promptitude of its supplies: and this, my Lords, is hailed as a favourable omen of final triumph; and such, indeed, it may be; but this will not vary the grounds of the question.-The nature of a cause will never be changed by the number of its advocates. A disease would not assume the character of health by becoming epidemic; nor does a confederacy cease to be formidable in proportion to the increase of its partisans. It is possible for the public mind to be so famiarized with political evils, as to be deadened to he sense of their danger; and governments are s little disposed as individuals, to profit by any experience of which they do not pay the cost. f such fatuity were impossible, how could this question be entertained on British ground? Where could its supporters be found, amongst the representatives of a Protestant population, and the members of a Protestant church? But we live in a time of wonders, in a day of successive anomalies. The law of the land, as it now stands with respect to religion, is of a novel and singular stamp. It is yet illegal to impugn

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the truth of Christianity in general, but it is no longer illegal to assail or to deny its fundamental doctrine. The law soon may be-The government of the country is Protestant, but its administration may be PAPAL. After sufficient experience of the mischief which infidel writers could effect under some legal restraint, an experiment has been ventured, how much more could be done without it, and it has answered abundantly. Experience has shewn how Papists in Ireland can conduct themselves towards Protestants, when restrained by many disabilities; and an experiment is proposed, the result of which may distinctly ascertain the length to which that conduct can be extended when there is no disability at all.

The wisdom of past ages has transmitted a maxim concerning evils, that of two we should choose the least; the wisdom of the present seems to invert the rule, and, in this case at least, to choose the greatest. An enemy without the camp has hitherto been considered as less dangerous than an enemy within; but it is

now distinctly avowed, that an enemy within is the least dangerous of the two, and therefore he ought to be admitted; and an assertion is superadded, that when admitted he will become a FRIEND!! And upon such principles, Credite posteri! at the very moment when the enemy of the true faith, the scourge of Christendom for twelve centuries past, is marked out for judgment by the signal and predicted vengeance of the Almighty; when the seat of the Papacy is surrounded with armies, and the infallible Head of the Church preparing to save his person by flight, at this very moment a Protestant state is deliberating on the means of reviving his influence, and restoring his ascendancy; and actually providing a refuge for him or his adherents in the bosom of the British empire. How soon may she with THE QUEEN OF CARTHAGE say

Ejectos littore egenos

Excepi, et REGNI DEMENS IN PARTE LOCAVI!"

Neutrality towards Naples, is a measure of comparative indifference, while activity is mani

fested on behalf of Rome. Admit her representatives to a seat in our councils, and a share in our legislation, they will naturally and justly look to further concessions from THE THRONE, and nearer ascendancy over it; they will not forget, if we do, by what authority the title of "FIDEI DEFENSOR" was at first bestowed on a British Sovereign; or to what faith it referred: and, should the stream of royal favour taste of this fountain, the disposition to drink thereof abundantly will only be increased by indulgence.

The revival of Popery was for centuries the dread of England: to prevent this our reformers laboured our patriots bled. The progress of

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infidelity has, of late, formed a new and equally just ground of apprehension for her safety: the learned have fought against its abettors with the pen, the brave with the sword, But on a sudden this warfare ceases-an armistice is demanded and allowed to both-restrictions are done away-laws are repealed-concessions are granted-every avenue is to be cleared-and

every door, even that of the "bottomless pit!" is to be opened at once.

Popery and Infidelity, your Lordships are aware, are not the only foes, with which the Church of Christ is to contend in the closing periods of her militant state on earth. There is another and a more desperate enemy still, the parent and instigator of the other two, against whose extraordinary machinations the defenders of the true faith will be called to contend, even against the " Ruler of the darkness "of this world ;" and he has another instrument of assault (the most dangerous, because the least suspected) which a christian soldier must be prepared to resist, not by weapons of modern philosophy, or modern policy, but by putting on the whole armour of God.

This instrument, my Lords, is SORCERY or WITCHCRAFT. Under the term is comprehended" all kind of influence produced by "collusion with Satan; all persons who have dealings with Satan, if not actually entered "into formal compact with him." That such

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