voce" or with pen, they may expect to be engaged. To relieve us from our present apathy, and show that we do not altogether stand at ease, our author has started into the field, and taken an interesting position, in treating on the subject of tradition; and his object is to show, (and this in our mind he has done most satisfactorily) that the tradition spoken of by the ancients, is altogether different from that of the modern Church of Rome, and that the only tradition as to doctrine ever spoken of, or adverted to, by the early Fathers, was a compendium, or short summary of truth, extracted from, and according to the Scriptures; the same, if not in words, at least in sense with the Apostles' Creed. The author, in page 42, shows how different is the real Catholic view of a tradition, depositum, or symbol-that form of sound words, from the Gnostic pretence, which the Church of Rome has revived, of a tradition of faith, independent of the written Gospel. "The testimonies which have been adduced from the early Christian Fathers, though by no means as abundant as they might have been rendered, are yet sufficiently full, to prove that the Catholic view of Tradition, as a Rule of Faith, is essentially different from this Roman notion of it; we may safely go farther and say, that the one is directly opposed to the other. In the modern Roman Church, Tradition has been used to multiply, in the ancient Catholic to limit, the articles of Christian Faith and terms of Christian Communion. According to the advocates of the Papal notion, the Christian religion, as first preached by the Apostles, contained more doctrines, more sacraments, more ecclesiastical orders, than were afterwards comprehended in the Scriptures of the New Testament; and the several points thus unaccountably omitted in the Apostolic records have been ever since preserved by Tradition, either in oral communication from teacher to teacher, or in the writings of uninspired men. Catholic doctors maintain on the contrary, that the original Tradition was a brief catechetical summary of vital truths; the same truths which were subsequently promulgated in the Scriptures more fully and circumstantially, and The mixed up with other matter, both of history, of prophecy, of moral precept, of occasional and glancing reference to the deep things of God, and incidental allusion to passing occurrences. The one would extend the sphere of Tradition indefinitely beyond, the other would confine it considerably within, the written Revelation; the former makes Scripture the summary, and Tradition the detail, the latter makes Scripture the detail, and Tradition the summary. In the view transmitted to us by the orthodox and Catholic fathers, the Church regarded itself only as a faithful witness of a matter of fact; what portion namely, of Scriptural truth was from the first considered indispensable to the maintenance of Christian faith: on the other hand, the Romanist teaches, that the Church is to be submitted to as an infallible judge, pronouncing without the authority of Scripture, and promulgating without the sanction of antiquity, imposing twelve new articles of Creed, and purposely leaving a blank in the bill which it has drawn upon the implicit faith of its followers, to be filled up by any new dogmas it may find it convenient to decree. Thus, while the tendency of the Catholic doctrine of Tradition is to calm the conscience and liberalize the mind, leaving a wide expanse of Revelation, in which the spirit of inquiry may freely and healthfully expatiate, the Roman doctrine ejects a Christian from the Scriptures, and keeps his faculties in bondage. In the one case, we have a plain, brief, and defined formula, accessible to all, and the same to all, embracing in one view those points of faith which were always held to be necessary, and which are to be proved, opened, and illustrated to the people, in accordance with the unfailing testimony of the written word of God. In the other, we are told of a sort of chaos of doctrinal matter, dark and indefinite, without form and void, into which the people cannot hope to penetrate, but from which the rulers of the Church for the time being, are supposed to bring forth such propositions as they choose to fashion into articles of Creed. To vary the allusion: the Scriptures, according to the Roman system, is, as it were, the Court of the Gentiles, the vestibule of Christianity, in which are pre "The formulary called an Act of Faith, annexed to the common Roman Catholic Catechisms, concludes thus: I believe these and all other articles which the Holy Catholic Church proposes to my belief." " sented such parts only of the Christian scheme as may be exhibited to those who are without, without the Church, and consequently without hope. Tradition is the temple itself; into which the believer of tried faith and constancy is to be conducted by the priesthood; but conducted blindfold; for he is not allowed to examine either the way by which he arrives at this dark interior, or its extent, or its proportion and correspondence to the outer region, or the relation of its parts among themselves; his notice is strictly confined to those particulars which his spiritual guides think it expedient for him to see." Mr. Phelan with considerable ingenuity and research, shows up the embarrassments of Popish controversialists in their attempts to reconcile their view of Tradition with that of the ancients, and affords specimens from the writings of Doctors Doyle and M'Hale, of the manner in which Tertullian and Irenæus are misquoted, and misrepresented, in order to twist their works to bear a Popish sense. He shows that the Tradition of which Tertullian speaks in his Prescriptions, as being the doctrine of the Apostles, and the rule of faith to their followers, is nothing more than the Apostles' Creed; and that the rejection of the authority of Scripture in the decision of controversy, the adoption of Apocryphal writings, the engrafting of novel and secret Traditions on the simple creed of the Fathers, the clamorous appeal to a secret and unauthenticated Tradition, and the assumption of infallibility, are all given by Tertullian as marks of those whom he called HERE TICS. We really wish we had space or opportunity to take advantage of this tract, in order to exhibit to our readers some pregnant instances of disingenuous quotations made use of by these Romish Prelates; but we refer to the work itself, which will amply repay for the perusal. We cannot resist the desire to quote one passage ;-after exposing and refuting the tenet of J. K. L., that a law of secrecy existed in the early church, which required that certain doctrines, not contained in Scripture, should be kept from the vulgar, in order to be communicated to the Perfect, he says: "The heretics of that day, like the self-called Catholics of this, maintained that there were some deeper mysteries of religious knowledge, which had been imparted only to themselves, and from which they assumed their appellation of ་ Gnostic. But Irenæus would not admit that any such were in existence: he knew of but one Tradition of the Apostles, that which was preached through the whole world, as the One Faith, and publicly exhibited to every believer, in the Creed, and the prayers, and the sacraments, and the catechising of his Church if there had been any thing more, he and the other bishops to whom the care of the Churches had been committed by the Apostles and their immediate disciples, could not but have heard of it-there was no more, nothing but the one brief and universal confession. What becomes now of the 'secrets of the science;' of those 'pearls' of doctrine which were not to be thrown to the swinish herd; of that 'Law of Secrecy,' which, while it allowed nothing better than the Gospel to be preached to the poor, solicited the contemplation of the wise and learned to an unscriptural tradition? "The secrecy which was observed by the early Fathers, however it may have been occasionally misapplied through the indiscretion and over-zeal of individuals, originated in a prudent and tender regard for the safety of their flocks, during the manifold horrors of three centuries of persecution. Those who professed a desire to renounce paganism, and be admitted into the suffering fellowship of Christianity, were treated with vigilant circumspection: their sincerity was subjected to a long probation, before the symbol of the afflicted faith was confided to their keeping; and they were also excluded from witnessing the celebration of the Holy Communion, a practice of which the vestiges are still plainly discernible both in the Roman Catholic and the Reformed rituals. Thus the separation which was contemplated by the Primitive Church, was not as J. K. L. would persuade us, between one class of brethren and another, but between the brethren generally, and the heathens who, surrounded them. All the baptized had One Faith; the simple faith of the Creed, and of those two appointed sacraments, which are in action and representation what the symbol is in its didactic recital. This was taught to all, and taught with authority; because, both from the express commands of Christ, and the very nature of that salvation which he came to work out for us, such teaching was felt to be necessary. Nothing more was taught with authority to any as to the numberless other truths-the inexhaustible variety of cir cumstantial and collateral particulars contained in the Bible, every believer was left an ample Liberty of Prophesying,' as accorded best with his private judgment, and ministered most effectually to bis private edification. The united Church of England and Ireland is animated by a similar spirit; the same Apostolical anxiety for the maintenance of the Faith. the same Catholic liberality towards free inquiry; Unity in things necessary,' as some ancient father has it, Liberty in things doubtful, and Charity in all things.' We have already seen the recorded opinions of some of the most eminent of her Divines: and these are in unison with the language of her authorized formularies, the surest criterion of the sentiments of a community." Our author having satisfactorily proved that the Church of England in all her formularies recognises no other tradition than the summary of doctrine contained in the Apostles' Creed, al-o shows, that even the Church of Rome herself, amidst that passion for dictating and anathematizing, by which she has been so long distinguished, bears testimony in the canons of the Council of Trent in her catechisms, the writings of her Doctors, &c. &c. to the simplicity of the original faith. In the conclusion of bis Pamphlet, after taking notice of the proposal of Doctor Doyle for a union between the Churches of England and Rome, places in juxta position the tenets of the rival faiths, and then exhibits the Papal system as fenced in as it were with the chevaux-de-frize of one hundred and thirty-one anathemas; thus making herself in truth, not a nursing, but a cursing mother. He then appeals to Roman Catholics, who are now freed from all political disabilities, and who have ceased to be hereditary bondsmen," whether they will submit to the outrages of a Church which is opposed to the freedom and peace of the Gospei, and whether they will not proceed to assert for themselves and their children a mental eman cipation. 66 We received some time since from a Correspondent in the country, "An Ecclesiastical Catechism of the United Church of England and Ireland," in reply to the very violent, and very shallow attacks on it in Paper's Catechism of dissent. 1. excellent author was aware that it could not appear in our pages, but requested our opinion, which we give with all since. rity in its favour, deeming it likely, when published, to have a most beneficial effect, both on dissenters by enabling them to judge of the Scriptural arguments in favour of our Church, and on churchmen by supplying them with arms to meet those objections which are daily presented, and which might perplex, though they failed to convince. We cannot speak too highly of the spirit of mildnes and forbearance manifest through the whole, exhibiting a marked contrast with the work it purports to answer. The absence of the friend who undertook to read this little work, has delayed our communicating this opinion. The manuscript lies with our publishers. LITERARY NOTICES. The Rev. J. Grant of Kentishtown, is preparing for publication, an Essay on the coins of Scripture, as internal evidence of the truth of Christianity; and on the tribute money, as affording no grounds for the Popish doctrine of divided allegiance. A new edition of Dean Graves' Lectures on the Pentateuch, complete in one very large volume 8vo. Will be ready in July. An Analysis of Bishop Burnet's Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles, with Notes, by Thomas Newland, A.B. T.C.D. One thick volume 12mo. In a few days. A Second Series of M'Gregor's True Stories from the History of Ireland, containing the Reigns of the Tudors. One volume 18mo, half bound. An Historical Account of the Siege of Derry, and Defence of Enniskillen in 1688 and 9. By the Rev. John Graham, A.M. One volume 12mo, with three Plates and a Map. The Northern Tourist; or Traveller's Guide to the North and North West of Ireland, including a particular Account of the Towns of Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry, Downpatrick, Belfast, Colraine, Derry, Enniskillen, Sligo, &c. with a Map and several Plates. One thick pocket volume, bound in green. Observations on the Rural Affairs of Ireland; or a Practical Treatise on Farming, Planting and Gardening, adapted to the Circumstances, Resour ces, Soil, and Climate of this Country, including some Remarks on the Reclaiming of Bogs and wastes, and a few By Hints on Ornamental Gardening. Tales of the Irish Peasantry, con1 vol. 12mo, taining-Introduction-The Wedding The Wake The Funeral - The Party Fight-The Battle of the Factions-The Hedge School-The Station. A Spelling Book, on a New Plan, Bythe Rev. Richard Roe, A.M. 12mo. FOREIGN RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. NORTH AMERICA. Remarkable Instance of an answer to Prayer.- -One can never sufficiently press on Christians the duty of praying urgently, and with strong confidence, for such of their relatives, their friends, their children, as have not yet tasted how pleasing is the Saviour's yoke. Prayer offered in the name of Jesus Christ has such an efficacy, that the humblest Christian may expect an answer, when he asks of God, in faith, the salvation of a soul. He should bring to recollection, what numerous promises the Saviour has made to prayer in his Gospel, and allow those promises to produce in him more faith than his own unworthiness can inspire uneasiness. If every child of God never ceased intreating of him, in the name of his wellbeloved Son, for the advancement of his kingdom in the hearts of men, the conversion of the unbelieving, the spiritual grace, of which his church has need, this harmony of prayers would, doubtless, draw down mighty blessings; for God is faithful, and is abundant in answering prayer. We read in the New York Observer, the following instance of of the prayers of a father for his children, producing the happy fruits of salvation:-"A venerable pastor, lately deceased, said to a young minister of the Gospel, 'I have seven children, for whom I have never ceased to pray since their birth; and yet not one is as yet converted. Without doubt, the want of sufficient faith in my prayers, is the cause of it; but I am so persuaded, that God can answer them at whatever hour and minute he thinks fit, that I shall continue to pray for them as long as I live.'.... Four of his children have already been converted since his death! Canada. Opposition to the distribution of the Scriptures.-There are to be found in Lower Canada, a great number of descendants of old French colonists, who seem to have come thither originally from Normandy. They dwell particularly upon the banks of the river St. Lawrence, from Montreal to Quebec. They have preserved the language of their mother-country. The civil laws which regulate them, are what prevailed in Paris previous to the year 1686. They profess the Catholic religion, and appear much attached to it. An English Ecclesiastic, Mr. Lusher, who spent some time among them, asserts, that their preachers are animated against the reading of the Holy Scriptures, by the same prejudices as are the members of the Catholic clergy in Europe; they turn away the people from reading the Bible, and they have, some of them, been seen to burn such copies of it as they could withdraw from the hands of their parishioners. Mr. Lusher having in his possession a certain number of copies of French Bibles and New-Testaments, asked permission of the Archbishop of Quebec (at an audience which he obtained,) to distribute them. He had previously forwarded to him, a Catholic New-Testament, of Sacy's version, for his examination. The Archbishop, surrounded by his clergy, received him, together with an Independent minister who travelled with him; but while he did justice to the elegance and correctness of Sacy's version, he declared that he could not approve of the general dissemination of the Bible, because that it was dangerous to permit the faithful to examine for themselves, what doctrines are therein revealed, and what duties are therein prescribed. He added that he could not authorise the distribution of the Sacred volume, unless it were accompa nied by notes taken from the writings of the holy Fathers, and accommodated to to the tradition of the church, which prevent the posility of any false or dangerous interpretation. Mr. Lusher consequently has had to confine himself to the distributing the Bible in Canada, The Patriarch of Lisbon has just published a mandamus, which shows with what rigour the clergy in Portugal exact the observance of Lent. These are the leading features of it:-All Eatinghouses in Portugal, with the exception of three, are to be closed during the entire of Lent. Nothing is to be sold but meat for the sick, and that under the inspection, and by the order of a physician. Every Portuguese is required to purchase the bull. Domiciliary visits are to be made in every house, in order to ascertain that this obligation has been fulfilled. Every time that an agent of the police may require the showing of it, they are bound to compliance, under pain of arrest. Intolerance and persecution of Protestants, by Protestants in Switzerland, from the Nouvelliste Vaudois, 10th of February. The first Sunday in the month of January, some persons met together at Payerne, Canton de Vaud, in a private house to offer up prayer for the success of missions amongst the heathen, as bas been the practice in many other towns in our canton. Just as the meeting had broken up, the justice of peace arrived, and seizing on the chairman of the meeting clapped him in prison-between the prison and the hospital, (for the poor mau fell sick) he was kept in imprisonment twenty-five days, and when enlarged, the people rose in a tumultuous manner, and loaded him with abuse, and pelted him with mud- the police quietly looking on, and apparently sanctioning this outrage on a citizen of what is called a free state. Protestant Worship in the German Language at Venice. -Since the Reformation there have been many Protestant merchants who have settled at Venice, principally from Augsburg and Swabia. Mr. Wagner one of the leading men amongst them during the time that Italy was subjugated by the French, solicited with great perseverance permission for himself and brethren to celebrate their worship, and in spite of the deter mined hostility of the monks, he obtained from the French authorities the liber Protestant Church in Florence.-Protestant worship continues to be celebrated in Florence, and is remarkably well attended. The pastor, Mr. Colomb, is a French Swiss, who is very serious, and who carefully feeds his flock. Government makes no opposition, and even permits sermons to be preached in Italian. It is, perhaps, the first time, the Italians have since the Reformation been permitted to hear the doctrines of the Gospel announced in their own tongue. People of the highest rank attend, and Italians begin to consider Protestantism and Deism as no longer identified. Roman Catholic Liberality.-As a literary and theological curiosity, we desire to notice a new edition of Abbadie's, (a celebrated Huguenot) Treatise on the Christian Religion, with notes, explanatory and critical, by M. Lacoste, theologian and vicar-general of the diocese of Dijon. The Roman Catholic Editor of this Protestant work, in his notes and observations on his author has the Catholic spirit to speak entirely in his praise. This reminds us of the practice of our own countryman, Doctor M'Hale, who in his recent work, (which bids fair to supersede Milner's End of Controversy) has in his first volume, where he treats of the truth of the Christian religion, drawn most, if not all bis arguments and proofs from Protestant writers. The Pope confessed to be Antichrist— Extracted from the "Memorial Catholique;" a Roman Catholic Journal. Often have Protestant writers applied to the Pope, the description which the Holy Spirit has given of Antichrist in the 2d chap. of Thessalonians. Whenever that accusation has been made, our adversaries have cried out, what a scandal, what impiety, what want of common charity, and with infinite indignation, they have pushed far from them this abhorrent imputation, and your liberal Protestants are not wanting in pronouncing these things to be both unjust and intolerant. But here we have |