such as, following the light of their conscience, embrace the Religion established by the law and government which God has put over them.

As I heartily wish and tender their welfare, I earnestly desire they may avoid this foul way of proceeding, withdraw their silly rythmers, scowlds and forgers of calumnies, and employ their good wits in examining soberly and seriously for the glory of God, the manifestation of the truth, and edification of the people, the points which I handle in this discourse; and in shewing wherein my arguments against their tenets are defective; or what arguments they consider of the most strength for them, and that with authority of the undoubted canonical Scripture, clear reasons grounded upon it, or practice uniform of the Primitive Church. Not by hyperbolical expressions of some one or more of ancient authors, rhetorical flourishes and tropical applications of Scripture, drawing them from their direct genuine meaning to others different by the help of some figure-at which rate of disputing, the Alcoran of Mahomet and the Talmud of the Jews may be defended as plainly as the Council of Trent.

The God of Peace, and his Son Jesus, who bequeathed it for inheritance to his Disciples, make us appear to be of them, living in peace and charity together in this life, that so we may join to praise him in life everlasting. Amen.

Mr. ANDREW SALL'S Declaration, made in the Church, of St. John, in the city of Cashel, the 4th Sunday after Easter, May 17th; present the most Reverend THOMAS, Lord Archbishop of Cashel; and the Right Reverend HUGH, Lord Bishop of Waterford.

WHEREAS I, ANDREW SALL, have been born and bred in the communion of the Roman Catholic Church, followed my course of philosophy and divinity in Colleges of the Order of JESUS in Spain, and was employed in teaching of the said faculties many years, I acknowledge, that since, by occasion of this function, I applied myself to a stricter enquiry and examining of matters, and by frequent reading of the Holy Scriptures, Fathers, Councils, and Histories of the Church, my knowledge was furthered and my judgment ripened, I began to doubt of the truth of several articles, introduced by the use and authority of the Roman Church, repugnant to human reason, and not warranted by Divine Writ, as Transubstantiation, Indulgences, Purgatory, Worship of Images, &c. ; yet smothered my scruples, while I was in Spain, partly fearing the severity of that country against opposers of their tenets, partly amused with a supposition, that the Church and Pope of Rome were infallible in their Decrees touching faith, and so may stand with security to their declarations. But having arrived to this country, disputed often and closely of Religion with several persons eminent in learning and integrity, but principally with the Most Reverend Father in God (and mine truly in Christ) his Grace, Thomas, Lord Archbishop of Cashel present, who mindful of the duty of a good pastor, did procure to bring into his fold this straying sheep, with an unspeakable constancy, and indefatigable charity, suffering for six years of continual battery my obstinate resistance, till at last, by means of his solid doctrine, and of the example of his pious and upright life, (to the glory of God be I permitted to say thus much here) the Lord was pleased to give me a more clear sight of the errors I

was in; yet a full assent I delayed to give, partly fearing that the weakness I felt, might be of my capacity, rather than of the cause I maintained, partly frighted with the confusions and dangers which I conceived might wait upon my deserting of the Romish communion, and so betook myself to a most diligent study of the case, leaving no stone unmoved to quiet the trouble of my conscience, reading with indifferent eyes the best writers on both sides, and though I heartily wished to find the cause I hitherto maintained, justified; for not to run into the terrible inconveniences, which human considerations represented to me in a change; yet assisted by Divine grace, and taking for rule of my actions the service and will of God, and the interests of Eternity, I resolved constantly to adhere to the party, which with better ground would render me secure of this higher emolument; when, being in these considerations, there suddenly issued out our Sovereign Lord the King's Proclamation for banishing the Roman clergy, wherewith I saw myself betwixt two extremities either to continue farther in the country with my ambiguities in disobedience to my Sovereign's commands, or to go into Spain, and there be forced to preach and practice doctrines that my conscience did not approve of; and for a speedy resolution, after earnest prayer to God for the assistance of his Divine light in so weighty a matter, I penned down, for better consideration, the reasons I did hear, read, and conceive, against the Romish tenets controverted. I did also carefully peruse, and seriously reflect upon the XXXIX Articles, Canons, and Liturgy of the Church of England; and all well considered I did conclude the way of the Church of England to be safer for my salvation, than that of the Roman Church. Wherefore I resolved to declare, as I do hereby seriously and in my heart, without any equivocation or mental reservation, in the presence of God and of this congregation, declare, that I do give my full and free assent to the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England, for holy and wise, and grounded upon the infallible word of God; acknowledging the Romish tenets against them, to be false and superstitious; especially that of Transubstantiation, as enforcing upon Christians a belief of monstrous miracles, repugnant to human reason, and not grounded upon Divine testimony, nor necessary either for verifying Christ's words in the institution of this blessed sacrament, or

B

for the effects of it; not for verifying the words-whereas Christ saith in the like tenour, that he is the true vine, without real alteration in his person, or in the vine-not for the effects of the holy Sacrament, Christ being able to annex unto the receiving of bread and wine, what spiritual graces he pleaseth without alteration of the elements, as he doth afford the spiritual grace of regeneration in the waters of Baptism, without alteration in the substance of the water.

And lest an imagination of some temporal or sinister intention, in this my Declaration upon the present juncture, may hinder the spiritual benefit which souls may reap by it, I have grave testimonies to shew, and did already shew them to my renowned Lord Archbishop, his Grace, which certify that I did enjoy in Spain (and may now enjoy with more advantage going thither, upon the account I was to go) such degree of honour and commodity as possibly I may not expect elsewhere; so as looking upon a voyage thither, continuing my former profession, nothing occurred to my mind but pleasure, applause, and honour; and turning my eyes upon my present resolution, mountains of crosses and dangers did fright me. But in these perplexities I have chosen rather to suffer crosses here with satisfaction of conscience, than to enjoy honours that other way, accompanied with the tortures of a checking conscience, and the unworthiness of a dissembling life.

Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace, that I may be admitted into the communion of this Church, and that I may be absolved for my so long continuance in error, resisting the powerful calling of God; which granted, I hope by the grace of Almighty God, assisting me, that I shall never withdraw myself. For farther confirmation of all this, I have hereunto subscribed my

name,

ANDREW SALL.

THE

SERMON.

ST. MATTHEW XXIV. 15, 16, 17, 18.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, standing in the holy place, (whoso readeth let him understand:) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains; Let him which is on the house-top not come down to take anything out of his house; neither let him which is in the field turn back to take his clothes.

ON all occasions, I conceive it to be the duty of a preacher, to search diligently after the genuine and direct meaning of the word of God, which he takes in hand to expound; that grounding his discourse upon it, rather than upon private fancies, they may carry more weight for the benefit of souls. But when the very text warns us of this duty, and exhorts to the right understanding of itself (as ours at present does-whoso readeth, let him understand) then certainly we have a special obligation of searching carefully for the right sense of it. This I have endeavoured to do, and have found three several opinions, among ancient and modern interpreters, touching that Abomination of desolation, standing in the holy place, mentioned in our text. The first opinion, followed by St. Jerome, is, that by this Abomination of desolation, may be understood the image of Cæsar, which Pilate set up in the temple of Jerusalem; or the statue of the Emperor Adrian, which he affirms to have stood in the most sacred place of the temple-the Holy of holies-to his own time; which to the people of God was most abominable, rendering the temple