, we shall but tend to raise
and spread a _rival_ Church to yours in the four quarters of the
world, unless _you_ do what none but you _can_ do. Sympathies, which
would flow over to the Church of Rome, as a matter of course, did she
admit them, will but be developed in the consolidation of our own
system, if she continues to be the object of our suspicions and
fears. I wish, of course I do, that our own Church may be built up
and extended, but still, not at the cost of the Church of Rome, not
in opposition to it. I am sure, that, while you suffer, we suffer too
from the separation; _but we cannot remove the obstacles_; it is with
you to do so. You do not fear us; we fear you. Till we cease to fear
you, we cannot love you.

"While you are in your present position, the friends of Catholic
unity in our Church are but fulfilling the prediction of those of
your body who are averse to them, viz. that they will be merely
strengthening a rival communion to yours. Many of you say that _we_
are your greatest enemies; we have said so ourselves: so we are, so
we shall be, as things stand at present. We are keeping people from
you, by supplying their wants in our own Church. We _are_ keeping
persons from you: do you wish us to keep them from you for a time or
for ever? It rests with you to determine. I do not fear that you will
succeed among us; you will not supplant our Church in the affections
of the English nation; only through the English Church can you act
upon the English nation. I wish of course our Church should be
consolidated, with and through and in your communion, for its sake,
and your sake, and for the sake of unity.

"Are you aware that the more serious thinkers among us are used, as
far as they dare form an opinion, to regard the spirit of Liberalism
as the characteristic of the destined Antichrist? In vain does any
one clear the Church of Rome from the badges of Antichrist, in which
Protestants would invest her, if she deliberately takes up her
position in the very quarter, whither we have cast them, when we took
them off from her. Antichrist is described as the [greek: anomos],
as exalting himself above the yoke of religion and law. The spirit
of lawlessness came in with the Reformation, and Liberalism is its
offspring.

"And now I fear I am going to pain you by telling you, that you
consider the approaches in doctrine on our part towards you, closer
than they really are. I cannot help repeating what I have man