or that it is not attributable to the exertions of one whom all learned Papists eagerly claim as the brightest ornament of their Church of this presently.

Four evils are expressly pointed out as the consequences of our escape from Papal thraldom; but the " innumerable spawn of heresies," as the Doctor has elegantly expressed it, float in their own streams at their own peril, without the apprehension of being fried alive, as in "the good old " Papal times; and if their "dissensions be endless," although the evil is undeniably a Popish relic, intolerant Protestantism is a stranger to the merits of conviction, enforced by the rack or a pile of faggots."

"The itch of changing" we do not think so prevalent as in Popish days, not being aware of any new articles of FAITH having been introduced since Protestantism was established, which mankind must either believe or be condemned to eternal perdition for disputing, as the five new Papal sacraments, &c. Neither do we see the "bare-faced impiety" of worshipping God alone, rather than in dividing our adoration of HIM with his creatures and their relics and images-in seeking pardon of God rather than by applying to a Popish priest -in preferring Scripture to the unsubstantiated traditions of superstitious ages-in hearing our Church service, and joining in prayer in our vulgar tongue, to hearing it in a language we are ignorant of-nor in preferring marriage to a less honourable state of life. We may also add, that upon strong minds the consequent effect of superstition is infidelity; since he who becomes disgusted with what he (then) terms Priest-craft, deems all professions of Christianity alike; and thus, whilst the Papal multitude believe the Scriptures and Legends upon the same authority (the Church of Rome), the sceptic and the philosopher too often vainly deny both.

Of" old Erasmus we have a few words to say, since it is he to whom we have alluded above. He died in July 1536, at the age of seventy. Romanists are determined to have Erasmus a Papist, a point indeed which we are not now about to dispute, but will merely show that Doctors differ on this subject, whilst we leave it to our readers to form their own conclusions from the language of Erasmus himself:"If anything seemed proper to destroy the gloomy empire

of superstition, and to alarm the security of the lordly Pontiffs, it was the restoration of learning in Europe, and the number of men of genius that arose of a sudden, under the benign influence of that auspicious revolution. . . . . Erasmus and others pointed the delicacy of their wit, or levelled the fury of their indignation at the superstitions of the times, the corruptions of the priesthood, the abuses that reigned in the Court of Rome, and the brutish manners of the monastic orders."Mosheim.

"It was not Luther nor Zuinglius that contributed so much to the Reformation as Erasmus, especially among us in England; for Erasmus was the man who awakened men's understandings, and brought them from the Friar's divinity to a relish of general learning."-Stillingfleet.

"He [Erasmus] as was commonly said of the Reformation, laid the egg, and Luther hatched it."-Eveleigh.

"As soon as Bologna surrendered to the arms of Pope Julius II.-[To whose odious list of vices,' says Mosheim, we may add the most savage ferocity, the most audacious arrogance, the most despotic vehemence of temper, and the most extravagant and frenetic passion for war and bloodshed!'-Erasmus returned, and beheld the Pope's magnificent entry into the conquered town. The spectacle did not greatly edify him; he compared-(contrasted, we suppose, Mr. Charles Butler's means?)-as he informs us, the Pontiff's martial character with the spirit of charity inculcated in every page of the Gospel *; his lofty and imperious demeanour, with Christian humility; and the costly magnificence which environed him, with the lowly circumstances and manners of HIM who was meek and humble of heart; and who himself preached these meek and humble virtues to his followers. These reflections gave rise to the celebrated Dialogue, Julius Exclusus ;' or, Julius shut out from Heaven, an admirable satire. . . . . It imports to be a dialogue between St. Peter and Julius. With an equal mixture of bit

* The somewhat dangerous admissions to Romanism will occasionally slip from the pens of the most liberal and learned of Romanists themselves. If " the spirit of charity" be" inculcated in every page of the Gospel," how uncharitable is Popery to withhold it from general perusal! Protestants rely upon it as their guide to salvation; and "old Erasmus " was also of the same opinion. He published his Greek Testament in 1516, the year preceding the Reformation, previous to which (Jortin, quoting Stillingfleet, says) there was but one in all Germany!

terness and pleasantry [we should suppose Popery would feel the pleasantry the most bitter of the two?] the pilot of the Galilæan lake reproaches Julius with his unchristian conduct; laughs at his deeds of arms, exposes the folly of his pompous magnificence, and finally shuts the door of heaven upon him."-Mr. C. Butler.

Erasmus was, undoubtedly, one of the most learned men of any age; yet, must not Romanists think him very foolish to shut the man out of heaven, when he (they say) knew that the Pope himself must always possess the key of it? We think it unnecessary to make any further quotations in proof of Erasmus being a Papist :-it is admitted, on all sides, that there was an epistolary correspondence between him and Henry VIII. (the latter writing to him with his own hand)→→ that he visited England five times (the last in 1517, the year of the Reformation), and that his motive for quitting it was the fear of the plague to which this country was then subject. We will now see what Erasmus himself says of Luther and the Reformation.

As Councillor of Charles V., Emperor of Germany, Erasmus was at the Diet of Cologne, A.D. 1520, at which Frederick, Elector of Saxony, was present also. The latter was a warm supporter of the Reformation, and, of course, a great admirer of Luther. Wishing much to have the candid opinion of Erasmus on this important subject, he sent his almoner, Spalatinus, with an invitation, that he would wait upon him, which he did (on the 5th of December). The conversation that followed, between Frederick, Erasmus, and Spalatinus, is thus related by the latter:

"The Elector then desired Erasmus freely to give him his opinion concerning Luther? Erasmus, pressing his lips close together, stood musing, and delaying to give an answer; whilst Frederick, as it was his way when he was discoursing earnestly with any one, fixed his eyes steadily upon him, and stared him full in the face. At last, Erasmus brake out into these words :- Luther hath been guilty of two crimes: he hath touched the Pope upon the crown, and the Monks upon the belly.' Erasmus at that time [full three years after the Reformation had commenced] judged so favourably of Luther's doctrine, that

...

when he had taken leave of the Elector, and Spalatinus had conducted him back to the house where he then lodged, he immediately set down and wrote some axioms, as he called them, and gave them to Spalatinus. The subject of

these axioms was :

"That good men, and lovers of the Gospel, were those who had taken the least offence at Luther; that they were much displeased at the cruelty of the Bull*, so unworthy of the mild and merciful Vicar of Jesus Christ; that two Universities had, indeed, condemned Luther, but had not confuted him; that his request was very reasonable, to be tried by unsuspected judges; that he could not be suspected of evil designs, since he sought for no profit and advantage to himself; that the Pope was more solicitous about his own glory, than about the honour of Jesus Christ; that the treatises written against Luther were disapproved even by those who dissented from Luther; that the world was now influenced with a vehement love and longing for evangelical truth; and that such a disposition was not to be odiously checked and oppressed; and, lastly, that it was very improper for Charles [who was won over by the Pope] to begin the exercise of his imperial power with inauspicious acts of severity and violence." Such were the sentiments of "old Erasmus," and Protestants agree in them. The above extract is from Dr. Jortin's Life of Erasmus, and is quoted also by Mr. C. Butler himself in his work upon the same subject.

Doctor Challoner is right in making the most of "dying men❞—it is a sort of fundamental point with Popery to do so. When" a dying man" is worn down by pain and weakness, all the Priest's object is to catch him if he can, and publish his conversion. For this end the patient is promised heaven, if he will recant-eternal perdition, if he will not: charitably to let the Christian die in peace with hope in his God alone is

*Pope Leo X. issued a Bull against Luther on the 15th June, 1520, in which forty-one pretended heresies, extracted from the works of the latter, were condemned, his writings ordered to be publicly burned, and himself summoned to confess and retract his "errors" under pain of excommunication. Luther appealed from the Pope to a General Council, had a pile of faggots raised without the walls of the city of Wittemburg, and amidst an immense assemblage of all ranks, he cast into the flames the Bull, and also the Decretals and Canons relating to the Pope's Supremacy.

not to be thought of nor expected; and we have known where other attempts have failed, the Scriptures to have been clandestinely removed, and Popish effusions introduced in their place.

With the numerous extracts which we have quoted from' Romish writers before them, it may appear to our readers a task of supererogation in Dr. Challoner to have spoken of the religion of Popery, " taking off men's minds from the perishable goods of this world?"-By her own showing she would be very well contented with "the perishable goods of this* world," even though she were to encompass them all within' her own grasp. Nor do we think it very prudent of the Doctor to have said so much more than his master on the subject of the "holy solitaries" of his church*. We have given a few specimens of what has sometimes been the consequences of the holiness of these ladies and gentlemen; and if it were a subject we felt inclined to dwell upon, we could illustrate our observations by referring to almost every Papal government under the sun which furnishes ample fruits of Monkish morality. Suppose Spain (as thoroughly Popish a kingdom as heart could wish) were to be named as the test of our assertion:-is there, we ask, a single province that could not exhibit a battalion of Minors in proof of the selfdenial of the brawny pillars of the Romish Church? We' certainly were not aware that young ladies generally "aban doned" the " advantages of birth and fortune" to retire to convents; we feared they were too often the victims of parental inhumanity to increase the fortunes of "the unwieldy' heir." However, these ladies generally carry their "welcome" along with them; it is not merely a religious turn of mind that qualifies a young lady for the constant inmate of a nunnery. We recollect many years since frequently to have

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*The Mémoires de l'Académie des Institutions, referred to by Gibbon, speaks of these holy people. Gibbon says, "it was with the utmost difficulty that ancient Rome could support the institution of six vestals Nor could the dread of the most horrible death always restrain their incontinency." It appears, however, that others" encountered the enemy in the closest engagements; they permitted Priests, and Deacons to share their bed, and gloried amidst the flames in unsullied purity." But insulted Nature, sometimes, vindicated her rights, and this new species of martyrdom served only to introduce a new scandal into the Church."-Dec, and Fall of Rom. Emp., Vol. ii. p.324-5.