OF THE FOREST. 7

therefore be referred to as the authorized
statement of popish doctrines, and Protest-
ants may reason respecting them as the rule
of faith of the Romish church. It is true
that they were not received with the same
degree of implicit submission by all the
countries which continued to profess them-
selves followers of the church of Rome; and
in Protestant countries, at the present day,
the Papists are unwilling to admit fully, that
they, as such, are bound by the decrees of
the council of Trent: their policy appears to
consist in continually shifting their position,
and presenting new forms of defence, which,
being of a shadowy, mysterious, and irre-
sponsible nature, are incapable of being over-
turned by the artillery of reason, or other
means which might be used against their
errors if advanced in a more substantial form.
The Protestant, on the other hand, uses no
subterfuge w.ereby he may confound his
enemies and escape the consequence to which
the principles he recognises must lead, but
simply maintains his belief in Scripture, and
asserts that whatsoever is not read there-
in, nor may be proved thereby, is not to
be required of any man that it should be