The book of the Roman Catholic church

Front matter

THE

BOOK

OF THE

Contents

Introduction page i

I.— The proper Style of Controversy - - - 2 The Creed of Pope Pius IV. ... 5 HI. — Observations on such of the Articles in it as are expressed in general terms . - _ 8 IV. — Application of these Observations to doctor Southey's Charge against the Roman-catholic Church, that her Doctrines are corrupt - - - - 1 1

Letter I

A Geographical Vietv of the Roman-catholic Church - 15 LETTER II.

First Introduction of Christianity - - - - 20 LETTER III.

Conversion of the Anglo-Saxons by St. Augustine - -.23 1 .—History of it - - - - - 24

2. — The perfect Conformity of the Religion preached

by the Anglo-Saxon Missionaries, to that now taught by the Roman-catholic Church - 28

3. — The Doctrine taught in Monasteries— Great Mis-

representation of it by two eminent protestant Writers - - - - - 33

4. - Miracles performed by the Anglo-Saxon Missionviii

CONTENTS.

LETTER IV.

Causes ivkich promoted the Success of Christianity/ among the Anglo-Saxons - page 50

1.— The Conduct of the Missionaries its chief

cause - ib.

•3.— Unfounded Charge brought by doctor Southey against the Anglo-Saxon Clergy - - 52 3. — Alleged purer Faith of the Welch - - 53

LETTER V.

Religion of the Danes — Their Conversion - - - 57 LETTER VL

Saint Dunstan - - - - - - - -55

1. — Early YeaYs of Saint Dunstan - - - 58

2. — The Conduct of Saint Dunstan towards King

3. — The Conduct of Saint Dunstan towards King

Edgar 62

4. — Saint Dunstan's Regulations for the Celibacy of

the Clergy ------ 63

5. — Saint Dunstan's Substitution of the Benedictine

Monks to the Secular Canons - - - 65

6. _The Miracles of Saint Dunstan - - - 68

LETTER VIL

1 . Charges against the Monks of withholding Knowledge, and of a Disposition to immoderate Severitt/ - - 72

2. — Investitures — Saint Anselm 75

LETTER VIIL

Immunities of the Church — Saint Thomas a Becket - - 80

LETTER IX.

1. Cession hy King John of the Sovereignty of England to Pope Innocent III. ------- 91

2. — Temporal Power of the Pope - - - - 93

CONTENTS.

ix

LETTER X.

View of Roman -catholic System - - - page 99

1. — Devotion to the Virgin Mary — the Saints — respect

to the Cross, and to the Relics of the Saints 100

2. — Purgatory, and Prayers for the Dead - - 103

3. — Auricular Confession — Indulgences - - 105

4. — Saint Augustine and Pelagius - - - 113

5. — Transubstantiation - - - - - 116 6 1. The Authority of the Pope - - - 118

2. Universal Doctrine of the Roman- catholics

respecting the Supremacy of the Pope - 119

3. Transalpine and Cisalpine Doctrines on the

temporal and spiritual Power of the Pope 1 2 1

4. Remarks on Doctor Southey's Crimination of

the Roman-catholic Church, in consequence of the alleged intemperate Expressions of some of her Writers on the Pope's Authority '-125

5. Defence by a Roman-catholic Divine of the

Roman-catholic Church, against Charges brought against her by the present Bishop of Winchester - - - - - 134

LETTER XL

Rise of the Reformation - - - - - 1 39

1. — Rise of the Reformation— Persecution under the

House of Lancaster . . - . 141

2. — The Mendicant and other religious Orders of the

Roman -catholic Church - - - - 148

LETTER Xir.

Henr^ FIIL - - - 167

1. — Has England gained by the Reformation in tem-

poral Happiness? 168

2. — Has England gained by the Reformation in

spiritual Wisdom ? - - - - - 1 70

3. — Was the Reformation attended by a general Im-

provement in Morals ? - - - - 172

X

CONTENTS.

Henry F///.-— continued.

4. — Was the Revival of Letters owing to the Reforma-

tion, or materially forwarded by it ? - page 178

5. — Was the Dissolution of Monasteries justified by the

Conduct of the religious Orders ? - - 184

6. — Was the Church of Rome negligent in remedying

Ecclesiastical Abuses - - - - 187 7.— Is doctor Southey's Abuse of former and present Catholic Historical Writers merited by them? - - - - - - - 190

LETTER Xin.

Edward VI. 187

LETTER XIV.

Queen Mary - - - - - 204

1. — Persecution of the Protestants in the Reign of Queen Mary - - ' - - - - ib.

2. — Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Latimer - 215

3. — Character of Queen Mary's Reign - - 220

LETTER XV.

Queen Elizabeth - - - - - - -22:3

1. — The Establishment of the Protestant Rehgion in

the Reign of Queen Elizabeth — Observation on some Statements respecting it in " The Book of the Church" - - - - ib.

2. — Summary of the Laws passed in the Reign of

Queen Elizabeth against Roman- catholics - 230

3. — Executions of the Roman -catholics under the

sanguinary Code of Queen Elizabeth - 237

4. — Justification of the Persecutions^ on the ground

of the traitorous Principles of the Foreign Seminarists, and the general Disloyalty of the Roman-catholics - 255

5. - Justification of the Persecutions, on the ground of

the persecuting Principles and Practices of their Church 058

CONTENTS.

xi

Queen Elizabeth —continued.

6 Justification of the Persecutions, from the alleged

Plots against Queen Elizabeth - - page 263 7. — The Spanish Armada ■■ - - - 265

LETTER XVI.

James I. 273

1. ^The Gunpowder Plot - - - - ib.

2. — The Oath of Allegiance required by James I. from

the English Roman-cathohcs - - - 279

LETTER XVIL

1. — Artifices then used to inflame the Public Mind

against the Roman-catholics — their Loyalty and Sufferings - - - - - - ib.

2. — Solemn Judgment of Archbishops and Bishops of

Ireland against the Toleration of the Roman-catholic Religion 302

LETTER XVIIL Charles IT, ------- - 305

1. — Doctor Southey's Defence of Charles IL's Viola-

tion of his Promise, at Breda, to the Roman-catholics and Protestant Dissenters - - 306

2. — Doctor Southey's various Criminations of the

Roman-catholics in his present Chapter - 312

3. — The Corporation and Test Acts - - - 315 4 — The Act of the 30th of Charles IL which excludes

Roman-cathohcs from sitting and voting in Parliament - - 316

6. — James the Second —Bill of Rights — Acts of Set-

7. — Conclusion— Doctor Southey's repeated Charge

of Superstition and Idolatry against the Roman-catholics ------ 338 xii

CONTENTS.

Appendix

NOTE I. — Opinions of Foreign Universities on the temporal Power of the Pope - - page 343

NOTE II.— The Oath taken by the English Roman-catholics, under the Provisions of the Act passed for their Relief, in the Year 1791 - 345

By the same Author,

HISTORICAL MEMOIRS of the English, Irish, and Scottish Catholics, from the Reformation to the present Time ; — with some Account of the Ecclesiastical History of England before the Reformation, and of the Evangelical and Dissenting Congregations. 3d Edition, 4 vols. 8vo. 2 1. 85.

REMINISCENCES. 4th Edition, 8vo. 9s. 6d,

LETTERS

TO

DR. SOUTHEY,

ON HIS

BOOK OF THE CHURCH.

Introduction

I. The proper Style of Controversy: — II. The Creed of Pope Pius IV. : — III. Observations on such of the Articles in it as are expressed in general terms: — IV. Application of these Observations to Doctor Southey^s Charge against the Roman-catholic Church, that her Doctrines are corrupt.

SIR,

I HAVE perused with great attention, your " Book of the Church," and find it to be, in many places, injurious to the roman-catholic church, and particularly so to the roman-catholics of England : under this impression, I address to you the following Letters.

B

INTRODUCTION.

I. Proper Style of Controversy

IN the year 1634, Pope Urban VIII. sent Father Jones, a Benedictine monk, called in religion Father Leander, a Sancto Martino, into England, to procure for the holy see accurate information, respecting the state of the established church ; the condition of the English catholics ; and the disposition of the government in their regard. On each of th^se heads, Father Leander made his report to his holiness. On the first, he thus expresses himself* : " The protestant church " retains an external appearance of the ecclesiastical " hierarchy, which was in force during the time " of the catholic religion ; it has its archbishops, " bishops, deans, archdeacons, chapters of canons " in the cathedrals of the antient sees, and most " ample revenues. It preserves its antient edifices,

the names of its antient parishes, priests and " deacons ; a form of conferring orders, which " agrees, in most respects, with the forms pre- " scribed by the roman pontifical ; it preserves also " the clerical habits and gowns, the pastoral crook " and copes, the antient temples, parishes, churches " and colleges of magnificent structure, and attend- " ance on these is enjoined." — " In the greater

number of the articles of faith, the English pro-

* Clarendon's State Papers, vol. 1. page 197.

** testants of the established church are truly orthodox ; as on the sublime mysteries of the Trinity, and the Incarnation ; on the economy of the redemption of man, and satisfaction ; through the whole almost of the controversies respecting predestination, grace, and free will ; the necessity and merit of good works, and the other articles expressed in the creed of the Apostles, in the Nicene and the Athanasian creeds, (as these stand in the roman-catholic liturgy), and in the four first general councils." When there is so near an approximation in religious creeds, there certainly should be an equal approximation in christian and moral charity ; an equal wish to sooth, to conciliate, to find the real points of difference very few, and to render them still fewer; and an equal unwillingness on €ach side to say, or to write, any thing unpleasing to the feelings of the other. In this amicable spirit, the controversy between Limborch and Orobio, and the conference between Bossuet and Claude were conducted ; and in this spirit, it is hoped, the following pages will be found to be written. They are intended to be a reply to some passages in your "Book of the Church," which contain inaccurate accounts, either of the faith, or the conduct of roman-catholics. These appear to me to be so numerous, as to render it necessary, in order completely to exhibit and refute them, to follow you chapter by chapter. This task is not pleasant ; but I feel it due from me to my roman-

B 2 catholic brethren. It will give me unspeakable pleasure to find I have executed it to their satisfaction ; and not offended the intelligent, or the candid, among their adversaries. What I consider to be truth, I must tell ; but I hope to tell it in a manner, which will show sincere respect for those, whose different notions it opposes. Harsh or contumelious words never yet served the cause of truth or reason : St. Francis of Sales has justly observed, that **a good christian is never outdone " in good manners."

In the present introductory address, I shall insert the creed of Pope Pius IV, as an authentic exposition of the faith of the roman-catholic church. It contains a particular mention of most articles of her faith, and a general statement of the others ; on the last I shall offer some observations.

I mean to proceed on the following plan : — The number of letters will be the same as the number of chapters in " the Book of the Church and each letter will notice what I consider to be proper subjects for animadversion in the chapter, which corresponds with it in number. As nothing of this nature occurs in the first chapter of " the " Book of the Church," I shall insert in my first letter some statements and remarks respecting the general diffusion of the roman-catholic religion over the world.

INTRODUCTION.

II. The Creed of Pius IV

This celebrated symbol of catholic faith was published by his holiness in 1 564, in the form of a bull, addressed to all the faithful in Christ. It was immediately received throughout the universal church ; and, since that time, has ever been considered, in every part of the world, as an accurate and explicit summary of the roman-catholic faith. Non-catholics, on their admission into the catholic church, publicly repeat and testify their assent to it, without restriction or qualification. It is expressed in the following terms :

" I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, " Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things

visible and invisible ; and in one Lord Jesus " Christ, the only begotten Son of God; Light of " Light; true God of true God; begotten, not ** made; consubstantial to the Father, by whom all " things were made ; who, for us men and for our " salvation, came down from heaven, and was in- " carnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, " and was made man ; was crucified also for us " under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried, ** and rose again the third day, according to the

scriptures, and ascended into heaven ; sits at the " right hand of the Father, and will come again " with glory to judge the living and the dead, of

whose kingdom there will be no end : and in the B 3

" Holy Ghost, the Lord and Life Giver, who pro- " ceeds from the Father and the Son ; who, to- ** gether with the Father and Son, is adored and " glorified ; who spoke by the prophets : and one " holy catholic and apostolic church, I confess one

baptism for the remission of sins ; and I expect " the resurrection of the body, and the life of the " world to come. Amen.

" I most firmly admit and embrace apostolical " and ecclesiastical traditions, and all other consti-

tutions and observances of the same church.

" I also admit the sacred scriptures, according to " the sense which the holy mother church has held, " and does hold, to whom it belongs to judge of " the true sense and interpretation of the holy " scriptures 5 nor will I ever take or interpret " them otherwise, than according to the unani- " mous consent of the fathers,

I profess also, that there are truly and properly ** seven sacraments of the new law, instituted by " Jesus Christ our Lord, and for the salvation

of mankind, though all are not necessary for

every one; viz. baptism, confirmation, eucharist, " penance, extreme unction, order, and matrimony, " and that they confer grace ; and of these, baptism, " confirmation and order, cannot be reiterated with- " out sacrilege.

** I also receive and admit the ceremonies of " the catholic church, received and approved in " the solemn administration of all the above-said " sacraments.

INTRODUCTION.

" I receive and embrace all and every one of " the things, which have been defined and declared " in the holy council of Trent, concerning original " sin and justification.

*Vl profess likewise, that in the mass is offered " to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice " for the living and the dead; and that in the " most holy sacrifice of the eucharist there is truly, " really, and substantially the body and blood, " together with the soul and divinity of our Lord

Jesus Christ ; and that there is made a conversion " of the whole substance of the bread into the " body, and of the whole substance of the wine into " the blood, which conversion the catholic church " calls transubstantiation.

" I confess also, that under either kind alone,

whole and entire, Christ and a true sacrament " is received.

" I constantly hold that there is a purgatory, " and that the souls detained therein are helped ^* by the sui&ages of the faithful.

" Likewise, that the saints reigning together " with Christ, are to be honoured and invocated, " that they oifer prayers to God for us, and that " their relics are to be venerated.

" I most firmly assert, that the images of Christ, ** and of the Mother of God ever virgin, and also " of the other saints, are to be had and retained 5 * and that due honour and veneration are to be

given them.

** I ako affirm, that the power of indulgences B 4

" was left by Christ in the church, and that the *' use of them is most wholesome to christian " people.

" I acknowledge the holy catholic and apostolical roman church, the mother and mistress of all

*^ churches ; and I promise and swear true obedience to the roman bishop, the successor of St. Peter,

" the prince of the apostles, and vicar of Jesus

" Christ.

" I also profess and undoubtedly receive all other " things delivered, defined, and declared by the " sacred canons, and general councils, and par- " ticularly by the holy council of Trent; and

likewise I also condemn, reject and anathematize " all things contrary thereto, and all heresies what-

soever condemned and anathematized by the ** church.

" This true catholic faith, out of which none ** can be saved, which I now freely profess, and *^ truly hold, I, N. promise, vow and swear most

constantly to hold and profess, the same whole

and entire, with God's assistance, to the end of

my life. Amen/*

III

Observations on such of the Articles of Faith, contained in the Creed of Pope Pius IV. as are expressed in general terms.

Detailed accounts of these would not suit the plan of these letters. On all of them I beg leave to suggest, that in every religious controversy between protestants and roman-catholics, the following rule should be rigidly observed : — That

NO DOCTRINE SHOULD BE ASCRIBED TO THE ROMAN-CATHOLICS AS A BODY, EXCEPT SUCH AS IS AN ARTICLE OF THEIR FAITH."

Among the many misconceptions of their tenets, of which the roman-catholics have to complain, they feel none more than those, which proceed from a want of the observance of this rule. It is most true, that the roman-catholics believe the doctrines of their church to be unchangeable ; and that it is a tenet of their creed, that what their faith ever has been, such it was from the beginning, such it now is, and such it ever will be. But this proposition they confine to the articles of their faith ; and they consider no doctrine to be of faith, unless it have been delivered by divine revelation, and propounded by the roman-catholic church, as a revealed article of faith. This the roman-catholics wish their adversaries never to forget.

When any of their adversaries find, in any catholic writer, a position, which they think reprehensible, they should inquire, whether it be an article of catholic faith, or an opinion of the writer. In the latter case, they should reflect, that the general body of the catholics is not responsible for it, and should therefore abstain from charging it upon the body.

If they take the higher ground, they should first endeavour to ascertain, that it is an article of the catholic faith. But here, again, they should carefully examine, whether it be the principle itself, which they mean to impute to the catholics, or a consequence which they themselves deduce from it. These are widely different, and should never be confounded. If it be the principle, they should then inquire, whether it has been propounded as an article of faith by the church. A wise method of ascertaining this would be, to read the " Cate- ^' chism of the Council of Trent.'' A proper perusal, however, of that document requires attentive study. If they be unable to give it such a perusal, let them read Bossuet's Ea:positio7i of Faith^^* and consult Mr. Gother's " Papist Misrepre' " sented and Represented^'* or at least doctor Challoner's abridgment of it ; let them also read doctor Challoner's " Three Short Summaries of " Catholic Faith and Doctrine'* contained in three sections prefixed to his ^''Garden of the Soul'* the most popular Prayer Book of the English catholics. Having read these, let them ascertain, whether the doctrine, with which they charge the catholics, be, in terms or substance, stated in any of these works, to be an article of their faith. If they conceive that it is so stated, in any of them, let them insert in their publication the passage in which they profess to discover the erroneous tenet ; mentioning explicitly the work, the edition of it, and the page in which it is contained. Should the passage be found, in terms or substance, in any of the works which have been mentioned, then it will be incumbent on the catholics, either, to show that the writer, in whose work the passage is found, was mistaken, (which, from the acknowledged character of all the works, will, in all probability, never happen), or to admit that it is an article of their faith: the roman- catholics will then be justly chargeable with it, and with the consequences justly deducible from it. Whatever other opinions can be adduced, though they be the opinions of their most respectable writers, though they be the opinions of the fathers of their church, still they are but matters of opinion, and a catholic may disbelieve them, without ceasing to be a catholic. Would it not be both a fair and short way of ending the controversy between the protestants and catholics, that every person, who charges the general body of catholics with any religious tenet, should be obliged to cite, from the catechism of the council of Trent, or from one or other of the works which have been mentioned, the passage in which such tenet is contained and propounded as an article of faith?