on earth perhaps by the victims, that a wife, a husband, a sister, a brother, has been the secret accuser-from duty to the Virgin and the Church.' The signature of the unhappy victims to their confessions, or protests, is generally distinguished by the sign of the cross. O wofully perverted emblem! often traced in red ink with trembling hand, probably after the nerves and muscles had been strained almost to separation upon the rack. Pure fasting, deprivation of even bread and water, and perpetual imprisonment are among the severe tortures. The old Roman plan of starving criminals, leaving them forsooth to the care of the gods! The victims, whose sad story is now at last revealed, are of every land and every clime, including numbers of Englishmen. But these revelations belong to later times, so I must refer to those Records or Mr. Gibbing's pages for further information, and return to Archbishop Whately, with whose final remarks I bid my kind reader farewell. 'Trust in Names and Privileges is also a natural feeling; but spiritual privileges which are real, and titles which are not misapplied, are too often subjects of presumptuous boast and lead to indolent security. This is the first error, and the second is its natural consequence, the name survives the thing signified, the advantages are lost wholly or in part through confident reliance on their intrinsic efficacy, without an effort to improve them. The land which was fertile becomes a desert, through a confident trust that it will ensure wealth to the possessor, while he neglects to till it. This trust in their titles and privileges is one of the most mischievous of the Romish errors and mainly introduced the rest. St. Paul in the spirit of prophesy, foresaw this special error of the proud Romans' heart and forewarned their Church of their rejection equally with GOD's ancient Church, when forsaking the faith of Abraham. (Rom. xi. 20-22.) ARCHBISHOP WHATELY ON MODERN ROMANISM. 505 What was their original condition? They had renounced idolatry-they had worshipped the true God-they had the Sacred Scriptures in their hands for private study, and in their ears at their religious meetings-they had Christ's ordinances they had despised and abhorred the superstitious offerings, purifications, and other ceremonies of the pagans, and had trusted to be saved by the Atonement of Christ alone, and for acceptance before God by being "led by His SPIRIT." These glorious privileges they began to neglect and their vain and natural confidence rested in the past, in what had been done for them-confidence in the titles of Christian-of Orthodox-of Catholic-of the Church of GOD and of His Apostles, and careless of living "as becometh saints." They trusted that no deadly error could creep into their holy community; they adopted one by one the very errors-under new names-of the paganism which their forefathers had renounced-"Striving unto blood :" and thanking God, like the Pharisee, that they were not as other men are, they became gradually like their pagan ancestors, with the aggravation of their having sinned against light, and their confidence all the while increasing along with their carelessness and corruption. When "their gold was become dross," they boasted more than ever of their wealth, in the midst of their grossest errors insisted on their infallibility! "How did the faithful city become an harlot!" Idolatry of the grossest kind was gradually restored; the worshippers of the one true God manifested in Christ Jesus paid their chief adoration to deified mortals. The Scriptures of Truth were secluded from the people under the veil of an unknown tongue (Latin becoming gradually obsolete); and their authority made of none effect by traditions; their sacraments became superstitious charms; their public service a kind of magical incantation, muttered in a dead language; Christian holiness was com angel of light," muted for holy water, fantastic penances, pilgrimages, amulets, pecuniary donations, &c., &c., in the very worst forms. "How is the faithful city become an harlot !” We are taught that "Satan himself is transformed into an but he does not use always, and everywhere, the same disguise. As soon as one is seen through, he is ready to assume another; and it is vain that we detect the artifice which has done its work on other men, unless we are on our guard against the same Tempter under some new transformation;—assuming afresh among ourselves the appearance of some angel of light. Forgetful of this, the 2 less shall we be on our guard against the spirit of popery in the human heart, against similar faults in some different shapes; the more shall we be apt to deem every danger of the kind effectually escaped, by keeping out of the pale of that corrupt Church.' Milman, (See Gibbon, v. 383-389; vi. 140-177, 195, 226-372. L.C. ii. 5-78, 119-170, 204-306. Neander, v. 178-182, 313. Mosheim, ii. 134. Gieseler, ii. 200-208, 230-231. Bower, ii. 545-550. Hallam, Middle Ages, i. 6-13. Forster, Mahommedanism Unveiled, i. 416; ii. 498. Whately, Errors of Romanism, passim. Gibbings, Manfredi, Martyrdom of Carnesecchi, Minorite Friar sentenced to be walled up. Cayman, vii. 6.) INDEX. AGRIPPA, Herod, page 46, 50, 52, | Attila, Hun, 391-395. 53. Agrippina, Empress, 65-70. Agrippina, 36. Alaric, Goth, 357, 386. Alemanni, tribe, 196, 322, 460. Amalasontha, Queen, 417. Ammianus, 328, 333, 400, 405. (Faust) Roman Civil Law, Antioch, 88, 133, 163, 168, 246, 330, 469, avenger, 474-476. Aurelian, Emperor, 196-200. policy, 21-23, architecture, 27, Augustus, title, 21, 94, 202. 367, conversion, 369, style, BABYLON, 88, mystic, 304, 348. Belisarius, exploits and fall, 418– 427. Benedict, monk, story, literature, Arianism, 287, 300, 311, 315, 347, Cæsars, title, 94, 202. 377, 461. Nice, 283, 286, trials, 308- Caius, Emperor, 43, 47, 51, 56. Caracalla, Emperor, 182, 221. Catacombs, Roman, 241--245. Celibacy, Roman, 30, ascetic, 224, | Didius, Julianus, Emperor, 180. 225, clerical, 288, 335, 349, 499. Chrysostom, Archbishop, life, elo- Cicero, 131, 272. Claudius, Emperor, 56-67. Diocletian, Emperor, 200, 213, 250. 293, 489, of Pepin, 486. Fine Arts, Egyptian, Grecian, Ro- Galen, physician, 168. Gladiator, 26, 112-115, suppressed, Clement of Alexandria, 216, 225, Gordians, Emperor, 192, 193. 226, Clementina, Christian romance, 87. Constantius, Emperor, 308, 319, Constantine, the Great, 254-260, 460, pretended true, 296, 493. Peter, 238, consolation, 239. Goths, liberty, architecture, 194, 196, 357. Gratian, Emperor, 332, 339. Hermas, Shepherd, 138. Honorius, Emperor, 258, 360, 385, Honoria, princess, 392. Hosius, bishop, 283, 289. Humility, never Roman Virtue, 19. |