should be felt towards the Catholic subjects of the
reigning prince *.

I have thus taken a rapid view of the possible,
for I do not always say the just causes of the
restrictions on our Catholic fellow subjects, and of
the jealousies which their Protestant brethren, with
any colour of reason might entertain of them, from
the Reformation to the present reign. I would
only ask the opponents of Catholic emancipation,
WHICH OF THESE CAUSES OPERATE
NOW? What POSSIBLE danger can arise from
acceding to the Catholic claims, when,

I. The rights and property of the Established Church have been secured by possession for above 250 years and man thiled half down yeast hier II. The question of Protestant succession is a settled by the extinction of the Catholic family-Link not a III. The spiritual power of the Pope is limited, Tel Whit and the temporal power of the Pope is utterly abolished? fatic

But this is not all. The gradual progress of intellectual improvement in the nations of Europe, have rendered obsolete, or indifferent, to the Catholics themselves, many points of doctrine formerly insisted on with greater earnestness, though

E 4

* These rebellions, however, cannot be considered as connected with religion. The Protestant nonjurors of Scotland were infinitely more forward in them than the Catholics, a great portion of whom offered to take arms against the Pretender and all Ireland, in 1745, was quiescent. Lord Chesterfield even sent some regiments from thence to assist the Duke of Cumberland.

ntestant policetry act

though they have not indeed, nor, perhaps, can they, without an event which it is almost hopeless to look for (I mean a General Council) formally renounce them. But by not agitating or not acting upon them, they virtually and practically renounce them, just as we suffer laws to sleep or become antiquated, which yet are not erased from out a statute book. Nay, more, whoever is at the pains to consult the historical records of his own country, will find, that however a few factious and violent spirits might incline to justify the anathe. matizing Bull of Pius V. "the more moderate sort of Papists" (to use the words of Echard, p. 340. 3d edit.) disallowed of the Pope's whole proceedings, as unjust and illegal. And again he will find, not only that the Catholics volunteered in the fleets and armies of Elizabeth, against that very armada which had for its object the subjugation of this kingdom to the faith of Rome, but that, in the year 1602, in defiance of the Papal Anathema, the Catholic gentry and clergy signed and presented to the Queen a protestation, from which I shall make the following extract, although the whole, especially under all considerations of time and circumstance, is deserving of peculiar attention.

The

*It is of importance to recollect that the Catholics feel themselves at liberty to receive or reject such canons as do not contain articles of faith. That the dispensing and deposing powers are NOT articles of faith-nor are they glanced at in any General Council, except that of the 4th Lateran; and that even the authenticity of that particular canon is questioned by Bishop Hay, Doctors O'Leary, Collier, &c. &c.

The reader may find the original in Dodd's
Church History, vol. ii. p. 292.

The first article declares the Queen's supremacy in all civil and temporal matters.

The second protests against all attempts to restore the Catholic religion by the sword, and binds them to reveal all conspiracies against the Queen, &c.

The third article is as follows

"Thirdly, If upon any excommunication denounced or to be denounced against her Majesty, upon any such conspiracies, invasions, or forcible attempts to be made as before expressed, the Pope should also excommunicate every one born within her Majesty's dominions that would not forsake the aforesaid defence of her Majesty, and her realms, and take part with such conspirators or invaders in these and all other such like cases; we do think ourselves and all the lay Catholics born within her Majesty's dominions bound in conscience not to obey this or any such like censure; but will defend our prince, and country, accounting it our duty so to do; and, notwith. standing any authority or any excommunication whatsoever, either denounced or to be denounced,Gat as is before said, to yield unto her Majesty all l obedience in temporal causes."

Such was the declaration of the English Roman Catholics in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and it would be easy to shew a recognition of the same principles in every succeeding reign; but I hasten rather to the period in which we are more immedi

ately

ately concerned, and shall let the Roman Catholies speak for themselves by extracts from their books of education and devotion, and expositions of their tenets,-documents of all others the most important, and the most satisfactory.

"By far the greatest part of the population of my diocese," says Dr. Law, the late Bishop of Elphin, "are Roman Catholics. I know I cannot make them good Protestants; I therefore wish to make good Catholics of them; and with this intention I put into their hands the works of Gother, an eminent Catholic divine."

From Gother's "Instructions and Devotions for Confession and Communion." London, 1807. P. 101. Extend thy mercy also to all poor infidels, that sit in darkness and the shadow of death to all those nations that know thee not, or have not as yet received the faith and law of thy Son their Saviour; to all Pagans, Mahometans, and Jews. Remember, O Lord, that all these poor souls are made after thine own image and likeness, and redeemed by the blood of thy Son.”

From Gother's "Papist misrepresented and represented." Edit. 23d, London, 1811, P. 47-52. "OF DISPENSATIONS.”

"The Papist misrepresented believes that the Pope has authority to dispense with the laws of God, and absolve any one from the obligation of keeping the commandments. So that, if he has but his holy father's leave, he may confidently

dissemble,

dissemble, lie, and forswear himself in all whats soever he pleases, and never be in danger of being: called to an account at the last day; especially if his lying and forswearing was for the common good of the church: there being then a sure reward prepared for him in heaven, as a recom. pence for his good intentions and heroic atchieve ments. And if at any time he chance to be catched in the management of any of these public church concerns, and being obnoxious to penal laws should have sentence of death passed on him ; he has liberty at his last hour, on the scaffold or ladder, to make a public detestation of all such crimes; to make protestation of his innocence; to call God to witness that he dies unjustly; and that as he is immediately to appear before the supreme judge, he knows no more of any such designs, and is as clear from the guilt of them as the child unborn. And this though the evidence against him be as clear as noon day, though the jury be never so impartial, and the judge never so conscientious. For that he having taken the sacrament and oath of secresy, and received absolution, or a dispensation from the Pope, may then lie, swear, forswear, and protest all that he pleases, without scruple, with a good conscience, christian like, holy, and canonically.

"The Papist truly represented believes that the Pope has no authority to dispense with the laws of God; and that there is no power upon earth can absolve any one from the obligation of keeping the commandments; or give leave to lie or forswear ;

or

Therein is & crafty ciocepitta! The jog han the pres by in pict" in the last on to declare to the laws of fod are!