state trick, a political inachine, moveable at the will and pleasure of a single individual.—A religion of this kind is not of Christ, but of man;-and is worthless.-The laws of God are immutable; and men certainly act at their peril, when they make his revealed will subservient to some fancied political expediency.-As it was utterly impossible that Christ could coalesce with Caiaphas, so it is equally impossible that a coalition can take place between the protestant and catholic churches, without placing this nation under a dark cloud, filled with the displeasure of heaven;-and the consequence will be, that some collision will happen, that will ignite the electric spark, and bring down the whole fury of the storm upon our heads For, if the constitution of England is essentially protestant, and the religious and political parts are so intimately connected and united, that they are inseparable; then, if all the claims of the catholics are granted, if no line whatever is drawn between the protestant and catholic members of it, surely the coalition will be perfect and complete ;-the " commu"nion of light and darkness will be fully esta. 'blished, and Christ and Belial will be in har

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mony and concord."-But, the church of Christ can never coalesce with the church of Rome; it may convert the members of the catholic religion, but it can never harmonize with them, any more than truth and error can agree together, or become one.-An attempt of that

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kind would be highly unbecoming in any persons who know how to value truth as they ought; and in guarding against such an attempt either from within or without, there is no occasion to infringe any of the precepts of the christian religion, nor to break a single link, in the great chain of charity, that ought to encompass the globe. Was Paul a christian in every sense of the word? Which of the laws of charity, which of the precepts of his divine master did ne break, when he said to the elders of the church of Ephesus, "ye know, from the first day that "I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord "with all humility of mind. I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have "shewed you and have taught you publicly, and from house to house. I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to the flock. For I know this, that after my 'departing, shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.-Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.-Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with tears?"Describing the enemies of the church of Christ in this kind of language, was perfectly consistent with the apostle's "humility," and interfered not with any of " the counsel of God."—

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Nor, was the boldness and spirit of Paul's defence of christianity before Agrippa, ever considered as a breach of charity against the Jews, who earnestly tried to have him put to death. Protestants may then safely follow his example, and defend their religion with the same zeal and earnestness, without being subject to the charge of illiberality, uncharitableness, or not doing to others, as they would have others do unto them.-It should be remembered likewise, that every person who pretends to have been with Christ, is equally bound to regard and practice his directions and precepts.-The members of the church of England, are not the only persons who are bound to exercise the christian graces, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance,-they, are not the only persons who are exhorted " to put away lying, and

to speak truth to their neighbours."-These virtues, all christians ought to possess.-The word persecution is often used;—but, can a word, which properly describes the horrible treatment of the christians under the Roman Emperors, be with equal propriety applied to the treatment, the catholics of Ireland receive from the King of England? The most conscientious catholic, and the warmest of his protestant advocates, would hesitate, before they said, yes. If the Irish catholics are never interrupted in their worship-if their religious services are performed exactly as they please, both as to time and place-it their lives and property

are held as sacred, as the lives and property of their neighbours, the protestants; their treatment, is not very much like that of the christians in the old Roman empire; nor does it much resemble that of the Hebrews in Egypt, to which their public declaimers invidiously, and erroneously compare it :-and under these circumstances, a little forbearance, a little christian humility, a little plain truth, would be quite as ornamental to their characters, as these graces are to the members of the church of Christ, who think themselves obliged to endeavour to keep their religion pure and unsullied; and whilst they are thus uprightly engaged, cannot think themselves deserving the misrepresentations and obloquy, which are, with too little restraint, circulated to their disadadvantage.--

It is asserted, and I do not dispute the truth of the assertion, that the catholic religion in Ireland is materially changed from what it was some years ago;-it was therefore either wrong formerly, or it is made so now by the change. But what has occasioned this alteration?—If it is a change, by means of bribery in any shape whatever, it is not worth a micute's consideration. It is owing to another, and far better cause.--The advocates of the catholics assert, that the religion of the Irish catholics, is very different from that of the catholics in Lisbon, Madrid, and Rome-It may therefore be inferred, that the religion of the Portuguese, Spaniards,

and Italians, is the same as ever it was; and the reason for this may be, that it is not surrounded in their countries with protestantism;-and if the catholic religion in Ireland is changed materially for the better, it is because the strong light of protestantism shines all around and full upon it, and illumires some of the darkest "spots" in it.-The acknowledgement that the catholic religion is changed in Ireland, is welcome to the ears of the protestants-it is a proof too, that continental catholicism will changeit affords occular demonstration, that the papacy is in the high road to "perdition ;"-and, the sincere christian is delighted to have another proof, that not "a single tittle of what inspi"ration has recorded concerning that event, "shall be left unaccomplished."

It is too common to hear the supporters of the catholic claims assert, that the protestant cannot assign a better reason for his faith, than the catholic can for his ;-and they next vauntingly ask, who shall presume to say he is right? This question implies, that the laws of God, and the doctrine of Christ, are difficult to be understood.—The laws of God were first made for the most gross and ignorant race in the world; and yet that stupid nation, even on their first promulgation, never pretended to say, they did not understand them-The doc. trine of Christ was proposed both to the well informed, and the ignorant ;-the latter, gladly heard and received it, whilst the former rejected