Popes."-" It is very unjust," says that very learned man, “ to charge the popes, or the catholic church, with countenancing knowingly false "legends; seeing all the divines of that communion "unanimously condemn all such forgeries, as lies "in things of great moment, and grievous sins; "and all the councils, popes, and other bishops, "have always expressed the greatest horror of such "villanies, which no cause or circumstances what

ever can authorize, and which, in things relating “to religion, are always of the most heinous nature. "Hence the authors, when detected, have been 66 always punished with the utmost severity.

"To instance examples of this nature would form “a complete history. For the church has always most severely condemned all manner of forgeries*.”

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• Similar passages may be found in almost all the romancatholic controversial writers. We prefer that, which we present to our readers, on account of the acknowledged learning and moderation of Mr. Alban Butler; the great esteem in which his writings are held by roman-catholics of ́every country, and the respect which was shown him by many protestant divines of our own, as doctor Lowth, doctor Keanicot, doctor Pearce, and doctor Lort; and because Mr. Alban Butler is the author of the "Lives of the Saints," a work of uncommon erudition and piety, and universally admired. Translations of it have appeared in the French, Italian and Spanish languages; an Italian translation of it is now in the press.

III. 3.

Doctrine taught in Monasteries,-great Misrepresentation of it by two eminent Protestant Writers.

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If we credit doctor Robertson, "instead of aspiring to sanctity and virtue, which alone can render "men acceptable to the great Author of Order and "Excellence, the clergy imagined that they satisfied every obligation of duty, by a scrupulous observ"ance of external ceremonies. Religion, according to their conception of it, comprehended nothing else; and the rites, by which they per"suaded themselves that they could gain the favour "of Heaven, were of such a nature as might have "been expected from the rude ideas of the ages "which devised and introduced them. They were "either so unmeaning, as to be altogether unworthy "of the Being to whose honour they were conse"crated; or so absurd, as to be a disgrace to reason "and humanity. All the religious maxims and "practices of the dark ages," continues the royal historiographer in a note to this passage," are a proof "of this. I shall produce one remarkable testi

mony, in confirmation of it, from an author "canonized by the church of Rome, St. Eloy, or

Eligius, bishop of Noyon, in the seventh century. "He is a good christian who comes frequently

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to church; who presents the oblation, which "is offered unto God upon the altar; who doth "not taste of the fruits of his own industry, until

D

" he has consecrated a part of them to God; who, "when the holy festivals approach, lives chastely, "even with his own wife, during several days, that "with a safe conscience he may draw near to the "altar of God; and who, in the last place, can re"peat the creed and the Lord's prayer. Redeem "then your souls from destruction, while you have "the means in your power; offer presents and "tithes to churchmen; come more frequently to “church; humbly implore the patronage of the "saints; for, if you observe these things, you "may come with security in the day to the tri"bunal of the Eternal Judge, and say, Give to us, O Lord! for we have given unto thee.' "(Dacherii Spicilegium veter. Script. v. ii. p. 94.) "The learned and judicious translator of doctor "Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, from one of "whose additional notes I have borrowed this pas

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sage, subjoins a very proper reflection: We see "here a large and ample description of a good "christian, in which there is not the least mention " of the love of God, resignation to his will, obe"dience to his laws, or of justice, benevolence or "charity towards men.' (Mos. Eccles. Hist. v. i. P. 324.)"

་

A charge, expressed in more direct or stronger terms against the clergy of the middle ages, for teaching a false and depraved system of morality, cannot be imagined. What then must be the surprise of the reader, when, from the perusal of the following passage in Mr. Lingard's learned and

elegant Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church *, he finds the whole to be an absolute misrepresenta tion? From that period," says Mr. Lingard,referring to the publication of doctor Robertson's History," this citation from the writings of St. "Eloy, or St. Eligius, has held a very distinguished ❝ place in every invective which has been published "against the clergy of former ages: and the defi"nition of the good christian has been re-echoed "a thousand times by the credulity of writers, and "their readers. May I hope to escape the impu"tation of scepticism, when I own that I have "always been inclined to mistrust this host of witnesses, and their quotations? I at last resolved "to consult the original document; nor were my "expectations disappointed. I discovered that the "bishop of Noyon had been foully calumniated ; "and that, instead of his real doctrine, a garbled "extract had been presented to the public. That "the good christian should pay the dues of the "church, he indeed requires; but he also requires, "that he should cultivate peace among his neigh"bours; forgive his enemies; love all mankind as "himself; observe the precepts of the decalogue; "and faithfully comply with the engagements "which he contracted at his baptism."

I insert the text of the bishop in a note †. The *P. 91, note (B.)

+"Non ergo vobis sufficit, charissimi, quod christianum "nomen accepistis; si opera christiana non facitis. Illi "enim prodest, quod christianus vocatur, qui semper Christi "precepta mente retinet, et opere perficit; qui furtum, scilicet, non facit; qui falsum testimonium non dicit; qui nec

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following is Mr. Lingard's translation of it: "It "does not, therefore, most dear christians, suf"fice to you, that you have received the christian name, unless you do christian works. For to "him it avails to be called a christian, who always "keeps in his mind the precepts of Christ, and ful"fils them by his works. Such is he, who does "not steal; who does not bear false witness; who "does not lie, or forswear; who does not commit "adultery; who hateth no one, but loveth all as "himself; who does not return evil to his enemies, "but rather prayeth for them; who does not raise " quarrels, but recals quarrellers to peace. On "account of its similarity," continues Mr. Lingard, "I shall subjoin another description of the good "christian from an Anglo-Saxon prelate, Wulstan,

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archbishop of York :-'Let us always profess one "true faith, and love God with all our mind and "might; and carefully keep all his command❝ments, and give to God that part (of our sub"stance), which by his grace we are able to give ; "and earnestly avoid all evil, and act righteously "to all others; that is, behave to others as we "wish others to behave to us. He is a good chris"tian who observeth this *.""

Such was the doctrine taught in the monasteries. May it not be confidently asked, whether it be not ❝mentitur, nec pejerat; qui adulterium non committit; qui "nullum hominem odit, sed omnes, sicut semetipsum, diligit; "qui inimicis suis malum non reddit, sed magis pro ipsis "orat; qui lites non concitat, sed discordes ad concordiam "revocat, &c." Dach. Spicil. tom. v. p. 213.

* Sermo Lupi episc. ap. Whil. p. 487.