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 TWO MISSION ABlBSW%tHE BEFORM] 
 
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 EVANGELICM- CHUHCH, 
 
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 FOUR ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTO. 
 
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 " To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not acconUng to 
 this word, it is because there is no light in them/'~ISAiAH, viii. 20. 
 
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 FBI!3tW©JCJG^pBtlT STANLEY, 15, BUADE-STEEET, 
 
 iJ/£;^»PP9l.Ta THE FRENCH CHURCH. 
 
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- NOTES OP A CONFERENCE 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 TWO MISSIONARIES OF THE REFORMED 
 
 EVANGELICAL CHURCH, 
 
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 FOUR ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS. •_.. 
 Cran0late0 from tlje ^jFrenc^. 
 
 " To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, 
 it is because there is no light in them."— Isaiah, vui. 20. 
 
 QUEBEC : 
 
 PRINTED BY GILBERT STANLEY, 15, BUADE- STREET, ^g, 
 
 OPPOSITE THE FRENCH CHURCH. GD^ 
 
 1843. 
 
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INTRODUCTOllY REMARKS OF THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 ♦ 
 
 The reader will easily notice that llie representatives of Kome had 
 scarcely anticipated meeting in the persons of the comparatively obscure 
 individuals \vitl» whom they condescended to hold this "conference," 
 antagonists so fully equal to the difficult task of answering: the abrupt 
 questions, no doubt previously prepared, and through wHich the wily 
 character of the F'apal Priesvh'ood cannot but be observed. — It Is ad- 
 mitted on alt hands to be much easier to propose questions than to answer 
 them, and in accordance with this maxim, we find the Priests here 
 confining themselves to the performance of the less onerous part of the 
 task, and perhaps it may be fairly assumed they found it much more 
 convenient to preserve a dignified silence than to expose their argument 
 to the risk of conclusive refutation. The written answer which was 
 promised, is as yet prospective and will likely continue so, unless lhi« 
 little publication should attract a greater degree of attention than its 
 adversaries seem to anticipate. Be this as it may, as a brief but excel- 
 lent compendium on the subjects which it includes, this Pamphlet has 
 seldom been surpassed, and as such merits the serious and prayerful- 
 attention of all persons whose object is not so much the conviction 
 that genuine Protestant principles are founded in truth, as the pro- 
 motion of their own spiritual welfare and that of their fellow men. 
 The Translator adds his fervent prajer to that of the Author, that the 
 reader may be profited and blessed by the perusal of this little tract. 
 
"W 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 I have been informed it is currently reported, that at the Conference 
 which took place on the 2«th April last, the Evangelical Missionaries 
 were silenced in a few words, and had abandoned the discussion, 
 being unable to answer the questions put to them. 1 do not 
 know from what source these rumours proceed, but cannot more tffec- 
 tually refute them than by placing before the public a report of the 
 whole matter ; and I avail myself of the opportunity to state, that I 
 am not anxious to seciiie public approbation, honor or fame, but the 
 glory of God and the eternal salvation of souls, and to exhibit the 
 
 ■truth as contained in the sacred books of the Old and New Testamants, 
 taught by the Prophets, our Lord himself, and his holy Apostles.— I there- 
 lore affectionately invite the reader to seek for the, divine intiuence, that 
 his understanding being enlightened by the word of truth, it may be pro- 
 ductive of that peace and holiness which are by faith in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, by whom also we have access to the throne of the Heavenly 
 Grace, as he has obtained eternal redemption for those who trust in him 
 
 .iind keep bis word. 
 
 Your real Friend, 
 
 H. M. 
 
 Servant of Christ. 
 
IS 
 
 Conference 
 tjissionaries 
 discussion, 
 I do not 
 more effec- 
 port of the 
 ate, that I 
 le, hut the 
 exhibit the 
 restamants, 
 s. — I there- 
 uence, that 
 nay be pro- 
 Lord Jesus 
 ■ Heavenly 
 ruat in him 
 
 H. M. 
 
 of Christ. 
 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 
 IIKLI) ON THE 2fJTH APRIL, 1813, 
 
 Between two Missionaries of the Reformed Evangelical 
 
 Churchy and the Rev. Mr. McMahon, assisted hf three 
 
 other Roman Catholic Priests ; in the presence of two 
 
 Ministers of the Church of England, and a few other 
 
 persons helouging to both communions. 
 
 The Priest. — What is your Confession of Faith*? 
 
 Missionaries. — We receive the Apostles', the Nicene and 
 the Athanasian Creeds, and generally the whole Word of 
 God, as contained in the canonical books of the Old and 
 New Testaments, 
 
 P. That's very meagre. 
 
 M. What would you require more *? 
 
 P. You say you receive the Word of God as your rule 
 of faith, and yet you admit the three Creeds, therefore 
 you receive something else besides the Word of God. 
 
 M. If we receive the Creeds, it is because they are con- 
 formable to the Word of God. 
 
 P*. You then reject all creeds and comments ? 
 
 M. We receive all that accords with the Word of God, 
 and as the three creeds we have admitted are conformable 
 thereto, we receive them upon that ground. 
 
 P. There is an article in the Nicene Creed which you 
 admit, to the effect that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the 
 Father and the Son. Prove it by the Word of God. 
 
 M. This is easily done, for the Bible establishes the 
 doctrine. In the Gospel according to St. John, ch. xv. 26, 
 Jesus Christ says, " But when the Comforter is come, whom 
 " I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of 
 " Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify 
 
1 I 
 
 '' of rni! ;" and at the xvi. cli. 7tli verse, " I'or if I go not 
 " away the Comforter will not eoine unto you ; hut if I 
 " depart I will send him unto you;" and again, at the 1 4th 
 verse, " He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and 
 '* shew it unto you." It therefore follows, — Ist. That the 
 Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father,~2nd. That he pro- 
 ceeds from the Son, as he is sent by the Son, and taken 
 of the things of the Son to make them known. 
 
 P. That does not answer the question. It is not said 
 in these passages that the Holy Spirit pro<;eeds from the 
 Father and the Son. 
 
 M. What is said is at leasi equivalent thereto, for if 
 he proceeds from the Father and is sent hy the Son, and 
 takes of the things of the Son to make him known, it is clear 
 that he proceeds from the Father and the Son : nevertheless, 
 to satisfy you, here are passages which speak positively — 
 Romans viii. 9, " But ye are not in the flesh but in the 
 " Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. 
 " Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none 
 " of his." Phil. i. 19 : " For 1 know that this shall turn 
 ** to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of 
 "■the Spirit of Christ}' J st Peter, i. II: "Searching 
 " what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which 
 " was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the 
 " sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow." 
 In these three passages the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit 
 of Christ, therefore he proceeds from the Son as well as 
 from the Father ; that's very clear, is it not *? 
 . P. In these passages it is not said that the Holy Spirit 
 pToeeeds from the Father and the Son, and you cannot prove 
 it from the Bible; you are obliged to admit another au- 
 thority. 
 
 M. We perceive what you -wish to amve at; you 
 wish us to receive tradition, but you will not succeed. 
 Whence proceed traditions "? from men, do they not "? But 
 God has said that men are in darkness, that they are alto- 
 gether gone astray, that they have altogether become abom- 
 inable.— Rom. iii. 12. But God is light, and his word is 
 truth. Jesus Christ condemns traditions ; how could we 
 receive them *? 
 
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 /* K»'('p to t)»c question. 
 
 M. We have evidently proved from the word of God 
 tluit the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son; 
 it is not in your power to nullify the authority of these 
 
 ()aHsages ; they are poRitive, and suHicient to authorize us to 
 )elieve that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and 
 the Son, without the aid of any false authority : yet we 
 would desire you to state your own views clearly. Do yoa- 
 not believe from these passages that the Holy Spirit proceeds 
 from the Father and the Son i 
 
 P. Wc deny it. 
 
 M. Then you are impious and mibclicving persons, and 
 wo cannot have any thing more to say to you. (The 
 meeting here indulged in a smile.) 
 
 Here also the Pnesf turned the conversation, and proceeded 
 thus ; How do you know that the Bible is the Word of God, 
 and consequently the rule of your faith ? 
 
 M. We prove it from several passages of both the Old 
 and New Testaments.— Deut. vi. 1 : " Now these are the 
 " commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which 
 " the Lord your God commanded to teach you." Ch. v. 32 : 
 " Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord yoin* God 
 
 hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the 
 
 right hand or to the left." Ch. xi. 18—20 : " Therelbre y^e 
 " shall lay up these my words in your heart and in your 
 " soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they 
 " may be as frontlets between your eyes ; and ye shall 
 *' teach them to your children, speaking of them wheH. 
 " thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the 
 " way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And 
 " thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house, 
 " and upon thy gates." Isaiah viii. 20 : " To the law and to 
 *' the testimony ; if they speak not according to this word it 
 " is because there is no light in them. 2d Tim., iii. 16, 17. : 
 
 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is pro- 
 " fitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc- 
 " tion in righteousness ; that the man of God may be periect, 
 " thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Rom. i. 1(5, : 
 " I am not ashamed of the Gospel of ('hrist, for it is the 
 
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 " power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." 
 Gal. vi. 16. ; " And as many as walk according to this rule, 
 "peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." 
 These passages are definite ; the Word >f God is given to 
 us as a law, a mle which we are bound to observe and by 
 which we shall be judged at last, Rom. ii. 16 ; therefore it 
 is the rule of all we are to believe and practice in order to 
 salvation. 
 
 P. How do you know that which you hold in your 
 hiind to be the true Bible ^ 
 
 M. We know it to be such because it bear3 testimony 
 to itself that it is the word of God ; besides we have here 
 the originals and wc can verify the texts by the contexts. 
 There is but one law and one testimony to which we are to 
 conform. " To the law and to the testimony : if they speak 
 " not according to this word, it is because there is no light 
 " in them."— Isaiah viii. 20. " Search the Scriptures," 
 said the Saviour, " they are they which testify of me."— 
 Acts xvii. II. The Bereans " were more noble than those 
 of Thessalonica," in that they " searched the Scriptures 
 daily," to ascertain if what Paul preached was according 
 to them. Human compositions ever deceive, but not so 
 the Bible, for it is the testimony of God. 
 
 P. How can you be certain that your Bible is the 
 true Bible and the word of God, as, when Nebuchadnezzar 
 bant the city and temple of Jerusalem, the Bible was also 
 bjiUt, and it was only after the Jtum from the captivity 
 that Esdras re-compiled the sacred volume as well as he 
 could ? Later, again, the word of God was destroyed. 
 
 M. It is not true that all the copies of the sacred books 
 were destroyed at the . i-ning of the city and temple of 
 Jerusalem ; although some copies may have be i burned, it 
 is utterly impossible that they should have been all con- 
 sumed. I appeal to your own experience ; you know that 
 although you bum all the copies of the Bible that fall into 
 your hands, you cannot destroy them all ; there still re- 
 mains a large number (thank God !) which escape your 
 vigilance. I say, then, there is no reason to believe that at 
 
 a 
 
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 the car 
 
 
 
believeth." 
 
 this rule, 
 jlofGod." 
 is given to 
 v€ and by 
 therefore it 
 in Order to 
 
 i in ycur 
 
 testimony 
 have here 
 
 contexts. 
 
 we are to 
 they speak 
 is no light 
 jriptures," 
 )f me." — 
 han those 
 Scriptures 
 according 
 it not tjo 
 
 le is the 
 biadnezzar 
 i was also 
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 ell as he 
 oyed. 
 red books 
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 ape your 
 ^e that at 
 
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 130 years anterior to this time, they all removed without 
 carrying with them a single copy of the sacred books. 'V 
 
 2. Neither is it credible that Jeremiah, whom the Baby- 
 lonians respected, should have neglected the preservation oif 
 the books of the law and the prophtts. 
 
 3. Daniel must have had the sacred books, for he learnt 
 by them the number of years which the captivity would last. 
 
 4. In the 8th chapter of Nehemiah it is related, that the 
 people requested Ezra to bring the book of the law of 
 Moses, which the Lord had given to the people of Israel. 
 It is not said that he was besought to compile it anew. 
 
 5. I say it is untrue that Ezra compiled the sacred 
 volume as well as he could, because Ezra being inspired 
 by the Holy Ghost, and assisted by certain prophets of that 
 period, Daniel, Haggai, Zachariah and Malachi, compiled 
 m one canon all the sacred books, not according to his own 
 views, but by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Hence 
 we are not to regard that work as emanating from the hand of 
 Ezra so much as from the invisible agency of the Eternal, who 
 merely employed Ezra as an instrument to communicate 
 his word to his people, pure, and exempt from all human 
 inventions. We therefore find our Lord, about 400 years 
 later, bearing his testimony to these very Scriptures,— com- 
 manding that they should be searched, as " they were they 
 which testified of him." Had they heen corrupted, he 
 would not have directed them to be searched ; and it is 
 worthy of note, that while reproving the Jews for their nu- 
 merous sins, he never charged them with that of corrupting 
 the Scriptures, which he certainly would have done, had they 
 incurred that guilt. It is tme, he charged them vnth. making 
 the word of God of none eflfect by their traditions, but he 
 does not say that they had cornipted either the law or the 
 prophets. V 
 
 6. It is equallymitrue that thesacred books were destroyed 
 a second time, without any copies of them being left. Long 
 before the advent of our Lord, they had been translated into 
 many different languages, and were scattered over many 
 countries. We have seen that after the destruction of Jem- 
 salem the last time, the Jews of Berea examined the 
 
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 Scriptures ; of course they could aot have done this had tliey 
 l^el^kMVconSTiTrt'ed. (Acts xvii. 11.) 
 
 P. Yoii receive the whole word of God as your rule of 
 
 pm ' .; .. 
 
 i ijlf. Yes, we have already t6ld you that we receive ffie 
 whole word of God as the rule, both of our faith an4 prac- 
 
 -1 ijp. Therefore your rule of faith is incomplete, as many 
 ^ the books have been lost. In Numb. xxi. i4, the book 
 4>f the wars of the Lordls spoken of At Joshua x. 13, 
 the bbok of Jasher is mentioned. In 2nd Samuel i. 18, of 
 the bobk of the Acts of Sdlomon : Several other books are 
 kl^o mentioned, such -s those of Nathan the Prophet,, of 
 jQ-ad, the Seer of Iddo and of Ahijah. In the New Testa* 
 meiit, an epistle to the Laodiceans, and a 3rd to the Cor- 
 aitkians, are named. All these books being lost, your rule 
 6f faith is not complete, inasmuch as you have not the 
 Whok word of G od. 
 
 M. Our last answer should have been sufficient, at least 
 with respect to the Old Testament, as we have shewn thatEzra, 
 unde* the inspiration of God, had collected and united in one 
 daiiOn all the inspired books. I will, however, enter more 
 Mlyiiito the subject, in order to answer this objection: 
 ajfid beg to say, that several of the books supposed to 
 have been lost, are not so in reality. It is highly pro- 
 bable that what the Jew^s say upon the subject is true, 
 namely, that Nathan Wrote from the 20th to the 24th Ch. 
 of Ihelst Book of Samuel, and that Ahijah, Iddo and the other 
 Projihets wrote the Books of the Kings : and in addition, as it 
 canndt be denied that there were records and chronicles 
 attiong the Jews embodying at full length the history of that 
 pedple, with them we are justified in classing these 
 thi-fee, natnely, the Book of Jasher, that of the wars of the 
 Lord, and that of the Acts of Solomon, which were not in- 
 spired and never formed part of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 Respecting the two epistles to the Laodiceans, and to the 
 C<H^nihiBns mentioned in the New Testament, I answer, it 
 caiinot be proved that they ever existed; that of the Laodi- 
 ceatw, is nothing more than a letter from that church to St. 
 
 ant h'?l!?if!BZ'3 B':>'i'/' 
 
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 sense 
 it is V 
 
lis had tliey 
 
 your rule of 
 
 receive the 
 1 and, prac- 
 
 :e, as many 
 4, the book 
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 lel i. 18, of 
 r bodis are 
 Prophet, of 
 New Testa* 
 to the Cor- 
 , your rule 
 ve not the 
 
 3nt, at least 
 n thatEzra, 
 lited in one 
 
 enter more 
 
 objection: 
 apposed to 
 highly pro- 
 ect is true, 
 3 24th Ch. 
 id the other 
 Idition, as it 
 
 chronicles 
 tory of that 
 sing these 
 vars of the 
 ere not in- 
 es. 
 
 and to the 
 answer, it 
 the Laodi- 
 urch to St. 
 
 11 
 
 Paul which he communicates to the Colossians : th»t to the 
 
 Corinthians IS altogether supposititious, and wliat is said at 
 
 the 5th ch. 9th V. of 1st Cor. refers to the same letter, as 
 
 will be seen by a careful examination of that passage On 
 
 the supposition, however, that one epistle should have been 
 
 lost (which IS not the case) would that be a sufficient reason 
 
 for rejecting the A^ ord of God or receiving it as subordinate 
 
 to^ human reason <? Would St. Paul destroy in one of his 
 
 letters what he establishes in another ? God preserve us 
 
 from so foul an idea ; but hear what he says : " though 
 
 ' we, or an angel from heaven preach any other cospel 
 
 unto you than that which we have preached unto you Jet 
 
 " him be accursed." "^ V 
 
 P. Why ! can the Bible be a rule of faith to those who 
 cannot read it ? . ■ 
 
 M. As by tbe civil laws of any country the ignorant ^ 
 the learned are equally bound, in the same manner the Jaw 
 of God applies to all men, rich and poor, bond or free, wise 
 or unwise To allmen it proclaims, they must rep^t txirn^ 
 to God with all their heart, forsake their evil ways and follow, 
 alter holmess, without which no man can see the W' 
 \ou may answer that those who cannot read cannot b^&sl 
 tigate these matters; this is only true in a very limited 
 
 what God has said and commanded, and if this is not done 
 they ai^eguity of gross neglect, a neglect which proves iheir 
 aversion to God and his ways. Again, although many persons 
 are incapable of reading, it no more follows that the Word of 
 God IS not their rule of faith, than that the eye is not the 
 organ ol sight, because many persons are blind 
 
 i^r^o^^. y""" ^"""^ t^^* y^u ^1^^'^ found out the true^ 
 sense of the Scrij^tures ? 
 
 M. The Word of God itself will again answer you for 
 It IS written-Mf our Gospel be hid if is hid to them 'that 
 
 " ^fnif V'?K "I- 1' ?'?. ""^ ^^'' ''^^'^^ ^^^h blinded the 
 mmds of them which beheve not, lest the light of the 
 glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, shpuld^ 
 
 ^' Shine unto them." 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. ^ >^n^t:>>. 
 
 P. E^B not God established a Church ? 
 
 <oqi5cnV 
 
12 
 
 I! 
 
 I 
 
 
 ^« } 
 
 \" 
 
 (( 
 
 (( 
 
 M. We admit he has. 
 
 P. Has not Christ promised to be with his Church even 
 to the end of the world ? 
 
 M. This has never been denied. 
 
 P. Then it follows from these words of Jesus Christ 
 to Peter : " Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build 
 
 my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against 
 
 it ; and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of 
 " heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be 
 ** bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth 
 " shall be loosed in heaven," that He created St. Peter and 
 his successors heads of his Church, against which the gates 
 of hell should never prevail ; which Church he has also 
 clothed with power and authority to bind or loose, that is to 
 say, that the Holy Spirit would preside over all her councils 
 and direct all her acts, in so much, that whatever she 
 might do on earth would be ratified in heaven. 
 
 M. What do you mean *? Do you wish us by this to 
 understand the Church of Rome ? 
 
 P. No, this is not our meaning ; confine yourself to the 
 question. 
 
 M. In order to answer, we must know your meaning ; 
 Do you mean to establish the supremacy of the Church of 
 Rome, by means of the passage you have quoted ? 
 
 P. We do : we understand the Church of Rome to be the 
 Church of Christ. 
 
 M, And the Popes to be successors of St. Peter ? 
 
 P. Yes. 
 
 iW. Matters being distinctly understood I will proceed to 
 refute your pretensions, and will prove by a thesis which I 
 have prepared : — 1st. That St. Peter had no superiority over 
 the rest of the Apostles. 2d. That he could not therefore 
 have any such successors as you represent, inasmuch as he 
 himself possessed no pre-eminence. 3d. That the power 
 of the keys, spoken of in this passage, was not given 
 alone to St. Peter, but to all the Disciples of Christ. 
 4. That this power of the keys does not by any means 
 include that of saving or damning, as such power would 
 be subversive of the designs of the Gospel. I have written 
 
 •• a ; : 
 
 l« 
 
13 
 
 Church even 
 
 Jesus Christ 
 k I will build 
 revail against 
 e kingdom of 
 arth shall be 
 loose on earth 
 St. Peter and 
 lich the gates 
 he has also 
 Dse, that is to 
 I her councils 
 whatever she 
 
 us by this to 
 
 )urself to the 
 
 )ur meaning ; 
 le Church of 
 
 )me to be the 
 
 Peter ? 
 
 ill proceed to 
 hesis which I 
 periority over 
 not therefore 
 ismuch as he 
 lat the power 
 as not given 
 is of Christ. 
 y any means 
 power would 
 [ have written 
 
 this thesis because the subject is of great importance, and if 
 lecessary, 1 have no objection to place it before the public,— 
 leither do i fear any refutation ; hear it with patience, and if 
 roil can answer, do so with all freedom. , 
 
 PRIMACY OF ST. PETER. 
 
 Was St. Peter superior to the other Apostles 1 
 ^As the power of the keys committed to the Apostles only, 
 |or to all the Disciples ? * "^ 
 
 To be argued from Matt. xvi. 18, 19 : "And I say unto 
 thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will buHd 
 ^* my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against 
 " it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of 
 heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be 
 bound in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on 
 earth shall be loosed in heaven." ' 
 
 FIRST PART or THE DECLARATION. 
 
 
 " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will luild my Church." 
 
 d 
 Does this part of the declaration attribute to Peter a 
 )ower which belongs to him alone, and which he does 
 lot share with any other? This is a question of fact ; it 
 >ehoves us to examine whether or not the Holy Scriptures 
 jconfer this privilege upon other individuals.' Let us try. 
 [Here is a passage which will at once decide the matter-^i 
 [Eph. ii. 20 : " And are built upon the foundation of the 
 r Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Qhrist himself being the 
 j" chief corner stone." Strange !— here we have several 
 [foundations to the Church — various stones on which it is 
 [erected ; first, Christ, the corner stone, then the Prophets 
 Vfore the Apostles, who, nevertheless, were stones, 
 Uso; — for an edifice of sto- *s not raised upon a wooden 
 ^Joundation ; then the apostles, then all the faithful, (according 
 
u 
 
 ^T?^!T^i, "^ '''^'"^ *"^**' '° become an holy priesAooJ 
 
 cannot be shaken. What thlr, aJ^ c j ™ Scripture 
 - striking or unique rtt; w^ds addr"e:se'j1o Pr'S!:'''' 
 «pon.this one occasion? HithertoTe hate ^ v.f^"'' 
 covered nought ; hence it follows, that the pr^e^fnet'e" 
 
 S:'^' Chur^h.'-a-^'dtrTSeT-: T^Te 
 •equal to and contemporary with himsplf P^.-r.« ^ 
 
 rate instances addressed to all jh»n^ • i j " ^° ^P*"" 
 
 equally absolute: I now rrfer^^hrP'^''*"'*^ V V""^ 
 called: And if thh^now^T, r PO^er of the keys *, 
 
 Ch««h after Ivi^CtlrinS Tega*^ tt 
 Peter alone, I apprehend it will easily be Sntha. .?» 
 
 DToved hp »w J ■ *® Church, which we have 
 
 is destroyed*' rfslVu'^h'P^'^'^' '"Pf «% -^ S'- Peter 
 
 1 
 
 |P«rsoi 
 
 superi 
 
 your a 
 
 pened 
 
 prince 
 
 your p 
 
 assert] 
 
 no mo 
 
 It is 
 
 sacred 
 
 pear fi 
 
 were 
 
 the A] 
 
 neithe; 
 
 th^t he 
 
 cussio: 
 
 conclu 
 
 Acts X 
 
 ihg, th 
 
 ofgoir 
 
 prefen 
 
 ithe per 
 
 presen 
 
 jtheir d 
 
 confers 
 
 :hat is, 
 
 mes 
 
 tfte fail 
 
 Butt 
 
 ■He is 1 
 
 [first, bi 
 
 seem!e( 
 
 [is so fa 
 
 hand Q 
 
 doing \ 
 
 [having 
 
 jhad cc 
 
 [Where; 
 
 he iiar 
 
>Iy priesthood 
 V, and side by 
 he Scripture 
 so particular, 
 Peter alone, 
 
 as yet dis- 
 )re-eminence 
 swept away, 
 e foundation 
 in a degree 
 Perhaps yoti 
 ^t before us 
 *he other 
 bie resource 
 
 part of the 
 laration pre- 
 n two sepa- 
 ina manner 
 the keys S9 
 
 the whole 
 ated to St 
 ?n that the 
 y as that to 
 I we have 
 its and the 
 
 St. Peter 
 aes in the 
 as it has 
 pretension 
 ecorded in 
 should be 
 *eter" sig- 
 the supre- 
 5sages in 
 >ompously 
 Apostles ; 
 ear at the 
 
 n that the M 
 
 jpersou who thus.stands at the head.istiierefore prince or eVem 
 superior to those who come alter. It then rests alone upon 
 your assertion, that in the case of the Apostles be who hap^ 
 pened to occupy the head of the Ust, was for that reason a 
 prince over his colleagues*. Yet so you say ;, bujt where are 
 your proofs ? You offer none : then I repeat, it is a mere 
 assertion, to which I oppose a denial, and say that l?^|fir waa 
 no more prince than either you or I. , . 'ep.^r iv '1 
 
 It is also asserted that St. Peter uniformly appee^ra first in: 
 jsacred writ. Uniformly ? Then it is only necessary to ap->i 
 Ipear first in order to be prince : if so, others of the Apostle* 
 [were princes too, som'etimes. At the famous assembly oil 
 the Apostles, designated by you "the first council,'^ Petaf: 
 neither spoke first nor last. It was only after much debatei 
 th^t he spoke at all ; and it was James who finished the dia-t 
 cussiop. There it was not Peter who either directed or 
 concluded; and this is not very conclusive in your favour-- > 
 I Acts XV. 13-22. And I here take the opportunity of observe 
 ihgf that in the Acts- of the Apostles we nowhere read eithei^j 
 of going to Rome, of a Ilolj^ Father-, or of appealing to Pclierri 
 preferably to the rest of the Apostles. So far from this, at 
 |the period of which we speak, when the twelve apostles were 
 ^present in person, the elders were associated m^ tthem iatj 
 their deliberations : and the decree which resulted fijom .lhi»i 
 cOBfecence, was ratified by the apostles, elders and breth-en p 
 fthatis, if we were speaking after a certain fashion, in: tfee- 
 Immes of the Pdpes, (of Jerusalem however) the curates an J 
 •^he faithful— Bad Catholics those early Christians. > 
 
 But to return toSt.Peter a^at the headof the list of ApostIesy> 
 He IS not invariably so: In Gal. ii. 8, 9, he does not appear^ 
 first, but James—" And when James, Cephas, and John, who. 
 {seemed to be pillars,'' &,c. And in the same chapter, Petem 
 IS so far from appearing superior to Paul, that when the.ri|^t 
 [hand of fellowship was given to this latter, the duty of so*] 
 jdoing was equally divided among all. JVay, so far from Pctem 
 ihavmg precedence, Paul rebuked him sharply bfeeauae he* 
 [had communicated an erroneous impulse to the Church.. 
 [Where, tUen, is the Prince— where the Holy Father-- wherei) 
 ■^henafa? • / . 
 
K 'I 
 
 I . i 
 
 PI' 
 
 I If 
 
 
 hi I 'if 
 \m'y 
 
 16 
 
 a^^^l'^^^'^.f * u ^' ^"^^^^ ^^^^ Pe^^f is the most forward 
 and indeed that he appears almost alone in the early days of 
 me Church; thus he proposed to renlirp 1,,.^./ T^ 
 nojanced the famous or^tio'n on he d^y of P^f^cos'T; 
 WiA John, performed the first miracle ^ofhealfe' -Aen t 
 pr«,ches, u imprisoned, is delivered by an an J^&c 
 
 Well, what does all this prove, any more Znri;,. «. 
 Peter was one of the most LtinguXd of the IposUes ' 
 an honor which has never been HenipH hi™ i, f P°"'^« • 
 
 a?ore"ttif S^*^ aino^^hit-oC^^^ ,^» - 
 cXrerofTe'^'r'''"^ ^^'^^ 'heS te^ 
 
 ^r/^jf^t i^:^ aTm'o^^^Siy'trid :: t: 
 
 Paul; and from that period, Peter b only minted sk 
 times more m the New Testament, while pluWar^le^^^ 
 ^TJ°^^''-^ never counted,) one hundred and fifhPJx 
 tunes : this is something like prominence indeed. ^ 
 
 me titles which you labour to bestow upon himr He calls 
 himself an Apostle with the rest; and in his istEpist^ 
 ''mZTw'I^ •" ^"^ ^''*^'^ °f *« Church, he say :" The 
 
 " elt "tr Ch iw"^ ^°" ' exhort, 'who /m also an 
 eiaer, clc. Substitute, as your church rJop*! tlii:> «r^,.^ 
 
 r PooJ/'tn'^'' '" ^r^^,^"' yo" "-e'e^hh'er^S 
 Peter a^nnLi -.1 ^"^ '^"'^ ''''"^"<=« "^e^ain cases where 
 mbdedTJl ^^ peculiar honor, you may also be re- 
 minded, that he alone incurred the rebuke— "Get thee be- 
 hmd me, Satan"— Matt. xvi. 23. 
 If you say that the shadow of Peter healed the sick w^ 
 
 Ae1Sv*o1 'paiT'^r'it ''"^ f P™"^" -hie' td touchid 
 A^s x^. [2/ ''^^'^*"'« sick and expelled evil spirits. 
 
 If thei-e was an Apostle whom Christ loved and who lav 
 on his bosom, it was not Peter, but John. John .^W sT 
 And IS It a small thing to be tenderly loved by the ?avbur? 
 
 eniim 
 
 Thi 
 
 nent, 
 
 amon 
 
 
most forward, 
 early days of 
 udas, he pro- 
 ent' cost ; Ae, 
 ling; then he 
 el, &c. 
 than that St. 
 lie Apostles ; 
 But may not 
 ivithout being 
 u of Rome, 
 irist said, in 
 d Rabbi, nor 
 may be true 
 first twelve 
 ving, to the 
 ^oted to St. 
 jntioned six 
 )pears (per- 
 ind fifty-six 
 
 a. 
 
 ^er assumed 
 ?' He calls 
 1st Episde, 
 ays : « The 
 am also an 
 , the word 
 er a Prince 
 ases where 
 also be re- 
 et thee be- 
 
 B sick, we 
 id touched 
 ivil spirits. 
 
 \ who lay" 
 n«xiii. 24. 
 J Saviour? 
 
 17 
 
 This however you do not covet so much as worldly pre- 
 eminence. * ^ 
 
 Thus, gentlemen, you see that Peter was not so very emi- 
 nent, so peculiarly distinguished, or so acknowledge^ a prince 
 among the Apostles, as the Popes wish us to believe, and as it 
 was maintained indeed in a very early age : but the aiitiquity 
 of any tradition does not diminish its falsity when that 
 falsity is well established. I dare say you will agree 
 with me that the church is pre-eminently founded, not upoa 
 Peter, but first upon.Christ himself; then upon the prophets ; 
 then upon the apostles generally, and if there is among 
 them one more distinguished than the rest, it is St. Paulj 
 who laboured more abundantly than they all. Bear in mind 
 " who laboured more than they all". {1st Cor. xv. 10.) 
 
 We have thus examined the first part of the text, so far as 
 the claims put forth on account of St. Peter to supremacy, 
 or the power of the keys, &c., is concerned. 
 
 It remains for us now on the second part of the question, 
 to inquire —whether the powers, rights or privileges possessed 
 by St. Peter were hereditary ; and if they were intended to de- 
 scend to others *? On the supposition that the words " Thou 
 art Peter," &c., gave him an official position, a rank and par- 
 ticular prerogatives, were these privileges to be transmitted to 
 those that would come after him ^ Here it appears to me you 
 will have to yield the ground even sooner than in the former 
 case, for in this declaration of Christ, there is not one word 
 which can be made to indicate or even permit such successors. 
 '* Thou art Peter." Thou '.—How, or in what manner can this 
 be understood to favour your claim ? Or what has this to do 
 with any one else in the wide world '? If we admit that 
 Peter shared with the other Apostles the honor of being in 
 the foundation of the Church, it is because a positive de- 
 claration of Scripture compels the acknowledgment; but 
 what shadow of authority do we find for the estab- 
 lishment of successors *? Answer, ye who have succeeded 
 to the Apostleship. 
 
 You say that Christ annexes to this declaration a promige 
 for the future, '^' And upon this rock I will build my Church." 
 Aye, and these very words prove that you are not in the 
 
ill 
 
 18 
 
 foundation as St. Peter was, for foundation stones are below « 
 under at th« origin or beginning of an editice, and are not 
 earned up high as the cupola. If, therefore, you could 
 prove that in other respects you are successors to St. Peter 
 these words would nullify your claim in this. Neither can 
 you maintain that the Pope is successor to St. Peter in his 
 capacity of Prince of the Apostles, as we have proved that 
 Peter neither possessed, nor exercised the authority, or 
 power belonging to such an exalted position. But, again (as 
 your arguments are generally susceptible of double refuta- 
 tion,) let us suppose that Peter was Prince, how can vou 
 make it apparent that this dignity would be transmitted to 
 others ? 1 11 take the liberty to illustrate the point. When 
 the Emperor of Austria exalted M. de Mettemich to the 
 rank of Prince did it follow that in future every Prime 
 Mmister of Austria would take the title ? Your notion of 
 hereditary transmission is absurd in all its aspects. You 
 make use of the word, as of a machine which can re- 
 produce its hke and be handed from friend to friend ; all this 
 
 Sf. P /°!5-ri.''"iP^*^- ^ ^^^' *^^«' ^^^^ Christ 
 Bpoke to Peter, did he address Peter's heirs ? did he address 
 you? Answer, Yea, or Nay. 
 
 SECOND PART OF THE DECLARATION. 
 
 •' ^nd the gates of hell (or the invhible place) shall not prevail 
 
 against it.'' 
 
 I apprehend you will not require an3rparticular arguments 
 upon this portion of the text. It is true it only requires 
 the name of Rome to make it speak all you desire ; but that 
 name IS left out : and under these circumstances, none ever 
 mamtained that hell would prevail against the Church of 
 Jesus Christ. It is sometimes said that Rome alone has I 
 maintamed an Apostolical succession from the beeinnine — I 
 ^is IS untrue ; we have ever defended the true ^ccesdon. ^ 
 But It IS notjrue either, that Ron.e has always claimed pre. 
 emmence ; the Apostles did not know such a thmfr as 'the 
 supremacy of a See over the rest of the Church ; had there 
 pxisted such a distinction, Jerusalem first and afterward 
 
 Antio( 
 
 dition 
 
 were 
 
 caster 
 
 course 
 
 " Jnd 
 ml 
 an 
 
 Sin 
 Churc 
 their < 
 sively 
 very i 
 serve 
 privile 
 ward! 
 ficultj 
 
 I sa 
 (or wl 
 to St. 
 to all 
 proof 
 
 Int] 
 that o 
 were i 
 " Jesi 
 *' Peai 
 
 "I yo 
 
 *' saitl 
 
 " soev 
 " wh( 
 As 
 lent t( 
 
es are below^- 
 and are not 
 3, you could 
 to St. Peter, 
 Neither can 
 Peter in his 
 3 proved that 
 luthority, or 
 ut, again, (as 
 ouble refuta- 
 ow can you 
 ansmitted to 
 5int. When 
 mich to the 
 jvery Prime 
 ur notion of 
 pects. You 
 ich can re- 
 3nd ; all this 
 ^hen Christ 
 1 he address 
 
 not prevail 
 
 V arguments 
 
 ily requires 
 
 •e ; but that 
 
 , none ever 
 
 Church of 
 
 alone has 
 
 'ginning,— 
 
 succession. 
 
 laimed pre- 
 
 ing as the 
 
 had there 
 
 afterwetrd 
 
 
 19 
 
 Antioch, would have been entitled to the privilege ; in ad- 
 dition, it may be remarked, that the first seven Councils 
 were held in the Empire of the East, and presided over by 
 eastern Bishops. Rome was left out of the question, and of 
 course — the Pope. Head and be satisfied, 
 
 THIRD PART OF THE DECLARATION. 
 
 " u4nd I will give unto tJiee the keys of the kingdoni of lieaven, and 
 whatsoever tliou sJialt bind on earth shall be bound in Jteaven ; 
 and whatsoever thou shalt loose oA earth shall be loosed in heaven." 
 
 Singular thing this favourite passage of the Romish 
 Church ! myriads of sint-ere Roman Catholics have ended 
 their career with the firm conviction that this text conclu- 
 sively established the pretensions of the latin church ; and 
 very possibly even you (the Priests) are well pleased to ob. 
 serve my approach to this famous chart of the " rights and 
 privileges of the Holy See" as it is termed, and may in- 
 wardly query how this Protestant will conquer the diff 
 ficulty ! Nous verrons. 
 
 I say then, that the right, power, privilege or commission 
 (or whatever else it may be called) granted here seemingly 
 to St. Peter alone, was upon two separate occasions given 
 to all the disciples of Christ, and to them alone; in 
 proof of which I will adduce stubborn incontrovertible facts. 
 
 FIRST INSTANCE. i 
 
 In the Gospel according to St. John, xx. ch. 19.-23, we read 
 that on the evening of the resurrection when " the disciples 
 were assembled ' with closed doors " for fear of the Jews, 
 " Jesus came and stood in the midst and saith unto them, 
 *' Peace be unto you" " as my Father hath sent me, bo send 
 " I you ; and when he had said this he breathed on them and 
 *' saith unto them— Receive ye the Holy Ghost ; Whose- 
 " soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and 
 " whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." 
 
 As it is uniformly admitted that these words are equiva- 
 lent to those addressed to St. Peter, I will not occupy any 
 
90 
 
 I 
 
 Ume (o prove ,. • „„,| ,|„„ ,., ,|,g „,„ 
 
 « redeemed, at least as far as the simremaev of the 
 
 Popeisconeemed; but for the sake of arg^m'^t ct uS 
 
 present a^yet /follows tlm to\he''e evln" et'ctSd 
 
 you can, why you have only one JPope ^ " """ ' ^"'"^'"'' '^ 
 
 irut^JTi 'i' ' *'^™''''' ''■««="'«)% it is said that the Apostles 
 transmitted the power of the keys to the Clergy a^nfor 
 
 "l wet It ""1; V^' ^'^'"rs and Kldcrs; Z that they 
 a^l were made subordinate to one directinR power in con- 
 
 Ired'S We''*w'^',!*"^ "'• Peter was%Se;tofth 
 
 Son k 5;»,-,T' f^" "''"""'y ^«e" that the latter 
 assertion is destitute of even the semblance of proof • 
 and with respect to the authority of the Clercv to tWiv^ 
 
 Xh"n:ptof'°"' "'"'""""' ■' -^ » -riSm; oTft 
 muchthat'^^r!.r%'r'f"'™P'"l*''l'«ft'™«hed; in so 
 much that the only difhculty which presents itself to those 
 who controvert the pretensions of Home is, tha upon tWs 
 
 cSt*^'L Z ""'/^'" *'"' ^"^"^ "^ iuWreasCnJt 
 arms uT.ffi' ■ Z" "^^^ ""' '•''*^™ "P°" the subject, but 
 aeems It sufiic ent to affirm or insist .--it would probablv 
 
 matiorte*' .'"""S"" *? ."PP"^" ' -g'^ti™ to h3 
 r hs o^ if h. 7''n ' ^'' '"^"''••' "■"' ^y exhibiting truth 
 aylrtofcLr ^™"^'' toP-ethatthisUer 
 
 .H^r^ku-j^is:, tSto;t t'L^;rf%hT:h^ 
 r^ker hStth'V'! ^p^^ »'one,'is ftf:^:^:^ed by's? 
 
 i^uKe in hrs 24th-chapter, wlisre reference is ma^c to the 
 facts mentioned by St. John. Luke, after J • > h ll„ an 
 thr.!Si™ ft« l-esurrection (in which'it if rl; d't^rup^n 
 the return of the women from the sepulchre they infonSed 
 ^Ihh Tu" •■' ^'''"•'' h"t also the d^ciples who wer^as 
 
 Tw ttr* *v™f tf f *,^^ h" --.yreJes the int": 
 mlCt^^^l r".''''"P'''« Jou'-neying toEmmaus 
 on tn. ,,.,.e „.y, and then- return to .ImisalSn the same 
 
 l( 
 
21 
 
 , niy pledge 
 nacy of the 
 ument, let us 
 esent on this 
 lisciples were 
 re committed 
 not provide a 
 Answer, if 
 
 the Apostles 
 ?y alone ; or 
 nd that they 
 jver, in con- 
 fident of thi; 
 t the latter 
 
 of proof ; 
 T to forgive 
 Limption, for 
 hed ; in so 
 ilf to those 
 it upon this 
 reasoning to 
 subject, but 
 d probably 
 to the aflir- 
 biting truth 
 
 this power 
 
 IS were to 
 r that they 
 ^ed by St. 
 a'^c to the 
 
 were as- 
 the inter- 
 
 Emmaus 
 the same 
 
 evening, and consequently the very evening spoken of by St. 
 John. Upon the arrival of the two disciples, what company 
 did they meet ? Luke answers, at the 33d /crse, they 
 found the eleven and " them that were with them." And 
 as they conferred together, " Jesus himself stood in the 
 " midst of them, and saith unto them. Peace be unto you." 
 
 You see, then, gentlemen, that this was the same appa- 
 rition, the same session, the same salutation, the same 
 company of which St. John speaks. And from St. John xx. 
 16-21, we learn that upon all present Christ breathed the 
 Holy Ghost, and upon all he bestowed the power or rather 
 rommitted the ftmction of retaining or remitting sins. If 
 this IS true, Peter alone was not endued with this power, nor 
 the Apostles exclusively ; hence, not to Priests or Bisbope, 
 but to the Disciples, to the faithful, to all Christians, and to 
 Christians alone, is granted the power of the keys. Will 
 you attempt to deny this ? Read and be convinced. 
 
 This matter deserves to be treated more it length, but 
 I'll pass to the second instance, by which I shall prove that 
 this function is still committed to all believers. 
 
 SECOND INSTANCE. 
 
 If at the outset I assert that the position is more 
 easily sustained than even the preceding, I do so because 
 neither Peter, nor the Apostles, nor the clergy, are so much 
 as indicated by the name of their office. 
 
 It is recorded in Matt, xviii. 15-18, that upon a certain 
 day our Lord said to his disciples : " Moreover, if thy 
 " brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his 
 " fault between thee and him alone. But if he will not 
 " hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, — and if 
 " he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church, but if 
 " he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an 
 " heathen man and a publican ;" then our Saviour adds, 
 " Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth 
 " shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose 
 " on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 
 
 You will pleabe obsejve, that avc have the very language 
 
ll' 
 
 
 22 
 
 aildressed to Peter, word for word ; and I mirfit content 
 myse)f wi h repeating what I have asserted a Im * hrfore 
 the eS llT ITr'^'^ '''I' CWst here addrtS 
 
 power o7 he k/^sllrr''^ t'^ "^ '""-^^"^-J ^^^ *« 
 power 01 me kpya. I therefore ask anew, why do vou not 
 
 anow a specific successor to each as you do to St -plrl 
 Why ? You are silent ! Then Peter alone is Lt endow J 
 with .he power But you will soon be either con^ncXr 
 confo«nde.l by the accumulation of evidence. In effect the 
 proof that the Saviour had in view believers generallv and 
 of ell ages, abounds to redundancy ; the sen»rll aSZ 
 of the rule laid down, the nature rf XT^ecLtett 
 prove to a demonstration that our Lord dS not 3! nrfl 
 vide for possible misuaderstaudings amis his twdve A P? 
 ties .-and to cut the matter short, ?he cK orRtn'eltS 
 has ever proclaimed the declaration as indicating thTcM 
 
 H„,» T ^ ** "* " ''^""""^ '»''« ««d a publican " 
 
 wrestect liom the Church to be vested in the dienitaries 
 thereol ;- this is the great point of difference. '"S""*™^ 
 i« fZ r^ authority has this change been effected ? Whv 
 IS the Church thus confounded with its conductors? If „ 
 
 a"re'"i? rr ' "7, 'T''' '» ^° *» thf offending pl^rty" 
 ™? JT. ""Sijct^essful, the next step is to go accom 
 paniedby two.brethren,-if this fails, then he brines Te' ' 
 chLhl^f p"""''- ^*\^«^«™% of believers) bufwha 
 whoTe world ^ P^''";'"t,'?1''"°''<' C'^"'=''' W over The 
 Tndpr; birT CH f r ^f ^•"-•""•^' Archbishops 
 scien^ri 't.T , I K '*"^''°'' "* ""s^" of your con- 
 
 = wit?i\r ht meVc ^::^Jt s^atr 
 
 bunal be impracticable, and if he cannotTSed in "1117: 
 
 "se Tet^e sr '■ \ •'""^' ^""^"^ >«- StentTon W 
 wi 1 ;,„?cvT T^r'"'"'" importance, and I beg you 
 will not evade it. You dare not answer that he i<! hn.mi^ t^ 
 
 ro?nir"T'"-"''f "".'•'" ^^»-™™l(^'--"-nyothr 
 -W < hmne a church is mentioned, of necessity it must 
 
 tl 
 
 (( 
 
23 
 
 be a particular flock ; it is so evident that our Saviour in- 
 tends by each successive instance to increase the number of 
 arbiters or judges, as to require no argumentation, for in no 
 one place in the Bible where the V7ord church occurs can it 
 be understood to mean the conductors only, much less 
 an individual priest.— Then we arrive at this conclusion, 
 that to each flock or re-union of true believers, the declaration 
 is addressed ; and that their conciliatory counsel and advice, 
 their sentence or acts, offered and performed in the presence 
 of God and under the influence of the Holy Spirit, would be 
 sanctioned in heaven, conformably to the words, " What- 
 " soever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, 
 " and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shaU be loosed in 
 " heaven." Such is the truth. I then ask, where is Peter « 
 where the Pope ? and what becomes of the pretensions of 
 your clergy '? 
 
 Such is the truth— now for the Mwtruth.— So far from 
 resting in the sense of the passage before us, (for the view 
 we have of it is not even an mterpretation, but the simple 
 and obvious meaning ;) what did the priests do? It is of no 
 moment when they began ; for we find that even in the days 
 of the Apostles, the enemy had begun to sow his tares :— 
 Arbitrarily, and without shadow of proof, nay, contrary to 
 all evidence, as we see, they laid violent hands upon the 
 keys originally confided to all tlie disciples ; very conveniently 
 for their purpose, they invested some few hundred ecclesi- 
 astics with the title of « the Church of Christ," many of 
 whom were not so much as his disciples ; then, to crown 
 this mass of absurdities, they attributed to themselves the 
 promise of a divine sanction ; which promise is only made 
 to believers engaged in the arrangement of differences . be- 
 tween brethren ! Of course they argued it fortiori, if 
 a particular church can settle a difference of this kind, the 
 conductors of the universal church will be able infallibly to 
 decide doctrinal points ! If a man can build a cabin, ergo 
 he is able to erect a mountain. Or to state the case without 
 metaphor: if a certain number of Christ's disciples are 
 authorized to judge of a misunderstanding between two 
 brethren, three or four priests, converted or not, as it may 
 
r* 
 
 24 
 
 be, must possess the power to propound to the world what it 
 should beUeve ; and in conclusion, eternally to save or damn 
 by a simple volition of their will. 
 
 Thus do we wade in absurdities ; and where, in the, Scrips 
 tures a particular flock is contemplated, or a difference 
 between friends or brethren, the priests discover the church 
 universal, then without observable transition pass on to its 
 dignitaries,, ranging them at the next step under one su- 
 preme head ; invent new dogmas, and finally enrobe the 
 church with infallibility in spii tual matters ; while at the same 
 time it is notorious, that many of the integral parts of this whole 
 are men " sold under sin," who, as in the case of the Council 
 of Ephesus in the year 449, concluded their session with 
 a bludgeon fight, and earned for themselves the distinction 
 of the Council of Brigands ! ! Or, to survey the maj^er un- - 
 der another aspect, we have an Italian Priest, M. 
 Capellari, letting loose upon Switzerland and France, five 
 hundred thousand fanatics, to destroy the inhabitants 
 by fire and sword, because they refused to invoke 
 the Virgin Mary, or to embrace other like superstitions; 
 and all this, in virtue of the passage which promises to the 
 flock of -Christ, that they would be guided in all their ways 
 as long as they continued his faithful and devoted followers. 
 
 What monstrous fictions ! what a mass of folly ! how 
 brazen the face and how stupid must be the heart which can 
 believe and advocate them ! 
 
 We have thus disposed of the power of the keys, by prov- 
 ing that in the three declarations of our Lord, one to St. 
 Peter, and two to the other disciples, he never conferred 
 upon men the power either to save or ruin their fellow men 
 eternally , much less the special power in behalf of the few, 
 claimed by the Church of Rome. 
 
 .Whenever the Saviour spoke concerning hi^ disciples, he 
 did so in the same noble and impressive manner as 
 of any part of his atoning work ; of the real christian, he 
 entertained the idea which is carried out through the whole 
 New Testament, (1st John, iii. 6-9,) "Whosoever is bom 
 *' of Crod doth not commit sin." 1st John, i. 6, 7 : " We 
 " walk in the light as He is in the lic^ht :" he " seeks the 
 
25 
 
 " things tliat are above and not the things that won the 
 " earth " he is crucified to the world, and the woyld is cru- 
 cified to him. To such an one "all things are become 
 new ;" and " his conversation is in heaven." ^ 
 
 The Apostle St. Peter, whom you have endeavoured to 
 •make the support of sacerdotal power in the church, exhibits, 
 to our view the assembly of behevers as " a royal priests 
 « hood" whose province is, fully to show forth « the praise 
 « of Him who hath called them out of darkness unto his mar- 
 « vellous light." 1st Peter, ii. 9. Jesus Christ the Lord of 
 the Church, so far from establishing over it a dominant 
 priesthood, said to his disciples, Matt. xx. 26, " But it shall 
 « not be so among you ; but whosoever will be great among 
 « you let him be your minister." Yea, and such is the tenor 
 of the;,vhole New Testament. 
 
 Is there, then, any thing singular in the passages we have 
 examined, since our Lord has promised the Holy Spirit not 
 only to the apostles, but to all the disciples likewise 1 Are 
 not the disciples to be the salt of the earth 1 Matt. v. 13. 
 Are they not to be the light of the world, ^hming to all 
 around, and "carrying the word of lifef' Phil. n. 15. 
 When the Holy Spirit was copiously effused, the Apostles 
 did not alone partake of the benefit ; when Peter addressed 
 Cornelius and his family, the same Spirit was given to all 
 that heard him: Acts, 10th chap. And even while the 
 Saviour sojourned personally among men, he promised the 
 Spirit to all who should believe in him : John, viii. 32. 
 
 So far, then, from being like a stupid flock under abject 
 subjection to their spiritual instructors, all true behevers, m 
 common with their shepherds, constitute an army of preach- 
 ers, and with them are the guides and pastors of the world !. 
 Such is the promise of Christ to his own, or rather such 
 are the declarations addressed to them in a multiplicity of 
 cases, and particularly, as we have already noticed, m the 
 20th chap, of John. Read that portion over agam, an^^ yo" 
 will find nothing more nor, less than this great and holy 
 commission : for in effect it is more a commission than a 
 privilege or a power, which by this famous declaration is en- 
 
»i*Me4 hjthem : Go ! laid He, go and declare what vou 
 teve heard, seen and fek " of the word of life !" ProclL^ 
 te mr name sahrahon and forgiveness to every creature^ rav 
 H^1J°^.°^ ™^'*'" '■^ «hat beUeveth onthe's^S 
 
 ^i^' YJ''^^\^' "T^"^ God abideA^' on tS- 
 «»^dient : John m. 36. « And whosoever shall not ra- 
 
 » ^rt' °°' ^"" ^°"'" ^W'-ds-shake off the dust of 
 your feet as a testimony agamst them :" Matt. 10th chap. 
 te my name preach repentance and the remission of sins. 
 Juke ^v. "He that believeth and is bapUzed, sbXh^ 
 -saved, and he that believeth not shaH be damned:" Mark 
 
 Now hear the Apostles, and learn how they pardoned or' 
 retained sins :-" Repent and be baptized eve"one oJ W 
 2 m the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin ,rd 
 * ye shaU receive the gift of the Holy Ghost:" Acts,1.1a 
 it'^i^V^ '^^'t'? ""^ ^^ converted, that your si^s m^ 
 
 « fcrtP^'"^^ "^^ ^^°." '^^^^ ^^ '^^^^'" Acts, xvi. 31; 
 
 ^^^owttieawe are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
 
 did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, he 
 
 -Te reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sk 
 
 - ^lu ^""c^ ?"? '^^ • *^*^ we «^i§ht be made the 
 
 -It r?r°^^'^ T him,"^and God "hath committed 
 
 jnto us the word of reconciliaUon :" 2d Cor. v. 19^21 
 
 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save, and to destroy ' 
 
 ' wJio art thou that judgest another ?" James iv, 12. ' 
 
 hJS^l^^T'^/^^f ^^^^'^^^^^'^^^^ P"ests said they 
 TL ^r^^^ *° mitr^nd cauld not stay any longer; that 
 
 rSJfl^.^'"'^" ^^ ^"*^"«' ^f I furniied them acopy. 
 
 ^the light of his Holy Spirit, ta enable them imp^tially trr 
 mmme Ae Scriptures, and tp act as m the immediate pr^ 
 sence of Him who searcheth the heart and trieth thereina of 
 me children of men. . « ♦ 
 
 Th 
 
 far af 
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 to re 
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 gent] 
 , argui 
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 sonir 
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 be SI 
 state; 
 with 
 
The written answer promised by the opponents of Mr. Morell, has, at 
 far as the dialogue is concerned, made its appearance in the Canadien : 
 the Rev. Mr. M'Mahon also promises, when health and leisure permit, 
 to review the Thesis on the Supremacy of St. Peter and the Chuxch of 
 Borne. 
 
 We are credibly informed, that the version given by the Reverend 
 gentleman differs, both in its matter and extent, from the verbal 
 , arguments advanced by him at the Conference. Mr. Morell is engaged 
 in preparing a refutation of it, and we very much undervalue the ;rea- 
 soning of his adversary, if he does not succeed in setting it aside. 
 Those who have read or heard the report given in the Canadkn^ will 
 be surprised, after the perusal of this pamphlet, at the smgular mis- 
 statements published about it in that paper. But so it ha» ^er been 
 with the infallible Church,