with which the Romanists have invested this object of their adoration, it is only necessary to add that she has always manifested singular favour toward the holy tribunal of the Inquisition, as being the strong hold of the faith, the firmest column of the Roman-Catholic Church, and its surest defence against heretical pravity.* The pleasure which she receives from the burnt offerings of that precious tribunal was proved by a miracle. Gabriel Patreolus relates it, upon the authority of Bernard Lutzemburg, though they have omitted to state in what city occurred; and the Jesuit inquisitor Andrade relates it as a proof of the favour with which the Virgin regards the proceedings of the Holy Office. A certain heretic, Guido Delacha by name, dealt with the Devil, but concealed both his heretical notions and his diabolical dealings so well, that he lived and died with the reputation of a saint, and in that reputation his body was deposited with all honours. The Inquisition however got scent of his opinions, proceeded against him after his death, disinterred his remains, which else were in a fair way of being enshrined and worshipped, and brought them forth in an auto-da-fe to be burnt,

* Andrade, 518.

H H

according to its practice on such occasions. In this instance the Devil proved staunch to his old friend; for the coffer, wherein the bones were contained, was taken out of the flames by some unseen power, and suspended in the air above them at safe distance, in sight of all the people. The multitude exclaimed, "a miracle!" their old prepossession concerning his sanctity was confirmed, as well it might, and they accused the Inquisitors, and the Bishop at their head, of injustice and cruelty. The Bishop and the Inquisitors in this danger immediately adjourned to the Church and performed the mass of Our Lady; just at the instant of the elevation, a voice was heard in the air pronouncing audibly and mournfully these words, O Guido Delacha, we have defended thee as long as we could; and now we can do it no longer, for one who is mightier than us hath conquered! With that the coffer was let fall into the flames, and the heretical remains were consumed.*

These fables, Sir, are set before the public in countries where the Bible is prohibited, and where your Church maintains the exclusive power which it would fain obtain every where,

* Andrade, 518. ·

and without which it will no where be contented. It is no exaggeration to affirm that more lying fictions have been written of the Virgin Mary, and published as truths, . . as proofs of the Roman Catholic doctrines,.. than all the stories that are extant of all the Greek and Roman gods, goddesses, and demigods, if they were collected from all the writers of antiquity. The books which are filled with them would form no inconsiderable division in an ecclesiastical library. The history of her images in the Portugueze dominions alone extends to ten volumes, each whereof, if translated, would fill three such as the present. Every cele

brated image has had its history,..I had almost said its biography, separately written; and I know not whether these histories contain more. proofs of credulity, or of deceit,..of popular weakness, or of priestcraft. In fraud it is, in gross and palpable fraud that they have all originated. I could specify fifty cases in which the trick is as obvious as in that of the last new N. Senhora, who to the discomfiture of the Cortes was installed at Lisbon. What

think you of your Lady of the Pillar at Zaragoza, who came, pillar and all, from heaven, before Our Lady was there herself? What think you of your Lady of Loretto, who was

brought through the air and over the sea, house and all, by Angels?* And yet, Sir, you resent

It is a relief to turn from these wicked fables to the language of a protestant divine, one from whom Mr. Butler has not withheld his praise, and who for clearness, and strength, and sobriety of intellect, has never been surpassed. "This relation of the blessed Virgin to our Lord, says Barrow, (vol. iv. 563. 4th Ed. 1818.) as it should beget a precious esteem and honourable memory of her, (for let that mouth be cursed which will not call her blessed, let the name of him be branded with everlasting reproach of folly, who will not prefer her in dignity before any queen or empress,) so it should not serve to breed in us fond opinions, or to ground superstitious practices in regard to her, as it hath happened to do among divers sorts of Christians; especially among the adherents to Rome. For, "They (out of a wanton mind, but in effect profanely and sacrilegiously) have attributed to her divers swelling and vain names, divers scandalously unsavoury, some hideously blasphemous titles, elogies, as alluding to, so intrenching upon, the incommunicable prerogative of God Almighty and of our blessed Saviour; such as the Queen of Heaven, the Wealth of the World, the Mother of Mercies, the Spouse of God, Our Lady, (as if, beside our unus Dominus, there were una Domina in the Church forgotten by St. Paul) with the like.

"They ascribe to her the most sublime attributes of God, together with his most peculiar actions of providence and protection over us, yea of redemption itself.

"They yield acts of religious veneration (prayer and praise) to her, and those in a very high manner and strain; professing not only to serve her religiously, which the holy scripture chargeth us to do in regard to God and him only, but repos Aεver, to do more than serve her, or to serve her with exceeding devotion.

"Who commonly do at the end of their works, join, praise be

a charge of idolatry and superstition against a Church in which such things are believed,.. of imposture and wickedness against a Church in which such things have been invented! You affect surprize and indignation at the imputation! You accept complacently a vote of public thanks from the British Roman-Catholic Association for refuting the calumny!

to God and to the blessed Virgin! as if she were to share with God in the glory and gratitude due for blessings or success upon our performances.

"All this they do, without any plain reason, any plausible authority, any ancient example, yea manifestly against the best reason, the commands of God, the doctrine and practice of the primitive Church, all which do conspire in appropriating religious adoration to God alone, neither the holy Scripture nor the first Fathers excepting the blessed Virgin from the general rule, or taking notice of her as an object of our worship, but nipping the first essays of such a superstition in the Collyridians. "Such groundless and foolish conceits, such dangerous and impious practices, we should carefully beware; the which as they much derogate from God's honour, and prejudice his service, and thwart his commands, so they indeed do rather greatly discredit, injure, and abuse the blessed Virgin, (making her name accessary to such enormous scandals,) than they do bring any honour, or do any right to her.

"And I doubt not but ɛi riç aïo Inois, if she from her seat of bliss doth behold these perverse services, or absurd flatteries of her, she with holy regret and disdain doth distaste, loathe, disdain, and reject them; with a Non nobis, Domine, (Psalm 115.) Not unto us, O Lord; and with the Angel in the Apocalypse, "Opa μn. see thou do it not !"'