where supported, by the loyalty, the courage, and the devotion of the persecuted Catholic. Protestant greatness reposes upon Catholic protection. For, take away this, and what, I then ask, would, to-morrow, be the fate of England?

(L.) Page 97.

A COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE PROTESTANT AND
CATHOLIC RELIGIONS.

The Protestant Religion.

The following objections to the Protestant religion are alleged by the "immortal" Chillingworth. They may be found in Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses.

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First, because perpetual visible profession, which could never be wanting to the religion of Christ, nor any part of it, is apparently wanting to the Protestant religion, so far as concerns the points in contestation. 2dly, Because Luther and his followers, separating from the church of Rome, separated from all churches, pure or impure, true or untrue, then being in the world; upon which ground I conclude, that either God's promises did fail of performance, if there were then no church in the world, which held all things necessary, and nothing repugnant to salvation; or else, that Luther and his sectaries, separating from all churches then in the world, and so from the true, if there were any true, were damnable schismatics. 3dly, Because, if any credit might be given to as creditable records as any extant, the doctrine of the Catholiques hath been frequently confirmed, and the opposite doctrine of the Protestants confounded, with supernatural and divine miracles. 4thly, Because many points of Protestant doctrine are the damned opinions of heretics, condemned by the primitive church. 5thly, Because the prophecies of the Old Testament, touching the conversion of kings and nations to the true religion of Christ, have been accomplished in and by the Catholique Roman religion, and the professors of it. 6thly, Because the doctrine of the church of Rome is conformable, and the doctrine of the Protestants contrary, to the doctrine of the fathers of the primitive church, even by the confession of the Protestants themselves; I

mean those fathers who lived within the compass of 600 years, to whom Protestants themselves do very frequently and confidently appeal. 7thly, Because the first pretended reformers had neither extraordinary commission from God, nor ordinary mission from the church, to preach Protestant doctrine. 8thly, Because Luther, to preach against the Mass (which contains the most material points now in controversy), was persuaded by reasons, suggested to him by the devil himself disputing with him. So himself professeth in his book de Missâ Privatâ, that all men might take heed of following him, who professeth himself to follow the devil. 9thly, Because the Protestant cause is now, and hath been from the beginning, maintained with gross falsifications and calumnies, whereof their prime controversy writers are notoriously and in high degree guilty. 10thly, Because, by denying all human authority, either by Pope, or councils, or church, to determine controversies of faith, they have abolished all possible means of

Incredulity may smile, or impiety deride the circumstance, but it is a very awful, and a very singular, fact,—a fact as perplexing to the Protestant, as it is disgraceful to the Protestant cause,-a fact, too, which is not even so much as called in question,-that the two leading and most important tenets of the Reformation were, both of them, acknowledgedly derived from the prince of darkness. I allude to the tenets relating to the Eucharist. Thus, we have, in the first place, the testimony of Luther, very candidly admitting, and even triumphantly boasting, that it was the above enlightened monitor, who,-instructing him, that transubstantiation is an error,-engaged him to substitute the system of consubstantiation in its room. The account of the strange, but frightful conference, between the two learned doctors, may be found in all the early editions of the great Reformer's works,-both in those which were published by himself, and in those which were, soon after, printed by his disciples.

In like manner, we have, next, the testimony of the apostle Zuinglius,— detailed, and formal, as the narrative of Luther, that it was from the same learned teacher that he too received the useful information, that the Eucharist is neither more nor less than an empty figure; and that the doctrine of the real presence is a completely human invention. The dialogue between the two enlightened theologians is related at some length in Zuinglius's book, De Subsidio Eucharistiæ. It resembles the preceding one with the arch-apostle. There is only this important difference between them, that Zuinglius very seriously informs us, that “he had quite forgotten the very interesting circumstance, whether his instructor was black or white!"

suppressing heresy, or of restoring unity to the church." Such are the reasons which induced Chillingworth to abandon the Protestant, and to embrace the Catholic religion. It is true, indeed, that, tempted by the prospects of promotion, and urged by the restlessness of his temper, he, ere long, renounced his newly-adopted religion, and became a member of the established church; although, as Gibbon remarks, he had positively declared, but a few weeks before he took the step, that he could not subscribe the thirty-nine articles, "without subscribing to his own damnation." However, he did not long remain a believing member of this church: for, finding, as all reasoning Protestants do find,-that with the principles of the Reformation, consistently applied, it is impossible for men to stand still,—and that between Catholicity and incredulity, there is no firm ground to stand upon,finding this, he very early threw himself into the abysses of Socinianism. Gibbon indeed asserts, that, "according to the popular opinion of the man, his anxious inquiries subsided at length in philosophic indifference." However, be this as it may, the strange versatility of his character lessens none of the force of his above-cited arguments.

The Catholic Church.

The following recommendations of the Catholic church are extracted from the works of the celebrated Jeremy Taylor. "There are many considerations which may retain persons of much reason, and more piety, in its communion. They know it to have been the religion of their forefathers, which had possession of men's understandings before Protestantism had a name." He then enumerates the succeeding arguments in its favour: " First, its doctrines, having had a long continuance and possession of the church; which, therefore, cannot easily be supposed in the present possessors to be a design, since they have received them from so many ages. Its long prescription, which is such a prejudice, as cannot with many arguments be retrenched; as relying upon these grounds -that truth is more ancient than falsehood-that God would not, for so many ages, forsake his church, and leave her in error. Then comes the splendor and beauty of that church; its

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pompous service; the stateliness and solemnity of its hyerarchy; its name, Catholic;' the antiquity of its doctrines; the continual succession of its bishops, and their immediate derivation from the apostles; its title to succeed St. Peter. Add to this the multitude and variety of people which are of its persuasion; the consent of elder ages; the great consent of one part with another, contrasted with the great differences which are commenced among their adversaries. To this again add, its happiness in being the instrument in converting diverse nations; the advantage of monarchical (the Papal) government, the benefit of which its members daily enjoy; the piety and austerity of its religious orders; the single life of its priests and bishops; the severity of its fasts; the great reputation of its bishops for faith and sanctity; the known holiness of some of its religious founders of orders; its miracles; the accidents and casualties, which have happened to its adversaries; the oblique acts, and indirect proceedings of some of those who have departed from it; and above all, the name of 'heretick' and 'schismatick,' which the Catholic church has fastened on them. Protestants commit themselves by the conduct of the new reformers; at first few, and of the lowest rank of the clergy, being under ecclesiastical censures, assisted against their spiritual superiors by some secular powers, when both they and these were subject to that ecclesiastical hyerarchy which they opposed."

Extract from Sir Edwyn Sandys's Relation of the Western Religions:

"Of all probable proofs, the Catholic church testimony is the most probable. What madness, then, it is for any man to tire out his soul, and to waste away his spirits, in tracing out all the thorny paths of the controversies of these days, wherein to err is no less easy than dangerous! Why not rather betake himself to the right path of truth, whereunto God and nature, reason and experience, do all give witness? That is, why not associate himself to that church, whereunto the custody of this heavenly and supernatural truth hath been from heaven itself committed? Why not weigh discreetly, which is the true church; and having once found it, why not receive faithfully and obediently what it delivers?" The above words, it is true, are spoken in

the person of the Catholic; but Sir Edwyn returns no answer to them. He even proceeds to enumerate the following recommendations of the Catholic church:

"The Catholic church was founded by the apostles, with promise, that the gates of hell should not prevail against it. It has continued on now, till the end of 1600 years, with honourable and certain line, of near two hundred and forty popes, successors of St. Peter,-both tyrants, traitors, pagans, and hereticks, in vain wresting, raging, and undermining it. All the general councils that ever were in the world, have approved and honoured it. God hath miraculously blessed it from above: so many learned doctors have enriched it with their writings; armies of saints have embellished it with their holiness; martyrs, with their blood; virgins, with their purity. Even at this day, amid the difficulties of unjust rebellions, and the unnatural revolts of her nearest children, she yet stretcheth out her arms to the utmost corners of the world; newly embracing whole nations into her bosom. In all opposite churches, there are found inward dissentions, and contrariety; change of opinions; uncertainty of revolutions; with robbing of churches; rebelling against governors; and confusion of order. In the Catholic church there is undivided unity; resolutions unalterable; the most heavenly order, reaching from the height of all power to the lowest of all subjection; all with admirable harmony, and undefective correspondence, bending the same way to the effecting of the same purpose," &c.

(M.) Page 98.

THE AUTHORS, AND FOUNDERS, OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Its chief Apostle, Cranmer.

The enlightened and candid writers of the Edinburgh Review, speaking, in a late number, of the great founders of the Church of England, describe them thus:-"They were-a king, whose character may be best described, by saying, that he was despotism itself personified; unprincipled ministers;