fore to attack the credit of it, till he comes prepared to overthrow the facts, on which it is built; for, while these are allowed to be firm, the inference is undeniable, "That Popery has borrowed its princip.l "ceremonies and doctrines from the ritua's of Pa"ganism."

The truth of this charge is fo evident to all, who know any thing of Antiquity, that though a Missionary, as we may imagine, would be glad to conceal it even from Papifts, and much more from Proteftants, whom he is endeavouring to convert, yet all their own writers, who have any candour and learning, make no fcruple to acknowledge it. M. de Marolles informs us, how he once furprised a great Archbishop of France, by a frank declaration, that Popery has taken its principal ceremonies and doctrines from Paganifm: which he afterwards demonftrated to him at large, by a particular deduction of it through many of the fame inftances, on which I have infifted in my Letter [u]. The learned De Choul alfo thus concludes his book on the Religion of the old Romans : "If we confider the cafe attentively, we fhall fir.d very many inftitutions of our religion to have been borrowed from the ceremonies of the Egyptians " and the Gentiles-- all which our Priefts now make "ufe of in our myfteries, by referring to the only "true God, Jefus Chrift, what the ignorance, falfe religion, and fenfelefs fuperftition of the Pagans had applied to their Gods, and to mortal men after "their confecration [»]."

The answerer's abfurd triumph.

Our Catholic however concludes his work in a very different ftile: and, in a kind of triumph for an imagined victory, undertakes by my own way of reafoning, to demonftrate the fame Conformity between the English and Romish Church, which

[u] Monf. de la Feuillade, Archbishop d'Embrun--See Me moires de Marolles, par. 2. p. 209.

[w] De religione Veter. Romanor, ad fin,

I

I have attempted to fhew between Popery and Pagans ifm; from the number of obfervances, which our Church fill retains from the old Religion of Rome: in confequence of which, he fays, "if my argument be 66 right, our Proteftancy at laft will be found to be "nothing better than heathenish Idolatry."

But if we recollect the definition, which I have given above, of Popery, the question will be reduced to a fhort iffue; by confidering only, whether any of thofe particulars, which prove their religion to be paganish, are retained ftill in ours; whether we have any incenfe, holy water, or lamps in our Churches; any votive offerings hanging round our pillars; any miraculous images; any adoration of Saints; any altars in the fireets, the way-fides, and tops of hills; any proceffions, miracles, or monkery amongst Us: if, after all our reformation, we retain any of thefe, we are fo far undoubtedly as criminal as they; but if none of them can be found upon us, we are clear at least from all that Pagan idolatry, which glares out fo manifeftly from every part of the Popish worship.

All that he can object to us on this head, amounts to no more than this; "That there are feveral ob"fervances retained in our facred Offices, which we "ufe in common with the Church of Rome." We own it but take them all to be fuch, as we may retain with innocence. We profefs to retain all, that is truly Chriftian; all, that is injoined by the Gospel, or by juft inference deducible from it. But if, befides all this, they can discover any thing amongst us, that they can claim as their own, or that may properly be called Popish; I fhould willingly refign it to them; and confent to any expedient, that may remove us farther ftill from Popery, and unite us more closely with all fober Proteftants. But whether any thing of this fort be remaining in our prefent establishment, or how far any of the inftances, which he declares to have been borrowed from Rome, may want a review, or farther reformation, as it is not the part of a pri

vate man to determine, fo I fhall refer it, as I ought, to the judgment of my Superiors.

Our Author adds, that he hopes his pains may be of fome ufe, as well to admonish all ferious Papifts, of the fraud and foppery of their own worship, as to deter Proteftants from running over to a Church, fo notoriously corrupt and Heathenish. My averfion to Popery, fays he, is grounded, not only on its paganifm and idolatry, but on its being calculated for the fupport of defpotic power, and inconfiftent with the genius of a free government. This I take to be its real character; which I do not however extend to the particular profeffors of it; many of whom I know to be men of great probity, politeness, and humanity; who, through the prejudice of education, do not either fee the confequences of what they are trained to profefs; or, through a mistaken point of honour, think it their duty to adhere to the religion of their Ancestors. With thefe I can live, not only in charity, but in friendship; without the leaft inclination to offend them any farther, than by obftructing all endeavours to introduce a religion amongst us, which would neceffarily be ruinous to the Liberty of our Country.

Thus much, concludes he, I thought myself obliged to fay, that, while the Papifts look upon me as an enemy, they may confider me, at least, as a fair one; an enemy to the idolatrous and flavish principles of their Church; but free from all prejudice or en mity to their perfons.

FINI S.

K

R. MANBY, and H. SHUTE Cox.

'T

HE Hiftory of the Life of M. T. Cicero, in Three Volumes. 8vo. The Third Edition.

2. The Epiftles of M. T. Cicero to M. Brutus, and of Brutus to Cicero: with the Latin Text on the oppofite Page, and English Notes to each Epiftle. Together with a Prefatory Differtation, in which the Authority of the faid Epiftles is vindicated, and all the Objections of the Reverend Mr. Tunftall confidered and confuted. 8vo.

3. A Letter from Rome; fhewing, An exact Conformity between Popery and Paganism, or, the Religion of the prefent Romans derived from that of their Heathen Ancestors. The Fifth Edition. To which are added, 1. A Prefatory Difcourfe, containing an Anfwer to all the Objections of the Writer of a Popish Book, intituled, The Catholic Christian inftructed, with many new Facts and Teftimonies in farther Confirmation of the general Argument of the Letter. And, 2. A Poftfcript, in which Mr. Warburton's Opinion concerning the Paganism of Rome is particularly confidered. 8vo.

These three by Conyers Middleton, D. D. Principal Library-Keeper of the University of Cambridge.

4. The Beauty of Holiness in the Common Prayer; as fet forth in four Sermons preached at the Rolls Chapel in the Year 1716. By Thomas Biffe, D. D. The Ninth Edition. 8vo.

5. An Effay on Rational Notions. To which is added, The Proof of a God. 8vo.

6. The Procedure, Extent, and Limits of Human Understanding. The Third Edition. With Corrections and Amendments. 8vo.

7. Things Divine and Supernatural conceiv'd by Analogy with Things Natural and Human. By the

Au

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8. A Demonstration of the grofs and fundamental Errors of a late Book, called, A Plain Account of the Nature and End of the Lord's Supper, c. wherein alfo the Nature and Extent of the Redemption of all Mankind by Jefus Chrift is ftated and explained; and the Pretences of the Deifts, for a Religion of natural Reafon instead of it, are examin'd to the bottom. The Whole, humbly, earnestly, and aff: Etionately addrefs'd to all Orders of Men, and more efpecially to all the younger Clergy. By William Law, A. M. The Second Edition. 8vo.

9. The Grounds and Reasons of Chriftian Regeneration; or, The New Birth offer'd to the Confideration of Chriftians and Deifts. By William Law, M. A. 8vo.

10. Animadverfions upon a late Pamphlet, intituled, Christian Liberty afferted, and the Scripture- Doctrine of the Trinity vindicated. By a Clergyman in the Country.

11. A Review of the Doctrine of the Eucharift, as laid down in Scripture and Antiquity. By Daniel Waterland, D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefty.

12. The Chriftian Sacrifice explained: In a Charge deliver'd to the Middlefex Clergy at St. Clement-Danes, April 20. 1738. To which is added an Appendix. By Daniel Waterland, D. D. Archdeacon of Middlefex, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefty.

13. The Sacramental Part of the Eucharift explain'd: In a Charge deliver'd in part to the Clergy of Middlefex, at the Eafter-Vifitation 1739. By Daniel Waterland, D. D. 8vo.

14. Diftinctions of Sacrifice: Set forth in a Charge deliver'd in part to the Clergy of Middlesex, at the Eafter-Vifitation 1740. By Daniel Waterland, D. D.

8vo.

15. Scripture vindicated: In Answer to a Book, intituled, Chriftianity as old as the Creation. Part I.

The