My Lord Cardinal,
Roman Catholics and Protestants are alike interested in this volume: designed, as it is, to advance pure Christianity. They have an equal right to profess their own peculiar faith, and to propagate their religious opinions. But, in the free exercise of that right, they are equally bound, by every principle of justice and charity, to cherish towards each other mutual esteem and benevolence.
Romanists, however, do not admit the Holy Scriptures as the sole authority in religion; and their principles will not allow them, therefore, to grant toleration to those who dissent from them. Their intolerance arises from the policy of the Hierarchy and the reception of unscriptural traditions. Hence their illiberality in Italy, Sardinia, Spain, Portugal, the Brazils, and other countries, where the priesthood is dominant. Hence the inveterate hostility of the Romish priests against the popular reading of the Bible. Their people are kept thus in ignorance, deluded by false doctrines; and theirs being not exclusively the principles of the Holy Scriptures, cannot be the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
My Lord Cardinal—Every Briton should understand the character and claims of the Papacy. For, as predicted in “the oracles of God,” Protestants hold that Popery is the “man of sin,”—the “mystery of iniquity,”—the “MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH,”—“drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”—2 Thess. ii. 3—7; Rev. xvii. 5, 6.
Every British Christian is deeply interested in studying the doctrines of Popery; its Priestly power—Absolution—Transubstantiation—Tradition—and Purgatory; and in considering its evil doings in Auricular confession—Penance—Mariolatry—Priestly celibacy—Spiritual domination—and the Inquisition. The history of these is the condemnation of Popery.
This volume contains the substance of the valuable works of Limborch, Llorente, Dellon, Gavin, Buchanan, Bower, Newton, Gibbon, Watson, Ranke, Sismondi, Jones, Puigblanch, Edgar, Elliott, Mendham, Giesler, Dowling, D’Aubigné, De Castro, Achilli, and many others, regarding the Inquisition.
This volume is designed as an Antidote to Popery; especially as a present to young persons; and it is believed, by judicious friends, to be most seasonable, to instruct inquirers, and to advance the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Having these objects in view, this work is dedicated, with due respect, to