. If that foundation, after honest and
persevering examination, approves itself as based sure and deep on the
word of God, and the faith and practice of the apostles and the Church
founded by them from the first, I have not another word to say, beyond a
fervent prayer that the God in whom we trust would pour the bright beams
of his Gospel abundantly into the hearts of all who receive that Gospel
as the word of life. But were they my dying words to my dearest friend
who had espoused that doctrine, I would say to him, Look well yourself
to the foundation, because I am, after long examination, convinced,
beyond a shadow of doubt that the doctrine and practice of the
Invocation of Saints and Angels is as contrary to the doctrine and
practice of the primitive Church, as it is in direct opposition to the
express words of Scripture, and totally abhorrent from the spirit which
pervades the whole of the Old, and the whole of the New Testament of
God's eternal truth.

[Footnote 134: Bellarmin, in his Church Triumphant, maintains
that in the act of Canonization, the Church is infallible. Vol.
ii. p. 871.] {367}

* * * * *

SECTION IV.--BIEL, DAMIANUS, BERNARDINUS DE BUSTIS, BERNARDINUS
SENENSIS, &c.

Unhappily these excesses in the worship of the Virgin Mary are not
confined to Bonaventura, or to his age. We have too many examples of the
same extravagant exaltation of her as an object of adoration and praise
in men, whose station and abilities seemed to hold them forth to the
world as burning and shining lights. Again, let me repeat, that in thus
soliciting your attention to the doctrines and expressed feelings of a
few from among the host of the Virgin's worshippers, I am far from
believing that the enlightened Roman Catholics in England now are ready
to respond to such sentiments. My desire is that all persons should be
made aware of the excesses into which even celebrated teachers have been
tempted to run, when they once admitted the least inroad to be made upon
the integrity of God's worship; and I am anxious also, without offence,
but with all openness, to caution my countrymen against encouraging that
revival of the worship of the Virgin in England, to promote which the
highest authorities in the Church of Rome have lately expressed their
solicitude, intimating, at the same time, their regret that the worship
of the Virgin at the present time has, in England, degenerated f