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contented to fear God and work righteousness; it is quite sufficient to my purpose to shew, that, whatever variations of discipline may at different times have obtained in the Church, long, very long, before the humble religion of Jesus came to be established by human laws, or were incorporated with state politics, the great articles of Faith, with but few exceptions, held to the present hour by Roman Catholics, were the standards of public doctrine, and the almost universally acknowledged dogmas of the whole Christian world; and as the chief head or Bishop of the Church holding those doctrines had his seat and spiritual court at the city of Rome, that great society of Christians became at length designated by the appellation of Roman Catholics, at first used merely to distinguish the Latin and Greek Churches. It concerns me not to shew, that these doctrines are true or false what they were, they still are; and so far the Catholics of the present day have a legitimate claim to the appellation they have adopted.

It never had occurred to any of their opponents before the time of Luther, that the reproachful term Papist, was properly applicable to the members of the Church of Rome. This word, it is true, is no otherwise improper than as it is meant to convey an offensive idea. It is derived from Пana, father, and was given to the Catholics, to insinuate that they look upon the

Pope as their infallible, as well as supreme, head and governor equal, if not superior, to the primitive apostles of Christ, the Saviour: a calumny as false as it is foolish.

It only remains in this section to state how the Catholics are at present recognized in the public acts of this Empire.

When the early Reformers had, with a pertinacity unbecoming their extraordinary pretensions to purity of doctrine and spirituality of character, succeeded in fixing on their old friends the nickname of Papists,* and the faith they had deserted that of Popery, the prejudice these terms were intended to inspire, found its way from the pen of the zealot and the lips of the declaimer to the solemn acts of nations and the edicts of the reformed princes. The liberal and enlightened spirit of modern times has dictated a wiser course; and the term Roman Catholics is that by which those formerly called Papists are now designated in all the great statutes of this country. A writer of the present day observes, that the Legislature has curiously varied in this particular. From the time of the introduction of the Protestant creed into Ireland, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, to that of

* See the Rev. Dr. Milner's Letters to a Prebendary, 4th ed. p. 3. 8vo.

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William III., the appellation used in the statutes appears to have been "persons in communion with the Church of Rome." In the commencement of the reign of William III. in 1692, the Catholics were expelled from the Irish Parliament. A hostile phraseology then appeared :

Papists," "Popish People," &c. are to be found in all statutes, affecting the Catholics, from the 2 William III. to the 32 George III. inclusive, and even later. The 33 George III. at length styles them " Papists, or persons professing the Popish or Roman Catholic Religion." However, the latest statute, relating to the Roman Catholics, 43 George III. chap. 30, drops the harsher names; and, by its title, denominates them "Roman Catholics." This may, therefore, be taken to be their legal description at this day. The reproachful epithets of " Papist," Romanist," "Popish," 66 Romish," &c. are no longer applied to them by any gentleman or scholar.*

The cruel riots, under the direction of the insane and furious Lord George Gordon, president of the intolerant and disgraceful Protestant Association in 1780, raised the cry of "No Popery," which, to adopt the words of the present learned and liberal Dr. Butler, of Shrewsbury, "is still a fertile theme of declamation to

* See Advertisement prefixed to "A Statement of the Penal Laws which aggrieve the Catholics of Ireland."

the old women and children of the year 1811."* This term Papist is reproachful, conveys an erroneous idea, keeps alive a dishonourable prejudice, and ought to be abolished; nor will I ever believe that man sincerely friendly to Christian liberty who persists in the use of it.

Many of the latest and most respectable Protestant writers against Roman Catholicism that I have met with, seem to be conscious that there is something not quite charitable in the use of this term Papist; hence they either lay it aside altogether or apologize for retaining it. "I use the term Papist or Romanist," says the present Bishop of Durham,† "not as a reproach, but in assertion of our own right." "The terms

Popery, Papist and Romanist' are used," says Mr. Stephenson,‡" solely to avoid the repetition of that of Catholic." This being the case, the author would have been rather more consistent, had he adopted the word Catholic instead of Romish* in his title page.

* See this gentleman's most excellent Sermon preached at St. Mary's, Cambridge, at the Installation of the present Chancellor, his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, January 30th, 1811, p. 61. (Notes). The Church of England would have nothing to fear, either from Catholics or Sectarists, were all her Ministers equal in learning and candour to this writer.

+ Sermons, Charges and Tracts, p. 352.

"The Romish Church; or, an Historical and Critical View of some of the leading doctrines of the Church of Rome," p. 10, (Note).

"I thought

SECTION II.

The Pope's Supremacy-Conversion of Constantine-Temporal power of the Pope-The Decretals Gift of Constantine.

IT is of great importance to be well acquainted with the meaning and application of terms; let us then pursue this idea by an inquiry into the first use of the word Pope, and of the phrase Universal Bishop. In the earliest ages of Christianity, this word Pope, which has been so long, and often so unjustly, associated with the idea of whatever is depraved in morals, or cruel in government, was given to every bishop, or pastor, presiding over a diocese or district;* and it is still applied in the east to all Christian Priests. I am perfectly aware that, even among Catholics, much acrimonious controversy has arisen out of the question concerning the authority of Bishops. In this controversy, I am no farther concerned than as a medium for the conveyance of what, upon a sober and impartial investigation, appears to be the prevailing sentiment of the church.

"I thought this outlandish term (Romish Church) was no longer used in England, at least on any solemn occasion; perhaps, we shall soon hear of the Greekish Church, unless the Emperor Alexander will break off his alliance with Napoleon." Vide The Introduction prefixed to the Protestants' Apology for the Roman Catholic Faith, p. 73. 1809.

* Bingham's Origines Ecclesiasticæ, lib. i. c. 2.

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