,transcribed from the #aheb ,whittaker and ,co4 edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,picture3 ,public domain book cover ,a ,,letter ,,to ,,lord ,,fielding4 ,,suggested ,,by ,,the ,,late ,,proceedings ,,at ,,the ,,new ,,church ,,at ,,pantasa4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,g4 ,l4 ,,stone1 ,a4,b4 ,,incumbent ,,of ,,rossett1 ,,denbighshire4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,,whittaker ,,and ,,co42 ,,chester1 ,,prichard2 ,,mold1 ,,pring ,,and ,,price2 ,,holywell1 ,,morris2 ,,wrexham1 ,,painter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,letter1 c4 ,,my ,,lord2-- ,,an able ,prelate of the ,irish section of the ,latin ,church once observed--8,the chief points to be discussed between the ,church of ,rome and of ,england are--the ,canon of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 ,faith1 ,justification1 the ,mass1 the ,sacraments1 the authority of tradition1 of ,councils1 of the ,pope1 the celibacy of the ,clergy1 language of the ,liturgy1 invocation of ,saints1 respect for images1 prayers for the dead4 ,on most of these it appears to me that there is no essential difference between 7,roman7 ,catholics and ,protestants2 the existing diversity of opinion arises1 in most cases1 from certain forms of words which admit of satisfactory explanation1 or from the ignorance or misconceptions which ancient prejudice and ill will produce and strengthen1--but which could be removed2 they are pride and points of honour which keep us divided on many subjects1 not a love of christian humility1 charity1 and truth40 #c ,thus wrote the celebrated ,bishop ,doyle in the year #ahbd4 ,was he right or was he wrong8 ,are the differences between the two ,churches so very slight that there is no material difference8 ,if this be so1 my ,lord1 permit me1 with all respect for your rank as an ,english ,nobleman1 to ask you on what plea you have left the ,communion of the ,english ,church1 and alienated the consecrated ,house of ,god at ,pantasa from her service1 for that of the dissenting body to which you have joined yourself8 ,bishop ,doyle wrote either truth or falsehood in the above passage4 ,if truth1 have you left the ,church of your ,baptism and of your country for a system of foreign production1 8no material difference1 meanwhile1 existing between them40 ,if falsehood1 ,i might leave you to settle this matter with one of the ablest ,romish ,bishops of modern times4 ,but1 my ,lord1 there is a 8material difference0 between the two ,churches--a difference as great as between light and darkness--the difference between ,scriptural verities1 and the unfounded figments of ,tridentine manufacture4 ,to prove this as briefly as may be1 is my object in addressing you--and ,i humbly hope that the perusal of this letter may be blessed to your good1 and that1 as ,st4 ,cyprian would speak--you may prove not like the raven who seduced from the ,catholic faith1 returned to it no more2 but1 like the dove departing from the ark of ,god1 but finding no rest for the sole of its foot1 returned to it again1 with an olive branch of peace in its mouth4 ,the first of the 8chief points0 is3 8the ,canon of the sacred ,scriptures40 ,on this point it were easy to multiply testimonies4 ,let ,cardinal ,bellarmine--without exception1 the greatest controversialist the ,church of ,rome can boast of1 speak first4 ,his words are1 #d;a 8all those books which the ,protestants do not receive2 the ,jews also did not receive40 ,now1 my ,lord1 you are1 of course1 aware that 8to the ,jews were committed the oracles of ,god40 ,rom4 iii4 #b4 ,moreover1 that our blessed ,saviour while he pointedly condemned the ,jews for 8making void the word of ,god by their traditions10 never blamed them for omitting any part of that word2 but on the contrary expressly recognises the ,jewish ,canon of the ,holy ,scripture4 ,luke xxiv4 #dd4 ,nor did any of the ,apostles ever censure them for omitting from the holy volume any portion of ,god's revealed ,will4 ,i need not1 ,i presume1 inform you1 my ,lord1 that the ,ancient ,catalogues of the books of ,holy ,scripture reject what we call the ,apocrypha2 nor1 if you have ever read those ancient writings1 need ,i tell you1 that they contain statements opposed to ,scripture1 to reason1 and to fact4 #d;b ,it may not be unproductive of good also to inform you1 my ,lord1 that on the publication of the ,complutensian ,polyglot1 by ,cardinal ,ximenes1 ,archbishop of ,toledo1 so late as the #afth ,cent3 the preface expressly rejects the apocryphal books of ,tobit1 ,judith1 ,wisdom1 ,ecclesiasticus1 the additional chapters of ,esther1 and the ,maccabees4 #d;c ,while if we are to be guided by your infallible ,church of ,rome regarding the ,canon of ,holy ,scripture1 we must reject the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1--perhaps the most important of the ,epistles1--for1 according to the undeniable testimony of ,st4 ,jerome1 this ,epistle was once rejected by the ,latin ,church4 ,perhaps ,dr4 ,newman's system of 8,developement0 may be extended from doctrines to facts1 and make the ,church which once rejected an inspired ,epistle and now receives it1 equally right1 at each period1 owing to the amazing spell of infallibility4 ,with all these facts before you1 ,i think1 my ,lord1 that this 8point of difference0 might be easily settled4 ,i pass on to the next on which ,i will remark--viz4--,the ,mass4 ,your great ,cardinal ,bellarmine considers this essential to ,christianity4 ,yet ,i will venture to assert that no professing ,church would entertain the awful notion of a propitiatory sacrifice to the ,almighty now--since the atonement made by the holy one and the just once for all on ,calvary1--unless with the determination to outbrave the direct testimony of inspiration that 8there is no more offering for sin40 ,heb4 x4 #ah4 #e;a--,with this intention it may be1 my ,lord1 that the ,latin ,church now receives the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1--just as1 receiving the ,gospels in which our ,lord commands 8,drink ye all of this0 wine in the ,lord's ,supper1 she 8notwithstanding0--it is her own word--78non obstante0 in the ,council of ,constance7 prohibits the people from receiving it1 and thus1 in palpable opposition to ,christ's command1 robs them of that 8,cup which we bless10 and which 8is the communion of the blood of ,christ40 #e;b ,but this doctrine of the mass must stand or fall1 according to your own confession1 with the ,romish figment of transubstantiation4 ,now1 my ,lord1 what is the proof of this doctrine8 ,we are referred by ,romish writers to ,matt4 xxvi4 #bf4 seq4 and ,john vi4 #fc4 seq4 ,but hear what some of the ablest writers1 on your side of the question1 acknowledge with respect to these alleged proofs4 ,your celebrated ,dr4 ,lingard1 'tis true1 tells us that the latter place1 viz41 8,john vi4 contains the clearest proof of the ,roman ,catholic doctrine40 ,but what say ,doctors equally celebrated in their day1 and no less anxious advocates for the peculiarities of ,romanism8 ,biel1 a well-known ,romish authority1 in ,can4 mis1 and ,cusan and ,cajetan1 both ,cardinals1 and ,thomas ,aquinas1 your 8,angelic ,doctor10--declare1 that this 8clearest proof10 does not refer to the subject at all6 ,i will add1 my ,lord1 because ,romanists--however loud in their call 8tell it unto the ,church0--the ,church with them always meaning their particular ,priest--seem again unwilling to be guided by the opinion of individual ,ecclesiastics4 ,i will add1 ,i say1 that your own 8infallible0 ,council of ,trent1 while luxuriating in a 8twofold interpretation0 of this passage1 and scorning to be 8reduced to the poverty of one10 does not dare to pronounce that it refers to the ,lord's ,supper4 #e;c ,but--supposing that it has that reference1--which ,i believe it has prospectively1--surely our ,saviour's own commentary upon the discourse is worth a thousand glosses of all the ,schoolmen--8,it is the ,spirit that quickeneth10 ,he says1 8the flesh profiteth nothing1 the words that ,i speak unto you1 they are ,spirit1 and they are life40 ,john vi4 #fc4 #e;d--,but we are also referred to the words of institution in ,matt4 xxvi4 #bf4--seq4 ,now if ,i do not very much mistake1 your friend1 ,cardinal ,wiseman1 decides that this place is destructive of the tenet for which he adduces it4 ,he says in his 8,lectures on the ,eucharist0 that in a sentence where 8two material objects are represented as identical1 we must plainly understand the passage figuratively40 ,but the ,catechismus ad ,parochos--otherwise called the ,catechism of the ,council of ,trent1 says1 8,when instituting this ,sacrament our ,lord himself said #8this is my body2' the word #8this' expresses the entire substance of the thing present2 and1 therefore1 if the substance of the bread remained1 our ,lord could not have said1 #8this is my body4'0 ,undoubtedly it was what ,christ held in his hand that he designated by the word 8this40 ,but1 independent of the consideration that it was impossible for our blessed ,saviour to hold ,his ,own ,body in ,his ,own ,hand1 ,i ask what was that8 ,the ,romish opinion is--that the bread was not changed until our ,saviour had pronounced the last of these words--8this is my body40 ,if this be true1 then1 it was bread when the word 8this0 was used1 and consequently the bread must have been referred to by that word4 ,apply then to this reasoning the indubitable ,canon of ,dr4 ,wiseman--,lec4 p4 #ahj4--,that 8it is obviously necessary to fly from the literal meaning of texts which represent two material objects as identical40 ,i will detain your ,lordship for a moment or two longer on these words of institution4 ,do you rest your faith in transubstantiation on these words8 ,i ask1 then1 my ,lord1 by what process you conclude that the words 8,this is my body10 mean 8,let this be my body40 ,the latter clearly denote conversion1--the former1 according to all phraseology1 can denote nothing of the sort4 ,or again--with all reverence let me ask it--whether does your ,lordship profess to eat the mortal or the immortal body of your ,saviour in participation of the ,eucharist8 ,if the former1 ,i suppose ,st4 ,paul is explicit in refutation1 for he tells us that 8,christ dieth no more40 ,rom4 vi4 #i4 ,if the latter1 ,i presume the words of institution will not much help you1 for when they were spoken ,christ had no immortal body to bestow4 ,on this 8point0 ,i will add no more but that your ,prince of ,controversialists1 the author of what ,dr4 ,wiseman calls 8,magnificent ,controversies10 plainly confesses that 8most learned and acute ,romanists believe that there is no place of ,scripture so express as without the authority of the ,church evidently to compel a reception of transubstantiation40 ,de ,sac3 ,euc3 #a4 iii4 c4 #bc4 ,the value of the 8authority0 of the ,latin ,church will not be very highly estimated by any unprejudiced person moderately acquainted with her principles and practices4 ,i pass on to the third 8point10 viz4--,tradition4 ,read the following description of your traditions by your own celebrated ,dr4 ,milner1 of the 8end of controversy0 notoriety4 ,in the twelfth letter of his conclusive work he says--8,there are among ,catholics divine traditions 99 99 99 and there are among many ,catholics historical and even fabulous traditions40 ,on this point ,i need add no more except to assure you that no sensible ,anglican will ever question that written tradition is a valuable auxiliary in the interpretation of ,scripture2 while any one acquainted with the wretched fables of oral traditionary transmission in the ,church of ,rome will heartily unite in the language of ,archdeacon ,jortin1 that 8it is a muddy stream of everlasting nonsense40 #g ,i come now to the ,authority of ,councils3--and here1 what ,councils are meant8 ,if ,i mistake not the ,pope1 as you call him1 is bound by the decrees of only eight4 ,and surely what are sufficient for 8,his ,holiness0 might well be deemed quite enough for his 8,subjects40 ,yet ,de la ,hogue tells us that there are eighteen4 ,there may have been this number1 or twice as many1 if the ,doctor pleases2 but can he1 or ,dr4 ,wiseman1 or any other ,doctor induce you or any reasonable man to believe that ,councils which contradict each other have all emanated from the spirit of unity and truth8 ,do ,i misrepresent them8 ,let us see1--and to be as brief as ,i can1 let one instance suffice4 ,the ,council of ,ephesus decreed--8,that it should not be lawful to utter1 write1 or compose any other faith than that which had been defined by the ,nicene ,fathers2 and that if any dared to offer any other ,creed1 if ,ecclesiastics1 they should be removed from their office2 if laics1 that they should be anathematised40 ,labb4 et ,coss4 ,concil4 t4 #c4 p4 #fhh4 ,compare with this1 my ,lord1 the ,creed of ,pope ,pius1 according to the ,council of ,trent1 and then ,i ask you to answer to your own conscience whether the assembly at ,trent1 which you call a ,general ,council1 was not in direct and irreconcilable opposition to one of the four universally received ,general ,councils of the ,church8 ,let this suffice on the subject of ,councils1--and now we approach the so called 8,pope0--not1 you may rely upon it1 to kiss his toe1 or to join in 8his adoration20 for who is the ,pope1 my ,lord8 ,you say he is the ,vicar of ,christ1 and the successor of ,st4 ,peter4 ,but let ,st4 ,bernard correct this rashness--8,they have not the inheritance of ,st4 ,peter10 he says1 8who have not the faith of ,peter40 ,i should like to know which of ,st4 ,peter's writings or which of his traditions contains the twelve ,new ,articles of the ,creed of your ,pope's ,church4 ,and as to his being the ,vicar of our holy ,redeemer let me recommend to you the following passage from the book of ,homilies of that ,church which you have so unaccountably forsaken--8,as the ,lion is known by his claws1 so let us learn to know these men by their deeds4 ,what shall we say of him that made the noble ,king ,dandalus to be tied by the neck with a chain1 and to lie down before his table1 there to gnaw bones like a dog8 ,sabel4 ,ennead4 #i4 lib4 #g4 ,shall we think that he had ,god's holy ,spirit within him1 and not rather the ,spirit of the devil8 ,such a tyrant was ,pope ,clement the ,sixth4 ,what shall we say of him that proudly and contemptuously trod ,frederic the ,emperor under his feet1 applying that verse of the ,psalm unto himself1 thou shall go upon the lion and the adder1 the young lion and the dragon thou shalt tread under thy foot4 ,ps4 #ia4 ,shall we say that he had ,god's holy ,spirit within him1 and not rather the ,spirit of the devil8 ,such a tyrant was ,pope ,alexander the ,third4 ,what shall we say of him that armed and animated the son against the father1 causing him to be taken and cruelly famished to death1 contrary to the law both of ,god and also of nature4 ,shall we say that he had ,god's holy ,spirit within him1 and not rather the ,spirit of the devil8 ,such a tyrant was ,pope ,pascal the ,second4 ,what shall we say of him that came into his popedom like a fox1 that reigned like a lion1 and died like a dog8 ,shall we say that he had ,god's holy ,spirit within him1 and not rather the ,spirit of the devil8 ,such a tyrant as ,pope ,boniface the ,eighth4 ,what shall we say of him that made ,henry the ,emperor1 with his wife and young child to stand at the gates of the city in the rough winter barefooted and bareleged1 only clothed in linsey woolsey1 eating nothing from morning to night1 and that for the space of three days8 ,shall we say that he had ,god's holy ,spirit within him1 and not rather the ,spirit of the devil8 ,such a tyrant was ,pope ,hildebrand1 most worthy to be called a firebrand1 if we shall term him as he hath best deserved4 ,many other examples might here be alleged1 as of ,pope ,joan the harlot1 that was delivered of a child in the high street going solemnly in procession2 of ,pope ,julius the ,second1 that wilfully cast ,st4 ,peter's keys into the river ,tibiris2 of ,pope ,urban the ,fifth1 that caused five ,cardinals to be put in sacks and cruelly drowned2 of ,pope ,sergius the ,third1 that persecuted the dead body of ,formosus his predecessor1 when it had been buried eight years2 of ,pope ,john the ,fourteenth of that name1 who1 having his enemy delivered into his hands1 caused him first to be stripped stark naked1 his beard to be shaven1 and to be hanged a whole day by the hair1 then to be set upon an ass with his face backwards towards the tail1 to be carried round the city in despite1 to be miserably beaten with rods1 last of all to be thrust out of his country1 and to be banished for ever40 #h;a ,were these1 let me ask you1 my ,lord1 successors of ,st4 ,peter1 and ,vicars of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,oh the blasphemy of such a thought6 ,oh the strong delusion which must produce such a notion6 ,i ask1 again1 were these the infallible heads of the ,church of ,rome8 ,but you perhaps do not believe in the ,infallibility of the ,pope3 you only assert his ,supremacy4 ,each being equally unfounded1 ,i only now remind you of the words of your famous ,bishop ,doyle--8,whether we believe the ,pope to be infallible or not to be infallible1 we are equally good and orthodox ,catholics40 #h;b ,the next 8point0 upon our list is the ,celibacy of the ,clergy4 ,it is very true that ,st4 ,paul said that he would that all men were even as he--that is single4 ,but this was during a time of persecution when families would have been irksome and injurious to ,christian ,missionaries4 ,but the same ,apostle when giving permanent instructions concerning the ,clerical body directs--8a ,bishop must be blameless the husband of one wife40 #a ,tim4 iii4 #b4 8,one that ruleth well his own house1 having his children in subjection with all gravity40 v4 #d4 ,and again v4 #ab--8let the ,deacons be the husband of one wife40 ,indeed1 my ,lord1 did your fallen ,church labour to be identified in ,apostacy with the heretics of the first centuries1 how could she have better succeeded than in 8forbidding to marry80 #a ,tim4 iv4 #a1 #b1 #c4 ,and now1 hear1 from your own authors1 the fearful consequences of a celibate ,clergy4 ,claud ,d',expence a very celebrated ,parisian divine1 writes thus--8,shameful to relate they give permission to ,priests to have concubines1 and to live with their harlots1 who have children by them1 upon paying an annual tribute1 and in some places they oblige ,priests to pay this tax saying they may keep a concubine if they please40 ,espen3 ,com3 ad ,cap4 #a4 ad ,tit4 ,dig3 #b4 ,hear again1 how your ,cardinal ,baronius writes--8,what then was the face of the ,roman ,church8 ,how very filthy when the most powerful and sordid harlots then ruled at ,rome1 at whose pleasure ,sees were changed1 and ,bishopricks were given1 and what is horrible to hear and most abominable--their gallants were obtruded into the ,see of ,peter1 and made false ,popes2 for who can say they could have been lawful ,popes who were intruded by such harlots without law8 ,there was no mention of the election or consent of ,clergy1 the ,canons were silent2 the decrees of ,popes suppressed2 the ancient traditions proscribed1--lust1 armed with the secular power1 challenged all things to itself40 ,bar3 ,ann3 ,a4,d4 #iab4 ,this is the system of a celibate ,clergy for which you1 my ,lord1 have forsaken that ,church which honors 8holy ,matrimony0--knowing that the ,apostle declares that 8,marriage is honorable in all40 ,heb4 xiii4 #d4 #i ,our next 8point0 is--,prayer in the ,latin language1 of which ,i presume there was a fair specimen at your late proceedings at ,pantasa4 ,it would be a waste of words to write much upon this subject4 ,i will therefore merely remind you of the statement of ,st4 ,paul in #a ,cor4 xiv4 #ai4 8,in the ,church ,i had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice ,i might teach others also1 than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue10 which compels ,cardinal ,cajetan to acknowledge--inloco--that 8it is more for edification that prayers should be offered in a language understood by ,clergy and people1 than in ,latin40 ,our next point is--the ,invocation of ,saints4 ,all ,romish writers of the present day seem unanimous in asserting and practising this awful idolatry4 ,there were some few before who seemed to shrink from it4 ,your ,dr4 ,milner does not found the practice on holy ,scripture but tradition4 ',tis true that he refers to ,scripture--,letter xxxvi4 but suddenly1--evidently from seeing the weakness of his references1--says1--8,the ,church1 however1 derived her doctrine on this subject from the ,apostles1 before the ,new ,testament was written40 ,alas1 my ,lord1 how you 8make void the word of ,god by your tradition60 ,what saith our ,lord and ,master8 8,thou shalt worship the ,lord thy ,god1 and ,him only shalt thou serve40 ,am ,i to be told that it is only forbidden to give latria1 or supreme adoration1 to any but the ,almighty8 ,your words latreia and douleia are indifferently used in the ,bible4 ,here you are forbidden to give the one to any being except ,god4 ,in #a ,sam4 vii4 #c4 you are forbidden to give the other to any creature4 ,how then can you reconcile1 with the orders of your ,god1 the following most awful prayers8 8,we fly to thy protection1 ,o holy ,mother of ,god2 despise not our prayers in our necessities1 but deliver us from all dangers1 ,o glorious and blessed ,virgin40--,bishop ,riley's ,catechism1 ,dub4 #ahcj4 p4 #aj4 8,most pure ,virgin1 conceived without sin1 #aj;a ,thou art the sure refuge of penitent sinners1 with reason therefore1 ,i have recourse to ,thee40--,novenas of the ,b4 ,v4 ,mary4 ,dub4 #ahcc4 p4 #d4 8,o ,lady of ,heaven and earth10 c41 ,ib4 p4 #ab4 8,most prudent ,virgin1 who by redeeming thy ,son ,jesus ,christ1 according to the law1 didst co-operate in the salvation of the world2 rescue our poor souls from the slavery of sin1 that we may be always pure before ,god4 ,hail ,mary40--,ib4 p4 #ba4 ,st4 ,joseph1 who for so many centuries had actually no commemoration in the ,roman calendar1 is now exalted to a height of glory1 from which the rest of the blessed company are excluded-- 8,there is no saint in heaven ,i worship like ,thee1 ,sweet spouse of our ,lady6 ,o deign to love me40 ,and ,st4 ,mary is actually made our mediatrix with him-- 8,with her babe in her arms surely ,mary will be1 ,sweet spouse of our ,lady6 my pleader with ,thee40 #aj;b ,oh6 my ,lord1 as you value ,his glory who is a jealous ,god1 cease from such refuges of lies as ,popery holds out to you4--,as you value the ,salvation of your soul continue not to serve the creature beside1 yea more than1 the ,creator who is blessed for evermore4 ,pray to him whose attribute it is that ,he hears prayer1 and whose gracious promise is that ,he will answer it4 ,dare to show yourself inconsistent1 by flinging off the trammels by which you are bound4 ,and may ,god direct you by his blessed ,spirit to the frame of mind of him who cried--8,whom have ,i in heaven but ,thee1 and there is none upon earth that ,i desire in comparison of ,thee40 ,ceasing to look to ,saints or ,angels or deified men and women1 may you be directed to the one mediator between ,god and man1 the man ,christ ,jesus1 and may your attitude be1 while here below1 not looking to ,saint ,mary1 or any other creature1 but 8looking unto ,jesus40 #aj;c ,our next 8point0 will be1 8respect for images40 ,bishop ,doyle worded this very cautiously4 ,but do you pay no more than 8respect0 to your images8 ,my ,lord1 if words have any meaning1 ,romanists worship images--they give them religious service4 ,let us see for a moment4 ,the ,second ,council of ,nice says--8,the honor paid to the image passes to the prototype3 and he who adores the image1 adores in it the person of him whom it represents40 ,labb3 vol4 vii4 p4 #eef4--;,here is an evident assertion of the 8adoration of images40 ,while you cannot1 my ,lord1 fail to observe the striking identity of language of this so called ,christian ,council with that of the heathen idolaters--8not that gold and silver0--say they1--8when fashioned into statues are gods1 but that through these images the invisible ,gods are honoured and worshipped40 #aa;a ,and ,cardinal ,bellarmine1 if ,i remember rightly--says1 that 8it is most certain that the ,nicene ,council decreed that images are to be adored with the highest worship40 ,now1 my ,lord1 this ,council is one of your eighteen ,general ,councils4 ,oh how1 then1 shall ,i characterise this idolatry8 ,we pity the poor heathen who bow down to stocks and stones1 but what is their guilt when compared with that of members of ,christ's baptized family committing the same crime8 ,i may be threatened by those who know no better with the anathema of your 8holy cumenical ,council10--for verily it does curse enough1--8cursed be the breakers of images10--8cursed be they who refuse to salute the holy and venerable images40 ,but1 my ,lord1 this antiscriptural and irrational anathema will only turn tenfold into the bosoms of its impious pronouncers1 while ,i would with all earnestness call your ,lordship's attention to a curse which ,i pray ,god you may never experience1 although you are in the fair way for earning it--viz4--,deut xxvii4 #ae4 8,cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image1 an abomination unto the ,lord1 the work of the hands of the craftsman1 and putteth it in a secret place4 ,and all the people shall answer and say1 ,amen40 ,the next 8point0 is--8,prayers for the ,dead40 ,your lately appointed ,cardinal--,dr4 ,wiseman--connects this 8point0 with the doctrine of ,purgatory thus--8the practice is essentially based on the belief in ,purgatory40 ,lec4 ii4 ,now although it is quite evident that ,dr4 ,w4's learning is to a great extent second hand1 #aa;b there can be no question of his learning by any one who has read his 8profoundly learned work10 as ,i think ,mr4 ,hartwell ,horne calls his ,hor ,syriac2 yet it does appear strange that he should1 as here1 completely confuse things so very different4 ,dr4 ,wiseman must be aware1 as every tyro in such matters is1 that prayers were offered for the dead long before a ,purgatory was dreamed of4 ,one of the ,doctor's own references proves this1 viz4--#a ,maccabees xii4 #dc4--where we read that that prayer was made in reference to the resurrection1--not to release from purgatory4 ,on the contrary1 it is said1 that if ,judas had not hoped that the dead should rise again1 it had been a 8superfluous thing to pray for the dead40 ,prayer for the dead in the early ,christian ,church had a reference to the same1 or to an augmentation of their glory--for they prayed even for the saints and martyrs4 ,such prayers for the dead1 then1 could have had no reference to the doctrine of ,purgatory1 the fire of which1 ,bellarmine1 if ,i remember1 states to be the same as that of hell1 differing only in duration4 ,i therefore dismiss such a ,,practice1 and will say a little on the doctrine upon which1 according to ,dr4 ,wiseman1 it is founded4 ,that is--the doctrine of ,purgatory4 ,on this 8point0 ,i will first observe1 that your most able men have declared it utterly incapable of proof from the holy ,scripture1 and also that it is in opposition to the doctrine of the ancient ,church4 ,let us hear a few on each statement4 ,it is incapable of proof from holy ,scripture4 ,as to this general statement we have the following among others4 8,purgatory was for a long time unknown1 and either never1 or very seldom mentioned among the ancient fathers40 ,bishop ,fisher--in refut3 ,luther4--,and1 a ,romish ,bishop whose 8discussion amicale0 you are no doubt well acquainted with1 observes1 that1 8,jesus ,christ has not revealed the knowledge of ,purgatory1 so that we can1 therefore1 only form conjectures on the subject1 more or less probable40 ,vol4 ii4 p4 #bdb4 ,as to the ,scripture proofs alleged by ,dr4 ,wiseman1 and others1 your own writers plainly assert their insufficiency4 ,the places usually quoted are3 ,matt4 v4 #be1 #bf4 and ,matt4 xii4 #cb41 #a ,cor4 iii4 #ae4 #ac;a and #a ,pet4 iii4 #ah1 #ai4 ,now1 my ,lord1 without at all entering into an examination of those places1 which my limits will prevent1 and which has been unanswerably done a thousand times1 ,i simply remark--,that ,st4 ,matt4 v4 #be1 #bf4 has been given up as a proof by your great ,maldonatus who says the prison spoken of is hell4 ,st4 ,matt4 xii4 #cb4 has been abandoned by ,card3 ,bellarmine who confesses that the sin there spoken of was never to be forgiven4 ,he also confesses that the fire spoken of in #a ,cor4 iii4 #ac4 is not meant of ,purgatory1--by what process he extracts it1 then1 from the #ae v4 was perhaps best known to himself3 and #a ,pet4 iii4 #ah1 #ai4--;has been given up by ,father ,maguire1 a great champion among you4 #ac;b ,this being the case1 may we not well conclude that there is no foundation in holy ,scripture for the doctrine of ,purgatory--the acknowledged foundation of prayers for the dead1 according to ,dr4 ,wiseman1--and which1 therefore1 fall with it4 ,i am happy in adding the testimony of your celebrated ,picherellus that ,st4 ,john by the one text--,rev4 xiv4 #ac4--8put out the fire of ,purgatory40 ,in fact1 my ,lord1 as ,meagher observes--8,the doctrine of ,purgatory is of heathen origin1 intended to cheat the simple out of their money1 by giving them bills of exchange upon another world for cash paid in this1 without any danger of the bills returning protested40 ,and now1 my ,lord1 ,i call on you1 as a man of sense1 as a man of honesty1 as a man wishing the salvation of your neverdying soul1 to reject a doctrine 8which would rob the believer of his peace1 which would throw around the glorious attributes of ,heaven's ,sovereign the funereal pall of darkness1 and obscurity1 which would transform a ,god of love into a ,god of terror1 mingle our paltry satisfactions with the agonies of ,calvary1 and attach to the seamless robe of ,christ's righteousness woven from ,bethlehem to the ,cross1 the tattered vestments of personal suffering40 ,the ,sacraments are another 8point0 of difference mentioned by ,bishop ,doyle4 ,you say that there are seven1--we say that there are 8two only as generally necessary to salvation40 ,our two ,sacraments are1 as you are aware--8,baptism and the ,supper of the ,lord40 ,your five additional ,sacraments are3 ,confirmation1 ,penance1 ,extreme ,unction1 ,holy ,orders1 and ,matrimony4 #ad ,on these1 little need be said4 ,the universally received definition of a ,sacrament excludes all of them4 ,for what is a ,sacrament my ,lord8 ,our ,church ,catechism defines it thus1 in accordance with ,st4 ,augustine--8an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us1 ordained by ,christ ,himself1 as a means whereby we receive the same1 and a pledge to assure us thereof40 ,a like definition is given by your own writers4 ,thus the ,catechismus ad ,parochos--de ,sac4 and ,bishop ,bossuet--,expos3 de la doc4 de l' ,egl3 ,cath4 cap4 ix4 ,confirmation is a sacred rite and of ,apostolic origin4 ,but where did ,christ institute it8 ,no where4 ,it1 therefore1 is not a ,sacrament4 ,penance is a godly discipline1 if practiced after a godly sort1 but it was never instituted by ,christ1 and consequently is not a ,sacrament4 ,one of the parts of ,penance1 according to your ,church1 is ,confession4 ,and here1 one feels a difficulty in addressing a married nobleman of your persuasion1 or a bachelor with female relations and friends4 ,oh my ,lord are you aware of the filthy questions to which married ladies are subject in the ,confessional of the ,church of ,rome8 ,they may not yet have been proposed to any of your friends3 policy1 on the part of the wily party with which you have connected yourselves1 may have hitherto prevented it4 ,but you ought to be informed that there is a printed catalogue of the questions which bachelor ,priests of your unholy system are in duty bound to propose to married1 as well as unmarried1 females4 ,have you read this catalogue1 my ,lord8 ,if you have1 your common decency is for ever obliterated from the annals of your family1 if any female friend of your's1 under your control1 ever confesses to a ,romish ,priest4 ,if you have not1 as you value even a respectable position in society1 read the instructions given to ,priests1 for hearing ,confession1 as given in ,dens and ,baillie1 the ,maynooth ,class books1 before you allow any female friend of your's to attend such ,confession4 ,i will not pollute these pages by giving you even an abstract of them4 ,they are filthy--they are loathsome1 they are beyond description disgustingly offensive4 ,break the shackles1 my ,lord1 with which you have voluntarily bound yourself3 dare to assert yourself a free man4 ,were you chained to the plough as a slave1 your mind might be free2 but your soul is enchained by the ,church of ,rome4 ,extreme ,unction is your next ,sacrament4 ,the ,council of ,trent goes no farther--except in its ,canon as before shown--than to say that ,christ 8insinuated0 this 8as it were0 a ,sacrament4--8,,insinuavit0--8,,tanquam0 --while their reference to ,james v4 #ad4 is suicidal1 for the words--8the ,lord shall raise him up0-- #ae;a--show that it has no reference to the dying1 which indeed your ,cardinal ,cajetan confesses--inloco--where he also denies the ,tridentine 8insinuation0 of our ,lord4 ,titular ,bishop ,doyle informs us also--p4 #aja4--of his 8,abridgement of the ,christian ,doctrine0--or rather his edition of4 ,tubbervill's older work--8the time is uncertain0 when ,christ 8instituted ,extreme ,unction40 ,uncertain6 ,i had thought that nothing could be uncertain to an 8infallible0 ,church4 ,your next additional ,sacrament is3 ,holy ,orders4 ,now1 my ,lord1 although 8it is evident unto all men diligently reading the holy ,scripture and ancient authors that from the ,apostles' time there have been these ,orders of ,ministers in ,christ's ,church--,bishops1 ,priests1 and ,deacons10 yet it no where appears that ,christ himself instituted them4 ,i call upon you1 then1 either to reject ,holy ,orders as1 or refuse your definition of1 a ,sacrament4 ,the last of your additional ,sacraments is ,matrimony4 #ae;b ,i had thought that ,matrimony was instituted in the time of man's innocency2 but your infallible ,church1 by her definition of a ,sacrament1 and by pronouncing this one1 decides the contrary4 ,i will only further remark here1 that it is most marvellous that a ,church which so honors and exalts ,matrimony as to make it a ,sacrament1 should deem it too polluting for those whom she exclusively calls 8,spirituals60 8,faith and justification0 are the only other points of difference alluded to by ,bishop ,doyle4 #af ,on these ,i prefer to give you the decisive statements of the ,bible4 8,he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved1 and he that believeth not shall be damned40 ,mark xvi4 8,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved40 ,acts xvi4 #ca4 8,we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law40 ,rom4 iii4 #bh4 8,by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified40 ,gal4 ii4 #af4 ,my ,lord1 8there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved1 but the name of ,jesus ,christ40 ,he died1 the ,just ,one instead of the unjust ones1 that he might bring us to ,god4 ,his blood cleanseth from all sin4 ,and although to you 8there be ,gods many1 and ,lords many10 to us there is but ,one--,the ,father1 the ,creator1--the ,son1 the ,redeemer1--the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,sanctifier1 for 8these three are one40 #a ,john v4 #g4 ,and now1 my ,lord1 ,i have done4 ,i offer no apology for addressing you4 ,i trust you may be enabled to thank me1 however unworthy1 for having done so4 ,i offer no apology for my manner of writing to you4 ,i have endeavoured to show you 8the error of your way10 and if ,i have used 8great plainness of speech0 8it is what ,i could attain unto10 and what ,i desired4 ,that ,god may show you the fearfulness of the step you have taken--the grovelling bondage under which you have placed yourself1 and rescue you from that bondage1 before it be too late1 when your eyes shall have closed upon everything of earth once and for ever1 is my fervent prayer2 and with every good wish for you1 and for the unconscious partner in your guilt1 ,i beg to subscribe myself1 ,,my ,,lord1 ,your well-wisher1 and obedient humble servant1 ,g4 ,l4 ,,stone4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some readers of the foregoing ,letter may have expected to find in it some allusion1 at least1 to what ,gavazzi calls 8the broken faith of ,lord ,fielding40 ,i have purposely avoided any remarks on the subject2 and do not think it necessary to account for the omission4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,printed ,,by ,t4 ,,painter1 ,,high-,,street1 ,,wrexham4 ,,footnotes4 #c ,analysis of ,divine ,faith1 p4 #cei4 #d;a ,omnes libros quos ,protestantes1 c4 ,de verbo dei4 lib4 #a4 cap4 #aj4 #d;b #b ,es4 viii4 #cc4 ,eccles4 iii4 #c1 #cj4 ,comp4 ,eccles4 vii4 #bj4 ,rom4 iii4 #bj4 #a ,john i4 #h4 ,tobit4 vi4 #af1 #ag4 #b ,mac4 xiv4 #da1 #df4 ,comp4 ,tobit4 v4 #ab and xii4 #ae4 ,while the books of ,maccabees seem to represent ,antiochus to have died three times6 #a ,mac4 xvi4 #f4 #b ,mac4 i4 #af4 ix4 #bh4 #d;c ,cardinal ,cajetan also rejects the ,apocrypha4 ,com3 in ,om3 authen3 vet3 testam4 ,paris1 #aedf4 p4 #dha-b4 #e;a ,cardinal ,cajetan in #b ,thess4 #b4 speaks of the 8,sacrificum altaris0 as a matter merely of traditionary authority1 while1 your ,bourdeaux ,new ,testament wishes to make it ,scriptural also1 as appears by its horrid falsification of ,acts xiii4 #b4 by rendering it--8as they offered to the ,lord the ,sacrifice of the ,mass40 le ,sacrifice de la ,messe4 ,what will not ,popery do1 to gain a point8 ,your ,catechism of the ,council of ,trent says--8,our ,lord himself1 at his last ,supper1 offered to his ,eternal ,father his precious body and blood1 under the appearances of bread and wine1 at the same time declaring himself #8a ,priest for ever according to the ,order of ,melchisedec4'0 ,was a greater falsehood every uttered8 #e;b 8,the ,ministers whom we call ,deacons1 distribute to each one present1 a portion of the blessed bread and the wine and water40 ,justin ,martyr1 ,apol4 #a4 #e;c 8,cum ea gemin interpretationis opulentia de ,s4 ,johannes testimonio ,ecclesia frueratur1 quarum utraque probationem ab hreticis inde deductum impugnabat1 ad unius tantummodo paupertatem non esse redigendam40 #e;d ,st4 ,augustine's ,commentary on this is well worth your reading4 #g ,dr4 ,milner tells us ,letter #ab--that 8the ,english ,testament puts the word #8,ordinances' in #a ,cor4 xi4 #b4 instead of #8,traditions1' contrary to the original ,greek10 c4 ,it is remarkable that1 notwithstanding this1 in the edition of the ,rhemish ,testament printed by ,coyne in ,dublin in #ahbe1 8,ordinances0 is found1 and not 8,traditions40 ,so much for the authority of our titulars4 #h;a ,second ,book of ,homilies4 #h;b ,reply to the ,appendix of the ,bishop of ,fern's ,charge--p4 #g4 #i ,the ,achilli trial is fresh in the recollection of all4 ,view this matter as you may1--whether ,dr4 ,newman was a libeller1 or ,dr4 ,achilli a debauchee1--it proves your system to be what your own celebrated ,espenseus long ago called it--8,a ,custom ,house of sin40 ,ubi sup4 #aj;a ,is not this at variance with the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary's own confession8 ,st4 ,luke i4 #df1 #dg4 #aj;b ,warden ,neale's ,lectures4 ,lond4 ,cleaver4 #aheb4 #aj;c ,on the subject of angel worship1 so fearfully practiced in your ,church1 against the express command of ,st4 ,paul1 ,coloss4 ii4 #ah1 #ai1 ,i will here remark that your authors1 are horribly reckless in quotation4 ,titular ,bishop ,doyle actually refers to ,st4 ,john's ,,prohibited angel worship1--,rev4 xix4 #aj4 xxii4 #h-i4--;in proof of its propriety1--and the ,catechism of the ,council of ,trent says--8,jacob invoked the blessing not only of the angel whom he saw1 but also of him whom he saw not4 ,gen4 xxxii4 #bf4 xlviii4 #af40 pretending to be ignorant of the fact that it was the same angel--the ,angel of the ,covenant--the second ,person of the blessed ,trinity--8,god whom he saw face to face0--8even the ,lord ,god of ,hosts40 #aa;a ,vide ,arnob4 #aa;b ,in ,dr4 ,wiseman's reply to ,dr4 ,turton's work on the ,eucharist ,i find the following-- 8,i quoted the ,meletamata ,sacra--,i suppose the learned ,professor 7,dr4 ,turton7 was unacquainted with the work2 so1 like a good controversialist--certainly1 not like a good scholar--he goes to another work of ,titman's1 and from that attempts to confute me4 ,this is his ,commentary on ,st4 ,john4 99 99 99 99 ,the words from the ,meletamata ,sacra are as clear as those from the ,commentary2 nor will any quotation from the latter obscure or invalidate the former1 p4 #ahf4 8,there are readers who1 without any intimation from me0--writes ,dr4 ,turton--8will be aware of my astonishment at the sight of the foregoing extract from the reply2 and every reader will be enabled to form some judgment on the subject1 when ,i state1 that the ,meletamata ,sacra and the ,commentary on ,st4 ,john are the same work4 ,and thus ,dr4 ,wiseman1 after treating familiarly of 8the learned ,titman0--after quoting the ,meletamata ,sacra--after supposing that the ,cambridge ,professor was unacquainted with that work--,dr4 ,wiseman1 ,i say1 after all this--writes himself down1 either as a person who did not know that the work1 called ,meletamata ,sacra1 is a ,commentary--the ,commentary--,titman's ,commentary--on ,st4 ,john--or as one who aimed at inducing people to believe that the ,meletamata ,sacra and the ,commentary are different productions4 99 99 99 ,now1 whether this misrepresentation proceeded from ignorance or design1 there is something about it so wrong--wrong in such a manner and to such a degree--that ,i have the greatest difficulty in deciding upon my future course4 ,if ,i could persuade myself that ,dr4 ,wiseman had ever had the ,meletamata ,sacra open before him1 ,i should certainly stop here4 ,no earthly consideration could induce me to add another sentence to these observations4 99 99 99 99 ,if ,dr4 ,wiseman was--as he professed to be--acquainted with the ,meletamata ,sacra1 he has used language1 respecting that work1 and myself1 which1 as ,i have already intimated1 must effectually preclude all further attention1 on my part1 to his ,reply4 ,if1 again1 he really was not--as he professed to be--acquainted with that work1 still his language cannot but raise great doubts with regard to the course that ought to be pursued4 ,in truth ,dr4 ,wiseman's proceeding1 even when viewed in the most favorable light1 is so marked by every thing that is contrary to propriety1 and excites so much suspicion as to the rest of his book1 that my undertaking has now become irksome beyond expression40 ,dr4 ,turton's ,observations on ,dr4 ,wiseman's ,reply4 p4 #acj to #ace4 ,i will here add that ,dr4 ,turton's 8suspicions0 have been more than realised as regards ,dr4 ,wiseman's performances4 ,dr4 ,wiseman tells us in the preface to the first edition of his 8,lectures1 p4 viii40 that 8he has in general drawn his quotations of the fathers from the useful compilation of ,messrs4 ,kirk and ,barrington40 ,in the address 8to the reader0 in the second edition of this work we are informed that 8the venerable ,prelates 7,dr4 ,poynter and ,dr4 ,trevern7 and many other ,catholic writers1 have made use of the ,faith of ,catholics in their publications40 p4 p4 vii4 viii4 ,now what is the fact1 as regards this ,romish text book8 ,let the title of the following book give you some idea--8,romish ,misquotation3 or certain passages from the ,fathers1 adduced in a work entitled--8the ,faith of ,catholics10 c41 brought to the test of the originals1 and their perverted character demonstrated1 by the ,rev4 ,richard ,t4 ,p4 ,pope40 ,a work which verifies its title beyond the possibility of refutation4 ,since the above went to press ,i have looked into titular ,bishop ,doyle's 8,analysis of ,divine ,faith40 ,i find that he also used ,barrington's ,compilation4 ,his words are3 p4 #agf3 8,the testimony of these witnesses0--the fathers--8,i shall insert here1 copied or translated from the original records1 by the late ,rev4 ,joseph ,barrington1 whose fidelity and accuracy in this respect1 has never1 to my knowledge1 been impeached or even suspected40 ,i will only say here1 that a more gross and unprincipled misrepresentation and perversion of the testimony of the ,ancients was never published4 ,see ,pope's ,roman ,misquotation4 ,london4 ,holdsworth4 #ahdj4 ,mr4 ,faber in his last edition of 8the ,difficulties of ,romanism0 has left little for any one else to say in proof that the ,fathers are opposed to the peculiarities of the ,latin ,church4 ',tis true that ,mr4 ,husenbeth has published a ponderous reply--approaching to a thousand pages4 ,mr4 ,faber's little pamphlet demolishes the huge affair4 ,its title is3 as well as ,i remember--8,an ,account of ,mr4 ,husenbeth's refutation of the argument of the ,difficulties of ,romanism1 upon the entirely new principle of a refusal to meet it40 ,the testimony of the ,syrian ,fathers alleged by ,dr4 ,wiseman in favor of the doctrine of transubstantiation in particular1 is shown to be thoroughly adverse to it by the great and good ,doctor ,lee4 ,see his ,visitation ,sermon4 ,i am really surprised that ,dr4 ,wiseman could ever have appeared in public after the publication of ,dr4 ,lee's ,sermon3 yet1 perhaps1 one might have been prepared for such want of common propriety1 by his previous conduct1 after ,dr4 ,turton's triumphant exposure of him and of his arguments4 #ac;a ,your ,french ,testament of ,bourdeaux1 #afhf--most disgracefully has here--8he shall be saved1 yet so as by the fire of ,purgatory0--ainsi toutefois comme par le feu du ,purgatoire4 #ac;b ,discussion with ,mr4 ,pope4 ,report1 p4 #aej4 ,comp4 p4 #aeh4 #ad ,the ,canons of your ,council of ,trent on these are as follow-- 8,if any one shall say that ,confirmation is not a true and proper ,sacrament--let him be damned40 ,can4 #a4 ,de ,confirm4 8,if any one shall say that ,penance is not truly and properly a ,sacrament--let him be damned40 ,can4 #a4 ,de pn4 ,sac4 8,if any one shall say that ,extreme ,unction is not truly and properly a ,sacrament--let him be damned40 ,can4 #a4 ,de ,sac4 ,ex4 ,unc4 ,and so of the others4 ,i will here just say that this ,canon adds 8instituted by ,christ0--institutum4--,we shall presently see that this is an advance from the 8insinuatum0 of the ,council4 #ae;a ,where did your ,testament get 8ease him80 #ae;b ,you are aware1 perhaps1 of the gross mistranslation of your ,testament1 in ,eph4 v4 #cb4 to support this notion4-- is mystery1 not sacrament4 ,but your ,french new ,testament is bolder still1 and actually foists in the words--le ,sacrement de ,mariage in #a ,cor4 vii4 #aj4--;and again in #b ,cor4 vi4 #ad4 and in #a ,tim4 iv4 #c4 ,this is a very rare book1--a small thick octavo of #ggd p4 p43 ,i have examined it1 but believe that there are now very few copies to be found4 ,i saw one purchased by the present ,lord ,bishop of ,cashel1 at a public auction1 for the enormous sum--if my memory does not fail me--of #dj4 ,bishop ,kidder1 ,i think first called public attention to it--next ,mr4 ,grier--and ,archdeacon ,cotton1 in #ahbg1 republished ,bishop ,kidder's tract1 with notes4 ,i add here1 that the book was published--8avec approbation et permission10 abundantly4 #af ,i need scarcely say1 however1 to any one but moderately acquainted with the controversy1 that the mere titles of the points of difference would occupy ten times the space of ,bishop ,doyle's whole letter to ,mr4 ,robertson4 ,willett's ,synopsis ,papismi will afford a fair specimen to those desirous of one4