Concluding observations relative to

ROMANS.

the doctrine of the Romish Church.

the whole Gentile world to that salvation which he appeared | dulgences, reliques, Agnus Dei's, jubilees, pilgrimages, crufor a time to restrain to the Jews alone; and which they imagined should be exclusively theirs for ever. This prejudice the apostle overturns; and shews that the Gentiles also had an equal share in the election of grace. We should be careful how we make that partial and exclusive which shews the Fountain of Goodness to be no respecter of persons, or even ultimately of nations: who, like the sun, the faint though brightest image of his glory in this lower world, shines equally upon the just and the unjust. God, with the same benevolent design, orders his gospel to be preached to every creature under heaven.

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sades, carnivals, canonizations, abbies, monasteries, cells, shrines, privileged altars, auricular confessions, purgatories, masses, prayers for the dead, requiems, placebos, dirges, lamps, processions, holy water, chrisms, baptism of bells, justification by works, penances, transubstantiation, works of supererogation, extreme unction, invocation of saints and angels, worship of images, crossings of the body, rosaries, albs, stoles, &c. nor the endless orders of priests, abbots, monks, friars, nuns, anchorets, hermits, capuchins, &c. &c. Here are no inquisitions, no writs de hæretico comburendo, no auto da fès, no racks, gibbets, tortures, nor death in all variable and horrid forms, The peculiar phraseology of this Epistle I have also en- for those who may differ from this Mother church, in any deavoured to explain; and where this could not be conve- part of their religious creed. In vain will the Reader look niently done in the Notes, I have generally stated it at the into this Epistle for any thing that is not consistent with end of the chapters. And, for the explanations of difficult sound sense, iuflexible reason, and the justice, purity, and points, or articles which may have been but slightly handled endless benevolence, of the Great God, the equal Father of in the Notes, I beg to refer to those concluding observations; the spirits of all flesh. Here, indeed, he will see the total and particularly to those at the end of chapters viii. and ix. fall and degeneracy of all mankind strongly asserted and But it is necessary to make some remarks on this proved: the utter helplessness of the human race, to rescue Epistle, as an Epistle directed to the Romans; that is, to the itself from this state of corruption; the endless mercy of church of God, founded at Rome. Though the gospel was God, in sending Christ Jesus into the world to die for sinpreached and established there long before either the apostle ners; the doctrine of justification by faith in the blood of had visited this city, or written this Epistle; yet we may rest the Lamb; regeneration by the energy of the Divine Spirit, assured that the doctrine contained here was the doctrine of producing that holiness without which no man can see God. the church of Rome, and therefore that church was holy and|| Here, the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, takes place of all apostolic. If it do not continue to walk by the same rule, Jewish sacrifices, and works or sufferings of man, in referand mind the same thing, it is no longer so: in a time then, ence to justification. Here is nothing puerile, nugatory, or when the Roman church that now is, invites the attention of superstitious; no dogma degrading to the understanding; no the Christian world, by making great and bold pretensions; religious act unworthy of the spirit and dignity of the Gosassuming to itself the titles of holy, catholic, and apostolic; pel; nothing that has not the most immediate tendency to representing Rome as the fountain whence pure truth and enlighten the mind, and mend the heart of man: in a word, apostolical authority emanate; it may be useful to examine every thing is suitable to the state of man, and worthy of the whether such pretensions are well founded; and not permit majesty, justice, and benevolence of that God from whom confident assumption, noise and parade, to carry away our this Epistle came. Here, indeed, is the model of a pure understandings; and occupy the place of reason, argument, church. What a pity it is not more closely followed by and truth. This, however, cannot be done to any extent in all, whether Protestant or Popish, that profess the faith of this place; only it may be necessary to state, that, as Christ crucified. Alas! that a church which was once pure and the doctrines, &c. of the Roman church profess to be apostolic, and still retains all the essential doctrines of the Gosapostolic, they must be found in the Epistle to the ROMANS, pel, should compound them with others, which are not only this being the only apostolic work directed to that church. the commandments and inventions of men, but which so counIf they are not to be met with here, it would be absurd to look teract the influence of the truths still retained, as to destroy for them any where else. But there is not one distinguishing their efficacy; and no wonder, when this foreign admixture is doctrine, or practice of the Romish church, found in this an assemblage of rites and ceremonies, borrowed partly from Epistle. Here is no Pope, no exclusive churchship, no peter- the Jews, and partly from the ancient heathens; rendered papence, first-fruits, legatine levies, dispensations, pardons, in-latable by a small proportion of Christianity.

THE END OF THE ROMANS..

A SHORT EXPLANATION

OF THE FOLLOWING

ANCIENT ROMAN CALENDAR,

WITH THE

FESTIVALS, &c. of the present Romish Church.

Instead of Chronological Tables, which the subject of this Epistle neither admits nor requires, for it was probably all written in the course of a few days; (and I have entered the supposed year at the top of every page,) I here insert the ancient Roman Calendar, regularly distinguished into all its Calends, Nones and Ides, with the different festivals observed in honour of their gods, goddesses, &c. in each month, and their principal astronomical notes. The modern Roman Calendar I have also introduced, with as many of the festivals, saints' days, &c. as the margin would receive. The Reader will no doubt be struck with the conformity that subsists between ancient and modern ROME on this subject; on which, in this place, I shall make no farther remarks.

This Calendar, which was made by Julius Cæsar, in the year of Rome 708, and before Christ 45, is still exceedingly useful, especially for understanding the writers of antiquity, particularly those of the Latin church ; as well as for ascertaining the precise dates of bulls, diplomas, and public acts in general.

The Roman month, the Reader will observe, is divided into Calends, Nones and Ides; all of which are reckoned backward. The Calends are the first day of the month; as Calendis Januariis, is the first day of January; Pridie Calendarum, or Calendas, is the 31st of December; iii. Cal. the 30th; iv. Cal. the 29th; r. Cal. the 28th, &c.

The Nones, which are four, follow the Calends; as iv. Nonas Januarii, is Jan. 2, iii. Nonas Januarii, is Jan. 3, Pridie Nonas Jan. is Jan. 4, and Nonis Januarii, is Jan. 5. But in March, May, July, and October, there are SIX Nones.

After these, the Ides in each month are eight; as viii. Id. Jan. (Octavo Idus, or Iduum Januarii,) is January the 6th; vii. Id. Jan. (Septimo Idus, or Iduum Januarii,) is January the 7th; vi. Id. Jan, (sexto Idus, or Iduum Januarii,) is January the 8th; and so on, till you come to the Ides themselves, Idibus Januarii, being January the 13th.

Observe―1. When the accusative case is used, as Nonas, Idus, Calendas, the preposition ante before, which governs this case, is understood; as tertio ante Calendas, the third day before the Calends; quarto ante

Explanation of the Calendar.

Calendas, the fourth day before the Calends, &c. Observe-2. That after the Ides which are on the 13th day of January, February, April, June, August, September, November, and December; and on the 15th of March, May, July and October, which have six Nones a-piece, the Calends following are to be reckoned to the next

month.

The first column in each month, contains the regular days of that month; the next column, the Calends, Nones and Ides; and the slightest inspection will shew how the days of these denominations answer to the common days of the month in their regular order.

The Nundinal Letters I have not inserted, as they only refer to the custom of administering law, or trying causes, holding public assemblies, electing magistrates, &c. among the ancient Romans. I have thought it best to fill up that place with other matters belonging to this calendar, in which general readers might find more interest.

The last column, the Reader will perceive, is the modern Roman Calendar, copiously filled with the days of real and reputed saints: these, however, are not the whole whose festivals are observed, and whose protection is implored in that church; as, upon an average, there are not fewer than five of these real or imaginary beings to every day of the year!

The Saints' days and Festivals of the Romish Church are taken from Mr. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints, (one of the best publications of this kind,) conferred with the Connaissance des Temps, edited by La Lande. The ancient Roman Calendar has been taken chiefly from Ainsworth; the two copies, one English the other Latin, in his second volume, being collated together, and mutually corrected.

1 Cal. Februariis f Lucaria, festivals at Rome celebrated in a large grove. The sacrifi2 IV Nonas