admitting gladly the agreement of the two churches in the doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, he adds, "though even in these, it is to be feared, that the religion of the church of Rome is greatly vitiated by her dominant errors and corruptions, as in the instances just mentioned, by admitting creatures to a share of the honour due to the one God,' and the ' one Mediator between God and men;" &c. In fact the whole theory of popery breaks down the grand, the everlasting, partition-wall between the Creator and the creature, and canonizes that idolatry which in Scripture is stigmatized as the crowning offence of the human race. In a word, what one cardinal doctrine of holy Scripture is not poisoned by some. one or other of Rome's corrupt inventions? The free grace of God in the justification of man is poisoned by the intrusion of human merit; the forgiveness of sin, by papal absolutions and indulgences; the validity of the two sacraments, by the necessary condition of sacerdotal intention, and the sufficiency of the opus operatum; the obligation to holiness, by the evasive distinctions of human duty; and the authority as well as effect of the holy Scriptures, by a paramount rule in a manufactured and fabulous

tradition.

Will it, after all, be said, that we may separate the ingredients -the good from the bad? By some moral mithridate we may secure ourselves against the poison? Yes, we may. And what does that admission amount to? We may escape the idolatry, the impiety, the immorality, the whole morbid atmosphere of antichristian Rome, even while, in a sense, within its precincts; just as a man may be sober in the haunts of inebriety-pure in a place of infamous resort-unimpaired in health in a pest-house. It is possible-just possible-that a resident in the mystic Babylon may escape uninfected by its spiritual malaria. And are we to wait for the certainty of danger, before we think it necessary to keep aloof from it, or save ourselves by flight? Is nothing to satisfy us, that death is in the cup, but the actual experience, or proof afforded to others, that it is so? In one word, are we prepared to exercise common sense on all other subjects, while we banish it from the most important-Religion?

As respects Mr. O'Croly's book, he will allow us to express our dissent from some of his strictures respecting the earlier councils; although we do not hesitate to say, that it would have been better for the Church had she, or her principal members, been more reserved in their speculations respecting the mode of the divine existence. Our creeds, however, are justifiable in their negative character, as condemning decided errors and heresies. The apparent subtlety of the explanations of scriptural truth, as far as it could be ascertained, is to be ascribed to men of curious and indevout minds, who presumed to dogmatize in an unwarranted manner on such points. Were it not for such men the

true christian church would be content with a reverent simplicity. We notice likewise an error, though of no real importance, into which the author has fallen in his XXXth chapter " Of Religious Intolerance," where he says, that the bloody proposition, Heretici tollendi e medio "Heretics are to be exterminated," is in the Indexes of the papal Bibles of Sixtus V. and Clemens VIII. The fact is, the two first editions by these pontiffs have no Index. The first Roman, and papal edition, which has an Index, is that of 1593; and there the sentence is found. The Douay Version printed in Dublin, 1791, on Deut. xvii. 12, has the same in sense; and in fact the sentiment is one of the main pillars of Rome, never evaded or disguised but for an obvious interest. In Dens it blooms in full luxuriance.

In drawing towards a close, we may be permitted to congratulate ourselves on one sign of the times-that those occupying the most elevated stations in our Church do not think it beneath their dignity to engage personally in her defence, when so powerfully and artfully assailed as she is at this moment. The times indeed are long gone by when it might be decorous, and safe, and justifiable, for the heads of our Sion to rest with dignified quiescence on the goodness of her cause. What care the corrupters of Christianity for the goodness of her cause? What care the enemies of Christianity for the goodness of her cause? What care the traitorous friends of Christianity for that goodness? So little does that goodness weigh with this triple-headed foe to conciliate his forbearance, that his hostility only waxes the hotter on that account. And although the goodness of a cause be in many respects a jewel, in others of great importance it is a real impediment and a mischief. Peace to the first two heads of the antichristian Cerberus; but we could feel in our hearts to remonstrate a little with the third, the Dissenter, who at least professes, and formerly did with acknowledged sincerity, so much agreement with our Church in doctrine, that in that most important respect he might be considered as a brother. Such were the fathers, many of them, of the present generation. "But Q! how fallen! how changed!" the sons, most of them, now living! We entreat them to reflect upon their conduct; and if the prospect of being devoured the last be not too enchantiing, let them redeem their damaged reputation by showing that they can join the ranks against the Roman apostasy with as much zeal and effect when they are assisting the church of England, as they have done, when they appeared to themselves to be wounding the purest of Protestant establishments through the sides of the papal. Certainly, the seasons of taciturnity and loquacity in the dissenting body have been rather awkwardly apportioned. What made their high ones dumb, when the national church had resisted the royal bait to divide the spoils of the conventicle between the cathedral and the mass-house in the reign of James II.?

We cannot omit another instance of correct estimate of the state of religion in England, and the foresight of what would become the duty of the true-hearted Protestants of this country, in another ornament of our episcopal bench, the present Bishop of Lincoln, who, so long back as the year 1826, wrote,-" If we mistake not the signs of the times, the period is not far distant when the whole controversy between the English and Romish churches will be revived, and all the points in dispute again brought under review."*

The prophecy has been receiving its fulfilment in due progression up to the present day but is yet far from the measure of its complete fulfilment. The battle is yet but beginning; and strange things will transpire. Already has the attempt been made, we trust prematurely, to add to the designation of the church of England that of Protestant. There is no reason to doubt, that every sound member of our Church values highly the surname of Protestant in addition to her christian name, as pointing out her distinction from a church, which, when called upon to reform, refused. But the effect, (we must not perhaps say intention,) of that perfectly superfluous epithet, is, in the first place, to identify the church of England with, and make her responsible for, the creed and conduct of all those religious communities, good, bad, and indifferent, which choose to assume the name of Protestant. But there is another effect, (perhaps intention.) "The Protestant church of England"-then there is, or may be, another church of England which is not Protestant -possibly the church of England, or the Catholic church of England, meaning in either case the Roman. Our readers in general require not to be informed, that in Ireland the church of Rome has titularly, and in a great degree officially, a hierarchy with all its subordinate divisions, answering pretty nearly to those which obtain in the legitimate and national church, which, there, with some apparent reason, might be distinguished as the Protestant church; but the reason is very insufficient, as she is a part of the United Church of England. If, indeed, any addition to the title of either were necessary or admissible, it would be that which expresses their unity. But it is not so generally known as it should be, that in the sister isle, every year is set before the world, and the papal population in particular, in what may be called the clerical almanac of Romanism in Ireland,

* Ecclesiastical History of the Second and Third Centuries, illustrated from the writings of Tertullian, p. 297.

We do not mean to speak harshly of Dissenters. But when it is known that a large portion of them have banded together with Romanists for the destruction of our Church, it appears rather unreasonable that our Church should be expected to saddle herself with their defence. They are at full liberty to defend themselves.

the Ordo Divini Officii recitandi, &c., published by authority of the Titular of Dublin, a minute and extended scheme or table of a complete organized hierarchy, from the archbishops and bishops, to the lower officials, together with the names and titles of the places pertaining to the spiritual authority of each. Here is a mass completely organized, and in full discipline, waiting only the day, when, vivified by power, and acting by means familiar to the policy of Rome-popular insurrection, or massacre-her sacred military may at once step into the place of the lawful occupants, and by due pains and penalties bring back every heretical deserter to the apostolic camp. It would be ridiculous to doubt, that in this as well as in many other instances, Ireland is intended to be an example to England; and that the whole system just described of the former, its whole preparatory machinery, will be transferred to the latter. Dr. Murray is invited to deny that this was one main article in his mission to Rome; and that it was there a subject of consultation, whether the vicars apostolic of England should not be exchanged for titulars and officials on the model of Ireland, to be in readiness for any revolution which should enable them instantly, and without confusion, or collision of claims, to place themselves in the sees and deaneries, and canonries, and prebends, and livings, and headships of colleges, and professorships, &c. &c., of a church to be again loaded with the chains and corruptions from which she had escaped. And the heads of the papacy in this country are invited to deny, that solemn meetings have been held by them on this same point, and that in them they have consulted, how far it may be safe and advisable to adopt ways and means for introducing the desired change, and making it public in the English as in the Irish Annuals. There are certainly two views to be taken by them, and they must choose between them, on the one hand, the confidence which publicity may add to their adherents and tools; on the other, the alarm and consequent opposition which it may excite in those whom they contemplate as their victims. We trust we are ready, and that they will find some not so yielding as they expected." In the name of our God will we set up our banners."

ART. III.-Proofs and Illustrations of the Attributes of God, from the Facts and Laws of the Physical Universe, being the Foundation of Natural and Revealed Religion. By JOHN MACCULLOCH, M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.G.S., &c. In three Volumes. London: Duncan. 1837.

THE talented writer of this inimitable work is no more; but stupendous is the monument which his genius has erected. Such an exuberance of ability flows through every part of these

elaborate volumes, that it is difficult to make a selection for the purposes of a review; for the great extent to which these researches have been carried, compels us to be restricted in our remarks, and unwillingly to pass by much, which would gratify the general reader.

The existence of the Deity first claims the author's attention; and he has left the beaten track in pursuit of his investigation. He has started on an original plan, and he has undeviatingly followed it. Throwing aside the trammels which fettered his predecessors, he has ranged through creation, and exploring nature has shown in every part the Almighty hand of nature's God. Where scientific men have indulged in vain hypotheses, and where the present state of science is inadequate to the solution of a problem, he has candidly avowed it; and all his inquiries have been directed to the demonstration of the attributes of the Creator; to the proof, that design, not accident, is visible in the formation of the universe.

Arguments supported by mathematics have been sought from geology to establish the doctrine of the eternity of the earth; arguments, which, under the name of philosophy, have betrayed profound ignorance and unblushing presumption. These are refuted by the very discoveries which geology has made, which Dr. Macculloch has rendered the basis of very deep reasoning, drawing from them most logical and satisfying conclusions in substantiation of the contrary proposition. He grapples with this, as with every subject, with a master's hand, and by his perfect acquaintance with the whole range of sciences, overthrows the deductions of superficial inquirers, making their own admissions auxiliary to his cause.

Valuable and interesting matter starts forth from every page, as he explains the progressive operations of creation: he places before us a mine, from which we may extract what is precious without fear of an exhaustion. He shows, that in one year, in one day, and by means by which God is ever producing vast and similar effects, he might convert, not the Sahara alone, but every desert on the globe, into habitations for man, that he might render the African sands what the declivities of the Atlas are, and cover the salt plains of the Caspian with the verdure of Caucasus, that the volcano is the power in his hands, which he has employed in the Southern Ocean, almost before our eyes, and that it has ever been his agent in this work, since thus did he form the hills and build the mountains. In the waters and in the springs, in the rocks and in the various strata, the Doctor points to the Divine foresight and arrangement; in the mountains to God's renovating and fertilizing provision for the earth, disclosing the beauty of that wonderful design, "which elevated the mountains far above the level of the plains, that the force of gravity might act readily in the distribution of the earths, which