"who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block "before the children of Israel, to eat things "sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them, that hold the "doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I "hate."-We have then the highest authority for keeping the church of God separate, and distinct from those who indulge in the sinfulness of false worship and idolatry, and in the corrupt and vicious practices of the "man of "sin ;”—and so long as we conscientiously act upon it so long as we sincerely endeavour to follow the laws and directions of the apostles— of Christ-and of God, concerning idolatrous people; the scorn, the opposition, the ill treatment of" men who know not what they do," ought never to give us a moment's uneasiness:their shafts of malice will recoil upon their own heads.

THE GOSPEL.

Christ taught, "love your enemies, forgive your brother his sins against you, not only seven times, but seventy times seven.”

THE PAPACY.

Rome anathematizes those who deny her doctrine-She has an inquisition always ready

for heretics. She has an auto-da-fe for men, who persevere in denying the possibility, of eating the God of heaven and earth in the Eucharist, and who reject, with indignation and abhorrence, the other blasphemies of the beast.In that "act, the heretic is burnt alive, amidst "the transports of joy and satisfaction," of the surrounding multitude of the faithful of the Roman Communion.

THE GOSPEL

Christ taught, except "ye repent, ye shall all "likewise perish;”—and when he was charged with speaking blasphemies, because he said to a paralytic cripple, "man, thy sins be forgiven "thee," he silenced his enemies by immediately performing a miracle to heal him; hereby, convincing them that forgiveness of sins, was quite as easy to him as working a miracle.-His behaviour was so remarkable on this occasion, and the power by which he acted, was so conspicuous, that they were all amazed, and glo"rified God;-and were filled with fear, saying, "we have seen strange things to day."

THE PAPACY,

The Romish church without any regard to, or mention of repentance, grants indulgences,

or a remission of the punishment due to sin.A popular work, under the head of indulgen ces,' has this remark." Pope Leo the tenth, "in order to carry on the magnificent structure of St. Peters at Rome, published indulgences, "and a plenary remission to all such as should "contribute money towards it.-Finding the project take, he granted to Albert, Elector of "Mentz, and Archbishop of Magdeburg, the "benefit of the indulgences of Saxony and the neighbouring parts, and farmed out those "of other countries to the highest bidders; who, "to make the best of their bargain, procured the ablest preachers to cry up the value of the ware. The form of these indulgences was as "follows:-May our Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon thee, and absolve thee by the me

rits of his most holy passion.And I, by his "authority, that of his blessed apostles, Peter "ard Paul, and of the most holy Pope, granted "and committed to me, in these parts, do ab"solve thee, first from all ecclesiastical cen"sures, in whatever manner they have been in"curred; then from all thy sins, transgressions,

end excesses, how enormous soever they may "be, even from such as are reserved for the cognizance of the holy see, and as far as the keys of the holy church extend:-I remit to you all punishment which you deserve in purgatory on their account:—and I restore you to the holy sacrament of the Church, to the "unity of the faithful, and to that innocence

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and purity which you possessed at baptism; "so that when you die, the gates of punishment "shall be shut, and the gates of the paradise of delight shall be opened:—and if you shall

not die at present, this grace shall remain in "full force when you are at the point of death. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, "and of the Holy Ghost."

If several other tenets of the Romish Church were placed by the side of the gospel, her falling away from the pure doctrine of Christ, would be equally manifest.-Her penance, extreme-unction, excommunication, celibacy, auricular confession, pious frauds, supremacy, infallibility, are so many other leopard-likespots, which fix the apostacy upon HER alone: and, as she either is, or pretends to be, blind to her own deformities, reformation from herself cannot be expected:-her spots will continue so long as she exists, and will only be washed out, in "the lake of fire and brimstone" preparing for her.

Is there, then, as some men of the present enlightened age, are represented to have asserted, no difference in the various systems of reli. gion which abound in the world, that should make it an object with a State to prefer one to another?—Are they all,―can they all be equally good? can a man of principle, of an enlarged and highly cultivated mind, with seriousness and truth declare, that he has no particular affection for one religion, more than for

another?—An atheist might make such an avowal ;—because all religions, and all religions services, must in his opinion, be equally wrong and absurd;—and, therefore, in his estimation of equal value.-But, it is not to be credited, that any British Senator, either in the house of Commons, or in any other place, would stand up and say, that all religions were good that he had no affection for one, more than for another;-in other words, that he had the same regard for the religion, which inculcated the doctrine of transubstantiation, and consigned to the flames those who denied the truth of such doctrine, as he entertained for the religion of him, who taught us to reverence and worship one God, to love our neighbours, and "to do unto all men, as we would, that they "should do unto us."-Is there any difference, between the happiness and prosperity of England and Spain ?-If there is, whence does that difference arise?-My answer is, from the knowledge of the true religion of Christ honouring the Creator, from practising the viry, and from con

tues of benevolence and chari

-;-from

sidering all men as breth ren, and particularly

in the hour of afflict

On eve

on.-Spain bas her inquisition, her “acts of faith," her false religion.— Hence, her discord, her misery, her slavery ry occasion of distress, whether public or vate, the religion of Christ, prompts the people of England, to act the part of the good Samaritan-Like him, England knows no

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