accounted to have been, could give no more rational account of the matter than this, it looks as if their case were indeed a bad one. Christ says, in one of

the texts we heard just now, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." Instead of which, according to the first of these imaginations, the angels are employed in carrying our prayers to the saints, who in their turn carry them either to Christ or to the Father! Is this circuitous course to be preferred to the plain path described by Christ, without the clearest necessity, or the most distinct injunctions? As to the second fancy, quickness of motion is not omnipresence, nor can it ever answer the same end. But the third and fourth are still more preposterous. God, it is supposed, hears our prayers, and reveals them to the saints, that they may repeat them to him! Why, a system is selfcondemned at once that is only to be defended by such hypotheses as these!

The simple truth is, that there is no middle course. Either the virgin Mary, and not the virgin only, but all the Ursulas, and Benedicts, and Dunstans, and Gregorys in the Romish calendar, are absolutely omnipresent, and are, therefore, so many Gods; or else, if they remain creatures, confined to one place at a time, and knowing only what is communicated to them by such channels as are consistent with their finite and created state and character, then there must ever remain the utmost uncertainty, and in fact improbability, as to the safe passage or conveyance of each prayer we offer up to them. In a word, if they hear all the prayers addressed to them, then they are Gods, and not creatures: but if they are not Gods, but finite and imperfect creatures, then they

cannot hear all the breathed or whispered aspirations which ascend towards them, from twenty nations of the earth at the same moment of time. If the Romanist embraces the latter supposition, then he should give up saint-worship. But if he will not do this, then must he admit that he makes to himself new Gods!

God is dishonoured, then, by our ascribing his essential and incommunicable attributes to divers of his creatures. But still more is his displeasure excited when His own way of salvation is set at nought, and the offices and honours which He has conferred upon Christ are attributed to some of those poor sinners whom Christ came to save. Now this is constantly done by those who pray to the saints instead of praying to Christ, and ask of them those very blessings which it is his peculiar pleasure and glory to bestow. "Come unto ME," says Jesus himself, "all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Rather turn, says Dr. Wiseman, to the saints, and ask them to use their influence' with Christ. No, says St. Paul, "there is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." But, rejoins Dr. Wiseman, it adds immensely to His glory, it is paying him the highest homage, when we thus give occasion for the prostration of the saints before him on our behalf.' On the contrary, we reply, what greater disrespect can we show, than by neglecting the course prescribed, and choosing other ways of approach unto God. I am the way, the truth, and the life," saith Christ, “no man cometh unto the Father," BUT BY ME." I am the door; by me if any man enter, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." And St. Paul declares, again and

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again, and in the strongest and clearest terms, that he is our great High Priest, our only Intercessor, and that he has entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." And he therefore argues, "Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Dr. Wiseman, however, argues that the saints look down upon us with sympathy; and that we may turn to them with the confidence of brethren,' and ask them to use their influence with their Master.

This is indeed one of the greatest affronts that can possibly be offered to Christ. "Greater love," said the compassionate Saviour, "hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine."

It is little to say, that no human records have pourtrayed, nor has the mind of man conceived, a character of such exceeding love and sympathy, as is that of Christ. The truth is, that even the outlines and rapid lineaments of that character which are afforded us in the brief narratives of the evangelists, are beyond the reach of our minds and souls. The tenderness and compassion of that heart, which yearned, even to weeping, over a city whose inhabitants, he well knew, were in a few short hours, to raven like wolves for his blood;-nay, which, even when actually suffering intolerable agonies of their infliction, cried out, not for himself, but for them, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do! -the unutterable love of that heart, who can attempt to fathom! Yet it is from this compassionate Saviour that we are taught to turn, with doubt and

apprehension, and to

beg of Mary to intercede with him on our behalf!' And we are to ask such a being as Dunstan, or Dominic, or Joseph, 'to use his influence' with Jesus, to induce him to listen to our petitions ! Intolerable insult! horrible blasphemy! God-dishonouring profanity! What words shall we use, rightly to describe this awful system of delusion!

XVI.

THE IDOLATRY OF ROMANISM.

IDOLATROUS WORSHIP.

OUR last essay, though somewhat prolonged, was still necessarily limited to a consideration of the principle discussed. Little was said of the practice which grows out of that principle. We endeavoured to shew that, even as described by the Romish casuists, the doctrine of the INVOCATION OF SAINTS was in theory indefensible, and opposed to the whole spirit of Christianity. But we cannot stop here. We are compelled, if we would do justice to the subject, and to this inquiry, to consider also that doctrine as it is practically known among us. And this will be, in truth, the test to which the matter must be brought. We have alleged that the system of worship in the Romish church is idolatrous in its character and tendency. If we are right, we shall be sure to find the manifestation of that tendency, in the worship of those who adhere to that church. This, therefore, will naturally offer itself as the subject for our present consideration; namely, to shew that the worship