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ciously advanced, that mankind are now too much enlightened to render it possible that Popery can ever more rear its head, and exercise its cruel and tyrannical power in this country. Some men, indeed, were fond of saying this, but facts were opposed to it, when you could scarcely take up a newspaper without meeting with some paragraph headed" Conversions to Popery." His advice to all then was, to keep close to the word of God,—to keep close to the Prayer-Book of our Church, and to study the Homilies. He believed it was owing to the want of attention in this respect that we were in our present state. He invited all, then, to live much in prayer; to pray for the people; to pray for the Tractarians, that they may be led to see their errors; to pray for all who are not of the Protestant faith; to pray for the fall of all error, so that at last it may be enabled to be proclaimed throughout England with a loud voice, Babylon is fallen. Mr. Hatchard concluded by moving his Resolution.

JOHN BACON, Esq., seconded the Resolution, following up the arguments of the Rev. mover, and pressing upon electors the duty they owe to God and to their country, at the coming election, to vote for no man, be he whom he may, or however he may be accompanied, or by whomsoever recommended, if he will not in the first place distinctly and clearly pledge himself to oppose all further concessions to the Roman Catholics, and all grants to Maynooth. Mr. Bacon typified the Papal Church by relating the fable of the countryman and the snake, which though harmless when frozen, yet no sooner had the sense of vitality returned, than it proceeded to sting the hand by which it had been nurtured and restored to life. The Resolution was put from the chair, and adopted unanimously.

The second Resolution was moved by the Rev. Prebendary E. TOTTENHAM. The Rev. Gentleman supported this Resolution at considerable length, pressing this consideration on the meeting with much force of argument, that Romanism is a system of persecution, and opposed to civil and religious liberty. He showed also that Popery has never changed, but to the present hour possesses the same character it has ever done. He further called on all electors at the coming election to show that they are really Protestants,—that they understand their principles,and come what may, are resolved to do their duty to their God, their Sovereign, and their Church,-in rejecting every man who will not pledge himself to resist all further concessions to the Roman Catholics.

Lieut.-Col. Sir DIGBY MACK WORTH, Bart., seconded the Resolution, reiterating the arguments which had been used by the preceding speakers, and pointing out to the electors of England the manner in which it will be their duty to act at the next election, if they desire to retain the character of true Protestants, in refusing their support to every candidate who will not pledge himself to oppose all further concessions to the Roman Catholics.

The third Resolution was moved by the Rev. P. W. DOUGLAS. WM. H. PETERS, Esq., seconded the Resolution, which was also adopted unanimously.

The next Resolution, which was moved by the Rev. HENRY A. SIMCO, was seconded by JAMES LORD, Esq., in an able address, and carried unanimously.

EXETER EVENING MEETING.

THE evening Meeting was more numerously attended than that held in the morning. The Earl of Cavan again presided, and after prayer for the Divine blessing, the Meeting was addressed by Sir Digby Mackworth, Bart., Rev. M. H. Seymour, James Lord, Esq., Blake, Esq., and Rev. J. Hatchard.

Mr. Lord dwelt at much length on the fact, that Popery was increasing, and with its unchanged nature was grasping after the supremacy it had at one time held in this country. Its increase, however, was no more to be welcomed than the approach of pestilence, nor any proof that Popery was true. Its progress was owing to the too great supineness of Protestants, who seemed to think their privileges could not be lost, that Popery was powerless and harmless. Greater errors, however, could not be fallen into. Churches had lost their purity, and nations their freedom, and were now as beacons to us to shun the same dangers.

The Protestant feeling out of Parliament was, however, he regretted, no index to the feeling in Parliament. Some sacrificed to party claims, what individually they believed right, and in their public capacity endowed Popery, though in their private capacity they would hesitate and shrink from the guilt of doing so.

He trusted the electors would, at the next election, return those to Parliament, who would alike in their private and public capacity act upon sound Protestant Constitutional principles.

He referred to the subject of pledges to maintain the Protestant Constitution as being what electors had a right to require, for the purpose of knowing the real views and principles of those who sought their suffrages.

No man was more opposed to making the House of Commons a Meeting of Delegates than he was. But he contended it was not more unconstitutional to require a candidate to promise not to vote for the endowment of the Romish priesthood in Ireland, than it was for each member to take an oath, before taking his seat to support the Crown and Protestant succession.

He referred to the nature and designs of Popery in Madeira, Ireland, France, and especially the discussion in the Chamber of Deputies, as to the rights of Colporteurs to circulate the Scriptures, and the speech of Count Agenor Gasparin on the subject, and asked if one of such views, would object to satisfy every enquiry and reasonable request of his constituents? If, indeed, he would not be before-hand with them, that neither he nor they should be wanting in every possible exertion to avert the national evils which Popery, nationally encouraged, ever brought upon the nation that was first her patron, then became her victim and her slave. He strongly urged upon all who supported religious and missionary Institutions, to exert themselves to prevent the funds of the country being applied to the education or support of Romish priests, who would seek to put a stop to all the efforts of Protestant missionaries.

SCRIPTURAL CAUTION AGAINST POPERY.

(Concluded from page 19.)

WE are perfected," By one offering he hath perfected for ever
them that are sanctified" (Heb. x. 14)—and complete in him,-" Ye
VOL. IX.-February, 1847. E
New Series, No. 14.

66

are complete in him." (Col. ii. 10.) The same union with Christ which gives us remission of sins, because he bore our punishment, gives us justification or righteousness (and therefore eternal life) Our before God, because he fulfilled all righteousness in our stead. claims to each rest on the same ground. We have both or neither. If we are crucified with Christ, we live with him. (Gal. ii. 21.) If, therefore, when in Christ we have pardon, righteousness, and strength, how can we be thus united to him? By the work of regeneration or new creation. Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God," and "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John iii. 3, 5.) "They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and But peace. ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." (Rom. viii. 5, 6, 9, 15, 17.) "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God." (John i. 12, 13; Eph. ii. 16; 2 Cor. v. 15, 17; Gal. iv. 6, vi. 14, 15; Col. i. 13; John v. 21; 1 Pet. i. 4.) Whereby we are re-born children of God. The will, the understanding, the heart, and the conscience, are all renewed, changed, sanctified. "For God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ." (Eph. ii. 5.) "God -put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." (Acts xv. 9.) "According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus iii. 5.) "When he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." (John xvi. 13, 14.) "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts." (Heb. viii. 10.) "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." (Ezek. xxxvi. 26; also John vii. 44; 1 Cor. vi. 20; Eph. i. 17, 18, iii. 19.)

The soul sees her own sinfulness and God's holiness-believes in Christ-trusts to Him alone from a view of the all-sufficiency of the salvation he has wrought, and of the worthlessness and sin of all her own works. This trust is faith, which being the operation of the Holy Spirit, is clearly the gift of God. "This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom He hath sent." (John vi. 29.) Repentance, which is sorrow for sin and detestation of it, arising from love to God, is also the work of the Holy Spirit.

It is not, therefore, a performance of our own which we must offer to God, but a work of His Spirit which we must seek from Him. True faith is a part of regeneration. It is such a belief as makes us act as if we believed. We trust fully and solely in Christ as having completely saved us, and we give up our lives to Him who gave His for us. All we have to do is, to appropriate his work of redemp

us.

tion to ourselves—to believe, and therefore faith alone is said to save "Now to him that worketh is the reward, not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth not sin," &c. (Rom. iv. 4-8.) "We conclude that man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law," (and previous verses. Romans iii. 28, and xi. 6,) but not by a bare faith or belief of the intellect such as devils have. (James ii. 19.) If a friend tells us that he has paid a heavy debt in our stead, if we believe him, we are at ease; if we do not fully trust his words, we continue scraping up shillings and pence, instead of availing ourselves of his kindness by drawing upon his bankers, although quite aware that we shall never be able to make up the full sum, but in the vague hope that part payment will be accepted for the whole. We thus distrust our friend, and do him dishonour. So we do to Christ when we endeavour to add our own imperfect works as means of making us acceptable in God's sight instead of the perfect work of redemption.

It is clear, therefore, that our great duty is to seek the gift of the Holy Spirit which God hath promised to all them that ask him. He who cannot lie hath said, "Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matt. vii. 7.) "If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." (Luke xi. 13.) Ask him to teach you, (John xiv. 26,) to guide you into all truth, (John xvi. 13,)-to give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. (Eph. i. 17, 18.) Ask him to enlighten you, to enable you to receive that which is the truth; and then be patient; "Patience worketh experience." (Rom. v. 4.) "He that believeth shall not make haste." You are not to expect an immediate answer to your prayer, an instant clearing away of all your difficulties. If you believe these promises of God, you will wait on the Lord. You will not presumptuously fix a time for his answer. You will continue praying, asking, seeking, depending solely upon Him, not upon man's teaching. Read the Word of God and that alone; trust to no human commentators; read it not in a spirit of proud self-dependence, but humbly crying to God for teaching and guidance; and be assured that in his own good time, He will lead you into all truth out of darkness into his marvellous light. "The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." (Lam. iii. 25, 26,)

Remember that in choosing between Protestantism and Popery you are choosing between life and death. One or the other must be a lie. For more than two years, my chief study has been an examination into the doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome as set forth in her acknowledged standards. It is out of no disrespect to you that I state my conviction that you have a very imperfect idea of either. Many Roman Catholics have the same, and will give you a modified view of her worst doctrines. It is my firm conviction that the Church of Rome is the Babylon of the Apocalypse. Bear with me while I give

you my reasons for what will probably appear to you a most uncharitable and bigoted assertion.

It is acknowledged almost universally by the early fathers, the Romanist and Protestant commentators that the little horn, (Daniel vii. 9—11, 20—26,) the Man of Sin, (2 Thess. ii. 3—8, &c.,) the beast, and Babylon of the Apocalypse, (Rev. xvii.,) all relate to the same person or power.

In the seventh of Daniel, there is a clear prophecy of the four great kingdoms of Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Out of this fourth kingdom, ten kings or kingdoms were to arise, and another shall rise after them, who is to be diverse from the first ten; he will make war with the saints, and is to be visited with the fiery wrath of God. Two chronological marks are given whereby to date the existence of this power. It is to arise after the ten kings, and is to have power over the saints for a time, times, and the dividing of a time. That is, as it is universally interpreted, for three times (or prophetic years) and a-half, i.e. 1260 years. It is also granted that the vision relates to the Western Empire, and, as the fate of the East is foretold in the following chapter, in which the rise of Mahommedanism is predicted likewise under the figure of a little horn. Now the great red dragon of the Apocalypse has likewise seven heads and ten horns, and persecutes the woman (the Church) for 1260 days. (Rev. xii.) The beast with seven heads and ten horns is composed of the members of the three beasts which preceded it, (Compare Rev. xiii. 2; and Dan. vii. 4—6,) as the Roman Empire included most of the territories of the three former monarchies. This beast spake blasphemies · and made war with the saints, (Rev. xiii. 4, 5, 7, 8; and Daniel vii. 21, 23, &c.,) and was to continue forty-two months or 1260 days. The woman whose name was Mystery, Babylon the Great, sat on a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns; she was drunken with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. This beast is evidently the same as the one mentioned in the thirteenth chapter; the seven heads are declared (and the description will apply to none but Rome) to be seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. Rome is called the city of the seven hills. The ten horns are declared to be ten kings which had received no power at the time John wrote. What other power has arisen in the Western Empire after the rise of the ten Gothic kingdoms, which is diverse from other kingdoms, whose seat is at Rome— who has made war with God's saints-whose chosen colours are purple and scarlet, and who has been guilty of the most awful blasphemy? What other power but the Church of Rome?

The man of sin spoken of 2 Thess. ii. 3, could not be fully revealed until that which letteth or hindered was taken out of the way. The Fathers considered that "that which letteth," meant the temporal power of the Roman Empire. That was taken out of the way in the seventh century, and all commentators fix the rise of the Papacy about that period. What other Church claims the power of miracles ? It is foretold that the coming of that wicked shall be "with all power and signs and lying wonders." What other teaches the ancient doctrine of demons? (as devils should be translated, 1 Tim. iv. 1.) The

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