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selves from the less censurable mass of human addition under which they were in part smothered, to appear in their pure and native divinity.

consideration, fol. 198, is an article which emphatically pronounces the Church of Rome to be clear of the imputation of being absorbed by spiritual views. It is an Instruction respecting the form of making a Will, and these are the items. Item dictus testator de bonis a deo sibi collatis ob reme dium anime sue legavit fabrice vel luminarie predicte ecclesie quinq; sol. turōn. Item curato totidem. Item vicario xii. d. turōn. Item clerico sex d. turon. Item fabrice ecclie bte marie scti flori ii. sol. vi. d. turon. Item elemosyne ejusdem ecclesie xii. d. turon, &c. There is yet one further article to be noticed, as connected with the book before me. It does not necessarily belong to it, as being a MS. addition of some former possessor. On the blank verse of the title-page is the following MS., which purports to be of the age of Queen Mary, and for particular use at that time. It is as follows:

The forme off absolucion in privat cōfession.

"Our Lorde Jesus Christ absolve you: and by the apostolyke authoritie to me graunted and commytted: I absolve you ffrom the sentences of excommunication and ffrom all other censures and paynes: into the which you be fallen: by reason of heresye: or scisme: or any otherwyse: and I restore you unto the unitie off our holy mother churche and to the communion off all sacramentes dispensyng with you ffor all maner of irregularitie: and by the same authoritie I absolve you ffrom all your synnes: In the name off the ffather: and off the sonne: and off the holy ghost amen. 'I Thomas Hengood pson off Halton. In the yere off our Lord god ao di mo ccccco lyto

This form was necessary for individual priests in order to the reconciling of individual converts from Protestantism to Popery in the reign of Philip and Mary, and I transcribe it for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of Fox, (if that were at all necessary,) who has given it, with scarcely any variation, as proceeding from Boner, who was authorized to declare the reconciliation of England to the Roman See 1.

In the revival of the papal liturgies and rituals in all their forms under the princes just named, the second of the two works which we undertook to examine bears a conspicuous place. But since it is a pretty accurate re

1 Acts and Monuments, &c., vol. iii., p. 152 of the last edition.

impression of the preceding one, as most of the others were of those in use during the reign, at least the prior part of the reign of Henry VIII., it will be unnecessary to repeat what has already been said. There is one addition which was promised under the title of the Order for the visitation of the sick. It is as follows:-Si infirmus bullā habeat apostolică de plene absolutione et remissione oim peccator' suorù semel in articulo mortis cōcessam: tunc primo legat sacerdos effectū bulle: deinde ceteris peractis (ut pdictū est) fiat ejus absolutio sub hac forma. And then follows the form, which, as usual, signifies everything or nothing, as may suit.

In the close of these observations upon the Ritual, to which our poor forefathers were subjected, I beg to refer to two modern editions, for substance, of the same work, for purposes, which are of some importance. The first is Rituale Romanum Pauli V. Pont. Max. Jussu editum, &c. Antverpiæ, ex Architypographia Plantiniana, MDCCXLIV, 8vo. This Ritual is confirmed by a brief of Clemens XI.; and the only purpose for which I refer to it is, to observe, that the offensive circumstance in the article of Extreme Unction is there asserted, or directed, to be always in part omitted. Pp. 81, 2. This intimation is so strictly observed, that in the other work of the kind to be noticed, all reference whatever to the subject is passed over. withdrawments divulge something.

These silent

But to introduce the other work, which more nearly concerns this country, and the subjects of the Italian Church resident among us. The volume alluded to is published by the accredited papal booksellers in London, and by higher authority, as we shall state. The title is :-Ordo administrandi sacramenta, et alia, &c. in Missione Anglicana; ex Rituali Romano, Jussu Pauli Quinti edito extractus: Nonnullis adjectis ex Antiquo Rituali Anglicano. Londini: Typis Keating, Brown et Keating, Typograph. Reverendissim. Vic. Apost. &c. 1812. 12.-At p. 171, we read Auctoritate Vicariorum Apostolicorum, 1789. This little volume would of itself supply matter for various important observations, carefully accommodated, as it is, to the necessity of its appearance, and yet retaining in principle enough of its essential character, to discover what is the constitution of genuine Romanism. It is not, however, consistent with my present intention to enter into any such detail. I confine myself simply to some observations on two points. The first occurs in the Form of reconciling a Convert, pp. 56, &c., where it appears that the convert is required to profess his new Faith, in the form of the Oath, or Creed, of Pius IV. This appears to be a modern regulation, since it is not enjoined in the Roman Pontifical. But it is well adapted to bind the soul at the critical point of its conversion. The second point to be

noticed is the Form of Absolution in the case of Penitents, p. 54, which, at the close, runs thus: Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi, merita beatæ Mariæ virginis, et omnium sanctorum, quicquid boni feceris, et mali sustinueris, sint tibi in remissionem peccatorum, augmentum gratiæ, et præmium vitæ æternæ. Amen. This, for substance, has been given in English in the account of the first Manual: but here we have what is in practice, and in this country, at the present day. Upon this simple statement I only wish to propose the inquiry, with what face but his own could Dr. Doyle, or can any of those who chuse to think, or at least speak, as he does, affirm, that the Absolution of the Church of England and the Absolution of the Church of Rome are the same?

A similar examination of other ecclesiastic Formularies in this country before the Reformation, would, I am persuaded, be information to many, instruction to more, and an acceptable present to all, who value the civil and religious liberty, together with the pure Christian doctrines, of the Reformed Church of this united empire.

CHAPTER VI.

REFLEXIONS and inferences from the foregoing details-Fallacy of the attempt to destroy propositions in the index, which are yet found in the text, of an author-Pliability of the Fathers in papal hands-Principles of the Indexes still in force, and their tendency-The injury or destruction to reformed Christianity where these principles prevail and are acted upon - Confession - Inquisition - Persecution - Duty of non-papal governments to resist the claim to power of the professors of the above principles-Various sophistic reasonings in support of such claim-Creed and Oath of Pius IV-its feudality-Fenelon-his sentiments of Indulgences and reading the Scriptures-Real Emancipation-Persecutions of Queen Mary, and Executions of Queen Elizabeth-Opinion of a R. C. secular priest, respecting the latter-Europa Speculum.

FROM the foregoing details, many reflexions of importance arise. Perhaps none is more obtrusive than the difficulty in which the authors and defenders of the Indexes found themselves, to escape the imputation of censuring and correcting the writings of those who are eminently and usually called the Fathers. The Church of Rome, founding her own authority principally upon the paramount authority, and what must afford even a plausible foundation for it, consent of these writers, not only among themselves, but (which is the principal matter) with those who claim them, as to points of faith at least; and some material disagreements being extant between their views

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of such doctrines, and those of their presumed successors, in some parts of their works,-disagreements either unknown or disregarded, when no enemy, of will and power enough to display them to the world, or be attended to, appeared,it became a matter of great importance and delicacy, now that such an enemy was in the field, to deprive him of the formidable arms which such a circumstance evidently put into his hands. And truly, it must be allowed, they did not forget the serpent. For, when direct denial of plain fact would not pass as formerly, the objectionable passages, which their enemy had taken care to make conspicuous in Indexes, in these Indexes, of another description, they took equal care to select, as the especial and exclusive object of their attacknot only as being the identical propositions most annoying to them, but, more particularly as giving them the opportunity, which they most desired, of destroying them, without appearing to offer any violence to the Father in whose text they were found, and from whose text they were transferred. Thus, in some measure, they saved appearances, but nothing more: the fallacy was palpable. They had indeed done the same thing with the Scriptures themselves*. Even one who should

* I will extract a specimen of this kind of criticism from the only Expurgatory Index of Rome, Brasichellen's (but it exactly copies from that of

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