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which is in heaven. Therefore this we cannot withstand; and with humble contrition to our offended GOD and Christ, we will turn to Him in this our eleventh hour, if perhaps the sins of our hearts may be forgiven us." O yes! my beloved countrymen, be assured of it, conviction can never come too late if repentance follow it; but repentance is to conviction, just what works are to faith, the evidence of a right mind, without which all our professions are valueless— nay indeed, not valueless alone, but the very conviction we have as to the truth of the faith we profess, will be our greater condemnation in the last day; unless they produce that fruit, to bring forth which they have been given us. May the Almighty GoD defend us all from the commission of these two deadly sins! between which the difference hardly is one shade; but of the two, the former is predominant, and is undoubtedly that sin so awfully denounced by GoD, which never can be forgiven in this world or the next!

and that of these, orders and baptism cannot be repeated without sacrilege.

In the dictionary I find, opposite the word sacrilege, this explanation," the stealing of sacred things, church-robbing, an alienation to laymen, and to profane and common purposes, of what was given to religious persons, and to pious uses." Perhaps some learned mystic may discover some sense in this passage, and that the meaning of the word, as taken from the dictionary, illuminates the sentence. As far as our own poor judgment is concerned, it appears to be rank

nonsense; but the reader is requested to decide for himself.

I do also receive and admit the received and approved rites of the Catholic church in her solemn administration of the above said sacraments.

Had I been bred a priest, I might doubtless have been able to give you such a string of these approved rites of the church as might reach almost from this to Rome; but being only a reprobrate heretical protestant, I do not at present recollect more than the following few: the use of holy chrism in confirmationexorcism before baptism-candle burning in daylight, during mass-little bells ringing during the same operation, announcing to the people the moment when the living God has been MANUFACTURED by the priestincense burning during the same operation-eternal crossing themselves, ditto-their religious shows, termed processions, when they generally carry about the God of heaven shut up in a box!!—at least they say so themselves, and call it "the host." Now these, though very few of their indecent mummings, will be sufficient to show their protestant brethren some of the "absurdities" against which their forefathers protested at the time of the reformation, and during the dreadful persecutions which they suffered before that blessed event was brought about. It will be unnecessary to say one word in refutation of such anti-Christian mockeries; we shall only add, that they have not the shadow of scripture authority for any one of them.

There are positive scriptures against incense burning; and who but an infant could think of shutting up the great God in a box, and of carrying Him about for a show?! The other follies are too insignificant to be further thought of.

It may be as well, though, to see what account they themselves give of this matter; therefore refer we again to the same invaluable little book before quoted from. Page 38.

"Q. Why does the church make use of so many ceremonies in administering the sacraments?

"A. To stir up devotion in the people *, and reverence to the sacred mysteries; to instruct the faithful concerning the effects and graces given by the sacraments; and to perform things relating to God's honour and the salvation of souls with a becoming decency. (!!) "Q. Have you any warrant from Scripture for the use of such ceremonies ?

"A. Yes. We have the example of Christ, who frequently used the like ceremonies. (!) For instance, in curing the man that was deaf and dumb. Mark, vii. 33, 34. In curing him that was born blind. John, ix. 6, 7. In breathing upon his apostles when he gave them the Holy Ghost. John, xx. 22, &c."

What shall we say to this, brethren? The beautiful simplicity and loveliness of action of our meek and lowly Master, compared with the indecent and offensive mockeries of these his Satanic opposites, in all things!

* The want of spirituality in this communion is herein confessed.

The facts are as large as life: judge ye for yourselves!

XVI.-I do embrace and receive all and every thing

that hath been defined and declared by the holy council of Trent concerning original sin and justification.

These Romanists are most decided epicures. Christians will be satisfied with the contents of the Holy Scriptures, having it on such undeniable authority, that they contain instruction in all things which are needful to our salvation. 2 Tim. iii. 14, 15, 16, 17. But the priests tell us, it is a bad book to put into the hands of the unlearned; although John wrote his epistle to little children, as well as to young men, and fathers, and old men-although the prophets of old desired parents to teach their children the commandments of the LORD," when they were sitting in their houses, when they waited by the way, when they lay down, and when they rose up." Deut. xi. 19. Surely, if this were such a dangerous book in the hands of the uninformed, the prophets of old would never have given these positive instructions to parents to instruct their children in it, at all times, at all seasons, in all places. Had it been so bad a book as these people say it is for the uninformed, would the LORD have conveyed a reproach to the Jews in John, v. 39. for not having searched these Scriptures? Is it likely that He would have required of the crowd, in these terms, "Yea, and why, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right?" Luke, xii. 57. No, my friends, the

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words of the LORD," they are spirit, they are life," and cannot fail to bring salvation to us, if we will only bring entire submission to them; that we may "receive, with meekness, the engrafted word, which is able to save our souls!" Jam. i. 21.

And I would fain, here, give a word of Christian counsel to my beloved brothers of the church establishment, who are many of them apt to take up certain opinions of certain divines, and argue much more stoutly for these, than they would for the truths of Scripture. Be assured of this, my Christian brethren, there is a very considerable quantum of heterodoxy amongst the ministers of our established church; nay, a certain learned prelate has set his face against a society for the extension of Scriptural knowledge. Beware of such, my friends! Believe them not: go to your Scriptures, and judge for yourselves and be assured, that orthodoxy is neither to be found in Bishop Burnet nor in Bishop Tomline, but exactly in so much as their sentiments accord with, and stand the severe test of, Holy Writ.

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So that the observations and advice which I am about to give to the Romanists, touching their credulity respecting the decrees of the council of Trent, will equally apply to as many of you, as look upon Burnet or Tomline, or any other commentator, as the ne plus ultra of theological excellence.

Would it not then be more decorous, my Romish friends, to say, "I will examine what saith the council of Trent on this subject of universal sin and justification, and as GOD through his prophet and Apostle

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