them in broad daylight. We see,' says he, in effect, a Pagan rite introduced into our churches under the pretext of religion, when heaps of wax candles are lighted up in clear sunshine, and people every where kissing and adoring, I know not what contemptible dust, preserved in a little vessel, and wrapped up in precious linen. These men do great honour truly to the blessed martyrs, by lighting up paltry candles to those, whom the Lamb, in the midst of the throne, illuminates with all the lustre of his majesty.' St. Jerome, who answers him, does not deny the practice, nor its being borrowed from the Pagans, but defends it. That,' says he, was once done to idols, and was then to be detested; but this is done to the martyrs, and is therefore to be received.' Vigilantius appears to have had several bishops and presbyters on his side in this controversy, and particularly Ruffinus; yet the church in general was so strongly infected at this time with Pagan prejudices, that his remonstrances were treated with no better terms than heretical, impious, and diabolical.'

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Upon the conversion of the empire to the Christian faith, when the church found itself supported by the laws, and invested with authority; it is natural to imagine that one of the first acts of her power would be to render all due honours to the memory of those martyrs by whose blood she had obtained it. This, therefore, was the peculiar zeal and reigning devotion of that age: in consequence of which it was a kind of fashion for the new converts who were of eminent birth and fortunes, to build churches at their own expense, to the honour of the martyrs, and for a repository of their bones: which, after the manner of the Pagans, they affected also to adorn with paint ings; representing the stories of the Old and New Testament, and especially the acts of those martyrs to whom the churches were consecrated; in opposition to the fabulous acts of the old heroes, or pretended deities, with which the heathen temples were usually painted.

"Thus Paulinus, a convert from Paganism, of senatorial rank, celebrated for his parts and learning, and who died afterwards Bishop of Nola, rebuilt in a

splendid manner his episcopal church, dedicated to Felix the Martyr; on whose porticos were painted the miracles of Moses and of Christ, together with the acts of Felix, and the other martyrs, whose reliques were there deposited. He gives a short description of these paintings in one of his poems; where, to obviate an objection that might probably be made to this new and unusual method, as he calls it, of painting churches, he says, that it was done with a design to draw the rude multitude, habituated to the profane rites of paganism, to a knowledge and good opinion of the Christian doctrine; by learning from these pictures, what they were not capable of learning from books, the lives and acts of Christian saints.' Thus Sulpicius also, another noble convert, and Paulinus's friend, built two basilicas, or spacious churches, with a baptistry between them, in which was painted, on the one side, St. Martin, whose life also he wrote; and on the other, his living friend Paulinus.

"Thus were pictures or images introduced into the Christian church, about the end of the fourth, or the beginning of the fifth century, by the pagan converts; who seem to have vied with each other in the magnificence of building, adorn. ing, and painting the churches of the several martyrs. Their design was to do honour to the memory of those martyrs; and to edify the people by the example of their lives; but above all, as Paulinus, one of the first introducers of them, declares; to draw the heathens the more easily to the faith of Christ, since by flocking in crowds to gaze at the finery of these paintings, and by explaining to each other the stories there represented, they would gradually acquire a rever ence for that religion which inspired so much virtue and piety into its professors.' But these compliances, as Bishop Stillingfleet observes, were attended with very bad consequences; since Christianity became at last, by that means, to be nothing else but reformed Paganism, as to its divine worship: and as the learned Mr. Turretin also, describing the state of Christianity in this very age, says, the empire was brought over to the faith, but

the church also infected with the pomp of the empire; the pagans were converted to Christ, but the worship of Christ also depraved to the fashion of paganism.'"*

Dr. Middleton then proceeds to sketch the actual state of Rome, and its church, as he himself beheld it.

"But our notion of the idolatry of modern Rome will be much heightened still and confirmed, as oft as we follow them into those temples, and to those very altars which were built originally by their heathen ancestors, the old Romans, to the honour of their pagan deities; where we shall hardly see any other alteration than the shrine of some old hero filled by the meaner statue of some modern saint: nay, they have not always, as I am well informed, given themselves the trouble of making even this change, but have been content sometimes to take up with the old image, just as they found it; after baptizing it only, as it were, or consecrating it anew, by the imposition of a Christian name. This their antiquaries do not scruple to put strangers in mind of, in showing their churches; and it was, I think, in that of St. Agnes, where they showed me an antique statue of a young Bacchus, which with a new name, and some little change of drapery, stands now worshipped under the title of a female saint.

"The noblest heathen temple now remaining in the world, is the Pantheon, or Rotunda, which, as the inscription over the portico informs us, having been impiously dedicated of old by Agrippa to Jove and all the gods, was piously reconsecrated by Pope Boniface IV. to the blessed Virgin and all the saints. With this single alteration, it serves as exactly for all the purposes of the Popish as it did for the pagan worship for which it was built. For as in the old temple every one might find the god of his country, and address himself to that deity whose religion he was most devoted to, so it is the same thing now; every one chooses the patron whom he likes best; and one may see here different services

• Middleton's Letter from Rome, edit. 1813, pp. 88-97.

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going on at the same time at different altars, with distinct congregations around them, just as the inclinations of the people lead them, to the worship of this or that particular saint.

"And as it is in the Pantheon, it is just the same in all the other heathen temples that still remain in Rome; they have only pulled down one idol to set up another, and changed rather the name than the object of their worship. Thus the little temple of Vesta, near the Tiber, mentioned by Horace, is now possessed by the Madonna of the Sun; that of Fortuna Virilis by Mary the Egyptian: that of Saturn (where the public treasure was anciently kept), by St. Adrian; that of Romulus and Remus, in the Via Sacra by two other brothers, Cosmas and Damianus; that of Antonine the Godly, by Laurence the Saint."*

The Homily of the Episcopal church, on Feril of Idolatry pursues the same line of remark:

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Alas, we seem in thus thinking and doing, to have learned our religion, not out of God's word, but out of the pagan poets, who say,

Excessere omnes, adytis arisque relictis, Dii, quibus imperium hoc steterat, &c. That is to say, All the gods, by whose defence this empire stood, are gone out of the temples, and have forsaken their altars. And where one saint hath images in divers places, the same saint hath divers names thereof, most like to the Gentiles. When you hear of our Lady of Walsingham, our Lady of Ipswich, our Lady of Wilsdon, and such others, what is it but an imitation of the Gentile idolaters' Diana Agrotera, Diana Coriphea, Diana Ephesia, &c., Venus Cypria, Venus Paphia, Venus Gnidia? Whereby is evidently meant, that the saint for the image's sake should in those places, yea, in the images themselves, have a dwelling: which is the ground of their idolatry. For where no images be, they have no such means. Terentius Varro showeth, that there were three hundred Jupiters in his time: there were no fewer Veneres and Diana: we had no fewer Christophers, Ladies, and Mary Magda

• Ibid., p. 32-36.

lenes, and other saints, Enomaus and Hesiodus show, that in their time there were thirty thousand gods. I think we had no fewer saints to whom we gave the honour due to God. And they have not only spoiled the true living God of his due honour in temples, cities, countries, and lands, by such devices and inventions, as the Gentile idolaters have done before them; but the sea and waters have as well special saints with them, as they had gods with the Gentiles, Neptune, Triton, Nereus, Castor and Pollux, Venus, and such other: in whose places become St. Christopher, St. Clement, and divers other, and specially our lady, to whom shipmen sing, Ave, maris stella. Neither hath the fire 'scaped their idolatrous inventions. For, instead of Vulcan and Vesta, the Gentiles' gods of the fire, our men have placed St. Agatha, and make letters on her day for to quench fire with. Every artificer and profession hath his special saint, as a peculiar god. As for example, scholars have St. Nicholas and St. Gregory; painters, St. Luke; neither lack soldiers their Mars, nor lovers their Venus, amongst Christians. All diseases have their special saints, as gods, the curers of them; the

St. Roche; the falling-evil, St. Cornelius; the toothache, St, Apollin, &c. Neither do beasts nor cattle lack their gods with us; for St. Loy is the horseleech, and St. Anthony the swineherd, &c. Where is God's providence and due honour in the mean season; who saith, The heavens be mine, and the earth is mine, the whole world and all that in it is I do give victory, and I put to flight: of me be all counsels and help, &c. Except I keep the city, in vain doth he watch that keepeth it: Thou, Lord, shalt save both men and beasts?' But we have left him neither heaven, nor earth, nor water, nor country, nor city, peace nor war, to rule and govern: neither men, nor beasts, nor their diseases to cure that a godly man might justly for zealous indignation cry out, O heaven, O earth, and seas, what madness and wickedness against God are men fallen into! What dishononr do the creatures to their Creator and Maker! And if we remember God sometimes, yet, because we doubt of his ability or will to help,

we join to him another helper-as if he were a noun adjective-using these sayings; Such as learn, God and St. Nicholas be my speed; such as neese, God help and St. John; to the horse, God and St. Loy save thee. Thus are we become like horses and mules, which have po understanding. For is there not one God only, who by his power and wisdom made all things, and by his providence governeth the same, and by his goodness maintaineth and saveth them? Be not all things of him, by him, and through him? Why dost thou turn from the Creator to the creatures? This is the manner of the Gentile idolaters; but thou art a Christian, and therefore by Christ alone hast access to God the Father, and help of him only. These things are not written to any reproach of the saints themselves; who were the true servants of God, and did give all honour to him, taking none unto themselves, and are blessed souls with God; but against our foolishness and wickedness, making of the true servants of God false gods, by attributing to them the power and honour which is God's, and due to him only. And for that we have such opinions of the power and ready help of saints, all our legends, hymns, sequences, and masses, did contain stories, lauds, and praises of them, and prayers to them: yea, and sermons also altogether of them and to their praises, God's word being clean laid aside. And this we do altogether agreeable to the saints, as did the Gentile idolaters to their false gods, For these opinions which men have had of mortal persons, were they never so holy, the old most godly and learned Christians have written against the feigned gods of the Gentiles; and Christian princes have destroyed their images: who if they were now living, would doubtless likewise both write against our false opinions of saints, and also destroy their images. For it is evident, that our image-maintainers have the same opinion of saints, which the Gentiles had of their false gods, and thereby are moved to make them images, as the Gentiles did. If answer be made, that they make saints but intercessors to God, and means for such things as they would obtain of God; that is, even after the Gen

tiles' idolatrous usage, to make them, of saints, gods called Dii Medioximi, to be mean intercessors and helpers to God, as though he did not hear, or should be weary if he did all alone. So did the Gentiles teach, that there was one chief power working by other, as means; and so they made all gods subject to fate or destiny; as Lucian in his dialogues feigneth that Neptune made suit to Mercury, that he might speak with Jupiter. And therefore in this also, it is most evident, that our image-maintainers be all one in opinion with the Gentile idolaters."

It may, perhaps, be objected by some, that it is unjust to charge upon the Church of Rome itself, the individual acts of indiscreet members of her communion, in various countries. Our reply is, that the whole body is thoroughly and equally polluted with the sin. Where is Romanism to be found, whether in bulls,

or decrees of councils, or breviaries, or public worship,-free from this stain? The Council of Trent declares" that the saints reigning together with Christ offer to God their prayers for men: that it is good and useful to invoke them with supplication:" "that the holy bodies of the martyrs and others ought to be venerated, by means of which the faithful receive many benefits:" "that the images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God, and other saints, are to be especially had and retained in the churches, and due honour and veneration to be given them." . "If any shall teach or think contrary to these decrees, let him be accursed." And the Encyclical Letter of the present pope, of the date of August 15, 1832, adopts this language:

"Having at length taken possession of Our see in the Lateran Basilica, according to the custom and institution of Our predecessors, We turn to you without delay, Venerable Brethren; and in testimony of Our feeling towards you, We select for the date of Our letter this most joyful day on which We celebrate the solemn festival of the Most Blessed Virgin's triumphant Assumption into Heaven; that She, who has been through every great calamity Our Patroness and Protectress, may watch over us, writing to you [literally, may stand over Us propitious,' nobis adstet propitia'], and lead Our mind by her Heavenly influence (literally, by her Heavenly inspiration,' 'cælesti afflatu suo'] to those counsels

which may prove most salutary to Christ's flock." And again :

"But that all [these events, 'omnia hæc'] may have a successful and happy issue, let us raise Our eyes [and hands oculos manusque'] to the most Blessed Virgin Mary, who alone destroys heresies, who is our greatest hope [confidence,' fiducia'], yea, the entire ground of our hope. May she exert her patronage to draw down an efficacious blessing on our desires, our plans and proceedings, in the present straitened condition of the Lord's flock."

And in "The Glories of Mary," by Alph. Liguori, who was canonized by

the head of the Roman church on the 26th of May, 1839, we read these blasphemies:

We have here, then, a certain test and proof of what is the nature of the worship current in the Church of Rome at the present day.

When we assert the Romish church to be idolatrous and apostate, we are not judging individuals, but a corporate body, having laws and standards, confessions of faith, and authoritative interpreters. If we find a church propounding a Socinian creed and articles, it matters not to us that there is reason to believe that many of its members are sounder in the faith than their teachers. We can only deal with the body as it officially and authoritatively appears, and in that view it must be held to be Socinian. In the same way we judge the Church of Rome. Her creeds are idolatrous; the decisions of her councils are idolatrous; the language of her acknowledged head is idolatrous; the current worship of her temples, in all parts of the world, is idolatrous. That some persons may yield a

more scriptural obedience than their church teaches, and may practically fly from the saints to Christ himself, is very probable, and they may thus save their own souls; but this cannot affect the question, of the general state and standing of the church of which they are members. This must be determined by her corporate declarations, and her public confessions and acts of worship. She has not abjured the worship of God; nor had the Jews of old. But she offends as heinously as if she had done so,-and just as they did of old,-by setting up other gods, together with JEHOVAH; by "making graven images of them, and bowing down to them," and thus "provoking the Lord to jealousy, and to fierce anger."

The case, in fact, is so clear, and the evidence so conclusive, that it is needless to offer any comment. In fact, as Mede justly observes, If Rome be acquitted and exonerated of the charge of idolatry, then the case of the church of Israel must seem a very hard one, to have suffered so much rebuke, so many plagues, so much wrath, and yet she never forsook the true God altogether, but merely wished to have other gods beside him,' the demons and Baalim of the nations round about; hoping that Jehovah would not be offended thereat, since He was retained in the chief place and honour still." But God will not give His glory to another; neither His praise to graven images."

A

The Church of England declares Rome to be the Great Harlot described by St. John in the xviith chapter of his Apocalypse; and in truth this view is necessary to the arriving at any intelligible idea of the purport of that book. "woman" is seen by the apostle; riding upon a scarlet-coloured beast having ten horns. She is called a harlot,- the same description which is applied, in the Old Testament, to Judah and Israel, on their idolatry and rebellion against God. This woman is declared by the apostle to typify that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth;" a description which the Romish bishop Walmisley admits to be applicable to none but Rome. Dr. Walmisley, then, indeed,

Final and tremendous destruction, then, remains for Babylon; and Babylon is Rome. But such punishment can only follow in the decrees of a God of truth and justice, on some enormous sin. What, then, is that sin declared to be?

Adultery and fornication with all the kings and nations of the earth; accompanied by the most cruel persecution of the saints of God. Now by the universal analogy of God's word, these terms, applied to a church or nation, signify IDOLATRY,-the leaving the rightful Lord and Husband ("thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name,") for other gods. And thus is Babylon set forth in God's word: "I will show thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarletcolour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MysTERY, Babylon the GREAT, THE MOTHER

OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE

EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." (Rev. xvii. 1-6.) And then comes the inspired interpretation: "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," (ver. 15.) "The woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth," (ver. 18.)