God.”—Or, how shall they attain the "doctrine, the reproof, the correction, the instruction in righteousness," for which "all scripture was given by inspiration of God," and for which, we are expressly assured, it is " profitable?"*—If, on the other hand, the Scriptures, as authorised by the Church of Rome, are given to her members, and studied by them, is there not the dreadful probability-since the deceitful heart of man is much more disposed to embrace error than truth-that the soul-ruining delusions which her adulterated Bible contains will be laid hold of, and confided in,-and that thus, ignorant and perishing men will pass on to eternity, putting their trust in refuges of lies, which the storm of the wrath of God will sweep utterly away?

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But it is not merely in this indirect way that the Popish doctrines are dangerous to souls ;-in a variety of instances, they are, if believed and confided in, positively destructive. In proof of this, I appeal to her acknowledged and avowed tenets on that immensely important point-the ground of a sinner's justification in the sight of God. An error in this matter is unquestionably of fundamental moment. If a man, in order to obtain pardon and salvation, build his confidence on a foundation which God in his Word has not only not authorised, but expressly condemned-it is awful and presumptuous infatuation to

* 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. + See Appendix, No. V.

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suppose that he can be saved.-Now what is it that God in his blessed Word exhibits to mankind as the only basis of a sinner's hope? Is it not the perfect and divine righteousness of his incarnate Son? Hath he not set HIM forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood?" Hath he not represented HIM as 66 THE FOUNDATION LAID IN ZION?" And hath he not solemnly assured us, that "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ ;” and that "there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved?" But is this the ground of hope in which the disciples of the Papacy are instructed to confide? No, my brethren, the whole tendency of their system is to dishonour and degrade it. I know, indeed, that the name and the merits of Jesus are introduced in the public formularies of the Church of Rome; but are they referred to as the only, and all-sufficient foundation of a sinner's hope for eternity? No such thing. The purport of all her allusions to the mediatory work of Christ is that he has merely introduced us into a salvable state, has brought it to pass that our alms-deeds, penances, and other good works, will be accepted before God, as the meritorious cause of our salvation! In proof of this, I appeal to the formerly quoted Decree of her last Council-in which the scriptural doctrine of justification through faith in the righteousness of Christ is condemned, and its holders anathematized, and the opposite doctrine

that good works are meritorious of salvation-ex¬ pressly affirmed. And, in connection with that blasphemous Decree, I appeal to the following specimen of Catholic theology, which, only the other day, was addressed to all the Popish clergy and people of Ireland, by their Archbishops and Bishops :-" Let those who possess wealth or distinction consider themselves raised above the poor, only that they may be a refuge and protection to the indigent and miserable, showing all manner of good example to their neighbours and dependents. Let them wipe the tear from the cheek of the widow, and feed the hungry orphan, thus expiating their sins by alms-deeds, and purchasing up their iniquities by mercies to the poor.' Is this, my friends, the doctrine of the Bible?-Is this doctrine in which it is safe for a guilty, perishing sinner to confide? Assuredly not. It is doctrine which in Holy Scripture is solemnly subjected to the divine malediction. It tramples under foot the atonement of

* See "The Pastoral Instructions by the Roman Catho lic Archbishops and Bishops, to the Clergy and Laity of their communion throughout Ireland,"-appended to the translation of "The Encyclical Letter of Leo XII, published in Dublin, 1824. These "Instructions," one of which is above adverted to, are subscribed by twenty-seven Archbishops and Bishops, and are ordered to be read," at the time of mass, by the Clergy, on successive Sundays, in presence of the faithful."

+ Galatians, i. 8.

the Son God. It establishes another foundation than that which God has condescended to provide; and, if there is truth in the Bible, we must believe that those who pass on to eternity confiding in such doctrine as this, are deluded to their everlasting ruin.

It would be easy to mention a variety of other points, in reference to which, the ruinous tendency of the Popish doctrines might be demonstrated. In the Word of inspiration, for example, we are assured that the grace of evangelical repentance is indispensibly necessary in order to the attainment of divine forgiveness. But among the Papal doctrines, that repentance, which is the fruit of faith, and the work of the Spirit of God in the soul, is not to be found. In the room of it are substituted Auricular Confession, and the sacrament of Penance-institutions which manifestly owe their invention to papal avarice and rapacity; while, in order to countenance this awful corruption of the gospel of Christ, the language of the Saviour is dreadfully perverted." Except ye repent," are his words, ye shall all likewise perish." But, in the Papal translation, we find them thus rendered-" Except ye do penance, ye shall all likewise perish." In the doctrines of Popery respecting internal and practical holiness we find the same fearful and ruinous departure from scriptural truth. In the Holy Word it is expressly and solemnly declared, that "except a man be born again he cannot see the

* Luke xiii. 3-5.

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kingdom of God," and that "without holiness no man can see the Lord." But in the Church of Rome, if her members allow themselves to be guided by her doctrines, the holiness of the gospel can have no place. Instead of being instructed to seek the regeneration of the heart, by the Spirit of God, and to study evangelical purity in the life, the disciples of the Papacy are taught to regard the ordinance of Christian baptism— awfully corrupted as it is among them by unscriptural and unmeaning ceremonies—a -as efficacious for regenerating the soul, and to look upon a rigid conformity to the rites of the Church as the very essence of piety and holy obedience. Who does not perceive that such principles and doctrines as these are incalculably perilous to souls; and who, that understands the Bible, and has any bowels of mercies for his fellowmen, does not tremble for the everlasting condition of those by whom they are believed?

Do I feel pleasure in making these statements?— Am I gratified by convicting the Church of Rome of holding principles destructive to souls? No, my brethren;-I deplore her melancholy condition-I grieve for the multitudes of my fellow men whose everlasting welfare is placed in such awful jeopardy; and I think with poignant regret of the myriads of immortal spirits, whom, in the long period of her dismal reign, she has led down by the chambers of eternal death. But I have made these statements because I feel it to be the duty of the Minister of Jesus