alteration in the language as was rendered expedient, in consequence of the incorporation of both the bills into one; and with an alteration in the prayer of the petition:-that, "upon taking the oath expressed in "the bill, the petitioners might obtain the relief pro"vided for them by the bill."

The debate on the question began by the earl of Donoughmore's moving, that the house should resolve itself into a committee for taking into consideration the bill for the relief of the catholics, which they had just received from the commons. His lordship and lord Hutchinson, his brother, had been among the earliest advocates of catholic emancipation, and had, during a long period, stood almost single. Their zeal for its service had never abated;—and then burned as bright as ever.

Lord Donoughmore was opposed by the lord chancellor and lord Liverpool. It is quite needless to say that whatever talent and ingenuity, illustrated by dignity and character, could urge against the measure of emancipation, either on large or minute views of it, was urged by those exalted personages. Lord Grenville came to the aid of the catholic cause: it was generally understood, that his lordship had withdrawn himself altogether from politics; it was therefore singularly gratifying to the catholics to be hold, that, on this trying occasion, the eminent wisdom, experience and eloquence of his lordship were exerted in their favour. The speech of the marquis of Lansdown will never be forgotten: it exemplified the remark of Mr. Fox, noticed in a former page, that "in every question, in which civil or religious

depended upon." The debate continued during two days. Finally the house divided,

So that the bill was lost by a majority of 39 votes.

It is impossible to praise adequately the exertions of Mr. Plunkett and his respectable associates in conducting this important bill through the house of commons: the zeal, the talent, the patience and perseverance which they exhibited in the arduous labour, were most exemplary, and entitle them to the thanks of every catholic and every friend of religious liberty. -May they and may their children meet with friends as able, as active, as disinterested, as steady, and as honourable as the catholics met in them!

CHAP. XCIV.

DOCTOR POYNTER'S SUGGESTIONS ON THE OATH OF SUPREMACY:-OPINIONS OF THE IRISH CATHOLIC

WHEN the oath contained in Mr. Plunkett's bill was under consideration, Dr. Poynter had frequent communications with him, and the other gentlemen to whom it had been directed by a vote of the house of commons to prepare the bill. To prevent misconception of what was said by him in these delicate and important conferences, Dr. Poynter transmitted to them the following document.

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XCIV. 1.

Dr. Poynter's Suggestions on the Oath of Supremacy.

"IF the pope ought not to have any ECCLESIAS

TICAL OF SPIRITUAL jurisdiction, &c. within these "realms, he ought to have none at all; for he has "no civil jurisdiction here. The above clause denies "the divine right of the pope, as head of the church "of Christ, to govern the universal church.

"What is the proper and obvious meaning of the "terms ecclesiastical and spiritual?

"The term spiritual does not here mean the same "as incorporeal or internal: but it means that which "in nature directly tends to a supernatural end, or is "ordained to produce a supernatural effect. Thus "sacrifice, which is an external oblation of a sensible "victim to God, and the sacraments, which are vi"sible rites, are spiritual things, because they tend "to the worship of God and to the sanctification of "souls. That is called temporal which in its nature " and institution tends directly to the good order of "civil society.

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"The power of the church is spiritual; and the power of the state is temporal.

By the term ecclesiastical is properly meant what"ever in its own nature belongs to the spiritual power and government of the church,--as by the

•

"

"term civil is meant whatever in its own nature belongs to the temporal power and government of "the state.

"This is the proper and limited meaning of the "terms ecclesiastical and civil, when the two powers

"without any mutual co-operation. Such was the "ecclesiastical power of the church under the heathen emperors; such was the civil power of the Roman "state during the same period.

"When the two powers are associated together by a friendly concordate, the ecclesiastical power has sometimes exercised acts of a civil nature, by the concession of the state; and the civil power has "sometimes exercised acts of an ecclesiastical nature, by the concession of the church. In these cases, "the term ecclesiastical, when applied to courts and "causes of a mixed nature, under the jurisdiction of

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an ecclesiastical person as judge, is to be under"stood in a less strict and less proper sense. In "this sense some of our courts in England retain "the name of ecclesiastical. It is not in this mixed "sense that the spiritual power of the pope and "of catholic bishops in England is now called "ecclesiastical.

"At the change of religion in England the state "totally divorced and separated itself from the ca"tholic church, and withdrew every portion of civil 66 power from the pope and the catholic clergy, which "they had ever exercised in England by the conces"sion of the state. Consequently the spiritual powers, "which the pope and the catholic clergy now hold "and exercise over the catholics in England, are "PURELY ecclesiastical, without the least mixture of any civil or temporal power whatever.

"This power and authority, purely ecclesiastical, is "that which Christ gave originally to his apostles, " and which was, by his ordinance, to be transmitted "from them to their legitimate successors to the end "of time, for the purpose of enabling them to preach

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"his faith, to promulgate his new law, to administer “his sacraments, to govern his church, and to enforce "the observance of his general commands by parti"cular and efficacious regulations. By the exercise "of this ecclesiastical power the church, from the "earliest ages, without the co-operation of the civil power, have issued many laws and ordinances relating to the form of divine worship, to the manner "and circumstances of administering or of receiving "the sacraments, to the observance of the great "christian festivals, to the rules of abstinence and to "the fast of Lent, to the impediments and celebration "of matrimony, to the conduct of the clergy, to the qualifications requisite for holy orders, to the limits "of the jurisdiction of the different orders of the hierarchy, &c. Many such external and purely "ecclesiastical regulations were made by the church, "and enforced among the faithful in different parts "of the world, before the church had any where any "connection with the state. The object of the church "in making them was, to enforce the observance of "the commands and institutions of Christ, which are "not of a temporal nature, but which tend directly "to the worship of God and to the sanctification of "the souls of men. The means by which the church "enforced the observance of them were not of a civil "nature, but were ecclesiastical and spiritual, viz. the "influence of her authority and the privation of the "benefits of her communion. The weapons of our

"warfare are not carnal.' 2 Cor. x. 4.

"In establishing and enforcing these ecclesiastical "laws and regulations, the pope has from the earliest