"who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block "before the children of Israel, to eat things "sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornica

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tion 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 apostlesof 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.

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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

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"hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece “ of money ;—that take, and give unto them "for me, and thee." "When Jesus, there"fore, perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he depart"ed again into a mountain himself alone."—If you conscientiously think you have sufficient reason for not following my example in renouncing the papal doctrine and jurisdiction, have you, can you have a sufficient reason for not conscientiously imitating the example of Christ?

"Religious liberty-Liberty of conscience"Interference in matters of religion between a "man and his God," are expressions very much used in discussions, relating to the claims of the Roman Catholics of Ireland.-Men of learning and authority, should use no expressions that are not clearly understood.-Liberty of conscience respecting trifling ceremonies and unessential forms, is one thing-Liberty of conscience respecting God, and the worship due to him, on which "life" depends, is another.-The deity expects men to observe the laws he has given them-"this do and thou shalt live."-Here is no alternative no choice-The religion of heaven, when known, must be obeyed, or we shall not see life."Men, who are once acquainted with it, have no more liberty with respect to their obedience to the laws of God, than they have with respect to dying at any time, and in any way they think proper.-Left

to themselves, they would like the liberty of putting off the hour of dissolution to a distant period, and then to shake off the clothing of mortality without pain and suffering:-and, if they possessed all the religious liberty they pretend to be so fond of, they would still like to have it enlarged, that they might put off the duty of obedience, till the affairs of the world had been attended to, till their inclinations had been gratified, and their families had been provided for: and then, they would like the liberty of worshipping God, and making their peace with him, in any way that suited them best; whether that was according to the pur gatory at Rome, or the paradise at Mecca:and if, under such circumstances, they should be told, that this was shockingly trifling with the concerns of eternity, they would indignantly reply, that no man was justified in interfering between their consciences and their 'God.'-Neither, if what Christ has said upon this subject means any thing, and is of any weight, have men acquainted with the Bible, much liberty in choosing the way in which they are to discharge the religious duties required of them." Verily, verily I say unto you, he that "entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief, and a robber.-Then said Jesus unto "them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep ;-by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and

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"out and find pasture."-This figurative language is well understood-The doctrine of Christ, is in exact harmony with the moral law, given by God to Moses, and is the only path to life-At Petersburgh, at Constantinople, at Rome, men may talk as loud as they please about religious liberty," and "the liberty of con

science "When they are under the chains of ecclesiastical tyranny, then may they with great reason extol the beauty of religious liberty, which will suffer them to worship God, not indeed in any manner they think proper, but as he has prescribed;-then, may they sit down by the waters of modern Babylon, and weep that they are compelled to sacrifice their consciences to the arbitrary will of others, or to be sacrificed in flames ;-but, in the "Temple "of God," thrown open by Christ, and endowed with glorious freedom by him, to talk of any other religious liberty-to say that every human being is entitled to worship the deity according to the pure and genuine dictates of his conscience, that is, if they think proper under the representation of an image or a painting, is contrary to, and not allowed by scripture.Conscience and ignorance, are occasionally confounded together:-and therefore, the dictates of ignorance, may be mistaken for those of conscience. In the temple of God, where all is truth, it is our duty "to stand fast;"-and whilst we invite all, without exception, to enter into it, and freely to partake of all the blessings

to it, we are not to be remiss and negligent, and permit an enemy to enter, and "entangle

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us again with the yoke of bondage:"-in that case, our last state would be worse than our first, according to the opinion of the fervent apostle St. Peter;" if, after men have escaped "the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them, than "the beginning."

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Let it also be remembered, that if the mem-bers of the Roman Catholic communion, are honest and sincere in their profession;-if they really believe the doctrine of their church to be the exclusive, and only true doctrine of Christ, they are bound as his faithful followers, under all circumstances, and at all hazards, to “be "instant in season, and out of season," to propagate the principles and tenets of their reli-. gion. On the other hand, if they do not believe all the articles of their church to be ac cording to the gospel-and if they do not believe, that the supreme head of their religion can work a miracle whenever he pleases, and yet pretend to believe this;-then, their hypocrisy is evident, and their iniquity in propagating, what they know to be a gross falsehood, deserves the strongest reprobation, instead of support and encouragement.-On either of these suppositions, it can never be deemed right, or safe for men who value the laws of God, and

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