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Dissenters we are not. We are protesters, protestants. We have protested against their dissent from apostolical catholicity. It has been seen that the Nicene creed is what we both profess; the same in effect with the apostles' creed: this is abundant for us. We are satisfied to agree with the apostles.

But these Romanists are insatiables; these are not satisfied with what is superlative; they want something better, and in their wretched attempt to improve the perfection of God's holy will and word, they have fallen into the very quagmire, in which they assert that we are ingulfed.

They then, and not we, are the dissenters. But to the proof.

XIII. I most firmly admit and embrace apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions,

Apostolical traditions are either admissible, when the doctrines set forth therein agree with, or are corroborative of, the holy Scriptures, or, when they are not contrary thereto : as we should desire in all things to conform our lives to the example of these blessed and holy men. Not that it is to be understood, that any thing the apostles taught could be heterodox; but the orthodoxy of the sentiments contained in these reputed traditions, by their accordance with the received Scriptures, will be the evidence of their authenticity, or otherwise. And our authority for receiving such well-authenticated traditions we find in 2 Thess. ii. 15, where St. Paul enjoins them to hold fast the traditions which they had been taught, whether by word, or by

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his epistle. But we must judge of the justice of their pretensions to such high authority, by bringing them to comparison with the law and the testimony; and if they agree not, according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isa. viii. 20. Ecclesiastical traditions of the earliest fathers are invaluable, as proofs of religious history, and by them we learn the authenticity of the holy Scriptures, and the customs of the apostolic and primitive church, and which we are bound to follow, always subject to the same appeal. Just so far then do we go with the Romanists, but no farther.

and all other observances and constitutions of the same (the Romish) church.

So that, when they come down to the sweeping clause that includes all other observances and constitutions of their church, we are obliged to haul in our wind, and allow them to go by themselves on their voyage of discovery over the dead sea of error and supersțition. As most of these lucrative acquisitions of territory, which they made on this voyage, and claimed by them as the discoverers, are detailed in the following articles, it will be needless to recapitulate them here. But, as two or three of their most luminous discoveries are unnoticed by the impious Pius, we will slightly take a glance at them now, for the benefit of the uninformed.

It is one of the many antiscriptural customs of this Romish church, on a certain day in every year, I think some time in September, to have a grand to-do

in their chapels, for the purpose of consecrating, as they term it, holy candles! Candles? yes, candles ! and which candles are supposed to acquire some peculiar virtue from the exceedingly spiritual ceremony which is performed over them. After the candles are blessed, they are given over the altar rails to the longing devotee, who thereupon kisses, first the priest's hand, and then the holy candle!!

After this is chanted, "A light to lighten the gentiles, and to be the glory of God's people, Israel !” Luke, ii. 32.

Christian reader! what can one think of people who can apply the breathings of the Spirit, hailing the appearance of GOD the Saviour, to the light of a candle? Who can compare, in a triumphant chant, the invisible glory of the eternal Saviour to the filth-exhaling flame of a candle? Dreadful! awful!

You will say, it is impossible. Truly one would fain believe it so, but it is A FACT; and the curious may satisfy themselves on this matter; for this is not alone the practice in wretched, bigoted, degraded Ireland, but in what once was protestant England. In the midst of our redundantly intellectual countrymen is this the custom; at least so says the Liverpool Missal, 1824, a book very handsomely got up (with sundry engravings), and costing 15s.; therefore quite beyond the reach of the unlearned poor.

Possibly, after all this, you may desire to know to what account these holy candles are turned. I will therefore make an extract from a Romish Irish tract, got up by an American priest of that communion,

named Gallitzin, and re-edited by that celebrated priest, well known in Ireland as Friar Hayes, 3d edit. p. 120. ،، Instances are so very common, of the good effects produced by the use of holy water, blessed salt, and many other blessed things, that it would take volumes to publish them all." P. 121. "The efficacy of blessed things is so well known to many protestants, that it is not very uncommon to see protestants apply to catholic priests for holy water, blessed salt, blessed candles, &c. ;" and he quotes this scripture to prove his horrible lie: "GOD hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong;" thus perverting Scripture to strengthen his pretended case, applying the words "weak things” to his blessed salt and blessed candles; whereas the sense evidently applies to the abstract principles of ignorance of worldly wisdom, and Christian humility, in opposition to those of wisdom after the flesh, pride, vainglory, &c.

Where is their authority in Scripture for these things? They have none. This, then, is derived from tradition.

The profit arising from this holy-candle system it will be needless to enter upon. Let us just remarkwho would object to give a crown for such a universal nostrum as an unctuous blessed candle, or even two, to secure as one's own-" the light which was sent to lighten the gentiles ?" Forgive me, reader; the blasphemy is not mine, but theirs.

Another of their enlightening discoveries has been, the celebration of their services in Latin; a language

which not one in twenty-might it not be said with equal truth, one in one thousand ?-understand who hear it thus.

Against such a system of praying, "using vain repetitions as the heathen do," (Matt. vi. 7.) it would have appeared so unnecessary to a Christian teacher to have warned his followers, that we ought to be the more deeply penetrated with admiration and love towards the Almighty, when we see the guardianship of his Holy Spirit speaking, through the lips of his indefatigable servant Paul, these conclusive words (1 Cor. xiv), "Desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy*. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth him. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

"For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak UNTO THE AIR.

"There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore, if I know, not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh A BARBARIAN, and he that speaketh shall be A BARBARIAN unto me.

Prophesy, expound, or preach, or pray. That the meaning is in this sense, is evident from the following verses of the same chapter, 23, 24. 31.

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