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it, because it was too plain and simple; and because it was the language of poverty, and "of one who had not where to lay his head' — His doctrine cannot be "bard to be under"stood"-it cannot be obscure :-neither can it be difficult for any man to tell whether he belongs to Christ, or not, if he will only take the trouble to open the gospel:-such a sup· position of difficulty strips the mission of Christ of a great part of its importance and utility.It is a falsehood to say that the law of God, giver as a rule of lite, on which happiness depends, is hard to be understood;-it is a falsehood, invented to make men the slaves of priestcraft, and the miserable dupes of imposture. This is an evil much to be lamented ; and it is an evil equally to be lamented, that any protestants, who are under the conviction of the truth of their own religion, should think that all religions are good, and that there is nothing offensive to God* in the present religion of the Roman catholics of Ireland -If the Irish catholic can make the well informed protestant believe this, how much more easily and effectually will he, if opportunity is given him, operate upon the mind of the ignorant protestant ?—The catholic himself, by thus proselyting his protestant friends of education

* So long as the ivory image stands upon the altars of the Irish catholics, their religion will continue idolatrous, and offensive to heaven.-Their priests and bishops may defend its position, but God has said, "thou shall not make unto "thee any graven image."

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and consequence, affords a strong argument against his admission into situations of authority, where he might advance his religious opinions without fear of opposition and with better hopes of success ;-for, the ears of people are always open to the voice of power—and when he says, "I will not exercise any privilege

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to which I am, or may become entitled, to “disturb and weaken the protestant religion "in this kingdom," he forgets, that, if his reli gion is derived from Christ, nothing will excuse his most earnest endeavours to propagate it; and, in whatever situation he may be placed, he ought to say of religious error, 'it ought to be rooted out.'-His declaration is at variance with his faith, if he believes himself to be a real member of Christ's church;and if his practice corresponds with his declaration, he in fact prefers his temporal interest, and the welfare of protestantism, to the interest of his own church and to the commands of God-He thus places himself in an awkward dilemma: he says, I will never renounce my religion, because it is the only true religion ;— but, it is the business of the religion of Christ, to bring all men out of error;-and yet, the catholic solemnly declares that he will not attempt "to disturb or weaken the protestant "religion," which he pronounces to be a false religion, and altogether heresy.-If he does not exert himself to promote the cause of Christ, is he a christian? And if he endeavours.

to promote that cause whilst he is a catholic, can he be an honest friend to a protestant government, and to protestantism?-It is written, "a man cannot serve two masters."—It is not easy to conceive, how a person can promote the interest of protestantism and catholicism at the same time;-this could only be done by a man, who had the same regard for one as the other, by one, who held truth and error in the same estimation, which, according to the authority of Christ, is impossible.

Notwithstanding the reputed alteration, there still seems to be a close connection between the Irish catholics, and the head of the Roman church, and much deference appears to be paid to him in matters concerning their religion-Now, if the alteration and amendment in their religion, received the sanction and approbation of his holiness, we have another very striking sign of the times, and another proof of the power of protestantism, whose beautiful rays must have been reflected from Ireland, and have struck with force the Vatican at Rome. England ought, therefore, to perse. vere in the straight path of her duty, without fear and apprehension-she ought with the greatest vigilance and activity to defend the church of Christ, and to propagate in every place, where she is able, the pure doctrine of the gospel, in perfect good will and charity, but at the same time, with the spirit, and zeal, and courage, which on every occasion distin

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guished its author, and his disciples;-and then, she will be highly instrumental in hastening the downfall of the great apostacy, and with it, many other obstacles that at present stand in the way of the truth, and prevent "its covering the earth as the waters cover 66 the sea."

The ignorance and vanity of men, intermixed with a considerable regard for their own temporal interest, have occasioned them to make alterations in, and additions to the plain and simple religion which the deity has given them; the sincere observance of which, would ensure their peace and happiness:-but, this innovation, bad and dangerous as it will prove, is exceeded by the new doctrine of those, who assert that all religions are equally good;which is the same thing as saying, that a system of religion, formed according to the suggestions of human passions and weakness, is equal to the religion that was dictated by the goodness and power of God;-or, that the wisdom of the creature, as far as it regarded a perfect religious institution, was equal to the wisdom of the Creator:-and ther. follows their corollary from this proposition;-that it is unjustifiable to interfere in matters of religion between a man and his God, and that an exclusion of people on account of religious opinions from certain rights and privileges, peculiar to a constitution, of which a different religion is a prominent part, is unjust and

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oppressive. Hence, motives of delicacy and liberality, restrain persons of this opinion from interfering with any false systems of religion; and yet, they would give men, who belong to them, the power of interfering with their own religion, which they believe to be true.-It is a curious circumstance that the catholics should voluntarily come forward, and make a solemn asseveration, that, they would not exercise any privilege to which they are, or may be "entitled, to disturb and weaken the protes"tant religion, and protestant government in "this kingdom."-This declaration is evidently made under the full persuasion and belief, that they could, if they chose, when in posession of the rights and privileges, which they demand with so much importunity, exercise them to the disadvantage and injury of the protestant church and government of this kingdom;otherwise, why take an oath to this effect?Why take an oath to refrain from doing that, which it was impossible for them to do?-Who wishes the imbecility of diseased old age, to swear that it will not exert the vigour, and power, and strength of healthy robust manhood? What court of equity ever exacted an oath from a person, when he had recovered his rights and property, that he would not enjoy the one, and exercise the other as he thought proper? If such a man exceeded the bounds of justice, the strong arm of law would restrain his violence; and if he was licentiously or

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