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POPERY

IN

OXFORD.

TtoS ''t|i Where is the glory ?
1 Sam. ir. 21.

Rev. peter maurice, m.a.
CHAPLAIN OF NEW COLLEGE.

OXFORD,

PUBLISHED BY J.L.WHEELER;
SOLD AIiSO BY MGSSKS. BAMILTON hTKJ) CO;, AHB
J. NISBET, LONDON.
1833.

POPERY IN OXFORD.

The object of this paper is to lay before the public a few
facts relative to the state of the Roman Catholic religion,
more especially in the City of Oxford and its immediate
¦vicinity. Amidst the many contrivances by which the subtle enemy
of the htuuan soul is constantly diverting men's thoughts
from God, it is his wisdom to conceal from their view the
operations of the Church of Rome, an engine upon which
he has exhausted all his energies, and therefore may justly
be called Satan's masterpiece.
In order that none, (in Oxford at least,) more especially
those of the household of faith, may be ignorant of his de
vices, this method is resorted to of endeavouring to remove
that covering which is spread like a veil over the people.
It may be the Lord wiU bless the same. It may be that
he wiE open the eyes of those who neither see nor suspect
the danger which is impending, that they may cry unto him
who is -willing to hear and able to save; and that their
attention may be directed toward our poor deluded fellow-
creatures, who, (as far as Oxford is concerned,) are left to
perish, body and soul, without any effort made to rescue
them from their hard taskmaster.
May the spirit of love accompany that which is sent
a2

forth in a spirit of prayer — may the love of God in Christ
Jesus dictate, carry abroad, and crown it with success.
Facts.
1. Romanists are on the increase in Oxford. Whereas a
few years back they scarcely amounted to so many scores,
they are now multiplied into hundreds.
2. The R. Catholic population in Oxford and its imme
diate vicinity averages already five hundred, or possibly
more. 3. R. Catholics may be seen frequenting every church in
Oxford, either regularly or occasionally.
To this fact it may be objected, that it bears the appear
ance of a contradiction ; since there exists in the Church of
Rome a general prohibition with respect to entering places
where heretics assemble. — I grant that it does appear so ;
but the Priest knows too well the interests of his church to
impose any severe penance for such conduct ; because he
finds that it does not lessen, but rather increases his flock ;
for R. Cathohcs, by attending Protestant places of worship,
make the ignorant Protestants imagine that there is no
great difiPerence between their respective religions.
4. The Priest, (a Jesuit,) is very active in his avocation,
though he has the prudence to confine his personal labours
in the way of proselytizing to the neighbourhood in which
he resides — St. Clement's.
5. The Chapel is situate in the centre of- the populous
parish of St. Clement, which it will soon be necessary to
enlarge, or else build a second ; it is always well filled, the
average mmiber on an unfavourable Lord's day being about
170, on a fine day in the summer from 200 to 250; in a

word, crowded to an overflow; neither is this to be wondered
at, for the style and substance of the discourses delivered
there are calculated to produce an indescribable effect upon
those who may be seduced to listen to them, if they have
no settled religious notions of their own.
The Priest's manner in his public preaching is in the
highest degree animated and energetic, with all the sem
blance of real piety and sincerity; in a word, what carnal
men would term methodistical; and, indeed, I fear
were a similar question put to the Romish Priest, which
was addressed by a Bishop of Rochester to a late celebrated
stage player : " Why do we proclaim the most awful truths
¦without making any impression on the people, while you
by yotu: fictions attract the greatest sympathy in your
hearers" — we might expect a similar reply ; " The reason
is this, we speak fiction as if it were truth ; you speak truth
as if it were fiction." The substance of the discourses of
the Oxford Priest is equally calculated to seduce the unwary,
for it is a perfect full-length portrait of Arminianism. And
I would desire not to be misunderstood as to the meaning
of the term ; — to give a clear definition of it were to attempt
an impossibility, since it is only definable by saying that it
is a holding of certain grand truths of the gospel, and then
denying them. For instance, the doctrine promulgated in
the Roman Catholic Chapel in Oxford would be most
excellent did it hang together ; for I was told by a person
who heard a discourse there lately, that the total corruption
tif the human heart, and the absolute necessity of a change
by God's Holy Spirit was insisted on in terms that could
scarcely proceed from the lips of the most serious Arminian.
Among others, this illustration was employed : " It would

be as unreasonable to go into the grave yard, and expect to
see a corpse rising of its o-wn accord, as to see any dead
sinner turning in his own strength to God." (We could
Bot "wish for a more apt illustration of the 9th and 10th
Articles of the church of England.) Again, the necessity
of the merits and blood of Christ was equally strongly and
clearly insisted upon ; also Sanctification by the work of
the Holy Ghost, etc. etc. All this was, however, at the
conclusion richly seasoned with the most absurd super
stitions, calculated to destroy all that was so clearly and
so simply stated in the outset ; for instance, (I use his own
words as they were repeated to me,) he said, "'Whilst your
sins may at the present be but a few, only a little "will be
required of you to atone the eternal justice of God ; but if
you delay to repent and go on in your sins, how wiU you
be able to endure in your old age severe castigations, long
pilgrimages, fastings, penances, yea, abstinence from the
most innocent amusements and gratifications," etc.
He preached at the same time, that ensnaring and specious
delusion, so common in these times. Perfection in the flesh,
one of the livid spots of that "widely spreading plague, con
nected with the human nature of the Son of God. Strange
contradiction, forsooth 1 to make otu'selves holy and perfect
we must make him, through whom every perfect gift cometh
dcmnfrom the Father, sinful and imperfect I I
He denied that chief comer stone of the believer's hope,
the perseverance of the saints, i. e. that they who are be
gotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, etc. are kept by the power of God,
throughj'aith, umto salvation^ (1 Pet. i. 3. 5.)
His compositions are eloquent, partaking of a degree of

elegance above mediocrity. He differs, however, from his
brethren in his mode of delivering them, for they are not
extemporaneous, but written at full length, which circuin-
stance has given rise to a report that they are not his own,
being too clever for him ; which appears to me to be a
groundless charge, for never would Rome send forth a
Jesuit of inferior abilities to a place like Oxford. He is
looked upon in Oxford as a quiet, harmless man, and such he
may appear to those who watch not the stream ; smooth water
flows deep, and this "will be found true upon examination ;
and when it is kno"wn that -within the last 5 or 6 years, the
increase of Romanists in these parts has been in the ratio
of 15 in every 20. What Rome dreads is anything like con
troversy, or ha"ving her doctrines and practices brought
into notice ; for thereby her abominations are disclosed. '
7. There are Emissaries sanctioned and encoiuraged by
him in the work of proselytizing for many miles round
Oxford ; certain individuals, who are in the regular habit
of periodically visiting the "villages around, for the purpose
of begmling the poor unstable cottager to embrace their
soul-destroying system : they go amongst them, exercising
their different worldly callings as hawkers, tea dealers, etfc.,
and are furnished with concise compendiums of controversy,
which comprise the most astute syllogisms, and ingemoua
arguments against Protestantism. I believe that few
Protestants are aware of the fact, that it is one of the
practices of that "wily system, to select the cleverest of the
R. Catholic children, and train them up as Home Mission
aries by means of question and answer on the points , of
difference between them and Protestants.
These Missionaries are not in the pay of the church, nor

8
hired by the Priest, for it is part of the duty of every zea
lous R. Catholic, to engage directly or indirectly in the
work of proselytism — upon a stronger motive — on the
ground of personal merit, founded upon the perversion of
that passage in the Apostle James's -writings, (Chap. v. 20.)
He that converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall
save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
8. Another of their devices, whereby they attempt to
deceive those who are fool-hardy enough to visit their
chapels, is the appointing a person at the door to seU
their publications ; one of which I have obtained a sight of;
it is called Prayers before and after Mass. Upon examina
tion, I find that some parts will not bear the scrutiny of a
believer's eye, as it is interspersed, (though rather sparingly,)
-with divers allusions to the Intercessions of Saints, etc. It
is highly calculated to make aji impression upon that class
of persons hable to be enticed into their chapels ; with the
exception of the last j entitled "the Litany of the Dead,"
which must appear awfully blasphemous to any one that has
his reasoning powers unimpaired by the beguiling influence
of Satan.
9. That this Religion is popular in the City of Oxford,
-will be seen by the fact, that a R. Catholic has been
returned for Parliament -with 953 votes, as follows ;
St. Aldate's and All Saints  185
St. Ebbe  134
St. Martin's, St Mary the "Virgin, & St. Peter le Bailey 108
Holywell, St. Michael's, St. John's, and Cowley . . 106
St Peter in the East and St Clement's . . . 127
St Thomas's and Binsey  165
St Mary Magdalen  71
St. Giles's . .  87
953

More than one third of those whose votes are recorded
being in favour of the Romanist Member.
10. That R. Catholicism is looked upon as a harmless thing
by some of the Members of the University is much to be
feared, from the report that is afloat, of the activity of some
of them in canvassing for a R. Catholic candidate. — I cannot,
however, believe but that the University, as a body, would
shudder at the thought of such an imputation. — It may, I
trust, be traced up to those among her degenerate Members,
who possess but little of the outward form of godliness, and
less either of common decency or common sense. For
strangely must the blood of Alma Mater have begun to cir
culate in the veins of her Sons — if her Graduate Members
can stoop to the meanness, nay, to the wanton cruelty of can
vassing among College Servants for votes in favour of a R.
Catholic candidate, to legislate for them in a Protestant Par
liament. It may be true, that vexation at the defeat of a
favourite candidate was the cause why many transferred
their patronage to a Romanist ; but whatever motive influ
enced such conduct, nothing but infatuation can account
for the fact. It will be seen, I fear, when the Poll Book
comes out, (and to the true Protestant it -wiU be a document
long to be remembered,) that they were not confined to the
R. Catholic inhabitants of St. Clement's, but that among
the names there were not a few whom the world looks upon
as respectable, and men of personal piety.
Oh, Oxford, Oxford ! how art thou fallen, that thy sons
and daughters shotdd foUow in the train of one, who if he b e
true to his creed, (and if a good honest R. Catholic, so much
the worse,)is bound to take away from the aU-sufficientmerits
of Jesus of Nazareth, and give the glory to the creature — oh !

10
that so memorable a street as the Broad Street, where
Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer sealed their protest by their
life's blood, should resound with the shouts of any of thy
children, proclaiming the praises of the seed of the murder
ous enemy, bending their uncovered heads, like Iuolators
IN THE Procession op the Host, to the passing mummery.
Is Rome so changed, that the free Briton shall not only cease
to protest, but give the hand of fellowship to the Mother of
a slavery both of body and soul ? •
It is whispered, yea, vaunted, that the Dissenters had a
hand in bringing in the R. Catholic. Will the Dissenting
church stand forth, and by a public act of their body, (for
they boast of their power to exclude from their communion
the fornicating and adulterous Member) repel the charge of
the horrid incestuous union ? -will they assert their title to the
name of Protestant, and not let it be said out of Oxford, the
Dissenting body there is become Infidel ? — I tremble for the
result of the appeal ; for what thinking person does not see
that our Dissenting brethren have left their first love; I speak
it in sorrow, not in anger ; for once the time was when it
might have been said, the Dissenting bodies -wiU rally round
the Church in danger, and unite to meet the common foe ; but
now, alas, another king has arisen that knows not Joseph. It
is an a-wful spectacle to those who have the spirit of dis
cerning the signs of the times, to see Dissent -with the
Romanist dandled on one arm — the Socinian on the other,
mounted on the many-headed war-horse of iNPinELiTY,
who, snorting under its burden, -will soon unhorse them
and trample on aU authority and power in these realms. —
There is a combination, though their motives vary, to de
throne the Lord God, who has been so long the acknow-

11
ledged Ruler of these kingdoms. Their aim is professedly
and openly the Established religion of the land — ^but Christ's
reign is the real object of the attack. How blessed then to
see, amidst the gloom that is thickening, that the great body
of God's elect remnant are to be found in the Establishment,
and that amidst all its corruptions in discipline and practice,
the Lord has not yet issued forth the command, that his cha-
riotwheels should move away; neither has the awful sentence
been heard from his temple, " Arise, let us depart hence."
A U the bold stands that have of late been made for God's glory,
and for man's present and future welfare, have proceeded
mainly from Members of the Established Church ; but while
I say so, I speak it in fear and trembhng, for it appears like
the sudden blaze bursting from the fire when a portion of
the fabric has fallen — it looks like the warning of God's
prophets, who were multiplied when the Jewish nation was
sentenced for Idolatry, and cut off for Infidelity : for never
at any former period of her history could the Church o f
England count among her Ministers a greater number of
faithftd and diligent servants of the Lord than she may now.
As long as the salt retains its savour, so long shall the nation
escape the threatened danger ; but the times, I fear, are not
far distant when it shall be said to the believer, in the lati-
guage of the Lord of hosts to Jeremiah, (Chap. -vii. 16.)
"Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer
for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear
thee." Oh it is hard for one that has the best interests of
his country at heart, to receive such a message as this !
The good and pious George Herbert, (who lived about
two centuries ago,) foresaw the necessary restilt of a coali-
tic«i similar to the one now forming in England :

12
The second temple could not reach the first ;
And the late Reformation never durst
Compare -with ancient times and purer years.
But, in the Jews and us, deserveth tears.
Nay, it shall ev'ry year decrease and fade ;
'Till such a darkness shall the world invade
At Christ's last coming, as his first did find :
Yet must their proportions be assign'd
To these diminishings, as is' between
The spacious world and Jewry to be seen.
Religion stands on tiptoe in our land,
Ready to pass to the American strand.
When height of malice, and prodigious lusts.
Impudent sinning, witchcrafts, and distrusts,
The marks of future bane, shall fill our cup
Unto the brim, and make our measure up :
When Seine shall swallow Tiber ; and the Thames,
By letting in them both, pollute her streams :
When Italy of us shall have her will.
And all her calendar of sins fulfill ;
Whereby one may foretel, what sins next year
Shall both in France and England domineer :
Then shall religion to America flee.
They have their times of Gospel, ev'n as we.
Herbert's Church Militant, p. 243.
And what is going forward in Oxford relative to the ex
tension of the Kingdom of Christ ? must I, so cold and luke
warm, and too much resembling those I would desire to stir
up to be more zealous in the cause of Christ ; must I say
nothing is doing in Oxford to counteract the baneful conse
quences of such things ?
1. Shall I say that they who call themselves Protestant
Christians, yea, many who aspire to a purer creed and

IS
stricter discipline than the Reformed Church of England,
are laying such a stumbUng block in the way of the poor
deluded R. Catholic, and their own tmstable and wavering
followers, as to make them imagine that there is no very
great difference in their respective creeds ; but that now at
length the Aged Anti-Christian Apostate Church of Rome has
become Christian. What does the apostle Paul say, (1 Cor.
viii. 12.) When ye sin so against the brethren, and wound
their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
2. What shall I say for the poor R. Catholic ? (I cannot
but speak with a feeling of love of them individually;
though I abhor their system, I must remember that the
scripture says, thou shall not abhor an Egyptian, because
thou wast a stranger in his land. Dent, xxiii. 7.) Shall
I say, the Romanist never hears anything to suit his case
when he goes to any of the thirteen churches in Oxford ?
3. Shall I say, that when a Society is formed in Oicford
for the purpose of promoting the Religious Principles of the
Reformation, that not one name has sanctioned it among the
Protestant citizens of Oxford, who, under God, owe all their
o^vn civil, political, and religious liberty to that Reforma
tion? 4. Shall I add, that when a member of the Church of
England came down, not 9 months back, naturally expecting
that Protestant Oxford would rejoice to open her pulpits,
no brother bid him God speed and invited him to address
the deluded Romanist and a semi-infidel poptilation ?
5. Again, does the University stand forth as a rallying
post for sound Christian men, and encourage a society so
called for in these days of perversion to Romanism ? I dare
not state facts ; it would expose to the gaze of the uncir-

14
cTimtiised the nakedness of her I would gladly shield from
the insulting foe.
6. Do the doctrines of the Reformers resound from that
pulpit, where a cloud of vntnesses once preached Christ
Jesus without the wisdom of words, but in the glowing love
of a godly sincerity ? I leave the reply to the consciences of
those who occupy the important post. It would do none
of us much harm to take up some of the discourses preached
in Oxford two centuries ago, yea later; but such comparisons
are in"vidious.
But certainly if the clear and steady light of Gospel
truth, that is reflected in the Articles and Homilies of the
church, does shine forth within the walls of St. Mary, it does
not extend its cheering and soul-reviving influence far.
7. The villages around Oxford, (with few exceptions,)
are in a most deplorable state of ignorance and darkness,
particularly on that most important subject, the revealed
character of the blessed God. — I do not here allude to the
Peasantry only, but to those who are raised above them in
rank and station ; in short, the great mass of the inhabitants ;
and this will account for the number of country people that
are seen passing and repassing from the R. Catholic Chapel
in St. Clement's on every Lord's day morning. This I
assert not unadvisedly or hastily, or in reference to a few
solitary villages and hamlets ; but because I know the fact,
and we should «peoi that we do know, and testify that we
have seen ; and because hkewise I feel that there is on all
sides a rich harvest field for the labours of the devoted fol
lowers of the -wily Jesuit. The causes I -wiU. not touch
upon ; my object is to state facts.
8. Would that I could say, that the state. of Oxford in a

15
religious point of view presented an encouraging aspect.
Where can I advise the neglected Romanist to go, where
he may hear Christ preached, and him crucified, without
the -wisdom of words or the inventions of man ? the time
has come when men will not endure sound doctrine, but after
their own lusts heap to themselves teachers having itching ears,
and turn away their ears from the truth, and are turned unto
fables. The grand message of the ever-blessed Jehovah is
either misstated, or in part suppressed or supplanted by
awful heresies and specious delusions ; the world scoffing all
the while and blaspheming, and, I fear, it maybe addedj the
Lord's people will have it so.

There are some peculiar features in the character of the
Roman Catholic, which make him an interesting object to
the Christian Missionary, because he- holds, though in un
righteousness, many of the grand truths of the gospel ; for
instance :
1. The total depravity of the human heart by nature, and
consequently the need of a Saviour. This is seen by their
conduct, because they are well known to be ready to submit
to any penalty imposed by their priests, either in the way
of fine or a bodily exercise, be it ever so absurd and unrea
sonable. Their consciences are oftentimes so feelingly
alive to sin, that they cannot pass through a town without
confessing, to the Priest ; (I am here particularly alluding to
the Irish R. Catholic.) It is, indeed, much to the interest of
the crafty priesthood to keep the -laity in this state of mental
misery; and miserable, indeed, must they be who are har
assed by the gnawings of a conscience alive to the guilt of
sin ; and at the same time kept studiously in ignorance, that

16
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin ; and that by one of
fering, he (the great high priest, Jesus Christ,) hath per
fected for ever them that are sanctified. It is greatly to their
interest, I repeat, to keep their followers always mindful
that they are sinners, since thereby no small gain is brought
to the craftsmen : I do not mean in the way of paying for
absolution, etc., for they do not (as most Protestants ima
gine) demand any fee for such things ; but when the sotil
is wrought up to that sensitive perception of sin, they can
prevail on them to do any thing they please ; as many beg
gared and orphan children of wealthy R. Catholic parents
can to their sorrow attest.
With professing Protestants it is not so ; the difficulty is,
to make them feel they are sinners, and that they need a
Saviour, because the conscience is asleep.
2. The R. Catholic holds justification by faith, but equally
in unrighteousness; for it is faith not simply in the merits of
Christ, but in the merits of a host of mediators.
3. They hold sanctijieation by the Holy Spirit, though they
destroy it all by the manner in which they say this sanctifica
tion is to be obtained, viz. by fastings, prayers, tears,
penances, castigations, etc.
4. They hold the doctrine of Election, but it is not God's
free unconditional, uTespective Election and Predestination,
so clearly and sweetly defined in the Articles, and flowing
through the different Services of the Church of England,
but an Election of blood — of the will of the flesh — of man,
summed up in a word — admission into their church : out of
it, they believe and confidently assert, there is no salvation.
By such means poor unstable souls are enticed into her
eommunion.

17
It would take up too much time to shew all the different
particulars in which they hold those grand truths in unrigh
teousness, which too many nominal Protestants are totally
ignorant of, perhaps deny, I shall, however, make one
more remark on the subject, and endeavour to call the public
attention to that most remarkable of all the features of the
character of the Romanist :
5. The way in which they engage in their religious exer
cises and devotions : (Oh that some who read this may be
taught a lesson by an enemy 1 !)
I. They are scrupulously observant of the Lord's day ; I
mean, however, according to the prescribed way laid down by
their Priests, which will of course vary much. Their
Sabbath, I believe, is generally over after the celebration of
mass, and then the spell is broken ; and it may be seen, that
their worship has only been in the letter, and not in the
power of godliness ; it being impossible to infer from their
conversation and general behaviour, that they have been so
recently in the presence, or even the house of the great
God, In their places of public worship, they are most ex
emplary : no whispering, no hasty turning of the eye towards
the door ; no curious desire to scan the dresses and deport
ment of their neighbours ; but a steady, serious, devotional
demeanour throughout ; all which must have a most strik
ing and imposing effect upon a stranger, calculated to make
him imagine that what he has heard about the R. Catholic
is all false.
2. They observe vrith equal nicety the festwals, holy days,
saints' days, etc. kept by their church ; (indeed in some
countries they are celebrated for doing so, while they pass
over the Lord's day without any particular notice.) The

18
R. Catholic master dare not say, " my labourers shall work
on any day given out by the Priest to be kept holy ;" were
it even in honour of the vilest -wretch under whom the
earth ever groaned; neither dare the labourer work for
himself on any of those days; while among Protestants
thousands may be found working, even on the Lord's day;
some secretly, some openly, with " no fear before their eyes."
I know as a fact that there are many such cases in Oxford,
and no one can walk into some parts of the country without
seeing here and there a person working in his garden ; he
need not take the trouble to peer into the cottages, and
witness the baking, brewing, washing, etc. going on within.
And did any minister in the Established Church remind
his congregation that the Lord's house would be open for
Divine Service on a certain day or days in the week, they
would do nothing else, either Master or Man, (with few ex
ceptions,) but laugh at his simplicity. I of course mean
where they call themselves church of England men. And
what would the world say when deciding on the merits of
each church ; they would say, " Rome is the most sincere
and consistent." Aye, it needs much circumspection and
consistency" to uphold a bad cause !
3. In their /amiZy and social devotions they are equaliy
remarkable : here too they may, I regret to add, put the
nominal Christian to the blush. It -will suffice to mention
one instance, though it is by no means a solitary one;
I was informed by a person who had a R. CathoUc lady
lodging for some length of time in her^house, of a fact I
can never forget, and which makes my heart bleed for them,
knowing as I do, that they are under such a strong and.
perilous delusion. This lady was wont regularly, morning.

19
noon, and night, to assemble her little family, seven interesting
children, and kneel down along -with them, their infant
hands elapsed together, their eyes upUfled in all the earnest
ness of childlike simplicity, herself in the centre conducting
their devotions. I could not refrain from exclaiming, " O
that she was but a believer in Jesus of Nazareth, and was
led to put her trust solely in his merits, and not in Saints ;
O that Protestant Mothers were all, (or many of them,)
like this R. Catholic."

In bringing this subject before the public, I cannot
dismiss it without a short appeal to those of the Lord's
children into whose hands it may please our gracious Father
to guide it. I lament deeply that it should fall to the lot
of one of so little eminence in the church of Christ, to do
that which would not be a light undertaking even in a Wicliff,
a Luther, or Latimer, or any other of the bright cloud of
-witnesses that have sealed their protest by their boiUng
blood ; but it pleases the good Lord to choose the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise; also the weak things
of the world to confound the mighty, that no flesh should
glory in his presence. And if the pillars and polished cor
ners of the Church are silent when such things are going on
in the land, we must expect the very stones to cry out.
For God wiU not, neither has he ever left himself without
witness. Brethren, partakers of the holy calling, these are times
that require peculiar and increased activity. The enemy is
coming in like a flood ; his roaring is almost audible ; and
nothing but the prayer of faith will avail to save us in the
crisis which is approaching. The Religion of the Country is

20
threatened on all sides ; and whatever may be said with re
spect to the EstabUshment, (and the dispraise of God's ene
mies must be looked upon as her praise and glory,) common
sense ought to teach us, that when one form of religion has
been discarded, either another will be raised up in its room,
or else (horrible alternative) the Government and Nation will
become Infidel. I fear not the result as regards the safety
of Christ's Church, for the Season of persecution is like a
Summer to the souls of her children, as they are then thrown
more immediately into the arms of the Beloved. But I do
dread it as a man, as a subject, as a Briton, for the blow
will be an awful one to old England; when her crown of
beauty shall be despoiled ; and she has been as a Queen lavish
ing the riches of her scriptural stores far and wide over the
gloomy hUls of darkness.
I fear not the Romanist : he has had his day, and a dark
and sorry day it was for God's children in these lands.
I fear not Socinianism : she is a cast off daughter of
Apostate Rome.
I fear not any single Dissenting body ; neither do I fear
them in the great mass. If what the piety and sound (O
what a blessing a sound mind is in these days of spiritual
intoxication!) principles of such men as the Oxford streets
have witnessed carrying their fagot, and dropping their
wasting bodies into the devouring flame have handed down
to us, -will no longer satisfy the free-bom inhabitants of
England, they -wiU never brook the mildest domination of
the purest Dissenting body.
But I confess I tremble before the triple Union of these
bodies, because they call in to their aid the deadly engine of
Infidelity; which not even Romanism, the most experienced

21
of the parties, has wisdond sufficient to work without danger;
no power but his, who sitfeth above the water flood, can re
strain the madness of the people. This, and this alone, -will
deprive us of our Establishment, and set us up to the world
as a nation that has turned God out ; and then we shall
confess in that day and say. Are not these evils come upon us,
because our God is not among us ?
And what is our duty, we who love the Lord, and love
our King, and love our Coimtry ? It is a plain One, a simple
one; for though the believer's path is narrow, it is not a
crooked one.
Two of the abo-i^e-named parties I cannot address as bre
thren ; to choose between Rome, the mother, and Socini
anism, the daughter, would be no easy task ; my prayer for
them is, that they may be saved, that the Lord -will gather
his people out from the midst of them.
My dissenting brethren, (at least the spiritual portion of
them,) I would exhort, as a brother of Jesus Christ, to hold
to the head ; and whenever any of their Ministers bring
before them doctrines not plainly revealed in Scripture, to
warn them earnestly, and in the spirit of love, of the danger
of departing from the naiTow path, and teaching for doc
trines the commandments of men. Simphcity in Christ Jesus
is that which is needed to remove the thick veil that is over
the people. Though I am under the necessity of bearing
my testimony to the corrupt state of the Dissenting bodies
in England, I believe that there are many of the Lord's
hidden ones among them : and that they are sighing and
crying for the abominations committed in the land, and
for the corruptions that exist in their 0"wn respective So
cieties.

22
My Brethren, Elders, Fathers in the Estabhshment, I would
desire to stir up to an increased zeal in the cause of the
Lord of hosts. Layman and Minister are equally called upon
to do the -wiU of our Father which is in heaven ; and his will
is, that not one of his little ones should perish. Prayer is the
appointed privileged weapon of all ; and this is a peculiar
call for prayer. Oh may the Lord give us the spirit of
prayer, that we all may unite to say, " O Almighty Lord, may
it please thee of thy gracious goodness shortly to accomplish
the number of thine elect, and hasten thy kingdom, that we, with
all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy name,
may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body
and soul, in thine eternal and everlasting glory."
For those among us who are appointed by his Spirit to lay
before the rebellious the gospel of reconciliation, I would
desire to pray that the Lord may give them the spirit of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind, that they may be
kept from aU subjects of a speculative nature, and " preach
the truth in love," constantly insisting on those points so
clearly defined in the Articles they have subscribed to ; espe
cially Man's utterly lost state by nature ; (9th Article.) The
bondage of his -wiU to sin : (10th Article.) The fuU justifica
tion of the sinner by faith -without works : (11th Article.)
The use of good works, and their necessarily accompany
ing those who are saved by grace, and none others : (12th,
13th Articles.) And lastly, though by no means the least,
the blessedness and safety of those that God has chosen
as vessels made to honour, to be placed in due time in his
heavenly temple, not made with hands. (I7th Article.)
This is our office, our privilege ; as is more fully expressed
in the Service of Ordination : " Ye are called to teach and to

23

premonish, to feed and provide for theLord's family ; to seek
for Chrisfs sheep that are dispersed abroad, and for his
children who are in the midst of this naughty world, that
they may be saved through Christ for ever."

New College, Oxford, Dec. 24, 1832.

Printed by J. L. Wheeler, High-street, Oxford.

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