No. 1. 114," that Catholics give no Bible at all.". -By which, I suppose, you mean to say, that in the Catholic Church Bibles are denied to the people. Now, at this very period of time, in this Country, we have two Catholic editions of the Bible in the Press; which moreover are printing in shilling numbers, for the convenience of the people. One is edited by a printer of the name of Sayers, -the other by one of the name of Haydock-both inhabitants of Manchester. The Rev. John Worswick, Catholic clergyman of Newcastleupon-Tyne, is also engaged in printing a cheap edition of the Testament, expressly for the poor. I take no notice of other editions of the Bible conducted in Ireland. A vender, moreover, of these Bibles constantly stands, by my permission, at the door of my own chapel, in London, during divine service, soliciting subscriptions to these works. It is true that we do not form large societies, for the purpose of distributing them indiscriminately-because we have always conceived, like yourself, that "the poor without assistance cannot understand the Scriptures."-2dly, Because putting the Bible into the hands of such persons would be to expose them wantonly, to the "seduction of false interpretation,"-by which they might "soar into the regions of what you term abstract religion (No. 1. p. 129,) and become bewildered in their way, till, at length, they wander to the devious passage, where Christianity itself becomes lost from the view." (No. 1. p. 113.) Yet, Sir, if any of the Bible Societies feel disposed to try our esteem for the Bible, by presenting us some copies of a Catholic version, with or without notes, we will gratefully accept and faithfully distribute them.

I therefore confidently trust, Sir, that since we are likely to suffer much, through your mistake, in the opinions of our countrymen, that you will see the necessity of correcting your assertion, in the next edition you may give of the INQUIRY. You are aware that this is particularly incum

bent upon you at the present moment, when Catholics have so much at stake, and when they are suffering so much in their reputation, by the slanders which are daily propagated concerning them, to serve some political purpose. You know how credulous Englishmen are-their frank and open character lays them more open than others. It was in the reign, I think, of Charles the Second, that the peace of the Catholics was endangered, and all London thrown into an uproar, by a report, that five hundred Jesuits, mounted on dromedaries, had landed at Oxford, from the Lord knows where, and were on their march to London to attack the Protestants-And perhaps it may be within your own recollection, that the curiosity of half England was raised, to see a man in a public theatre, fulfil his promise of getting into a quart bottle.' But, Sir, it is some satisfaction to reflect, that credulity is not exclusively confined to our own heavy

See an account in the Gentleman's Magazine for the year 1749, page 42. A cotemporary French writer has also given an entertaining account of it; "Mais que direz-vous de la fougue d'un peuple qui, séduit par sa passion pour le spectacle et pour le singulier, se laissa persiffler par un mauvais plaisant, qui avoit fait afficher aux coins des rues de Londres, qu'à tel jour, à telle heure, et à tel théatre, un homme sauteroit dans une bouteille qui put contenir une pinte. Oui, Monsieur, les plus honnêtes gens d'Angleterre se rendirent à ce spectacle, payèrent l'entrée, la salle étoit remplie comme un œuf: mais tous furent attrapés; car au bout d'une heure d'attente, le mauvais plaisant se presenta sur le bord du théatre, et dit qu'on n'avoit pu trouver dans tous les cabarets de Londres une bouteille qui contint l'exacte mesure d'une pinte, qu'ainsi on demandoit pardon aux spectateurs, et qu'on étoit prêt à leur rendre l'argent à la porte s'ils l'exigeoient. Il disparut au même instant. Le partèrre se voyant ainsi leurré, entra en fureur, fit tapage, brisa les bancs, les décorations ; et il y eut un tumulte si grand, que les uns y perdirent leurs épées, d'autres les perruques, leurs chapeaux, &c. mais l'argent ne peut être rendu, le fourbe avoit trouvé moyen de s'évader sans qu'on ait jamais pu le découvrir,”

climate. You may have read, in the newspapers, within the last twelvemonth, and I have heard the fact since confirmed, that all the inhabitants of Lisbon, the clergy, the nobility, and gentry-Marshal Beresford, together with his staff, and the officers of the English army, stationed in Lisbon, assembled on the shores of the Tagus, and waited several hours, to see an English officer walk across that river in his boots :-a distance of six or seven miles, and where a seventy-four line of battle ship might sail and tack. Thus, Sir, it often happens, that, without any hesitation, we assent to the most improbable and unnatural fabrications;—and these anecdotes should convince us, that it is very easy to impose any story upon men, when their own pleasure, interest, or prejudices, dispose them to believe it: -the more extraordinary, horrid, and unnatural the narrative, the more readily they assent to it :-and you must know, that, now-a-days, such facts gain more believers, than the miracles of the Gospel.

In reconducting my wandering thoughts to your INQUIRY, I was mightily pleased to observe, (p. 114. No. I.) that "the fundamental principle which pervades" this work, as well as "the whole of your Sermon at St. Paul's is the necessity, on the part of churchmen, of associating the Liturgy with the Bible."-You bear down our common adversaries in this manner: (p. 106. No. I.) "Undoubtedly the Bible is the sole basis of the Church of England." -Exactly in the same sense that you take the expression, we also say, "the Bible is the sole basis of Catholic doctrine."-" Equally true," you continue, "is the general proposition, that the Bible only is the religion of the Protestant."-We also can say, "Equally true is the general proposition, that the Bible only is the religion of the Catholic."-But you very properly ask, quite in the language of Catholics, "Are all Protestants alike in their

religion? Have we not got Protestants of the Church of England, Protestants of the Church of Scotland, Protestants who hold the Confession of Augsburg? Have we not both Arminian and Calvinistic Protestants? Are not the Moravians, the Methodists, the Baptists, the Quakers, and even the Jumpers, the Dunkers, and Swedenborgians, all Protestants? Since, therefore, Protestantism assumes so many different forms, men speak quite indefinitely, if they speak of it without explaining the particular kind which they mean. When I hear of a Swedish, or a Danish Protestant, (namely one who belongs to the church establishment in those countries) I know that it means a person, whose religion is the Bible only; but the Bible as expounded in the Confession of Augsburg. When I hear of a Protestant of the Church of Holland, I know that it means a person whose religion is the Bible only; but the Bible as expounded by the Synod of Dort. In like man ner, a Protestant of the Church of England, is a person whose religion is the Bible only; but the Bible as expounded by its Liturgy and Articles. How, therefore, can we know, if we give the Bible only, what sort of Protestantism will be deduced from it ?"-Indeed, Sir, I cannot sufficiently admire the ingenuity and masterly manner in which you urge the necessity of an other rule of faith besides the Bible only. It is a coup de grace to the old principle of the Reformers, from which, I think, they can And it is given in the true Catholic style of boldness, which convinces me that you feel your own strength.

never recover.

You say (No. 1. p. 118.) in the words of Chillingworth, as the first Reformers did; "Protestants receive nothing, as matter of faith and religion, besides IT (namely the Bible) and the plain, irrefragable and indubitable consequences of it." You see the objection, and you refute it, in these

few words," But Protestants of every description, however various, and even opposite in their opinions, claim severally for themselves, the honor of deducing from the Bible "irrefragable and indubitable consequences." The doctrine of conditional salvation, is an "indubitable consequence" to the Arminian. The doctrine of absolute decrees, an "indubitable consequence" to the Calvinist. The doctrines of the Trinity, the atonement, and the sacraments, which the Church of England considers as "indubitable consequences" of the Bible, would not be so, if the Unitarians, and the Quakers were right in the consequences, which they deduce from the Bible. But the consequences which they deduce, appear "indubitable" to them." -You call this Protestantism, "generalised Protestantism," or "Protestantism in the abstract;" and you well observe, that it is nearly allied to apostasy from Christianity:"a system" 1.p. by which men (No. 1. p. 129.) " soar into the regions of high Protestantism, till the Church of England entirely disappears"—" a system" by which (No. 1. p. 113.)

many a pilgrim has lost his way, between the portal of the temple and the altar"-" disdaining the gates belonging only to the priests, and approaching, at once, the portals of the temple," they "have ventured, without a clue, to explore the innermost recesses; and have become bewildered in their way, till, at length, they have wandered to the devious passage, where Christianity itself becomes lost from the view."-Oh! how charmingly, Sir, have you, throughout, illustrated and enforced the apostle's words to the Ephesians: "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, Evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the UNITY of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a PERFECT man, unto the MEA