I presume not to question Dr. C. upon his religious principles; but I would advise every consistent professor of the doctrines of christianity to be cautious upon what ground he takes his stand against the miracles of Catholics. I would have him beware lest he give back into the hands of his vigilant enemies those arms which the divines of his church, after laborious contention, have wrested from them-arms which will overthrow the strongest bulwark of his religion. Let him but grant to the power of imagination the cure of such disorders as are attributed to Catholics by the intercession of Prince Hohenlohe, and the Miracles of the Old Testament and the prodigies of the New must be all sacrificed. A physical law suspending the course of nature at the word of a Moses or a Joshua, can be as easily proposed, and upon the same ground must be admitted-and of even raising of the dead to life will be accounted for by ignorance or collusion. By what arguments will the curing of the leprosy of Naaman, by Elizeus, be proved a genuine operation of miraculous power, if moral excitements can restore speech to a Mrs. Stewart and a Miss Lalor? Were not the circumstances attending the former case; the mysterious bathing in the Jordan to the number of seven times in preference to the Abana and Parphar of Damascus (2. Kings v.)calculated to effect the imagination more than an injunction to the latter of prayers and good works? Did not the actions of our divine Redeemer tend far more powerfully to the same effect; when before restoring to sight the man born blind, he first spat upon the ground, then made clay of the spittle, afterwards anointed his eyes, and finally, bade him wash them in the pool of Siloe that he might recover his vision? John ix. What above all will be said of the mysterious pond of Bethsaida John v. into which an angel went down at a certain season and troubled the waters; "whosoever then first, after the troubling of the waters, stepped in, was made whole of whatever disease he had?" Into what difficulties will that man be driven who attempts to uphold the divinity of such miracles, and yet in those recent events which I have cited, admits of nothing beyond a mere operation of nature. Never, I repeat, after a concession so important can the miracles of scripture be

L

vindicated from the cavils of infidels, and thus will be sapped the very foundations of revealed religion, which in the opinion of Protestants as well as Catholics, has no stronger support than that of miracles-We see, says Bishop Stillingfleet (Orig. Sacr. b. 2. c. 6. sect. 15.) how Naaman was convinced of the true God by his miraculous cure in the Jordan by the appointment of Elisha, for this was the great end for which God did employ any of his prophets to work miracles, viz. to be as an evident confirmation of the truth of that religion, which is established by him. So that this power of miracles is not merely a motive of credibility, but it doth contain an evident demon. stration to common sense of the truth of that religion confirmed by them. See also his 10. c. sect. 1. Stackhouse also in the fourth part of his Complete Body of Divinity, c. 4. proves Christ to have been the Messias from the miraculous works which he performed, and Archdeacon Paley rests his evidence of christianity upon the same foundation. See also Tindal's controversial writings, Jenkins, Bishop Watson, &c. &c. In a word our divine Saviour appeals to his Miracles as to the most unequivocal proofs of his Mission. Math. c. ii. v. 4. & 5. and in John xv. 24, he condemns the incredulity of the Jews, because they had not believed, notwithstanding the wonders he had performed amongst them.

Again then let me earnestly recommend to every christian dissenting from the faith of the Church of Rome, not to suffer his judgment to be so far the sport of prejudice, as to acknowledge, when directed against it, the force of those arguments which no less powerfully do militate against his own faith. Let not that be applied to him which Gal. Vorstius says of the Jews-nihil nugacissimi mortalium fingunt, ne cogantur agnoscere virtute ac digito quasi ipsius Dei Jesum nostrum efficisse miracula sua. Never can that man hope to find in his ignorance an excuse, who voluntarily loses his ears, lest he be forced to hearken to the voice of God.

(To be continued.)

COLLECTANEA.

The company of Drapers in London, was first incorporated by letters patent in the year 1430, the seventeenth of Henry the Sixth, by the Title of "The Masters, Wardens, Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mistery of Drapers of the City of London." In the arms of this Company are still preserved three triple crowns, or Pope's tiaras, and on a banner borne before the members on gala days, and city feasts, is painted the figure of the Blessed Virgin, with the infant Saviour in her arms. If this were practiced by Catholics, would not the good natured protestant, charitably term it idolatry? The Catholic however does not so hastily judge his protestant neighbour.

According to Bagford in a letter to Hearne, Maiden Lane derived its appellation from an image of the Blessed Virgin, which in catholic days stood there; and we have the same authority to produce, that the frequent sign of the Maiden Head was derived from, "our Lady's head." Lad Lane was also originally an abreviation of Our Lady's Lane, in refference to the Blessed Virgin.

Father Anthony Crowder, who died in the year 1666, at his residence in the Old Bayley, established a confraternity of the rosary, which flourished exceedingly for a time. The altar was erected in honour of our Blessed Lady of Power, and many rich presents were bestowed upon it; among others a piece of the true Cross, enclosed in a rich relicary, probably the same which is noticed by Panzani in the following words: “A small piece of the cross, on which our Saviour suffered, was said to be found in the Tower of London; where it had lain concealed many years. Some of the king's servants took care to have it placed in a kind of box, on which they had bestowed some pains in the workmanship. Their design was to have it exposed among other curiosities. The queen being informed of it, appeared very much concerned that so remarkable a relie should not be distinguished, but lodged among vulgar rarities. Wherefore, acquainting the king with it, she desired it might be delivered to her. Her design was to place it in her chapel Neither was the king well pleased, when

in Somerset House.

he understood how his servants were going to dispose of it; and at the same time told the queen that no one had a greater value for things of that nature than himself: so he would take care that it should neither be an object of derision, nor of curiosity." Another present was a Thorn enclosed in an equally rich case, which was supposed to have been taken from the crown of thorns, worn by the redeemer of man. This thorn once belonged to the famous Abbey of Glastonbury, and was presented to the English Benedictines by Father Peter Warnford, who died in the year 1657— While the confraternity existed, these relics were committed to the custody of the Dean of the Rosary, they are at present carefully preserved by a member of the Benidictine Order. Many persons of consequence were attached to this confraternity, and at one time Robert, Earl of Cardogan, was prefect of the Sodality. Quere; when was this pious establishment suppressed?

A gentleman of great respectability once addressed Father O'Leary in the following manner. "I do not positively blame the Roman Catholics for paying so much respect to the Virgin Mary; as I think myself that she was a very worthy woman -realy a very good woman; just such another as my own mother. Well: rejoined O'Leary, but you will admit, that there is some little difference between their sons.

Although the Blessed Virgin herself exclaimed by divine inspiration." Behold henceforth all generations shall call me Blessed." Yet protestants studiously omit this title of Blessed and style her simply in their calendar of Saints, Virgin Mary; and in their various translations of the passage in Saint Luke, chap. 1. 28. "And the angel being come in, said to her, (Mary) Hail, full of grace:" they falsely substitute "FairlyBeloved," Erasmus, Beza; "highly favoured;" and in general "gracious:" however the-great reformer, Henry the Eighth, in his book entitled, “A necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christen man, sette furthe by the Kynges Majestie of England, &c," gave the angelical salutation word for word the same, as is to be found in every Catholic prayer book at the . present day; consequently, he retained not only the phrase full of grace, but also the epithet Blessed.

"I happened to take up a book in the library this morning, written by some papist, which I think ought to be burned, for should the servants meet with it, ten to one but some of them turn papists. However I learned from it what I did not know before.

What was that?

Why, I always thought that the Catholics paid divine worship to the Virgin, but I chanced to open the book, at a passage upon this very subject, and found that they acknowledged no such thing, but denied it point blank.

Well, Jack; to tell you the truth, I have read several of their books, and am half a papist myself, and am satisfied that what is said about their adoring the Virgin Mary, and the Saints, is all nonsense. And as to requesting the Virgin to intercede for us, I dont see much harm in that; for we request the living fo pray for us, and if the dead happen to hear us, what harm can there be in asking them to do the same, and if they cant hear us, why we lose nothing by asking them; and though a great outcry is made about this, yet there have been some very learned divines in our own church of just the same opinion as myself. There is an old book lying about in the library, written by Doctor Montague, Bishop of Norwich, in the time of Charles the First; I have, often read some parts of it, and one paragraph struck me so particularly, that I learned the words by heart, it was in page 118-"I grant Christ is not wronged in his mediation; it is no impiety to say as they (the Roman Catholics) do; Holy Mary pray for me; Holy Peter pray for me."

In some countries the name of Mary is given in honour of the Blessed Virgin, at the baptismal font, to male and female children of every rank in life; from the peasant even to the prince. In other states females alone receive the name of Mary; and there are nations, where no one is considered worthy of bearing the name which was given to the mother of the redeemer of mankind.

The custom of dedicating churches to the honour of the blessed Virgin, can in most countries be traced to the time of the introduction, of christianity. In this kingdom our pro