his body was consumed in the flames. But such were the sentiments of veneration, which were entertained for his memory, that the ashes in which he had perished, were carefully collected together, and preserved by the faithful, as objects more valuable than gold, and precious stones,* with the most affectionate, and pious attention. In the same history of Eusebius, we read an account of the miraculous apparition of a pious Virgin, of the name of Potamisena, who had suffered in the third century for her faith, to Basiledes, and of the conversion, and the consequent martyrdom of this man, both which events are stated by the historian, to have been obtained by the prayers of this saint, after her assumption into the regions of bliss.

St. Cyprian also deposes, that a similar belief and a similar practice, prevailed amongst Christians, in his time. He says, Let us be mindful of each other, in our prayers: united in the bands of harmony, and of love, let us never cease to pray for one another-And let the charity of him, who shall first be removed by the dispensations of divine clemency, from amongst us, still be exerted with the Lord, still let his prayers be employed, with a view of obtaining the mercy of the Father, for his brethren,

Ibid. c. 5.

and for his sisters.* From this passage of St. Cyprian, it is evident, that it was the belief of the Church, in his time, that our charity ought to induce us to pray for each other, not only during the period of this life; but also that the prayers of good men, who are gone before us, to the enjoyment of God, are still offered up, and are available in favor of those, who have been left to survive them.

To the authority of St. Cyprian, may be added those of St. Bazil, of his brother of Nissa, whose addresses to the Saints, are sometimes expressed in language which is even stronger, than that of any Catholic, at this very day, of St. Ephiphanius, of St. Chrysostome, of St. Cyril of Alexandria, of St. Ambrose, of St. Jerome, and of St. Augustine. I shall refrain from adducing citations from their respective writings, as this subject has already occupied your attention too long, and as a reference to those writings will convince Mr. ** **** that I have not availed myself of their authority, without a sufficiency of reason. From a general view of this subject, you will, then discover, that, in those acts of veneration, for the memories of the Saints, which are in usage, in the Catholic Church, there is nothing, which

*S. Cyp. Ep. 60.

can be regarded as repugnant to any principle with which we are acquainted, either of religion, or of reason. You will have felt a conviction, that Catholics are not ignorant of the immeasur, able distance, which exists betwixt the infinite Majesty of God, and the dependent situation of even his most distinguished, and favorite servants, and that they contemplate it with sentiments of reverence, and of awe, as sincere, and as profound, as any protestant himself. But you will also have learnt to consider, (and you will think that the consideration is perfectly natural) that betwixt our own present condition and that of the glorified spirits of men, there is a distance too, which is not inconsiderable, and the prospect of which must fill us, with some feelings of respect, and -veneration for their memories. You will have found, from an attentive consideration of this subject, that we address, indeed, our petitions to the 'departed spirits of men; but that this practice is not founded on any idea, that there is any want of power, or of goodness in the character of God, or on any supposition, that they themselves can bestow on us the object of our petitions; but that the practice, in question, arises from the nature of that Communion of Saints which we all profess to believe; from a knowledge of our own ex. treme unworthiness, and weakness;-and from a conviction, that the prayers of men, so much

more perfect than ourselves, must naturally be more acceptable, and more available, in the presence of God. You will have seen, that you have, in your favor, the example of antiquity: and if you choose to pursue farther the consideration of this subject, you will find, that you are supported in your opinions, and your practice, by the authority of all the professors of Christianity in the East, divided into various sectaries; and the authority of each one of which is quite equal to the modern opinion of any of the various and discordant advocates of protestant faith.

I remain, &c.

J. C.

LETTER XXII.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Bath, Dec. 26, 1813.

A Socinian disbelieves the Atonement-he thinks that Christ was sacrificed as an example. Let the Epistles be the key to the Gospels, and we overturn the Socinian-Again, a protestant disbelieves the supremacy of St. Peter-he affirms, that the Roman Catholic misinterprets the expression "Thou art Peter," &e. Let now the Roman Catholic produce a single passage, out of the Epistles, clearly indicating the acknowledgment of St. Peter's supremacy by St. Paul, and he will overturn the protestant. Is there a single passage to this effect?

IN answer to this singular reasoning of Mr.

*

**, I have to observe, that, even on the supposition that nothing can be any where discovered, but in the history of the Gospels, in support of St. Peter's supremacy, that circumstance, in the judgment of any man, who admits the inspiration of all the canonical books of scripture, cannot be considered of sufficient weight to authorize its rejection. Were the subject, in dispute, supported by any passage from the Epistles of St. Paul, or from any other part of the