iness of mind: and cause, that the examination of the Judge may be mild toward all."

William, thou good Shepherd,-Cleanse us in our agony; grant us aid; remove the filthiness of our life; and grant the joys of a celestial crown."

"O ye eleven thousand glorious Maids, lilies of virginity, roses of martyrdom, defend me in life by affording to me your assistance: and show yourselves to me in death by bringing the last consolation."--(Collect. in Hor. ad usum sacrum, as quoted in Faber's Difficulties of Romanism, p. 191, 2.)

On the subject of relique-worship, the council decrees as follows: "Sanctorum quoque Martyrum, et aliorum cum Christo viventium sancta corpora, quæ viva membra fuerunt Christi, et templum Spiritus Sancti, ab ipso ad æternam vitam suscitanda et glorificanda a fidelibus veneranda esse: per quæ multa beneficia a Deo hominibus præstantur: &c.-(Sess.xxv.) The holy bodies of saints, also of martyrs, and of others living with Christ, which (bodies) have been living members of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Ghost, and which by him. (Christ) are to be raised to eternal life and glorified;-(these bodies) are to be venerated.

What this religious veneration is, which the council here decrees to relics, we may learn from a late work on the doctrines of the Catholic church, by the Bishop of Aire. "From God, as its source," says the Bishop, "the worship, with which we honor relics, originates; and to God, as its end, it ultimately and terminatively reverts."-(Discuss. Amic. Lett. XV. Faber's Diff. of Rom. p. 194.) But the worship which origi nates from God, and reverts to him, must, if any species of religious service is entitled to the distinction, be the most exalted worship-it is true and proper worship, that which, according to the scriptures, is due to God alone.

The Worship of Images is enjoined in the following terms, "Imagines porro Christi, Deiparæ Virginis, et aliorum sanctorum, in templis præsertim habendas et retinendas, eisque debitum honorem et venerationem impertiendam," &c. (Sess. XXV.) Moreover, the Images of Christ, the God-bearing Virgin, and of other saints, are, in churches especially, to be had and retained, and due honor and veneration are to be given to them. That by this veneration, religious worship is really intended, is plain from what follows,-"honos, qui eis exhibetur refertur ad prototypa, quæ illæ repræsentant," &c. The honor which is shown to them (the images) is referred to the origin. als which these represent. In the case, then, of the image of

Christ, the identical honor which is given to him, is shewn to the image; but this is true and proper worship. The council apparently apprehensive, as well they might be, that they would be thought idolaters, thus endeavor, in anticipation, to escape the imputation, "non quod credatur inesse aliqua in iis divinitas vel virtus, propter quam sint colendæ," &c. Not that it is believed there is any divinity in the images, or virtue, on account of which they are to be worshipped, &c.; but the same reply was uniformly made by the ancient Pagan Romans, and when charged with idolatry, for worshipping before the images of Jupiter, &c. and yet the apostle does not hesitate to speak of them as heathens.

INDULGENCES.

Bellarmine, the celebrated defender of the Romish Church, tells us that indulgence is "remissionem pœnarum, quæ remanent luendæ post remissionem culparum:"-(Bellar. De Indulg. Lib. 1, ch. 1.)

The remission of the punishments which remain to be satisfied for, after the remission of faults. He who purchases an indulgence, procures thereby a remission of those purgatorial fires which otherwise he must suffer on account of his sins. The sale of indulgences is a very extensive and gainful trade in Roman Catholic communities, and the effects of such a trade on the minds and manners of the people, cannot but be most deplorable. "That religion," says Dr. Johnson, a late traveller in Italy, "cannot offer very formidable checks to im morality, or even crime, which hangs up 'Plenary Indulgence' on every chapel-door. He who can easily clear the board of his conscience on Sunday, has surely a strong temptation to begin chalking up a fresh score on Monday or Tuesday." It was the shocking consequences of an extraordinary sale of indulgences, that opened the eyes of Luther to the abominations of Romanism, and thus led to the Reformation. The very bonds of society seemed to be loosening and dissoiving, and crimes of the most frightful character obtained license by the flood of indulgences that was pouring in upon the country.

'Such indulgences were first invented in the eleventh centu ry, by Urban II. as a recompense for those who went in pe son upon the glorious enterprise of conquering the Holy Land. They were afterwards granted to those who hired a soldier for that purpose; and in process of time were bestowed on such as gave money for accomplishing any pious work enjoined by the pope. The power of granting indulgences has been

greatly abused in the Church of Rome. Pope Leo X., in order to carry on the magnificent structure of St. Peter's, at Rome, published indulgences, and a plenary remission to all such as should contribute money towards it. Finding the project take, he granted to Albert elector of Mentz, and archbishop of Magdeburg, the benefit of the indulgences of Saxony, and the neighboring parts, and farmed out those of other countries to the highest bidders: who, to make the best of the bargain, procured the ablest preachers to cry up the value of the ware. The form of these indulgences was as follows:"May our Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon thee, and absolve thee by the merits of his most holy passion. And I, by his authority, that of his blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, and of the most holy pope, granted and committed to me in these parts, do absolve thee, first from all ecclesiastical censures, in whatever manner they have been incurred; then from all thy sins, transgressions, and excesses, how enormous soever they may be even from such as are reserved for the cognizance of the holy see, and as far as the keys of the holy church extend. I remit to you all punishment which you deserve in purgatory on their account: and I restore you to the holy sacraments of the church, to the unity of the faithful, and to that innocence and purity which you possessed at baptism: so that when you die, the gates of punishment shall be shut, and the gates of the paradise of delight shall be opened; and if you shall not die at present, this grace shall remain in full force when you are at the point of death. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." According to a book, called the Tax of the sacred Roman Chancery, in which are contained the exact sums to be levied for the pardon of each particular sin, we find some of the fees to be thus:

*

"Robbing a church, 2 dollars 25 cents. Simony, 2 dollars 25 cents. Perjury, forgery, and lying, 2 dollars. Robbery, 3 dollars. Burning a house, 2 dollars 75 cents. Eating meat in Lent, 2 dollars 75 cents. Killing a layman, 1 dollar 75 cents. Striking a Priest, 2 dollars 75 cents. Procuring abor tion, 1 dollar 50 cents. Dead man excommunicated, 3 dollars. Priest to keep a concubine, 2 dollars 25 cents. Ravishing or deflowering a virgin, 2 dollars. Murder of father, mother, sister, brother or wife, 2 dollars 50 cents. Nun for frequent fornication, in or out of the nunnery, 5 dollars. Marrying on a day forbidden, 10 dollars. All incest, rapes, adultery and fornication committed by a Priest, with his relations, nuns, married women virgins and his concubines, with

the joint pardon of all his whores, at the same time, 10 dollars Absolution of all crimes together, 12 dollars."

"The terms in which the retailers of indulgences described their benefits, and the necessity of purchasing them, were se extravagant that they appear almost incredible. If any man, said they, purchase letters of indulgence, his soul may rest secure with respect to its salvation. The souls confined in purgatory, for whose redemption indulgences are purchased, as soon as the money tinkles in the chest, instantly escape from that place of torment, and ascend into heaven. That the efficacy of indulgences was so great, that the most heinous sins, even if one should violate (which was impossible) the Mother of God, would be remitted and expiated by them, and the person be freed both from punishment and guilt. That this was the unspeakable gift of God, in order to reconcile man to himself. That the cross erected by the preachers of indulgences was equally efficacious with the cross of Christ itself." "Lo," said they, "the heavens are open: if you enter not now, when will you enter? For twelve pence you may redeem the soul of your father out of purgatory; and are you so ungrateful that you will not rescue the soul of your parent from torment? If you had but one coat, you ought to strip yourself instantly, and sell it, in order to purchase such benefit," &c.

Since that time the popes have been more sparing in the exercise of this power; although it is said, they still carry on a great trade with them to the Indies, where they are purchased at two rials a piece, and sometimes more. We are told also that a gentleman not long since being at Naples, in order that he might be fully ascertained respecting indulgences, went to the office, and for two sequins purchased a plenary remission of all sins for himself and any two other persons of his friends or relations, whose names he was empowered to insert.— [Haweis's Church Hist. vol. iii. p. 147; Smith's Errors of the Church of Rome; Watson's Theol. Tracts, vol. v. p. 274. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. vol. i. p. 594, quarto.]

INFALLIBILITY.

The church of Rome claims to be infallible. In consequence of this attribute, she decides what is, and what is not scripture, and what the scriptures teach; she asserts the right also, to prescribe for faith and practice as necessary for salvation, other things than those contained in the scriptures; and all men are bound implicitly, to submit to her decision. Romanists, however, differ very much among themselves abou

the seat of this tremendous power; some assert that it is in the Pope, others, that it is in a general Council, and others again, in the Pope and Council combined. This very doubt concerning the place of its existence, shews that the pretension itself is unfounded and ridiculous. For what is the use of infallibility, if none can with certainty, discover where it is, and by whom it is exercised?

But this is not all, the claim of infallibility is most blasphemous presumption. God alone is infallible,-his word alone cannot err, in that are all things necessary to salvation, and to him alone ought we implicitly to submit. The man, or church, who claim to themselves infallibility, usurp the place of God, and exhibit the very character of Antichrist, "who opposeth and exalteth himself" says the apostle, "above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." It were easy to swell out this article, so as to fill large volumes, with the account of the gross errors, oppressions, and enormities which have proceeded from infallible Popes, and an infallible church. It was by an almost universal acknowledgment of this impious claim to infallibility, that the spiritual despotism of the dark ages was maintained. Individuals and nations were stript of almost every civil and religious right, and trampled in the dust, beneath the feet of the Romish Hierarchy. The evils at last became intolerable, men almost every where endeavored to burst the yoke: the glorious reformation followed, and multitudes obtained the blessings of freedom. This liberty, purchased by the labors, and tears, and blood of thousands, it is ours to maintain against the claims of infallible "Mother Church."

As the church of Rome asserts her infallibility, she can never change; what she has once declared to be truth, must ever remain so else what becomes of her infallibility? Such a claim then, it is manifest, makes all attempts to reform the Romish system of religion utterly hopeless. Being infallibly right in all its essential principles, it never can be altered.— There is no such thing, therefore, as getting rid of the evils of such a system, but by altogether abandoning it. They who would escape her plagues, must, in the language of God's word, come out of her.

We will present to our readers but one specimen of the fruits of infallibility-but one, because that will be sufficient. to shew the character of the tree. By the third Council of Lateran, the obligation to destroy heretics was imposed upon Z