whatsoever, within the Realm of England? 2. Can the Pope or Cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the Church of Rome, absolve or dispense with His Majesty's subjects from their oath of allegiance, upon any pretext whatsoever? 3. If there is any principle in the tenets of the Catholic Faith, by which Catholics are justified in not keeping faith with heretics, or other persons differing from them in religious opinions, in any transaction, either of a public or a private nature?

The Universities answered unanimously:→→→ 1. That the Pope or Cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the Church of Rome, has not any civil authority, power, jurisdiction, or pre-eminence whatsoever, within the Realm of England. 2. That the Pope or Cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the Church of Rome, CANNOT absolve or dispense with His Majesty's subjects from their oath of allegiance, upon any pretext whatsoever. 3. That there is no principle in the tenets of the Catholic Faith, by which Catholics are justified in not keeping faith with heretics, or other persons differing from them in religious opinions, in any transactions either of a public or a private nature. As soon as the opinions of the foreign Universities were received, they were transmitted to Mr. Pitt: but we earnestly beg of you to observe, that it was for his satisfaction, not ours, that these opinions were taken :-Assuredly,

A

His Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects did not want the wisdom of foreign Universities to inform them, that His Majesty is the lawful sovereign of all his Roman Catholic subjects, and that, by every divine and human law, his Roman Catholic subjects owe him true, dutiful, active, and unreserved allegiance.

Such then, fellow countrymen and fellow subjects, such being our religious and civil principles, in respect to our King and our Country,— let us now again ask you,-Is there in them, a single tenet, which is incompatible with the purest loyalty, or which, in the slightest degree, interferes with the duty we owe to God, our King, or our Country?

But, are these principles really instilled into us? Do our actions correspond with them?In reply we ask,-Are there not, at this very moment, thousands of His Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects, who daily and hourly make the most heroic exertions and sacrifices in those fleets and armies, to whose patient and adventurous courage it is owing, that we are still blessed with a King and Country.

Now then, fellow countrymen and fellow subjects, be assured, that, among these heroic and inestimable defenders and supporters of their King and their Country, there is not one, whose parents and whose priests have not taught him,

that loyalty is a religious as much as a civil duty; and that, when he is fighting for his king and his country, he is performing a duty to his God."

This paper is signed by 59 of the most respectable Catholic noblemen and gentlemen of the kingdom, with the late venerable Dr. Douglass, Vic. Ap. London, at their head.

SECTION IV.

Some other Points on which Protestants have mistaken, and consequently misrepresented, Catholics.

THE chief points on which we have been in the habit of mistaking, and, consequently, of misrepresenting, Roman Catholics appear to be the following: The opinions held by some Catholics concerning the infallibility and power of the Pope, the notions concerning works of supererogation, the use of images,-the practice of persecution, the opinions relative to the salvation of heretics,-the use of the scriptures,-and, the belief in miracles. Had I undertaken, instead of a Picture of the Catholic Church, a description of the Faith of Cardinal Bellarmine, the vagaries of the schoolmen, or of any

other writer, or the rhapsodical flights of certain mystical Nuns and fanatical Friars.--Nay, if the faith of the Church were not distinct from, and independent of, the opinions of the highest individual authority, whether of a Pope,* a Cardinal, or a Bishop, ancient or modern, then, indeed, my task would have been an Herculean Jabour; and to have lessened the mistakes of my Protestant brethren, I must have explained ten thousand contradictory opinions, which have amused the leisure, or indulged the fancy, of

* I am sorry to have occasion to explain or correct what I have said on a former page (300-301) relative to the belief of Catholics, in regard to the spiritual government of the Pope. What is there unguardedly said on this subject is liable, I fear, to a misconception, and I take this early opportunity of correcting myself. Catholics do not believe that the Pope is literally the sole depository of the faith of Christians; but that he, as head of the Church, when connected with, and concurring in all the decisions of the whole Church, may be regarded as the director of the belief of all the faithful; so long as he does not attempt to teach any new doctrines, or any thing not before received by the whole Catholic communion. And when I say (p. 301), it is a doctrine held by Catholics that no true believer can enter hea ven but through the recommendation of the Pope as Christ's visible vicegerent, I mean, and ought to have written, that it is an opinion of Roman Catholics that no one can enter heaven who does not admit the doctrines taught and believed by the Vicar of Christ, and the whole Christian Church. This timely explanation will, I trust, prevent or remove any improper impressions which my former assertions might have produced on the mind of the reader.

doctors and canonists without number, in every age of the Church.

The following extracts from Mr. Gother's curious little pamphlet,* are so much to my present purpose, that I cannot do better than lay them before the reader in this place :

"Of Praying to Images. A Papist truly represented believes it damnable to worship stocks and stones for gods, to pray to pictures or images of Christ, of the Virgin Mary, or of any other saints, to believe any virtue or divinity in them, or to put any trust or confidence in them. He is expressly taught the contrary to all this by the council of Trent, and his very children are instructed in their Catechisms, which are in the hands of all, that they must "by “no means pray to pictures or images, because they can "neither see, nor hear, nor help them." But what use then does the Papist make of pictures or images of Christ,

"A Papist Misrepresented and Represented; or, a Twofold Character of Popery." It is gratifying and encouraging to find that I am anticipated in referring to, and extracting from this little pamphlet, by the learned and liberal Dr. Butler (See his Installation Sermon, before referred to). In mak ing these extracts, I have purposely omitted not only some entire points or characters, but have also withheld the first character of Popery, as it is " Misrepresented." The substance of those real or supposed misrepresentations, will easily be gathered from what the author states in his "Papist Represented." It is not necessary to repeat, that the author of the present work does not take upon himself to maintain or recommend the doctrines and practices represented in these extracts. They are given from a sincere and disinterested love of truth and justice. With such a view may they be read! They are printed in a smaller type, that they might occupy as little space as possible.