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calls a witness into court to prove his case; and, instead of allowing said witness to speak for himself, or proving that he is worthy of credit, he merely remarks: This witness, Gentlemen of the jury, clearly affirms that I am the supreme head of the Church of Christ on earth.' But, I beg,' says the opposite counsel, 'to cross-examine the witness, in order to ascertain-First, his credibility; and, Second, the real nature of his testimony.' As to his credibility,' remarks the Pope, with much candour, I freely admit that his oath did not deserve credit in any court in Europe till I gave him a character; nor even now does his evidence deserve the slightest attention, only when it is in my favour.'

That is very singular,' adds the counsellor, 'but as you have brought him into court to prove your vicarship, I should like to examine him, to see what he says on that point.'

You may, if you please,' quoth the Pope, but then it must be through me. For you must know that it is impossible to understand him in the vulgar tongue, and even in the "authentic Latin," he speaks so indistinctly, that without my interpretation, you could make nothing of his evidence. The truth is, he is almost dumb, and nobody but myself can tell infallibly what is passing in his mind.'

INFALLIBILITY.

317

And pray, how did you get this exclusive prerogative of telling what is passing in his mind? What proof have we that you possess it?'

• What proof have you? You have no proof— but I have, and that is enough!!'"

I have, my dear Friend, dwelt thus long on this point, to show that your church has no foundation but private judgment—that her pretended infallibility rests on a mere petio principii, a begging of the question, as gross and as palpable as any that can be found in the category of sophisms! You perceive that, in order to convince the infidel, the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Spencer must produce the evidence in favour of the inspiration of the Bible-external and internal. Would that he were acquainted with the most powerful of all-the experimental! Would that he had found the " Gospel the power of God" to his own salvation! A young lady, lately converted in a French convent, told the Archbishop of Canterbury that she had not changed her religion-the Roman Catholic faith being the first that had been offered to her. She had been a nominal Protestant, but not a real one. Such, it is to be hoped, was the case with Mr. Spencer. This supposition must be made in order to save his intellect.

Now, if the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Spencer, in

to be every where received, and cursing all that would charge it with any errors. But Pope Clement VIII., his successor, not having the fear of these curses before his eyes, brought out a new edition in 1593. “The difference,” says Mr. C. Butler," between the two Papal editions is considerable. Dr. James, in his celebrated Bellum Papale, reckons 2,000 instances in which they differ; Father Henry de Bukentop a Recollet, made a similar collection."

Lucas Brugensis reckoned 4000 places in which, in his opinion, the Bible of Clement VIII. wants correction. "Cardinal Bellarmine, who had a principal part in the publication of the edition, praised his industry, and wrote to him that those concerned in the work had not corrected it with the utmost accuracy; and that, intentionally, they had passed over many mistakes."--("Scias velim Biblia Vulgata non esse a nobis accuratissime castigata: multa enim de industria, justis de causis, pertransivimus."Bellarmine.)

Yet this is the Bible which, according to Mr. Butler, was declared by the Council of Trent to beinerrant "—"where the dogmas of faith or morals are concerned." "In this decision," he adds, "every Roman Catholic must acquiesce, as he receives the Scriptures from the church,

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under her authority, and with her interpretation."*

A Bible with four thousand acknowledged blunders, is the best that the Council of Trent and the Pope could give to the church. Marvellous ! And yet this Bible, with four thousand errors is inerrant! But who shall decide between these two infallible Vicars of Christ? They both bitterly cursed all that should make any alterations. Pope SIXTUS cursed Pope CLEMENT:

"When Greek fought Greek then was the tug of war."

The fact is, however, that the Vulgate now extant never had the sanction of a general council, as that of Trent had broken up before it was issued. And, what more nearly concerns you and your fellow-worshippers, the English versions of the Bible have never been sanctioned by the whole church at all. Various editions have been issued under episcopal authority, nearly all differing from one another. The Douay was made from what has been called the "Authentic Latin." Therefore, it is the translation of a translation. And that it was an inaccurate trans

* Ibid, page 121.

lation, is clear from the fact that your bishops have corrected it at various times.

You have heard of " Ward's Errata" of the English Bible. Those very "errata” have, in many cases, been adopted by Archbishop Murray as the true rendering. For instance :—

Rhemish Testament-(True English, according to Ward,)-Rom. viii. 18, " Not condign to the glory to come."

Authorized or Protestant Bible—"Not worthy to be compared with the glory," &c.

Archbishop Murray's Bible-" Not worthy to be compared with the glory," &c.

Rhemish Testament-Heb. ii. 9, "But him that was a little lessened under the angels, we see Jesus, because of the passion of death, crowned with glory and honour."

Protestant Bible—“ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death," &c.

Archbishop Murray's Bible-" But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death," &c.

Rhemish Testament-1 Pet. i. 25, “And this is the word which is evangelised among you." Protestant Bible-And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you."

Archbishop Murray's Bible-" And this is the

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