actual view of the Lutheran and the Anglican faith, it certainly is not the Catholic, as defined and taught in the Church of Rome. For while the alleged tutissima via of Oxford professes to avoid faith alone on one side, and works alone on the other, the unity of the Catholic faith as held in her Apostolic Church insists upon no other distinction-no other merits whatever-for salvation, save those only of Jesus Christ, and him crucified. She acknowledges not the doctrine of "Christ alone" in severance from his work of faith, of which he is the author and finisher, nor does she admit of any justifying works in man as our own, or of any acceptable righteousness but that which is of faith, and by faith, and in faith, as the gift of God in Christ, and which includes, within its justifying terms, every conceivable grace and merit which flows, or can flow, from the supreme source of the everlasting sacrifice.

While the Lutheran, therefore, agreeably to the statements of the Oxford writers, teaches faith, without looking to works, and the latter hold up Christ alone, without looking either to faith or works, the Catholic Church

of that faith which justifies, is that, we ask, a sufficient reason why the Oxford Divines should fear to say, with the Catholic Church, that we are most truly justified by the performance of such works as are pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God? Their profession that we are saved simply by "looking to Christ alone," is plainly no answer to the question whether we are saved by faith alone, or by faith accompanied with good works, unless they positively mean to deny that we are justified either by faith, or by good works, or, in other words, by each and both. As to their affirming, elsewhere, as we have seen, that we are saved both by Christ and by our own righteousness" at once,' we can only here say, that the former position is a self-evident contradiction to the latter. The statement in itself, moreover, of salvation by Christ alone, is plainly an equivoque, or a quodlibet, or what you please; or, in other words, a sentence altogether without meaning on the merits or bearing of the question at issue. Can the Oxford Divines really be ignorant that this depends not on salvation by Christ-an article on which the whole of the Christian world is professedly agreed-but simply and only upon the conditions by which this salvation is given? But if they will still adhere to Christ alone, as they plead for, while they disclaim faith alone, and good works alone, we confidently pronounce the propositions, without further comment, one and all, to be nothing less than the mere senseless verbiage of a perverted logic.

looks to all in Christ.* Her immutable Truth declares that, without our looking to faith and works conjointly, we can never obtain the blessing of the Lord either now, or in glory hereafter; for as we walk by faith, and not by sight, so without the former it is no more possible for us to please Him, and become acceptable in His account, than we can, without holiness, enter into the kingdom of heaven. The Church of Rome shows that there is but one true or Christian faith, and that this very faith constitutes the merits of Jesus Christ, which he procured for his members, both as their justifying and their sanctifying righteousness in him. The Oxford

doctrine teaches that simply "to look at Christ is to be justified by faith;" but "to think of being justified by faith, is to look from Christ and to fall from grace" (!)† thus making the mere difference between "looking" and "thinking" to constitute the cardinal and essential distinction in the plan of Christian Justification! The Church of Rome, on the other hand, instructs us, that merely to look at Christ, is not to be justified by faith, or the merits of Christ, and that to think of being justified simply by looking at, or to, or upon him, or in any conceivable way whatever, save only by living faith in his merits, is to look only at our own thoughts, and to miss the rewards of his grace in that approven path of Catholic Unity which was delivered to us from above in his one Holy and Apostolic Church. There, and there only, can He, with undoubted certainty, be found in the beauty of holiness, and in the infallibility of HIS

* From the above, then, it plainly appears that, while the Oxford doctrine professes to dissent so strongly from that of the Roman Church in regard to the justifying merit of good works, it necessarily, although contrary, as we think, to their intentions, excludes them from having any share in our justification. With all their repugnance, therefore, to the views of Lutheranism, we do not see how they can refute the charge of holding, with Luther himself, the following opinion, viz. that "He would not allow good works to be considered either as the conditions, or the means of salvation, (or justification,) nor even as a preparation for receiving it."--Note by Dr. McClaine to Mosheim's Ecclesiastical Hist., Cent. xvi. sect. iii. part 2, ch. 1.

+ Mr. Newman's Lecture, xiii.-" On Preaching the Gospel," p. 388.

EVERLASTING KINGDOM, built, as it is, by its Omnioptent Founder, upon the living rock of Peter, and within the consecrated walls of "the Eternal City!"

18*

FINIS.

POPULAR

CALUMNIES

AGAINST THE

CATHOLIC CHURCH.

To those who have never carefully attended to the character and extent of the popular opinions which prevail in this country and in England, on the religious belief and moral principles of Catholics, it would seem not only surprising, but actually incredible, that the former, as we find them, could possibly obtain among communities boasting of the name of civilization.

During the agitation in the English parliament of the celebrated question of Catholic emancipation, we find Protestants, who were the advocates of the cause, declaring, in the progress of their inquiries on the subject, that before actual experience had convinced them of the formidable tendency of the above-named prejudices and errors in retarding its success, they could scarcely persuade themselves it could be necessary to say any thing upon this part of the subject. From the tone, however, which they saw taken by their opponents, and a more extended observation of the feelings of the great bulk of the people, they, at length, became satisfied that this was a point which ought, least of all, to be neglected in a discussion of this kind, and that the greatest obstacle to the triumph of Catholic emancipation would be removed, if the Protestant part of the country could only be disabused of their gross ignorance and delusion in regard to the religious creed in which they differed from their illjudged and oppressed brethren. Taught, then, by stern and painful experience, they entered, with patience and plainness, upon the task of combating these popular

prejudices, while they could not feel sufficiently indignant at the wilful misrepresentations by which they were excited, through the machinations of unprincipled authority.

In the development of this imposture upon the Protestant mind of the country, its effects have frequently been seen to be so gross as to excite rather the derision than the indignation of all well-informed persons, especially when it is considered how many have been the dupes of a sinister and artful policy, who have not, in many instances, the means of correctly knowing what are, or are not, the real principles of the Catholic faith. And although, through the force of truth when laid open and brought to bear upon the public sentiment, by the zeal and talents of philanthrophic men, the cause of Catholic emancipation was, at length, brought to its accomplishment, still much of the ignorance, which so long retarded its success, obtains, not only in England, but even in our own country, as transmitted to us from our English ancestry, to a degree that would greatly excite the surprise of those whose attention had not been carefully directed to the subject.

Among some of the popular absurdities which were shown to prevail in England by the advocates of Catholic emancipation, we will notice a few, which, we think, it will not be denied continue still to prevail in our own land, and that to an extent calculated to provoke derision, were they not too serious to excite our pity and regret. Let the following, then, suffice as a specimen of the ridiculous charges which we frequently hear alleged against Catholics.

1st. That they do not consider themselves under any principle of obligation to keep faith with heretics,

2dly. That they hold that they may lawfully kill any sovereign or private person who has been excommunicated by the See of Rome.

3rdly. That the Pope can dispense them from the obligation of the most solemn oaths, of whatever nature they may be.

4thly. That they can obtain from their priests an absolution for all sins, without the necessity either of repentance, or any purpose of amendment.