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PREFACE.

AT a period when the endeavours of the members of the Church of Rome to acquire political Influence in our Country are every day assuming a more formidable appearance; when their pretensions are urged with such unrestrained violence; and the means taken to enforce them are in the highest degree reprehensible; no work could be submitted to the Protestant part of the Community, better calculated to expose their unsound and fallacious doctrines, and to guard the Church against the insidious but determined attacks of her implacable Enemies than the Apology of the illustrious Bishop Jewell,

"which was composed and written by this Reverend Father, as the Public Confession of the Catholic and Christian Faith of all Englishmen. Wherein is taught our consent with the German, Helvetian, French, Scotch, Genevian, and other Reformed Churches. The cause is shown of our departure from the Roman See, and answer is given to those slanderers, who complained that the English came not to the pretended Council of Trent called by the Pope, nor sent any Legate thither, nor excused their absence by any letters or Messengers. The Reason of writing this Apology was, that Papists might see all the Parts and Foundations of the Doctrine we defended; and might understand the strength of the Arguments, on which our Religion stands*."

* Strype's Annals, vol. i. p. 427. Ed. 1824.

Wherein a complete Refutation is also given to the assertions of the Popish Doctors, “that the Bishop of Rome, whensoever it shall like him to determine in judgment, can never err: that he is always undoubtedly possessed of God's Holy Spirit: that at his only hand we must learn to know the will of God; and in his Holiness stands the Unity and Safety of the Church: that whosoever is divided from him must be an Heretic: that without obedience to him there is no hope of Salvation: that he is not only a Bishop, but a King; and finally, that all Kings and Emperors receive all their power at his hand; and ought to swear fealty and obedience unto him* !!"

The great change which has taken place in the Structure of our Language since the earlier Translations of this Work were made,

Strype's Annals, vol. 1, p. 426. Ed. 1824.

and the many and glaring errors too often visible in later ones, wherein whole sentences are not unfrequently omitted, and the sense in a variety of instances perverted *, appear to the Translator a sufficient Justification for offering the present Edition to the notice of the Public.

In every instance where the subject appeared to require it, the work has been enriched with notes selected from the most celebrated and esteemed writers, whether Popish or Catholic; and every position assumed by the learned Prelate has been confirmed and strengthened by the citation of parallel passages from the most distinguished Fathers and Doctors of the Church.

With respect to the Preliminary discourse,

* We particularly allude to the Translation by Mr. Campbell, published by Rivington in 1813, which certainly bears but slight Resemblance to the Work of Bishop Jewell.

the Translator must here beg leave to observe, that his work was nearly ready for Publication before Mr. Butler's "Book of the Roman Catholic Church," came into his hands; and that the few observations here made are not therefore meant as a complete answer to that Gentleman's publication, but merely intended to show that the sources from which he has drawn his information have not in all instances been the most authentic; and to prove to the world that the Doctrine and Discipline at present maintained by the advocates of the Church of Rome do not differ so widely from those of their predecessors as they would fain make us believe.

It was the intention of the Translator in the first Instance to have merely reprinted the Life of Bishop Jewell prefixed to the English Edition of the Apology published in

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