REVIEW. WORKS ON POPERY. 1. The Variations of Popery. By Samuel Edgar. 2nd Edition. Revised, corrected, and enlarged. 8vo. London: Seeley and Burnside. 2. A Text Book of Popery, comprising a brief History of the Council of Trent, and a complete View of Roman Catholic Theology. By J. M. Cramp. 2nd Edition. Royal 8vo. London: G. Wightman. 3. The Notes of the Church, as laid down by Cardinal Bellarmine, examined and confuted, in a Series of Tracts, written severally by Archbishop Tenison, &c. 8vo. London: S. Holdsworth. 4. Antipopopriestian; or an Attempt to liberate and purify Christianity from Popery, Politikirkality, and Priest-rule. By J. Rogers. 12mo. London: Simpkin and Marshall. 5. The Religion of Protestants a safe way of Salvation. By William Chillingworth, M.A. 2 vols. 12mo. London: Tract Society. 6. Popery in England: being the Substance of five Lectures delivered in Little Prescot Street Meeting House, by the Rev. C. Storel, on the injurious Effects of Popery in England. 12mo. London: Ward and Co. WHEN directing the attention of our readers, in a late number,* to the present condition and prospects of Romanism in our country, we intimated the probability, at no distant period, of again recurring to the papal question, and of pointing out the conduct which we, as dissenters, should pursue, with reference to this stirring controversy of the times. Most gladly could we forego the task. It would be far more congenial to our taste, to take the "big Ha' Bible,” “in our house at home," and read, "How he who lone in Patmos banished, Saw in the sun a mighty angel stand, And heard great Babylon's doom pronounced by Heaven's command." But as we are convinced that, in the ordination of Providence, the church is the instrument to be employed in effecting the overthrow of all antichristian rule, authority, and power, we dare not, as humble members of it, refuse to do violence to inclination, or flinch from any measure of onerous duty that may be likely to contribute to that consummation. It is not registered to their credit, that Dan abode in his ships, and Ashur in his breaches, and Reuben in his sheepfolds, instead of joining the chivalry of Israel in the struggle with Sisera; and we are unwilling to deserve reproach ourselves by preferring the indulgence of personal ease or literary predilections, to the service which * Cong. Mag. Oct. 1839. Statistics of Popery. the assailed word of God demands. We love peace, but we love truth still more, for peace can never be solid, satisfactory, and permanent, unless based on truth, and frequently truth can only be established by a previous partial sacrifice of peace. In our view, and the subject has been thoughtfully and prayerfully pondered over, this is precisely the position of the church of Christ at the present time. However delightful it would be to be led by the "side of still waters," the circumstances of the times have brought us to the conclusion, that it is not the will of Providence, that this should now, or perhaps speedily, be the church's earthly lot; and firmly are we persuaded, that to rise at once superior to all considerations of fleshly wisdom and carnal policy, and to surrender ourselves at all risks to the simple guidance of truth, is both our duty and interest, as the best and only way to find "quiet habitations and sure resting places." We may have to sojourn for a season in a "waste howling wilderness"-a "land of deserts and of pits," where our feet may be blistered with the burning sands, and torn by the scorpion's tooth; but the quickest way to get out of it, is for us steadily and closely to follow the Lord's pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by night, even when it leads us to confront "Amalek's ungracious progeny." Loving, therefore, as we do, the peaceful ministration of God's word in the sanctuary, pleased as we are to commune with the departed wise and good in the pages they have left behind them, and alluring as it is to shut ourselves up "In some high lonely tower, Where we may oft outwatch the Bear, we feel it to be a duty incumbent upon us, to associate with these pursuits an occasional mingling with the strife going on around us, using our best endeavours on the side of "truth, meekness, and righteousness." The body of Moses was deemed worthy of an archangel's care, for Michael battled with Satan in its behalf; and surely the "faith once delivered to the saints," deserves an equal amount of service from all to whom it is in any degree precious. The volumes at the head of this article afford us an opportunity to carry into effect the intimation to which we have referred. They take us, indeed, over ground which we had not anticipated travelling-they bring before us the "mystery of iniquity" in its length, breadth, deptli, and height, from the period of its gestation to its full maturity-but we must be excused investigating so wide a circuit, and shall only allude to the past history and present condition of Popery, for the purpose of showing how we, as Protestants, should now shape our course. Our notices, also, of these books must be brief: a mere table of contents would be tedious, an extended survey would exceed our limits. The "Variations of Popery," by Mr. Edgar, is a refutation of the claims so confidently put forth by the Romish church to unity, antiquity, and apostolicity. It shows how pontiffs, councils, and doctors have differed from each other; how they differ from the records of inspired truth; how utterly groundless, therefore, is the plea advanced by the abettors of the papacy in its behalf, that apostles watched its cradle, and immutability has marked its character. No desert sands have ever been more shifting than the sentiments and practices of the Roman communion. Mr. Edgar's aim is to employ against the Papist the weapon which the celebrated Bossuet used against the Protestant in his "Variations of Protestantism." We strongly recommend this volume to the attention of all our readers, and especially to the students in our colleges: it displays extensive research, and is vigorously written its copious references to authorities render it a useful guidebook to those who may have occasion to engage in the popish contro versy. The "Text Book of Popery," by Mr. Cramp, is an exhibition of the theological system of the Church of Rome, as definitively settled by the Council of Trent. The doctrinal decrees of that council are stated and examined; and as these are received by Romanists of every country as defining the faith of their church, he who wishes for information upon this point, cannot do better than consult this volume. We hope that no one will think lightly of these two works, because we only give them a meagre notice; we find it impossible to quote from them without plunging into discussions which would interfere with the object we have in view. The "Notes of the Church, as laid down by Cardinal Bellarmine, examined and refuted," is a reprint. It is well known that Bellarmine was recognized by the Romanists of his day as their ablest champion; "we choose him," said Clement VIII. when he gave him the Cardinal's hat, "because the Church of God does not possess his equal in learning." He published in Latin, in four volumes folio,"Disputations or Controversies concerning the Cardinal Points at issue between the Romish and Reformed Churches," in which are his famous "Notes (or Signs) of the Church." The appearance of this work made a mighty stir upon the Continent; and in England one Archbishop, six Bishops, and eight other dignified Ecclesiastics, undertook, in a series of Tracts, a refutation of these formidable Notes. This was published in 1687, and the present reprint, in parts, appears to have been spirited on by an editorial article in the Times newspaper. For ourselves, we should hardly have deemed it worth while to republish these tracts, though they were doubtless useful when Bellarmine was more known and feared than at present. The bench of Bishops may find some things profitable in them; we nonconformists have picked up here and there a pearl; but to guide the opinions of the people of a Protestant country, for whose especial benefit they appear, they are singularly inefficient. Of" Antipopopriestian," a word which all our lexicographers have hitherto overlooked or been ignorant of, we hardly know what to say. The hidden mystery of this Titanic word is thus laid bare, avr, against, Po for Popery, Po for Politikirkality, and Priest-rule, with the regular termination ian; and wonderfully wise, no doubt, after this lucid explanation, will be the men of Saxon speech. Of the writer of this book we know nothing further than that he was intended for the ministry in the national church, was educated at Cambridge with that view, but refrained from taking orders owing to conscientious scruples. He is a scholar every inch of him, a man of dauntless mould, and we should be glad to make ac quaintance with him, always providing we may have the free use of our barbarian tongue. We have tried what coaxing will do to make our organs of utterance pronounce Antipopopriestian and Politikirkality in a graceful and methodical manner, but the words disturb the current of mellifluous sounds. The book is, however, a good one, vigorous, racy, and original, and we warn our readers not to be frightened from its threshold by its name. The chapters on Infallibility, Tradition, and Transubstantiation will amply repay perusal: indeed, if Mr. Rogers will only lay aside his etymological fancies, consult a little the harmless prejudices of the unlearned world, and read men as well as books, he has strength of mind and information enough, to grapple successfully with any Goliath the Philistines may send against the truth. We are anxious for his success as a writer: he displays an honesty of purpose which deserves it, and an ability which, if under the guidance of a little practical wisdom, may command it. The next book upon our list is the master-work of Chillingworth, which is justly considered as the most logical and convincing answer that has ever been given to the fallacious sophisms by which Papists still endeavour to defend their oft-defeated opposition to the word of God." The Committee of the Religious Tract Society have rendered good service to the cause of our common Protestantism by the publication of a very neat edition of this great production. We are happy to be assured in the preface, that "The work is complete: it is without alteration or abridgment: the reader has this classic work of English theology in the words of its author." To secure its accuracy various editions have been collated, by which means errors of the press and various readings have been detected, and brief explanatory notes are placed at the foot of the page. These volumes are the most satisfactory reprint that we have ever seen from the Tract Society's press, and we trust that this unanswerable defence of "The Religion of Protestants" will find a place in the library of every Protestant Dissenter. Mr. Stovel's Lectures are of a more popular character, and discuss those doctrines and institutions of the Romish Church, which have inflicted, in England, the greatest injury on personal godliness, "by dishonouring the Sacred Scriptures-by forging her unwritten oracles -by corrupting the christian sacraments-by degrading the christian ministry, and by the demoralizing policies of Rome." Although brief, yet the Lectures are pointed and powerful, and their publication will, no doubt, extend their usefulness far beyond their gifted author's usual sphere of pastoral labour. The works now referred to do not form a tithe of those at the present issuing from the press upon the points in dispute between Popery and Protestantism-the Dean of Peterborough, Dr. Turton, and the Principal of the English College at Rome, Dr. Wiseman, are debating the doctrine of the Eucharist-the reformed tenets taught by the Divinity Professor at Oxford, Dr. Hampden, are neutralised in the same university by the Popish writings of the Hebrew Professor, Dr. Pusey, and his colleagues-owing, therefore, to the grave importance of maintaining unimpaired the Protestant faith, and of promoting an enlightened apprehension of it, and conceiving that our principles as Dissenters are directly interested in the Popish controversy, we venture to offer a few suggestions as to the attitude which our brethren and people should assume. But, in the first instance, we will rapidly glance at the events of the past, and at the aspect of the present in relation to this subject. It would have been an interesting document, had Luther left us a minute record of his sentiments and feelings when first he crossed the Alps, and became familiar with imperial Rome. Never did Christian pilgrim approach the walls of Jerusalem, or Mohammedan devotee hail from the desert the minarets of Mecca, with a more reverent mind than did the northern monk the gates of the eternal city. In his solitary cell at Wittemberg his imagination had pictured the scenes of Italy as a kind of religious paradise, over which cherubims and the flaming sword of the Almighty kept constant guard. Its capital, as he had sketched it in his reveries, was the Holy of Holies in the great temple of Christendom-its Pope was the chief pastor of Christ's flock on earth, whose eye saw nothing but the sheep of his pasture, whose bowels yearned benevolently for their welfare, and whose hand touched nought beside the pastoral crook-its Cardinals were arrayed in the beauties of holiness, men. of sober and mortified lives, familiar with fasting, almsdeeds, and prayer-its churches resounded day and night with the praises of the faithful-its inhabitants were but a little lower than the angels-and every wind that swept over the Pontine marshes caught up an odour of sanctity, and wafted it far and wide, for the refreshment of believers, and the confusion of heretics. But never was any one more out in his calculations than honest Martin. He came, he saw, and returned to his home a wiser but a sadder man, having "looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry!" The grave, austere, and simple-minded German must have felt sorely perplexed and tried when coming into personal contact with the luxurious Leo and his tribe of gorgeouslyattired, pleasure-loving Cardinals, he found them in a city, hallowed in his esteem as the scene of Paul's martyrdom and Peter's episcopate, caring little for spiritual duties, and less for decency in their observance; but skilful at dice, toying with women, and lusting for gold. A change then began to come o'er the spirit of his dream as great as that which Mirza experienced when the Elysian fields, which all day long he had been contemplating, and in which he had fancied himself walking, with their myrtle-crowned inhabitants, vanished as the shades of evening gathered, and left him nothing to gaze upon but the oxen, the sheep, and the camels, in the long hollow valley of Bagdad! It is melancholy to reflect upon the condition of Christendom at this period, for the scenes of sanctified piety in the times of primitive Christianity, the spots to which the Apostles brought the light of truth, and where it shone after their decease bright and unsullied, had not only become "the dark places of the earth," but were as much stained with pollution and crime as overcast with superstition and ignorance. Much as has been written upon this subject, the reading world know not a tithe of the iniquities of the popedom. They only who have left the broad paths of general history, and wended their way into the lanes opened by the chronicles of distinct localities, are |