'not only forgiveness may be had in the Catholic Church, but that she has the power to forgive sins.'

18. Quote a text from St. Peter, which proves that the practice of the Romish Church with regard to Indulgences is unscriptural.

St. Peter expressly declares that it is not 'with cor'ruptible things, as silver and gold,' that we are redeemed; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without 'blemish and without spot.' (1 Pet. i. 18, 19.) [See also under Art. XIV.]

19. Distinguish between Religious and Idolatrous worship.

Religious worship is the veneration and homage (veneratio et adoratio) due to the true God, and offered in spirit and in truth (John iv. 24.); and Idolatry is not only the worshipping of a false God, but the worshipping of the true God through any image or representation, as forbidden in the second Commandment.

20. Whence does it appear that the primitive Christians had no images in their Churches?

It is certain that the early Christians had no images in their Churches, from the fact that the heathen thence inferred that they worshipped no deity at all; and from the nature of the argument directed against image-worship by the early Christian writers, which they grounded upon the spiritual nature of God, as described in the Scriptures.

21. Give a brief statement of the rise and progress of Image-worship in the Christian Church.

Images seem to have been first introduced into Churches during the fifth century. The first instance of the kind is mentioned by Epiphanius, who destroyed a representation of the Saviour in a Church in Palestine, because he regarded it as a violation of the divine command. From this period, however, the custom of placing images in Churches gradually became general; and, though designed at first as merely ornamental tributes to the memory of departed Saints, the veneration paid to them became at length so grossly idola

trous, that in a Council held at Constantinople (A. D. 754.) the practice was authoritatively condemned. The memorable Iconoclast controversy forthwith ensued; different Popes and different Councils espoused different sides of the question; and the Council of Trent at last decreed that 'due worship should be given to images;' but their use was rejected at the Reformation, as being plainly repugnant to the word of God.

22. State the arguments by which the Romanist defends the use of images; and shew that it is inadmissible.

The Romanists sometimes pretend that they do not worship images, but God through the medium of images, which are merely the fulcrum on which they rest their thoughts, and the aid by which they bring the real object of adoration more vividly before them. It is clear however that this distinction must be utterly beyond the reach of ordinary worshippers; not to mention that the divine command is express against any use whatsoever of images in worship. Moses says indeed that the Israelites saw no similitude when the Lord spake unto them' (Deut. iv. 16.), for the very purpose that they might not corrupt themselves by making an emblematic representation of the Deity; and hence the worship of the Golden Calf, which appears to have been regarded merely as a symbol of the true God, was nevertheless most severely punished. In order to elude the constant warning of the second Commandment, the Church of Rome, omits it in her public services; and, to keep up the stated number, she divides the tenth into two.

23. Prove that the worship of Images is altogether at variance with the Scriptures of the New Testament.

Since the Jews were never again addicted to Idolatry after their return from Babylon, our Saviour does not allude to it in the Gospels; but St. Paul was greatly moved by the gross idolatries of the learned and polite Athenians, and reasoned with them on the absurdity of thinking that the 'Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art or man's device' (Acts xvii. 29.). Again, in writing to the Romans, he denounces God's anger against those who 'changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image

'made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things;' thereby changing the truth of God into a lie, and worshipping and serving the creature 'more than the Creator' (Rom. i. 23. 25.): and he commends the faith of the Thessalonians, who had turned from idols to serve the living and true God' (1 Thess. i. 9.). 'Little 'Children,' writes St. John, 'keep yourselves from idols' (1 John v. 21.).

24. What do you mean by Relics; and what was the origin and progress of the veneration attached to them? ·

Relics are the remains, real or supposed, of the bodies or clothing of the Apostles and early martyrs, the instruments of torture by which they suffered, or any thing of which they are said to have been possessed. It was natural that in the first days of the Gospel every mark of respect should be paid to the memories of those who had perished in its cause; and the religious meetings of the primitive Christians were very commonly held near the places where they were buried. It was not, however, till the fourth century that their relics were supposed to be endued with miraculous power as preservatives against natural and spiritual evils; and shortly afterwards a violent dispute arose between Vigilantius and Jerome on the subject: but although the latter warmly maintains that miracles had sometimes been wrought by them, he is equally earnest in disclaiming all idea of making them objects of worship. The pretended discovery of the true cross by the empress Helena among the ruins of Jerusalem, led to the fabrication of an inexhaustible supply of relics, which the frauds of the monks, and the cupidity of the Papal see, imposed upon the credulity and superstition of the people; till at length the Council of Trent decreed that the glory of God is increased by reverencing the remains and ashes of the martyrs and saints, and all the Romish Churches are supplied with an abundant store of these venerated im

postures.

25. Shew that the Adoration of Relics receives no sanction from the Scriptures.

The burial of the body of Moses in a 'sepulchre which no man knew of' (Deut. xxxiv. 6.), seems to have been

intended to prevent any propensity of the Israelites to worship it; the miracles wrought by the bones of Elijah (2 Kings xiii. 21.) were not followed by any superstitious veneration of them; and Hezekiah's conduct, in destroying the brazen serpent which Moses had made, was commended because the children of Israel burned incense to it (2 Kings xviii. 4.). These examples afford convincing arguments against the Romish practice. In those early times too, when the most valuable relics could have been obtained, the garments of our Lord passed, without an attempt at their recovery, into the possession of his executioners; his cross was sought for above three hundred years afterwards in the neglected rubbish among which it was supposed to lie; devout men buried the body of the Proto-martyr Stephen (Acts viii. 2.); and the handkerchiefs and aprons, which wrought special miracles for the sick in consequence of their contact with St. Paul's body (Acts xix. 11, 12.), are not even said to have been preserved, much less to have been adored.

26. What is the meaning of the word Saint?

The term Saint, as employed in Scripture, belongs to Christians in general, as persons ordained by God (sanciti, and by abbreviation sancti) to be invested with certain privileges; but the Romanists confine it to the Apostles and martyrs, and other individuals, sometimes of very questionable sanctity, whose works of supererogation have obtained for them the honour of Canonization.

27. What is the doctrine of the Church of Rome respecting the Invocation of Saints?

It is the doctrine of the Church of Rome that 'saints reigning with Christ, offer their prayers to God for men; and that it is useful to invoke them in order to procure 'their assistance in asking God for blessings through 'Christ.'

28. In what does the practice seem to have originated; and at what period had it become general?

On the anniversaries of the death of the early martyrs, it was usual to pronounce an eulogistic oration over their

graves, in which the speaker would sometimes indulge in the idea that the departed was interceding for his suffering friends on earth, ‘if he had any sense or knowledge of what 'was doing here below. By an easy transition, these qualified expressions passed at length into a direct petition for the intercession of the Saints in their behalf; and the practice naturally grew up in connexion with the reverence paid to Relics. Great indeed, it might be argued, must be the influence of the beatified spirit, if the corruptible remains were endued with such miraculous energies. Thus at length they were invoked as mediators between God and man; kingdoms as well as individuals had their patron Saints; Churches and monasteries were erected to their honour; and at length, in the beginning of the tenth century, Saint-worship in general, and that of the Virgin in particular, became an established practice in the Christian Church.

29. What is the name by which the anniversary commemorations of the early martyrs were designated?

They were called Natalitia; because the martyr's admission to the joy of heaven was regarded as another Nativity.

30. How do the Romanists attempt to justify the practice of praying to the Saints?

They allege that the degree of worship which is paid to God is of a more exalted character than that which they pay to the Saints; of which the former is denominated λατρεία, and the latter δουλεία. Of this last again they recognize two degrees, whereof that paid to the Virgin, and called veрdovλeia, is superior to that of which the Saints in general are the objects.

31. What is the negative argument by which the judicious Hooker proves that Saint-worship is unjustifiable?

In one of his Sermons, Hooker speaks thus:- Against 'invocation of any other than God alone, if all argument 'else should fail, the number whereof is both great and 'forcible, yet this very bar and single challenge might