Part 2
The narrow limits of this small tract do not allow me to dwell as extensively as I wish, en the above controverted points, so I shall only request the seriously inquiring reader to compare all the present doctrines, ceremonies and practices of the Church of Rome with the Gospel, and find out their origin and authenticity in the Scriptures, (to which nothing may be added for ever;) and in the practice of the Primitive Church, before he passes the rash opinion on me, that I then left the Church of Christ, “Judge not that ye be not judged,” is written in holy Scripture. I beseach you read attentively the 2nd and 15th chapters of St. Paul to the Romans, and consider that the Scripture is the rule to direct the Church of Christ, and that no particular Church or people can arrogate and usurp the power of establishing or retaining any thing incongruous with, or contrary to the sacred texts.
Any Church thus counteracting the authority of God’s law, cannot be the Church of Christ, but must be Antichristian, and should be forsaken by all that are willing to take the divine counsel of Christ for their guide to eternal life. Is it not the bounden duty of every rational mind, to prefer the will of God to his own or any other man’s, to discover error and reprobate sin, in whatever shape or form it may appear; let the name and pretensions of any Church be what they may, a mere name is nothing.
Reader, let not your own, nor the will of any man, or party be the model of your life, and actions, but “be ye holy as I am holy, saith the Lord,” and hearken not to the counsel of any man who does not in all things comply with, follow, obey, and practise the law of Jesus Christ. I am afraid that deep-rooted prejudices formed and nurtured by undue influence will prevent many from embracing the plain truths of the Gospel. Every Christian reader must allow that our Lord has done all things necessary for our salvation, and expressly ordered his followers to neither add to, nor diminish from the Gospel. Adding any thing would be superfluous, taking from it, blasphemous. All Christians, and the Council of Trent too, Sess. IV. agree that the holy Scriptures are the fountain of all saving truth and good morals, written by divinely inspired men, under the immediate instructions of our Lord, as St. Augustine and St. Irenæus testify. If this is believed by all, and as they say they believe it, why do some exclaim against them and prohibit their general use, yea, and anathematize any who dare look into their sacred contents? Is it because they know that if the Bible be read, its superior light will dispel all the darkness of superstition, and ignorance? If this volume were not prohibited, in vain would they even by mere sophistry, attempt to build the invocation of Saints, on the message and salutation of the Angel Gabriel, mentioned in the 1st chapter of Luke, 26, and the five following verses. Do they not understand that our Lord did not then begin his mission, which they might easily learn by reading the New Testament. But how can it be expected they would allow a book to be read that the Bishops of Benonia said, “was the cause of all the storms and tempests, that almost ruined the Roman Catholic Church.” I do not wonder that they should prohibit and vilify the reading of that book, which contains all that is sublime in doctrine and holy in tendency—all that is consolatory to the human heart—all that is requisite to make men wise unto salvation—that militates against all doctrines and inventions of men, and the unedifying and unscriptural ceremonies of masses, and prayers in Latin, so contrary to the revealed will of God.—1 Cor. xiv.
Why are they not as zealous to expunge the unauthorised abuses that stain almost every page of their common prayer-books, called the “Key of Paradise,” “Poor Man’s Manual,” &c. a few extracts whereof I shall lay before the reader. I ask them can they meet the approbation of any rational mind having any just views of the atonement of Jesus Christ? _Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria_.—“Virgin Mother we humbly crave thy blessing, and thy Son’s,”—“Jesus, Mary and Joseph grant us rest, peace, pardon and glory,”—“Hail, holy queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, our hope; to thee we cry, poor banished sons of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mournings and weepings; turn, thou most gracious advocate, the eyes of mercy towards us, and after this miserable pilgrimage receive us,” &c. See the Litanies of St. Francis and the Virgin Mary, the Golden Litanies, &c.
Let me here pause, and ask the reader, does he believe did Jesus Christ, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, make a full, free and satisfactory atonement to God, for fallen man? Is he now the only mediator between God and man? Does he need other advocates to procure the pardon of our sins from Almighty God? If he did make full atonement, to attribute the mediatorial office to any created being, is blasphemy; if he did not, then the whole of the Christian religion is destroyed. But he did make a full and ample atonement, therefore the mediatorial office cannot be invaded nor in any wise attributed to any other, without awfully and irreverently confounding the infinite atonement of the Son of God, with finite man. It may be said, by way of evasion, not their mediation but intercession is solicited by their votaries. Does the above “Virgin Mother, we humbly crave,” &c. and “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” &c. imply nothing but intercession? Is it not evident that the name of the adorable Jesus is blasphemously confounded with his creatures, Mary and Joseph? Do we not read above, “Most Gracious Advocates,” &c. and many such in the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, &c.? Oh! what narrow views must they have of the infinite mercy of Jesus Christ, that suppose he must be influenced by saints or angels to hear our supplications; they forget what is said in Mat. chap. vi. 6, 7. “For your father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him,” but not one sentence of either asking or soliciting the interference or intercession of any saint _departed_, or angel, is ever sanctioned or mentioned in holy writ, nor, even when our Lord resided on earth, it was never known that the Blessed Virgin’s intercession was solicited by any sinner, though then it might appear a natural occurrence; yet, he publicly avowed, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” And as this doctrine of intercession of angels and departed saints is an addition to the gospel, so it must be, according to St. Paul, Gal. i. 8. “accursed.”
If your prejudice be strong enough to make you believe the above prayers intimate only intercession, I will prove at once the absurdity and utter impossibility of this man-devised system. Do you believe in the omnipresence and omniscience of the Holy Trinity, and that no other being possesseth these attributes? It must be answered, yes, for none dare believe otherwise. Therefore, omnipresence, (i.e. being every where present at the same instant of time,) it follows that being the attribute of God alone, no saint or angel can hear, at the same time, millions of votaries praying in different places of the earth. Hence, the inconsistency (to say no worse,) of such prayers, and of attributing as it were, omniscience, that is, knowing the secrets of the hearts of all men at the same time, to any creature whatever. Consequently, as they cannot know the secrets of the heart, they cannot be intercessors for man. How absurd the idea! how fruitless the attempt, to pray or to solicit their intercession, as it cannot be known but some of those prayed to, might have died in sin.
From all these plain reasons, it is easily seen, how slippery is the path they tread in, who do not follow the plain road marked out by our Lord Jesus Christ. How easily may every system, not founded on the rock of ages be upset, when looked at through the gospel glass. Let me particularly address myself to my Roman Catholic brethren.
Have I not laid before you a plain statement of facts as a sufficient cause, founded on Scripture, reason and common sense, for my separating from your church? But not in the mean time particularly touching, by way of argument, on any but this one point of doctrine, leaving that to abler pens. I am sure it will be told you that I am among the followers of false prophets; you will allow our Lord must be the best judge of this; let us hear him—He declares “there shall arise false prophets that _if it were possible_ shall deceive the very elect.”—Mat. xxiv. 24. He does not leave us in the dark to know and ascertain them, and that by his usual and unerring guidance, and his short but comprehensive rule “by their fruits ye shall know them;” that it, by their lives and doctrines agreeing with what he commanded and taught, or the contrary, their adding to or taking from his word, for he that does so, God declares “he shall add to him all the plagues in his book.” See Rev. xxii. 18, 19. And by taking away any of the words of his book, he also declares, “he shall take away his part out of the book of life.” Now, if none of the aforementioned tenets, to which I object, were ever taught by our Lord or his Apostles, in the Gospel, consequently by such additions or false teaching, the teachers may be easily discovered, and these awful plagues must ensue. And if withholding the Scriptures, commanded to be searched, read, and taught, is taking from his words, this may create strong suspicion that the dreadful curse of “taking away his part out of the book of life” must follow. But if the Gospel be God’s truth, they who strictly adhere to, and teach it, must of course, be true, and cannot be false prophets.
Oh! my friends, think of these things: judge for yourselves, for no man will stand for you in the judgment of the great day. I well know the effects of prejudice in favour of long customs and habits; but this, you are aware, will be no apology in that dread day. I am also aware you have been told “that I was bribed for turning.” Believe it not, nay, I am certain you do not, cannot believe it. You have long known me, and you can now say, if I have ever acted any part that was base, or could leave room for suspicion. No, no, my soul I shall never sell—God forbid. Nothing but conscientious motives, causing any man of character to do as I have done, could ever be thought of by any man of common sense or piety, much less by that God who will shortly judge you and me.
Such were my motives, and no other object had I, or have I now in view, as the searcher of hearts knoweth. You see I did not do so from influence, or the impulse of a moment. I examined and tried every matter with the utmost caution and deliberation, and from the best authorities. Seriously reflect and examine for yourselves, before you rashly condemn; and my sincere prayer to God is, that in all things you may be directed agreeably to His will; that at the last we may meet at God’s right hand, where dissentions and differences shall for ever cease.
JOSEPH REILLY.
FOOTNOTES.
{9} I have known several Roman Catholic Priests, who even have not had a Bible or testament in their possession.