صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[blocks in formation]

After this we shall not be surprized by the coincidence of the

first answer.

TRACTARIAN.

"I.-Q. What religion are you of? "A. By the grace of God, I am a Christian.

"Q. When are we obliged to make an outward profession of our faith?

"A. We are obliged to make an outward profession of our faith as often as God's honour, our own, or our neighbour's good requires it; Christ has said: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.' Matt. x. 32, 33."—(p. 3, 4.)

PAPIST.

"Q. Are you a Christian? "A. Yes, by the grace of God, I am a Christian.

"Q. When are Christians obliged to make an open profession of their faith?

"A. As often as God's honour, our own or our neighbour's good requires it.

"Q. How do you prove that we are bound outwardly to profess our faith?

"A. Out of St. Matt. x. 32-where Christ saith, &c."-(Abridg. p. 7.)

We omit, for the sake of brevity, much of the parallel throughout, taking only the coincidences, remarkable for doctrine or phraseology-for example;

TRACTARIAN.

"Q. On what day was He made man ?

A. On the day of the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, the 25th of March."-(p. 8.)

"Q. What doth God require of us that we may be saved?

"A. That we may be saved, God requires of us to be purified from the guilt of sin, to avoid evil, and to do good.

'Q. What good must we do?

"A. We must, 1. By a lively faith, believe what God has revealed. 2. We must place our hope in God, and pray with a firm confidence in Him. 3. We must love God above all things, and our neighbour as ourselves. 4. We must keep the commandments of God and of His Church."-(p. 13.)

PAPIST.

"Q. On what day did Christ become man?

"A. On the 25th of March, the day of the annunciation, he was conceived of the Holy Ghost."-(Gen. Catechism, p. 17.)

"Q. How many things are necessary for a man to gain his end and be saved?

"A. Four; faith, hope, charity, and good works."-(Devereux' Catechism, p. vii., another popular handbook of the Romish priesthood).

It is here plainly stated that "God requires of us that we may be saved," amongst other things to "keep the commandments of the

church," i. e. (c. ix. Tractn. Cat.) " to keep certain fixed days holy," "the vigils, fasts, and days of abstinence," "to seek counsel of the clergy for disburdening of the conscience," not to marry" at certain seasons; to observe the proper postures of devotion; bowing at the holy name of Jesus, and at the Gloria Patri, &c." Now the Church of England is unfortunately explicit as to whether such things are to be so required. "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation."-Art. VI. "The church ought not-besides Holy Writ, to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation."-Art. XX. "Things ordained by general councils as necessary to salvation have neither strength, nor authority, unless may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture."Art. XXI. But we proceed :

it

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The value of this distinction "in the hands of judicious and discriminating teachers," is apparent from its natural corollary in the "authentic sources."

"Q. Where shall they go who die in mortal sin?

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

A. To hell for all eternity.

Q. Where do they go who die in venial sin?

A. To Purgatory.”—(Abridg. p. 114, 115).

What countenance does it receive from the Bishop of Exeter, who speaks (in his late charge) of "the pernicious and perilous habit of distinguishing between such sins as destroy our state of grace, and such as we may think leave that state still secure"? or. from Bishop Beveridge, (on Art. XXI.) who says that " every sin is deadly"? or from Bishop Hall, (vol. ix. p. 57.) who declares that " some offences are more heinous than others, yet all in the malignity of their nature are deadly"?

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

"Q. Why is it called venial sin? "A. Because it is more easily pardoned than mortal sin."-(Baines, p. 16).

The "authentic sources" again supply the explanation to the prudentially ambiguous words "more easily pardoned."

[merged small][ocr errors]

A. By hearty penance and confession.

"Q. How is venial sin remitted?

66

A. By all the sacraments and devout prayer, alms-deeds, and the like good works."-(Abridg. p. 114).

[blocks in formation]

"A. 1. By advising him to do it. 2. By commanding him to do it.

3. By consenting to his doing it.

4. By provoking him to do it.
5. By praising him for intend-
ing to do it.

6. By not objecting to it, when
it is a duty to object to it.
7. By concealing it when it is
a duty to expose it.
8. By helping him to do it.
9. By defending it when
done.-(p. 13, 14).

CHAPTER III.
Faith expounded.

"Q. How many principal virtues are there?

"A. Seven; three theological, and four cardinal.

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

PAPIST.

"Q. What is meant by the theological virtues?

"A. Virtues that relate immediately to God.

[ocr errors]

Q. How many? and what are the theological virtues?

"A. Three; Faith, Hope, and Charity."-(Baines, p. 42.) "Q. What is Faith?

"A. It is a gift of God, which he imparts to the soul for the sake of Christ, and by which we firmly believe all those things which he hath in any way revealed to us.

"Q. Why must we firmly believe matters of faith?

"A. Because God hath revealed them who can neither deceive, nor be deceived, and require that we believe them.

66

tify?

Q. What faith will suffice to jus

"A. Faith working by charity in Jesus Christ."-(Abridg. p. 10).

Dr. Doyle gives us the explanation of the words "in any way." "Is it not enough to believe all that is written in the Bible?

"No, it is not; for we must also believe all apostolical tradition."—(Abridg.)

[blocks in formation]

Here the Tractarian follows his guide so faithfully as to quote the Douay, instead of the authorized

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

version.

PAPIST.

Q. What signifies, born of the Virgin Mary?

TRACTARIAN.

"A. It means that Christ was born of her, she still remaining a pure and spotless Virgin.”—(p. 20.)

"Q. What do you understand by this?

"A. I understand, that Christ, after a most painful life of about thirty years, suffered most bitter torments under the wicked Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

"Q. What were those torments? "A. His agony and bloody sweat, his scourging at the pillar, his crowning with thorns, his carrying the cross, &c."-(pp. 21, 22.)

PAPIST.

"A. It signifies that our Lady was Virgin, not only before, but also in and after child-birth.

*

"Q. What understand you by suffering under Pontius Pilate?

"Ă. I understand, that Christ, after a painful life of thirty-three years, suffered most bitter torments under the wicked president, Pontius Pilate.

"Q. What are those torments?

"A. His bloody sweat, his whipping at the pillar, his purple garments, his crown of thorns, ... &c." -(Abridg. p. 15.)

It is needless to say that there is no scriptural authority for the words "at the pillar."

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The Romanist's answer is here more agreeable to the view of scripture, and therefore of our church, than the Tractarian's. "Both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ who is the only mediator between God and man."Art. VII.

TRACTARIAN.

"Q. Did none go up to heaven before our Saviour?

PAPIST.

"Q. When did the souls of the saints who died before Christ, go to heaven?

« السابقةمتابعة »