enquire where these "growing lights, and diffusion of knowCertainly not among the Bishops, Church of Rome. If any such

ledge," appear in Ireland? Priests, or Laity, of the evidences can be produced, let us have them. If they cannot, you must excuse me, Sir, for reminding you of the ancient, but valuable maxim of Law, "de non apparentibus, et non existentibus, eadem est ratio." Nothing would give me greater pleasure, than to see such Christian and Catholic Principles, in operation. I have looked out, earnestly and anxiously, for the proofs of a better spirit, greater light, and more charity, in the Romish Hierarchy, and Laity, both in England and Ireland, than they formerly displayed, but having, instead of discovering such desiderata, found the direct opposites, of all such estimable qualities, existing in the most malignant form, I have considered it my duty, to adduce those instances publicly, and, I now challenge you, as publicly, either to disprove my statements, or to produce (if you shall be able), any evidences, of a more tolerant, a more liberal, and a more enlightened feeling, on the part of the Rulers, and Members, of the Church of Rome, towards the Church of England, and the Protestant Religion, than has hitherto existed. If you shall neglect to do this, I am content to rest the case, which I have advanced, upon the facts, by which it is supported, and let a Protestant Public judge between us. I wish, however, to be distinctly understood, upon this part of the argument, which respects the diffusion of Education in Ireland. As far as the lower classes of Ireland are concerned, it is not to be doubted, (and I rejoice in the fact), that the Sunday School Society, the Religious Tract Society, and other PROTESTANT Institutions, have done, and are doing, much in the Religious Education of the People, and may THE AL MIGHTY, continue to give them his blessing. The Irish, are gradually acquiring Religious light and knowledge,. under their present Instruction: in other words, they are gradually becoming Protestants. Let the present system of teaching, only proceed for a sufficient period, and Ireland, will be so far enlightened, as to emancipate herself, from her degrading

bondage of Romish Idolatry, and Superstition, (a yoke, which has long been too heavy for her to bear); in which case, she will, under a sense of her proper dignity, and her real interests, be so far from joining in the senseless cry of her deceivers, for "Catholic Emancipation," that she will see her real glory and happiness, to lie all another way. If, however, while she is but partially enlightened, and only in the infancy of her Spiritual existence, the transfer of Political Power, or of any considerable portion of that Power, to Popish Legislators, and Governors, should take place; the inappropriate nostrum of this premature experiment, must effectually undo all the Religious and Moral good, which is at present doing in Ireland. Such men cannot, if they are honest men, either love the Religion of the Bible, or endure that their own subjects should be wrested from their rule, and become (as they are now becoming), Members of a Scriptural Church, and Disciples of another Master. Popery, in Power, will soon make herself known, and felt, by the Bible Societies, Missionary Societies, Religious Tract Societies, Sunday School (and other Protestant School) Societies, and, in short, by all who shall, collectively, or individually, attempt to make, or keep, any portion of the Population of Ireland, PROTESTANT. It is because I am Protestant enough to wish the People of Ireland to be persuaded,-not compelled,—(which God forbid), to be come Protestants, that I would keep Papists, where, and as, they are; that is, in a situation, where they cannot hinder the extensive good, which is at present effecting, nor exercise their unchanged intolerance, over all, or any, of the Religious Societies, or Individuals, who are now earnestly labouring, for the Spiritual and Eternal Interests, of the Sister Country. Prove, Sir, as your hypothesis assumes, that the important work of Religious Education, and Evangelical Instruction, can go on, under Popish Privy Counsellors, Judges, and Legislators, and I will concede one half that you require. I have shown, thet these Men-their Church-and their Principles, remain the same. Of course, their Practice, must continue the same. What then becomes of their "intelligence,

rank, and property," upon the score of which qualities, you now claim to set them up over Protestants? Have the foes and persecutors of the Church of Christ, in any age, wanted for "intelligence, rank, and property?" Really, Sir, it might have been expected, that YOU, at least, would have required some other requisites for the Government of Protestants, than the ingredients you have specified; but we here find you assuming, (in defiance of all that the pen of History has traced in characters of blood), that provided, the wisdom of this world, the elevation of place, and the influence of property, be only found to meet in Legislators, and Governors, it signifies little or nothing, whether they are Protestants, or Papists. If this be not the plain and evident sense of your argument, I contend, that it has no assignable, or intelligible, meaning. You, expressly demand, "Political Weight and Power," for "Roman Catholics, possessed of intelligence, rank, and property." I humbly, but confidently, affirm, that no conceivable extent, of intelligence, rank, or property, will justify a Protestant Legislature, in giving Political Weight, and Power, in a Protestant Nation, to Men, who are bound both to God and Man, to prefer the Romish Faith, to our own, and to use their utmost exertion, to obtain for that Faith, the Religious, and Political ascendancy, which it deservedly lost, by the verdict of the whole Country, at the Reformation, and the Revolution.

I propose to consider further, in my next, your Speech for the Romish Claims,

And am, Dear Sir,

Your most obedient, humble Servant,,

AMICUS PROTESTANS.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XXV.

In pursuing your public defence of the Romish Claims, you observe that "instead of possessing a Religion, founded like that of the Ancients, upon delusion, the evidence of ours, rests upon the principles of reason; and you thence infer, that “intolerance is as repugnant to its spirit, as it is unnecessary for its support," which, is to charge with "intolerance" every opponent of the Roman Catholic Claims, after you had already designated, the same opposition as so much persecution." These, Sir, are hard words; but not happening to hold with MIRABEAU, that "words are things," I venture to doubt, whether your charge of “intolerance," can be any better supported than that of "persecution." Your assertion is most true, that the Protestant Religion, is not founded, like the Idolatry of the ancients, upon delusion; but then you neglect to inform us, and appear, almost to have forgotten, that the Protestant Religion, as Established in Church and State, exists in fundamental, and eternal opposition, to the Idolatry of the MODERNS, as well, as to that of the Ancients; and, until you shall have the courage openly, to vindicate the Church of Rome, from Idolatry, and shall succeed in the attempt, I must continue to think, that it signifies very little, whether one form of Idol-worship or another, be in question, and that we might as well admit the believers in Polytheism, to political power, as the believers in Transubstantiation—and perhaps, the former, more harmlessly of the two-there being no essential difference (as is abundantly demonstrated, by the first, and ablest, of our Theologians), between a belief in the many Gods of Heathenism, and a belief in the false God of Popery, as exhibited by the Priest, to the adoration of the worshipping multitude, after the performance of that standing miracle, by which his deluded followers are required to believe, in direct contradiction to the testimony of their own senses, that the bread they behold

with their bodily eyes, is absolutely, properly, and essentially, no other than God himself! It appears to me, therefore, that in choosing only, to introduce the Religion of the Ancient Idolaters, (which was not at all in question) into your argument, to the exclusion of the Religion of the Modern Idolaters, (which was peculiarly in question), you have dealt somewhat hardly by the Ancients, as bearing exclusively, upon their ignorance and corruption, and not dealt fairly by the Protestant Faith, as suppressing all notice of the ignorance and corruption of that Apostate Church, whose Members you now seek to invest with political rank and power. Really, Sir, it is something like throwing dust in our eyes, to remind us of Ancient darkness, and error, and, at the same time, to take no more notice of Modern darkness, and error, than if they had no existence, while in point of fact, the main reason, why the descendants of the English Martyrs, fear to see the adherents of the Church of Rome, in place and power, is, because they believe, they shall behold Modern Idolatry, exalted with them: it not being at all conceiveable by us, that the Modern Priests, and Servants of BAAL, would be content to accept of eminent station, upon condition, that they should leave their Religion behind them, or, that they should cease from striving (as they have ever yet done), to gain converts to that Religion, in any, and every way.

Your next recommendation of the Claims, is drawn from the excellence, and amiableness, of certain Members of the Romish Church, and you particularly instance FENELON, as having been "sent from Heaven to bless mankind, with the mildness of his wisdom, and the efficacy of his example." Perhaps, Sir, a more unfortunate reference, in proof of your

* A Romish Missionary, after having taken great pains to instruct ą Chinese Disciple, in Christianity, asked him before a large assembly, "How many Gods there were ?" To which the pupil, very unexpectedly answered "None." "None!" exclaimed the astonished Priest, "why have I not always told you there was one?" "Yes, Sir," replied the new Convert," but you know I ate him yesterday!"