Part 6

That this _absolute_, and _infallible_ authority of preaching and teaching, was not to be limited merely to the _persons_ of the Apostles, nor merely to the _period_ of their ministry, but was also to extend to _their_ successors in office, and _to all future ages_, I will now prove. Our Saviour tells His Apostles, that they are to go, and teach _all nations_, and that He will be with them, _even until the end of the world_; and that the Spirit of truth, shall remain with them _for ever_. Now, as the Apostles, _did not_ teach _all nations_, in their _own_ persons, and were not to continue on earth, until _the end of the world_, it was manifest, that the commission was not to be confined to _their persons_, but was to be given to _their office_, that is, to them and their successors _in office_, who shall continue _until the end of the world_, to _complete_ the great work of teaching all nations, which the Apostles _first began_. That this was _actually_ the intention of _our divine Saviour_, we learn in positive, and distinct terms, from these words of St. Paul: "And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some pastors, and doctors for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." "That henceforth we may be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive." (iv. 11, 14.) _Such is_, most Reverend Gentlemen, and _such always was, the visible, the infallible, and incorruptible_ Church of Christ, which was to be perpetuated _from age to age_, with time for its duration, and the world for its boundaries.

Oh, but you will reply, this Church once fell into error, at least so say the first Reformers. If, most Reverend Gentlemen, I were to assert that _you_ all once committed _murder_, you would very sharply ask, _when_, _where_, and _how_? And if I could not prove _when_, _where_, and _how_, I think you would deem me (and justly too) a very near relation to the father of lies. Now, your first Reformers _said_, indeed, that the Catholic Church once fell, but _most unfortunately_, they _forgot_ to prove _when_, _where_, and _how_. As, therefore, these first Reformers, forgot to prove these _most essential_ circumstances, you must excuse _us Catholics_, if we prefer _God's infallible_ word, to the _mere ipse dixit_ of these _first celestial_ lights of the Reformation. You know God says, heaven and earth, _shall_ pass away, but His word _shall not_ pass away.

But you will, perhaps, answer, really they must have been _strange_ beings to have _asserted_, that _God's infallible_ Church had fallen, and _not_ to have been able, or at least to have _forgotten, to prove_ such a bold assertion. Do you know, I was just thinking the same; and, therefore, I beg to introduce a few of these beings to your notice: and I know _none_, that has a greater claim to our first notice, than Martin Luther, _both_ for the _originality_ of his spiritual doctrines, and for the _sublimity_ of the _celestial_ revelations, with which he was honoured. And _mind_, had not Luther and his disciples, left the most _incontestible_ testimony of what I am about to advance, it would really have outraged and defied _all credibility_.

Well, then, know, and _never forget_, that Martin Luther, the first luminary of the Reformation, had a conference _with the devil_, in which Martin assures us, that he was convinced by the _devil's powerful_ argumentation, that the Popish Mass was a heap of idolatry. The following are the words of this angel of _light_ on this subject: "Being awakened at midnight, the devil began to dispute with me, according to his custom. "Listen to me, Master Doctor," said he: "do you consider that, for fifteen years, you have said mass almost every day? What, if all this while, you have been guilty of idolatry, and, instead of adoring the body and blood of Christ, have adored only bread and wine?" I answered him, that I was a priest lawfully ordained by the bishop; and that having, from a principle of obedience, discharged my ministry with a sincere intention of consecrating, I saw no reason to doubt the validity of the consecration. "True," replied Satan; "but in the Churches of Turks and Heathens, is not everything done in an orderly manner, and in the spirit of obedience? Does that authorize their worship as orthodox, and perfectly correct? What, if your ordination were null, and your consecration as vain and useless as that of Turkish priests, in the exercise of their ministry, or of the false prophets under Jeroboam?" Here (adds Luther) I was seized with a violent sweat, and my heart began to beat in a strange manner. The devil is very artful in adjusting his reasoning, and he also pushes his arguments with great force; he has a voice, strong and rough, and is so pressing in his objections, one after another, as scarcely to allow you time to breathe. Hence, I can conceive, how it has repeatedly happened, that persons have, in the morning, been found dead in their beds. In the first place, he may suffocate them; he may also, by his method of disputing, cause such a trouble in the soul as to render her unable to make any further resistance, and thus she may be compelled instantly to leave the body; which has nearly been my own case, more than once."

After this preface, Luther mentions five reasons which the devil alleged against the sacrifice of the mass; reasons extremely frivolous in themselves, but which Luther considered of sufficient weight to justify his yielding to them, saying to those who might blame his conduct, that "if _they_ had heard the devil reasoning in the same forcible manner as _he_ had done, they would take care not to appeal from his arguments to the practice of the Church, and the usages of antiquity, which would never satisfy them." This conference may be seen in three different editions of Luther's works, printed by the care of his disciples, viz., (Wittemberg, T. 7, p. 479. Jenae, Ed. Germ. per Thomas, p. 82. Attenberg, T. 6. p. 86.)

Really, most Reverend Gentlemen, this is a very strange history. _Certain_, however, _it is_, that _Luther_ omits _nothing_ to persuade us of its truth: for he mentions the very words which the devil used, the tone of his voice, the nature of his arguments, the impression which the conference made on his body and soul, which sometimes follow from debating with this king of the lower regions.

After the death of Luther, his disciples, and especially Melancton, took care to insert the conference in the collection of Luther's works, printed in Latin at Wittemberg, and the writers of the Luthern and Calvinistic party agree, that it was _certainly the production of Luther_.[K] (Hospinian, par. 2. Hist. Sacramentariae, p. 26, et. p. 131.)

Now Luther either _had_ or _had not_ this conference with the master of lies. If he _really had_, Luther ought to have known, that _such_ a master was not very likely, to teach him anything _very good_, and that he was not a very _fit_ person, to convince him of the idolatry of the mass. For if the mass, had _really_ been idolatry, I think the devil, would _rather_ have encouraged, _than_ tried to overturn it. But if Luther _had not_ this conference, then the ambition of Luther, for having wished to appear connected with so bad a master, indicates so strange and exotic a genius, so depraved and bad a taste, that it reflects _almost_ as much dishonour on Luther, as if this conference had really taken place.

You will perhaps object "that Luther is nothing to us." Most Reverend Gentlemen, I have not quoted him to insult you, or to throw any disrespect on you; for _you_ are certainly not to be _answerable_ for Luther's _deeds_. But I have quoted him to let you see, what kind of a genius, this father of the Reformation was, and I must now candidly ask, if you think he was _a fit_ person, to reform Christ's Church. Had he indeed begun, by endeavouring to _reform_ the devil himself, we might have pardoned his religious enthusiasm; but for him to tell us, that the _infallible_ Church of Christ, had fallen into error, and that he had come to reform it, under the instructions, and guidance of the master of lies, is _really_ most outrageous, and cannot be equalled by any thing, that I have either heard, or read on this side the grave. That the human mind, should be capable of falling into such dreadful delusion, would appear almost incredible, had not the Holy Ghost assured us, that God abandons to a reprobate sense, those who wish to change _truth_ into _falsehood_. (Romans i. 25-26.)

Zuinglius, another bright son of the Reformation, professes to have learnt his main argument against the Real Presence from a spirit, which appeared to him in the night, but whether it was a _black_, or _white_ spirit he does not remember. However, he made great account, of this nightly instruction of his _unknown_ friend; read the place of Exodus, which had been pointed out to him by his _unknown_ friend, and afterwards preached before the whole congregation, on the subject of this _wonderful_ discovery. (Hosp. ii. p. 25-26.) Luther was positive and sure, that the devil, whom Oecolampadius, (another reformer,) employed, strangled him during the night in his bed. "This is the excellent master," continues Luther, "who taught Oecolampadius that there are contradictions in the Scripture. See," says Luther, "to what satan brings learned men." (De Miss. Priv. Luth.)

Such were the nocturnal revelations, with which some of the first reformers were honoured, and I think now, you will not be surprised at the following character, which is given _them_, and the _other_ reformers, _even_ by _Protestant_ testimony. Zanchius, the celebrated Protestant professor, thus complains of the conduct of his _reforming Protestant_ colleagues: "I am indignant, when I consider the manner, in which most of us defend our cause. The _true_ state of the question we often, on _set_ purpose, involve in _darkness_, that it may not be _understood_; we have the impudence, to _deny_ things the _most evident_: we _assert_ what is _visibly_ false: the most _impious_ doctrines, we _force_ on the people as the _first_ principles of _faith_, and _orthodox_ (true) opinions, we condemn as _heretical_: we _torture_ the Scriptures, until they agree with our _own_ fancies, and boast of being the _disciples_ of the _fathers_, while we refuse _to follow their_ doctrines: _to deceive_, _to calumniate_, _to abuse_, is our _familiar_ practice: nor do we care for anything, _provided_ we can defend our cause, _good_ or _bad_, _right_ or _wrong_. Oh what times! what manners! (Zanchius ad Stormium, tome viii. col. 828.)

"But _forgery_--I blush for the _honour_ of Protestantism while I write it--seems to have been _peculiar_ to the _reformed_ * * * and I look _in vain_, _for one_ of these accursed outrages of imposition, among _the disciples_ of Popery." "But _forgery_, appears to have been the _peculiar_ disease of _Protestantism_."--(_Vindication of Mary, Queen of Scots_, vol. iii. p. 2 and 53. _By the Rev. John Whitaker, B.D., Rector of Ruan Langhorne, Cornwall._)

You have now seen, who was the instructor of _some_ of the first Reformers, and the two above passages (_mind, from Protestants_,) must convince you, that _they_ and _their_ reforming Protestant colleagues, appear to have been apt scholars of this master of lies. Well, I have shown you now, the character of the spiritual chemists of the Reformation. I will now show you, some of the wonderful _spiritual_ works, of some of their _supernatural_, and chemical hands.

Among these, I must rank as _first_ and foremost, the wonderful spiritual deeds, of your Scriptural Church as by Law established. Most Reverend Gentlemen, The Thirty-nine Articles, are the fundamental Articles of your Protestant Creed. Now, in the Thirty-fifth of those Articles, I find, that your Scriptural Church professes to believe, in the Protestant homilies there named. Among which I find the second is, "against peril of idolatry." Now, the following, are the words of your Protestant homily against idolatry. Its words are these: "The preaching of God's word, most sincere in the beginning, by process of time became less and less pure, and afterwards corrupt, and last of all, altogether laid down and left off, &c. Not only the unlearned and simple, but the learned and wise; not the people only, but the bishops; not the sheep, but also the shepherds themselves, being blinded by the bewitchery of images, as blind guides of the blind, fell both into the _pit of damnable idolatry_; in which all the world, as it were drowned, continued unto our age for the space of eight hundred years; unspoken against in a manner, so that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, of all ages and sexes and degrees, of men and women and children of whole Christendom, (an horrible thing to think,) have been at once drowned in abominable idolatry, of all other vices most detested by God, and damnable to men, and that for the space of eight hundred years together. And to this end has come that beginning of setting up of images in churches, then judged harmless, in experience proved not only harmful, but exitious and pestilential, and to the _destruction of all good religion universally_." Thus far, your Protestant homily.

Really, most Reverend Gentlemen, if in my comments on the above passage, I have often to use the word _damnable_, you must really _pardon_ me, for you see, I have just been taught this _pretty_ word, by your Scriptural Church, and you know, she is master in Israel. Pray, most Reverend Gentlemen, where was your Protestant Scriptural Church, during this _eight_ hundred years of damnable idolatry? If it was a member of _no_ Church, then, it was not a member, or part of _Christ's_ Church. But if it was a member, or part of any _one_ Church in _all_ Christendom, then, it was utterly drowned in abominable, and damnable idolatry. I wonder how your Scriptural Church, can extricate herself out of this spiritual labyrinth.

Well, then, here we have, _according_ to _your_ Scriptural Church, a universal apostacy. The true Church decayed, the whole of Christendom drowned in damnable idolatry, and all good religion destroyed _universally_, and _that_, for eight hundred years; and we have also _your_ Scriptural Church either not existing, or buried in this universal spiritual destruction. Really, your Scriptural Church, Sampson-like, not only demolished the _whole_ spiritual fabric of Christendom, but also perished _herself_ under the ruins of this universal spiritual destruction; but the strangest thing of all is, whilst with _one_ hand, she was endeavouring with her spiritual power, to hurl the Catholic Church, into the vortex of this universal spiritual destruction, she, with _the other_ hand, charitably saves _us_ Catholics (as Moses was saved from the waters) from this deluge of universal spiritual idolatry; and I will now show you how; for your Scriptural Church, in her sixth article of the Thirty-nine Articles, teaches that, "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation." Now, this very Scripture, (the book of salvation,) declares (as I have already shown in my above description of the Catholic Church,) that, the Catholic Church should _never_ err, and of course, could _never_ fall into idolatry. And, therefore, in obedience to your Scriptural Church, and to the Scripture itself, we believe that the Catholic Church, _never_ has fallen, and _never will_ fall into idolatry. For the Scripture says, "Heaven and earth _shall_ pass away, but God's word, _shall not_ pass away." Really, your Scriptural Church, is very kind to us in this respect, and I almost begin to think, she must be a worthy descendant of Pharo's daughter, who saved Moses from the waters of the Nile.

Well, Most Reverend Gentlemen, you see your scriptural Church, has now hurled the whole of Christendom, into the vortex of universal, abominable, and damnable idolatry, and either involved herself, in this sweeping deluge of abominations, or committed suicidical destruction on herself; but, _strange_ to say, she has _charitably_ saved us benighted Papists, from these abominable, and universal waters of idolatry, as Pharo's daughter, kindly saved Moses from the waters of the Nile. Now, _how_ your scriptural Church as by law established will contrive to gather together again, and unite all the various parts of this universal, spiritual edifice, just destroyed by her hands, I am at a loss to determine. If _she really can_ collect, unite, and form these various spiritual parts, into a _more_ perfect, and durable edifice, than _God Himself_ had made it, I shall _then_ begin to think, that she is invested with powers, which _even God Himself_ does not possess. But by _what_ spiritual art of chemistry, is she to perform this wonderful, and _superhuman_ operation? If she has recourse to _the Scriptures_, she will _there_ learn, that God had built this spiritual edifice on an _imperishable_, infallible, and incorruptible foundation. And surely, for her sake, God will not _contradict_ Himself; and if she has recourse to her thirty-nine articles, they have already annihilated her. O poor scriptural Church! thou hast often made _sad_ work with _other_ Churches; but _at last_, alas! thou art in _sad_ straits thyself. O! how thou remindest me of the man, who

"Halting on crutches of unequal size,-- One leg by truth supported, one by lies, Thus saddled to the goal, with awkward pace, Secure of nothing but to lose the race."

Well, but you will say, this immense spiritual edifice _must_ for the sake of the _salvation_ of mankind, be _re_-built. Should I offer _my officious_ services, to assist in this pious work of reconstruction, your scriptural Church might perhaps say, I destroyed _more_ than I built. Well, she could not, even then, justly complain of this; for _she_ has _just_ cut into pieces, demolished, and annihilated the _whole_ of Christendom, with her destructive weapons of universal, abominable, and damnable idolatry.

In all _material_ edifices, it is considered of the greatest importance that the _foundation_ should be _firm_, _safe_, and substantial. Of course, we have reason to expect _these_ requisites in the foundation of all _spiritual_ edifices; and of course, we may _naturally_ expect them, in the new erection of God's work which your Church has just destroyed, but which she is _now_ going to re-construct into a _more_ perfect and durable form than _God_ had made it. Now, upon _what_ foundation will your Church _re_construct this demolished spiritual edifice? In her twenty-first article of her thirty-nine articles, (and mind, she has sworn to these articles as God's truth,) I find the following words: "General councils may not be gathered together without the commandment, and will of princes. And when they be gathered together, (forasmuch as they be an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed by the Spirit, and word of God,) they _may err_, and _sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God_."

Now, please tell me, Most Reverend Gentlemen, of _what_ is your new spiritual Church to be built? Surely not of brick and mortar! but of course, it is to be erected, on the testimony of man, or of some body of men. But your article says, men may err, and _have_ erred, _even in things pertaining to God_. Therefore, your council, or councils, of your new Church _may err_, and therefore, how will you build upon these _fallible_ men an _infallible_ foundation?

But you will indignantly reply, the article intimates, that they may err _unless_ governed by the _Spirit_, and word of God. Well, Most Reverend Gentlemen, is it likely God will give _them_ his Spirit, and unerring word to _re_construct a new Church, when they have just destroyed the infallible, and beautiful work of _God's own hands_? Is it in the nature of things, that _God_ should _contradict_ Himself, to second the BABEL ideas, of your scriptural Church, yet to be formed?

Really, Sir, some of you Reverends will exclaim, _how_ you are _garbling_ that twenty-first article! Why have you _slyly_ omitted to quote the _last_ part of that article?--Well, as you have called, for the _last_ part of this article, I will now quote it; and as your Church (_first_, indeed, unfortunately destroying herself) has just so charitably saved us, benighted papists, from the waters of idolatry, I do sincerely hope this _last_ part of your article, may enable you, to _re_build a godly and spiritual edifice. Well, then, now for the _last_ part of this twenty-first article, which you say, I have _slyly omitted_. It runs thus verbatim: "Wherefore, things ordained by them, as necessary to salvation, have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared, that they be taken out of Holy Scripture." Now, Most Reverend Gentlemen, as you have just asked _me_ a question, allow _me_ to ask _you another_. If any of you, were wishful to purchase an estate, would you not _first_, have the title deeds of that estate, _carefully_ examined by some eminent and respectable lawyers, _to be sure_ that the title deeds, were perfectly good, and satisfactory, _before_ you advanced the money? Now we have just learnt, from the _last_ part of your twenty-first article, that the Scriptures, properly speaking, are the deeds of a _Christian_, by which he is to obtain a _good_ title to salvation. Of course, therefore, we may _naturally_ suppose, that your scriptural Church would hand down to her followers the Scriptures, in the _most perfect_ and _unmutilated_ state.

Well, we will now see whether she _has_ done _this_, and _then_ we shall be able to determine, if she can _re_build her godly, and spiritual edifice on so heavenly a foundation. We will now consider how she got the sacred Scriptures, after her shipwreck amid the perils of idolatry, and whether, _after_ she got them, she handed them down to her followers in the perfect and unmutilated state, in which she _first_ received them from the _Catholic Church_. Luther, the father of the Reformation, even after he had left the Catholic Church, candidly says, in his Commentary on the 16th chapter of St. John's Gospel: "We are obliged to yield many things to the Papists, that with them is the word of God, which _we_ received from _them_, otherwise we should have known _nothing at all about it_." And, in his book against the Anabaptists, he makes the following confession: "Under Papacy are many good things, yea, _everything_ that is _good_ in _Christianity_. I say moreover," continues he, "under Papacy is _true_ Christianity, even the _very kernel_ of Christianity." From these two passages of Luther, it is evident, that your scriptural Church, _first_ received the Scriptures from the _hand_ of the _Catholic_ Church, and that she received them, in a _perfect_ and _unmutilated_ state; otherwise, how could Luther's words be true, (and _mind_, he uttered these words _after_ he had left the Catholic Church) when he assures us, that under Papacy is "true Christianity, yea, everything that is good in Christianity, nay, the _very kernel_ of Christianity."

Now let us see _how_ your scriptural Church, corrupted and mutilated the sacred volumes which she had received from the Catholic Church in a _perfect_ and _unmutilated_ state.