transgression, in Jacob, saith the Lord." But had not the Pope seen that the Church of the Jews, to whom the promises were addressed, had deprived itself of the promised blessing? "But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord," Mal. ii. ver. 8. Now, could even the promise of God to the Jews be shown to have any relation whatsoever to Popery, the condition implied (obedience) not being fulfilled, the misapplication of the text quoted would never have satisfied any but such as could be prevailed upon to take their salvation upon trust, rather than to read the Word of God.

The fifth "because" speaks of the Church of Christ as “a highway to holiness," that "fools should not err therein." Doubtless, all true Christians believe it to be so. Popery alone seeks to make it a bye way; and by an exaction of the most debasing subserviency of mind, menaces REASON with a curse (since the "tower of her strength " is a blind obedience in her votaries); whilst her immense wealth (where Popery has obtained an ascendancy), arising from the traffic in pardons and indulgences, gifts of devotees, &c. &c.—these show that she is not inattentive to the tolls to be paid by all the good people who pass through the gate of Priestcraft, of which, Christian evidence-contrasted with the doctrines of the Romish Church-reason, experience, and conviction, fully prove she really possesses the key.

The sixth reason is (see Isaiah liv.), from God's promise of amplification to the Gentile church; and the last line from St. Paul to Timothy is emphatically wound up by the (we think) unfortunate-certainly untrue-assertion, that the Popish Church" is infallible in all matters relating to faith; so that she can neither add to, nor retrench from what CHRIST taught." A parrot, taught by a Pope to do so, could as readily say as much. But we adhere to FACT alone; and now to our scriptural proofs, in support of our protest against so

wicked an anomaly, thus conveyed in the last quotation. Our own feelings will, we trust, protect us from using intemperate expressions, as our inclinations are (which we show by giving the whole Book we treat of) to deal with fairness. But we really know not how to express shamelessness otherwise than by the term impudence; and with the Twelve New Articles of Faith, which the council of Trent has added to the Apostles' creed, before us, is it not a direct insult to common sense to tell us that they do not (or, as it is implied, could not, though they would) add to nor subtract from the doctrines of Christ? Where there have been subtractions from the institutions of OUR LORD, we shall show in its proper place;-how the papal authorities reconcile such errors with the positive and terrible curse denounced (Rev. xxii. ver. 18, 19) against those who "add" or "take away' from those institutions, they themselves only know.

Now, having seen all the scriptural proofs adduced by Popery in support of her " Infallibility in all matters relating to Faith," we will here show our English Catholic readers what degree of Faith it is necessary for them to possess:66 If the POPE should command the practice of vice and forbid virtue; the Church is bound to believe VICE to be GOOD, and VIRTUE to be WICKED "(!!!)-Bellarm. De Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 5. One more degree of Faith in the Infallibility of the Church of Rome:-"If the Pope were to be so wicked us to carry with him innumerable people, by troops, as slaves, to hell, to be with himself for ever tormented; yet, no mortal man whatever must presume here to reprove his faults, because he is judge of all, and himself to be judged of none."-Decret. part. 1. dist. 40. By way of elucidation to the foregoing, we shall quote an extract from the opinion of Mr. Charles Butler, of Lincoln's Inn:-" Every true Roman Catholic believes that nothing can be wrong in the faith of the Church; but they admit that when Luther made his attack upon the Church of Rome, much REFORMATION in

the Church, both in respect to its HEAD and Its members, was wanting in discipline and morals."-L. of Eras. note to p. 84. We think Mr. B. might have very safely added, "such will ever be the case with such a Church."

We will not tire our readers in disproving the TRUTH of the above doctrines, put forth by Pontificals, Decretals, and Mr. Butler; but briefly turn to the first passages which come to hand in the New Testament, innumerable as they are, applicable to the present subject :—

--

Matthew, ch. vii. v. 15. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."

V. 16. "Ye shall know them by their fruits," &c.

V. 17. "Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit."

V. 20. "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." V. 21. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father, which is in heaven."

V. 22. "Many will say to me, in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name have done many wonderful works?"

V. 23. "And then, will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

However personally and universally infallible the Pope and the rest of his Church may choose to be, we must not forget that the Apostles did not assume so much. St. Peter erred, and "walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel;" for many were "carried away" with his dissimulation. "Gal. ii. 13, 14." St. Paul owned, that in some cases he had no commandment of the Lord, but spoke "by permission,” as a private person. In other cases, he says, "I command, yet not I but the Lord."—" And to the rest speak I, not the

Lord." And "it is so after my judgment; and I think also that I have the spirit of God," &c.—1 Cor. vii. 6, 10, 12, 25, 40. Again:

2 Cor. i. 24. “Not for that we have dominion over your Faith, but are helpers of your joy. For by faith [i. e. by your own faith] ye stand."

Gal. i. 8. "But, though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

Now, the twelve New Articles being directly opposed to the Gospel of CHRIST, Papists would do well to contrast them with that Gospel, if they deem the salvation of their own souls worth a consideration.

*

But, knowing as we do that the New Testament is, by the Popish clergy, cast aside for the introduction of their own compositions (such as we have already quoted), this being their rule of faith in the Church of Rome, accordingly, the Church having shown by what tenure she holds her infallibility, we now beg to show, by her own positive assertion, that she declares she is not INFALLIBLE! We are not, however, at present, going back to those days when so impious an assumption first struck alarm in the minds of all good men; that we shall show hereafter. But we are about to appeal to no less an authority than the DECLARATION already noticed, signed by thirty Popish Bishops, on the 26th of January, 1826-and from which, whilst we urge it in proof of our assertions, our readers will draw the most positive

assurances.

In Article 11 of the above "Declaration," these gentlemen (the Popish Bishops) declare UPON OATH, "That it is not an article of the (Roman) Catholic faith, neither are they thereby required to believe that the Pope is infallible." This Decla

The rule of its Faith" is the teaching authority of the successors of the Apostles."-Faith of Catholics, &c. Berington and Kirke, 1813.

ration is, we think, as plainly expressed as the assertion is positively made in the "Grounds of Faith," quoted above of the infallibility? However, as Popery cannot err, the Church of Rome, it is evident, has merely to say (as we have shown her clergy acknowledge) that

Vice is virtue, virtue vice;

Lies are truths, and truths lies,

And, such is the Popish doctrine of her infallibility, all good Papists are as fully convinced of her miraculous powers in this respect, as in her evident tact in conjuring a wafer, made of a little flour, and a glass of wine, into the real body and blood of our Redeemer. We really beg pardon of the Roman Catholic laity; but if that which is contemptible be not contemptuously treated-if falsehood upon falsehood so bunglingly jumbled together by "infallibility," as to oblige one moiety of itself to contradict the other-if such puerile efforts to deceive are to be treated with gravity, let the Romish clergy first show some better scriptural "Grounds " for the authority they have usurped over the minds of their followers than we have yet met with; and above all, let them, as we do, prefer proof to assertion, and fact to sophistry-we will then meet them as gravely as they please. But this will never suit the Church of Rome; HER favourite children must give up their inward and outward senses :-REASON first, and then, as a matter of course, seeing, hearing, feeling, taste, and smell ;-all must be sacrificed at the shrine of infallibility in the court or Church of Rome; but whether this Infallible Church is the Court, the Pope, a General Council, or all these together, the Popish writers cannot, nor ever will, agree*.

Some place the infallibility in the Pope, as "heir and successor of St. Peter;" but, as so many Popes have been deposed and slaughtered for their heresies by other Popes the successful one always (pro tem.) being acknowledged orthodox-there are others who place the "infallibility" in a general council as superior to the Pope; a third party define it to be lodged only in the Pope and a council together; but as this arrangement would defeat the dicta of many councils, which are called general, and would split others into fractions (as in the cases when the Pope or his