Anti-popery; or Popery unreasonable, unscriptural and novel...

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Preface To The American Edition. 13

sword of the Lord and Gideon ; the watchful and recruited powers of Rome began to raise their heads 5 and have been putting forth their last desperate struggle to regain all that they had lost by the Reformation. These struggles of Rome and the De Propaganda, now animated by the demon power of Jesuitism, and directed against Protestant truth and liberty, have been long carefully concealed. And every advancing step of the foes was soft and sly 5 and no overt cause of alarm given to Protestants. " Strike ! but let it not be seen whence the blow comes !" this has been the watchword, uttered by the dark and designing provincial 5 and whispered along the gloomy and lowering ranks of the reckless sons of Loyola !

But, at the close of the late wars of Europe, Pius VII. having regained his tiara and throne, girded up his loins, and began his last desperate effort to regain no less than all the former papal power and ascendency in the -world. Adopting pope Paul III. as his model, he revived the sect of Jesuits, the bitterest and most successful and sanguinary of all the enemies of the reformation. This outrage upon the honor and liberties of the European powers, and upon us in this republic, was done in 1814, without even a remonstrance from the slumbering Protestant powers. And these Jesuits have been, since that era, busily at their dark work, w 7 ith all their former powers, learning, cunning, duplicity, and immeasurable atheism and licentiousness! They spare no pains nor expense. They hesitate at no sacrifice of truth, honor, morals, men's lives. They peril their own personal safety, and even their souls' salvation, to obey the pope! They form one solid column of the Babylonian host, moving on, with the most abject submission to their despotic and cold-blooded provincial, to any work assigned them, to any warfare, to any service, moral or immoral, loyal or treasonable, christian, or literary, or profane,

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or atheistic ! Bound to the car of their idol, the Roman Juggernaut,they are prepared to sacrifice for its interests their health, their conscience, their life ; and I repeat it, even their souls' eternal salvation ! Milton represents his demon as one who would " rather reign in hell, than serve in heaven." But the Jesuits outstrip that proud Lucifer. They would rather serve as slaves their haughty lord, than "serve in heaven or rule in hell! 1 ' They are imperialists with the emperor ; royalists with the king ; republicans with the republicans ; Jews with the Jew ; infidels with the deist ; atheist with the atheist ! They are puritans with the dissenter ; high churchmen with the Oxfordites ! They are presbyterians among the presbyterians ; they are pushing themselves forward among all classes, and all sects, in morals, literature, religion, politics! If they hear of a protestant missionary eminently successful at his station, be it in the old world or new world, they hasten through all perils by sea and land, through fire and water, to prevent the con-, version of heathens! If they find a people abandoning their gods, they bring them a new set of glittering idols ! If they find the chiefs and people at peace, they kindle the flames of discord and war. If they find difficulty in corrupting the public morals, they introduce intoxicating liquors, and boundless licentiousness, by their confessional and their nunneries!

In a word, they are playing the same deep game, to the fullest extent of their vast means, which their predecessors played of old in the wide field of Europe and America. And now, without concealment or blush, they are boasting that they will soon be what their forefathers were, in their unparalleled ascendency in every court, in every government, whither they can force or worm their way. And their object, for ever kept in their eye, is the extinction of the light, the purity, the liberties, and glory of our blessed reformation ! Their war of exter-

Preface To The American Edition. 15

ruination is waged against pure Christianity and liberty!

There are two reasons, not usually noticed by writers, which paved the way secretly, but too effectually, for the papal success in Protestant Britain. First, Eome was on the British side, and in her interests in her struggles in the late wars of Britain with France ; and Rome even caused a medal to be struck in honor of her mighty Protestant ally, with the motto, " Rome protected by the British cannon /" Second : At the beginning of the French revolution great multitudes of emigrants, popish priests, friars, and seculars, and nuns, and literary men, flocked into Britain, especially England. These found their way into innumerable families of the higher and middle classes, as tutors, governesses, and school-masters ; and these repaid their benefactors by sowing copiously the seeds of popery. And the present generation are reaping the bitter and fatal fruits !

But a crisis has been induced, and is steadily approaching. The Jesuits from the De Propaganda, and the Oxford doctors, their overt auxiliaries, have been pushing matters rather too fast, and too far, for their own security. These combined emissaries of Rome had probably calculated in doing their work of proselytism thoroughly, while the dissenters and voluntaries were engaged in the present pitched battle with the doctors of the established churches of England and Scotland. The former seem even to court the papists as their auxiliaries in overthrowing the establishments ; and the papists are nothing loth to smile on their labors and lend them a helping hand. But this is done and managed by them, just as the fox in the fable managed to keep up the keen combat of the lion and the tiger, in order that he might seize the carcase. They urge on the conflict; they wish both parties to be devoured and eaten up, in order that they may come quietly in and seize the entire prey !

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But we rejoice to see that the men of God in Britain, who ought long ago to have hastened into the field for the help of the Lord's bleeding cause, are now roused from their long and heavy sleep. The most accomplished preachers are now sounding the alarm. Eloquence and literature are putting forth their choice and most admired sons into the thickening and tumultuous battle with Rome. The most prominent and influential ministers are uniting in regular courses of lectures against the popery of Rome and the popery of Oxford. The General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland has enacted that each of her ministers, in each parish in the kingdom, shall preach once each month on the ruinous heresies and innumerable evils and dangers of Romanism. And the number of able writers, and the number of thoroughly equipped disputants descending into the arena of public discussions with priests 5 and the number and variety of books teeming from the press against the " man of sin," " the beast,"" and " false prophet," are almost incredible ! The beginning of the end of Romanism has taken place !

Among these, w r e hail John Rogers, Esq. the author of the following work, entitled, xx Anti-Popery $ or Popery unreasonable, unscriptural, and novel" And we cordially bid him welcome into the field as a spiritual warrior against Antichrist, of no ordinary zeal, activity, and prowess.

The reader will find this volume of Mr. Rogers an original and extraordinary work. The author displays talents of the very highest order; a mind accomplished, and thoroughly disciplined by divine truth. He takes a clear and comprehensive view of each portion in the detail, of the Roman Catholic controversy, now occupying so extensively the deepest and most intense interest at home and abroad. He selects with great sagacity and judgment the most prominent topics. His argu-

Preface To The American Edition. 17

ments are choice, logical, and precise. He does not stop to throw any unnecessary ornament around them. He disdains to pause in his urgent career, to dispute on small matters. He does not suffer himself to be turned aside from his main object. He marches directly up into the breach made by the well-directed force of Divine truth, and seizes upon the very citadel itself. He is brief on every point 5 some will think him too brief. It is true he enters into no long and profound investigation ; he leaves that to the learned theologians and Biblical scholars. He does not, like the unmatched Samuel Edgar, in his " Variations of Popery," battle the foemen with their own weapons, gathered so successfully from their own armory and that of their fathers. He does not stop to clinch each statement by an unquestionable quotation from Roman bulls and canons. He leaves that to be done by Cramp, in his " Text-Book of Popery." He does not go slowly over the field, and touch upon and exhaust each topic. He leaves that to the fascinating and successful anti-popery man, M'Gaven, of " The Glasgow Protestant." He writes studiedly, in a popular manner, for the people. Dr. Usher, Dr. James, in his " Bellum Papale," and his " Treatise on the Roman Corruptions of the Scriptures, the Councils, and the Fathers $" and Wijlet, in his " Synopsis Papismi ;" Edgar, Finch, Mendham, Chillingworth, unmatched by any disputant in clearness, force, and logical accuracy, and a host of giants of this class, wrote for scholars and divines. But John Rogers, Esq. writes this book for studious youth, and the Protestant people, and also for Roman Catholic people; and he has displayed that remarkable tact which men of talents only do possess, namely, that of adapting his statements, illustrations, and appeals, to every one ; and to captivate every class of even the most careless students. The theologian who has deeply studied the history and dog-

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mas of papism, will not, indeed, find much that is new here. But, the manner of treating the whole subject possesses novelty ; and to the great mass of the people of our republic, both the matter and his manner will be found new and fascinating. He is at antipodes with the bulky folio-writers of the past centuries, and especially of those who lived near the Reformation. He sifts out the grains of wheat from the chaff and inferior grain, — the verbiage and repetitions of those great men, — and he sets it before us well winnowed, and in a state to be converted into genuine and nutritious food for our souls. The numerous eulogies bestowed on the first edition of this work by the British and Irish Reviewers, which we have herewith republished, and the praises of our own best critics, will abundantly sustain me in all parts of this my hearty commendations of this work, which we now present to the American public. At the same time, I must not forget to add, that as the second English edition — from which we print and stereotype this first American edition — is far superior to the first, the author having greatly improved and thoroughly corrected it : so, as I have had the benefit of the volunteered assistance of my estimable and reverend friend, J)r. Brownlee, in making corrections, valuable additions, with notes, and an index, I may venture to say that this will be found to be superior to the second English edition. I trust, therefore, that this attempt to satisfy and please the American public with a new and greatly improved edition of J. Rogers' rr Anti-Popery," will be duly appreciated at the hands of their obedient and devoted servant, for Jesus Christ's sake,

Charles Sparry.

New- York, April, 1841.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

This work of John Rogers I have examined with considerable care, and very great interest. The British and Irish reviews of the first edition, as appears from the following numerous quotations from them, exhibit one continuous eulogium upon it. And after examination, I am satisfied that there is no exaggeration in their praises. This new champion — whom we welcome into the field — richly merits their applause and ours. The author, it is said, is an eminent counsellor at law, in London. He displays a mind at once vigorous, thoroughly disciplined, and possessed of great critical acumen. He is tolerably well acquainted with the best books on the Roman Catholic controversy. Guided by these, he fixes upon the more prominent points of Papism; states them with accuracy and candor, and selects his arguments with admirable discrimination. And while his language is most obliging, and his whole manner, as 1 it ought to be, perfectly courteous, he lays hold of his opponent's entire creed, rites, and ceremonies, with a giant's grasp, from which there is no escape. And the reader rises from the perusal of the book, fully satisfied with the manner in which Mr. Rogers has utterly annihilated the defence of a system which all good men have pronounced to be as detestable as it is dangerous to the souls of men ; which is at irreconcilable war with reason and the Holy Scriptures; and which history has pronounced to be a combination of all errors and heresies, mixed up with modern fictions, ludicrous fables, and puerile ceremonies borrowed from heathenism by The Man of Sin.

If Mr. Rogers has a weak part in his argument, — it is this : — he does not stop to give his readers the copious authorities, which he might easily have given from the Doctors, the Canons, and Bulls of the papal " Kirk," to sustain his charges and strengthen his arguments. His opponents in Britain may, perhaps, not pursue the disreputable course pursued by our Jesuit disputants in the United States. If they do, Mr. Rogers will find

20 RECOMMENDATIONS.

them actually denying the most accurate quotations — and even their own books — and even the notes of the Rhemish New Testament — although these are composed either of quotations from " the Fathers," or of doctrines taught by the canons and bulls of Rome! Hence, if Mr. Rogers continues his argument — as he must do in his own defence — he will soon discover the necessity of not only indicating the volume, the chapter, the page, and the edition whence he quotes his materials, but of establishing the authenticity and authority of even the papal standard works ! For the Jesuit priests and bishops, with face of bronze, avowedly act on the old resuscitated maxims of the sons of Loyola — "Admit nothing; deny every thing, when reasoning with heretics /"

The style of Rogers is sententious, clear, and forcible; and possesses great logical precision. With its richness, however, there is a singular quaintness. And to some, his new nomenclature will seem, at first, rather singular. For " church," he invariably uses "kirk;" for "primacy," "primaty;" "papite and Romanite," for " papist and Romanist ;" " perhap," for " perhaps ;" also, " nowafter," for " hereafter ;" and " priestal," and "priest ruled," and " priestrulive," " politikirkal," and " politikirkalian."

And we are not unwilling to admit that he is sustained in all this, by the reasons and authorities which he advances. He has put us in mind, more than once, of the fine, old, manly, vigorous, and majestic style of Milton's prose. And we like it the more for this very reason.

W. C. Brownlee,

One of the Collegiate Pastors of the Prot. Ref. Dutch Church in New- York.

New- York, April, 1841.

CRITIQUES ON THE FORMER EDITION.

ff In this work, the Pope and his adherents are pummelled by a most vigorous antagonist in a way that will make their bones ache for many a day. Mr. Rogers has not only assailed the leading errors, and absurdities, and blasphemies of the Babylonish religion, but has attacked, unripped, and exposed, seriatim, the details of the idolatry of the Romish Anti-Christ. He fastens on the hoary delinquent with the pertinacity of a mastiff, and never relinquishes his hold till he has shaken him and his trappings to tatters. He exposes the naked deformity of the whole heap of cardinals, monks, nuns, and friars,

1 Black, white, and grey ; with all their trumpery/

and fairly kicks them out of the pale of the religion of the Bible, which they have so long disgraced with their absurdities, obscenities, and delusions. Mr. Rogers is no common combatant. He is armed at all points, and dexterous in the management of all weapons of attack and defence. This work should be read, and will be read by all Protestants. It has conferred a service on Protestantism, and placed in the possession of every Protestant, a manual for his protection from error and deceit, The whole subject of Popery is examined with judgment and learning by a man of strong mind, considerable erudition, and indefatigable industry. The result is, as maybe supposed, an

excellent work essentially excellent in its object,

and decisive in its reasoning. An extract from the chapter 'An Account of Popery,' will induce the reader to go through the whole work." — Times.

n It is the production of an original mind, and a sound thinker, and one truly earnest in the Protestant cause.

"We should regard it as little short of a calamity to the interest of truth, were the title of this volume to operate as a hinderance to its extensive circulation. Strange as it may at first sight appear to be, we are disposed to think that, upon examination, it will be found to be etymologically correct and appropriate. But whatever judgment may be formed of a name consisting of seventeen letters, and forming an entirely new coinage of the author's own, we beg to assure our readers that the work itself is one of the most original, elaborate, searching, and conclusive exposures of Ptomanism that has seen the light in modern times. It is hopeless, perhaps, to suppose that Catholics will read it ; but this we will say, that an unprejudiced Catholic could scarcely rise from its perusal the dupe of Romish superstition. But the value of the work, at the present juncture, as a weapon in the hands of Protestants, is great beyond what we can well express. Those who will determine to surmount the prejudice which certain features pertaining to Mr. Rogers' style may possibly create, will soon find that they are holding converse with a mind of \he first order, and that Rome in his hands is tossed about upon the horns of a thousand dilemmas. The author possesses great powers of logical discrimination, and knows how to select the weak point in his antagonist's argument, and to bear down upon him with almost annihilating force.

" There is moreover nothing prolix, nothing verbose, nothing weak or trifling in Mr. Rogers' mode of attack. He opens a broadside in every instance, at once, upon the enemy ; and trusts the victory to great principles rather that to minute and feeble details. He uses very strong language indeed in portraying the horrible abominations of Popery ; but as he speaks not politically, we like his honest and uncompromising denunciations of "the man of sin," who is " the son of perdition." Those who wish to see a thorough dissection of Popery, in all its hideous deformity, as the direct antagonist of the Gospel, and the inveterate enemy of human kind, will find in Mr. Rogers' work a mental feast equally refreshing and invigorating. What will Papists do with this book ? We predict that they will either pass it by in dignified silence, or misrepresent all its arguments and details by that Jesuitical sophistry for which their best writers are shamefully notorious. If Mr. Rogers is spared, we cannot help thinking, from this specimen of his pen, that he is destined to be the troubler of Rome. We trust he will watch Dr.

CRITIQUES ON THE FORBIER EDITION. 23

Wiseman and the Dublin Review, and make them feel his withering touch. He is fit to grapple with them, and he should know it, and not shrink from the task at a time when Popery is stalking abroad in the land with a boldness and an effrontery unknown of late years in Great Britain." — Evangelical Magazine.

" Here are manifest and numerous proofs of integrity of purpose, ardency of spirit, and a love for the truth, with great originality and strength of thought. . . We doubt not that in consequence of his efforts, discussions will be elicited that may tend to bring back many sections of the church to a nearer approximation with the faith once delivered to the saints. In this work he assails the errors of Popery, and with a giant arm. . . . He grasps a ponderous club r like a weaver's beam,' and marching with firm and fearful step into the very camp of papal error, deals out, r right and left,' tremendous blows which lay whole armies groaning at his feet. The rigid application of the ordinary rules of composition will not answer here. In waging polemic war, the genius of Mr. Rogers, like that of our Nelson in naval fight, must be honored with a roving commission. His forte is his own — he must be unique. . . . Our gratitude rises high indeed when we consider that he has rendered signal service to the sacred cause of truth. We restrain our pen — and assure Mr. Rogers that on the subject of Popery he need fear no opponent — he is invincible — a rock not to be moved. In the forthcoming works we anticipate discussions, the very sound of the near approach of which, judging from the present production, is enough to make those whose interest and spirit lead them to espouse such principles, quail and tremble. . . . The perusal of this extraordinary book has made us feel that Mr. Rogers is a learned, intelligent, sound, and godly Protestant champion, of consummate skill and Herculean power."

Methodist New Connexion Magazine,

" Mr. Rogers' logical acuteness and Herculean power as a polemical writer, are displayed in a manner that must be truly astounding to the abettors of the papal system . . . The author wastes no time in useless parleys, but, conscious of the strength

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of his arm and the goodness of his cause, he brings the heavy artillery of his logic to bear on the strong-holds of his enemy ; and having, without much difficulty, effected a practicable breach, rushes to the onslaught, and triumphantly completes the work of utter demolition .... The style of the work is lucid, vigorous, and melodious. * * * * A book which, as a concise refutation of the leading errors of Popery, so far as our knowledge extends, is without a rival in the English language; and proves Mr. Rogers to be decidedly an original and first-rale reasoner; and a man who, with Davy, Drew, and others, will nobly uphold the literary glory of Cornwall." — West Briton.

" This work is one of surpassing merit. It is perhaps the most searching and successful exposure of the errors of Popery which has ever appeared. Mr. Rogers has brought all the energies of his powerful mind to bear upon the subject, and has made out a case against the papal system which must fill with alarm every votary of the Romish faith. It is a perfect armory, out of which, those who would fight the battles of the Protestant faith may at all times equip themselves." — Observer.

"It is clear and simple, straightforward and conclusive, and altogether the most logical and searching dissection of Popery that we ever encountered in any form. If any person have a doubt between Protestantism and Popery, let him read the present work. Infallibility, transubstantiation, auricular confession, &c. are each, in turn, hurled to the earth — remorselessly and irretrievably trampled into the mire — annihilated ; and all this by the clearest, the most logical, the most searching and irrefutable arguments. That Mr. Rogers is a man of extensive reading, and a scholar, is apparent from every page of his book. His solutions of the famous f Grecian Dilemma' and r Pseudomenos,' are masterly." — Court Journal.

"Mr. Rogers wields his polemical cudgel with terrible effect, hitting Rome right and left with a rapid succession of the hardest blows she ever received." — Grant's London Journal.

*■ An extraordinary work, full of learning and sound sense. The reasoning is close and conclusive, and the arguments almost superabundant. One of the most remarkable productions of our day. John Rogers exhibits proofs of profound thought and extensive erudition, and will be recognised as one of the master-spirits of the age." — Era.

v This is a work written with the intent to exhibit popery in its true light, and he who could rise from a perusal of its pages without having his mind stored with arguments unanswerable in their nature, against the monstrous politico-religious system of popery, can have made little use of his reasoning faculties. We should like to be placed on our defence, with this book in our hand, before the pope and a full conclave of cardinals, and if they chose to abide by the decision of twelve honest and impartial men, popery would be extinguished for ever before they left the jury-box. The map which accompanies the work we consider very valuable. It contains a graphic delineation of the errors of Popery, and the date of the introduction of each — which propositions are amply proved. The style is original, vigorous, and clear. The arguments are laid down with a force of diction which must overthrow all opposition — and every page contains the incontrovertible proofs from history. We know of no work which promises more efficient aid in the cause of Protestantism, or which opens a sharper fire on the falling cause of Popery. We hope that the advocates .... of Rome .... will candidly confess their errors after a perusal of this volume. . . . We sincerely recommend the perusal of this book to all Protestants, and to all Roman Catholics who wish to know what is truth." — Dublin Statesman.

"Seldom have we read so powerful a production. Mr. Rogers is gifted with a mind capable of the most logical precision — no fallacy, either in doctrine or in ethics, can endure his searching scrutiny. Hence the various errors and corruptions of Popery are here not merely exposed — they are absolutely demolished. The author is indeed a perfect r Root and Branch* man ; first applying the well-tempered knife of skilful excision, then using the irresistible axe of utter eradication. We would defy Cardinal Bellarmine himself, if he were living, to answer

this book As an effectual antidote to Papal error, we can

cordially recommend the very extraordinary book before us."

Bath and Cheltenham Gazette.

" The work is full of learning and sound sense ; and a very slight perusal of it will at once show the originality of Mr. Rogers, and that he is a profound thinker. Every thing about the book is original — the ideas, the style, and the construction. Even Roman Catholics must admit that he has placed himself in the position of a powerful leader of the Protestants. . . . He has shown, as far as argument goes, that he is possessed of a lion's strength. . . . We are convinced that most of our Protestant and Catholic readers will be acquainted with its contents."

Tyne Mercury.

rr If the cry of T No Popery'' shall have done nothing else than caused the appearance of this book, it will have done good service to mankind. A valuable, clear, and entertaining book. . . . the work of great labor and research, by a man thoroughly conversant with polemical controversy, and who yet has the rare power of simplifying his subject, and writing with ease, vigor, clearness, and benevolent warmth of spirit. No man, whether he be priest or layman, can peruse without advantage the powerful and elaborate articles in this work, on infallibility, transubstantiation, and tradition. 1 * — Maidstone Gazette.

" This is an extraordinary book. We have seldom seen Popery so vigorously handled. Mr. Rogers has taken up the question in all its bearings, and applied to it the powers of a masculine intellect trained to habits of searching analysis, and clear, logical, bold, and comprehensive reasoning. He sifts the lofty pretensions, and exposes the errors and impositions of the church of Rome, with unrelenting severity, showing its false, blasphemous, and anti-social character, its hostility to Scripture, reason, and antiquity . . . The work will prove a valuable auxiliary to the cause of Protestantism. No one possessing it, need be at a loss to give to any one that asks him, a reason for preferring the religion of the Reformation to that of the usurping Italian bishop. Furnished with the weapons here supplied, he will be f armed at all points' for resisting the subtleties and subterfuges of Jesuitical sophistry, or the open denial of plain facts by the barefaced assertors of the liberality of modern Romanism. The author's style is free and nervous .... He has rendered a service to the cause of truth, of civil liberty, and of social happiness, which cannot be too highly estimated."

Liverpool Courier.

rt Mr. Rogers is a scholar every inch of him, and a man of dauntless mould . . The book is a good one, vigorous, racy, and original .... He has strength of mind and information enough to grapple successfully with any Goliath the Philistines may send against the truth." — Congregational Magazine.