diffusion of knowledge and freedom of investigation in religious matters; that she will suffer no man to see the doctrines of the gospel, but in her own false mirror, through the tainted medium in which they have by her been enveloped; that not only she suffers not the laity at large to read and comment upon the scriptures, but she does not permit the clergy itself, without a licence previously obtained, to open any one single book of controversy, to examine what objections have been made to their principles and practice. Now what tenet, or what invention of men could be so calculated to keep the people in darkness, nay, in that gross darkness to which, if taken at the time when the papal supremacy was at the height, we may truly say that history affords no parallel?

Indeed the abominable tendency of these and other popish doctrines is so apparent, and has been so universally recognized among us for more than two centuries, that it is perhaps partly owing to that circumstance that we have now come to look upon them as matters subject to no controversy, as calling for no animadversion. Nay, the very extravagance of them has contributed to this general indifference upon the subject, as men have been too apt to conclude that it was impossible that any person of common sense or common understanding, and having, as in this country

(blessed be God for it!) we yet have, the free use of his faculties would for a moment be deceived by them. And this opinion has gathered strength from the system which, either from prudence or from the want of ability to act otherwise, has been observed by the priests of that community for nearly a century. Ever since the reign of James the second, if we except some very recent and partial attempts', we

II allude particularly to the controversy which took place a few years ago between the late Dr. Sturges and the popish bishop Dr. (then Mr.) Milner. It must be allowed that this was partial, as being confined to the two points of persecution and the observances of monkery. But it may be said to have been partial in another point of view, because it is clear enough, and it was in my opinion an unfortunate circumstance for the interests of what we consider as the true religion, that Dr. Sturges was led to enter into the controversy rather from anxiety to vindicate the character of his friend and patron bishop Hoadly from the attacks of Mr. Milner in his history of Winchester, than from a zeal for the principles upon which the reformation was really introduced: and of this (in many respects wrong) bias, which in some degree affected the whole of Dr. Sturges's argument, his opponent did not fail most amply to take advantage. This also it was, and this only, which led the late bishop Horsley to say (what Dr. M. so triumphantly brings forward, Gent. Mag. Sept. 1807.) that Dr. S. was worsted in the contest. Before this, another controversy on the persecuting tenets of the Romish church had been carried on between the late popish archbishop Dr. Butler, and those learned and excellent divines of the Irish church, the late bishop Woodward and Dr. Hales of Kilesandra, with very different success from that which I have just mentioned, and which Dr. Sturges had clearly not seen, or he might have given Dr. Milner a better answer to some of his assertions. Lastly, in consequence of my publishing in 1805, “A serious Ex"amination of the Roman Catholic claims then depending in Par

hear of no advocate for popery entering the lists against Protestants. Nay, with such care are their doctrines kept from the notice of all who can judge of them, that it is not without great difficulty that those who would combat their errors, can with sufficient evidence fix upon them the tenets which yet they are well known to maintain, and the effects of which are sufficiently visible in all the members of that church, more especially among the weak and the ignorant. Hence it has come to pass that men are

"liament," both that point of persecution and also the Romish doctrine respecting oaths, and the power assumed by different popes of dispensing with them and of deposing kings at their pleasure, have been agitated between Dr. Milner and me, first in the Gentleman's Magazine, and afterwards in my "Sequel to the Serious

Examination." To this Dr. Milner made such an answer as he thought proper in "Certain Observations on the Sequel," extending to thirty-close printed pages, and annexed to a second edition of his "Case of Conscience solved." From the heap of abuse and personal slander as well as various mis-representations of myself and my argument, which are contained in that publication, I have, I hope, sufficiently, though necessarily somewhat at length, cleared myself in my Reply to the Observations of the Doctor." The many pamphlets which have been published on what is called the Catholic question I have not noticed, as they all profess to consider the question in a political, rather than a religious point of view. I should, however, except from this certain "Remarks upon a "late Charge of the Bishop of Durham," and the answers and replies to which they have given birth.

2

It was not without taking great pains and after much fruitless search, that I obtained a copy of Dod's Church History, which is the great authority with the papists in ecclesiastical matters; and in Dr. Milner's earlier publications most triumphantly cited. Of

so hardly persuaded to look into the question, or to believe that any danger can now be apprehended from that quarter.

This however is unquestionably a false conclusion and a delusive security. For these doctrines have once prevailed as over all Europe so especially in these kingdoms; and it is too much to aver that neither force nor fraud shall ever be successful in bringing them in again. They want not yet patrons many and powerful. I will add that the rage for proselytism still subsists and is not without effect. And, if we

Dr, Hussey's (titular bishop of Waterford) famous Charge, I have also by great accident obtained a MS. copy. But I have been baffled in all my endeavours to procure a sight of the "Hibernia "Dominicana" of Dr. Burke, the former bishop of that see and historiographer to his order; some curious extracts from which were first brought forward by the late bishop (Woodward) of Cloyne, before mentioned in his present state of the church of Ireland, published for Cadell in 1787, a pamphlet which having already recommended to notice, I must again say contains most important facts as well as reasonings. This Dr. Burke I find mentioned by Dr. Milner, as being one of the great luminaries of the Irish clergy since the reformation. Why then is this light hid under a bushel? See Dr. Milner's inquiry into certain vulgar opinions, p. 15, where the reader may see a list of names as unknown to the world in general as they appear famous in Dr. M.'s eyes.

3 The reader may see what I have said on the subject in my Sequel to the serious Examination." He may also consider the means by which the conversions are brought about; and in particular that notable miracle at St. Winifred's well. Of this however, I shall have more to say by and by. I will only add that for the benefit of the converts, not only new publications but republications of old books are resorted to, of such a nature as cannot fail to con

were to admit what yet, after all that we have seen of the errors of men confessedly learned,

vince any common understanding of what has so often been said, that, "the spirit of popery is still the same." See particularly a new edition of Ward's errata of the Protestant bible. More of the same sort of stuff is promised, nay, the impudent and exploded story of the nag's head is, it seems, to be revived; as I since find is actually the case in Dublin, in a pamphlet entitled, The controversy of ordinations truly stated, by the same Ward. Reprinted by Richard Coyne, 1807. I will add that on the alleged success of his endeavours Dr. Milner has grounded a call upon the well disposed of his communion for subscriptions to build a new chapel at Birmingham. Similar calls are made for similar buildings at Margate and Edinburgh. See Laity's Directory for 1808, sold by Keating and Co. Duke Street, Grosvenor Square. The reader also should be apprized that every popish priest in this country is considered as a missionary; at least I apprehend so: and in a late pastoral letter put forth by Dr. Milner it is given as a reason for its having been delayed, that he wished it should accompany a new and improved edition of the "OBSERVANDA, or rules for the con"duct of English Missionaries, which rules," he adds, are "usually distributed with the printed formulary of the faculties." P. xii. In the close of this pastoral letter, after repeatedly stating to his clergy that it is their bounden duty to reclaim their brethren who are in error, he presses it upon them that they should exert themselves to provide for a succession of their ministry; and he exclaims: "O let not that sacred cause fail in our hands,

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through religious indifference, which our Catholic ancestors " and predecessors supported for so long a time with their blood!" Now, although after his repeated disclaimers, I do not mean to charge Dr. Milner with the consequences which may be fairly deduced from the above passage, I must be allowed to say that I have in my "Sequel" most incontrovertibly proved, out of the mouths of the Romanists themselves, that all the popish priests who suf fered in the reign of Elizabeth and James, suffered not only for what was precisely declared by the laws of the land to be treason, but for actually holding tenets which Dr. Milner himself, if he be sincere,