge 11 us with setting up the Blessed Virgin in place " of the Holy Trinity, and Purgatory instead of " Heaven and Hell. We naturally ask, what shall be considered sufficient evidence of there being an authoritative teaching, that supersedes the solemn and synodal Decrees of our Church, and makes us responsible in solidum for its lessons ?" (p. 6.) To this question you have yourself in part furnished the reply in the next page, where you say, " To 11 the teaching of the Roman schools, the Catechism " of the Council of Trent, and the sentiments of the " best writers, / have no objections to make. But " that you should give as evidence of authoritative " teaching popular notions and practices is certainly " surprising." You therefore admit that there is some authoritative teaching in the Church of Rome, besides that of the Decrees of Trent, and of course you cannot hesitate to add to the sources of such authoritative teaching, the decrees of Roman Pon- tiffs, and the actions of canonized Saints, which are held up at this day for the imitation and edification of the whole Roman Church. I am perfectly satis- fied with the concessions you have made, and I believe there will be little difficulty in establishing on these grounds the substantial correctness of the positions which Mr. N. has advanced. Let us consider those positions for a moment. 13 Of " the present authoritative teaching of the " Church of Rome," he says, " Instead of setting 11 before the soul the Holy Trinity, and Heaven " and Hell, it does seem to me, as a popular system, " to preach the blessed Virgin, and the Saints, and " Purgatory." — And again, " In the Roman schools 11 we find* St. Mary and the Saints the prominent " objects of regard and dispensers of mercy, Pur- " gatory or Indulgences the means of obtaining it." (p. 7.) Without doubt, " it is a serious thing" to make this charge, and " it is a serious thing" for you to hear it made. You do not relish such plain speak- ing. I must however entreat you to bear with me, while I proceed to establish its substantial accuracy — while I demonstrate, that the Blessed Virgin, the Saints, Indulgences, or Purgatory, are commonly and authoritatively set before the souls of your people instead of the Trinity, Heaven and Hell, and viewed as prominent objects of regard, dis- pensers of mercy, or means of obtaining it. After this I shall proceed to consider the remainder of your Letter. 1. The Blessed Virgin is authoritatively set before your souls instead of the Trinity. It is not meant that the Roman Church disbelieves the Trinity, or never worships the Trinity, but that the Virgin receives honours which are due only to the Trinity — honours which interfere with the sole prerogatives of the Deity. The first proof of this 14 shall be derived from an authoritative document which all members of your Communion are bound to reverence. I mean, the Encyclical Letter of Pope Gregory XVI. addressed in 1832 to all Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops, in which the following passage occurs. " We hasten unto you, Venerable brethren, and "as a sign of our good will towards you, we " address this letter to you, on this most joyful " day, when we solemnize the festival of the tri- " umphant Assumption of the Holy Virgin into " Heaven, that she whom we have acknowledged " as our patroness and deliverer amongst the greatest " calamities, may propitiously assist us while ice " write, and by her celestial inspiration may guide us " to such counsels as may be most salutary to the " Christian Church"." I need scarcely remark, that the passages printed in Italics distinctly invest the Virgin with the attributes of Deity. The holy Psalmist declares, that God is his " fortress and deliverer," (Ps. cxliv. 2.) — his " help and deliverer," (Ps. xl. 17.) The Pope regards the Virgin Mary as his " patron and " deliverer." The Prophet Isaiah teaches us, that " counsel" is one of the seven gifts of the Holy e Ut quam patronam ac sospitam inter maximas quasque calamitates persensimus, ipsa et scribentibus ad vos nobis adstet propitia, tnentemque nostram ccelesti afflatu suo in ea inducat consilia, quae Christiano gregi futura sint quam maxime salutaria. [5 Spirit, (Is. xl. 2.) The Roman Church herself prays in the sacrament of Confirmation, " Emitte " in eos (confirmandos) septiformem Spiritum tuum " Paraclitum de ccelis, Spiritum sapiential et " intellectus, Spiritum consilii et fortitudinis," &c. (Pontifical. Rom. De Confirm.) I turn to the first treatise on the Trinity by one of your Professors of Theology that comes to my hand, and I there find that the Divinity of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is proved amongst other things by the fact, that the power of giving grace, of giving spiritual gifts, is ascribed to them in holy Scripture. (SeeTournely de Trinitate, p. 384, 499.) And yet, notwithstand- ing all this, the Pope ascribes confidently to the Virgin Mary the very powers which Scripture and tradition give to the Holy Ghost. And now, Sir, perilous and idolatrous as such sentiments are, have they ever once been publicly objected to by a single member of your Com- munion? Has any one of you ever dared to protest against this ascription of the attributes of Deity to a creature ? Will you yourself venture to utter a word in opposition to it ? I am afraid this would be rather too much to expect from any " Vicar " Apostolic. " And why is it that the whole body of your Communion have remained silent, and refrained from uttering a word in censure of language so plainly savouring of heresy and idolatry ? Why is it, that even those amongst you who may disapprove of such statements, have 16 remained mute and confounded ? Because they emanate from Authority — an Authority to which you are obliged to submit. You have asked for some proof that the Virgin Mary is authoritatively put forward in your Church instead of the Trinity ; and 1 believe you have received a sufficient answer. I pass over another passage of the same revolting character at the conclusion of the Encyclical Letter, and proceed to other proofs which will further establish the character of the authoritative teaching in your Church. You will not deny the authority of the Litany of the blessed Virgin, printed at the end of the Roman Catechism compiled by Cardinal Bellarmine, and to the repetition of which, Indulgences were attached by Sixtus V, Benedict XIII, and Pius VII. At the conclusion of this is the following prayer. " We fly to thy protection, Holy Mother of God, " despise not our prayers in our necessities, but " deliver us at all times from all evils-, glorious and " blessed Virgin d ." The holy Psalmist placed his trust in God. " The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble/' (Ps. ix. 9.) He consoled the afflicted of Israel by the hope that the Lord " will regard the prayer of the d Sub tuum preesidium confugimus, sancta Dei Genetrix, nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus nostris; sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. 17 destitute, and not despise their prayer." (Ps. cii. 17.) Our Lord himself taught us to pray to our Heavenly Father to " deliver us from all evil." And vet, in spite of all this, the Popes grant indulgences for the repetition of prayers which express the very same sort of confidence in the Virgin as the Scriptures teach us to feel towards God. I will here mention another prayer to the Virgin, to the repetition of which Pius VI. in 1 786 granted Indulgences. It is as follows: " Condescend to " permit me to praise thee, sacred Virgin. Grant 11 me strength against thine enemies. Blessed be " God in his Saints e ." The " Stabat Mater," which has Indulgences annexed to its repetition by Innocent XI, is full of similar petitions f . But I will not dwell further on this branch of the subject. You wish for some proofs from your " best writers," or any of them, that the Virgin Mary is presented instead of the Trinity, and that she is regarded as the dispenser of mercy. You will readily admit the eminent learning and piety of Cardinal Bona. Hear then the following prayer extracted from his writings. " Oh most sweet Virgin Mary, Mother ot God " and our Lord Jesus Christ, refuge of sinners, " and mother of Mercy, I commit myself this day " and evermore to thy peculiar protection with most ' Bouvier, Traite des Indulgences, p. 244. 1 lb. p. 245. B 18 " humble devotion. Place me near unto thee, and " protect me from all my enemies visible and invisible. " Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Direct " me thy servant in all my ways and actions. Con- " sole me in all my griefs and afflictions. Defend " and preserve me from all evils and dangers. " Turn thy face unto me when the end of my "life shall come; and may thy consolation, in " that tremendous hour, rejoice my spirit. Thou " canst do all that thou wilt in heaven and earth, " nor can any resist thy will, for thou obtainest " from the Almighty whatever thou seekest. Hear M therefore and receive my prayers, and despise " me not when I confide in thy mercy. Behold " I fall down before thee, most gracious Virgin, " I fall down and worship in thee thy Son, and " I implore thy suffrages to obtain that my sins " may be blotted out, to reconcile the heart of thy " Son to my heart, that He may possess me, and " make me a man according unto his heart 5 ." If this prayer does not ascribe to the blessed Virgin the Divine attribute of " dispensing mercy," I know not what words can do so. She is addressed exactly in the terms which we should use in pray- b " In hora ilia tremenda consolatio tua laetificet spiritum nieum. Omnia potes quaecumque vis in ccelo et in terra, nee est qui possit resistere voluntati tuae. . . . Ecce procido coram te, benignissima Virgo, procido et adoro in te Filium tuum," &c. Jo. Bonae Presbyt. Cardinalis, Horologium Asceticum, \, 2. Opuscula Spiritualia, t. i. p. 13. 19 ing to the second or third Persons of the Holy Trinity. We see in it the same feeling of con- fidence in the protection of the Being addressed — the same degree of worship which is offered to Jesus Christ. ' ; I fall down and worship in thee " thy Son." The Virgin Mary is worshipped with the honour due to God ! You will not, I venture to say, express any disapprobation of this prayer, any more than of the sentiments of Gregory XVI. or of the authorized and indulgenced prayers which I have cited above. You will be satisfied to say, that such things are not enforced upon your con- sciences bv the Decrees of the Council of Trent. Then if they are not, your guilt is so much the greater in practising them. By your own con- fession, such idolatrous invocations are not com- pulsory on you. They are therefore voluntary; and you are wholly without excuse or justification. It is in vain to allege that they are not universally approved or received. What proofs can you afford of this assertion ? When have you yourself pro- tested against them ? Who amongst you lifts up his voice against them '? You content yourselves with general disclaimers of superstition and idolatry, but you will never venture to lay your finger on any specific case amongst the thousands which are authorized amongst you. But I have not concluded this branch of the subject yet. I have to adduce a third branch of evidence, the authority of which you, at least, will scarcelv deny. b2 20 I allude to the " Lives of St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. !' Francis de Girolamo, &c. whose canonization took " place on Trinity Sunday, May 26, 1839." Of this publication you are the reputed Editor h , and if you are unwilling to avow your connection with it, you cannot hesitate to admit the authority attached to the actions and sentiments of Saints recently canon- ized, after the strictest and minutest investigation of their lives and conduct by the highest tribunals in the Roman Church — actions and sentiments which had been brought under the special notice of those tribunals, and which are now published (probably by yourself) for the general edification and imitation of Roman Catholics. Let us then see what is thus authorized by your Church. I extract the following from the Life of St. Alphonsus Liguori. " His loving patroness, our blessed Lady, re- " warded his zeal in the cause of charity and " devotion by appearing to him in the sight of an " immense crowd of people collected in the Church " of Foggia to listen to a discourse upon his fa- " vorite subject, the intercession and patronage of " Mary. From her countenance a ray of light, b At the end of the Catholic Directory and Annual Register for the year 1841, I find in the Catalogue of Books of " F. A. Little, Catholic Bookseller and Stationer," the following : — Works by the Rev. Dr. Wiseman. The Lives of St. Alphonsus Liguori, &e. 21 " like that of the sun, was reflected upon the face " of her devout servant, which was seen by all the " people, who cried out ' a miracle! a miracle f >' and recommended themselves with great fervour and " many tears to the Mother of God ; and many " women of abandoned life were seized with such " intense sorrow, that they mounted upon a plat- " form in the church, and began to discipline " themselves and cry aloud for mercy ; and then " leaving the church, retired to the house of " penitents in that city. Alphonsus, in his judi- " cial attestation, deposed, that during the Sermon, " he, together with the assembled audience, saw the " countenance of the blessed Virgin resembling " that of a girl of fourteen or fifteen years of age, 11 who turned from side to side, as was witnessed " by every one present 1 ." " Whilst he was preaching on the patronage of " the blessed Virgin, and exciting his hearers to " recur ivith confidence to her in all their wants, he " suddenly exclaimed, ' O, you are too cold in " praying to our blessed Lady ! I will pray to her for " you.' He knelt down in the attitude of prayer, " with his eyes raised to heaven, and was seen by 11 all present lifted more than a foot from the " ground, and turned towards a statue of the blessed " Virgin near the pulpit. The countenance of our 1 Lives of St. Alphonsus Liguori, &c. p. 12. Dolman, Lon- don, 1839. 22 " Lady (the statue!) darted forth beams of light, • ' which shone upon the face of the ecstatic Alphon- " sus. This spectacle lasted about five or six " minutes, during which the people cried out, " ' Mercy, mercy! a miracle, a miracle V and every " one burst into a flood of tears. But the saint " rising up, exclaimed in a loud voice, ' Be glad, "for the blessed Virgin has granted your prayer*.'" Now, Sir, with every disposition to avoid uncha- ritable or general imputations of idolatry, and to allow the sincerity of those amongst vou who dis- claim it, I cannot refrain from expressing to you the horror and amazement which such a scene inspires. Here is a Saint of your Church — a Saint canonized only two years ago, and after the most rigid investigation of all his actions by the highest authorities amongst you. — This Saint excites his hearers to " recur with confidence to the Virgin in " all their wants," as if she were a Deity. He follows this up by kneeling down and " praying" to the Virgin. — Observe, not seeking her intercession, but praying to her. A miracle is wrought to sanc- tion this impiety ; and that nothing may be wanting to complete the abomination of the scene, this miracle is wrought, while the Saint is in an attitude of adoration before the image of the Virgin, and while that image itself becomes, as it were, animated, and testifies the presence of the Virgin within it ! This is the teaching which you place before the members k II). p. 27. 23 of your Church. This is the teaching which your Saints inculcate — your Cardinals and your Pope approve and authorize — and which you yourself print and publish for the edification of the faithful ! But I pass on to another example of the same teaching. 11 He established confraternities amongst his " flock, as a means of inducing them to frequent " the Sacraments, and to hear the word of God, " and maintained the spirit of their foundation by " frequently preaching to them; and one evening, " whilst he was preaching during a retreat to the " confraternity of gentlemen at Arienzo upon the " patronage of the Blessed Virgin, he was on a " sudden wrapt in ecstasy, and his countenance " shone with such splendour, that the whole Church " was lighted up with unusual brightness; and he " exclaimed, ' See, the blessed Virgin is come to " dispense graces amongst us ; let us pray to her, and " we shall obtain whatever we ask\' " When Moses descended from the mount with these words of God, " I am the Lord thy God. " Thou shalt have none other Gods but me," the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come nigh him. Liguori is invested with an equally miraculous splendour, while he declares that the Virgin is a Goddess — while he asserts that she " dispenses graces," or is invested with the attri- butes of the Deity, and while he admonishes the 1 lb. p. 35. 24 people to address her as an all-powerful Being ! Which would you have us believe ? Or is this fable intended to turn the Scripture itself into ridicule and contempt, and to afford Infidels the means of opposing Revelation to Revelation, and arguing the absurdity of the whole from its contra- dictions ? I turn to the life of another of your recently canonized Saints, St. Francis di Girolarno, where, after some mention of his love of Christ, the following passage occurs. " In like manner he was tenderly devoted to our " blessed Lady. For twenty-two years he preached " a Sermon in her praise and honour every week. " To youth especially, it was his custom to recom- " mend this devotion as the surest preservative of " innocence, and the best remedy against sin; saying " that one could hardly be saved who felt no " devotion towards the Mother of God. Mary was " his counsellor in doubt, his comfort in toil, his " strength in all his enterprises, his refuge in danger " and distress. He experienced an inexpressible " delight whenever he recited the Rosary of our " blessed Mother." Lives of Liguori, &c. p. 101. I leave this passage to speak for itself. It requires no comment. If ever idolatrous reverence was felt for a created being, it certainly was in this case ; and yet this is an example which the autho- rities of your Church hold up for general admira- tion ! With such facts before the public, you have the confidence to ask for evidence that the Virgin 25 and the Saints are set up instead of the Holy Trinity. Can you ask for better evidence than that which has been given ? I have not quoted antiquated documents — I have not cited a thousand idolatrous passages from your books of popular devotion and other unauthorized sources — I have not referred to " local abuses" or " popular superstitions," but to the highest and most un- deniable authorities in your Church. They convict you of all that has been alleged against you, and you may writhe beneath that conviction, but you cannot escape from it, except by shewing what it is impossible to shew, that the errors and idolatries which I have pointed out, have been resisted and protested against in your community. 2. The Saints are authoritatively placed before you instead of the Trinity. That is, they share the honours of the Deity — they receive honours which are only due to God. In proof of this I again appeal to the Encyclical Letter of Gregory XVI, where, near the con- clusion, he thus addresses all the Bishops of the Roman Obedience. " We will also earnestly beseech with humble " prayers from the Prince of the Apostles, Peter, " and from his co-Apostle Paul, that you may stand "as a wall, that no other foundation be laid but 11 that which has been laid. Relying on this " delightful hope, we trust that the author and 26 ' finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ, will at length 1 console us in all our tribulations. (Id et ab ' apostolorurn principe Petro, et ab ejus co-apostolo ' Paulo humili prece eftiagitemus, ut stetis omnes 1 pro muro, ne fundamentum aliud ponatur praeter 1 id quod positum est. Hac jucunda spe freti, ' confidimus auctorem consummatoremque fidei ' Jesum Christum consolaturum tandem esse nos 1 omnes in tribulationibus, &c") To avoid mistakes it may be necessary to observe, that the " foundation" here alluded to is not the Saviour, but the established doctrine and discipline of the Roman Church, the dangers of which deeply excite the Pontiff's grief and alarm. In this passage then St, Peter and St. Paul are distinctly invested with the attributes of Divine Providence. They are supposed to give grace and power to the Bishops — to confirm them in the faith. No prayer whatever is addressed to any Person of the blessed Trinity. No supplications are offered to our Lord, but it is hoped that in consequence of the prayers addressed to the Virgin Mary and the Apostles Peter and Paul, he will console his Church. St. Mary, Peter, and Paul, guard and protect the Church — our Lord consoles it ! Such is the svstem taught by authority. Do you wish for further evidence? It shall be immediately supplied. Pius VII. by his decree of the 28th April, 1807, 27 granted