which we should suppose, in consequence of Papal feuds, are decidedly against the question as applied by the Pope to his own Church. But we must be permitted to add, that although all are one Church to CHRIST, of which he alone is the Head, yet are there two states of the same Church, the one militant and the other triumphant, " of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." Eph. iii. 15. Heaven, earth, and hell are but as one kingdom to God, for his kingdom ruleth over all. "The kingdom is the Lord's; and he is the Governor among the nations." Psal. xxii. 28. All nations are one kingdom to HIM, whose wisdom has disposed that these should be governed by various rulers according to the capacities of his creatures. We read not in Holy Writ that he ever appointed a universal monarch of the world; and the present degenerate state of Rome shows us the consequences of ungoverned ambition; since the weight of her own magnificence sunk her beneath the level of the nations she had conquered. Thus has it been with the Church. The divisions which Rome has made has broken its unity; and by an assumption of supremacy and infallibility she has, for the preservation of her authority, introduced similar blessings to mankind, as it may be imagined an Universal Monarch would have done to have enforced obedience to his despotic power: she has marked her universality by the blood of her victims, sacrificed to the lust of domination; whilst, instead of an appeal to the benign and persuasive doctrines of Christianity, her arguments have been the sword, the stake, and the gibbet; or have otherwise been exerted within the secret walls of an Inquisition! But we will give our authority for the means adopted by the holy Roman Catholic Church for the extermination of heresies in its proper place. Every one who believes in CHRIST is a Christian, as those who believe in Mahomet are Mahomedans. But it is not enough that we believe in Christ, but that we keep his commandments also. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter

into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of Father which is in heaven.”—Matt. vii. 21.✨

my

To the rest of the questions and replies which occur throughout this section we beg particular attention, as they are intended to instil into the mind of youth that-with the comparatively small exception of those who have been taught to believe in Popery-the whole of God's creatures must assuredly be damned! Horrible and revolting, indeed, is such a doctrine as this to reason and to humanity; false, hypocritical, and blasphemous it is towards the GREAT CREATOR of the Universe; who, instead of the fountain of mercy, is thus silently represented (as we heard him publicly described in a Popish chapel *) as "a CRUEL, SEVERE, and INEXORABLE JUDGE!!!"

We can only hope, in despite of the evidence of our own senses, that we do not understand the meaning of the text as it stands printed before us. If so, we intreat our Popish brethren to set us right; but as, according to our most solemn belief, it is intended to bear the construction we have put upon it, viz. that the GREAT GOD has doomed all mankind to eternal perdition, except those who profess their belief in Popery,-can it be unfair to comment upon tenets so directly opposed to the decrees of a just and merciful Creator?-can it be wrong to refute them by his holy word? Surely not; and should our efforts induce but one member of the Church of Rome to "search the Scriptures," we shall not think they have been employed in vain.

It is asked, "May not persons be saved in any religion ?” The positive reply to which is "No, certainly." The sentences of Scripture quoted in support of this assertion are, first, from Heb. xi. 6, and from Acts iv. 12. Paul, in writing to the Jews on the necessity of faith in God, says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him."

This is the first passage alluded to; and what has this to

*Somers' Town.

do with the question, as implied, that none can be saved but the followers of the Pope, a title unknown until usurped, as will be shown, many ages afterwards? Paul, in the chapter alluded to by the Pontiff (for, is it more than an allusion ?), explains what faith is, and the fruits thereof; exemplifying it by the acts of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, &c., who "having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise." (ver. 39.) With respect to the next sentence of Scripture in the above reply, that "there is none other name [than CHRIST] under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved;" is there any -can there be any Christians who believe otherwise? But does this lead us to imagine that the millions who have not yet even heard tell of salvation by the name of JESUS, are to perish everlastingly for the want of that which it is their greatest misfortune to be without-the knowledge of CHRIST, who died for the sins of ALL MANKIND? From the Christian is required faith and repentance; but the Heathen will be judged by the law of morality implanted in his heart, and which is called natural religion. As the knowledge of God is given to the one, more, of course, is expected from him than from the other. But is it because GOD has made a covenant with the Christian, that he, calling himself Christian, is to pronounce a curse against the less favoured Heathen rather than leave him in the hands of an all-powerful though uncovenanted mercy? The next sentence in proof of the question is, "He that believeth not shall be damned." But CHRIST has nowhere denounced those not doomed to hear of him FOR not believing.

Rom. v. 13.-"For, until the law, sin was not in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

-ix. 25.-"As he (the LORD) saith also in Osee [Hosea], I will call them My people, which were not my people; and her [i. e. the nation] Beloved, which was not beloved..

1 Cor. v. 12." For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within ? 13.-" But them that are without, God judgeth.

Rom. ix. 26." And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God."

If these texts be not sufficient to show the grossness of the assumption that salvation can be extended to none but the believers in Popery, let those who would seek further proofs that such impious doctrines-(we merely write as we feel)—are opposed to the divine precepts of Christianity, let them "search the Scriptures," which will make irresistible appeals to their understandings and to their hearts. They will therein learn that the "Mercy of God rejoiceth against judgment," (James ii. 13), and that "GoD is no respecter of persons." (Acts x. 34.)

But we request the patience of our readers whilst we point out to them the way in which the Pope blends religion and impiety, as they will frequently have occasion to notice, whilst drawing the falsest possible conclusions from his own. unwarrantably-assumed propositions. "True faith," says he, "in order to please GOD and save our souls, must be entire; that is to say, we must believe, without exception, all such articles as by GOD and his Church [the Popish Church!] are proposed to be believed; and he that voluntarily and obstinately disbelieveth any one of these articles is no less void of true saving faith than he that disbelieves them all," &c. Now, how can any man who has perused the New Testament, read such tenets as those which we are wading through, and not feel the bane of their influence in all social intercourse, and, what is evidently of much greater importance, of their direct tendency-or, perhaps, we should say, positive effect-in betraying souls from a reliance upon the merits of the SAVIOUR of the WORLD into the deplorable darkness in

separable from doctrines instituted by the speculative theories of men-of men who oppose the temporal interests of their Church against the promised salvation of all the rest of mankind? Let us see what kind of "Articles' are those coupled by the Church of Rome with those left for our guidance by the word of God. We will first notice the canon of Urban II.*, which is thus expressed :-" We do not consider those as homicides, who, burning with zeal for the (Roman) Catholic Church against excommunicated persons, happen to have killed any of them!" "This canon still," says Dr. Phillpotts, "has its place in the ecclesiastical code, and is part of the law of the Church of Rome.". Where are such encouragements held out to zealous' murderers in the New Testament? Again, "Such is the sacredness of the obligation to obey the (Romish) Church, that, even at the day of judgment, the sinner who has erred by following its commands may thus address the HEAVENLY JUDGE, and claim forgiveness as of right!!! Lord, if it be an error which we have followed, thou thyself hast deceived us by thine own plain and reiterated direction, that we should hear the Church even as we hear Thee. Thou thyself hast deceived us by thy apostles, by the pastors and teachers appointed by thee for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of thy body-who have commanded us so to do. THOU THYSELF hast deceived us by thy Church, called by St. Paul the pillar and ground of the truth, which Church has never ceased to exact from her children a firm assent to all her decrees, threatening an everlasting curse agaist those who dare to rebel against her. Conscious, alas! of our own ignorance in divine things, and of the weakness of man's understanding, how could we rely on ourselves in searching the Scriptures, and despise an authority so exalted? Confidently, therefore, we say, O Lord, if it be an error which we

47 Ca, 23. Qu, vi. Excommunicatorum.