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LONDON:

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES,

Stamford-street.

MUSEUM

BRITANNICUN

DEDICATION.

TO THE

REFORMED AND ROMISH CLERGY AND LAITY

OF THE

UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

THIS WORK IS INSCRIBED,

IN THE HOPE

FIRST, that the PROTESTANT MINISTER of CHRIST may not deem it unuseful in assisting him to point out the very material difference between the unerring doctrines he inculcates, as taught by OUR SAVIOUR himself, and those pernicious tenets introduced by erring man, by which their simplicity is obscured-their sublimity reduced to external shew.

Secondly, to the PROTESTANT LAYMAN this volume is offered, as a sure Guide to him in judging between the Reformed and Romish professions of faith,-and which, by shewing him the doctrines of the Church of Rome, precisely in her own language, contrasted with the Holy Scriptures from which he has been taught his Christian belief, will confirm and strengthen him in the RIGHT way.

Thirdly, to the ROMISH PRIEST these pages are presented; and, as they will show him when, by whom, and for what purposes the inventions of his Church first disfigured Christianity, it is presumed that, in some instances, at least, the prejudices of education will give way to conviction; and that the paltry quibblings of sophistry may be sacrificed to the Christian spirit of TRUTH.

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Lastly, although the writer's chief object-the ROMAN CATHOLIC LAITY are earnestly solicited to read this work: since it contains the "Grounds of the Faith" entire, in which they profess to believe, but which a comparative few only have read-other books being generally put into the hands of British Romanists. The opportunity of making themselves acquainted with the whole of what their Church claims the right of demanding of them (although in a Protestant kingdom many of these claims are never enforced) is herein afforded; whilst to the above are added such portions of Scripture as the Pope merely refers to; by which extracts, fully and fairly quoted, it will appear evident that the "faith" they have been taught is far removed from the faith preached by OUR SAVIOUR.

As the work is designed to induce the Romanist to peruse the commands of GOD, whilst no Christian can impugn the motive, it is hoped that no unchristian spirit will possess sufficient influence to frustrate so desirable an end.

Besides the whole Romish faith, the Scriptures to which that faith is contrasted, and the Protestant tenets with which they are compared, the following sheets contain the "Rational Inducements to joining Communion with the Church of Rome," in the words of Dr. Challoner, a Roman Catholic Bishop; also "Rational Inducements to joining Communion with the Protestant Reformed Church," by M. Lefevre, a convert to her faith in 1825.

In short, an impartial examination of TRUTH ONLY is courted; nor can any Religion be pure, the professors of which shrink from such a test. That all those for whom this work is designed may think so, is the sincere wish of

13th November, 1828.

1

THE AUTHOR

CONTENTS.

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13-14

The Romish Church erroneously impresses upon the belief of her
adherents that she is the only Catholic Church. Of the Atha-
nasian Creed.

"A PROFESSION OF CATHOLIC FAITH," &c.

Declaration of Romish Bishops.

SECT. I.-THAT CHRIST HAS ALWAYS A TRUE CHURCH UPON

EARTH

Who are the members of whom it is composed, as declared by the
Scriptures. The Apostles' Creed not declaratory of the faith pre-
scribed by the Romish, but by the Protestant Church.

SECT. II. THAT CHRIST'S [meaning the Popish] CHURCH UPON

EARTH IS ALWAYS ONE

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Unity of the CHRISTIAN Catholic Church broken by Popery. Her
Doctrines pernicious-Examples. Popish perversions of, and
Protestant appeals to, the Scriptures. Blasphemy of the Papal
Class Books.

SECT. III. THAT THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS ALWAYS HOLY IN

HER DOCTRINES, AND ALWAYS FREE FROM PERNICIOUS

ERRORS

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34


SECT. IV. THAT THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS CATHOLIC OR

UNIVERSAL

Brief history of the primitive Christian and Popish Churches, from
their first institution. Origin of the inventions of Papal supre-
macy and infallibility, and how the term "Catholic" was first
applied to the Romish Church.

SECT. V.-THAT THE CHURCH OF CHRIST MUST BE APOSTOLICAL

BY THE SUCCESSION OF HER PASTORS, and a lawful Mis-

SION DERIVED FROM THE APOSTLES

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42

Prayers offered in the vulgar tongue punished by the Popish au-

Cthorities by immolation in the sixteenth century. Christians

expressly commanded to read and to judge of the Scriptures,
both by the Old and the New Testaments. Instigations to com-
mit Murder (!) inserted in the Popish translations of the Scrip-
tures. Petition of the Irish Schoolmasters (to have these inter-
polations expunged) rejected in 1826. The Scriptures publicly
forbidden to be read, and when.

SECT. II.-OF APOSTOLICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL TRADITIONS

The Sabbath-day, why changed from the seventh to the first day

of the week. Various doctrines of Papists-why they believe in

the Scriptures. Origin of kissing the Pope's foot. Popes en-

courage the abuse of the Bible. The Gospels and Epistles writ-

ten as an unerring guide to Christians, and when.

SECT. III. OF THE ORDINANCES AND CONSTITUTIONS OF THE

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