Romana Ecclesia, (quod quis hominum suadere se posse autumet?) aut hoc profectò nullo modo fieri potest.

Non negârim equidem, (dedimus enim et nos strenuè, quantum potuimus, operam huic instituto) penes utramque litigantium partem esse sacra pacis limina, quæ aliquanto propiùs liceret, absque ullo fidei damno, salutare. Nam et levicula quædam sunt, quæ tutò liceret alterutri, si opus foret, indulgere; neque quid impedit, quò minùs in tractandarum, quæ necessariò obveniunt, controversiarum modo, plus utrinque moderationis Christianæ possit adhiberi. Sed, ut unanimem in summis religionis capitibus (quæ nunc est Romæ indoles) concordiam ineamus, dolens edico, haud minùs impossibile est, quàm lucem tenebris, Beliali Deum consociari.

Quàm infamis audit hodie Johannis Sturmii media, non secus ac lata illa, quæ ad imum usque Barathrum deducit, via! Quàm vapulat etiamnum bonus ille Cassander; Friciúsque; et quisquis moderatioris ingenii Theologus pacis ausus est meminisse! Quin et tepidos hæreticis suis connumerandos censuit pridem, nec nemo Gallicanorum Patrum, Gualterus. Quis verò te meliùs novit, quàm mordicùs olim tenuerunt Tridentini Patres vel minimas quasque quisquilias; stipulamque suæ, quam vocant, fidei? quibus Orbem Christianum penitùs conflagrare maluerunt Romani rerum domini, quàm ut tantillum suo qualicunque jure cedere viderentur.

Ecqua nunc spes est, post tot annorum pertinaciam, profusiores veri Pontificios charissimis erroribus ultro renunciaturos? Nimiâ profectò fide sit oportet, qui istud crediderit.

Eat nunc quis probus monitor, et suggerat ista, cujus in pectore conclusa delitescit Ecclesia, Pontifici Summo. "Sine me modò suadere tibi, obsecro, Sancte Pater, ut fastuosum hunc Papatum, Monarchicumque in Ecclesias Dei Imperium, abdicare velis. Noli cathedram tuam, quod soles, “àvaμáρTηTоv venditare. Desine tibi, post tam apertam tuorum hominum erubescentiam, arrogare gladium illum alterum potestatis secularis. Cave tui ipsius præcepta divinis æquiparanda censeas edicásque. Insigne illud commentum Transubstantiationis, Sacrificii Missatici, Purgatorii Ignis, fatere tandem et exsibila. Noli Ecclesiam Christianam deinceps ludos facere lucrosis In

gines he can persuade us this?) or the object can by no means be achieved.

For my own part I would not deny, (for I too have devoted all the pains and labour I was able to the same project,) that, within reach of either of the contending parties, there are sacred lines of peace, which, without any damage to their faith, they might approach somewhat nearer, and salute. For not only are there trifles, which one or other of them, if need were, might safely venture to forego; but no reason can be assigned, why, in the manner of conducting controversies which arise inevitably, a larger measure of Christian moderation should not be employed on both sides. But that, while Rome continues in her present mood, we should enter an engagement of unanimity on the chief heads of religion, I say (though I say it weeping) is a thing no less impossible, than that light should be associated with darkness, God with Belial.

How vile a reputation has that middle way (a middle and a broad one!) of Johannes Sturmius obtained now-a-days, which leads down to the lowest depth of Hell! How sorely to this hour is worthy Cassander lashed; and Fricius too; and every other Divine, of a more moderate spirit, who has dared put in a word for peace! Nay, Gualter (and he no mean one among the Fathers of the Gallican Church) decided, not long since, that lukewarm men were to be included in his list of heretics. And who knows better than yourself, how tenaciously the Fathers of Trent held fast, in latter times, the veriest refuse of the schools; the husks and straws of what they designate their creed? with which our lords and masters at Rome would rather that the Christian world should burn till it was consumed, than that they should appear to bate one jot or tittle from the authority they make so much of.

Now, then, what is our hope, that, after the stubbornness of so many years, Papists, more lavish than ever of the truth, will voluntarily renounce their dearest errors? The man must have indeed an exuberance of faith, who can believe this.

Come; let some honest counsellor go and tender these suggestions to the Pope; within whose breast the Church lies shut up. "I pray you, Holy Father, allow me just to assure you, that you had better abdicate this pompous Popedom of yours, and this Monarchical Supremacy over the Churches of God. Tell us no more, as you were wont, of your infallible chair. Assert your claim no longer to the sword of secular power, after the conviction and exposure of your partisans. Beware how you esteem and pronounce your own commands of equal veneration with those of God. Confess and reject that notable device of Transubstantiation, of the Sacrifice of the Mass, of the Fire of Purgatory. Suffer not the Church of Christ henceforth to chuckle over the gains she gets

dulgentiarum nundinationibus. Jubeas ne sanctorum effigies reliquiæve in idola convertantur." Quid, quæso, aliud, à magno Romuli nepote, nisi facem crucémve reportabit?

Quid, ergo? ubi steterit palam errorum parentibus simul et patronis, quidvis aut agere aut pati potiùs, quàm ut à sententiâ suâ, quamlibet impiâ ac prodigiosâ, discedere velint; quid à nobis tandem putat Paternitas vestra, primævæ veritatis asseclis, posse expectari, ut conclamatissimis erroribus dare manus, et plus quàm servili jugo Pontificia Tyrannidis colla subdere, jam serò animum inducamus? Non ita sanè et Deum et hominem exuere possumus, ut hâc tam insanâ lege pacem colere mavelimus. Alterum profectò horum, si quando convenire lubitum, planè necesse est; ut aut illi errare, aut nos rectà ire desinamus: illud, ipsi valdè nolunt; hoc, Deus.

Quòd si, qui olim Cæsari animus fuisse dicitur, non nisi difficillima quæque obeundi, idem hodie sacratum Deo pectus insideat promoveátque; cave tibi, Tyrrhenum mare ingressuro, à Duodecim Scopulis, plebi quidem nautarum forsitan incognitis, tibi verò peritissimo naviculatori exploratissimis. Minitantur illi scilicet exitium non cymbis modò quotidianis, seu onerariis, seu actuariis; sed, ubi eò transfretaveris, sanè aut impingat tua navis necesse est, aut subsidat.

Dicam planiùs; ne te salus ipsa servare poterit, ubi Romam accesseris, quin aut damnatos à te pridem errores, mutatâ velificatione, revoces resorbeásque; aut damneris vivi comburio. Durum utrunque omen; nec, ullâ aliâ ratione, nisi prudenti, quod cautus usque fecisti, profugio, avertendum. Potéstne fieri, ut adeò sis prodigus totius tui, horum uti alterutrum tutò placidèque vitam istic agenti arrideat? Certa mors imminet utrinque reduci; corporis quidem, si verum fateri audes; si dejerare, animæ.

At, at siquidem animo jampridem discessum à nobis anteverteris, non erit ut de diuturniore aliquâ molis extimæ retentione solliciti simus. Nolo ego de te,, tanto Theologo, mali quicquam opinari. Levis cujusdam inconstantiæ, si te tuum ipsius factum palam alligârit, est quod tibi succenseas.

Dic mihi verò, per Deum immortalem, magne Presul, quid tandem est, quod te nobis, post aliquot annorum moram, jam de subito abripere, Romámque pellicere potuit ?

by public traffic in Indulgences. Give orders, that neither the images nor relics of the saints be turned into idols." What else suppose you our friend will get from the great descendant of Romulus, but a fagot or a gallows?

How, then? Where there exists a palpable determination, both with the parents and with the patrons of error, to do or suffer anything, rather than depart from their opinions, however wicked and monstrous; how can your Fatherhood suppose it should be expected from us, the advocates of primitive truth, that we should consent, after all, to shake hands with the most desperate and deadly errors, and bend our necks to the worse than slavish yoke of Papal Tyranny? No, indeed; we cannot so discard our concern both for God and man, as to prefer peace on conditions so outrageous. Should we ever come to terms, one of these two things must happen; either they must cease to go wrong, or we to go right: the former is disallowed by them; the latter, by God.

But if (as is said to have been the case with Cæsar) no thought but that of undertaking the most arduous service inspires and animates a breast, devoted, like yours, to God; be on your guard, as you are entering the Tuscan Sea, against the Twelve Rocks, unknown perhaps to the generality of sailors, but quite familiar to a navigator so experienced as yourself. They threaten destruction not only to the usual craft of boats, and pinnaces, and wherries; but your ship, once driven across the sea against them, must either wreck or founder.

Is

To speak more plainly: once arrived at Rome, it will be beyond the reach of help to save you, but either by a change of course you must recall, and swallow down afresh, the errors you before condemned, or else be sent alive to the flames. The choice is disagreeable, either way; yet only to be escaped by a cautious avoidance, such as you well know how to manage. it possible, that you can be so regardless of all you have and are, that either one of these alternatives should please you, in the midst of a safe and comfortable life? Certain death awaits you, one way or the other, the very moment you go back; the death of your body, if you dare confess the truth; of your soul, if you dare deny it.

But if so be your mind has been beforehand in departing from us, it will be scarcely worth our while to shew solicitude about the further retention of your person. I, for one, am loath to think any evil of so great a Divine as you are. You have only to upbraid yourself for levity and fickleness, if any act or deed of your own is able to impeach you openly.

Yet tell me, good Prelate, in the name of God immortal, what is it which prevails, after a pause of so many years, now, of a sudden, to carry you away from us, and wheedle you to Rome?

Numquid inhospita tibi visa est gens nostra; minúsve, quàm fortè speraras, virtutibus tuis indultum?

Causari profectò istud non potes; in quem larga Benignissimi Regis manus tam ampla, tam opima congessit ultro munera; majora insuper, si foret opus, largitura; quem Aula, Urbs, Academia utraque, Plebs denique universa, ita suspicere solita est et venerari! Quin et hæc ipsa, quâ jam, Serenissimi Regis beneficio, frueris, discedendi libertas, quàm ingenuè tecum istic actum fuerit, satis clamitat. Non ea patet ubique nobis plenissima eundi quà lubet, redeundíque facultas. Fuêre è nostris, quibus Romam vidisse capitale pridem fuit: sunt, qui, ubi sævæ urbis limina infelici pede tetigerint, cesserint illico lictori, jamque septendecim plùs minùs annos, modò usque superesse licuerit, carcere Inquisitorio crudelissimè detenti sunt. Non ita nos tractamus hostes; non perduelles nostros; nedum advenas æquè patent istuc cœlum et terra: pessimèque de Britanniâ nostrâ meriti, hospitium nimis herclè benignum sibi pollicentur.

Num tibi ergo parùm placuêre mores nostri?

Paulò forsan depravatiores solutiorésque, quàm par est, vivendi rationes. Obrepent certè vel sanctissimo populo sæculi sui vitia; neque nostros omnes immunes venditamus ab illâ malorum illuvie, cujus bonos quosque et piget et pudet seriò. Venient scandala; Luc. xvii. 1. vetus verbum est Servatoris. Atqui, teipsum appello testem judicémque; quicquid sumus, non adhuc Italiam impietate exæquavimus. Cedemus profectò, non inviti, genti Pontificia; neque illi diram hanc inhonestámque palmam invidebimus. Finge nos, si placet, multò adhuc improbiores: justificabit nos tamen Roma, ipsa Delos Pontificii Apollinis, Itali Vice-Dei coelum; de quâ meritò, quod olim, dixerit Deus, Vivo ego, dicit Dominus Deus; quia non fecit Sodoma soror tua, ipsa et filiæ ejus, sicut fecisti tu et filiæ tuæ; Ezek. xvi. 48. Etiam inter Purpuratos Ecclesiæ illius Moderatores comperies, à quibus turpissimi inter nostros ganeones facilè se victos fatebuntur.

Quid ergo, demum? Num displicet, quam nos istic profitemur, religio?

Absit, absit ut grandævus Antistes, tam eximiis animi doti