spiritual authority over the whole church, than they invested themselves with the purple, or scarlet coloured robe; and by the richness of the pontifical habit and tiara, not only vied with the greatest monarchs, but set themselves, far above them in every thing. For as the, dominions of the pope were made up of three petty sovereignties, of which he fraudently dispossessed the owners, so he immediately put three crowns upon his scarlet cap, in memory of this achievement, and in his pious zeal to fulfil the prophecy of Daniel (vii. 8, 24) and of St John. (Rev. xvii. 4.)

But a still more remarkable instance of the pains the popes have bestowed in fulfilling the prophecies, is their having the word " MYSTERY " inscribed in the front part of the papal mitre, which though it be a little contrary to that of the high priest of the jews,* (which was "HOLINESS TO THE LORD,") has yet so much good in it that it was a very compleat fulfilment of St John's description.

* Exodus xxviii. 36.

"And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY-BABYLON THE GREAT, THE

MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH;" which coincidence. having been suggested by a learned man, it was laid aside. Bishop Newton says, that when our king James objected this circumstance against the church of Rome, Lessius, his opponent, could not deny it. And he adds, that Father Angelo Rocca, keeper of the pope's sachristy, and an eminent antiquarian, has given a copperplate engraving, in the third volume of the works of Pope Gregory the first, of an ancient mitre, (which is preserved at Rome as a precious relique,) embroidered with the figure of the Virgin Mary,` crowned, and holding a little Christ in her arms, with the words in large capitals underneath,-AVE —AVE REGINA CELI.-Hail queen of

heaven.*.

* Pope Gregory I, first instituted Litanies to the Virgin. Mary, which makes it probable this mitre was his.

Newton vol. iii. p. 296.

In the Hora Beatæ Virginis, are many idolatrous prayers and hymns to the VIRGIN MARY, the Diana of these Ephe. sians,

Thus glorying in her shame, she may well be called the great whore, and the mother of barlots, since she openly wears upon her

Te laudamus, et rogamus

Mater Jesu Christi;
Ut intendas, et defendas

Nos a morte tristi.

Thee we adore with prayer and praise
Mother of Jesus dear;

Keep and defend us all our days,

Save us from death, our fear.

Another, after calling the Virgin Mary Mother of Grace and concludes

sweet parent of mercy,

Tu nos ab hoste protege,

Et mortis hora suscipe.*

Defend us from th' infernal foe,

Receive our souls when hence we go,

Saint Stephen, on such an occasion, only said-" Lord Jesus receive my spirit!" but since that time, it should seem, an advocate of greater power has been found out in the popish gospel.

O felix puerpera,
Nostra pians scelera,

Jure matris impera
Redemptori.+

Officium parv, Beat. Mariæ.

+Missal ad usum eccles.-Tullens.

shameless front her name, and the badge of her profession written, as a wanton ornament, after the custom of the courtesans in ancient

O happy mother of a Son,

Who purgest sins that we have done,
As mother lay commands upon

The Redeemer.

Here the Virgin herself takes away sin, and is made superior to God, by laying her commands upon him. Well is it said (Jer. 1. 39) "Babylon is a land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

They will allow of none other, either god or goddess, but this favorite.

O regina poli! mater gratissima proli,

Spernere me noli, me commendo TIBI SOLI !*

Another of such abominable blasphemy, that no translation ought to be given to it, may suffice to shew the nature of popish prayers.

Dulcis amica Dei, rosa vernans, stella decora,

Tu memor esto mei, dum mortis venerit hora.†

Thus, in their common prayers, a dead woman is made the fountain of pardon, grace, piety, hope, comfort, and everlasting

*Hora Beat. Virg. +H. B. V. ad Sar. eccles. ritum,

time. Her spiritual infidelities are to the full as notorious as those of Israel, of which such disgusting accounts are given in their prophets,* and of whom it was said, (Jer. ii 28)

salvation. And the incommunicable attributes of each sacred person of the ever blessed Trinity, are lavished wantonly and blasphemously upon the Virgin Mary. This is the blaspheming of God and them that dwell in heaven, with which they are so frequently charged in prophecy.

Alanus de Rupe, a german and dominican friar, published a book entitled "Compendium Psalterii Mariani,-a Breviary of the PSALTERY OF MARY," wherein the whole of the Psalms of David are addressed to the Virgin, her name being inserted and God's left out; as Psalm cxlvi. 1,-" Praise ye Mary, praise Mary O my soul," &c. which book was duly authorised in the time of Pope Sixtus IV. who instituted a new society of the ROSARY OF THE VIRGIN; and to whom the invention of BEADS for the counting of their prayers is attributed, that they might know when their task is done; of which Mantuan takes notice.-

Hi filo insertis numerant sua murmura baccis,

True tale they keep with beads upon a string,

To know how many muttering prayers remain for them to sing. * Ezekiel xxiii. God represents himself as the husband of the church, and apostacy and idolatry as a spiritual adultery and whoredom. Isa, liv. 5. Jer, iii. 20. Hosea ii. 2. 2 Cor. xi. 2, &c.