66 be understood as referring to their solicitude and " efforts in convincing heretics of their errors, and procuring their reconciliation with the Catholic "church: his Holiness has graciously conde"scended to substitute, in place of the ancient " form of oath, that one which was publicly re peated by the archbishop of Mohilow, to the great satisfaction of all the court of Petersburgh, " in presence of the empress, and which we trans"mit to you in this letter." "We think proper, notwithstanding, to remind you of a late admonition of the most wise Pope " Benedict XIV. who, in his regulations for the English missions, which are likewise applicable " to you, speaks thus :-The Vicars Apostolic are " to take diligent care that the missionaries " behave on all occasions with integrity and deco rum, and thus become good models to others; and " particularly that they be always ready to cele" brate the sacred offices, to communicate proper “instruction to the people, and to comfort the sick " with their assistance; that they, by all means, " avoid public assemblies of idle men, and taverns. • • The Vicars themselves are particularly charged to punish in such manner as they can, " but severely, all those who do not speak of the “ public government with respect." The pontifical order for the alteration of the pontifical oath, to be taken by the Irish Catholic prelates follows, viz. "From an audience had of his Holiness on he 9th day of June 1791. "The archbishops, metropolitans of the king "dom of Ireland, represented to his Holiness, "that, from the ignorance or malice of some 66 persons, certain expressions in the form of the " oath prescribed by the Roman ritual to be taken by bishops at their consecration, and by arch" bishops on receiving the pall, have been mis" represented; which has added new perplexities " to those which they daily experience in a king" dom where the Catholic faith is not the religion " of the state: wherefore they humbly requested, " if it should appear expedient to his Holiness, " that he would vouchsafe to apply a remedy by 66 some of his apostolical vigilance. His Holiness, on this report being made to him by me, the " underwritten, all circumstances of the case ma 66 turely considered, was graciously pleased to grant, that the bishops of the kingdom of Ire" land, at their consecration, and the archbishops on receiving the pall, may use the same form of " oath which was taken by the archbishop of " Mohilow,* in the empire of the Muscovites, by permission of his said Holiness, which is as " follows: 66 I, N. N. &c. as in the Roman pontifical "to the clause-All heretics, schismatics, and " rebels against our said Lord, and his successors 66 * " Mohilow was erected into an archbishopric, with a chapter, by the present Pope. The first archbishop, " Stanislaos Siestrrenawez, was appointed in a consistory at 66 Rome, 21st December 1783, and is still living." aforesaid, I will to the utmost of my power, " prosecute and oppose,* which is entirely omitted. "Afterwards, the words--the Cardinal Prefect of "the sacred congregation for propagating the "faith, are substituted instead of the Cardinal Preponent in the congregation of the Sacred "Council. The form concludes with these words : " I will observe all and every one of these things "the more inviolably, as I am firmly convinced " that there is nothing contained in them which " can be contrary to the fidelity I owe to the most " serene King of Great Britain and Ireland, and " to his successors to the throne. So help me, God, " and those holy Gospels of God. Thus I promise " and engage. "Dated at Rome, in the house of the said "Sacred Congregation, the 23d day of June 1791. 66 " L. CARDINAL ANTONELLI, Prefect. * Bishop of Cloyne's Translation. TRANSCRIPTIONS OF THE FOURTH LETTER ADDRESSED BY DOCTOR PHILLPOTTS TO MR. BUTLER, CONTAINING A CHARGE BROUGHT BY HIM AGAINST DOCTOR LINGARD. DOCTOR LINGARD'S REPLY, DOCTOR HENRY PHILLPOTTS, D.D. Rector of Stanhope, in the diocese of Durham, has published "Letters to Charles Butler, esq. on the Theolo 66 gical Parts of his Book of the Roman Catholic Church, with Remarks on certain Works of "Doctor Milner and Doctor Lingard, and on some parts of the Evidence of Doctor Doyle before "the Committees of the Houses of Parliament." 66 The fourth of these Letters is entitled, "Doctor Lingard: his Unfaithfulness in Translation.” This letter, and Doctor Lingard's reply to it, in a letter, which he has done the writer of the preceding letter the honour to address to me, are now presented to the reader. I. DOCTOR PHILLPOTTS'S CHARGE. "IN inquiring, in my last letter, into the Acts of the II. Nicene Council, I said that " Dr. Lingard protests altogether against such inquiry, and declares that your Church acknow 66 66 ledges only the Council's doctrinal decree passed in its last session." In answer to this statement, I then satisfied myself with showing, that the previous Acts of the Council are admitted, as authoritative, even by the Trent Catechism. But, as this Council's proceedings have been found very important in my view of the doctrine of your Church respecting Images, I now think it right to give more particular attention to Dr. Lingard's assertions, and shall thus at the same time fulfil my promise of addressing to you a few words respecting Dr. Lingard himself. That gentleman is, I believe, among the most distinguished living writers of your Church. By yourself he is repeatedly mentioned in terms of very high respect: for although he is not cited as one of your Vouchers for the doctrines of your Church, yet as an historian, he is warmly commended by you, more especially for his accuracy and precision, and for " constantly citing "the authorities upon which his relations are " founded."* It is said, indeed, by those who have read his history, (I am not in that number), that the main part of your historical facts are derived from him. It is plain, therefore, on all these accounts, that it will be by no means a superfluous labour, to dwell a little more at large on the manner in which he has treated the II. Nicene Council. The result may not only be useful in establish* " Book," &c. p. 28. note, and p. 193.. 4 |