The sentiments of Bishop Sanderson on this subject, are, in my view, so just and so perspicuously stated, that I shall transcribe them for the use of your readers.

"We have much reason to conceive good hope of the salvation of many of our forefathers; who, led away by the common superstitions of those blinded times, might yet by those general truths, which by the mercy of God were preserved amid the foulest overspreadings of Popery, agreeable to the Word of God, (though clogged with an addition of many superstitions and anti-christian inventions withal,) be brought to true faith in the Son of God, unfeigned repentance from dead works, and a sincere endeavour of new and holy obedience. This was the religion which brought them to heaven, even Faith, and Repentance, and Obedience. This is the true, and the old and Catholic religion, and this is our religion, in which we hope to find salvation, and if ever any of you who miscall yourselves Catholicks, come to heaven, it is this religion must carry you thither. If together with this true religion of Faith, Repentance, and Obedience, they embraced also your additions as their blind guides then led them, prayed to our Lady, kneeled to an Image, crept to a Cross, flocked to à Mass, as you now do; these were their spots and their blemishes, these were their hay and their stubble, these were their errors and their ignorances. And I doubt not, but as St. Paul for his blasphemies and persecutions, so they obtained mercy for these sins, because they did them ignorantly and in misbelief. And upon the same ground, we have cause also to hope charitably of many thousands in Italy, Spain, and other parts of the Christian world at this day; that by the same blessed means they may obtain mercy and salvation in the end, although, in the mean time, through ignorance they defile themselves with much foul idolatry and many gross superstitions. But how can idolaters, living and dying so, without repentance be saved? It is answered, that ignorance in point of fact, so conditioned as hath been shewed, doth so excuse a toto, that an action proceeding thence, though it have a material inconformity unto the law of God, is yet not formally a sin. But I do not so excuse the idolatry of our forefathers, as if it were not in itself a sin, and thạt (without repentance) damnable. But yet their ignorance being such as it was,-nourished by education, custom, tradition, the tyranny of their leaders, the fashion of the times, not without some show also of piety and devotion; and themselves withal having such slender means of better knowledge, though it caunot wholly excuse them from sin, without repentance, damnable, yet it much lesseneth and qualifieth the sinfulness of their idolatry; arguing that their continuance therein was more from other prejudices than from a wilful contempt of God's holy word and will. And as for their repentance, it is certain, that as many of them as are saved did repent of their idolatries, as it is certain no idolater nor other sinner can be saved without repentance. But then there is a double difference to be observed between repentance for ignorances and for known sins. The one is, that known sins must be confessed and repented of, and pardon asked for them in particular, every one singly by itself, (I mean for the kinds, though not ever for the individuals,) every kind by itself, at least where God alloweth time and leisure to the Penitent, to call himself to a punctual examination of his life past, and doth not by sudden death or by some disease that taketh away the use of reason, deprive him of an opportunity to do that: Whereas, for ignorances, it is enough to wrap them up all together in a general and implicit confession, and to crave pardon for them by the lump, as David doth in Psalm XIX. (Who can understand all his errors? Lord cleanse thou me from my secret sins) The other difference is, that known sins are not truly repented of but where they are forsaken, and it is but a hypocritical semblance

of penitence without the truth of the thing, where is no care neither endeavour of reformation. But ignorances may be faithfully repented of and yet still continued in. The reason; because they may be repented of in the general and in the lump without special knowledge that they are sins, but without such special knowledge they cannot be reformed. Some of our forefathers then, might not only live in Popish idolatry, but even die in an idolatrous act, breathing out their last, with their lips at a crucifix and an Ave-Mary in their thoughts, and yet have truly repented (though but in the general and in the crowd of their unknown sins,) even of those very sins, and have at the same instant true faith in Jesus Christ and other graces accompanying salvation.-But why then may not I, will some Romanist say, continue as I am, and yet come to heaven, as well as they continued what they were and yet went to heaven? If I be an idolater, it is out of my error and ignorance: and if that general prayer unto God at the last, to forgive me all my ignorances, will serve the turn, I may run the same course I do without danger or fear; God will be merciful to me for what I do ignorantly.— Not to preclude all possibility of mercy from thee or from any sinner, consider yet, there is a great difference between their state and thine, between thine ignorance and theirs. They had but a very small enjoyance of the light of God's word, hid from them under two bushels for sureness under the bushel of a tyrannous clergy, that if any man should be able to understand the books, he might not have them; and under the bushel of an unknown tongue, that if any man should chance to get the books, he might not understand them. Whereas to thee the light is holden forth and set on a candlestick, the books open, the language plain, legible, and familiar. They had eyes, but saw not; because the light was kept from them, and the land was dark about them, as the darkness of Egypt: but thou livest where the light encompasseth thee in on all sides; where there are burning and shining lamps in every corner of the land. Yet is thy blindness greater (for who so blind as he that will not see?) and more inexcusable; because, thou shuttest thy eyes against the light, lest thou shouldst see and be converted, and God should heal thee. Briefly, they wanted the light, thou shunnest it; they lived in darkness, thou delightest in it; their ignorance was simple, thine affected and wilful. And therefore, although we doubt not but that the crimes of their ignorance God winked at, yet thou hast no warrant to presume that God will also in these times wink at thee, who rejected the counsel of God against thine own soul, and for want of love and affection to the truth, are justly given over to strong delusions, to believe fables, and to put thy confidence in things that are lies."

K.

RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO READ THE SCRIPTURES.

To the Editors of the Protestant Guardian.

SIRS,-In perusing the last number of the GUARDIAN, my attention was particularly directed to an extract, sent you by "G. W."

[We here omit some flippant and scurrilous language, for which we do not consider ourselves pledged to find room.-Ed.]

A Divine of your Church, Archdeacon Paley, says that the fair way of conducting a dispute, is to exhibit one by one the arguments of your opponent, and with each argument the precise and specific answer you

are able to give it.-This method is the one which I shall adopt; and, in order that the reader may be the better able to judge who turns the scale in this Socratic disputation, I will place the Questions and Answers as follow:

Q. Had the people who existed at the time of our blessed Redeemer an unquestionable right to hear him promulgate his doctrines?

A. They certainly had.

Q. Does the New Testament contain a statement of doctrines promulgated by Him?

A. It does.

Q. Has not every generation of mankind an equal right to acquire a knowledge of these doctrines by reading them in their written shape, as that generation which had the means of hearing them orally delivered? A. No;-for the following reasons. When the doctrines contained in the New Testament were delivered to the primitive Christians, they required no interpretation. The language with which they were clothed, the phraseology made use of, the customs alluded to, and the proverbial sayings which abounded in the language, were well and perfectly understood by those Christians. But we cannot say so much for the people of the present age. They do not know the language in which the Bible was written; they are not acquainted with its peculiar phraseology; they do not know the customs of the ancients; and, as to the proverbial sayings, they are to them a sealed book. To understand the Scriptures, these several particulars must be known. To acquire this knowledge will require much study, much patient investigation, much learning. The key of the holy writings must, therefore, be in the hands of those whose study and learning qualify them for the unlocking their mysteries. None are so able for this task as those who are set apart to preach the awful truths-none so capable of throwing light on the darkest passages of the Bible, as the unerring wisdom of Holy Church.

Q. Supposing they were to be delivered now again, orally, would any body of men presume to say we alone are to have the privilege of hearing these doctrines from the mouth of the speaker, and the rest of our species shall only become acquainted with them through our report?

A. If they were to be delivered in our vernacular tongue, and with such allusions and phraseology as are within the comprehension of an ordinary man, then the people would have a right to hear them; but, if otherwise, then the reasons in the third answer would be likewise true and cogent in this case.

What I have already said will serve sufficiently to answer the further questions contained in your correspondent's extract. I shall, therefore, dismiss the subject for the present.

I am aware that what I have here advanced is contrary, or rather diametrically opposed, to the sentiments which you hold (may I say prejudices which you cherish?) yet I hope your impartiality as Editors will permit the insertion of this letter in the PROTESTANT GUARDIAN.

I am, obediently, Your's,

A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF ROME.*

1 agree with your and the PILOT's correspondent, "Causidicus," that this desig. nation is exactly parallel to that by which the Protestants in England are sometimes distinguished from other Christians, viz. "Members of the Church of England," and I see but one objection that can be brought against it, which is, that it is too long to be used in conversation, and, even if assented to by our Church, would never get into common use. Members of the Church of Rome must however always bear in mind that that which is the universal Church is the Catholic Church. M. C. R

THE DUBLIN DISCUSSION.

To the Editor of the Protestant Guardian.

The "discussion" between the Reverends Mr. Pope and Maguire being abundantly perused, as appears from the "Religious Intelligence in the PROTESTANT GUARDIAN, p. 254, the following short observations may not be too dull for your readers.

Page 20. (authenticated report.) On the passage from Chrysostom see p. 161 of " A treatise of the corruption of Scripture, Councils, and Fathers, &c. by T. James." 8vo. London, 1688.

Page 21, line 3, for cod. 122 read 222.

Page 46, after "Bellum Papale," might be added 4to. Londini, 1606. Page 68, in the reference to Bellarmine de Eccles. Milit, add lib. 3, and for Roman. Pont. read Conc. et Eccl.

Page 123. On the first and some of the following quotations in this page, see p. 83-4 of "The doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome truly represented, in answer to 'A Papist misrepresented,'" &c. &c. 4to. London, 1686. Bingham's Works, book 15, cap. 3, sec. 15-16, &c. vol. 1, p. 756 of the folio edition, London, 1726. Irenæi Scripta Anecdota Gr. et Lat. studio Chr. M. Pfaffii. 8vo. Lug. Bat. 1743, and Faber's Difficulties of Romanism, p. 200.

Page 125. The reference to Eusebii Vita Constant, should be lib. 4. cap. 70-1.

The quotations in pp. 180-2 from Nicolaus de Clemangis may be found in Browne's Fasciculus Rerum expetend. et fugiendarum, folio. Londini, 1690. vol. 2. pp. 556-7, 62-3-7.

Page 185. The quotation on "Image Worship" from the Trent Catechism, but of which we cannot find the latter part according to the reference, may perhaps be more fully referred to thus: Pars 3, Primum Præcep. 36, p. 321. edit. Ludg. 1670.

Page 189. The words at the bottom of the page, purporting to come from the Sixtine edition of the Vulgate occur in the Clementine. See both the Prefaces in James's Bellum Papale, 4to. Londini, 1606.

In order to enliven somewhat the dulness of the foregoing "corrigenda," we quote the conclusion of Masch's account of this celebrated edition of Sixtus the V. "Hæc est perpetuo duratura ex Apostolicæ auctoritatis plenitudine promulgata constitutio, quæ vix per triennium valuit. Clementis VIII. auctoritate non minima particula mutatur, vel additur, vel detrahitur, sed integrum opus biblicum supprimitur, atque ita authentica editio Vulgata tantis minis, indignatione Dei et Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, interdicto et excommunicatione munita, ab alia authentica editione dignitate sua exuitur. Non defuerunt in Ecclesia Romana viri docti, qui hoc bellum papale componere conati sunt, quo vero modo hoc factum sit, ad sequentem editionem relaturi sumus.' (Masch Bibliotheca, Sacra vol. 2, p. 244. 4to. Hala, 1783.)

"

Page 237. A more easy reference to the passage from Melancthon, (the two members of which are transposed, we do not see for what reason,) would be to vol. 3. p. 339. edit. folio, Witebergæ, 1601.

In page 278, we find a very long passage from Dr. Cosin; but to quote as Mr. Maguire has done from an argumentative work, is any thing but allowable. From seven or eight different pages of Dr. Cosin's work are different extracts made, (with omissions,) and put together as if it were one uniform quotation. For instance, after the word "body" three lines from the bottom, the following is omitted:-" which was St. Austin's meaning when he said, 'Why dost thou prepare thy stomach and thy teeth? believe and thou hast eaten. (Aug. super Joh. Tract. 15) For" &c. &c.

Mr. M. accuses Mr. Pope in one part of the "discussion " as obtaining his quotations "obstetricante manu." What the justice of the accusation may be, we know not, nor what it has to do with their aptness or irrelevance; but we do know that Mr. M. has found a most convenient helping hand in "The Faith of Catholics, confirmed by Scripture, and attested by the Fathers of the five first centuries." 8vo. London, 1813. This work has supplied Mr. M. with abundance of passages from the Fathers. Even his acquaintance with the Cheetham library is derived from this source.

Page 312. In the first passage from St. Ignatius, the six first words are taken from cap. 11, and the remainder from cap. 13. The word Tepave is translated "college." Page 317, for apud Theodoret i. 4. p. 9, read 10.

Page 320. Erasmus thinks the oration from Ambrose is suppositious. (Vid. Præf. Erasmi, tom. iii. p. 129. edit. folio. Paris, 1529.) We cannot discover even a mention of it in Dupin.

Mr. Pope should certainly have supplied a reference to the passage from Irenæus in p. 335: it is lib. 3, cap. 3, sec. 3, p. 176. edit. Massuet. folio. Paris, 1710.

The reference to Bellarmine seems incorrect in p. 340; it should be De Rom. Pont. lib. 5. cup. 1. p. 875. vol. 1. edit. folio. Paris, 1613; and in page 344, should we not read "Basil" for "Constance," and instead of Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. read Conc. Auct.

The foregoing remarks will appear, we are afraid, sufficiently dull to many of our readers; if, however, they save any one the trouble of fruitless search, or in any measure assist him in verifying the different passages brought forward by each disputant, the object is gained.

A. B.

JESUIT MISSIONARIES IN THE EAST.

To the Editor of the Protestant Guardian.

SIR,-The recent critique on the "Historical Lessons of the Roman Breviary," devoted to the honour of St. Francis Xavier, has, I presume, laid before your readers facts and materials sufficient to enable them to form a deliberate and correct estimate of the real character of those wonderful achievements which are so profusely attributed to Romish saints. And among such members of the Church of Rome as dare, and such Protestants as will examine, without prepossession or prejudice, a subject fully as interesting, at the least, to the former as it can be to the latter, there can be but little, if any, difference of opinion. It is not to be expected that such opinion will be very agreeable to those whose profession it is to enforce the firm belief of such "pious fabrications," and least of all to the members of that order in whose fertility of invention they originated, and whose credit is so deeply concerned in their admission or rejection. But though Jesuits are reported to be by no means scarce, even in your immediate vicinity, there seems little probability that they will venture on any public vindication of the veracity of Xavier's biographers. They are too vigilant to be ignorant, and too sensitive to the honour of their order as well as of their faith, to be regardless of the impression which must obviously be produced by the recent examination and consequent exposure of the miraculous pretensions of their great Apostle of the Indies,- -an examination, I may add,