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Mr. B U R K E 's Letter of Instruction .TO THE ■..•■... '!*^ ,■ '"'■ /' C. M. of Nova-Scfltiai' ' ^..<^-: "^ " Together with " ' ,y A REPLY ( f ^ .: 'liK ..V' TO THE Rev. Mr. CGCHRANs Fifth and Last LETTER 'r'-'^. ■ ^A to Mi\ B, ^ •, rUBLISHED IN THE NOVA-SCOTIA GAZETT^j 4i af/a " ... ,v %■'■ . ■■■'ti: f *■ • >' 9 ^bott UetJietD of W former )(Lecter0, .**.' anS th« REPLIES WHICH WERE MADE. & "'■■I. ChohliDtr Jehovah, tuaedou ol ilerarhim ou rrouve (tiarlou lenUliUoth \\it\:\tr\ ci sch d«ri-k hatdb oil ImIiou balioa ntilfeou niar^oha le naphfhecliini.- IkMiH. Thus fitith thf Lord ; ftaud on the wajrt, iind fee, and afli of the uld pat)i« K thii be tt,u tight «ay» and huIIc in it.— JIK. vi. 16. • ..B ./-'-;,. iarsi '.f'- .i^' • •*« >»»»• ■' '"':■■ '" It '■ *»j'.^ ' •, I? : \' /,^^^^ 1%. ' quer are i this Mr* Nov woh ofh caut com ■ ' , • with ' i poin and hear whei wou 1 • M ■■ • hoafi .4 pray this ence , 1 ' patie whic leave V r> •I*: REMARKS, «•-. I Si' ft);. THE Revd. Examiner draws a flattering pic- ture of the Province of Nova-Scotia : it may be a highly favoured country ; — but that no other country on earth unites Co many circumftancesj which contri-" bute to human happinefs, is a flouriih of rhetoric ;— this may pafs for one of thefe irreiiilible traits of elo- quence which his friend admires ; but other men, who are not the dupes of empty found, may a(k, what has this to do with the Letter under Examination ? Has Mr. B. made any retnarks on the foiland climate of Nova-Scotia? has he endeavoured to roufe thele wolves and leapords from their (lumber ? in the whole of his publication he fuppoies them at a diftance, and cautions his flock agamft their wiles. He did not compliment any of the inhabitants of Nova-Scotia with the appellation of wolf or leapord ; he did not point out any defcription of m*ii concealing a dagojer, and waiting an opportunity of plunging it into the heart of an unoffending and defenoeleis neighbour, when it could be done with impunity : if he had, he would well deferve the execration of every man who boafts the name of Chriftian. {Er. p, 5.J Mr. B. prays the Revd. Ex. in his next publication, to aj)ply this ftridure to its proper objc6t. 'J o enforce obedi- ence to the Ruling Power, and to evince the m^rit of patience in fufferings, was the object of that Letter, which Mr. S. fo fevercly cenfures. — The writer begs leave to allure him, that 'tis a l^flTon of great impor- A 2 tancc 'f^ '9 : ) i-^^ im tancc to the Roman Catholics of NoVa*-Scotia ; for whom the paltry privilege of teaching their own chil- dren at their own expence, is thought by fome Rev*^ gentlemen too great an indulgence ; though in the day of danger they have come forward with their fellow- fubjeds, and are alwayc ready, when called on, to repel either a foreign or domeftic foe. The Rev. Ex. feems offended that the Catholics of Nova-Scotia were not informed that their anceftors thought it lawful to murder Princes, and break their faith with Heretics : in his opinion that would have been the moft eligible^ mode of inftru6ling,them in their relative duties to their Prince, and their fellow- fubje6ls,of different religious perfuafions ; but as the Ex. admits that there are fcargely twon^enofthelame way of thinking, even on common topics, he muft not be furpriled that Mr. B. thought otherwife, he thought, and continues tc think, that to afperfethc memor)' of his anceftors with Co foul an imputation, would have been fomething worfe than ingratitude : — 'twould have, been an atcrocious calumny, as he has (hewn in bis replies to P*s Letters, and will appear more clearly from the an* fwer of five Catholic Univerfiiies, to the queries propot fed by the Catholic Committee in England, at the re- queft of Mr. Pitt, who defired authentic evidence that thefe imputed dodrines were not taught or believed by Catholics, before a relaxation of the penal laws took effe6t in that country. — See the Atifwers, No. 8. The Rev. Ex. pretends that the profeffcd objeds of Mr. B's Letter, (which are, he fays, extremely lau- dible) occupy the fmalleft part of that publication.: tlic greater part is filled with doctrines of an advcrfe complexion, with plaufible mifreprefentations of the tenets of the Romifh Church, and a revival of its haughty pretenfions. Ex, p. 5. Tlie Ex. thus inad* verdently informs the public that fuch do6lrines as are afcribed to Catholics by artful adverfaries, are not taught by C. MiffignarieS: — Mr. B. does not mifrcprc- fent — . \. it' fent— he clearly ftates the do^lrine of Catholics : ill an official letter to which he has affixed his name, he would not dare to mifreprefent the tenets of the C. Church— he vindicates them from mifreprefentation ; he does not borrow colours from fanatical enthuiiafls to paint the do^rines of the church ; he finds the true colours in which it mufl appear to the unprejudiced and impartial eye, in her public profeilion of faith^ and in the doiSlrinal decrees of her councils — imputed do^rines he difregards ; — the difingenuity of the dc- (plaimer he forgives^ and pities the credulity of the dupe. It has been remarked by fome philofopher that pre- judice is a falfe glafs, that it diflorts every objed ; — but the writer was yet to learn that a glafs, whether true or falfe could fhcw an objedt which does not exifl at all : — in the whole of Mr. B's Letter, he has not once mentioned the Romifh Church, nor has he faid a word of her privileges or pretenfions ; how then it could occupy the greater part of that Letter is an inexpli- cable paradox. The unbiaffed reader will eafily con- ceive what may be expeded from a writer, who un- der pretence of examining a Letter, fubflitutes to its contents the fuggeflions of his own imagination. The Rev. £x. confiUtinghisfenfibility in preference to his underflanding, bitterly inveighs againfl fome re- flections in the publication which he examines ; in it there are fome AriCtures which may appear feverc ; but they don't afFed the innocent : they were not in- tended for the Rev. Ex. or his friend, why pretend to feel the fmart of a ftroke intended for another ? Mr. B. is infenfible to the moil pointed acculations, and invi- dious inlinuations : — all (hafts are blunt againfl con- fcious innocence. As the Rev. Mr. Cochran^ in his firft Letter under the fignature of P, whilft declaiming againft the fup- pofed dcmocratical fentiments of Mr. B. announced his own political creed purely democratical, as was fhewn to demonfbation in the reply to that Letter, fb his friend n w "tm friend and ally declaiming on the fame fubje<^, which lecms to be a favourite theme, fpeaks a languiigc purely and (imply democratical : ** the duty of alicgi- ** ancc," fays he, Ex. p, 7. " arifes from the iiift , ** principles of the fecial compact ;" and a few lines after he fays : " 'tis wrong to claim the benetit of a " contract without performing the conditions." Obe- dience thercfoie in the opinion of the Rev. Ex. is the efFeft of this compa6t, or if you will a confequence re- fuhino: from the contra^ of individuals with the Prince; and as oppreffion is no part of the contra<5^^ the dodlrineof non-refiflaiice is here, by neceflaryi con- fequence, excluded. .. . yyhu\ v/^* The coincidence of thefe powerful allies in the (ame democratical principle, which they pretend to cenlure, is not the efFed of chance, though it may be. inadver- tent: predetermined to ceniure, iind not finding a pro- per iubjedl, they collect fome garbled paflages intooiie or more fentences, fo difpofed as to make them ipeak a language in direct oppofition to that intended by the author, and having by this artful contrivance conjured 1^4) a phantom for their purpofe, their ftridlures flow without reflraint ; nature is unbent, and the real fenti- ments of their hearts are difciofed, of this the Ex* gives aflriking inftance : — in his firfl; quotation from Mr. B*$ Letter he garbles three feveral paflages, aind forms them into one, in which the terms " calumnious mif-^ " repi'efentafions,** are lb infidiouily difpofed as to have an immediate reference to the legiilature, whereas in Mr. B's pamphlet they are afcribed to Clergymen, who abjure the Catholic, and conform to the eflablifhed re-r iigion. Let the reader compare the Ex's quotation with the original, he'll be charmed with Mr. Sta?i/er*s fidelity and candour in quoting paffages from the work which he uiidertakes to examine ; and if he adds to this, the Rev. Mr. Cochran's quotation from the Bifhop of Nova-Scotia's Charge, he will exclaim with the Poet, *^ par nobilt fratrum ;" "all who are acquainted with "their VT^' ^ " their charafter (the native Irifh Romanifts,) muft ** be fenfible that they are naturally a compailionate, *' friendly, hofpitable people" — Bifti. Ch. p. 8. 1 ed. — Right Mr. Cochran ! but why conceal the remainder of this remarkable paffage ? " yet under the malignant **. influence of fuperftition, they will without remorfe, " plunge a dagger into the heart of that very perlbn^ "ifheihould be what they call a heretic." Why fupprefs what follows ? ** they think they are ferving ** God and his truth by theie enormities." The rea- der may imagine that Mr. Cochran thought a compli- ment, lo honourable from (o pious and learned a Pre- late, might excite fome fentiments of native pride in theie Iriih Papifts, and wifely fuppreffed it. However, we who have not that boundlefs charity, which pre- vents vanity in others, at the expence of our own re- putation for veracity* and who know how to catch the lineaments of fraud and flattery, very naturally coi!- clude, that writers fo fteeled againft convidion, wh^arv:<5S, « ••1§ circumftances. ' The cruelties exercifecl in Henry's reign were not by Papifts : they were in pofTefiion of their eftatcs and religion before his birth, and were by him arbitrarily and tyrannically deprived of both. There were fome cruelties committed in Maiys leign ; but (he was Henry s daughter and Elizahetli's fifter. If the foftnefs of her fex, or the lenity of the Chriftian, had been a prominent feature in her character, fhe would have been a moft degenerate child. Add to this that Mary had a perfonal diflike to Ibme leading chara6ters, Cranmer, Ridley, Northumberland, and others of Knig Edward's Council. " The King being " far gone in a confumption, from aconcei u for preferv- " ing the reformation, was perfuaded to fet afide the ** fucceffion of his fifters Mary and Elizabeth, and of ** the Queen of Scots, the firil and laft being Papiils, " and Elizabeth's blood being tainted by Aft of Par- " liament ; and to fettle the Crown by will upon Lady " Jane Grey the King was a minor and " incapable of making a will they (et their " hands to the validity of it." Neal, His. of Pur. ch. 3, *' The judges who were appointed to draw up the ** King's letters patent for thcpur|X)fe, warmly objeft- ** ed to the meafure ; they gave their rcafons before ** the Council, and begged that a Parliament might be *' fummoned, both to give it force and free its partizans " frona danger ; they faid that the form was invalid, " and would not only fubjeft the Judges, who drew it ** up, but every Counfellor, who figned it, to the pains " of treafon.*' — His. of the Wars of England, p, 170, Thus we lee Cranmer and Ridley, whofe fate the Ex. laments, by their private authority, in the face of law and equity, difregarding the official opinion of the Learned Judges, difpofing of a Crown, which of ail right belonged to Mary. If fhe had forgiven it we might be tempted to fufpeft that fhe had not a drop of Henry's blood in her veins. Neal giving a Iketch of Mary's character, fays, ch. 3. " She had deep reicnt- B " ments f ' Y •■■■h-. ■ i a- .«w ♦•■ 10 !i |l I ! i •* mcnisof her own ill ufege in her father's and bro- ** ther's times, which cafily induced tier to take re- " venge, though (he covered it dver with 2eail agaiu^ *' herefy. AV/?/, though a violent Anti-papift, afiigns,^ • the true motive of the perfecution in Maiy's days, that is, the Queen's relentment of perfonal injuries. That ihe had caufe for refentment againft Cranmfr, is un- qucftionably true ; he had declared her mother's mar- ' riage invalid ; he had authorifed by his prefence htt father's marriage with Anne Balitne, even before that declaratic-n ; he had figned King Edward's pretended will in order to exclude her from the Crown, and had openly declared in favour of Jane Gray, Thefe fa/>/e/» — thus this new Pope eftablifhed order in the religious houfes ! The men and means employed by Henry were well adapted to the end which this reforming Prince had in view. The deftrudion of abbeys, monafteries, colleges, hofpitals; in a word, of all the monuments of ancient piety, was rapid beyond expreflion under the diredlion of thefe archite6ls of ruin. *' England fat figh- ** ing and groaning, to fee her wealth exhaufted, her ** money embafed and mingled with copper, abbeys " demolilhed which were the monuments of ancient ** piety, the blood of the nobility, prelates, papifts,and " proteftants, promifcuoufly {pilt, and the latic em- " broiled in a war with Scotland." — Camb. Intro. HisLofEliz. The minifters employed in thefe fcenes of facrilegi- ous plunder had recourle to means at which nature (hudders : ff! lil! ii ; I ! , I «( €i U it «( (hudders : Sir WiUiam Dugdakin bfs celebrated hiftory of Warwicfklhire, fpcaking of the dilfolution of a nfio- laaftery of nujis called Polefworth, thence takes aii oo- caiion to deferibe the diiTolutieifi of all the mpnaCWfies and abbeys in England. " I find it Ifcft reccirded by ** the commiffioners that were employed to fake (ur- ** render of the naonafleries in thisdiire. An. 1^9.. /irn- •* r^ VIM- that after ftri^ Icrutiny not only by the lame of the country, but by examination of feveral ])erfons, they fisund theie nuns virtuous and religious women, and of good convcdation. Neverthelefe it was not the ftritt and regular lives of thele devout ladies^ nor any thing that might be laid in behalf of the mona{^(pries, that could prevent their ruin then acpproaching' So great an aim had the king thereby to make nimfblf glorioust aixl many others no Itik hopes to be enriched in a ccniiderable manner ; but •* to the end that luch a change ihould not overwhelm ** thole, that might be a^Sive therein, in regard the ** people every where had no Imall efteem of thefe ** hovifes for their devout and daily exerciles in prayer. ** Alms deeds, holpitality and the like, whereby not " only fhe Ibuls of their anccftors had much benefit, « as was then thought $ but themlelves, the poor, as alio ** /Grangers and pilgrims conftant advantage ; there ** wanted not tjie moft fubtlc contrivances to eflfeft ** this ftupendous work, that I think any age has bc- ♦* held. Whereof it will not be impertinent, I pre- *' lun>c, to take a fhort view." This Learned Prote- (lant hiftorian defcribes the men and meafures employ- ed in this work of darknefs and devaftation. The promotion of Thomas Cromteell, to the place of King's Vicar-General, the tragical fate of that Tirch villain, the promotion of Cmnmer to the Archbifhopric of Can^ terbury, and fome others as proper indruments for fuch a work ; and in his defbription he difcloies fuch a complication of hell invented ftratagems and mon- ilrous crimes as ibirtie horror itfelf. To if ti To tht; tcftimony of this well informed Proteftant writer, the writer begs leave to add that of Mr. Thomas Hearn, taken from his oblervations on Mr. Brown Willises View of the Mitred Abbevs, *' Popery, as I ** take it," faid he, " tigni^es no more than the errors " of the Church erf" Rome, had he {Hemy VIII.) there- " fore put a ftop to ihofe errors, be had a6ted wifely •* and very much to the content of all truly good and " religious men, but then this would not have fatisfied ** the ends of himfelf and his covetous and ambitious ** agents. They all aimed at the revenues and riches " of the religious houfes, for which realbn no arts or ** contrivances were to be paiTed by, that might be of ** ufe in obtaining thefe ends. The moft abominable ** crimes were to be . 238.-^- *Twas here that facrilegious mifcreant London^ was ap- pointed vifitor, and behaved with brutal infoience ; he was afterwards convided of perjury, and condemned to ride with his face to the horfcs ^ail, at Windfor and * Oakindiana 1 ' ■ If To i 1 (;i iJ! <( it. u m Oakingham, with papers about his head declaring his crimes. . Henry and his minifters did not find wherewith to fatisfy their cravings in the plunder of the abbeys and mcnafteries : they turned their eyes towards the Bi- ihoprics, " concerning which there goes a ftory,*' fays* Doctor ^fj^/m, " that after the Court harpies had de- " voured the greateft part of the fpoil, which came by the fuppreffion of monafleries and abbeys, they^ began to Jook fome other way to fatisfy that greedy appetite, which the divifion of the former *• booty had left unfatisfied, and for the fatisfy ing of " which, thev found not any thing fo necefTary as the " Biihop's lands." But there vet remained a fomething to be gleaned in Edward's days : IJenry had not yet aboliihed the Mafs ; the altars, of courfe, cenfers, chalices and can- dlefticks kept, their place, fome Ihrines and images re- mained, "on thtfe," fays Do6lor 7/fy//w, "fome great " men about the Court hadcafta longing eye, andun- " der colour of removing fuch corruptions as remained " in the church, they were cried down, and the chantry " lands parcelled out to the improvement of their own " fortunes." Then fpeakuig of a propolal from fome of the Zuienglian party to pull down altars, he fays, " the touching on this ftring made excellent niufic to " fome of the grandees of the Court, who had before caft many an envious eye on the coftly hangings, the mafly plate, and other rich and precious utenfils, " which adorned thole altars . . . befides there was " no fmall fpoil to be made of copes, fome of them " madeofclothoftiifue, of cloth of gold and filver or " embroidered velvet. And might not thefe be con- " verted to private ufes, to ferve as carpets for their " tables, coverlets to theii beds, or cufhions to their " chairs and windows ? Hereupon fome rude people are encouraged to beat down fome altars, which makes w^y for an order of the Council-table to take " down «( u (( i< •V r «* HowQ;aUr,tlj.c reft, and fet up tables in their places, '* fpiloweii by a cointniflioii to be executed in all parts '• pf the kingjdotp for (eizing pF the prerailes for the **.V!fe pf the TCing. But as the grandees of the Court "intended to deSaud ihe King of fo great a booty, and " the Commiffio;iers to put a cheat upon the Courc " X-Qfcis, who crtiplbycd them in it ; lb they were bbth •V prevented in (brxie places by the: Lords and gentry, " whp thpught the altar cloths, together with the cope ; " and plaite of ieveral churches, to be as iiecefTary for "themftlves as others/*^ — Pref. , " The Parliannent met pn the 4th of November, in " whicli the cards were fo well packed, that there was •* no need of any other fliuffling tp the en I of the game : J* bccawife. they all agreed in the common principle, ^* Which was to fervc the prefent time .... for t ho* f* a great part of the nobility, and not a few of the \^ gentry in the Houie of Commons, were cordially af- '** feftci to the churchof Rome, yet were they willing *y to give ^vay to all Tuch a6ls and ftatutes as were i* riijiqe againft it, out of a fear of lofiug fitch church ^* la^dsas they werfejpojdeiredof, if that religion (lioultt "prevail and get up again. And as for the reft who ?^c^thercaraet6 make, or iniprovc their fortuiies, there <* is po queftipn to be jnade, but they came to further ," iijch a reforniation as (hould moft vifibly conduce to ** the advancenien^Jof their feveral ends, which appears " plainly by. the (Grange mixture of the afis j^ndrelblts " therepf:*^~/rey,'^. 4^^ ' The rne.qllures adopted by thefe artful men werepcr- fe6lly correfpbndent to their flagitious purfuits' ; *tis not therefore difficult to altign the motives which induced them to disfigure, and niifreprelcnt the doiflrines of that church, the deftrudion of which muft enfure them fuc- ceft : Vows of celibacy of obedience, &c. were de- clared unlawful and impra6licable, to enable them to feize on the abbey lands, and all the wealth of the mo- naftcrics ;— crimes which were never committed, were C fuppofed ' (•• u T >!:i li 18 fuppofed, and induftrioufly birStiktf^d* W fif^hdd:.Ac murmurs and complaints of the pliblic, at feeing th^ property confecrated by the piety of their anceltoW ; and in which they found an aflured fefource'for^Herti- fclves and their children embezzled by the ExchecfUer, and fquandered on Court minjohs:-T-** thfey feprefetit- ** ed their offences.! fuch multiplying glaffes, asi thade " fioners threatened to charge the Caiibhs of Liiiceijfer " with buggery ariji, adultery, uiilers'^fhey Wx)Uld iub- mit. Burnet admits that com plaint's ' iijl^'erb made of ijii? violence and bribery of the vifitors, a|ld a;d4,S» ptrr haps,i)ot without reafori, fo great is- the force of trtith- that it has extorted a confeflipn even frotfi Jdurnet^ ainq in his abridgement, p. 182, he iays, " 'twa^ tortibfainr «xp(>lcs to tne Hatred and detettation or tne AVor^<$^* vifitorand themeii who employed ah J infti*ti6|^d'hi)t», ' Thefacrifice of the Mafs aboliliiedf altai^'^iod ajl the ornaments of the Churches b'ecaijne ufelefs. ^'^"^he plate and jewels confecrated by the piiety of thi^' faithful, during a Ipace of nine centuries, 'fell at once!ihtd th<5 coffers of the Court,^ and its Tavou rites. ' ',.'." \'f' ;" J' \ The doctrine of purgatory reje&ec|,' the. ^yHlvcff^l praftice of praying for the dead murt '^be ab61ii1icd, a praflice as old as "Chriftianity, ^"pra6}ice in life anldpgft the Jews long before the birth of p.hrift, as apjf)ei*s from the hiftory of the Maccabees, whith, >vtoher canonical or not, is a correft^ jewifti hiftbry. JHfei^cc all the chantery lands founded for perpetuatii>g piray- ers for the faithful departed, fell to the crown. Finally by prelending that the veneration which Ca- tholics always exprefled for the relicks of faints, a^ ve- neration which Moles Ihewed to the. remains of the patriarch r 19 ■v catraaxqh Joreph, favoured of idolatry, fhrines and rc- Jj^uan'qi?; pf imnj^CQic V^liic beqanje a prey torheibj-did ,ajicf.l|prilegiou3.avpric;c pf men, who Yc^ to have Ht- teiij^y reduced iippra^icVt^ \vhibh Horace, in ine fjtriie i[i:>irit'(pf iroi^y, gave to* his'fellow-citizehs. ^\.jKeimre:cfeJi pqsfisjijion^ quocurfitmc modo, rem . . . ^''oh Cives. "Cives gucer'enda ej peeunid pHmum,'f^ir-' ,,^,,Ou^,morc .i^erc'xi^t thefe men wider ari irt-e(iftible |c^^^atip;i,ol"iTii(fr(5Di;^^^^ and calumniating the te- ljel^^tl^£;hu^^niwi,^^^^ found the 5^ggran^iicn5i^i^,Qt*.th,emf<;|ves and their famiHes ? was h^tMuMur^e.p^^^ that they r^pre,]p^tfr£ft'ecf^in T^p^^^^^^ Catholic dbftrine thrpugh •> '/?f ?f ^/f^M^^^ i)flymani.'^efcnbcs tlic dcilru6lion ef- j^cyed by^.t^efe ze^o^&refoi^mers in the following hnes,: «:"I.^ A/^rS VihO fefcf ean, -u J: iif^.^' J^xt qur'i>Mi»Aiqoi and the worft of thein. ii y.R *'-Wh»t doei. "he think pur facrilcge would fpare? (^ f." Since thefe the effcfu of our doArlnes iwe."" ' '.lit', ^ iTocpncljude this article — iffuchmen were direyche^yjei>, and: fuch meafurcs fuggefted by the H. G. ;We rnup.acquit the devil of all the wickednefs, which i^hPia^i^e^ in this world, and acknowledge that his f^bJjeMajefty, though called the father of lies, is him- :.:f5i/^9H4!y belied ii) every indidment which is preferred forhi^rder, pejjury, facrilege, &c. , . , .^ Jhfe^ writer has ^lot cited one CathoJic author : if he ; wer^ to fet before the eyes of the public, fcencs painted \})i SfLunderz, hy StapletOHj Hollywood, and Dalt/y and fpm^ other coteiimorary writers, horror would grow impatient, and reafon ftand appalled, at the unjjarallel- ^*^;?Jl9r^^**^5 conimitted under pretence of reforming reiigivn, and reducing it to the primitive ftandard. •hd^ % ■ ' C-2 ■ 'file »-J _-- ■'■' ., ..;r5 tut; : -ii^x^a ■:2Ji^/.^ m 1;. ^ i. Sii ^; m 4,i- .'..:«; ■•■■*o 20 Tlic writer does not intcuii^ of' t'vtti:'pri^d:^^t^ make the uioft diftant allulion to th6;(TelliorheaKdi|i;trifi,i*rtrf pretends to&fped tbiciioath 4)f ^'C^hoHc,>deieBiilil^ ton be doe^iidit "fcli«v<^«*lc'tiru«hi::ilt3-i'i) i«af^^erti8nde, i^fljftikjfcd tb fervi a^purpofo :-^?*^^£a> ^'(^ikufiriamHs ST andthematkarkus' hrnnim kknejbn '^'ej^ltetUem fi ad^rfai' hancfanctdifhrMhudoxaxh. H ^ k^Mholieatn fidwi'i yicath fuperimus ekpafuimu^i w. . ■^^'cbii^ieijiVianteshereikoiuniverfot, quilxujtumque natni- "^ nWiW i^/eanrm*/: faces quidcin dioerjks hab£nteA^/ed ** Caudas ad invicemalli^utaSf qum\d£iVA&m>m idipfm^^ !. ;. '-''■'■:■■ :: ir;o:l3i^// .-M .;!]' ^; -^f li^^ Ex.. in hiyJvef (ion, artfully pafle's uhnoticed the Mrm^ Which deterhiinib the lenlb of the decree^ aiid poJisVrOut the perforts againfl: whom 'tw^s. enadli^tt^ iw Wft AJtfconfimttmcatev^ fays he, **. every !hercfy^gainit ^ tht Woly Orthodojtfr^d Catholic* Faith,"-— ^wfereas -in thede^i^e 'tis iaidij-^*-^^ we excoinmuiiicaite every Imc- «'i-efy /riiithg itfelf .a;giMi)ift the triie. Orthodox an'd Ga- *' tholiC't'aithj^/t/ciirt'c* have ainady expofed" The -faith which the 'PlJefatfis; had cxpofed, was the riiyfte- I lies df the trinity^: thelhcainationi the creation, &g. ■againft the Mauic^^aiis,. under different denominations who denied them. Thus our Ex. transfers, by his pri- vate &iVtiiority, a'fentcnce denounced iii, 1198, igainft the moft infvpious and flagitious of men^ who pretended that the Dfcvil was the creator of the i world, to Prote- -ftawts who made their firft appearance in 1 3 18. Othler faults in his veriion are paffed unnoticed: thfey feem to argue no great knowledge of the learned languages. 1 his may caution . the piiblic againft ta- king the icnfe of any Latin quotation on his autho- rkyy - ' ■ : -firMwo';: ■■ ' ::^ff vmv- -'V^/d • 2«:j In taifwcr to his quotation from Bella nnine, the "■■■>^' ^ ^■■. writer ■-'si i if! ^writer would: advifc"; tife Eic. : iftf iftulfl}! . tQ. .iwW^Oi i tf|f wdrks of djat xdebratied coiittroyiirttft,) /i^e(jl^f ij^^^, fi^, ^,ii^ ihcjniiJchL cpncdiafiv*, «ri»: JwA/^iW^at- .tcmgtsr, wbrci ioQad^ ^.liia ;piiV|.tftL^pwiifl07i^U'"ft^ •dots tiot o^ lit&s £atboltc'jikl(filli)^^ . It ibftfel^fif^idi^ 'cilivd^ rGfiut3C«litt«hcUnive|-fuics ^ F»nc9 i^u^.^^ifN 'to ^.twadiiii i^4r.,RViieltcr of tu^rvwSipnv v ^A/in'RfftHJ^- .founded'cohjc^WBe Kim it\^^\)^bffki^WQrkrXks^i\!^^ -which this .Ex. . has borro wed:r^'tia>tt^ftnifeft]y,^§g#iijft hiTbt^.: 'ih Jijliaii*s da^is^ Pagrtn^ wwq cwnp^fttixejy -fow>r 6)lalthis■atf.^htflofiIJ«fi•^cgfefee.su•^A•',..^ • ^^V,\>^!'} •• The Ex. without a(icluciiig a fi\)dk\iJi!iOtatjajQvffpin •idt£lGmQc'd:DfJr€rptttloon(ifi6ri\\^j^^%^ thf(g aWl |hefc abibrd do^rines iiwoatied bly Jiumff^lf atid hi;^ ^kft^s for fGathdics^ .'.Meisrhie .. aSlcrtioii/jW: j fWply, . .-f^il^ V And groundlefs : . irbe ; Gouricill tslugh t:ot> &€l$ dol^iR^^*- -tfae writer ,bciiciycsthe;€ouncir4afblHhle in ^Uj:it^i{d:*vJrhQMt Y&i1rty< tiOUft- «teriiaiid the doiStrjneiof the. Gowkicii/ijf. Trent, ^5 wcjl as.Mr. S. or Mr. G:.;ivbQ in;all :ai4>«irance il^yej- read a line in. its decrees. :c'' J jjj /.wSV i.w'^horh/ *^^How'far," fays the Ex. pvlft, " theitefees of ■•J'PgIjcs are binding upon J^nian GathpUfii ' ^'riter il: !! WriWr has now that profeffiofn of faith before hirtt, fiftd is'ilbt cleadiffhted cnoirgh to dricovcr any fueh thing : —••1 Itkewtle undou-htedly deceive and profefs all other •* thriivs delivered, defined and declared l>y the facred ** Canons, and genera! Councils, and particularly by the •* holy Gouhcil of Trent. ■* All this the writer fin- ccr'dy receives and j)rt)fe{Ies; in it there is not one yrotd' of' Popes decreds. Gngory I. lurnanied the Great, to whom England owes^ her cbnvertion from the moft' ftupid idolatry and barbarous fuperftition, in hisdorifefiionof faith—L/Zvl. Epiji. 25. — fays, "that * he reiiejvcd the four^neral Councils — of Nice, of •* Cohftahtinople, of Ephefus, and of Chalcedon, as " the four books of the Gofpel." The decifions of ^e- |ieral' Councils wbre thought infallible. Gregory iays Iiothlfig of the decrees of Popes, nor does the proftf. iion bffaith authorifed by P/m^ IV. As to* the bbedi- dhpe WHicfi v(rc' Catholics owe the Pope, *tis |>erfe(^!)r confident \^lth. our obedience and allegiance to ouif Prhitie ? it extends to nothing unjuft or unlawful. If the Kih^ and Pafhanient, and every other conftituted authority in England, to which both Mr. B. and Mr. S. haVe fvtrorn obedience, ihould order them to feduce a hfiighbour's wife or. daughter, they ought not to obey: bfecaufe the obedience which the v owe to a his/her |>QWer, forbids it,; — In like manner, if the Pope or any Other authority uilide'r him, (hoiild order us Catholics to 'withdraw our allegiance, or break our plighted faith, 'we would not obey : becaufc a Higher Power orders *tjs to obey honor and ferve our King, and religioufly perform our engagements. - • • To conclude this articlci 'tis matter of rarprife, thoft "Mr. S. (hould gjve the profeflion of faith of Pius IV. %r a ftandard of Catholic faith, and at the fame time endeavour to perfuade the public, that do6trinesi not "one of which is to be found, even by implication, ia ' that p^-ofeffion of faith, are believed by us. A iketch of Cranmer^s chara-?. From feveral miuranflations in this pretendetl Exa- minvitiou, the writer begins to fufpe4rith truth, as the Uiiivcrfity of Paris had ibewiviii: defence. of its cenfure againft Monteffon-^-Cct Rep. to P.^— that this is one of his errors i» raanifcft, from a misquotation of St. PauL In the Vulgate the text has, *' in JimiHtiidimen Cartiis peccati :'\ in the original Greek en omoidmati Jbrkos dThartiaSy* in plain Englifh: in the likenefs of fle{h of fin, and in the in- intended fenic of the Apoftlc, " in fle(h like to •* tha* of (in, or fnbjeft to fin.*' The Ex. has given it : in finiulatiomm carnis peccatricis^o. rmni fed perverfion of the text, and even that he miftranflates : " thcfalfe ♦* appearance of jlrijul Jiejh,^* Simulation is a plain Lsutin word which does not fignify a falfe appearancci but the art of concealing a truth, which a man is not jbliged to rdveal : as if a traveller oii his way to An- napjlis, through Windfor, from Halifax, (hould reply to this impertinent queftionr-'Whither are you going ? I'm on the way to Windfc^r. When a man is juridi- cally interrogated by proper authority no fuch evafioh K allow«d.-~5wit'«>. /o A £> this M • ^nl- »>•• I ! .,,t,-'. ■■' This Rev. Ex. proceeds to quote frorn Orfl/Zcrt,,** hi^ " hold what lies are venial. and what arc daniflabte,^'^-- who wub^ cd on rc^fon, that Hovrnt^ an.^'Epiouna^fiij^ti^'ihtii lieved.k; - i''-^^ •:.•■ ' • ; ':-^\.'\ c , >'A ,v The Pope ifwebeUevCytliisEx. has:a^in%iKrant* ed a previous diipenfati'oii .from the oath of allegiances Mr. B. has fhewn the GObtJrai y ; and expSericbt^. ihciv« that no difpenfaiiions/ aate gj^anted r if they 'weilt Eiii*' glifli Catholics mighthy a fingle oath, relieve 'them* 1 elves from all penal reilri£l;iona and difabilitles li^Biit here's another decree, — ^** all oaths contrary to the adV ** vantage of the Romifli Church are to be jcoiifidiared " rather as perjuries tTian oaths," The Ear.. had added the term Jlomijh by his ov(/n private authority i^ he t^d thefe trifling liberties of adding and retrenching wheii ncceflary tofixthefenfe whith fervcsihispurpole. He then i^roceeds to ftate that .*tis the bufmcls of thiti Ro» milh Church to determine what is its owp intereft^ and confequeiitly extend difpbnfations to every. oath. Thisis a ndw ' lea of ^; difpepfation. To declare HhaX a lawful oath is an ad of perjury, is a power for which v^ the •«7; ■;•■ '■■'-: ---::'\''--u'.-:^'' \ijJtxep inan».\W>t yet fitted; forjaMadhowfe^sind if fucH a:dcckiratioa'^4.idHpefl%tK)nv Mr. B; has granted it^ toidi Um»$d Ifi^hmen without: c thiak&)tlje >!{.ing^$ govcrnorsjcould: grant fuqh difpenfa-i tix^s: WtitdoKfutnany ^remorfe'^of coiifciehce. , The. Ex.. wift;rcmaa^tbair,iill^.tlay$ of Innocent Uf* there weref le^l cxojnptiimsi>i.f{iinQw1of the cftabliflied Church,: as- thdro ijBpyti in Eugland ; thatt aai bath to prejudicei Qf;theifi^.leg&l)caceaa|»tions is uril^lyiiil, and confeguent- l^iii^valid,- tJi^s Kev* 'Ex. mix^t tickniowledgev t)r admit, that the; Wittte iBq^s, thoiOaknEoys, the Steel l^oysjr a»d «IL othe;^A\who'.fufFered jsa account of ty thcs, werei q^cdet^ itn<9)8ixolour «f lalw>•n?^^^v» |«l3"i;I> j^r:i ic.;: rifi }r!Thoughr aotl tlte! fiiado^v of ari argiimeat appears iit li2 pages ofthiatEixaminatiati, .if yod except It wo or. t^OttGtL gaiiiicd^iqi«otati(MW# . \vhich afe eJafily explained. Mr. ;&«n/ci- 'CJoitcludes with confidence that he has ilhcwpicertainido^cihes to foiin a part of the Ronjilh; r^ligibn*! whioh'that'EeUgion feirerely conderlins In hiS] aince£brs^theijprinfvc ^cfoif mers, and which hi. been au- thdnticallj! (baridcmncdwby the very Councils to which h«falcribes!themj^4hus the notod^ f¥e/iley imputes to Ca-^ tholics the riots in London, in 17 80, when 100,000 af-y ibciated isMMitic^ii "with: Lbf d . Gedrge Gordm at their head,; ^uri^dithe; Houfes and €hapels. Confidence in aflGMftipninDQftdadjfubftitiiSte to/pioof, yet the man's face niufti be fealoned againft ;lhame, Vbo publicly aVoSvs a ti6tbrkiius falfehood. f n his next edition llie ^^liiWQiiid . do'.weli to remember this philofophical naaxin), that ailfertion is no proof ; that a; llmplc de- nial's a (uffideht refutation pfi bare affertion; that a frttjR attempt. to fupport a had. caufe,. makes it worfc, and: reflet5t$ afbrt' 04' diicredit on the head or he4rt'o/ the aathor— frequently on' both. »:• .1 .' ■ J hf'!' Ml 'A I i Ml ■ .1 It II ; j ^Di T' i lli'l' "tft liis aCGomitr/ tfic VlMtibifi bf ^dftiT tftd IXft;/^^ to the throne of ///w/, Mr. 5/fl«/itie* rjiing fimilar to that of an Englifti Coronation. 'Tis Araiige that neither 6W}// nor Dm^/d^ thought io >-* iSome years after DfMd had been ajnointedt$}c tifequencc of God's immediate appointment, i\^vi\&Qdi-\ry Samuel^ flerubaum was guilty of rebellion, impiety, ahd^idolati^v — why iol becaufe he was chofen by ten tribes out:of the twelve, who thought proper to conftitute him their Kin^j. The Ex. will find it difhcult to )afB^ ahp pther reafon, which founds his accUfation of *- jarocUbiK ^^n'm{k Jeroboam : ^vith relpc^^ to the divine* appoitttr ■'^ ... '"f^'f Q9 &' mdnt he was upon equal termi with David .'-^Davtits appointment was during the lifetime of 6a{ • 17?. Chf.ch, pcii, From this lafl, 'tis manifcit that God* 4id not enlighten the underAanding pf Hbboa m^ {ozsi todiicoverthefolly of his. young counfeljors. — "And *^ it^cinftetopafs when all I /)'ad hemd that Jeroboam **/h^dcomq again, that they colle^edaii aflennbly, and *^jif nt and ^i|Ueil him, ant) m4(tn ♦» wrf^ but the tribe of Juda^' .Aunore unlucsky cxf air>pWMr-. S^'««»»ld not have fdund to (hew the itt*. cotA^ttaicf ef ihe pedplb who i^ejo^bd Mpbaam^ and- ittbftituted l/ipro^tfii werenguil^y of aay ^6i of rebeK- TioiH if'Ood'ifctiaot chciau3jor«f. rebcUi^^ the- Scripttif* %si pofitiively, 'that ** this wowlowas front' *^ Qod.^'l! JWter this;^ Jeotdi&a(2m fell into. idgUittT)^ atid fn^n^r ' Of the pebpl^ ifollo wafedl his example^ ifor whtch^' anid Othiir irimei enutrieiitatedi in 4he: jScr ipiturdSy they w(ei-e'de&rvedl)r'punlfiied$Jbut. tJhat tbe^iin(Are;theii guilty ef idokt^H^, inf piety, -an^ i'ei»eUioB^-is' a ifiat f con*^ <»fadi£lioi)hb as£huAly land ohiwrfaily ** exeiduk^£kvuii9in^iS^mihr^' 'he apj3binted bi;^iiad>>e| a^dthQiieflabli&i^d^aiji heredi^' t»ry ©dveriitti^nt in ch* fainbijy of Dak)t31^.V*p; iSO^ Th^re^dre ifi:this iktentetut' as maay^ieiiitsre'iashnesii^ We don*t ^nd that i^^/o)>^(7/(W^$ apj]biiiitiedl'i Ivy. hani^ NVith an lndefeaf>ble right: DtfnV/promtibiiMspiotHcr liaihjMifiytUait he^(h(^\d be his fuc(t;etr9«!^iaiidiirde£ed' hicnin cbnle^uenise to be>anoku?dd by the High Pidefl' Sa4oc, at her T equeft. ** As- tiiave »fwofn to thce^ by* " the Lbr^Gofl of j^r^ii/, faying, $o/d/M«»khyifoh (hall •^ rcJgn af(l*r''meva"d 111* fhall iit on my throne, thui •'will J dothi'sday."— !>?. Ch,th. I 30>^Firft errbr;. Jeroboam Wtis appointed by mime KliTg of Jfikeiy whom this Ex. calls a rebel—^Second eri^r, that Dfftwrf uus immcdioteJy nominated, aikra (Jontimiation df the iamily of David, over the tribe of /z^rfrf predi<^ii&{a£^ri3!et he wis mevcr thoQ^trtd pbfierit aoi indefeafiblo ri^ht.i Front this £x-r%.-j!cafbning we^ihould cbnclqde tha;t all.tho iwing*9[cf //mo/, aiidjeyeia} 'JerohQam himi^f,, though appointed! as S^u/ dndDiwiW, were !i>rur))ens, land all the mofe who aoknowlefdgcd. them Sovtercigns, rebels to theii'. lawfol Princes : No length of time prcfcribes againft tlie drdinaiDce of God. TH<5 writec -palFes iuhtiotided^ fomc ridkiliious i>ria-i cqites'iwhicKareimptitedby the E^. to Mk.B; they ehaMff liim tb conjure: Up a fubje^, on' whicli ihe dei« daitns^withiomeaipertty, and fills a pamphlet^ which if ftrip()ed:of thefe adventitious ornaments, and con- fined to logical learning, would be reduced, to half a. fliiaeti^;:; i/^fi-bv; ■'■.-:'/ ..,■.■•;'■' .^ ; Mis iTiitnaik. f hat ' if' the people liad the power of QOtiflkbtib^ their Kitig^ th^y might defeat the plan re-' ip05Un^thc MdSas,' is wonderfully acui^e : it (hews the depth jof this l&boEious.Ex'£S. reftarchcs ; thc' accuracy of His ndtions ivith!rcipc£i toa'ftiperintending. provi^ dcticri r • 'tis^tb be hdped thai hi^ rtext effay \fiH*efta- h^iihtheiniihictaliibfatum of the heathens; arid jui^ tify JPi/rt/tV .'fehtencc againft the Redeemer^ iJVirfffjU treachery^ and thie malice bf the Jttos : ifiithcfe could. have done otherwife, thcyJvould have defeittdthe plan 6fthe I'edelrnption. And S/iu/ might have defeated this piani of-^ithe Meflias moft efitftUally ; for Samuel ^id to him^ ** thou haft done foolilhly, and haft not "^ kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which 3f. .. «*he ^\^ 'Vi. M ■ 'I ■I •> i'I'm! ,1, !i- 31! <<«he crbnlilj^nded theet andiftliiaulmdfl not^m\d\a^ky^^\A\&ied^^ kiilg«bixi|ibvei» jrianife^^thil i^^^mA had notJ&ffnibgk^ crifice, not being of ifo Fri^% iiaeei^ Jm |uhg^0knr would hslve ftbdi, sind Dmwfif woidid hav^ >bdBn exiiu- d6d ; ^ti» «q^l^ HliQfifeft/dllftraaif ^ tnigll^'lwve do^ti' ted thli^€yfrenng.V'^f^ no ii^e : wheiT obedience isr impo(}tbIe« ^ Iq ikik inre Cftthblies reVere of his providi^c^; wi^i idiaredli^^^i; hist trutiuiies to. thBr prd^tc^eiid^ tit tbe^&ttia^tiine mvilntfi^a^^^ i^ tiire aiid, ilU/their in^wrafl poptm^ mM& m^^ touched: 'and if in the (^urtkfbf his^^ji^dsatse^^^m^ tbiitg trat^end oiir undirftatiding,' i^iia^e tfae^nttti^ de^y toa^imit thatiGpd can'dainoi!p:^&akiTW#%^^^ ccive. \Ve have not the InibJ^lKeito fi*eiedil,^l^ luch and ^filch an even^ ihmrld 4)i|^nep^^^'^^ Itofe vvbuld h«kve been defeited* '"T^Tiiidelj^ 'wt. refigh to the Ex. and his^friends. Wfejfty.ijiith thi^pfojiiiet, •' t^m'ngimaJintM^uem^ " SCfu&viteif omnia difponenhV^^^p, eh, Viii^%; The writer admires iuidcher ftretch /^of thie ;&*iifiL fancy : he finds that *twa$ expre&ly revealed that thi Meite was hot only tohc jibrafmm*s jkce^ but : alio the foiii'pfiyvtvidi anttcfi aHihf KHigi i, and IVicUf, who were profefled Levellers. The man who approves will pradice, if the opportunity offers. - The Ex, comes next to examine that part of Mr. B*s Letter of Inftrudlion, which treats of political power, and cxprefles his furprife at Mr. Burke's at- tempting to (hew that all temporal jurifdii^ion is vei- led in the King, by denying that he has any fpiritual authority, power or jurifdiftion whatever. The wri- er is not lefs furprized that this Rev. Ex. knowing there were a 1000 copies of that Letter of Inftrudlion pttbliihed, each containing a direct and authentic con- iradidiou to this Aatement, would permit prejudice and party fpirit to warp his underftanding to the ruin of his reputatioti, without even a chance of impoluig on thu- •i-edulity of the|)iiibUc. Mr. B. had (hewn that all po- E litical €. it llir: ■t. i: i;!' 1 :l ^34 « litical power is from God, the author of Ibciety, and conferred by the miniftry of the people; and that he has fhewn on folid principles. He has alfo Ihewn Spiritual Powers ^re from J. C. founder of tlie Ghurch, conferred by him immediately, not to- King's or Magr- {Irates, but to his Apoftles, and from them derived to their fucccflbrs- in office. Thi^ laft queftion the Ex. carefully avoids, and by a grofs milrcprefentatipii t'*- verts the attention of his readers to a different 6bje6l. As a compleat reply to Mr. B's aflertion, that no temporal Prince as luch pofTefles any fpirit^al Jautho- rity or jurifdiftion, the Ex. fays thai: aflertiton iscbhtra- •didied by the law of the land, which declares the King ibpreme head ci the Church of Englawd. This com- pleat anfwer happens to be no ahfwer at all, and Idaives the queftion injlatu quo. Mr. B's aflertion was a lo- gical inference from principles manifeftly true, the force of which is not to be eluded. The writer docs not cenfure the Ex. for adducing an a6t of parliament to filence reafon ; as every other evafion was precluded. However he humbly prefumes that 'twould have been more philofophical, more confiftent with the charad^er of a fcholar, to attempt a refutation of that inference by fair rcafoning. This might have been done by Ihewing that the principles aifumed were not ftridlly true, or that the inference was not logically deduced. To have lecovrfe to an aft of parliament is ingenuouf- ly to acknowledge the infufficiency of logical reafouine, to invalidate a prcffng argument, the truth of which is obvious to the meaneft capacity. To this may be ad- tied, that the a<5t of parliament adduced is not a contra- didlion to the inference ftated in Mr. B's Letter of In- ftrudion, p. 29. The inference is thus ftated : " it " follows of courfe that no temporal Prince as fuck " can poflefs any fpiritual powers, authority, or jurif- " didion." The law of England declares the King head of the Church, not in his temporal, but in his ec- clefiaftical capacity. Mr. B. iicvef' denied the King^o t«t~/: » 35 beSup^-eipc Head of the Church of England as by law eflablifhed, on the contrary he aflerts it, and fo do all well informed Catholics; From this principle, which ;he wri- ter thinks inconteftibly true, inferences are drawn, which require more logical powers than nature feems to have bcftowed on this Rev. Ex. and his powerful ally. The writer, whilft he thus publicly declares, that in his opi- nion the King is fole and fupreme head of the Church' of England as ,by law eftabliflied, begs leave to ftate the.reafons why Catholics do not believe that any tem- pord- Prince as fuch is or can be head of the Catholio CSynch, or of any parcel, part, or portion of it. They fay th^t, admitting atemporal Prince to poflefs a fpiri-. tualjurisdi<5tLon, it can extend no farther than his tern-, ppf^l, ji^rifdic^ion, becaufe.'ti? fubordinate to it, and de- pe|[^dent -onit ; 'tis theirefoi^c of all necelCty confined withii]^ tne limits of his. dominions : the Catholic Chjirch is ^iQt qonjined within t^e dominions of any Priiice;. "jrfieSayiqur ordered his Apoftles to icach *^a^n^tioll6,^'•^/i/fl//.^^//, '''x^nd it was, faid to Abra-, ** hqm, that in his, feed all nations ihould beblelled.'* Gen, XiXyii., 4. *Tis therefore evident as the fun at mid-day that no temporal Prince as fuch can be head of the Catholic Church,: the head muft have fopie authority over the members ; beyond the limits of his dominions, no temporal prince has, or pretends to have, any au- thority whatfoever. — In the next place. Catholics fay, that no temporal JPrince as fuch, can be head of any parcel, part, or portion of the Catholic Church. The r^afbn which they offer is limple and conclufive — in the writers humble opinion, it bears no reply : the head and body, fay they, compofe the. individual in the po- litical and moral order is well as in the natural ; aii in- dividual, as an entire and diftiiK^ whple^ ^lot a part or portion of any other : thus a head united to a leg, would be a monflrous produ6tion, but not a part of another individual. If this reafoning be not conclufive, the Rev. Ex. or his friend will eafily deted the fallacy the E ii writer Mr 1 > ] ' ''}■ tvriteris not able to difcovcr it, and wiflics to be in- formed, ^ . • r*^^*iinvrir; The Rev. Ex. at length engages in a rcKgious cbn- trovcrfy. His firft ftatement is unfair and injudicious. €ontrovcrfy does not feem to be his favourite ftudy. Non omnia pojumus ornnes, but fomething' muft be Jaid — Scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim^ " The fpiritual powers,'* fays he, p, 40. " which " Mr. B. denies td the King, he has transferred to the " Pope as fucceflbr of St. Peter'* The Pope has' therefore ufurped the King's fpiritual powers ! hot the powers which Parliament had conferred on the King lb rely ? the Pope exerciied thcfc ^iritual powers be- fore there was a Parliament, in England. "Will the ^ev. Ex. condefcend to inform us by what means the Parliament was invefted by thcfe fpiritual powers ? was it by A^ of Parliament ? if fo, the Parliament muft have given itfelf a power, wtich it did not ori- ginally poflefs ; this to a plain man has all the appear- ance of an unwarranted alTumption. Was this fpiritu- al power veftcd in the Parliament by J. C. the founder of the Chriftian Church, the fourceand fountain of all fpiiitual authority ? Be that as it may, Mr. B. did not enquire who was St. Peter's fucceflbr, yet the writer is willing to admit thn.t the Pope is in faiSt the rightful fucceffor to that A]x?file. And he ventures to afTure the Rev, Ex. that Catholics arc of that obftinate difpo- iition, that nothing lefs than an A61 of Parliament to deprive them of the firft elements of common fenie, can ever induce them to believe that any temporal Prince is fucceflbr to St. Peter, or that any human legiflature can invert a Prince with the fpiritual powers, which J. C. cHHnniunicatcd lo his Apoftles, and by their miniftry to thcii- lucccfTors in office. He at the fame time afTures him that there are no men living, who have a higher rci j;c . Amongil Proteilauts, faysh?, p, 42, '* there is no *' iA0ireuct as to what is the general rule of faith and " idoarisie," after a fe/ or jproMrficeof each .in* ^ivjdual. If, as is pieteftded^ the Scnpt^ie^ °® ^ffiS fole rule of faith', 'IjV tht fenfd^" 8dt^i''To1l^^^^ Scriptures, WHil4i jmtfft be taK^n ^l^r ■ teji rutcV /^ X^^ this tile Rev. ' Ex. ' fuBfti^utes 'it}^^/fi7i(;j/', th^' coMpt^ t'ht'fiqbity the p)-9>/<^rVpf the readfey.,*:* His faip aeris^ fdre, i.-i not fiimiHefd orV thc'Si:i^ipkifeX liiit qn Kis'oWel fancie^ fenfe of the'Scnptures,,Which mapifeftJy is i\oX l^cfiptufe. riei1c6 iiiftead'"of a rule^'piTa^th'^^^^ rflligli^ ■ rianife^rolfrceofiuficiditVy' ''- ..^ ' T'v \ :,^;.|:^_ '(iife'ri'^'f tfiedift^er^utfeasofPi-otef^aiiy **. aiifes rti^. y lS|bT)llth■6conftf^6tlpn'^f'the lap:)^ " whith produces a difference l^fo^imdn (f'\^ef ]uppA * the tneer externtl fofms of Rdig^prij, ^pr i?ppn .^h^^^ ^ fpectilative poiiitsof little; impprtance, tp tfe ''&t>r " ftajice of Chf i:ftianity." By "tfais.the Ex. adrpits^h'at the Scriptures arc full of oblcunty: for thai-l^LW^uppi^ whtch conftrudiPns arife lb widely ^ dHFerenfj as tor foriti fltimerPus fefts of ProteiftaiitS, (they a)^e his'Word&j fnuli be involved' in oblcurity;' "_ it tf an}icjt therdfo^^ a ible rille of faith :" for faith, is not'tb 'be 'cqiifpun^a with Ppinio'li. Faith is d^i aildrif oif'the underftaridipg to revealed truthis, fpUndied on ^infallible authpnty^ ^ohn ietiueufly infallible tuid invariable, ppihioh bfocee^ f'i'om a preference given to a rtiptiVe th6iight mbreprc^^ bable than its oppofite, and l6^Ves the mjha .. m a flufluatinei ftatfe. ^^ '' •.•/•-' . - ^!..> { pinJons are Cc f ion^ in faith a' fn all the difl-erent iV^ts, vjrho frdiji tKe firflcnabiiflU i^eiir 6f*thl' Chfiftiai) t1iui(?h, MV^ at diter^iitjiim^ \\'ithdniu:.n \\it\i: pbedl'^nce fVoftt th'r,f|ftdrki f hent^^^^^^^ In'g, r^ibftituting their qWn opinidh? td the fartK recjSvrk ed tVdm the Apdftlci, cdntf&rv tp Ihat e^cprefs.^c^ tfiand 6( the ApoilleTaul tpliM'dtf^^^^ Ofimom, ** prefcrve the dcpoiltfc, '4Vdidihg,'|yrdph'ane libvefues,*\ fl 'as' it is Ml tti'e'oVl^ial " 7(fj *(»kV«& '/(ew^ nat iniliaUd iwpty founds, Ep, l.'4im\yi. iJo, V-U ,•'1 J. .iJ ,::.4*I 43 js/i \rm y i.-uo J..i r.uJ . o S^-'+f.*- ,1 i na». iat jie',A<^9^j|^f^rano4i o£. wy reforfljied^, Church itpix^. aU |€rs^|s j^iotjjw/fi^^jbje^&ut ip. the, ruppofition of lome. ^dap]ier>tal catii; jlW^gbi; jui, , tfcfe C^urches^ with, , lien the^ ^e^ule^QJpinj^in pQtpmunjpn : for to mike, \ ^iMS^S?*^^ ^^^^^^^.''IP^^*"^^^^^^ le^ is^ if we believe St f^a^^i^i^Qoi ^eie. orimesi which -eKclmie frotp^^al-j v^tip^.f, u^ iiisJ^iiJia to the Gafatians^Jthe Apqille, <^a(l^s jjfe .ffejh, i« tJbier^ Vfor^s *V t|;»ex^U> are to^(>e, *^ geldjaqcpl«4» Wt p/^funne tp^fty. ^^t every maV *Jjhsdl ^9, Wed byftip^l^^ i^d wlji^ he profcfjfcs,, *^ ip'jt^Kit he be 33iigcu|:j' tof^fprm hisJife accordiiVg to. ** that iaWp and the f^t Qf^iature ; for Holy Scriptures > *f dotJ^ fe^hutuOtQ,,^ (pnj^ the iia^e oF J. C. wheW^y Qgmipafowidei pn fanj^y.or ^ ' "j^^e, YJi^ aJitic^j? ^]^^^; ^^^* expUcii;: in it w?,read, th?kt the Qreed cail^d q^.Mh(t?iafius^i pught thoroughly to t><^ tic ? ' F 2 . "to n Si V'- • 1:': ^ ^ •* i. a! 44 ^ ■I ■iii ilii ■!1 lH! " to look out for remedies to this. diAgrteinent iQ.rc* « ligon/*— the firft— anothrr £gment tikin to this is, " that every (ChrifHair) mtfjir ^f/tfirrf/jT All ** occm reunion. But this to one evil introduces ani^^ •« ther more noccnt, namely, the ttnain rum of thoiw <* involved in error, inaftnuch as this opinion rendef^ «* the error incurable, as none will care to lay it ^o^lC " or amend it." — Ora. de Com, Relu dissidiit: The Puritans fep?irated thcnifelves froiA'thiB fta* bliftisd Church of England, not for a mecr difference of opinion, but for an abfohite disagreement inthefdoC*" trincs of faith.— *' The controverfy with the Puritans •• had but a fmall beginning, u/sf. the improving of thd, •' Papifts habits, and a few indi^rct^t cerenwniesi l^iij^ it opened by degrees into a reforms^tion of dlfcii^l^ie, ** which all confefTcd, Was wanting at laA, the ver^ " doctrines of jdhh were debated, '-^N'fdU ch. 8i. />. .*594. ** The violencf " pcrfecution drbvt fottie of *• them (Puritans) it o the extreme of Brmnifmf •♦.which divided the Puritans, and^ave rife to a new •* controverfy concerning the nCccffity of a fep^ratioa " from the cfbibliftied Church.'"-*WAiV/ p. 595; ^ In a word, the Puritans never would have Separated themfelves from the cftablilhed Church of^. Eiigland, jf they did not think feme do6tHnes in that Church in*, confiilent with faith, and confequently with falvation ; nor would the Lutherans have fcparated themfelves trom the Catholic Church, which in Luther^s early^ days was the eiUblilhed Church in all the kingdoms t'lid ftates of Europe, but under pretence of tunda« mental errors being taught in that Church, (b true it k that this alone can juftify the feparatioti of any refor* med Church from all othet Churches. When then our £x. thus extends falvation indiftin£l- lyand indilcriminately toalldiicriptionsof ProteAants, he fuhflitutes his private opinion to the authentic doc* irinc of the eftabliihed Church, which exprefsly ex- < lUfies from the ordinary poflibility of falvation all who arc II I ii .11 ho 45 are ndtdf hercommunioR; and in this (hie agrees with ill churchts whidi have an eilablilhed code of doc- trine. The extraordinarv poflibility of {alvatlon to thcfc who are ^t actually of her communion, is admitted by the R.C. Church: *tisa Catholic maxim, that they, who feek the truth, difpofed to Ijclieve it if dearly propofcd, are not numbered amongd fedartes, though they may be anally in the public communion of fome feparate Church. *Tis alto certain that invincible neccffity^ and invincible ignorance, excufe even fundamental err, rors; and St. Thomas of Aquin, from a decorous 6t' Acii of divine mercy, extends this extraordinary poili*, bUity of falvation even to infidels. Ftom the remarkable inaccuracy of his (latements^ it appears that this Rev. Ex. is himfelf grofsly decei- ved, or that he intentionally deceives his readers : "there is no denomination of Pfoteftants who do not '* candidly admit that falvation may be obtained in any •* othef Pfoteftant fe " that falvation cannot " be obtained out of the pale of the Romifli Church." If he had been converfant with our do^rine, and pof» fefied of a little candour, he would have flated it as we do, thus — *tis an article of Catholic doctrine, " that " without the pale of the Church of Chrift there is no ** falvition." A truth manifeft on the fimple expofi- tion ; winch no Chriflian ever denied. We add that the ^11 ••!■ V 1 .1* iK.i V* |!i; I m r^ !ii^ hi 46 fl^ 5: m mn \' i ,1,1 me Catholic Church, in communid^ with thi^S^ fl( Rcime; iickttowledging the fpiritual jurifdi^Ion' of^^U iVf ran, his fucccfloiv is that- vifible Church,^ ^pich' C&/iA,inftituted ; and that in it exclufivcly is /piw^ ordinary possibility of falvation : becaufe iii it' are fc^hij cxciuliveljj' the ordinary means for attaining that '^e^(}/j tiiat 19 a lawf ul fticceflion of Paiftors teaching ai\d ad-^^ nfiinfftering the facraiiicnts according to the cxpcefs;! proitiiie of T. C. " behold all power is sriven torije 1 . ., • ^ teach all nations baptizing them . . . . . 1 aiji •* witli you till thC! confummation/'-^iJ/tf///^. w/if. * * !. yf6 don't pretend to confine the mercy of J*',C,^tQ. th^'iirdinary means thus inftituted, and he^c^ y/4.H^^ mit an/.r//flo;:fi^^a/y jiossibility of .faryatiph to tfole, wno"a?e not publicly ])rQfc(re4 mehtbers of Chritt^^ yi-^. iiBfe: Church ^ whole en ors iftay be exculcd by _ invmr , cibfe ncceifitVi or invincible i^nof ^hce ; we exten^, (fo > ^tr^brdiiiary poffibility of fdlvatioii yet farther^ even, tb thefe, Who have ol)ftinately piprfcYe/ed in errof wtli?! out the excule of invincible ignofjihc^ pr i^yjuncf ble cciffiry: th'ey may bje cnlightejied fc^y^ fbnic cxtraq^dj-fj nary grace in th$r dying'mometit^, and iinc^cly d^^^^ ^reto die in the, c6mm)inion of ' C which we devoutly lio|)6 is the cjlft^.qf tlxoiifands of pur diffetltiug brethren. Hence wfef never p^ejume tp judg^ thelif', whodic irt the ptt1iii6^ communion oftarix church feparate from ours: becaufe we know tqat the mercy and liowcr of f: C. are rtot confined to ordinary means, and by lome extraorduiarV |;r'ace fje may Ijaye, placed amongll his ele6t thofe Wliom we "migh^' ramly (jpndemn. If it be ulked ' why we didn't offer piibjig prayers for the deceaied of diflenting cbmmuiiipn^ ? ip this we reply, that our prayers are offered in ge^eifal tor all, who die in the grace of Jeliis Chrifti we cjpn^t offer prayers in particular for aiiy 'dfec^afed member of adiifenting communion, in oritlfei- to deter the'^fjaithfi.il from a negkd ofthe ordhiary medns of lalvatipi^^V / If this Kcv. bLx. could divert: himfdfof that party * , ipirit, III* ■. " n ij^ifit^ wh^ph rp ftrpngly charAiSierize the whqle.roChh pretenae^ exatnihatioa — he vvouUV admit that we Ca-r tJK)id« aye.iTjipre lij^eral to.all jdelcriptioiisofProttiJlajiU ^m,th.e^ are to u?, of to each other! ^, J/,' -'. ' -ilfiV^* ' 'TiUotJjQfh. celebrated for the Iblid lead olf his volumi-r abus pjp(((Me " pf |)iejrfal\»at^] u-lr h ■ 1 1 1 1 11 1 Sling Homily, In the latter we read, ** that the Ho- •< ly Ghoft, the Spirit of truth, has been, and will be, •• sdways prefcnt with the Church, governing ane be- '* lievedor done to falvation, not exprefsly and in lb ** many words, but cither lb, or elfe dcducible thence •* by evident and fufficient confequence." — Sect. *JJ. and be afterwards adds, " that things thus necefTary " are not deducible, all by every one, that reads ; but •* it is enough if done by the Pailors, und guide?, which G "God 1 1, ■.'4 l?! V::. I *' ■ . /! •i m /' r:t\ ! (! ■I' 4-1 'I i ■l' : ! [: I (( «( (( U 60 " God nj^pointcd iil his Church 'to that purpofc, ufing " the meuns, that are needful to that purpofe, liich asi" attention, and dihgence in fearch of the Scriptures, collation of places, and obferving the conne6lions, alfo fmcerity and impartiahty in the collation or dc« dudions, which they make, alio prayer and devo- " tion in the work." — Sect, 20. This Do6lor refers the unlearned Proteftant, not to the Scriptures, but to the Paftors ?.nd guides, •yhom God has appointed in his Churc , and not indifcriminately to all, but to luch as ule diligence and attention in fearchiug the Scriptures, who collate paflages, oblerve conneaions with (inccrity and impartiality, and who add prayer and devotion. The Dodtor ought to have given the un- learned Proteftant fome unerring rule to diftinguifh the devout and diligent Paftors from others, who afli' t 1 he appearance. This unerring rule, the Dbdtoi \cry obvious I'eafons, has not given ; he has therefore left the unlearned Proteftant in a ftate of anxious fuf- [)cnce. To pafs unnoticed that grounlefs aflertion that all things neceftary to be believed are contained 'm the Scriptures or deducible from them ; for 'tis abfb- lutcly neceftary to believe the Scriptures divinely in- fphred, and this truth is neither contained in Scripture nor deducible from it by any rule of rcafoning as yet known to the world ; there are many other truths of religion not contained in the Scriptures, and if they were by diftant implication, the Doctor candidly ad- mits that they are not deducicle by a great majority of Proteftants. Let us hear fome other teachers of the reformation. JNlr. Jiiricu., a Proteftant divine of j^reat authority, j)reffed by fome leading queftions fuch as thefe : if the Scripture be the ible rule of faith is it neceflary to read all the canonical books ? is it ftifficient to have read one or iDore of then ? if fo, which are the books of Scripture in which all the revealed truths of religion arc contiiined? thefe queftions were not ealily Iblved; but 51 but a moft unlucky one fuccecded, that is, what is his rule of fai'h, who has neither read the Scriptures nor heard them read, who juft begins to read them ? is hes an infidel ? is he a Chriftian ? if a Chriftian the Scrip- ture which he neither read nor heard read was not his rule of faith. This was a moft cmbarraUing queftion: it left no fubterfuge, no evafion. Jurieits lall: effort to extricate himfelf from this infoluble difficulty, has Tap- ped the very foundation of the much boafted reforma- tion : " the Chriftian dodrine ;*' fays he, " taken in " its entire makes itfelf felt, f. fait fentir : to make " an a6t of faith on the Scripture 'tis not neceflary to "- have read it ; 'tis Sufficient to have read a fummary " of the Chriftian dodtrine, without entering into a " detail : the people, who have not the Holy Scripture " may riotwithftanding be good Chriftians. The doc- " trine o^ the Gofpel makes the fimple feel its divinity " independently on the books in which it is contained, " though this dodrine be mixed with ufelefs things, " (inutilities J and fome things not divine, yet the pure " and heavenly do6lrine mixed will make itfelf felt. " Confcience will tafte the truth, and afterwards, the *' believer will beheve that fuch a book is canonical *' becaufe there are truths in it which touch him in a " word, the faith is felt as heat near a fire, as Iweet- " nefs or bitternefs in eating." ibid, p. 453, K seq. On this principle of Juri^u, the Mahometan believes the Alcoran canonical, and children believe the fairy tales, there are in them many things which tickle their fan- cy. This howev«r is Jurieu*s laft fhift to extricate him- felf from that embarraffing difficulty in which the fun- damental principle of the pretended reformation in- volved him, " AUthingsare to be examined, regula- " ted, and reformed according to the Scripture." — blh Article. — Co7if, of Faith. Mr. C/tfMrff, not lefs celebrated than /Mnc«, finding it impoffible to give a latisfadcry anfwer tcf thefe em- barraffing queftions which had forced Juricu to ffiift i 41 . G 2 his I ilf^ 'M iifji i^ m m "I'll If! ' 62 his ground from the Scripture, to that imaginary i*n- preifion which revealed tri^ths.raakeon the expoStion, took rtiUge in the lame labyrinth ; — Def, fie la Me. '2^. C. 9. p. iiOOf ST Seg, — bi;t this, befides giving wp the fundaniental principle of the reformation, only ^p- crealed his ennbarraiiment : for the myder^'us truths of religion not being of tlic number of theie, which jarc called i?i{uitive, becaufe they are immediately concei- ved when propofcd, a,s the whole is greater than -a ^•)art, muft bepropoledby foroc jauthorty, or ihey can make iio impreiiion at ail, and the authority on whjch thele truths are propoied muft be infallible ; jf not, tl>c alfcnt canpot be infallible for the aflent tp tryth can- not be more infallible than the authority ^n which *ti& founded; hence Me&. Juritu and Claudt% mul^.of all necelfity admit fomc infallible authority pn qivih bcfides the Scriptures ; which at one ilroke levels ,thc whole fabric of this boafted reformation with the duft. hx his nexi edition 'tis hop'^d that this Hev. Kx. nviil affign iotnn other rule of faith : fince *tis ^v^ent to the meaneft capacity, that the Scriptures neither j^re nor can be a lufficient rule. What advantage then re- lults from the podtffiun of the Scriptures^? the gre;-M *' kalmUifmon ton (is>ion.'' The Greek verb katerlijb ifigniiie^ to .replace the diflocated members of the bo- ^y-:--this office, the ApolUe aifigns to the Paftors ^pd teachers. .-.rt;.., '■..";. h j-iL, <:./*,::.■ From this fole rule of our E-'s. faith, let u$ revert to that ruleof f?ith, which he has invented forour ufc. 'Tis ftrange th^t thele Gentlemen, will not permit us to know the dodruie, which is taught in our own jScJioois and Churches ; that in the face of Reclamar tion, Truth and Conviction, they continue to Itate doc- trinal deciiions for us, of which Wvi do not believe a ify liable : R. C. fays, the Ex. p. 41. " hold the Pope, " and under him the popilh Clergy, to be the reprefenta- f* tivcs of God and :, 1? it \ t ■ > 1 r ;» 54 • fettingthe Father in contradiftin6lion to the Son, whe- ther exprcfled or underftood ; but not God in contra- ihflinftioh to J. Chrift; that mode of fpeaking is of- fenlive to the proteftant, as well ^s the Catholic Ear. Catholics believe St. Peter to have been appointed by J. C. to feed his flock on earth, and they believe it on the moft unerring authority, that is, on the faith of J. Chrift himfelf, who faid to him " feed my lambs, " rule my ftieep." John xxi. And in that fenfe they believe Pete?', and his fuccefforsto reprefent J. Chrift, as an Ambailador reprefents his Mafter, St. Paul, believed it and averted it of himfelf and his fellow Apoftles : " liper Chrijlou oun prejbuomen os toil Tlieou " parajkalountos diemon. We are therefore Ambafla- " dors for Chrift, God as it were exhorting by us." 2 Cor, V. iiO. And in his Epiftle to the Ephefians, he fays " upcr oil prejhuo"'' " for whom 1 am Ambafla- '•* dor." vi. 20. From the principle which the Ex. ftates for us, ac- cording to his own fancy, he draws a more fanciful conclulion. That is, *' that the authority of the Pope and popifli Clergy is equally a rule of faith and doc- trine with the holy Scriptures, and equally binding upon the confciences of men, nay, that the Scrip- " tures themfelves are to be underftood only in that ** fenfe, which theRomifti Church thinks proper to give •* tlrem." A man would imagine that this Ex. nad been a profeflbr of Theology in one of our Univerfities, he ftates our dodrine with fiich precifion. There is a triP inaccuracy ; it efcaped him perhaps thro* inad- vertei ce : the ftatement is fimply falfe. We Catho- lics know no authority equal to the word of God ; but we know no difference between the word of God fpoken by the Apoftles^ and the fame word written ; we have the fame confidence in their tongues, that we have in their pens, i\or did the Apoftles themfelves know any liich difference : they were not fent to write but to preach and baptife : read tlieir commiflion in the laft «( <( «< 55 il en ; we lives rite the laft Jaft chapter of St. Matthew. And many of them nevcf wrote a line. Was their doctrine the lefs true ? was it of lefs authority ? were they who rejected their do<5tf inc the lefs criminal, lefs accountable to the divine juftice ? did not St. Paul^ ftridly command the Theflalonians to hold faft the oral traditions " paradofeis'* 2 Th, ii. 15. which they had learnt whether by word dia logou or by letter " dia EpiJioUs'* the Apoltle, therefore thought the word of God received by oral tradition was of equal authority with the written word. But how are we to know that the do6trine received by oral tradition is the word of God ? by the very fame rule and the fame means by which we know that the writ- ten word is the word of God, that is, by the teftimony of the Catholic Church, fpeaklng by her Paftors, in whofe hands J. Chrift, depofited both the written, and unwritten wo;d, and whofe teftimony is of equal weight in favour of the o-^e as of the c4;her. In this appears his providential care of his Church, that is of all his children to the end of time, in giving them a rule of faith eafy in practice, inf "ibie, and univcrfiil, literally fulfilling the prophecy ot Ifais^ who fpcaking of the flouriihing ftate of Chrift:'s Church, or Spiiitual Kingdon), fays, " And a high way fliall be there, and ** a way, and it (hall be called the way of holinefs, the " unclean (hall not pafs over it : but it will be for " thofe, the way-faring men though fools (hall not " error therein." The Proteftant vcrfion now cited, though not very corred, gives nearly the fenfe of the original text, " vs hajahJJiam mafeloul va derck va de- ** rick ha codejhjicarat lah lo jahabnenou tam^, ve hoi, " lamou holek derek ve hevilim lojith hou.** The way which the prophet defcribes is fuch that even the molb ignorant cannot ftray in it : 'ds not neceflary to remark that the way of holinefs in the Scriptures fignifies a knowledge of the divine law, and to walk in the way of holinefs is toobferve the precepts of the law, which ipuft lead to hoiincfs. Will the Rev. Ex. pretend tliat % i})' m ill •' ' ■11. : ■}.i ■ t f 9p^ ii;; I II h I ■ that a knowle(igc of all the prmunlcating to each other the immcmo- I'iyl pruciiec ant) dcitrine of their relpedllve Churches, >jndcr£land 61 wridcrftand the Scriptures better than a Cobicr on his bulk. We Catholics think the Paftors of the Church the more competent judges of the intended fenfe of the infpired writings. We think the Cob)'**" might mo- deftly fubmit his- judgment to their decifion — and in this we arcjuftified by the rules of common fenfe. If the Cobler appeals to the authority of his minifter, we reply that his minider pretends to no authority but muft refer him to the Scripture, whether he can read it or not, and leaves him to (hitt for himfelf ; and if his mi- nifter (hould aflfume any authority, we tell him that fomc thoufands of Bifhops now living, and tens of thoufands who are now no more, many of whom were men eminent for Icience and (anftity, as fuch revered by the world, condemn the pretended authority of his mi- nifter,and if he prefers the authority of one man of lit- tle note, intereftcd in his own caule, to that of fo many thoufands totally difinterefted, becaufe they lived be- fore the controverly began ; — we fay that he a6ls a- gaiiifl the principles of common fenfe, and is not only criminal, but inexcufable in ns error. Let us now fubflitute to the Cobler his miniftcr, whom we ihall fuppofe a Jortin or a PaUologus, who, profefledly delJDife Popes and Councils,, Dodors and Prelates, ancient and modern ; he will admit no other rule of faith but the Scriptures, in them exclufively he mull find by his own induftry all thai he is to believe, and all that he is to do n order to lalvation. To this man of fcience, this Jortin or Cochran we fimply reply that 'tis not true, that he can find in the Scriptures all that he is to believe : for he mufl believe that the Gof- pt\ of St. Matthctv is a canonical book, and he will not find it in the Scriptures ; nor will he find in the Scrip- tures that the Gret ; verfion of that gofpel, the author of which is not known, is authentic ; nor can he with all his fcience declare it authentic : becaufe the Hebraic original is loft ; nor can he by any human in- duftry dilcovcr all the books which have been canonical, jnanv •1; M . i |! I m m ;,' 1V-A •.}:■• 1 62 iiili «i «« ^any of them arc irrecoverably loft. Adam Contzen proves that twenty books of the Scripture are loft. Q>, 4. Ch, 8. — Thus for Ex. " it is faid in the book of the •* wars of the Lord." — Numb. xxi. 14. — This book is loft, and " Solomon fpoke three thoufand proverbs and ** five." — 1ft Kings iv. 32. Where are they? " Now ** the reft of the a6ls o£ Solomon, firft and laft are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Abijah, and in the vifion of Id- «« rfo."— 2 Chr, ix. 29. The firft of Chronicles termi- nated in thefe words, " Now the A6tsofDflwV/,the king •* firft and laft, behold be they not written in the book ** oi Samuel the feer, and in the book of Nathan the Pro- ** phet, and in the book of Gad the feer." All thefe books are configned to oblivion ; two of St. Paulas Epiftles ftiared the fame fate, one to the Laodicians, which in his laft Epiftle to the Collossians he ordered to be read in that Church, and one which he mentions in his firft Epiftle to the Corinthians, " I wrote to you an Epif- " tie," v. 9. This Epiftle does not appear ; Si. hi at* thew cites a whole quotation from Jeremias, which is not in his book, as tranfmitted to us. There is fome- thing fimilar to it in the book of Zacharias ; but it muft have been then in the book of Jeremias, or St. Matthew would not have cited it, that may be the rea- fon why the Jews retrenched it ; the fame Evangelift had faid, ** it was fpoken by the prophets, he fhall be ** called a Nazarean." — ii. 23. Chryfojlme writing on this text, " fays many of the ** prophetical monuments have perifhed : for the Jews being carelefs and not only carelefs, but impious, they have carelefsly loft fbme of thefe monuments, others they have partly burned, partly torn to pieces." Homi. 9th. St. Jujiin arguing againft Tryphon, fhews that the Jews did make away with many books of the old Teftament, leaft it fhould appear confiftent with the new. 'Tis not from the Jews that the Catholic Churqh received •( «« «i I 6S received the faith of J. Chrift, and with the faith the Scriptures ; but from his Apoftlcs, whofe citations are from the vefionofthe leventy Elders: we have a re- markabl inftance in St. Paul, to the HtbrewSy " by ** faith /rtco6 dying, blefled each of Jofeptis fons, and " worshiped on theifummit of his rod orfceptre" ^^prof- " kunefen epi to akron th rabdou autou ;" in the He- brew text/tis " to the head of his bed al rojh hamitek** The Apoftle therefore (hewing Jacobus faith, in war* (ix'iping Jofeph's (ceptreasan emblem of Chrift*s fceptrc and kingdom, did not cite the Hebrew text as we have it." .',:-• In fliort this truth is fb manifeft, that learned Pro- teflaftts themfelves, not daring to rifque their reputation dpenlyiilthe face of truth and convidion, have ad- mitted it: QliiUingwortk iti xtpiy to this pofition of his idverfary, *^^he divinity of a writing cannot be ^*kn6wri by itielf alone," but by fome cxtrinfical authority fays," p, 69. N. 49. " this you need not *' prove for no wife man denies it;** And Hooker coa^ ffeffedly a learned Proteftant, fays " of things neceffary " the very chiv^feft is, to know what Books are to be " efteemed holy, which point is c •rifefled impoffible for ^' the Scriptures to teach." Ec^l. poli. le. i. /. 14. ■. Doctor Covel^ fays, and common fenfe muft have told him that " *tis not the word of God which aflures •< us, no? can it affure us, that we do well to think it «♦ the word of God. Def. Art. 4. jo. 31. * ' With what propriety then can this Man of (cience, this Jortin, or Coch. call that a fole and fufficient rule of divine faith which he liimfelf can, by no pofiibility know to be divine ? 'tis univerfally admitted that di- vine faith is founded on the word of God ; if then his belief that the Scriptures are the word of God, be a meer human opinion, his faith can be no more : for *ti$ a manifell abfurdity to pretend that the fuperftru(5]turc can be more firm than the foundation. St. Paul was well aware of this conclufive reafon- ^'': il . I mg: •■i '•'< 2?' ■ ''.J.' ■ , i 4 1 •Iv I'' 1) !- ; ii -ii m If. . ,^ ■ 64 - ing : hence he docs not refer his diiciplc Timothy to the Scrip.'iures, but fays, the Apoftle " keep the form " upotupojin of found words, which you heard fiom mc " in faith md charity. 2 Tim, i. 15. Nor does he per- mit Timothy^ to introduce his own opinions " have, " favshc, the form of words, which you heard from " nrie." \i the Apoftle thought that the Scriptures were the only rule of faith, he would have delivered them ligned and fealcd into the hands of his diiciple, with an injunction to tranfmit them «n the (ame man- ner, or he would have been guilty of a mofl criminal negled of duty, not providing for the propagation, and continuation of the faith in its integrity, by the oiily rule which our Ex. admits. However the Apoflle was of a contrary opinion : he reduced to pra<^icc that found principle which he taught in his Epiftle to the Romans, " that faith is from hearing." x. 17. The Apoftle did not fay " faith is from reading." He would have excluded a great majority of the human race, by iiich an aiTertion as our Ex. does. Let us fuppofe, that the Apoftle had in fa6l deliver- ed the Scriptures fealed and (igned Into the hands of his difciple, and ordered them to be tranfmitted in the fame mamier to his fucceflbrs, that would not deftroy nor even diminifli the neceflity of a living judge to de- termine the true conftrudion of the law. No law ever explained itfelf. Iii all well regulated Ibciettes th^re muft be fbme living authority to fix the gcriiune (enfe of the law, and prevent that variety, which muft in- evitably refult from the fanciful conftru6lions of ig- norant or interefted individuals. Therefore J. Chrift, muft have appointed a living judge to decide all cou- troverftes ariling on the conftru6>ion, which the dead letter of the law cannot decide, or he has been unac- countably negligent in the inftitution of his Church. In the old law we Hnd this Judge exprefsly appointed : •* If, faid Mofes, there happens a doubtful cafe injudg- ** ment between blood and blood, caufe and caufe, le- proiy <« ■!■'' G5 •• profv and leprofy, and the words of the judges \th •♦ the gates do vary, dibrei ribotk bej/iearika arile and «*. go up to the place which the Lord thy Gtxl lliall " choofe, and thou (halt coire to the Priefh ot the •* levitical race, and to the judge, who will be at that ** time, and thou (halt Inquire of them, and they will •* Announce to thee the word of judgement, and thou '•(hjaltdo according to the word, which will be an- *• nouncedfrom the place which God will have chofen, ** according to the law which they will (hew and ac- *• cording to the judgement, which they will declare ** thou (halt do the man who in pride will " not hear the prieft, then (landing to minlftcr there to «* the Lord thy God and the judge, (hall die, and thou ** (halt remove evil from Ifraely that the whole people " may hear and not fwell with pride in futuie." Deut, xvii. Here we have a living judge appointed to de- cide all difficult controverfies which might arife dur- ing the whole continuance of the JewiHi dirj)enlation. Death was the puni(hment of difobedience to the de- ciiionof the Sanhedrim, over which the high Prielt prefided, the only Judge who ever prehded over the Jewi(h fanfluary. . If we believe the Evangelifl: St. Malthew, J. Chrift Was notfo inlenfible to the future wants of his Church, as to leave it deftitute of any vifible authority to decide controverlies, a prey to divifions, feds and Ibhilms. We find a judge appointed Avith great authority in the Chriftiaii difpcn^tion : the Saviour inftru6ting hi^ difciples and giving rules for paternal correction, di- rects them in cafe difappointment to tell the Church, *' and if faid he, the offender do not hear the Church, ** let him be to thee as a heathen or a jjublican." — Mat, xviii. 17. The authority vefted in the ecclefiafli- cal judge in the old law was to decide, but to retrench the difobedicnt fubjeft from the Jewi(h Church was the office of the civil Magiftrate ; in the new law J. Chrift afficns the right of decifiou to the Church ; but r ■ he ■■k mi u^ 'M t ■•X. m I i m I I-;:!' si*' it « ) Iff li ',1' 1' #inil' . he himftlf without conrulting the Magiftrate, retrcnohcai the difobedient fubje^l from the iiumber, qf his ^ifcipj^s^' and ranks him amongft heathens. 'Tis npt liec^ffary to remark that the Church being a mpral b<;»dyj ipsaki' by its Paftors as the ftate docs by its Magiftrat«^« '. After all let us fuppofe that ^hiis man of Icwncc,, by dint of application, iucceeds in difcoverii^g th?o?igiaal' text, and the conformity of fome one or othcf o^ p^r- different verfions, which agree in nothing tlfe but. their difagreement, with it, and thus by human induitry dif- covers a rule of faith for himfelf* what irule will h«- give the unlearned proteftant.r who has^ ^either Xiffie^- nor means, nor talents, nor any one,^' th^ body of the Paftors united to their head on t^ j;«' nife of J. Chrift to be with them till the end of time, Mtn. ult, and th<; afliftance of the Holy Ghofl who was fent to teach them all truth. — John xvi. 1 3. On this article of do6frine there never was a (hade of difagreement amongfl Catholics : in the firfl Council of Jerufalem we find the (ubordinate Paftors in unifon with St. Petevj their head, deciding the firft controvcrfy, which arbitrary conftru(5tions according to fancy, had produced ; that is, whether the ceremonial part of the Jewilh law continued to oblige in the Chriftian difpcnfation, and we find them declare their decifion infallibly certain : for they afcribe it to the Holy Ghoft, whom Chrift had promifed to (end to teach them all things : J ah, xvi. 20.— -it hath " feemed good to the Holy Ghoft and to us, fay they, •* to impole no other burthen on you, but thefe things *' neceflkry, that you abftain from things lacrificed to ** idols, and from blood, and from things ftrangled, and " from fornication '* — Acts xv. 28. — The infpired writer gives a perfc^ model of an authentic decifion of an ecclefiaftical controverfy : the Paftors afTemblc with their chief Paftor, examine the queftion ; the chief Paftor firft pronounces: " and after great difjm- tation Peter rifing faid to them, men, brethren, you know that in former days Got! made choice amongft «i > •> m 1 1 , ■' ■■■ :; ;;B1 h ; > i: ; I ■■ r-i , 70 * W9, th^t the Gentiles by my mouth fhouH hear the ** word of the Gofpel and believe ...... the mul* •* titudc was lilent then James anfwcrcd fiiy* ** ing: wherefore I judge that they, who ** from amongfl the Gentiles are converted to God are ** nol to be difquieted." The fiibordinate Paftorj judge with the chief Paftor, and their united fentfeficC decides the controverly without appeal. They at the fame time ena6t a law which the circurnftance of the time rendered neceflary, that is, they ordered the faith- ful to abflain from blood and flrangled meats, which was to the Jews an abomination, and if authorized Blight be an obftacle to their converlion ; they alio for- bid the ule of things offered to idols, which might havd been an inducement to the new converts to afliil; at the heathen facrifices, and fornication, which though for- bidden by the natural law, was not thought in any lenfe criminal by the heathens. The prohibition againfl the ufe of blood and flrangled meats ceafed^ when the realons on which the law was founded ceafed to exid, the decifion of faith fubfifls in its whole ibrce : becaufe the do6lrines of faith are invariable ; on this model have all religious controverfies been dcci- dided by the Catholic Church, and all her decifions of feith have been formed. In thefe dccifions there are no new articles of faith introduced, but thefe doctrines Feceived from the Apoflles which are oppofed by inno- vators and pretended reformers, are folemnly declared to be the fettled do6lrines of the Catholic Church, d, part of that depofite of faith once delivered to the faints, St. Ju. and by them tranfmittcd through their iucccflbi-^ dojvn to us. To pretend that thefe decilions arc yet fubjeft to die examination of individuals is to encourage pridt and obftinacy ; to authorize a palpable inverfion of or- der; to encourage the fheep to conduct the fnepherd Contrary to the principles of common fenfc as well as *o the precept of J. Chrift, and pra^ice of the Apof- tlcf. TH" lerd at Ipof- tle». dcp., If ever that precept of J. Chrift, ** hd ** that w\\\ not he^r the Church let him be to thee as ** j^. heathcp," be applicable 'tis in this cafe, where the Church folemnly fpeaka by the mouth of her paftors. ,'\yf findalfo that the faithful were not permitted t» C3(ftjnine the decifion of the Council " as Paul and Si^ ** luf paifed through the cities they direded them to " obfcrve the ediSs adjudged by tne Apoilles ani •* Priefts in Jeruialem, ta dogmata ta kekrimenaJ'*-— Acfs Xv'u *• They did not order them to examine theiTi, but to obfervc them phtdaffeiuy the reader wiU pleafe to remark that though Pa u7 and Barnabr^ were . Apo^lcs, eminent in fcience and virtue, and confpicu> ous for the miracles which God wrought by them, the faithful in the city of Antioch^ did not think their au- . thority fyfficient to decide the controverfy: 'twas bright before the Afioftles and PrieAs in Jerufalem^ ^nd there, with the concurrence of the Chief Paftor Bi(ier% the controvcrfy. was finally fettled. The quef^ tiomwas im% brought before the civil magiilrate, nor 4pw«^ndany of the laity aflid at the Council but a« lyitnefljbs : the Apoftles frame the decifion, publish and enforce it. What would the faithful of the primitive "* Church have thought of an oblcure monk declaiming againft the firft Paftor, in the moll indecent and Icur- rilous language and cenfuring the wl^olc body of thefe Paftors whom Chrift gave to his Churc i for the f[)ac& of fourteen or fifteen hundred years ? would they wha • obliged St* Paul to fhew that his doflriiie was tlw feme, which St. Peter and the other Apoftlcs taught, have believed a furious declaimer on his bare after- .. tion ? 'Tis irkfome to be obliged to corred the inaccuracies of this Ex'rs. ftatement : in almoft every line -he v.: blunders, whether through ignorance or delign is not*^ oafy to determine : " Let us fee," fays he, /?. 4i# * •• what is the nature of the dignity, which is attributed ^ to the Pope or Bifliop of Rome. The eflence of it ' " indeed r :■ ' ■li i, ■: m 'u 74 •* indeed Is comprehended in Mr. Burke's definition,'* — ** all the authority which Chrift cxercifed on earth.** Mr. B. gave no definition of the Roman Pontiff's au- thority in p. 30, and 31, which the Ex. cites Mr. B* offered a peremptory reafbn to Ihew that J. Chrift had conferred no temporal power or civil authority on Pe- ter. In order to evince this truth Mr. B. advances what is inconteftibly true, " that the powers, which J. " Chrift cor.ferred on Peter are not greater than thefe^ " which he himfelf exercifed on earth, whilft he re- " mained on it as a mortal man ;" in the clofe df that paragraph Mr. B, faid that the only authority which he veftcd in Peter was that which he himfelf, Whilft in his mortal ftate and vifible here on earth cxercifed ; and having ftiewn that J. Chrift exercifed no temporal authority on earth, he concluded that Pe/. ** of the fame mind fu^npifiUhoi.—PhiL ii. 2. thiiifcing " the lame one tWit^g Vo Yn phrdH&untesJ'^ The Apoff tie was fb far from pei mjttih^ the faithful to think and (peak each man accdrding to his own fancy in matters of faith, that three ieveral times, in the iame phrafe, he orders tHemto be unkhimous in the fame faith and ch^^rity. As thel)ranclies receive their nourifhmerit from the root tiuough the flock, hot the flock from the bran- ."cHes ; and! in like mariner the ihembers rtceive their flourifh merit' from the body, not the 'body from the -members, Hence It follows thdt' a branch m^y belop- l)cd from the ftcck, or a fnember, tvhich is but an in- tegrant part, ii^ay Be retrert^hed from the bbdy, With- piit deiflrdying the body'; b^ the head, ^clng an eflcn- tial part, cannot be fevered from the bbdy withQiit'thc deftrufSllon of the individual. From this ^r^iafbriing 'tis nian^fcfl that aiiy iisttioriar Church, fb called in a li- mited fcnfe, being but an integratit part of the Catho- lic dhlirch, may be lopped dfF and fall into ruins ; but tie body of the Catholic Chiirch united to its head ne- ver can, becaufe 'tis the boidy of J. Chrifl as St. Paut cxprefsly teaches in many places. — " And he, (that is. ** God the Father,) gave hirti, J. C. who is head over " all things vper panta, to the Church, Which is his ** body. E'ph.'i. 22, 23. Ahd alio diligently preferving ♦' the unity of the fpirit m the bond of peace, one body arid one Ipirit, iv. 5, 4." 'Tis the Holy Ghofl, that animates this body, it muil: therefore at all times be a living body: for 'ti^ blafphemy to afTert that the body cf J. Chnfl fhould die, pr that the Holy Ghofl, who is life itleif and author of life fhould animate a carcafe. -I'he Ex. liiys, p. 45. — ** taking for his ground work "that 7i <• that the church of Rome is the onljrtruc church he Mr. «* B. denies the validity of all other ordinations.'* This ** aflertion has no foundation either in Mr. JS's Let. or in truth : Mr. B. never denied the validity of the ordina- tion of Minifters in any Church, nor inquired whether t'^jeir ordiiiations were invalid or not : *twas foreign to iiis purpofe. And the Writer begs leave to inform this Rev. E;k. that Cathplics have at all times' believed tho validity of ordination amongft the Arians, who de- nied the divinity of J. Chrift ; amongft the Ncflorians^ J^utychianSf Donates, &c. and no Catholic ever doubted the validity of ordination Amongft the remains of thelp le<^rics yet Icattered in the Eart. If Ibmc Catholics difpute the validity of the Englifh ordinatioii,^ that's a queftion of fa6t, not of faith : the account gi- yctn by Parfohs^ Fitzherbert^ Holywood, and Champmi/^ of t)ie confecratiop of Meflrs Parke?-, jezvel, Horn, &cc. the firft proteftant Biftiop's in Queen Elizabetlis day* at the iign of the Nag*s Head, in Cheapfide, has a far- cical appearance, 'lis denied by Bramhall, Mafim, and Ibme others, the reafons offered on both fides may Jbe the fubje(^ matter of a curious and critical difcuf- ^O.n, which no Catholic is obliged to majce. The Ex. borrowing Ibme hackneyed argunrients, \vhich have been folidly refuted many years before his birth, enters on a ferious contrpverly, a controveriy !»yhich of all others he ought to avoid. It has proved ruinous to every new modelled iyftem which has re- lieved the minifters of religion from all the painful du- ties, which the (implicity of our anceftors thought at- tached to their ftate ; and opened to them all thetc en- joyments and pleafures which the feverity of Catholic difcipline denied them. The infallibility in doade heavy complaints agaiaft him, becaufe many had left his own fchool to go to that of Lantfranc ; in this perturbed ilate of mind, he began to publifh his error, which was immediately refuted by Lamfrane and others, condemned by the Bifliops Adelman, of Brefcia, and Hughj of Langres. In their letters to Berengarius, they reproached him with being the firft author of this Error, and ferioufly admonilhed him to retratt. Guitmundas^ Lib. 3, near the end, fays, " notissimiwi " eji hoc tempore prius quam Berengarius'^ innanisset, ^ hujus modi vesaniits nusquamfuisse.'' — '* 'Tispublic- ** ly known that before Bevengariiu s madnefs luch " folly was no where." And we know from PaJ'cha- (ius that in 865 when he wrote there was no fuch fol- ly in the world: in his book on the words of the infti- tution this is v/iy Body, he lays, " that though thcro ** were fome who moved Ibme queftions on the truth . L 2 ** of I t !i Bi »0 r r I 'f ■'wn i( n <( ** of Chrifl's Body in the Sacrament, there vvasnomaiV " who publicly denied it. He alludes to Joh?l Scotfis, and Ik} from a Monk of Corbie ; in whofe writin{;rs there are Ibmie incoherent ambiguities on the queftion. " Though fome through ignorance err, laid Pafchajias, " there is no body yet in public, who contradicts thi^^ to " be fo, which the world believes and confelfcs;^* Lnvtfrnne in his Letter to Berengarius, deicribes the aftoniihmentof the Prelates affembled in Council un* der Leo the IX. when Ikrengers Letter was read in. which 'twas alTerted that Chrift was not lubftantially prefent in the Euchai ift — a contradidlion not only to the Catholic Faith but to the univerfal pradlice of the Chriftian world. In hislaft book againft ^tfrt'w^e;*, he lays, "alkali thefe who have any knowledge of our ** language and our learning ; alk the Greeks, the Ar- menians, alk Chriflians of anyjdenomination or na- tion, with one voice they will all atteft that they hold this faith." Ber, finding himlelf. con- demned by all Chriftians, rctradkd his eiuMs; but through that inconftancy which charaderifes allinno* vatois and pretended reformers, relapled, was again condcmed, retra6ka once more, and died at length in the communion of the Church. His followers were lew, and loon difuppeared; the Error was revived by IViclef 300 years after, but confined to a few in Eng- land, who alfo difappcarcd in alhorttime; and lb uni- vrrla! was the doctrine of the real prelence of Chrift in the Eucharift in the year 1518, when Carlojiadt and Xuivgluis began to innovate, that Z?^/w^/w« himfelf, in his commentaries on the true and falfe religion, lays Cap.de Eit. that at firft he had aded in a very private manner, and hud conferred with a few friends on piopoling his new doflrine. He feared to give public (Offence by introducing a novelty conti;uli6tcd by tlic pra(Jliic of the Chriilian world. • As loon as this new doft: inc aj)peared, Luther him* ftlf, jealous perhaps of nor lavmg the honor of the in- , VCUIK). im s i( ■^fw .Ti^npi^ippF- 85 TCiibon, tindertook a defence of the real prefence of Chriftin the Eucharift. His difpute with Carlojiadt on thisLfubjed commenced in a comical manner : Car-' lojladt^ banilhed from Wirtemberg, retired to Orle- iTionde, a city of. Thuringia. He there preached againft Ltither, whom he called a flatterer of the Pope becaufe he had retained fome parts of the Mafs ; he Wi.\s very wrong : Lu'her did not flatter the Pope. Th.'S however excited tumults in Orlemoude. Lu- ther was fent by the Eledor of Saxony to appeaie the troubks : on his way he preached at lene, in prefence of Carbjiadty called him a feditious fellow ; after the fermon Carlojiadt came to an Inn at the lign of the Black Hear, where Z-m///^' lodged; there he told Lm- ther that he could not bear his opinion of the real pre- fence, Luther, who was not remarkable for modefly, defied him to write againft him f Luther J and promi- fed him a florin of gold, if he uixlertook it ; Carlojiadt put the florin in his pocket ; they (hook hands, promi- led each other fair play. Luther drank to Carlojiadt^ s health and to the work which he had then in embryo. Carlojiadt anfwered in the lame flrain, fwallowed a bumper, and thus the war began the 22d of Augufl-, 1524^ which continues yet between the Lutherans 2ind Zuiiiglians — their parting is amufuig enough : — *' may •* I fee you on the wheel," fays Carlojiadt to Luther ; ^ may you break your heck before you leave the town," "plies Luther — and fo they parted. The fai pe^t adAn. 1534', Luther lays, " the Pa- **■ piils tticnilel< :rs are forced to give me the prailc of ** having detentjrd better tlian they the doHt is Catholic, which they recei- ved from theii predtvefTors and judges of the contro- verfy which is intrtxiuccd by turbulent individuals, cx- prcfsly to diftiirb the peace and harmony of Chrift's flock, over whom thefe Prelates are placed by the Holy Ghoft, if we believe St. Paul ** attend to yourfelves and fo the whole flock, in which the J I. G. has placed you Bifhops ' episcopous' to rule * poimaneaiC the Church "of <( (i St. «7 ^* of God, which he has acquired with his blood." The ApoftJe did not or. 48. We find him reproach the Scribes and Pharifees with having corrupted one of God's precepts by their own tradition that is by the falfe interpreta- tion which they gave that ordinance ; Afatt. xv. Marfc^ vii. he does not fpeak of the traditions of the Jewifh Church under thr direction of the High Prieft and great Sanhedrim tne true Paftor of that Church, but he corrects the falfe interpretation of i6me Scribes and PharifeeSv Hypocrites who like all pretended refor- mers undertook on their own private authority to ex^ plain the law in that lenfc, which was moff favour- able to their intereft and paffions ; when the Savi- our fpoke of the lawful Paftors of the Jewiffi Church, whotc province it was to expound the law, and atteft the truth of tradition, he ftridly enjoined obedience and fubmiffion to their decifions and orders ; " they fit," fays he, ** in MoJ'css chair, whatfbevcr they fay to you, ** obferveand do it." Malt, xxiii. 2. By thefc words the Saviour authorifes the infallibility of decifion in the Jewifli Church, which the Ex. denies to the Chriftian Church, though St, Paul cxprefsly fays that we have better lU I I ■■■M4 m 'I m 1 1 '■:■. 88 i: ' \U I I ■ better promlfes : Ileb. viii. 6, Nor does the Saviour afcribe this authority to the perfbnal qualities of the Jewifh Paftors, who were extremely corrupt in their morals ; but to the chair of Mofes on which they fat, that is to the public miniftry which by God's appoint- ment they exercifed. The reader will eafily remark that the Jews had no infallible means of diftinguifhing the Canonical Books from fpuiious works, but the tradition of the Priefts and Paftors of that Church, who attefted that fuch and fuch books were tranfmitted to them by their predecef- fors as divinely infpired ; nor could the Jews learn the intended fenfe of the Scriptures but from the fame fource. So true it is, that in the old law as well as in the new the Church was the pillar and ground of truth* Does the Ex. imagine that the Jewifh Church, which was but a figure of the Chriftian Church, pofTefTed greater privileges than th^^ reality ? . The writer thanks the Ex. for admitting that the Romifh Clergy have been in the habit of claiming in- faUibility for many centuries; he might have laid fince the Apoftles days without fearing a contradic- tion : 'twas at all tines the eftablifhed do6lrine of the Catholic Church, and upon the moft folid grounds ; 'tis true 'twas at all times denied by fedtaries of every defcription and difcrimination, from Samuel the Magi- cian, down to the univerfal friend Jemina Wilkinfon. As to the pretended forgeries to eftablifh this claim they are totally unnecefTary : there are authentic mo- numents enough which Moflieim Blondel and the Cen- tury writers of Magdeburg will not conteft. Whe- ther the donation of Conjiantine the Great, or fbme de- crees inlerted in Law Books, be genuine or fpurious is foreign to the prefent queflion, and equally foreign to the writer's purpofe. " An authority derived from God, can only be pro- " ved," favs the Ex. ** by an exprefs declaration from *' kim, manifefted to mankind by methods perfedlly ** incontrovertible 5 pro Ifrom feaiy tible i 89 " incontrovert) !e ; cither by the Holy Script lues, or *' by outward miracles." Does the Ex. expert that God Ihall make a new and exprefs declaration of his ' will to every fucceeding generation ? does he not think it liifficient that God has made this declaration once before competent and credible witnefles, and ordered them to inform their fucceflbrs ? if the Ex. does not think this fufficient, religion died with the Apoftles, and that Spiritual Kingdom of which there was to be no end, Luke i. 33. ceafed almoft as foon as it began. The Ex. muft permit us to believe that this declaration was made. We believe it on the authority md tefti- mony of the Paftors now in being, who received that faith from their immediate predecelTors, thefe from the Paftors to whom they were fucceflbrs, and fo in regu- lar fucceflion to the Apoftles, who were the witnelfcs chofen by God to communicate this declaration to th^ world. By the fame rule we know the Scriptures and the intended fen(e of difficult and ambiguous [)aflages in the Scriptures. If the Ex. can aflign any other in- fallible rule we fliall e.dopt it. Whatever his ideas of fancy or caprice may be, or however ufeful thele his rules may be in forming conftrudions on the law, they are totally incapable of afcertaining the Books which contain the law. If then the Ex. of all neceffity is oblieed to have recourfe to the tradition of the Church for the Scriptures themfelves, why not for the genuine fenfe of thofe ambiguous paflages in the Scripf ures ? Does he imagine that the wild conjedurcs of every enthuiiaft, who pretends to explain the Scriptures ac- cording to his own fancy or caprice^ convey the inten- ded fenle of the divine writers ? or does he pretend that the faith of his deluded followers formed on hisi fanciful interpretations is founded on the Scriptures ? if fo our Ex. has excluded not onlv Church authority, but alio the authority of the Scriptures, and fubftitutes fancy and caprice as fole and fufficient rules of faith. In his (econd propolition the Ex. afferts in the moft M pofitive t •4 m ,1 1 5 1 ■ ■• , I'M 4 '4'- 1 »:•■ U t- > ,.■ ,i •' ■'» 1' wm ill I ' imI it '' f w If; ■, J' ■. 90 polltive manner that the Scriptures are our only guide upon this head ; thus he leaves all who arc not per- fectly well verled in the Scriptures without a guide to grope their way in the dark. The writer begins to fear for himlelf, and thinks even the Ex. in fome dan- ger ; there are pailagcs in the Scriptures, which the writer cannot underlhmd without having recourfe to the works of thelb early and intelligent writers whom we call tlie Fathers ; thefe men who converfed with the Apoftles or their immediate difciples learnt from them the intended {g.\\(c of the infpired writers, and from them we muft learn it, not from the conjedures of modern fpeculatifts, who know no more of the mat- ter than we do oinfelves. To refer a man to the Scripture as to his only guide, is to refer th« benighted traveller to an intricate path inftead of giving him a guide to conduct him through it, and enable him to avoid the precipices, which may be in the way: — The Ex. will furely admit that all the different fec- taries, who have hitherto appeared in the world, pre- tended to find their errors in the Scriptures, there a e therefore fome intricacies, fome precipices in that path which render a guide indifpenfibly neceflary — St Paul thought fo when he faid to the Hebrews, obey your guides.— xn\. ; Let us defcend to the Scrij^tures, our Ex'rs. laft and only refuge, and fee if they will flielterhim : " All the " texts produced," lays he, p. 50, " for that purpole '* are ambiguous, uncertain, figurative, and their mean- " ing can only be difcovered by conjedure, and the " ulual mode of interpretation." — But three lines be- fore the Ex. had told us that Scripture is our only guide, and now he tells us that all the texts produced arc unibiguousy uncertain, and figurative^ that their yicaningcan onlv be diicovered by conjedture. What an awful lefTon does the Ex. give to his Proteftant Brethren ? their only guide, he tells them, in a doc- trme of the greatcfl polfible confequence, in which a miftakc I* miftake is inductive of perdition^ is an ambiguous guide^ an uncertain guide, a guide whole meaning they muft conjecture. What Catholic writer ever told a Prote- ftant in more expreflive language that he mull have rccourfe to fbrne other guide ? hut the Tenle of the Scriptures may be eafily colle61ed upon other fuhje^b, tnie ; but not on this, of all (ubjeifts the moft impor- tant, on which this guide ought to fpeak the moft plain and intelligible laciguage : for if it be true as we Ca- tholics pretend that the dodlrinal deciiions of the Paftbrs of the Church in Council aflembled and united to their vifible head be infallible ; 'tis infallibly, true, that there are fundamental errors taught in all the re- formed Churches. To encreafe the anxiety of his friends our Ex. proceeds to lay down rules for uiider- ftanding the language of this ambiguous guide — and atftct a multiplicity of words, which convey no deter- minate idea, he fays at length, " if it can be Ihewn *^ that an infallible authority is unneceflary as far '* as meer realbninc: goes, it is a conclniive argument **-againft it." Thi ^onclufive argument in the next Sentence he reduces to a certain help in dilcovering the true meaning of a doubtful i^afHige. What? the un- learned Proteftant is firft by logical reafoning, of which he has no idea, to fhew that this infallible authority is not'neceflkry, and hf will thus obtain a certain help to einable him td underltand iht Ic ambiguous and uncer- tain texts; The Ex. cannot . »voth< man a mure ftii- king proof of the ncccffuy of this infiilUble authority, than ia thi?? manner to icfer him tohimfelf, and torture him inti.: p -ill it of the intended lenle of ambiguous texts whi h r.e can never difcover to an abfolute cer- tainty, and l.fsivc him in a ftate of anxiety and fiuiilua- tion to his lateft breath ; the very ftate ia which ^. Paul reprefcnts aU thcfe who withdraw themlelvfs from that very authority to which the Ex. prohibits obedience: " always learnmg and never coming to ilie ** knowledge of the truth." '2 Tim. u'l. 1 . V H ii-i i:^: m. M ti 'Ihi -> v IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // C^/ ^.^.^ * .<^\^^ m / J Hiotographic Sciences Corporation n V '$» ^AiN sxmiT WIB>Tiii,N.Y. MStO (716)873-4S03 ^^'^ i f ^ m ^M 1; .;%h The Ex. after condu6lirig his reader through a maze ofqueftions, the truth of the former dependinjg on that of the fubfcquent as he fays, comes at length, like a Iiarc to her form, to (hew that the Scriptures are fuificient without this infallible authority. But are not thelc ambiguous and uncertain texts parts of the Scripture? why not fay at once that the conje6tural fenfe of the Scripture is fufficient ? does the Ex. imagine that the infpired writers intended contradiftory fenfes in the famefentence? If twP men un^erftand the fame pr<|>r pofition, " this is my Bodi/^' in different fenfes, qf ajl neceffity one of thefe two founds his faith on afali^ conje6lure. We Catholics pretend that the reformers did ground their belief of the figurative prefence anil real abfence of Chri{l*s Body in toe Euchariil; pn afalfe conjedure ; they do^jt admit the wprds which hp lJ3oke in their natural; :figni6cation : ^therefore they coii- jedlure, that he intended to fay fom(e|hing elfe, th^t,i?> this bread is the figure of ipy body : iflifi this ,brea(| £g- niifiesmy body : or, this bre^d is the figii qf mybody'^ or fome one of an hundred different expofitions ^iyen by the reformers to this obflinate te>;t. To,t|2i§ we Catholics ijeply that ninety nine p^tpf; the hundred i^re manifeflly faUe ; and we add X\\^t ^Jjirift faid jprc^ifely what he intended to fay neither lefs ,nor nfiore,* fof lie pcrfedtly underflogd the language ;ii> vyhicfi he fpc^^^ and hetice we conclude that of, the hundred not iDne^ii true. And finally, which comes diredfly to thfopoin^, thatfuppofing one of the hundred to be true, ,ther& i^ no Proteflant learned, or unlearned, can determine if but by conjedure, and that the odds are :nipety niup to one againfl him. Is not that a critical iituatiop in a game when a man's all is at (lake ? The infufficiency of Scripture to guide us in the un- erring paths of trUih, has been (hewn in fo many difr fercnt points of view in order, if poifible to liiMjecciyc fome well meanin<^ men, who arc unfortunately whirled about by every wnid of dodtrinc, forming their faith, not t( ■r rled ith, not 9S not on the Scriptures A\ hich they don*t underftand, but on the fanciful expG(itkMii& of every enthufiaft who un- derHakes to dire6t thern, forgetting that if the bhnd lead the blind they both fail iin the ^ditch, nor is it anexcufe to fay : I believed fuch or fuch a teacher : beeaufe Chfifl has warned his difciplets more than once to be- ware of .wolves in Iheep's cloaihing. Matt. vn. 15. , The £r ft argurnent which the Ex.ftates in fujpport of his pretended fufl^ciency of the Scriptures, if rightly underftood proves th« contrary : *^ to aflert," fays he, " thatw^hca Chrift can^e into the world tofave finners, " he did npt teach them all things neceffary to that end, ^. or thajtj when the Evangelifts were infpired to commit " thole dpdrines to writitig, the infpiration was imper* " fe^ i^ to deny the goodnefs, the wifdom, and the ** power of God." The Ex. was not aware that his firCt argurnent condenu^ all novelties in do^lritie and lea^s the ' pretended- ;:reifi(>rmers without; excuie; for thQiiei;Wa8[no new reveltition made to them and they hadrfia4>0f^l|)ie mode of knowing the do^rine taught by Qh«ift to by the teftirnony ot thefe in whofe hands itw«9 delpDfited. . *Tis very true that Ghrift taught every }kl\^ neceffary to fa|yation> but he did not write a 'tiiie^i^r Mid he give the Scriptures as a: guide to his difciptes ; he taught them ivith authority, ^Matt. vii. 9. gav« his pfctjepts in hjis 2 J>Mblic iedturcs, ordered his Ap;attd tp /preach to thc'i>eople in the (ame n^^jier i h^^^ reproached the Phariiees with exa- ri>inif\g the* Scriptures in vain^ " You /eJiaminc the " §priptur,es beeaufe you think, to have life everlafting " ill them^ and they ar^ giving teftirnony of me.'* JohiYMj^&i. i^s, if hehad faid you are continually reacting tbe Scriptures in which yoii think you may find life ; yet thefe very Scriptures atteft that life is not to be obtained jbut by faith in me. To this he adds, v. 40, " And you will not come to me that you may have " life," A man would imagine that he was giving a le(5lurc to modern cnthufiafts, who think that in the Scriptures rlpi :i i i^'w- LI. i' : 94. ^ ■ .• ■ Scriptures alone life is to be found and difdain to come to that fold, of which the Scriptures atteft that, out of it there is no eternal life : becaufe *tis in his fold that J. Chrift feeds his flieep by the minrftry of thefe paftors whom he has given to his Church. Epk. 4. ' , But was not the infpiration of the Evangelifts per- fe«^? yes: and lb was that of Mofes and the proph(fts ; but that did not exclude the neceffity of inftitutlng a fucceffion of paftors in the old law, whofe province and duty *twas to explain the in{pircd writings to thb peo- ple and offer lacrifices in their name. Nor does the inspiration of the New Teftament, however perfe6l! it may be, exclude the miniftry of thefe Paftors and teachers, Xvhora, if we believe St. Paul, Chrift gave to his Church for the perfection of the Saints. Eph. iv. 1 1. Will this Ex. inform us of what ufe is a teacherito a man who teaches himfelf? or what is the \ile of a Paflor to a man who finds all the Ipiritual fonA which is neceffary in the Scriptures? and not orily' finds it there, but according to the principles of thic^'E&cV'niuft find it there and not elfewhefc. Why not^ ftlb^tutc Printers to Bifhops and Nlinifters in the Ghllrfeli of England? one tenth of their revenues would Jifely 4 Suf- ficient number of Printers, and the remaining nine tenths be a great fa ving to the nation. The Ex^. immediately adds that the Scriptures in many places declare their own lufficiency< Not forely to a man who can't read them ! muft the pf)pT fellow be damned without redemption or relource? Unfortu- nately for our Ex. the contradictory of his iflfertion is manifcftly deduced from the pafTage which he offers in proof: " from a child thou has known the Scriptures,** Jaid St. Paul to Timothy. 2 Tim, iii. 15. The Scriptures which Timothy knew from his childhood wer© the writings of Mofes and the Prophets, not a jiuc of the New Teftament was written. Does the J -i:. think the Old Teftament alone futficient ? or does lie i;y a£;iiie the yuy Epiftle In which the Apoftle in*- ftruCts Wf • 95 , ftruds his difciple was not iieceflary ? St. Paul did not think it uielefs or he would not have written it. Why does the Apofile ftri^ly command the TheiTalonians to hold faft the oral traditions, which they had received from him : " Wherefore brethren, ftand and hold faft-, •* krateite, the traditions, which you have been taught, <* whether by word or by our Epiftle." 2 The/, ii. 1 5. The Apoftle not only thought but taught exprelsly that the Scriptures were not fufficient, when he ordered them to hold faft what they had learned by oral tradi- tion as well as what they read in the Scriptures. The text cited by the Ex. (hews the ends for which the Scriptures were written, and the advantages reful- ting from them when rightly underftood : " They are " profitable," fays the Apoftle, " for reproof, for cor- ** re6tion, for inftru6tion in righteoufnefs." Does tl;^ Ex. think profitable and fufficient fynonomous ? Meat is profitable, ^nd even indifpenlably neceffary for the fupport of life and health, but air is equally neceftary. *Tis ulclcfs to infift on a truth which even ftupidity can*t mifconceive; • ..The Ex. adds in italics, " that the man of God " may be perfc6l, thoroughly furnilhed unto all good •* works." He might as well have cited the firft verfe in Genejis in fupport of the fble fufficiency of the Scrip- tures : who ever doubted that the Saipturcs were ule- ful for the perfedlion of the juft man, and for his ad- vancement in piety and good works? for what other end were they written or given to the faithful but to contribute totheir perfedion ? is not that the immedi- ate end of the inftitution of the Sacraments ? of the public miniftry ? does not St. Paul fay, " that Paftors " and teachers are given by Chrift to his Church for " the perfection of the Saints." Eph, iv. Both are therefore neceflary,' or to fpeak more corrc6l]y the Scriptures are ufeful, and the public miniftry indifpen- fably neceffary : for without the Scriptures the faithful have been fandtified before the Scriptures were, writ- ten B'. '1 1 ■i ( 1 .If' I 1 1 • f : 1 • 9fff &>•'■■ t( u f' ."l teii, but not without the miniftry of the Paftors and teachers. The angel did not refer Cornelius the Ccin ■ turion to the Scriptures, that he might find pcrfcftion and fandification in them, but ordered him to iend for St. Peter and learn from him what he was to do, ** he will tell you," faid the Angel, " what is necefiary for you to do." Acts x. 6. If the Scriptures were sdone fuificient to perfect and furnifh him to all good works why not tell him fo ? why dirc6l him to learn his du- ty, not from the Scriptures, but from St. Peter the Chief Paftor of the Church ? it feems the Angel was ignorant of this new dodrine : he thought, as plain men do now-a-days, that 'twas the duty of the Paftor to diredl the (heep in the choice of pafture, and not permit them to range at large amongft poifonous herbs, and expofed to ravening wolves or wily foxes. To expofe this truth in fuch a point of view as muft ftrike the meaneft capacity, we (hall fubftitute the Ex. to the Angel, and hear his conference tvith the Ccntu-. rion. ■ ■•■-■-• I-- .-^ ^''' Ex. You muft read the Scriptures ; in them you'll find every truth which you are to believe, and every maxim which you are toobferve. .u - Corn. "What Scriptures? Ex. Some Books were written long fince, by au- thors whom I don't know, they contain the pure word of God. Corn. How (hall I know them ? you (ay that you don't know the authors. How do you know that they were divinely infpired ? '• Ex. A certain tafte will dired you — a certain fen- (ation will ferve to difcriminate thefe which are di- vinely infpired, you'll feel the truth as heat is felt near a fire. Corn. Hitherto my tafte diredted me in the choice of meats, and all my fenfes ferved to diftinguifti exter- nal objedts ; I find ( muft employ them to fome other purpoie. l\Iy fenfes are fubje6t to error, more parti- cularly ■■i^ you they fen- di- near d7 ;ariy wneii mvcitcd from their proper object. What if they deceive me? Ex. No. • CoRN^. Arc you infallible I Ex. Nh, far fri>m it. , CpRif. Then. 1 can have no more dependance on ybd t^ix on my fenfes. *E!x. X§w n>"ft Miev^« ; t?o«iir. Ihirdon rae Sir, you I will not btflievc, be^ cau(e you tell me candidly that you may deceive mc ; my {cnfca 1 may truft when confined to their proper *t>je^ ; but if my eye pretended to'hear, or my car to fee, I ihduld believe neither the one nor the other. Novv Sir, that fuch and fuch Books are divinely infpl- fed, and that in this vidble world no other Book is (b, neither is nor can be the object of my fenfes. How maii/^cioks are canonical ? ^. TEat*s a fubjed of ferlous difcuilion and intri- cate controverfy. ■ Corn. In what language are they written ? i)x. Some in Hebrew, ibme in Greek, fome in Sy^ rcht^hftldaic. ' 0bltN. I am a Roman Soldier don*t understand a #or4 of Pebrew or Greek. x# There are manyverfions. 6»ifi Ijowmany? X. Nine hundred, more or lefs. '^" CiSKW. Do they all agree > " Ex. No. CotN. The tranflators infallible ? Ex. No. GoEK. The Antographs in being ? Px. No. COttN. Any authentic copy in all things agreeable fo the original writings ? -.mm}, ^CblN. How fliall I diftingitiftj the moft authentic TO>j^ i^om others lels iincere ? how diicern all faults in '• N the. m 1 i, t His O;' ' i i^ m^ the vcrfion ? all corruptions and interpotations ? wheif the fenfe is ambiguous and uucertaiuhow dtfcover tjse intended fenfe of the author ? Ex. You muft compare the vcrfions, in doubtful paffages, have recourfe to conjecture and rules of inter* pretation,. which we prefcribe, ^ Corn. What ! read them all ! compare them ally! in difficulties have recourfe to conjedlure ! the labour isendleis, and the iHue uucertaia ;is thef« not a more Compendious way ? i^ Ex. Yes — take my opinion. Corn. So ultimately I find I muft reft my falvatio^ on your opinion, which you lay is but a meerconjecr ture. Pardon me Sir— i muft confult fbrnie oth^ guide. ^1 he Angel appears and fblves all di0icuir ' ties in three words: fend for Peter, fays he, and hc'l} tell you what you have to do. So true it is a^S^ Aujlin remarks that to believe authority is a great abi idgement and no labour. ' , St. Puul in this paftage does not even jniimpate that the Scriptures are a fufficient rule of faith. ^J^is words, if rightly underftood itidicate the contrar^N«p>-hfft fays that the Scriptures are profitable, thatth^ mao of God may be perfe6l. Hence 'lis manifeft ^hat tbe man of whom hefpeaks muft have been pre^inftrpa* ed in the faith, othervviie he would not have been a man of God. The truth is, the Apoftlc*s inftru^ion wasdire<5ted to Timothy \xvceS&\U and ip bis peribl^ td other Prelates ; Timothy he calls a Aian of ^Sodi^nd in the text under confideration he (ays, that the $cri{>- tures are able to make hhn Sefophifai, who was a itpan of God wife to falvation. Timothy had feecn .preriii- ftrucfled by the Apoftle himfelf ; thus we read inrthe beginning of the foregoing chapter-r^" Thou, ipy fon, '^* be ftfcngthened in the grace which is in ]. Cl^ri^ " and what you heard from me amongft many witoei* *' fesj that commit to faithful man who will be cJapiWc '* of teaching others."-^-and in the precccling cl^apc<^<» 1 13. "V; 12^ ht had faidy *< have the form of found words •*' which you have heard by Me.'* He docs not fay. Which you have read in the Scriptures: the inlpired writings are t^ndoubtedly ufeful to fuch a man as Ti- f^t<»My,: pre- inftru6led in the faith by the Paflors and teacbiers of the Church, and receiving from them the S^^ipnires with the ftnfe of the infpired writings ; but Aaft the -Scriptures alone without any recourfe to the Paftow of the Church, were fufficient to inftrud a man in faith and morality, St. P/ru/ never faid ; he could not fay it of the Old Teftament, the only" Scriptures which Timetky had knowti from his childhood, and iii which St. Paul himfelf, though taught by that famous Bo6tbr Gamaliel, had found not life but death, nor was he at his converlion referred by Chrift himlelf, to the Scriptures, but to the Church in Damalcus, "go into *f thecky, and you'll be told what you are to do." Acts ix. 1^. The Ex'rs. next argument, if unconne 1;' I --..■ , M-- ■ 1 « 1 ii 1 f? '. :-!i' 100 di{^in61y taught in the Scriptures, that the Anans e{u« ded every text of Scripture broueht in proof of it. Sco* F.ujebius of Csfarea; his Epiine in T heodoret, /J. ^^ ch. ] 2, in which he expounds even the tcrn\ cbnlub-^^ Aantiai in an arian lenfe ; that there is but one perfoa^ <* in Chrifl, the Neflorians could not fee in,^ ^cripr*^ tures, nor could the Eutychians di{cover;tharin buadf ^ there are two natures, the divine and human. To«'^ come to ourielvcs we Catholics think iranlubAantiatioa^ . clearly revealed in the Scripture, Proteflauts cannot^ir hnd it there. Lutherans think confubftantiation dii^v' tin61Iy taught, Zuindians deny it. In a word, there is^ ' no deibriptidn of Chriflians, who do not Hnd or pre- tend to find their tenets in Scripture ; and as their te»^^ « nets are in general contradictory, even thole which are founded in truth carmot be fo dl{lin611y taught at the Ex. pretends. The Church of Rome makes no changes in her doc» trine — ^^fhe has made no alteration in the Baptifmal, the Nicene, and the Atbanafian creeds : they are the au- thentic declarations of the dodlrine which (he proifcifes, and always profcfled ; Ihe has nrt borrowed them from the reformed Churches : in her hands they found> them, and ytry injudicioufly retain the moft Iblemn^ condemnation of all their errors : — 1 hus for example,ji the day that Martin Luther firA oppoied the eilablilhed do^nne, he profefl'ed his belief in the Nicene Creed, or he did not ; if he did not, he was not a Chriflian ; if he did, he believed that there was then in exigence, « Church ; that that Church was one that is not divided into ditferent diflenting focieties; he believed that *twas hoLi/^ that is, that there was no corrupt, impious, or idolatrous do6lrines taught in it : for corruption, im- piety, and idolatry, exclude fanctity ; he believe«i that this Church one and holy was alio Catholic^ that ii univerfal, which univerlality iucludes both time an4^ place, it, therefore neither could begin with him, iior be confined to him ; he believed that this Church wan apq/ioUcalf 101 ! J 9poflolicaly that Is founde;d hj (he Apo{lle8, teaching their do^rine, and governed by their iucceflbr3 : in no^ other fenfe can a Church be called apoilolical ;— ihence he muil have believe^ that in. t\(\$ Church there were nacorrupt do^rines taught, for the Aptofiles taught none, if he did not believe all this he was nota Chrif* tiai), and if he believed it, and publicly renounced it, he. was a perjured Apoilate. This reaibmng is appli-, cabk to every innovator and pretend^ reforine/, from* Simon the Magician, down to damning Murray, Fron) the extr^sme (implicityof the, Chri(lian religi- on bo(h \i\ faith and morals, the £x. thinks he knowt^s the fufficiency of the Scriptures. What ! the myftc- ries of religion (imp le ! the myfteries of the Trinity, of the incarnation, of original (in and prededinatiou iimple ! it is apprehepded that the Ex. is the firl^ man who aver thought them fo. St. Paul, for, a folutioa of difficulties tQ fbme of the{e Jlmple truth, has. re- ^ cour/e to Cod's unfearchable \yays, and iiicqniprehen- iible Judgments i Rom. xi. 3 3. -^and in another place, he declares the neceiiity of captivating the whole force, of our undei Qandii.g ; ^ Cor, x. 5. — Our Ex. has dil- , covered that to be extremely fimple, which $t, Paui thought beyond the Sphere of human reafon— ^howj thelenew teachers limplily religion !— how far they iiirpais the Apuflles !; — 'tis true there is nothing more iimple than to believe that true which tickles our fancy according to the ExVs rule of faith. But in pradiicc at leaft the morality of the Gofpel i$* ijmple. — Yes, if we believe thefe men who have redu- dnccd it to caprice and Jmn/, . Thefe two precepts, *^ thou (halt love the Lord thy God with thy whole *V heart and (bul,and thy ncij^hbour as thyfelf,*' in \yhich all other precepl$ are radically containea,and to which they onay be reduced, are lb far from being ^impk-, that the Ej(. iays, which bye the bye is a grofs mii^ake, that tfaie Gospel U only a commentary on them. Why not add the Law ai^ the Prophets ? of them the Saviour f{)oke. U !■! <■■;■• I- 1 i -I I ., ; in ■'?! ■m 1 102 I) Si fpdkt. — Why not the A6ls ami Epiftlcs of the Apof* ties ? why ttot the cx)mhicntarics of Luther, Metanctonj %uingtmsy &c. ? Does the Ex. imagme that two prc^' c^pts Which require commentaries of luch magnitude are limpie ? after all, in what part of the Gofpel hashe* found thaf the Saviour reduced the whole morality of* the Chriftian religion ito the love of God and the love of Men, as heiay§y /». 55, "the precept of the love of' '*^God, the Saviour faid was the foft and the great •* precept, and the precept of loving oufr neighbour htf *' iaid was the fecond and likb the firft." He did not fay that there were not other precepts. Were not all his mjuudlions fo many indifpenfable precepts ? ;• The Writer does not clearly underftand what the Ex. intends by faying that outward forms and ceremo- nies however convenient t>r decent^ are notneceilary to ialvation i does he intend to exclude the only two lii- craments, which the reformed Churches have retained, that isj Baptifm and the Lord*s Supper ? are notthefe outward ceremonies ueceiTary to iaXvsttibn I Inffint Baptifm is declared to bei according to the kiftitutioft ofChrift by the 37th of the 39th Articles. However in favour of the Ex. we are forced to admit that the framefs of* the Articles jumbled them together rather haftily : fo^ if it be true that Baptifm only confirms faith as 'tis faid in that Article, and that by faith alone wx; are juftificd as the 1 1th Article exprefsrly declared, 'tis fajle that infant Baptifm is agreeable to Chri(l*8 inilitution : for an ufeleis inOitutbn is inconfiflent with his wifdorh : where there is no faith, there can be nd confirmation of faith ; infants know nothing, believe hpthing, have no faith as faith is dcfiikd in; the refdr- nied Churches, and to aflert the contrafy is to intuit ^e common fenfe of mankind ; infant Baptifm would ' c therefore an ufelefs inftitution; a' tneer mockery* AdH to this that the precept* of infiint Baptifm is no where to be be found in thti Scriptures : if we under- ftand the text as it founds, thetoiitrii^ ffeems f^ be ■ 11 105 ttuc, " Going,** faid the Saviour to the Apo{Ue4, ** teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the y. Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft.**-i- Mstt, ult, *Twould appear from this text that they were to baptize but thofe, whom they taught, and as infants are incapable of inAru6kion, they feem alfo in^ capable of Baptifm. For the precept of infant Bb^ tiiro, therefore, recourfe muH be had to $he unwritten word of God, known by the uoiverTal practice of the Church. A manifeft proof of the infufficiency of Scripture is thus' taken from the authentic do6trine of the eflablifhed Church. *Tis equally uncertain what the Ex. means, when he iays, ibidem " that human wifdcxn and difcretion are " fuifieicnt to determine, who are the proper, perfbns •* to perform the office of public prayers." Does he intend to exclude the miniAry from the Church as well as the Sacraments ? in this for once he is confident with himfelf : for if the Sacraments be not neeef&ry to falvation, public miniilers tp adminiftcr the Sacra- '|B^ents are ufelefs. He admits fbme proper perfbns to jdifcharge the duty of public prayer. — True; but he has not told us how theie perfons are to be appointed, Iby whom, or by what authority ; nor does he tell us what are the powers of thef e proper perfonst or if they poflefs any power at all ; and inilead of referring us to the Scriptures for all thefe things, which we ought $o know, he refers us to our own dilcretion. , In the next paragraph he acknowledges that there jre difficulties and obfcurities in the Scriptures ; but, i^ys he, they are confined to ipecuktive points, all ef- icntial do^rines are clearly revealed. The Writet was yet to learn that fpeculative points are not eiTett- ,tkl -dodhdnes. What ! the my fiery of the Trinity, the 4iviivty of J. Chrifl and of the Holy Ghofl not effen- JfhX 4^^^f^ • ^^^^^^ ^^ fpeculative points if any f uch 4h^e be. tp..a long and confufed paragraph the Ex. f!ates 1 . , ■ that .!•,! ■is 1 r 11 I U W. mm :.1 ! ib4' * t^at rtierc arc in the Scriptures many obfcuritieSy <* lomc iutcfided by the writers, and others from the ^* iniperfe^ion of human nature, and that even enthu<» •* liaftic brethren pervert (ome of the deareft to their *• own deftru€lion,*' From this we Catholics logically infer the neceflity of a more intelligible guide. The Est. by a fort of reaibninff, to which the world was hi- therto a granger, infers that theie obicurities can be no impediment to (alvation. Why then has he told us that eathufxaftic brethren pervert them to their own perdition ? is that oblcurity which is the fource of per- dition to {o many enthuiiaftics no impediment to ial- vatioh ? The Ex. replies that the Prophets and Apof- ties would not fay that the Scriptures were fiifiicient for that purpofe if their obfcurity could be ahy obflacle. The Prophets and Apoftles fay no ^uch thing : the "Prophets in doubtfql cafes and obicurities refer con* tending parties to the decifion of the Hieh Prifiil, who was Cnicf Paftor of the Jewilh Charch,^^Deut, xiii. And in the pro)>hecy of Malachi we read, •• the lips •* of the PricftihaU preferve knowledge, and the^iball ** feek the law from his mouth. Becaufe he is the ♦* mclTengcrof the Lofd of Hofts. Chijipthei CoBtn **jifmerou dahath vetkoraik jibak/fiou miphihau cki ** Maleak jekovah hou,** — C. ii. 7. And the Apoftles by prncept and example refer all difficulties and obfcu- rities to the decifion of the Paflors of the Chriftian Church : thus the Paitors aflfembled and decided amofl difficult and obfcure queftion— -Whether the Law of Circumcifton obliged in the Chriflian difpenfation ;*- Acts XV. and St. Paul fays, •* thatChrifl has ffiven to •* his Church Pai^ors and teac^icrs." He at the fame time afligns the end for which thefe Paftors and teach- ers arc given to the Church, *• for the perfeding oftho •* Saints^ for the work of the miniftry, for the ifidify- ^ ing of the mydical b:>dy of Chrili " The Apoffe continues to (hew thwc lucy are to continue tttt tiun be no more^ and exprefsly declares the reafim^ *»thil ' ,105 ■ , >« that henceforth," , fays he, " we be no more like ** children, toffed to and fro and carried about with ** every wind of do^rine, by the flight of cunning men f* lying in wait to deceive us." Eph. iv. In his Epifllc to Timothy he calls the Church, the pillar and ground of truth " Jlulos kai ddrai()ma t6s aJetheias.^' — iii. 15. Hence in his Epiftle to the Hebrews he orders them to obey their Spiritual Guides, xiii. 17. of thefe fame Guides heh».d faid v, 7. " remember your Guides," — ** teniinoneu te t6 n^goumenon ^mon — whofpckcto 30U ** the word of God,- imitate their faith." The next text cited by the Ex. makes dlre(511y a- gamfl him, ** if our Gofpel be hid, 'tis hid to them, who •* perifh, in whom the God of the world hath blinded " the minds of them who believe not, leaft the gloi ious '* gofpel of Chrift fliould (hine unto them." 2 Cor. iv. 31'. The Apoftle does not fpeak a word of the Scriptures : he juftifies the truth and fmcerity of the do . h i ' :■/ ■ it, *■ M i li: I i ■';•■■ ' MO ■ .-•. \,;;.-., New Law on the day of Pentecoft, all the difFei*ent fo* cieties, which have fince been formed ; all the Chur- ches whofe commencement is fixed bv Catholics to & m later date, and admitted by the members of thef© Churches lo have commenced at that time in their pre- fent form, are manifeftly no parts nor portions of the one Church of Chrift at all times and without any cef- fation vifible. The firft text is cited from the prophecy of Ifaias, ii. 2. The title of this chapter in the Proteftant verlion admits that the prophet (peaks of Chrift's kingdom. — By jChrift's kingdom all Chriftians underftaud hi* Church. The Jeas vainly imagined that the promi- fed Meffias would be a temporal Prince, and that he would re-eftablilh the Jewifh monarchy hi its former fplendor. 'Tis prefumed that the Ex'rs opinion does not coincide with this Jewifh fancy, ** and it (hall come " to pafs," fays the Prophet, " in the lalt days, that ** the mountain of the Lord's houfe (hall be tilablifhed ** in the top of the mountains, and fhall be exalted " above the hills, and all nations fhall flow unto it ; and many peoples will come and fay, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the houfe of the God of Jacob, and lie will teach us ivjor€?ioii his ways, " and we will walk in his paths, becaufe from Sion will go out the law tliorali and the word of God from Jerulalem, and he will judge amongft the Gentiles.'* 1 he Prophet in terms as itrongly expreflive as lan- guage can afford announces the vifibility, the univer- lability and infallibility of ChrilVs Church* 'Tis vifibiliiy : Nothing can be more vifible than a moun- tain elevated on the fummit of mountains, the man mufl be blind indeed, who does not fee it ; its univev j'ality^ " all nations fhall flow to it, the Pfalmift had "laid :'* " he fhall rule from fea to fea and from the "river (Jordan) to the ends of the earth/' iy. 71. Htbr, VI. V. 8. and v. Uth, " all Kings Ihall adore " him, and all nations fhall fcrve him. And v. l7. " Let (( (( (C (t <( a <( .111 '' ' ■ % •* Let his nam-sbe for ever, his n&me is eftablifhed be* ** fore the San, in him «// wfl//V;w^ are bleifcd." Thefe words of the Pfahnift require no comment : they can- not be appHed but to the Saviour, 'tis fimply a repeti- tion of the promiie made to Ahrahamy xii. 3. & xxvi. 4r.' Gen. " in thy feed (hall all the nations of the earth ^* be blejfcdy In this Ibnfe St. Paul underftood it, fee his Epiftle to the Galatians third chapter. In thefe texts, and other fimilar, of the Old Teftament the univerfality of ChrilVs Church is fo diftindly fore- told that 'tis an article inferted in the baptifmal creed, commonly called the A poftles creed : " I believe in the ■*• HMj/ Catholic Churchy That this univerfality in- cludes both time and place and excludes every error wc ihall fee prefenily : in the text cited from the prophecy oflfuias 'tis faid " let usafcend to the houfe of the God ** oi Jacob, and He will teach us his ways." St. Paul attefts that the Church is the Houfe of God. 1. Tim, 4u. 13. 'Tis therefore God himfelf who teaches in his Church by theminiftry of thefe teachers and Paf- tors, whom he has deputed for the perfedion of the •Saints. Eph. iv. Ofthis truth we have the exj)refs tefti- mony of the Apoftle " we are the AmbalTadors of " Chrift." " iiper Chrijiou oun prejbuhmcny \l. Cor. v. 20. '* As God exhorting by us bs theou parakalountos " di im6n ;'* This is manifeftly a confequence of that authentic promife, which Chrift made to his Apoftles, that he would be with them teaching and baptihng to the end of time. Jl/<7/^ m//. ^ - God, whether he teaches immediatelv bv himfelf, as when vifible here on earth, or by his minifters, as fince his afeeniion, teaches no errors at all. Would the Ex. or his Ally rondefcend to inform us on what authority the framers of the articles gave to J. Chrift, an affill- ant inftrudor to teach idolatry and other damnable errors in his Church ? In the paflage of Ifaia^ under confidcration 'tis fai'l •* the law will go out from Sion" " chi mitjion thetf(i , « Ihorah:" I ii , ii m m m- ! '. 1. If! I- ;i 112 ^ ihorakJ** The Hebrew term MorflA is in a particular manner applied to the law of Alofes, including all the ceremonies, rites and obfervances of the Jewifli wor- ship, hence 'tis faid that Jo/ue, after having made a co- venant with th^ children of Ifrael their God " wrote " all thefe thing in the book of the law of God." " Befepher thorath Eloliim.*' The law therefore of which the Prophet fpeaks is manifeftly the new law in contraditl:in6lion to the old, given by an Angel through the miniftry of Mofes ; this law went out from Sion, and the word of God from Jerufalem by the preaching of the Apoftles, who commenced their million there ; to fulfil the prophecy it muft extend to all nations, which will flow to this Hoitfe of God like the waters of a great river ^^ naharoii elaio c/tal goiim.** Of this truth we have the teftimony of Chrift himfclf, when after having opened the difciples mind to underfland the Scriptures, he told them that penance and remif^ fions of fins in the name of Chrift, muft be preached to ait nations beginning from Jerufalem. Luke ult. Here we have univ^erfahty of place inexprefs terms ; and we find univerfality of time as ftrongly exprefled : for as the preaching of the Gofpel did not, nor could not come to all nations at the fame time, it muft come in the courfe of time ; and the Saviour himfclf fixes the limit at the confummation of time : " this Gofpel of ** the kingdom of God, faid he, will be preached in the " whole world, and then the end will come :" tote ixei to telos. Matt. xxiv. 14. If the Ex. will have the complaifance to admit that Chrift's prefcience could extend to the end of time, his wifdom devife means to fulfil his promife, and his power employ thefe means, the c6ntroverfy is at an end : for Chrift fays, in lan- guage as diftindily intelligible as ever was penned — '1 hat his Gofpel would be preached to all nations ; that this preaching would continue to the end of time ; that he himfelf would be with the preachers of his Gofpel all days pa/as dmeras without interruption till the w t I .K^.T 115 the eonfummation the Prophet fays that *tls he him* lelf who will teach us vejorenoUy as he does not teach by himfelf he muft by his minifters or he has broken his promife, and the prophet has deceived us. To aflert either, is blafphemy ; and to pretend tliat he teache» crrdr or permits an aflidant inftrudor to teach error in his Church is fomething worfe than blafphemy. So muchfor the firft text, let us pafs to the fccond. *Tis the ixth. of Ifaias, This chapter is undcrftood of Chrift's fpiritual kingdom by all Chriftians ; the title of the chapter in the Jewiih edition of the Hebrew Bible, with Maflbretic points, is, ** the promile of a •* more happy age under a Great Kuig :" " of the en- " Cfcale of his 6overnment and Peace there ihall be ** no end upon the throiie of Davids and upon his king- ** dom,to order it and eAabliih it with judgement and •• withjudice from henceforth and for ever, the zeal " of the Lord of Hofts will perform this." In thefe expreffive terms the Prophet declares : that there will be 119 end ta the encrea/e of Chrift*s kingdom nor to the peace and harmony which he will eftablHh within his kingdom: Lemarebeth ha mifrah ve le Jlialom eiti Kets* Confirming it le hachm othah ; and found- ing it ve le. fehadah in judgment and juftice from now me hattah and for ever ve ad holam this con- firmation of the Church, or Chrift's fpiritual kingdom, in judgment and juftice forever the Prophet afcribes to the zeal of the Lord of Hofts : kinaath Jehovah (siboath thahofeh xoth, and he excludes the moft dif);ant idea of any interruption or intermiflion. Saying, from now meattha and for ever ve ad holem. Does the Ex. fi- gure to himfelf that errors in faith are co^iflftent with judgment zi\6jti/lice? that an interruption of 800 years is compatible with that permanent peace andunceafiug encreaic of Chrift*s kingdom which the prophet pro-' mifes for which he gives the power of God as fecurity ? In the 5 ith chapter the Prophet fpeaks in terms of admiration of the univerfality of Chrifl^s Church. P 1 U I ■ . i t ;:,■ ; , - • fclf tothe Church of Chrift: " Give praife," fays he, " for many are the children • of the defolate " more than of the married wife enlarge the place of thy tents Ipare not for*" ihou (halt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and " thy feed (hall inherit Nations .... fear not for thou " (halt not be confbunded nor blu(h ..... for he who " hath made thee (hall rule over thee Baalika the Lord " of Hofts is his name, and thy Redeemer the holy one "of Ifrael (hall be called the God oiall the earth , . . . *' this thinoj is to me as in the days of Noah to whom " I fwore that 1 would no more bring the waters of "Noah upon the earth, fo 1 have fworn not to be angry " with thee, and not to rebuke thee : for the moun- " tains (hall be moved and the earth (hall tremble, but my mercy (hall not depart from thee, and the co- ; venant of my peace (hall not be moved, (kith the Lord ; who hath mercy on thee :*' A comment on this paflage would rather tend to obfcure than elucidate the feule of it : — the j)rophet fays, " that the Redeem- " er will be acknowledged God of all the Earth ; that^ he will govern his Church with the care and attention with which ahufband rules his wife: " jBtfr/Ma," |hat the Covenant whicii he makes with her (hall never ceafe, nor his mercy depart from her. — She will there- fore exill: under his immediate direftion till the end of time. All attempts to deftroy a Church under the « a (« ii ^pr-rD IMMU'^'' '>&> immediate ■jii 't . . ^ 115 . ' immediate prote6tion of -Almighty Power are ineffec- tual* Hence the Saviour fays that, " the Gates is, that " the powers of Hell will not prevail againft her." — Matt,xvl, 12» Ifaias had faid in the fame chapter, V, 17.i^-<* every weapon which is form'^d againft thee ^* fhall mifs, and every tongue which rifes in judg- ♦* ment againft thee, thou (halt condemn." If the firft reformer had weighed well the force of this promife he would have feen that as he himfelf did not compofe the Churdi to which the promife was made, his oppofition to her eftablifhed do6trine placed him evidently a- mongft thefe tongues, which rife up in judgment againft her, and that of courfe, fhe would condemn him. This reafoning is applicable to every innovator, who has formed a party fince the Apoftles' days. The argument isinfoluble if the Ex. will admit that the promife was made to, the Catholic Church ; if he de- nies it, let him affign fome other Church vifiblc fince the Apoi^s' days, without interruption, or intermil- fion* < St,. Paul to the Romans, xi. 26, cites the 20th, an J 2lft» vcrfes of the 59th chapter of //^'''Z^* to (hew that after the fulnefe of the nations fhould come in then Ifrael would be faved. • This paflage therefore muft be underftood of Chrift's Church, and his Church muft continue vifiblc till the plenitude of nations have entered that the Jews then remaining nnay be united to it, or as the Apoftle exprefles it, be engrafted on it. Tis ridiculous to pretend that they (hould unite in communion with an invifible Church — the title of this chapter in the Proteftant verfion is, " Chrift's covenant " with his Church." '• There Ihall come," lays the Prophet, " a Redeemer to Sion and to thole, w,ho re- *' turn from iniquity in Jacob, faith the Lord: this is " my covenant with them, faith the" Lord, my fpirit " which is over thee, and my words, which 1 have " put in thy mouth, (hall not depart from thy mouth, ** nor from the mouth of thy feed, nor from the mouth P 2 of i . M If :W !*■: ■• ' -c-W I I w I ::>< — '■■ A* »v' -m I' ■m llff " of thy feed's feed, faith the Lord, from henceforth and *' for ever. //lix. 20,21. Here wc have the moft exprefs and intelligible declaration that the Spirit of the Lord is with his Church ; that his words are in her mouth, not errors nor fictions, but his truth : for he is the God of truth, and by her mouth he teaches as he (lid the primitive Chriftians by the mouth of the Apol- ties ; and his words are in the mouth of her feed, that is, in the mouth of the immediate fucceflorsof the Apof- tlts whom thev spiritually begot by the word of God, us St. Paul fay's: " In J. Chnft. by the Gofpel I have ** begotten ye :" — " engar Chri/lo Jefo dia tou Evange- *• Ihu Egoumus egencfa;** 1 Cor. iv. 15. and in the mouth of their feed's feed, that is in the mouth of thefe who were fpiritually begotten by the immediate lucccffors of the Apoftles, and ib on, fays the prophet from now and for ever meattha ve ad hoiam. If this 1)0 not apofitivc dcclaiation on the part of God by his Prophet that the Church to the end of time will con- tinue to teach his words under the direction of his di* vine fpirit, the Writer docs not undcrftand the force of language. However, for the greater fatisfaflion of the Ex. and his Ally, he begs to introduce a fpeaker of high authority on this fubjeft: J. Chrift himlelf fays that his divine fpirit will inherit his Church and re- main with her till the confummation : " I will aik the *' Father and he will give you another Paraclete that *' he may remain with you for ever, eis aiona : the '* lj)?rit of truth." John xiv. Iff. The Apoftles were i.ot to continue m this world for ever, the fpirit of truth muft. therefore continue with them in their fuc- ceiTors. The Saviour ailigns the end for which this ij)ii it of truth is lent : " when he comes the fpirit of " truth he will lead you odegefii into all truth. Johi xvi. 1:5. He had faid, John xvi. 26, " the. Paraclete, *' the H.Ghcft, whom the father will fend in my name, *' will teach you all things and bring to your memory *' all the thing? which I have faid to you. From this paiTagc I t««ff 117 paHage *tis manifcft that the end for which the Holy Ghoft prefides over the Apoftlcs in thiri Mil m m :n le (of le,,! 119 another ? if not he muft admit that *twill continue to the end of time, and whUft it continues J. Chrift will Write his law in the hearts of his people; his divine grace will enlighten their underftanding and direct their will. A law thus written is not eafilv effaced. The intelligent reader need not be informed that the promifes made to the Houfe of Ifrael and Juda, and the city of Jerufalem are underftood of the Chriftian Church ; and the uninformed Chriftian may reft fatis- fied with the authority of St. Paul — in the fourth chap- ter of his Epiftle to the Romans tlie Apoftle ftiews that the promife vsas made to Abraham before he was cir- circumcifed, that he of courle is father of all the faith- ful whether of the circumcifion or not : — " Who is fa- " ther of us all: as it is written : becaule I have pla- " ced thee fathfer of many nations." ver, 16. — and yet more exprefsly to the Galatians, iii. 29. "if you be " of J. Chrift, therefore you are the feed of Abraham, *' heirs according to the promife;" and again iv. 28. *• we are the brethren according to Ifaac, the children of the promife." The Prophet Eze/'/c/ fpeaks of the fpiritual duration of ChriO's Church in terms energetic: "My fervant ** David iHiall be King over them,, and one (hepherd ** over them "^11 and 1 will make a cove* " nant of peace with them, and an eternal covenant " 'twill be to them, Bercth holam jchejeh otham, and " T will eftahlifli them and multiply them, and I will "place myfanduary in the midft of them forever." Ez. xxxvii. 26". — In allufion to this promiic the Savi- 1 our faid : " 1 have other ftieep which are not of this fold, (the fynagogue) thefe I muft bring ; they will " hear my voice ; there will be one flock and one " ihepherd." Johnx. i6. 'Tis well known that the Saviour whilft vifible here on earth did not preach to the heathen nationc ; in the words of his minifters they hear his voice and are coIle(51ed into his fold. So /■■'^*» :',^ ■■' triifi *v t fiiA 4' I?;. 'i'H ¥ ? ' ^ r K .* A 4'' r-' ; ^ f , t t,. ~ £. » .11' true it is that *tis he himfelf who teaches his ways irt hiG Church as the Prophet Ifaias lays, vejorenou, AVords cannot more diftindlly mark the unfhakeii jftabiHty of Chrift*s Church or his fpiritual kingdom than thefe of the Prophet Daniel. — •* In the days of ** thefe kingdoms the God of Heaven will raife a " kingdom which will not be diflipated." Dan. ii. 49. In allufion to this St. Paul fays that, " J. Chrift muft " reign till he puts all enemies under his feet, the laft "enemy dcftroyed is death." 1 Cor. xv. 25. If J. Chrift be a King to reign over his kingdom, as 3t. Paul fays, till death be abforpt in vitlory, which will ' not happen before the refurreftion ; if he be a (hep- herd as he fays himfelf, will the Ex. or fome of his friends be good enough to inform us what became of his kingdom before that invincible hero Martin Lu- r/zf;- reinflated him on his throne? was he a king with* out a kingdom, a meer pretender, a fhepherd without a flock ? God laid by his Prophet Ezekiel : " I will " raile over them jne fhepherd, my fervant David, " He will feed them, and he will be to them a (hep- " herd. I the Lord will be their God, and my fervant " Dr/r/V/a> prince, in the midfl of them, I the Lord " have faid it, I will make with them a covenant of " peace and I will expel evil beafts from the earth." Exc/i. xxxiv. In the prophecy of Jeremy we read, " I will give " pallors according to my heart, and they will lct6^ *' you with do(ftrine and fcience." Jer. iii. 15. In 4lllufion to thefe promifcs the Saviour fays of himfelf, *• I am the good Ihepherd, I know my Ihcep and my ^ Ihcej) know me my Ihecp hear my voice ; " and 1 know them, and they follow me and " no man Ihi'U take them out of my hand." John x. i'hc Scriptures both Old and New reprcfent the Sa- viour as afhepherd feeding his flock. By what means wr hv wliat extraordinary power was he robbed of his flock? _^ - ^ - . ^ ft^^n-t-xm wmmm-mimm^mmm 121 k;- 1 i. Rock. ? he himfelf declared that' no man (hoiild take them out of his hand The Ex. will cxculb a reflex- ion,' which naturally preitents itfelf^ during them me- morable days of Popilh ignorance and fuperftirioh — diiring them 80J years in which the Church was irii- merfed in abominable idolatry and'taught fundamental erf(!)rs in faith, where wfais thd flock which J. Chrift fed with doctrine and fcience? Papifts, if we believe the framersof the thirty-nine articles, whole opinion the Ex. miift adopt, were idolaters. J. Chrift does not teath idolaters,' nor does he feed an idolatrous flocb, PtxJteftants Ije did not teach : for there were none be-' fore the reformation in 1517. The firft reformers did not ei-^en pretend that there wa^ a kingdorti or ftate, a oity, town, or country village on earth, in which the reformed doftrine was taught before their own time : thefatherof this pretended rcforftiation, Lutfiei\ poii- tivcly aderts that he himfelf comrriehced it, and com- plains bitterly thsntZiwigUus had the affurance to con- teft this prerogative with him. ' Zuin}>lius had faid in the explanation of the 1 8th article, that before the name of Luther was known, he himfelf had , reached the Go(j)el, that is the reformation, in Switzerland. Lu- ther^ not overftockcd with patience at any time, was exafperatcd beyond meafure at this attempt to rob him of the glory of beginning the reformation; he wrote to the people of Stralbargh ** that he dared to •* glory in having firft preached (cfus Chrift; but that " ZuingUus w'i(hcd to'deprive him of that glory. How, "continues this zealous patriarch, to' be tilcnt when " mendifturbour churches and attack our authority ? " if thfcy be not deiirousi of weakening their own au- " thority they ought not to weaken ours." And in the conclulion he fays, ** there is no mean, that either they "or he himfelf are minifters of Satan." Torn. ii. ./(//. Epi. 202. "\ - If pridd, arrogance, perjury and fcnfuality qualify a man for fuch a miniftry, liis title was not defective ; ,- .^ ' Q nor m •Mi; i;l V ^i :l|i 1 lili'k* P''^' 111 [■"2^ m ■ij- I nor vv aS; that of bis ,,?\(ily^i:f^rx, XhjS .t^ad^r \yiW: 1?%^ dtrntlii^ digfie/fipn^.v: . •■ ; . 1 i. .1 -.;•;. i:. rr;-.;? The Lord >y his prophptO/ef, aM'^Xvhiaivm^^foittg^i the reprobatioppftbe J«.wift^ l^n^gGgHe, wwiftr j5lalf/:fiT. gure of a difloyal wife-, |?.roroiCq? tQ; fifpoufci tb^i ChHllrt> tiaii church hi perpetual IpiYe ; *f I'^iili;bc^ffith;tfe^.tp, " to ,me for ever i giijJii |;!^iH betroth ;th?? ::!<^ "^JM^^ ", hi j\)ftice aj\d in , jtidgpqjeiH,. fliA4- iif^i.tev JRgi k*}^dn^f^, "t ancj.hi tender m^rcie^, iaiid I vviU;bfiUothjthe? jtftjsaei **• ifj faith, and tho'^ fhalti^knO\y that- lam th^iJ^ftrdt!ii Qfe ih ly,. 1 hiftrthis prophecy, is ivin4e''to>dii;qiatipn;; ;'tl3'n0t fdunded on. CKWJf ^.i'dre or th? uiiuil mode? of interpiletfeition, vsfhich fhi%,Marh^d Ex. recommends lo the illiterate j^s well ftstb'* learned, that ip to men ai|d:Wonf)e.iii' who .dqa't know yyhat the. term- inierp/ctatton:. tigMriie?. : 'Tis' t^llirig ftbVind mawthat he wants n<} guideto cQi>du6l>>himitE(ough ail i^itricftte and dangerous paffagQ'injwhich a fa}(^4tep! leasts tkinv t-oa precipice, iindt«cminaort that lj>irit\ha1 edifide, liis Churchy which the Sa\'iour laid he ivisciki build dn h?m. Ill this very fenie the Exl de- nies Pekr ijb ht a^ock. — Would he condercehd to aflign fbme oithfcr fehfd in whidrfi the epithet rrt'ay be a])- 'plied to Pete?' f Chrlft certainly intended to lay 16'me- ibiiig. Thefenfe, ftfys the Ex/isbbfcure, yes to the man wHd don-'t Wirti tb 6nderrt^ridit: to plain mfcii who jUd^e by the rufesiof common I'enfe there is fiot a pal- %gc ill ibt'i^tMire inott etilily underf^ood : the Saviour fpeak^ of his Church as a Ijiihitual edifice, which, hke a wile n'laiv, h^ btwldsaipou a Rock that is upon a lolid alld'unflVakeh'fodndatioil. Sti /'*«;fihles ; that the public officers and coun- krils were •ai?^m'bl(idi th^rc. Hehce ^tis'f^id in Deut^- fetwm^, »* ai'id "Chbui fee thit :'• ' ji ^rfe'EStVrtiu'ft he ftupid ilideitdrif he does nor un- ■%:••■//(•'. Q «j derlhiud !i tti-i lit' m^ m m W n i-T- I 't I I W: ^ fl\ "* t ■!. I'.';-*; 124 (lerriand k metaphor lb common, that the moil illite- rate artift underftands it, that is, the place for the men in power in fuch a place ; the governmeut, for the ru- ling magiftratcs ; the city for the men, who prefide in it ; and amongft the Jews the gates fp^- the peribjiis who there prefKlcdover their judgments and Councils. Hence the Saviour's words areas intelligible as founds can be, that he would found his Church in fuch afolid manner, that the powers of hell (hould not prevail .againll: it; that ,thele principalities and powers of whom St. Paul fpeaks: ^* for our wreftling is not " agaiiifl: fle(h and blood, but againft principalities " and powers, againft the rulers of the, ,\yprjd, of this daiknels, againft the fpirits of wickednefs.'*. That thele Ihoukl not fubvert it. The reader will eafily conceive that Chrift here promifcs to found, not a church indifl;in6Hy,,or!in;ge- neral ; but /lis axvn (pliurch, that is, tha,t very Church, inexclufion to all others, to which the, prophet i/iiifli- foretold that all nations would flow; f^hat JHoufc of God in which he hin^felf will teach his law, that Church which Ofte foretold that Go^ wowld ^fpopf^iin judgment, in juftice and truth* .^nd i|>,3yhich by his word all his children are fpiritually begotten. , If jia this Church at any time grofs errors were pubUcly taught by the paftors and bejieved by fhe people, the Gatqs of Hell would i p(re vail, ^nd Chrid's ,promife would have been faife— the pfaphetSi ai)4;apoftles woukl. have decciyed usj and the C.hiiftiai* . lehgjpn woukl have bceii but a fi6lior|, . ,./•),.. f -,;.,To obviate th^t lillydiftintlion, whjich the defpair of fiipportingj a; ■,d€fl0aple .ica(oi}» that it makep.^ll^. tihp.iiiithvjr -pf^^ ljgy;wl^cn is l»aiimsl> -.'-v^v .^:^ y •;' downright 125 downright blafphemy. Hence *tis manirefl: to any man, who rcafons, whpis not totally blinded by preju- dice or party fpirit, that, this pfwnile of Chrift muft .exclude for ever from. his Church the lighteft fliade of error. This is what we Catholics underftand by i.*- fallibility. The Saviour, inftru£ling his difciples on the fubje^l of traternal correilion in the cafe of perfonal offence, directs them to fettle the matter amicably between themfelves, or in prefence of one or two witnefles if poflible ; but if the aggreflor be refraftory, to report the fa6t to the Church, and in cale of difobedience to the . Church he orders him to be confidered as a heathen or a publican.— rJ/rt//. xviii. 17. The Saviour did not .enjoin impoffibilities, nor did he fpeak in vain ; when he ordered a report to be made to the Church, he fpoke of ipm.Q vifible tribunal, at which fome public officers rauthorized to hear complaints prefide. Does the Ex. underftand/ this metaphor fo common amongft lawyers, that to hifortn the Court is to give a regular notice to the fitting juftices not to hollow to the walls; to in- ,form the government, is to give notice to the Gover- nor, t)Ot to every cobler in town; — to inform the Church is to give notice to the Paftors and rulers of the Church, to the Bifhops, whom the Hply Ghofthas conftitut^d to rule the flock: — Acts xx. and difobedi- ence to their dccifion is a crime equal to idolatry, if we : believe the prophet Samuel: " becaufe, faid he to ** Saul>, *tis like the fin of witchcraft to rebel, and like -** the crime of idolatry to refulc to obey." — 1 Sam. xv. $i3h .i;'TwasGod*s order, you'll fay, that -Saw/ difobcy- cd — yesi but an order intimated by Samuel, and in like manner thb man who difobeys the orders of the Ghuilch, difobeysX'Od himfelf, if J. Chrift tells truth: "iH^;,whoh9ar3,yQu, faid the Saviour to the difciples, *f,iVMhomiifi. authorized to preach in his name, hears me, Mtbnd >lie^ who jtejqif^s me, reje<^s my tathcr who fen t ^f. m^r^^uke x^ i ' frorti among(l his di(ci|)'les, and ranks him amongft htothens^ and difbbe- dience in matters of faith, which is a public offence againil: thte Chriftiah world is in his opinion no crime at all ? if lb* the Writer fincerely pities him i fuch a difpofition argues the moft perverfe obftinacy, or invin^ cible ftupidity. ; / Mdjf^ 'Tis admitted by the framersof the thirty nine artj- clesj which compose the code of doroachcd them ; but they taught no pub^ lie error, nor was there any error autJiorized by the chair of Mvfes in its public judgments, their falie in- terpretations and (brdid views, the Saviour fevereiy and frequently condemned jthis ihe called theleaven of thb Pharifces; but their public miiiiftry he aAitiioriised;be- caufcthat being iieccflary for the perfc^fiott of the •w : V ^ints ( I 127 ter- faii>ts was uiuler the Ipccial protection of his provi- (knce^Aii Ai-^i^i -..;,.;■ ■ ■ . ■^' Nor is the reftri(5lion lefs. inconfiftcnt with the Scriptures than with common fenie ; for to tell a man, yov» muft obey the Church if (he orders nothing con- trary to Scripture, i^ to fay, you\are to be the judge in the Is^ r^orti whether you will pbcy pr pot is de- l^endant pi> your fancy; 'tis to invert the eftablifh^d ord^r of ibciety, and make the inferior judge of the in- peiiior ; . *\\i to cfFa7, je6l that he is not to obey th^ highjcr powers if he does npfi apprgye their decifion. If St! Paul was dired» the Evangelift S. Johr^y gives the moft funple rule to detedit ; a rule eafy in pradlice within the com- pr^h^nfiOn of the moft illiterate and abfolutely infalli- Ijl^: i^^Pearly beloved," fays the Apoftle, " believe not Miey^lty 3pifit but try the fpirits whether they be of ** Qofi : for ipany faife Prophets are gone out into the " wprid." \. John iv. 1. As 'twas not pofiible for thj^tuttlearned, who in all countries compofc a great n^aJ9/ity Pf the people, to try ftrange doctrine by the r-uje of the Scriptures which they don't underftand, St. John giv St. a :'>■' l^f'-Lt. t- yi9 i injunflions this .^VRi9A.le,g^?y5 to}^hei .f^^hfui JJig^j^ral : rented the faithful to adhere iiivariaiji)fvrft^^ejjfiffii7ic<' lidtlweredita iheSuhits^.x}fi^y,yv^ii£d,^\i^ the ;:-inlidittU9 arilfitc^ of iimoY#Ji;<3ira.aii^prctc^ijcled}if^fprm- ' 'drt.I l3lk08.i!rhisiir(VQf\p|j[,5'in[)e|!/^mc e:i*f ihi|ll,idepaHifrpifici to Otillh) giYiPg^eeidj to^^jfri?* of 11 M eiTi4d;»fid:de6tri«yes of :de^^^?, ijjpjaking li^s, mjhypo- ^HjcriiJriand buying :thci)ri9jDiii(pioftcq^ fp^red,j'[. J^|d in , - iiub i4<50ndl • itoblhk ' ^^ifeipje ': jha . Appftje. fay^j . i^i- 1 • 'L*V|mQvjr:tIiilisi:alfonth*itijjft tb« l#ft:^ajS;|llmi.l pme «n \ •* dangerous iiine»;jf6r w^nftiaU. be lovers of ihcai- ^ ^ fclvcs, ;; J coyctpuSiV haughty, V proj^jd^ bjafphcmers, i.^ having .an;^.appeaiiai)$(?,(pf ugodliR^iV but 4<^ftroy- -!J^ ingthcpawer.thereQfk, Jitiyyitihiere a\^oid, /for (yftfiii , ♦^uibl't are'itboyj., >••*;< . ♦ whoja^fift the trutb, n^ea cor- i:f?irupt mlmiivi^ieprobate'CPPcerning the .fa|th,'* lu ihis .fipSAle;.to the R«(inans t'bftApoftle fays:; *^ 1 befcccli : V!*!6u ttky brethren to mark them who qiiyfe di(Tcu- jRi; luijiu -^j '^i^'.v.x'^ .tioiis -'I r i ., % I m II ! U It i»- ■iso 7: Ott ■ tiorts kf(6'6Stttc6s ctotirt^^r^ to tWe dli^iiili 'Whid -:. ThfeA^flrtes did ndtcbhffriiitftiBmiaVtfifitt^^ wanVth^ faitbiful' agaihft' itcw tcaditf»i^ they; 'attibtfn- .Wd Aitf ixioA drwdftl curfes igiiinft ^'ittani''^^^ VbMf^ 'prirtijiiii tt)^frdiil4I«&. '^'v^tt^prtsic^h a^gbfoc) td-y<>u Ijcfiites'lhtttowbfefc' ^e :^'**hivWach a - ^^xrfijeJ tdWtha^whlchiy4UJfeSvtf'r«WVied^ • •**jdrbira be tfiturf^a/' ^^1160. ^int jrK ibi)ir i ■ ""'^Thii utitrriii^Tutc dciivcrcd bf Ih^Ajj^ftf^Pfeislbe^u vWai^iably dbicryc^lyy thfc Cath^te GhOttrhi-irt ^li^gts, and will till ,thfc 6nd of' tinie, froiti^h«nc« iloJuftftifeftly aifeirs that even thi poffibility of ; « fopi imfcldudcd ' fn&^'!iWtfetifroh^. ••^'^^•^' ^"J'-^ii^-o.! iuldmiA srij bsr.ci ^ Wk^r^tf^tHat j: CKrift taughr ly ^Hltiie truthslof rdi^; ^ but l>1iavs: eaUedi<)aou ** /rifcrnd's, bccaiile all 'rliih|s whatiotftief'^tt6wn:;it©ijMi " ./oA;i ii\h45. Thelfc trtithV f he Apoftless taiijht the ChrifH^is cof the ^dilficiddies, and fixed the- fehfe- of ambiguous pai^ges':tiief e- by removing «ill uncertainty. : Tnc'-f ule of adbeviiig;' to the faith once delivered td lAif^Ailil^ and>the oui^ de< nounced againft all innov&tiondiir it,' or deviations from it, obliged the Ghlfiftians of ^the next -age to ad- here invariably to th^ dtodii'ine- taught' iiitha'^^xage, to rejed with horror eveiy innovations and -digmatize every pretended reformer. Hence we Cathbhcs "dif- tindtly mark every error, which hasbeen obtruded '6n the unwary by artful and defigning men, from the days i I 191 dajs of Nicolas the apoftate deacon, down to W^leyof ranting memory ; we alfignthe time^, the places, the tuthprs,' the then pailors of the Church from' whom they f^par^ted|themfelves, and who verifying the pro- phecy of J/aiOf condemned them : ** every tongue which rifiiVinjudgmeot againft thee, thou (halt condemn.** "' Hie ncjtt tjfcifc is taken from St. Pdurs firft Epiftlc to Timifthv*^-^ thefe things I write to you hoping " itiOitly to come to you, but if I delay, that you may " kiibW how to conduct yourfelf in the houfc of •* Gdd, which in the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truthi** — ** Stulos kai idraiSuma *^ ieimletheiq$:* The Apoftle calls the Church the HoufiofGod, The Ex. will admit that the Church, is bnder' the Immediate protedtioh of J. Chi'ii^, as a hdufc is under the immediate and (pecial protection of its oWner: that J. Chrift dwells in his Church as the mailer does ih his houfe ; if (b, he muft admit that its enemies will never prevail agiinft it, or difpute the pqwcr of J. Chrift : fc*- to prevail againft a houfe un- der the (pecifd prbte^ion of any power, is to prevail ndtagainft the houfe, butagainft the prote^ing power. Thus '0rror leads to blafphemy. This is that Houfe of God, to which, if we believe the prophet //tfMif, all nations will flow, '* nahorou cal ** goiim,** and in which he himfelf will teach us his ways, ** ve j&renou mtdarcfuh" The Apoille adds that the Church is the Pillar and ground qf trutfu *Tis the pillar which iupports the edifice, and on its ground it refts. The truth therefore of religion, for that is the truth of which the A{X)(Ue fpeaks, refts on the teftimony of the Church, and on that ground we may reft our ^ikh with fecurity, not on the wild con* jedbresof nnodem ipeculatifts, who fubftite fancy and cff/?ri« to truth.' - 31 v'*wf However ^ii^nM tiiig- metaphor of the Apoftle, ^tis ftridlyjuft: for thbie truths which we know, but ftoitk thr teftimoiny 4)f the Church, muft of all neceftity 3v ;.:ri;7 ,,^t;.„^jr;oiij^-.'R.2'. uii^V". • - reft if fe J,' -I U ';*■ V t ' ' 1% I '. . m' 132 are ix^t'tQ I?pknQWji;ii^Y>i^;io'ivyHQJl[T:Ppf|>^s njpt TpOT*',',' HOC the teftinbou'y; ,qf>.)therpriw^ive,VgfJ,o^^^^^ «*''^iin long lince i3-/r . Proip this pafTag^welearnalfo th^lftU t^ Apoltfpa / previous in ftru^liops^ : 1p his thfcipl9 ; w qf e_ .ViCf l^al. ; hjf , . ibnt this written inftrudion- in Icaf^ of WgjaKqic^. . , i '~ •If the' Ex. will: admit that Jt»is , tnngut |>m<^?; as ipfal- llble as his pen, he muftaJfo admit that j(^\3^vr«fbal in? flru61ions were as authentict as; th^jfc; cpniai^^ed' 'ii! nis . epiftlc. Ai d as we kno.w from it^M/t'Mw*, Jw'^:, ^i* ^*' .^- that Timothy was then a Biilbop»— -ancl .f rom* C/»^3(/'iw- tnm, Horn 15. iii I T//?j. that he Wi»s charged with the i!^1pc(;Hon of ail thcChurches iniAila,— uvihefc verba! iiUiriiiShQns he mufthav.e beeii; tafiight th? whole f-^,^\ n»my cxf Church difciplinc, ,thc it^nner of admin^fterr ing theifaoramcnts, their numbcrithein^^Cls* the i^^- tdirarydilppritioiis to r.eeeivc tbe fagramtjpjts worthily, , in a word the whole of Chriftianity "reducfd.to p^-a6^ice^ , 1 liEf^'triitliJ^.ihus v'«r bally d^livefftt^ byr;t^ A.P9(ftJ^f?? ?o tlTcir dilGiplefc, whom.thcj Co!niQkitu»;.c!d J^ftfto'^s aiiciitcaf:^ , crsifAx-r their rclpciaiv.ciportiiins/OfiCifwiii'^ flocjfii V^i\\ i.riif'<»r.;t«-ed by them to theirJilucceflb-s,, ii, what wc ' Catholics, 1^8^ 9f\ " errbr : VvhateVef' herle' 'Mil deprive or De deceived, js t JiG" tne ^ pi tfuiKf ii i^jii^'^ in:^ttIf>fyi-Miboti iTftiJ'invblVej a rnaiiifei1'contra'c real iftate of the controvcrf^l by tlqtMaidiinjg akaiiift the fcandalbus lines of Popes or otn^ip; is 2 nicer mockery,, \vhicfi'rUihi the rci^utrftion' bf a Write;' to .■■*•■ if m iri oVppt IS foi^io;nto die nueftion in debate: wc knovv TOt Jfavid was guilty of 'ikililtery nnd nVCirder ; th?.c So 1 01)10 n i ' 'r ■■ 'J: v' ■ PI Sill- S^omm ^"^^ guilty of the rippA, : fcafid^lous exccijEcSy- even idolatry : 1 Th, xi. 7. — ** H€ went afier Ajiomh [ ** the.Gpddefs of thf Sidonians, and .after M^lckom the ** abomination of the Ammonite^** — Were. their pro-»_ [^hcj^e&.ier^ true ? we. know that Caiphas w^s n^y^tM^ hitfi aaf^<,ytii tl^ (entence which he, prpnouac<:d againft ,^ J. Chriilft.tho^gli itexp9redthe.inoit rancprpus malice. j and corruiptipti of hearty wa^, nptwithdanding, under: the dirediipn ef providence, fo that th^ eyang%A iays^-^ •* Hedidmtifay this of himfe{f, hut being H^gh-Priefi > ** ofthiyear ne.prophejiedthat J. Chriftwaito dif for , •* rfwt#id«s«n*)PA I gowitftertfbre and uuoh'all na- •^fiofts,'if(iptiJi^^ifH^^ihi mime of thefathkt, aruLof ^^^hejm;^fid^)>f^the^%bfy gh^Jt^m^hmgtheni toobfsrve ^'^'ktUhifi^i whlitfoever\ \vhich T have commanded you^ ** and behold J am with you allday$tillUi4-€oyfuj^fima'' :^t^?ioftke^iil)^y^Awi^i'^*^^ ^'.>v,^l ,ri \Vi^B6ik6^^\i«*>ftft\th« Saviour a{^^ -elpI)i§tMdt(l:r$^ntteIyi but die-^ven :whom- he Md ^{eiS&itd ^fhhSit^patpbCi^^^ilti^ e^rtftituted^hisiaoibafla- -i}(ilr»f^^lp^e^kglvenioTde.inheaxkn and on ^ ^ eKtth^^ ' :> Aiid!accompanied^^\witbthis af^i^nce, be- iii»fl4,litiMii^t^':tfou>;. and ^to Remove' evirjr.iiiadow of ^J^d^bt^i&dbi^lheiit mind^nhe did ^lot&y^^l vki twith jou, -«t days '*fstUi th^isarfmnmatian^* ,Mq pmmifes a-, permanent prefimcefwithout iiiterniption»t4?ta> what end ? to make . «11 :iaitiQ5^ii^sjdi(ciples. Asl^Iis gceat ; work was not ^ toibe^Qffeficd: ini a ^dar or k ycw^ or :witfaui,>i^)y limited -(uii9,ith« Hiedceiiier aii^a no. other limit but ibe con- -(fatdmatieiiu.xxf: itiime; ..lAll efforts to elude the -ibvce\^6f^tfa[a))promi^,are vaiii : , in exprefs terms the :' Saviour inih^attis. a. ibcietyl perpettially vifible v^hile < dme cQ|itiaiies to run $ a^fociety confiding o£mii)i(^ets oivvfad' tsiich andL baptize,, and of the. faithful who aTe taught and: ibapti2ed;i!.l|>eakin^ to thefe miiviAers he litellttheniitfiat he iiimfclf will be .with th^m teaching '"Atid baptiziag tiU thcend of time ; that this fociety is . Catholic, that, is,: universal both . in ti me, aijd place, he vdiilindHy . ^declares : /AicA < ji// nations^ till the end efitime. He gives his peace to the Jews who were ; heirs of the promife, " /j him who is near,'* — Ifaias hlu 19. beginning from Jerufalem, — Matt, xxiv. 47. if ^n m i. . 3i»l. to K ,■' ' 1 •Ff .■ 1 • ' • ■A > ■■' •5 ■'•' t 9 'If? hi Hi m '■■■'■'I ;•■»•. -t ' *iky''*J»#?5 lU6 • St. Pjm/ fa>ia^v^YmMg--tt^tti)i'tvva;B thhufoie ttithpfiei^ Dfch&dnipiileM^hat :iQ»ipread^edt psidcmtnitbiii, &\idi)Sa^l\apBtintterto |)M«aeh ^ico(t)i«)iiny tOi his ' produliiiuht jbthet confothtnattQiLl : f q ^^n'^'^fltyjiimirer the l^c(?sf|}(£!this a£ik)ffiilliing[JuQd«rt«kif)g, H thflf ils/. vheicc»iv«rfi(z>u'!of «iU uatratey tbeif^afeoipordtioii "'■ rinttf«(ibtiJt»hd i^nlety^' Jvr kioh ii«f itbe» fbrnbed} tuiid^tmia- Oit«rrQ|)dci coiniiutbtitiQ tiH/the end iof time it^tiwiBm^- sikiflkys; <^~'^,e/wlil, :iii&B withji(mall[dui^aiUyt/a)eok' oliiif(irmttititm^^4he(^g9j[ I-itoyySiom alhfttikrMigivei0n yf^%mi>e7tiii}d^oiie(mhovm^iLaitb^youii . : Hdrgiyearr.his s'AM^ht^/t^dw^r a'd an^atidkipiiaktffivtufeit^r tbotsdv^me t)iinc4ia:tilivv J<^//j/ ihihe chwdh*'^*^ '>karios .profetithei tldusufiko- y*'^ Thitnhfts kmk cm^riift t^ek^e/id,^* l^cnti thatapticle ''iivthc baptiltnalcrecdt" 'I Mitvcthe Ga^hoik Chuiihh •^** hd)j ; thet^ommmt^nvfSmnii," Th^t is. 'I believe t'i that 137 nothiuGT tau2;ht that in the Catholic Church there is but what is pure and holy ; that in it all the Saints arc U'lited. This fbciety therefore muft lubfilt invariably the fame while there will be any of God's elecSt on earth ; and that miniftry by which the Lord added daily to his Church thofe, vvho were to be faved, mufl: continu. the fame to the end of time ; that God may add in the fame manner, and by the fame means, all his cled to his Church, that they may be in the com- munion of the Saints. Thus is verihed that promife: / am with you all days till the cunfummation. V The Saviour did not promife to exclude vice and immorality, on the contrary, he foretold that the tares would grow up in his field^ with the good grain till the harvcft ; the good grain, if we believe his own expla- nation of the parable, are the children of his kingdoiTi, the tares the children of the wicked one, they will b* Undiftinguilhed in his field till the end of time. Here we have his exprefs declaration that the children of his kingdom will be without intermiifion mixed with the children of the wicked one till the end of time. Thelc his children mufl: be in his Church, in the communion ot his Saints. St. Luke fays in formal ter'Tis, *- that *' the Lord added daily to his Church thofc zcho were t<> " befaved.*^ This truth, which the Kx. will not ven- ture to deny prefuppofed, an infolublc argument againl^ the pretended reformation is thus propofcd : the day before Luther commenced the reformation the yood grain was in the field ; the clcd of God were in his Church, and he himfelf, according to his promife, teaching and baptizing by the miniflry of thefc paftors and teachers, whom he gave for the perfecting of the Saints ; Eph. iv. — 'Tis therefore undeniably true that Luther did feparate himfelf from that Church, in which J. Chrifl was teaching and baptizing, and ccn- fcquently from J. Chrifl himfelf; that he was one of thefe unhappy men of whom St. Jude fays : " they fe- Againft this fimple truth all parate themj'elve ■^■' !| ■■^: 1 • ■; 7 ■ •I ■.:■] '•;;■! ' 4: w t f1..' •IIJ luppcfl! ;iou m -« "" ■■"" '» ) H«">)» i'IT^«. ^Bfftw'*^ di 'A < I Il '.' ','ll' -it J- if' it av I. ■,..•; 138 iuppofition is vain. When then the Ex. iays that in- fallibility of dccilion in matters of faith is a miracle, he confounds ideas, and mifleads the incautious and the unlearned : 'tis in the Church of Chrift that his clc6t are pcrfe6ted, 'tis not by error but by truth; not by V avering opinion but by faith ; there is therefore no- thing taught in the Church of Chrift but truth, no faith hut f hat which zvhat once delivered to the S ints, St, Jude, Whilflthe Ex. in order to divert the attention of his readers, and introduce confufion in their ideas, declaims againft miracles as if there was any thing jpi- racuh us in the couife of God, providence, aad the ac- comj)liniment of Chrift's promile, he himfelf to this pretended miracle fubftitutes a manifest abfyrdity, that is, that the eled of Chrift, who have been in the world foratleafl 800 yea'-'J before this boafted reformation, have l)een pcrfe6l:ed r >y the ordinary means inftituted b^ Chrift, that is by faith and the miniftry of thefe paftors, whom he had given expreflly for the pcrfeftine of the Saints, but by Ibme extraordinary means, of which we have nu idea. That there were ele6l in tixe world, a? id will till the confummation of time, we are told by Chrift himfelf ; that they have been perfedicd by the ordiiiary means inftituted by Chrift, or by fome extra- ordinary means is evidently true. If the Ey. admits that the ordinary means of perfe61ing the Saints were in the Church before Lz^^/^er'^feparation; the reforma- tion is indefenfible ; if he denies it, he muft in- troduce fome extraordinary means inconftftent with tlie order of providence, the promifes of Chrift, and the firft elements of c '^mmon fenfe — thus every attempt to fupj)ort error leads to abfurdity. Let us hear St. Aujliris reafoning on this fubje^i*. 1 he Writer does not pretend to found an argument oti the authorithy of St. Anjiin^ or of any of the fathers: the Ex. u^oul(l rtjec-l themfelves as parties : they wcfc favour imonv ry wouidbe inadmiiiible : — as the teftimony of the jew- <« «( (h Uh 139 ifh minifter? was inadmiffible in favour of that vvor- fliip whilft it continued. The Writer has to lament that in them early ages of the Church he can produce HoProteftant witncls. The Ex. will not afcnbe it to ncgled or inattention, if he will but recoiled that they were not yet known to the learned world. I'herc were no Tillotfons, no Jortinsy not even a S. or a mock Palaoiogus. The Manichaans pretended that their founder, Manes, was an Apoftle — 'tis true his title was as good as that of the German Apoftle. llie Epiftle of Manes begins thus ; — " Manes, the Apoftle of J. Chrift, by '' the providence of God the Father." A man would be tempted to imagine that Luther had this epiftle be- fore him when he ftiled, or rather dubbed himfclf. Evangelift at Wertemberg. To this Aujiiri replies in his book againft the Epiftle, chap. iv. " I alk therefore ** who is this Manes P you will anfwcr the Apoftle of J. Chrift. I do not believe it. Perhaps you will read the Gofpel to me thence endeavouring to prove it. " What if you had to rcafon with one, who does not believe the Golpel ? what would you do if fuch an one fliould fay Unto you, I do not believe you ? this realoning of St. Aujiin, whatever contempt the Ex. o: his friend Jortin, may have for his authority, is abib- lutely unanfwerable and applies with the fame force to any other innovator as to Manes. For how will this pretended reformer fliew an infidel that he ought to believe the Gofpel ? he muft of all neceffity have rc- courle to the teftimony of the Church, in whole hands he finds it, and if he denies the infallibility of her tefti- mony, he leaves no infallible authority ; on which, to reft his belief in the Gofpel. Hence St. ^i(//m lays, in the courfe of his reafoning, " I would not believe the " Golpel if the authority of the Church did move me " thereto. Why flioukl I not obey them, (the Bilh- " ops) faying to me : (do not believe Manes, whom £ " obeyed, faying, believe the Goipcl." — Change ths S2 name «( 4( H «( :i \ ■^M ,rf ll.i: I v^ltT'T':**!' ^^,.xj} SPT'M*"*"* ■ \ HO ) '■ f I" I - ■I) I f »» 4 jiarre, and this argument has an irrcfiftiblc force againft any pretended reformer. It is a general theorem ap- i)licable to all limilar cafes. St. Aujiin proceeds to prels the Manicheavs : " Choofe, fays he, if you fay : " believe the Catholics; they admonifli me to give no ♦* credit to you, wherefore believing them I cannot " but iliibclieve you ; but if you fay, do not believe the " Catholics, then you do not take the proper method to *' oblige me by the Golpel to believe Manes: becaufe •* I believe the Gofpel itielf on the teftimony of Catho- lics ; but if you lay : you have rightly believed the Catholics praifing the Gofpel, but you are not to be- lieve them if they cenfure Manes, Do you think me lo ftupid, that, whilll: no reafon is aflignfed, I Ihall believe what you plcafe ; and difbelievp what you pleafe ? yotj muft not only bid me believe, but ma- nifeftly and evidently fhew me the truth, make mc know it ; if you affign fuch a reafon (that is, why [ " Ihould not believe the Catholics,) difmifs the Golpel; " if you hold the Gofpel 1 will hold myfelf to thole ** from whcfe preaching 1 have believed the Gofpe), " at their command I will not believe you , , . » . — If in the Golpel you find any place that is manifeft to prove that Manes is a true Apoftle, then you will weaken the authority of the Catholics, >\ho order ** me not to believe you ; this authority thus weakened I cannot believe the Gofjiel. Wherefore, if in the Gofpel no manifeft ])lace be found concerning the Apolllefhip of Muncs^ 1 will rather believe the Ca- tholics than you ; but it' you can read me any place ^' out of the Golpd for Manes, I will neither believe ^' them nor you. I will not believe them becaufe .*' they have deceived me concerning .you, nor will I ^' believe \ou becaufe you cite them, who have deceived «( cc eak good Proteftant Englilh ; in dif- ferent parts of their works, hi which 'twas not jwffible to make them fpeaka language, which they never knew, efforts were made to diftort their words from the in- tended fignification. This artifice was immediately deteded by Catholic Writers, and only lerved to ruin the reputation of the reformers ; late controvertifts found it more convenient to give up the woi ks of the fathers to the right owners and confine ihemlelves fole- Jy to the Scriptures. This is certainly the more ju- dicious plan, but not the more fafe or tenaLie: for thit alfent of the mii.d to revealed truths which is called faith by all denominations of Chriftians, muft be infal- lible. This pofition is evident; it muil; therefore be founded on an infallible motive : for the aflent to truth cannot be more infallible than the motive which pro- duce^ it. The man who rejeds the infallible authority of the Catholic Church has no infalhble motive to bc- . . lievc li< IS '.'*■'' — ^Cf'' 143 licve the Scriptures true ; his aflent therefore to re- vealed truths is not infallible, 'tis not faith but a mecr human opinion. In vain we are told that man is a fal- lible creature — no man denies nor even doubts it ; but however falHble the man may be, his affent to truth is ablblutely infallible, if the motive be fo. Thus for example, becaufe 'tis evident that two and two make four, the moft illiterate man's aflent to that truth is in- fallible, becaufe evidence is an infallible motive. In like manner the aflent of an American to this truth — London is a city in England, is infallible, becaufe 'tis not poflible in the prefent order of things, that an uni- verfal teftimony fhould deceive us; — by the fame rule the aflent of the moft illiterate Catholic to his truth of religion. " The Scriptures are divinely infpired," is infallible — infallible becaufe he founds it on the tefti- mony of the Catholic Church, a teftimony more uni- yerfal ; more authentic and more forcible than that which attefts ^Iie exiftcnce of London ; the aflent of the moft learned Proteftant to the truth of Scrip- ture is fallible and fallacious — why fo? becaufe as he rejeds the authority of that Church, in whofe hands the reformers found the Scriptures, he muft found his aflent on his own opinion, or the conjedure of Ibmeof thefc pretended reformers, which is evidently and con- fefledly fallible, and fallacious. " 'Thus we fee, that error confidered in every point of view, is untenable ; that no artifice, no fubterfuge, no power of fophiftry can fuppoit it againft the piercing light of truth, which, ftript of every adventitious orna- ment, is in its native colours irrefiftible. The Writer prefumes that he has already fatisfied the Ex. or any other unprejudiced man, that this infal- libility of decifion in do6lrinal truths, and exemption from error was foretold in the Old Teftament, pio- mifedinthe New, aflerted by the Apoftles in the firft' Council of Jerufalem, and claimed by every Council ilown to the prefent day ; but what is yet of greater ,. importance mi i u ■' 'V ' i^^^: '• 1 t }^ ■ V, m ' 1 ^^:]l ' iii MWf liii ^Hjiw i;^.^.- .JM ii'i :,»•■ i W i I? . 'f'i y n Pi importance, that on this very inrallibility of the church, ultimately refts our aiTent to all revealed truths of je- ligion ; that 'tis the only motive which can render this allent infallible — which aflent being perfefled by divino grace and elevated to a Supernatural order, is called divine faith, that faith without which, if we believe St. Paul, 'tis impofiible to plcafe God. He now returns to the Ex'.s. objedlion^ again ft St. Peter's fupremacy. They are rtated in a confufed manner, whether to cm- barrafs the fubje6t, or fromfomc confufion in the Ex'rs* ideas, is not necelTary to enquire. In the promifes made to Peter. Malt. xvi. and John xxi. The Ex. acutely remarks " that Peter wi' • not a Rock."— No, he was conftituted by J. Chrifl, the foundation of that Spiritual edifice, the Iloiife of Godj which St. P calls the Jloufe of the living God. The houfe did ^all, becaufe the owner protects it ; nor was the foundation removed from it. There it rcfts, und will Securely reft till the end of time, becaule the God of truth has faid it. " It is not to be fuppoted," fays our Ex. p. 6\, " that there aie material gates to hell, or a6h]al locks *' to heaven ; and that Chrift delivered to Peter the " corporeal keys of them, or that the binding and looiing Spoken of was by ropes and chains, So re- Spe6ting the feeding the lambs and fheep 'twas not " the animals of that name, which are to be under- " fl:ood." Thi^ palllige is quoted entire as a Specimen of the fublime. The orator will learn to apply epi- thets : adual locks, corporeal keys! and the philoSo- phcr will find that though hell be .lie receptacle of bo- dies as well as Spirits, 'tis not a material place. The reader muSt admire the depth oS our Ex'rs. penetration he has diScovered that Peter \\2is not a (lone; that the Saviour did n.^.t Speak of thefe bleating animals which wc call (lieep. lie has made a Second diScovery not Icls wonderful, " that in theSc texts there is no " pre-eminence, no power given to Peter over th© " other (( <( «< H M m- H Hi *• bfhcf A|jbfttfcs;* Hithertd the World was Hi fhe habit of confidently th6 Apoftlcs ^s cdmpofing a part 6f the flock of J. Chrift; at that time they con pofcd i t\otM6 patt of his then little flock. Oh ^hat princi- ple does the Ex. pretend td exclude thcnn r if aii or- der cxpreflly givth by J. Chrift to rule arid fectl them d3 the OWek terms •* pbirhditd and Ubihit' fignify, imply no authdfitjr, Hd pre-emihencei we are yet to learti What thefe terniS it'' an. The Et. has recourfe to hi$ old rule of fdhh, cofijediife : ** We are left,'* fay§ he, " to difcovei" their fijgiiritive riieaning by coh- ^ fidet-irtg the IQbjef! mdttet' by inferehee, by cotifuhin^ ^ otrr (iWn eoiiirtidn leti^, ^nd I ddmpirint them v^/ith ^ dthef |)iffages rftdre plaih and difect." It ha# \ycbti juftly terttafked that there i^ ho man fa blihd as the iftaiiWhtt will hotftei bdre the tit. Hai ^ccodtfe to eytity ejtpedietrt #hich inaagtnaltion cart ftiggeft to ih- £f6ddtfe e*i{cofity in paffiges vlhich are 8^ ifttelligtble as brtguatge can make thertt : the SaViouf feyt to Peter, Mttti. 3cvi.^**-/ will give thee the keys df the Kingdom of ttiftiiftrl. We arc not left to dro'njedltii'e what is uiider- ft6(5id by thefe keys : 'ti* a rtieta(|f)hor which is not to be ittiftttiderftood : the keys t)f all cities in all civilized (*6tirttfies, aregiveii tor the chret rulers to fignify the au- thbfity and jtfi^ifdif!:i:cl you from your " ftatbn, and depofe you from your rtinifti'y. On that ** i «v?R ciU rtiy lervanit Eliakim fon of Hdkiasy I will * elothe him with yotir coat, and ftrengtheh him- with •*yottf belt, and your atithority I will give m his hand, ^ ikttd he #tU be as a father to the inhalbitants o^ Jeru- •* falettt and to the hbutt of ]^x^ arid I will ^ive the ''key of the houie of ±)(tisid on his (houlder ; he will *' open and rttWief Will fliut, he will ihtft *nd none will ** OpeW," By the key of the houfe df ^ David is here T manifcftly 'V \^;\ .1 1 H< Wl ', 1 ■' 1* /' •' ■ :* 1' ' '" \ ■* ■li k\ m ■■.% \L ]-• U6 ■\- I ?' -I, nianiftfl:!^ lignified the fupre'ne authority in the tem- ple o^iven to Eliakim. The temple was called the houib of David, becaufe 'twas built at his expeaqe, and by his cUreiSlion, and according to the inftru6lions which he gave to his fon Solomon, In the Revelation we read: " Thus faith the holt/t " oncy the true ffne, zvho hath the. key of JDavid, wha *' ope7is and no on^J}iuts, xvko J)iuis and no one opcns.'^ llev. iii. 7. Will the Ex. admit tha*" in this paflagc the key fignifies the fupreme power and fovereign au- thority of J. Chrift himfelf ? figurative expreiiions^ fays he, are to be explained by other texts txibre plain and ciire6l. if there had been a ihadow of ambiguity Ja the Saviour's words, why not explain thera by thefe texts in which the metaphor can't be mifunderftood I this the Ex. carefully avoids, and without offering t>jf eVen attempting a wild conjedure at the mer*ning of Chrid's words, he confidently afTcrts that Chrift did not intend to beftow any pre-emir^ence on Peter^ but chrift intended {omething. Does the Ex. pretend that his words are empty founds ? that they convey no idc" at all ? or that he fa id one thing and intended another \ that, though Chrift expreflly declared he would make Peter the foundation of that fpiritual edifice his Church, and give him the fupreme authority in his fpiritual kingdom, he did not intend it, but fomething elfe, which we don't know ? this is not reafoning, but in- fulting reafon j not an attempt lo folve a difficulty, but a fubterfuge to elude an argument, the force of which is irrefiftible. The promife which Chrift made, the xvith. of ^at- the% he fulfilled the xxift. of John, faying to Peter^ ill prefencc of the other Apoftles : " Feed my lambs. " Rule my fhcep, Feed my fticep." The Ex. does not think it neceflary to enquire what the Saviour in- iciulcd. Nor docs the Writer. The Ex. thinks or })retends to think, 'tis clear that he did not intend " to *' give Peter any pre-eminence or authority over the ^i^i.iW-*>*i» Other •""tt^tmm.*'- If i' •*' other Apoftlcs." The Writer thinks, and io muft . «very man who knows the force of language, tha> he did intend it, or that he fpoke nonfenfe, which is tlaf- phemyto aflcrt or think: for his words convey no other idea : to feed his Iheep and his lambs can Signi- fy nothing elfe but to feed the whole of his flock, which is compofed of (heep and lambs ; the other Apoftles then and there preient, were the very meii who were in a particular manner entrufted to Pe/rrV care: of them the Saviour had laid before his death, {peaking to Pf^er : Luk^ xxii. 51. " Siynon^ Simo?i, behold Satan has explored you that he might lift you ' like wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith • may not ceafe, and -.rhen thou fhalt be converted, confirm thy brethren." Were not the other Apof- tles thefe brethren whom Peter was ordered to conrirm in the i^ith after his cotiv^rfion ? Wc arc not left to conjv^^re what is meant by the flock of J. Chrift : hehimiilf tells us they are his dif- ciples for whom he difcd : John x. ** I am the good •• (hepherd ; the good (hcpherd lays down his life for •* his fheep." This n? ^taphor is lb common in the Scriptures, /hat even ignorance can't miftake it. And if this Ex. an Oxford Ichoiar, does not underftand it, we may apply to him what Tometie fays in MoUere's' comedy : ** vivent les colleges dou Von fort Ji hrMle horn- jther ** «i *t « Ttie, ' The Ex. thinks he has yet a fubterfuge : thoagli within the range of imagination he can find nothing which Chrift did intend, if he did not intend to court i- tute Peter Chief '^aftor of his flock: »* It," he fays, " feems contrary to the Ipirit which he was defirous of " inftilling to veft a pre-eminence «iy wher*.*' p: &3. What ! that which he has faid and doue contrary to the fpirit wfiich he was detirous of eftublifliing amongll his difclples J is the Ipirit of fubordinatiort, of unity and unanimity, which he and his Apoftles have ic' ilri6tly and frequently enjoined, contfMy 16 the ij')irit T2 which .'.V ! ^'1 iW ,v'' m - m il;. i ,y- • — ■— •Vw.-A'^l' »-.t»i*M«*>'-J**«.' ^Hf i ill \'V|' ■r!i if: 148 whicb he wai d^firpus^of ini^ilHng ? eeiitriirj* t^ iH« language ?iiHi ^pudu^l of Chrjft tq Vf ft fucb « ftre-fmir mmi^ tuny, itM^ .• Chrift ^h^fefo?!? ia th^ ^x'r«. opi^. inpn has, in t\\p u^c j^eoUinicaj ftyle, cft^Uli^cd down* rigtit jiuarchy in hist Chnrch i 4 hrt of equality whieh ncy^r w«s known in thf EBpft democrat ical fp^ety i (pr withont fom«! bond of lyiipn t>o fppicty can b? for- mcd, St. Pa.!^/ ihought thai Chrift had given fomf paf^ors and teachers, to his Church : Epk* iv.rr^and in his hril £pii\]e to thp Corinthians, he givea a derccij)tioa qj^ the Chptch as dife^ly pppofilc to this Ex'rs.. id^as us, light ij^ to ^arknei's: ** aa the bpdy is one," fays the- w^\poTUe, ** and has many meoibers, all the member* " of oAc body, thoygh njianyi ai;« but one body, at*d fo ** Chri{\ : for in on^ fpirit we hav-e all been baptiated ** into one bpily ..,.,.. If thefootfliouldfey, becanlei " I am not the hand, I aoi po.t of the body; is it therer ♦*. fpie not o| ber, where the bpdy ? now thei;e arc many mcnabcw *' and opA body — the eye c^iMiot lay to the hand, I " dcij't want you — nor again can the head fay to the * feet, I don't waflt ypu you arc the body of " Chiiil, and membei;^ each, sv partialfrrrjrie/t' ri; m&- ** /owf,"— -i CVr. xiii, llie AiwftJo defcribea the ChurcU as a cowpa^l bpdy, animated by one and the lame fpirit^ ha.ving of pouric the moft pcrifi6l unity and unanimity ; i/i which. thcNPp i^ tbs moil txaR iii- boi;diiiatipn n% ce^ulaf gradj^ion fronn the bead dawn to thq feet. The Apoftlc never dream't of that penfe^ equality und ind#penda4ice, which our Ex. thuiksChr4fl! had ciiabliiihcd ** tu^iitig, ho preremiujcnce any uhenei**- Ps-^i, k'lim^i>^ th^t the hedd has no.pre^emiucf)oe.ift «iv.jj..-. • ' • ' the «< '<> «.t A- tho- t\^ humm body ? the Ex. may reply thtit Chrift is our hc*d, True-— he U head of the whole city of Jc« rwfalem. " Which he (Qod the Father) wrought in *< Chrift, railing hiwx from the dead, and fetting him *< at his own right hand, in tht heavenly places above *< all principality and power, and virtue and dominion, '* and every nande, that is named not only in this age, ** but that which is to come ; and h« hath put all '* tihitip under his feet and hath given him head over •* all ining9 to his Church." £>>. i. aa. and in his Epiftle %o the Coloiiians: " who is head of every ** principality and power." CqI. ii. 10. The Apoftlc ailerts that Chrift as man is head over all the inhabi- tants of the Heavens as well as over his Church on earth ; bu to the Corinthians the Apoftle fpeaks of Clwift's CUburch on earth ; in which, he fays, there is a hea^ which cannot iay to the feet, I don^t want you. *Tis pfefunaed the Apoftle did not not think J. Chrift V'as that head, which could not fay to the feet, I don't want yiou: the Apoftle was >t accuftomed to blaf- pheme* This head theifefore, of wlwcl. he fpcaks to the Cofinthians, is a viliblc part of th * vilible Church m earth, which he accurately defcribc diftingi fti- V^ th& different members which compofe it, and Viewing their mutual dependence. The Apoftle well linew that J Chrift was the fiaprome head of the Church wlt^ioot any ftibordtnation to, or dependance Ott any other; but he alfo knew that this Supreme Head being iavifibk to his Church here on earth 'ad (?oa;ftituted. a vifibk head fubordinate and immcvi.ately fubjfidt to hijonfelf ; that his Church might not appeai- mooiirous, that is, a viiible body without a vilible head. The Apoftle alfo knew that *twas not more inconitftent with order that J. Chrift the primary head^ ihould couftitute a fubordinate head, than that, he the primary foundation, (hould eftabliih a fecondary amd fubordinate Ibuudation ; hence he fays to the flpiiefiam : *' that they are built on the foundation of the / i W: 11' 1 1: V. * ]■: V I (I I' 'I M '»: m I ■h ■«.■ I i: i( <( it ** the Apoftlcs and Prophets, J. Chrlft himfelf being •* the corner done." Eph. ii. 20. This and fimilar texts the Ex. fays, p. 64, are very intelligible, " for fince 'twas the Apoftles, who taught the world the Chriftian religion, Chriilianity might be faid to be built upon them as upon a rock or foundation." If this be fo intelligible of the Apoftles in general, why exclude St. Peter, whofe very name Peter fubftitutcd by Chrifl himfelf to hie original name Simon, fignifies a Rockf OR which rock the Redeemer faid he would build his Church? if Chriftianity be founded on the Apoftles bccaufe they taught the Chriftian re- hgion, it muft be founded in the firft place on Vefer : bccaufe he firft of all men confeifed Jcfus Chrift to be by nature fon of the living God : for he diftinguiihed him from John Baptift, Jeremy^ EliaSf and the other prophets, who were all by adop- tion fbns of the livin^^ God ; he firft announced the Gofpcl of J. Chrift after the defcent of the Holy Ghoft on the day of Pentecoft, and by his miniftry were added on that day — ** pr^fetithefan,** as if three thou- iand fouls to that flock which Chrift himfelf had form^ cd and committed to Feter^s care, John xxi. ; and in the Council of Jciufalem he told the Apoftles there prelcnt : " Men, bretl en, you know that in former ** days God made chf ice amongft us that from my ** mouth the nations Ihould hear the word of the Gol- ** pel and believe:'* Acts xv. 'Tis therefore true that Vcter was the firft who after J. Chrift announced his Gofpel both to the Jews and the Gentiles; and equally true that the Apoftles knew it They arc the men, who atteft it. Hence upon all occafions they name him firft, and fbmetimes contra-diftinguifti him : thus — ** thefe are the names of tl'«; twelve Apoftles:" ** prates, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother " Jamn .... . ." — Matt. ix. 2. '\- ♦• And he (J. C.) impoi'cd on Simon the name Veter « « <«MiiilM«il»"' I I lUlljf 151 ''and JtLVMs ..... aad J$hn • • .^« ^nd Andrews »*. . . .** — Mark iii. 16. . . ** And when *twas day he called his difciples and ** chofe twelve from amongft them whom he called " Apoilles, Simon J whom he called Peter, and ^n- " drew, James and John /* — Luke xvi. 1 3. " Taking Peter and the two fons of Zebedee . . . . ; he lays to reter. His words were addrefled to Peter though he fpoke to them in the plural number. Matt, xxvi; 37, 40. ;. •* Jefus took Peter^ James and John.** — Mark ix. 2. The Angel lays to the women : " Go tell his difci- " pjes, and Peter, that he goes before you to Galilee. xvi. 7." Was not Peter one of the dilciples ? why does the An^el diftinguilh him from the other dilciples if in reahty there was no dil^iu6tion? ' /as the Angel a bab-. ItTf. who multiplied words tonopurpole ? . i " They laid to Peter and to the Apoftlcs." — Acts ii. 37. In this paffage St. Luke diHinguilhes Peter from the other ApolUes. Did he alfo multiply words in vain? . St, Paul, in his Epiftle to the Galatians, lays: ^'af- " ter three years I went up to Jerufalcm to inquire of " Peter,** ** istorefai Petron,** and remained with him •« fifteen days."— Go/, i. 18. , The Galatians had been taught to believe by Tome lelf conftituted teachers, that the ceremonies of the Jewilh law obliged the Chrillians. Againft thefe the Apollle juftifies his doftrine ; to remove the imprcflions made againll him by thefe artful innovators, who told the people that his dodrine was not confillent with that of the other Apoftles, becaufe he was not one of the twelve fent immediately by J. Chrift, St. Paul fays that he had been to fee Peter, and remained with hiiu fifteen days. And in the next chapter he fays, that fourteen years after he went up again, and compared his Golpel with that taught by the other Apoftles. Tho* the 1 h", h-- h^ 01 I*' If i ij \k 'Mm ^V^-w. '">•»/!'■* *>—• ^^'^'■ I -si m?laiy wJMCh tlie 9mm0n^ • commended -i=^- li'V * 15$ dommended is not inconfiftcnt with the cxercifc of au- thority and power, which is from God, and to which St, Paul enjoins obedience : " Remember your guides, ** who announced to you the word of God imi- ** tate their faith .... obey your guides and b« fub- ** jed!" tp( them."— -//f A. xiii. Woald this Ex. condefcend to inform us if there be ttonepofreiTed of any pre-eminence in the Church, who were thefc guides to whom St. Paul ordered the faith- ful to be fubjeft ? the reader need not be told that the Apoftle calls their teachers and pzHors Guides, becaufe *tK their o;%cial duty to condu(5t them in the paths of faivation. The Ex. finds another text in wl.ich the Saviour told the Apoftles that they were all brethren. What then ? did not the Saviour even after his refurreife, John xvi. when Chrift conftitutcd Peter paAor and teacher of his flock \ and if they hud been fubfcquent to the performance . of the promife, they contain nothing but what Chrifl and his Apodles al- ways taught, the nccelfity oihumiliiy, a virtue to which all Reformers are ftrangers, a virtue as diamctricallyop- pid^et& Luthe/s hoiy boa/iingf as Heaven is to Hell. The Ex. pretends that expreffions nearly fimilar to the promiies made to Pelcr were appHe.- ■ -'i ' 1. 15^ - \ . : fay : " I have prayed ifor thee that thy faith fhould nof " ccafc?" which of them did he order after his con- vcrfion to confirm his brethren, or to which of them did he fay after exa6ting a tedimony of his love: " Feed my lambs, vrule my (hcep, feed my iheep ? a power of binding and loofing he gave them all, hence the Bifliops ; who are the mcceflors of the ApofUes, cxcrcife thefe powers of binding by inflidling canonical cenfures, and enjoining penitential works ; and alio by enabling local ordinances, which oblige their refpec- tive flocks ; and the powers of loofing they exercik by difpenfing in particular laws upon iolid reafons, but with due fubordination to the Chief Paftor, to whom J. Chrift committed the keys of the Kingdom of Hea- ven, and the care of the whole flock ; that is, the ple- nitude of ecclcfiaftical power. , As an aigument againfl Peter* s fupremacy the Ex. quotes a paflage from one ofthat ApoAle*s£pifUes, to which he affixes a fenfe of his own invention. For the readers information the paflagc is here given entire r ** I myfelf a Prief^," Jumprejbuteros *• exhort the " Pricfts who are ambngft you,"—" tons prejbuierous en iimin parakalo** ....•" feed the flock of God which is amqngfl: you ;" — ^** poimenate to en iimin poimnioji,** " luperintending,** — " tpifcoptmn^ ** /«:'* ** not domineering over the Clergy." — kataku* " rieuentes tSn kleron,** *Tis the firft time, perhaps, that the adhial excrciie Of ^ man*s official duty was adduced as an authority againft his jurifdi6lion. The Apoftle directs the Epif* jcopal Paftors of the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cap- ' pidocia, Afia, and B^fthinia, to whom his letter is ad- drcfled, to ked the rcfpedive portions of the flock over which they prefidcd, " to en dmin poimnlun" not thro* compunftion but willingly, not in view of filthy lucfe, but cheerfully ; not to lord it over the inferior Clergy but in their own conduct to fet an example of all Chriftian virtues to the flock. Will the Ex. admit that 4< U u ;{: . 155 that thcfc Paftort, whom the Apoftle ordered to fuper- intend the flock amoneft thcmfelves were poltefled of any Ipiritual authority r if not the Apoftle's in(tru6tion was ludicrous, a mecr mockery ; -^ . J his prohibition of a domineering fpirit unneceffary : n® man ever was known to domineer over perfons not under his con- troul ; nor is it poffiblc for a man to domineer in whom no authority is acknowledged or vefted. The Ex. by his own private authority has fubftituted the terms ** at ** being Lords over GotTs heritage,** to St. PeHr*9 ^ords, " not domineering over the Clergy** Thus the unlearned are duped and milled by arbitrary veriions, which each new teacher adapts to his own opinions. Even the ExVsr verfion will not bear him out. For if they had no pre-eminence, no authority or jurifdic- tion, they could not lord it over God*s heritage. The Apoftles injunction would have been mifapplied. St. Peter diredts all thefe fubordinate Paftors to prac- tice the (ame virtues, which J. Chrift, whom he calls the Prince of PaP^^rs, ** Archipoimon^** had taught both by word and example, that is, humility, modcfty and meeknels, virtues indifpenfably nece0ary in all Chriftians, but more efpecially in the Paftors of the Church, who are ftrifty obliged to inftrud others by example as well as by words. The Ex*rs. next attempt to (hew that no pre-emi- nence was eftab'iilied by J. Chrift is extremely un- lucky: in the whole Scriptures he could not have chofen a paflage leis to his purpofe, not one w^hich more clearly and diftin6tly authenticates that very pre-eminence againft which he pretends to rcafon. — " At Ephefus St. Paul called together the elders of •* the Cb'irch, and exhorted them to take heed to " themici ;cs and to all the flock over which the Holy " Ghoft had made them overfeers, to feed the Church *« of God."— ^c/* XX. 28. This ftatement of the Ex, is inconfiftcnt with St. Luke*s account, and his verfion iacartc£ti *twas not i^t Ephefus that St. Paul called U2 ^hr m ■\\. W> tt -:;:■!! 'i} L <»■* w^jwSS^"**-^ )\' ' 1 *4 11 573'. il 4i «« «( 15fl ' the Aflembly : St: Luke {^ys, ** that Paul baviiig'fejtit " from Mclitus to Ephelus," — " apoti^s MeUt9U pem^ *^/as eii Ephejony '^^*' lent for the Priefls of the " Church," — ** meta kalefato tons pre/buttrout Us Eic-^ ** clejjds:* — ibidem 17. He did not fend for all th# old men of the Church of Ephefus, nor for the inferior Clergy, fuch an alfcmbly would have given offctiCc to the heathen magiftrates in Mclitas, and was totally unnecellary. He fent for the Bifliops whom the Holy Ghoft, by the miniftry of the Apoftles, had placed over the Church in that province. And to them hia words are addrefled : ** attend to yourfelves and to the whole flock in which the Holy Glioft has placed you Bifhops to rule the Church of God, which b© * purchaled with his b\ood»*^^ibidem SJ8. Is this Oxford fcholar jet to learn that the Greek *; word ^' EpifcopoSf* and the Latin ** Epifcopus^'* ligni- fies neither lefs nor more than what we call in plain Englifti Bifliop ? he has recourfe to the etymology of the word in order to miflead the ignorant, and teach them to believe that St. Paul was giving his inilruc- tions, not to the fi rfk Paftors of the flock in the whole Piovince, but to a few old men in Ephefus. Yet all efforts to w reft St. I.ukes words from the intended llgnification are fruitlefs: the Ex. himfelf is forced to acknowledge that thefc men to whom the Apoftle fpokc were placed by the Holy Ghoft to feed the flock; they were therefore Paftors of the Holy Ghoft*s Appointment, confequently had power, authority, jurif*- diction and pre-eminence fiom him to feed and rule, as the Greek term " poimaoate'* literally fignifics. ? It may not be amifs to inform the reader that the power and jurifdi6tion of the Saviour is expreflcd in the prophecy applied to him. Matt, h. In the lame terms, hy which St. Panlf iii this paflagc and in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, expreffes tlic authority of the Paftors of r the Church : " ^gmmenosojis poimanei Son taon mou ** ifracl** Thereby giving tis to undcrftand that the • t' ■.■•■■ -tvr. -..* - ' power \ t( M if « • 157 power which they excrcife is derived from him. - Of this truth we have cUewherc the moft incontrovertible evidence : — *♦ Oo whom you wiU ifce the fplrit def- " cendlng and remamiog on him, thi$ is be, who bap* ** tifcs in the Holy Ghoft. I law and I have attcfted " that he is the Son of God."— /pM i. S3. f *' After thcfe things Jefus came with his difciples to ** the land of Judea, and he abode there with them ^* and baptized.*'"— /o/m iii. 22. .j ,?: -. Here the Evangelift fays cxprcflly that Jefus bapti* fed ; in the next chapter, he fays : — ** When therefore " the Lord knew that thft Pharifees had heard that Jo- ** fus makes and baptizies more difciples than Johrtf ** though Jefus himfelf did not baptife but his difciples " didJ'r^John iv. 1. *Tis therefore manifeft that Je- ius himfclf adminiftered this facrament by the hands of his minifters; and equally manifeft that he conti- nues to teach and adminiiler the Sacraments in his Church hy his minifters to the prcfent day, and will till the eonfummation in virtue of his promife : go ** teach ill nations baptifing thcra in the name of the •* leather, and of the Son, airl of the Holy Ghoft ; and ** heboid I am with you aa days till the confumma- ** tion of the age." — Matt, ult, irf Every man, who reads the Scriptures muft know, that whenever Qod fays by himfelf or by his prophets, that he will be with any perfon, the fuccels of the un- dertaking however arduous, though lurpafling the power ot men and Angels, is notwithftanding infallibly certain. Thus for inftance, when God ordered Mofes to go to Pharaoh and bring up his people from Egypt, Mq/'es, to whom fuch an undertaking feemed abfolutely impolfible, replied : who am I to go to Pharaoh f Exod» iii. 12. The Lord to aifure him, anfwered ; " I will ** be with you." The fuccefs was iniiired by his prc- fcncc. The (ame promife was made to Jofue and with the &mc fiiccels : ** No man will be able to relift you all the in 'V 'v:\ ' m ^■M! f ■ ' ' 11 !>!>»,-*« > 1*» ^ the days of your life ; as I was with Mo/ei, I will be " with you.** — Jos. i. 5. A fimilar promife with equal (uccefs was made to Gideon ;- ** The Lord faid to him I will be with you, ** and you will fmite Madian as one man.** Jud, vi. 16. Though the converfion of all nations be a more ar- duous and difficult undertaking than that oiMofes^ Jo- fue^ or Gideotiy *tis not too great for Almighty Power, and the promife of J. Chrift to his miniilers is moreex- preflive : '* I ara with you all days till the confumma- •* tion of the age :** he thus excludes the moft diftant idea of an interruption in the great woik of the con- verfion ofall nations till the end of time. ^ The Ex. proceeds to fhew what no man denies or doubts, that the term Church may be applied to any af^ iembly, and is frequently in the Scriptures ; he uiight have added that it fbmetimes fignifies the building u:. which the Aflembly meets — as we fay, St. Peter's Church'~-S^ PauVs Church. This would have been as much to his purpofc ; but, lays he, as the term is ap- plicable to the whole body of Chriflians, the promife of Chrifl is not confined to one fet of men in exclufion of all others. He had juft told us that the term Church is applied to any aflembly — immediately ihifts his ground, and confines it to the whole body oi Chrif^ians. Was that Church which David called a Church of the wicked a part of this new invented Church? **Sinethi kahel mirehim \'* Ps, xxvi, 5."— was that tumultuous affembly at Ephefus, which St. Luke three feveral times calls a Church a part of this new Church? Acts xix. There arc Churches therefore which are no parts nor portions of the Church of J. C. for thefe, of which David and St. Luke fpeak moft certainly were not. The Ex. juflly remarks that the projnciiies of Chrifl are not confined to one fct of men in exclufion ofall others, and of courfe that all who wifh to partake of the inheritance of Chrifl mufl be- fiQtnc BEuembcrs of that Church : for he will fhare his inheritance ..-.r>-- be 159 inheritance but with hi^ children. The prooiiTes of J. Chrifl are confined to that (bciety, which he himfclf founded, which he called iiis own Church, in exclufion of all other Churches; againfl which he faid the powers of hell would not prevail. From this Church none are excluded who (incerely defire to become members of it ; and confequently none arc exclnded from the promifes of Chrid, but thefe who exclude themfelves. The Saviour did not fay in eeneral, *' I will found a Church," but he faid, " I will found my Church," " oikodomefS mou tin ekklejian,^^ Matt, xvi. He did not found many fbcieties differing from each other in articles of faith and terms of communion ; he founded but one^ in which one and the fame faith is believed and profeflfed : " one Lord, onefaith^* faid St. Paul to the Ephelians : Eph, iv. 5. — and in his fecond to the Corinthians, he &ys: " having the fame fpirit of « faith," 2 Cor. iv. 13. To this one focicty or Church the Saviour added daily thefe who were to be faved^ ^^ foxomenouSf* in that one fociety he teaches and ad- miniflers the facramcnts by the miniftry of thefe Pat* tors whom he has given for the perfection of the iaints, and to it he will add thofe who are to be laved till the confummation. All fbcieties founded by others at different times are neither parts nor portions of this one focicty, founded by J. Chrifl : — ^J. Chrift is a God of truth : ne does not teach contradictions. Of all focieties, whofe tenets and terms of communion contradldt each other, J. Chriil can have founded but one : one only and exclufively believes the true faith : for truth is fimple and indivi- fible contains no mixture of fallehood, ail the others are not taught by J. Chrifl, for he teaches no falfe- hood : they do not profefs the religion taught by J, Chrifl : for he taught nothing but truth, an,d in his doc- trine there is no mixture of error. That the promifes of Chrifl do not extend to focie- ti«s ll-l< I!'. '■M m m ■I 'F » • -; J' >. A m m m \fm 160 ties of Chriftians profcfling a dodlrlne hoi tangtit fey Chrift, wc know from St. Pan!: the GaJatians ta whom his Epiftlc is addreflcd were Chrirtians, taking the term in a certain latitude: they believed in J. Chrift, but they were alfo taught to bchcve by (om« reformers that the ceremonies of the Jewifli law obli- ged in the Chrifl-ian dirpenfation. Am matil, no* " learn it but by the revelation of J, Chrift.**— j'^iWe;^ In the next chapter he fays : " Behold, I Paul hy wi- " to you, that if you be circumcifed Chrift wiH ^ofit ** you nothing you ran well, who hindered " you from obeying the truth? this perfuafiwY a not ** from him, who called you, a little leaven corfupis thfc " whole mats." — v. 2. The Apollle in the whole of his letter net only teaches but invincibly demonftrates that error tOrfUpts faiih, and fcparates from J. Chrift. 2j: N;>^ The Ex. admits that in virtue of Chrift's promife Saian would never be able to extirpate the Chriftian religion from the world. It has been already remark- ed that J. Chrift did not fpcak of differetit fOcieties or denomina:ions of Chriftians, but of that ont Ibciety, which he himfelf formed, in which he teaches ; frofti that lociety Chriftianity never will be extirpated. In other focieties fbme fragments of Chriftianity nHy, or may not continue : Chrift has promifed them nt*hing. they have r ithing to expeft from him. Docs the Kic, imagine that Chriftianity is a compofition of trutllartd falfehood r Docs he pretend to unite light with dark- nefs I Hi tian krk- 5S 6l- \rcta 111 or nng. lark" Wl^ •:•«'" '-■- .-^.. "K ncfs ? ty Chriftianity we underftand that plan of rcli-^ gion taught by J. Chrift to his Apoftlcs, and by their ihiniftry made known to the worW. In it's Ipc^' culative do^rines there is nothing but truth ;/in its. moral maxims there is nothing corrupt or impure : — Let the reader attend to the order which he intimated to his Apofties when he fent them to inftrudl and' fanciify the world ; in it as in a mirror, he may con- ' template the whole of tiie Chriftian difpenfation : " all " power in heaven and on earth is given to me : go yc " therefore and teach all nations.'* What were they ordered to teach ? hear what follows : " teaching *' them to obferve all things whatfoever, which I have " commanded you." — Matt, ult. But how were tlic '^Apo.dles to remember all the things which he had tau|;ht them during the fpacc of three or four years which they had pafled in his coqipany ? he had told them, ** the Paraclete, the Holy Ghoft, whom the " father will fend in my name, he will teaqh you all " things and rcnrind you of all the things which 1 have faid to you." — John xvi. 26. — ^and to this promife he adds: " Behold I am with you all days till the cou- ** fummation of the age." This then is Chriftianity V . V hat J. Chrift taught his Apofties ; in it there is no- thing ^fe, nothing impure; this is the Chriftianity which will fubiift till the end of time in that Church which was built on the Rock ; inftruSed by the wit'- dom of the Holy Ghoft, fandified by the prefence of J. Chrift, protedled by his Almighty power it will for;; ever VeliO^ the united efforts of earth and h'elK ' The X. concludes this his yith. Propofition, by' faying, ** that as J. Chrift did riot treat Peter jw'iv^ "any peculiar mai-ks of attention, or employ himm ; " any authoritative office it does not fecm that Chrift " himfelf underftood his words as conveying fuch ah .', "authority" Would the Ex. inf6rm us, bywHa^ :, lo: 1 of words Chrift fcould convey fuch an auihol^ji?y ' jf 'he intended it ? we plain men know no words mc^tt -?-• ^ X ■ cxprc/live, vv til I 'H ^ ■ . ^'.Jk I Bi PI •i; J 't'li' ll^ >*■, e3cprcffivc,,or. moKcito the- purpofc than tjhcrct ** Fce4., "' my; lambs, feed my (hcep : that the Savioui? cii^'not uiih, def uaud hisrown words ta convey, any authority if ibmoi»i things wxuffe. thon nonieniie ; *tis. blsutphemy^ Does tbe^ Ex. believe tlie fiv^ngdift when he fays that hyi hwv all tilings wei!e majde ? can hie prevail on himfelf tq be-t lieve that to feed Chnft*s, fioclcis an authoritative com^ million ?' if hd iiuiuces any pth^r man to bcl^ve^ th«^(; 'twas aot^ that man mn^ be fond of deluiiou. Whilfl tho^ Saviour viiibleai>d|in his mortal ftate fed his flock in pcrlen, *twas notneceffary to employ Peter oi any other of his difciplcs ; but wJieivhc withdrciw his vifible- prefence from his- 0Ddq, the ereateil manjb of attention wais tO( entruiit tbetifi to Peter & care. In his viith. Propofition the $J^fa,ys» ** that in. Prtc rV '* fpeeche^ and lett^FS, be aiHimed. no pre-eminence ** wbicb> would h^ve given additional weiglu. to* his. *' piiecepts andr exhortations.** *Tis matter a£> fidrprife th^ this Ex» does not fe» a. viiible contradi&ioa 'mM% own words: to give preqepits and e^iort^ons is i^ not toaH'uime: an authority? *tis>^irk^me tp re^'^A wi^h-a; ms^n who doos not underfiandihimi^f« Veier pi^i^iied that modefty which he ©very where inculcate$^r he» ilyled himfelf su% Apoftle of Ji. Chrift: his miracles^ authorized; the qfuality whicli-'ip aiTumed^ andtho doc<« rtiiie which he taught^ If the S^^ liad reai^ thp ^i*-^ teenth chapter of the A6ls^ be w^d have foyijold, thart Peter did aflert his iiipremBcy in the firft Council: hCf told the Apoftles tlwre prcfent, ♦V that they knew, thaff " in former days GotJ had made choice of him amondl; *' them* thatt b^his Nnouih the t^oias (hpuldhear £e •* f4ith and bejji^v^. In his DXtat Proportion, the Ex. acutely a£ hd^ thiuk;^, remtferk^ that St. Matthew ifs the only oneof the>> EvangeliiU who i7>ention, this pfomil^mafde by Chiiift to Petfr ; that St. Mark and St, /;,«<^ ift^nuata, tbdt^i. Mai^icw adviinced a falsehood? or timt thaug)Ti >. • r Chrift n^3 "Chrill (Ktiid^feaUv fpeakthefe words they <:onvey no ^dea? that ehe WoncJs 'df j. Ghrift are mere -empty ^ibunds'? he a!fo remarks that ^t. John is the only ''Evattgelift, who felat^s' thefe wd^ds of Ghrift to Peie}\ •^''fecd my lambs, feed imylheep," is net the teftimony of St, John fufficient for any man who Ijelieves the -Scriptures iiifeUible? were not the t^her Apoftlespre- "fent^vhen thefe words were fpoken? does ihe Ex. *knoSv the dcjftrine, whidh the Appft-les taught better -than' the Churches which were formed and inftrudted %y -them ? ^hei^ «iin'«e«d of a^i^rituiil and infallfblc gViitfc, and w'l^ U' X 2 ^ itjfalliblf .1 •:i^- ":'!' if ' \ \'H - (( Vl a t! ' I ««^«K*« ...wrflJt* *-* ■••- \' "Hll \64f ^- '3 u m !;!' > « infallible ruler, *twas in the diflreffing tinnes imme- diately after the death of Chrift ; and we might have "* cxpefted to have feen Peter fupplying the place of " his deceafed maftcr, and directing his ardent zeal to " the exercife of his deputed authority." — p. 69. No- thing like it appears. v< Tnis is the moft extraordinary paflage v^rhjch the Writer has yet feen penned by any man, who calls him- felf a Chriftian. The Ex. not only denies the infalli- ; bility of Pcier, which he ignorantly confounds with his ^ f])iritual authority, but alfo the infallibility of all the . Apoftles, and thereby at one ftroke ruins the infallible ^ authority of the whole New Teftament : for if tht Apoftles were not infallible, the New Teftament may or may not be true : 'tvi'as written by them or their immediate difciples ; but it moft certainly is not infal- lible if they were not Co. To this firft impiety, a yet (greater is added : the Redeemer is introduced as a dead ^ man — his deceafed majler. It leems this Revd. Ex. •loes not believe the refurreftion of J. Chrift — we , Chriftians do. 'Twas after his refurredlion that he au- thorifed Peter to feed his flock—^c thexxl. of John, — He was not then a deceafed Mafier, but a living Lord ill his immortal ftate. , - ' The Ex. does not (eem to have read the A6ls of the . Apoftles : was it not Feter who direfled the Appftles . to proceed to thceledlion oi Matthias ? his fpeechup- ! on the occafion is given in the firft chapter. *Tis true Peter did not conititute Matthias independently ; as all ^ the Apofties were chofcn by J. Chrift immediately, St. Peter did not think prdper to deprive him, who was to be of the number, of that privilege. Hence the cbv^ice of a fiibftitute to /ttrffli, the traitor was. referred , to J. .chrift ;r-p". Thou, O Lprd, , who art the fearcher , " of hearts Q\c\v one of thele two, whom thoj^; t^aft " cHofcn.?^ >4c/!i i. 2< • , ^, \ r.ub .., .jljhc Oc^con3 were required |)y the Apdftlf»: *tis ^ preU|fpcd they did not ^fl; fpip^.at the &me!*i>ftaiit : t A. order UmT ^am- 165 •rder was eftabliflied amongft them, not confuHon. Tl^c Deacons, though eJedcd by the people, were or- dained by the ApoAles. St. Luke does not fpeclfy by whom; 'tis enough for us to know that the inftitution is of divine authority ; that their fpiritual powers were conferred not by the elc6lion of the people, but by the impofition of hands ; or as we term it, the ordination of the Apoftles : " Praying they impofed hands oil (*thcm.** ActsvuQ, The Apoftles invariably fpeak of Peter in the fir/l place, and introduce him {peaking upon every public occaiion. If the Ex. has not feen it *tis becaufe he has not read the New Teftament attentively, if at all — he bas confequently that part of his faith as yet to look ior. ^^ Peter, lays the Ex. p, 70, was fent by the other Apoflles to Samaria, to inftrudl the new Converts : he thence concludes that Peter had no authority over ;tl^em. . If being fent argues inferiority, Peter was therefore inferior to the others ; confequently there was feme pre- eminence eftablifhed amongft them. In error there is nothing confident. In like manner we mud conclude XhsXPhineas the High Prieft was inferior to the people who fent him to the children of Ruben and Gad. — Jos, xxii. 13. Peter ^nd John were fent amicably by the brethren, not authoritatively — as was the High Prieft Phineas : ,no Apoftle ever pretended to be Pefer''s fu- perior. The Ex. miftakes the objed of their miffion — 'twas Apt to mftruft the new converts : they had been previ- . cmfly inftru6ted and baptized by St. Philip, the Deacon; . 't\yas to adminifter to them the facrament of confir- mation, a (acrament which the Deacon could not ad- minifter, that they might receive the plenitude of the Holy Ghpft, to enable them to refift the violence of perfecution ; we read in the viii. Chapter of the A6ls, Jtb^t.they ly^O'ebaptifedj but^ had not yet received the If i')\ •■ M •'1.'.: '-': '^i 'i !, •'it :f::ii;: ■■: Holy Giloft, that is th^t trtdiituBc -ol^^iJe, •^li^fi 4i neceflary to ^enable the faithfiil to * profefe '^hetr ^lih in times of perfccution. That by baptifm . 70. If he bftd fkid that Vecer's decifion had been ndopted ^by the Ct)utieil, tile would have told us what is there related. 'Thdt^coti- troverly might have been infallibly decided by arij^tttit of the Apoftles; butthe'Holy'Gh^ tO'whfilto"l^hiE^dc- cifion is there ilfcrlbed, aiflfemblcd tHis'fifftilGciAisttfl-iAsia precedent to ftiturt ages/ and an efftifturil ttieahs^i^fift- ciding all contrtivWfies'tilHhe-^nd ^fimc-; a ^pfttiS' dent Which the GathoKc 'Chiirbh lifas invai^k% ^- Ibwed. • ' ' ■ The' febc. feems'to lay greatftr^fs -on the^term-JBttfi*', which in our language" fignifits a' mat) 'ttricfcen%i*j«ttM*: 'tis the comparative tjf a/^«rjp- ros, which he traiteesWtf^,'^hftars«i diffi-rif hai>dsr " v^Ql9f)^Qh\3(rQ^.Qfi4iToioneJantes de autoh prejbuter ** ram, kiat *ekkiejiuni pr &ying with facing, they (the " Ap.) recommended them to the Lord in whom they bejicv-wl*" ^i(?M xiv.— 'Thus St, Luke relates the, t^suii^diipn. .%)«9r tl^e impolition of hands make a man old? does it make him an Elder ? 'tis a melancholy reflec- tiotir to think that (<> many well meaning men are du- ped' by? fuch artiifices : they are referred to the Scrip- tures and mifl^d . by {93i(t veriions. That of thefe priefls thus appointed by the Apodles many were not Q]Ai we know foom the bed authority. St* Timoikt/tH an Archbifliop, ordained by St. P^zm/, and left expveflly by the Apoftle to conftitute thefe El- ders^ as the Kx. calls them, in the different Churches of the jurifdi6iion of Ephefus, was himfelf fo far from being aa Eld9}\ that the Apoftle feared his youth migjiit be a prejudice againft him : *' Preach thefe "thiu^ and teach them, let no man contemn thy " you^v" 1 Tim^ iv. 12, — and in the next chapter he dire61sihim to^giveadbuble retribution to thefe priefts, who woithiJy preiide. Here we fee the priefts prefi- ding ovei; their fe^)edtive flocks, and Timothy a youth, Of ;f th« ]^x^ chu&3, tocall him a young Elder, prefi- dingt over them 4IU and not only prefiding but juridi- cal)^ pronouaemg : for St. Vaid dire6ts him not to re- ceive; an accusation againft a pried but on the teftimony f>ityi^ or three witucfles ; ibid' 19 » and prders bim not I ■H ". ;u: ■: ;; I iP !kl' 1 1 ''( 1: 'It'. T" si I , ;'!f ■■■"•»» ,.^» i1 ■W m 'Ml m f \i 168 ^ • to impofe hatids badily on any man ; '22, *Twas by' impofition of hands, not by length of days that priefts were ordained. *Twas thus that Timothy himfelf in early youth was ordained a pried by St. PamJ " for " this caufe," faid the Apoftle, <* I admonifk thee to " rekindle the grace of God which is in thee by the impofition of nny hands. 2 Tim* i. 6, In another place he exhorts him not to negle£t the grace of God which was given him by prophecy with the impofition of hands of the priefthood — 1 Tim. iv. 14. 'Twas by the impofition of the Apoftlcs* hands that the prieft- hood was conferred on Timothy ; and by the fame ce- remony Timothy ordained others, and conftituted tliem priefts whether old or young, to prefide oyer the Churches entrufted to their care. Hence St, Paul calls them ** proefttdtes prt/buteroi^* preiiding priefts^ 1 Tim, V. 17. St. Vaul, fays the Ex. p, 70, declares ^ that he was " nothing behind the chief eft of the Apoftles." If this vcrfion be correct, it follows that St. Paul acknow- ledged that there was a Chief amongft the Apoftles, and not only a Chief but one that was Chief eji. This the Ex. denies. As the verlion is incorreft, the re- mark is made to Oicw how inconfiftent this Ex» is with himfelf. St. Paul in- the paffage alluded, did not fpeak a word of his own, or the authority of any of the Apof- tles : he related his labours and fufFerings for the Church, and faid that he was not in them inferior to thofc who were above meafure Apoftles c ** ouden gar ** Ajlerefa tdn iiper lian ApoJlolSn,** 2 Cor, xis. 11* In the next text by which the Ex. pietends that St. Paul fi3oke of himfelf as upon an equality with Peter % the Apoflle informs the Galatians, that he himfelf was called in an extraordinary manner by J. Chrift to be a teacher of the heathen nations, Gal, i, as Peter had bcfides his general charge of the whole flock a particu- lar charge of the Jews, St. Paul fays nothing of his own ^1 ) ►*■■'■•'"* ii'***!. ~ > -I. I ..Trfcill ■ — t.i»r r.... "'!' 169 P I ) own or of Peter's aothority in exprefs terms, but from the whole of that letter Felers authority in matters of faith is evidentlv deduced: St. Pam/ favs, Cal i. that after his converfion he did not go to Jeruf^lem to the ApoiHes, who were before him, for inftru6tion, becaufe he had "his gofpel by the revelation of J. Chrift ; yet three years after he went up to fee Peter ; he did not iay that he went up to fee James, though James was tl»en bifliop of Jcrufalcm, an?l St. Paul law him there. 1rhe Apoftle therefore knew that Peter was fuperior to James, even in the very city over which he prefidecl as Biihop. St. Chryfqftome, Patriarch, of Couflanti- nople {ays, in his laft Homily on the Gofpel of St. John, on thefe words, *^ follow vie:''* " by thefe words *' he (hews his care and friendly afFc6lion to him ; (P.) ** but if any man alks why James received the See c": " Jerufalem, I would anfwer that Peter, the teacher of '"the world, had conftituted him." "^ Again the Apoftle fays, GaL ii. " then fourteen ** years after, 1 went up again to Jerufalem with Bar- ** naby, taking Titus alfo. And I went up according •* to revelation, and communicated to them the gofpeJ, •♦.which I preach in the nations, but apart to thofe, " who Iccm to befomething, leaft I Hiould have run in ?^viun; but neither T'iVjf 5 who was with me being a # Greek, was compelled to be circumcifed." .*n. (Thus, St. Pflw/ juftifies his dotlrine by having fub- ixnitted it to Peter, Jam,es and/oAn^ and their approba- .tionhe^xpreiTes by faying : "the right hand of com - •*• munion they gave to me and to Barnahj/, that wc " ihouWgo to the nations, and they ^o the circumci- :* ifiSt;Paul fays that the gofpel of the in-circumci- dfioA^that is of the uncircumcifed nations, was commit- teditofaim^and of the circumcifion or of the Jews to .P<*f r, he do^$ not intend to exclude the other Apoftle ; froqpg 3thf[ir iharc in; the miniftry ; but he iclh the Ca- -Ift^^iMthathtf had a. particular gijacs. a^d vocation for e.jff *"■ "-^^- ," Y . thf. 1 I 'I ' i! I. Will r|!'(i^. ■; 13 f'[l J' •I ■'■' ' (li ■^1 1*1 i^1i: ,„u ^t/I^M^i^^if^ 3"*<.Jii- "-ii,, \19 E 'til ■■ li > u m the convci'fion of the heathens, as St. Peter had a par* ticular grace and vocation for th« converfion of th« Jews : *• for he who wrought in Peter to the Apoilla* " fhip of the circumcifion, wrought in »»« alio amongft " the Gentiles." ^. St. T^aul preached to the Jews oecaiiqn^Uy : his com* miflion though chiefly, was not exclufively confined to the Gentiles : thus we read, " and the Lord iaid unto ** him : go for this man (Pa.) is a veffel of cle^ion (e •* ma, to carry my name before the Gentiles and " Kings, and the children of Ifrael."— ^c/< ix. 15, 14. And his epilHe to the Hebrews is addreHi^d to tht Jews. -^}, In like manner we .now that Pf/f;'s mlffion waa not confiiie4 to the Jews, though he had a particular |;) ace lor their converfion : be nimfelf declared at the Council of Jerufalem, ** that the Aperies knew 'twas " by his mouth the heathen nations were to hear the " word of God and believe.'*— y^f/* XV. ^^♦j^nd in the firft chapter of the ^c/f tho Saviour lays to his Apoftles, of whom PeteF was one : ** you wiH ** be my witneiles m Jerufalem and in all Judea, and ♦* Samaria; and to the extremities of the ovWi.'*' Now 'tis rnanifel^ that Peters particular charge was more honorable than P^w/'a- — becaufe in it Paui himfelf and all the other Apoflles are included ; becau& *twas the particular charge of J. Chrif^ himielf : <• I am not'fent " laid the Saviour, but to the iheep which pei>iflied of ** the houfe of Ifrael." An4 St. Pml to th^ Romsni, fays in ex prefs terms j that Ckri0 xvas th^minijte^ t^the circumcifi(yn. — Kam. xv. In the fame epiiUe ha abm- pares the believing Jews to the olive tree, and the be- lieving Gentiles to the wild ol^ive, which was eiigrtvfted on the flock : ihid. xi. To fhew the fu|)eriorkiy o^tke Jews rpeaking to the Gentiks, be fays ; ^-r'^Bbttft'ilOt " againft ^he brarichcs % but if ihoti boafV, ^ti^ liot (hdu " tliat bcareft the root,biit the root thee.**-— U; 18; '^t Hence *tisil\nmfeft. that St. P«i^/nfidered iVM/^as ,>;* ■ ..- ... Y~- '■■ -.-- -'^ hit Cx) X-. r-^pgegrs* 171 m* to nto to nd 14. ht hiy ruperior^ and fuporior to the ApoAles, of this there can be doubti becaufc he fayg that the Oofpel of the circumcinoo was committea to Peier, of which he iay» that J. Chrid was himfelf the miuifier, and tho* all the Apodles were ient immediately by J. ChriH, as was St. Paul hki-tCci ft he does not aicribe this miniilry to any one of them. Why fo? becaufe both he and they were of tho circumciiion, and conlequently of St. P4t6r* flock, to whon^ the mini^ry of the circumciiioii was eomoii^ted ; fb well aflured was he that Peter h&d been ordered to feed the .whole flock ; that he had been ordered to confirm his brethren. The Ex. comes at length to what he calls decifive evidence agabil Peter's infallibility. It has been re- marked more than once that if the Ex*rs. reafon be concluiive^ the Chrifliaa religion is a mere illufion. What h^ calls decifive evidence againft Peter's infalli- oility» is deciflve evidence that he himfelf docs not be- lieve the New Teilamen^ iniallible. In it we And two of Pettrs £{>l{lles which are i^ript of infallibility by tbift Revd. £x. If-P^^r was not infallible in his doc- trine, how does he know that Paul was infallible ? how does he know that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were infallible? was not Peter one of the Apof- tles, whom J. Chrift ordered to teach all nations, pro- midng that he himfelf would be with him ? what inhe- rent quality or privilege had the other Apoflles which infured their do^rine againft error, to which Peter had no claim? and if all the Apo{^les were Iubjet5t to error wto are we to think of the New Tcftament ? this inay account for that new rule of faith of our Ex*rs. invention, that is caprice, janey, pr^udice. What a fubflitute to the infpired writings ! this is one of thefe irreiiflible Arokes of eloquence which have enchanted his admirer, IV] r. Cochran* Fortunately for ^^, Chriflians his accufation againlk Peter is forged in his^own imaginaticMj, or in the work-ihop of his power- iul 4Uy ' 'tis not founded on St. iPtfw/V authority, Y 'i whoa J In I I ^•'sSj- -■i-.. -^«.. '"■~^-ii tends, he knew that the ceremonial law did no* oblige^ that doctrine he taught, publicly profefled, and authten-. tically declared in the Council of Jerufalem fbmc^ftiort time time before: Acts xv. ' ***But when they were^i, *' conie he withdrew, and feparatcd himfelf» fearing^ " them, who were cf the ' circumcifion." - This theii^- is St. Peter's fauU, an indifcretion in con'dufi, whicbt'^ this Ex. has metumorphofed into an error in faith. St.- PeterkneWf and ib did St. Paul, that the prejudices of the Jews were deeply rooted, he knew that, though thdj«>- ceremonial law did not oblige the Chriftians, it might*' he pra'd^ifed without fin at that .time. Hence we find St, Paul himfeif, after the decree of the Council ofje- nifalerll, with the advice and confent of St. Jdmes indp the ckrg\'*of Jerufalem praflilingthe law : "And the 'f day foUo\yii^g' Ptf«/ tvent in with us to James .-. . .'..** ** thoU feeft; brother, how many thoufands there are t ^' amongft the Jews, who have believed and they are *' air^&albusibr the law. ■Now they have hjcard of thee, tli^t tLoQ te^tcheftthofejews, who are amoheft ' the G'dhtiles io'fatiiikerMofesl faying that they ougnt 'f ipf to'cif diiti6il^ Hhii'r 'chijdreii, noir to walk accor- .qu^ -'.'---■--■ Jt- -i? :r "ding n Ii 173 J •■ ** ding.to the tuftom : what is it therefore ? the multi- *• tudc muft indeed come tbgether, for they will hear *^ that thou art come. >©o* therefore this that we fay "unto thee : we have four men who have a vow upon ** them, take thefe and purify thylelf with them-, and: ** bdftow on them that they may (have their heads, and; '^ all will know that thefe thin^, which they have. "heard of thee are falfe, but that thou thvfelf alfo " walkeft keeping the law. As forthofe of the Gen- " tiles who have believed we have written, decreeing " that they ihould refrain themfelves from that which "'h»J been offered to idols and from blood, and from "things ftranglcd and from fornication. Then Paid ** took the men, and the next. day being purified with *^ them entered into the temple, giving notice of the ** accomplishment of the days of purification until an ** ofibring Aiould be offered for every one of them." — Actsxxu . . 15ome fhort time after the Council, we find Paul circumcifing Timothy to avoid giving offence to the Jews. — Acts xvi. Was Paul alio in an error ? was James and all the Clergy of Jerufalem in an error ? were thefe many thoufands of believing Jews, of whom St. Luke fays : " the multitude of the believers had ** but one heant and one Ibul. — Act ;:|j !' ■ ■.' I.' 1.] h'ii' h .'u « 1 %\ m ji U'V 11 174 to the Jews with whom he wt% in a pftrticinHar m;|n« ner (ihtkrged ? did not Pan/ himielf in coiifideraticH) of their prejudices circumcife his difciple Timothy f did not /^zmef and the other believing Jiws zeal John (ays : *' it we fay wc have no (in, we deceive o'4r* *• fdves, and the truth is not in u8.'* The Saviour had piayed for Vfter that his faith (hould not ceafe.-^ Luke xxii. S2. He <"ld not exempt him from every weaknefs iiKident to human nature. Mofes himfelf, though highly favoured, was not toi- fally exempt from human frailty: wilnefshishefitation at die waters of Meriba, which was fcverely ehaftifed. ' ** This paflkge," fays the Ex. p. 7'i, " is pregnant ^ with information ; it totally deftroys all idea of Pf- ^ ter*s inv%iUbility.'* Thus the Ex. affixing to a paf- faga of Si. Pfltt/ a fenfe as directly oppofite to that in* tended by the Apo(Ue as truth is to falff he yd, or light to darkneis, attempting to invalidate Pi lers authority, by dire^ and ncccffary confequencc invalidates the au* thority of the New Teftament^ ind fubvcrts the Chrif- tian religion .•^-'What an awful lefTon is here given to tjbe unlearned, when they who are taught to believe diat the Scriptures are eafily underftood, fee them fo gro^ly miftaker by their tea.chers ? The paiTage is pregnant with information — true — Init this Ex. totally miilakes it : for in it we find that t^ Apojdlefhip of the circumcifion, a miniftry, which Chrift himfelf had exercifed, was entrufted to Pa'cr ; that Paul and all the other Apoftles, who were of the eircumciiion, were of his flock; to this plain truth which the Ex. did not fee, he fubAitutwS the rav'nigs of hif own imaeinaiion, and obtrudes them on his rea- 4«r8 as the doSriiie of St. Pau^. " The Ex. having, as he imagines^ deftroycd Peters tnfoUibility, and confequently his fupremacy. Though mfaltibilit^ and fupremacy are tot^liy unconncded ; the one may luhfift without the other, as appears from many of the Prophets and Apoftles who were infallible, though not fupreme.— Proceeds to fhcw iti his ixth. Proportion, 4' : h'\f ^\^^' .->aui.«% >.- 1-i.M'j 'f* i>^ Propofition, that there is no certainty of Veter'i ever ha* ving been at Rome. To this the Writer replies with- out fearing a contradidion, that there is as great a cer- tainty of his having bcenat Rome, and Bp. of that city, as that he wrote his firft r.nd fecond Epiille; that there 18 as great a certainty of his having e(tabli(hed his See at Rome, as that the Scriptures are divinely infpired : for we know both the one and the other by the fame means ; that is, by the univerfal and uninterrupted tra- dition of the CathoHc Church ; the fame tcflimony, which renders our aflent to this fundamental truth of religion, the Scriptwes are divinely infpired^ infallible, renders it equally unerring, to this truth : Peier did found his See at Homeland tranfmitted his authority to feed Chriji's flacky to hisfiiccefor. For this was an official authority, not a perlbnal quality, and official authority is always vefted in the lawful fucceflbr, though pei- fonal qualities or privileges are confined totheperfon. Doctor Bull's conclufion : " it is douUful whether ** St. Veter ever was at Rome," — only (hews how pre- judice and party fpirit, combined with intereft, warp the underdauding ; and into what grofs abfurditics fevery attempt to liipport error in the face ot truth, bc- travs even men of lenfJi. " There is not," fays the Ex./). 73, " one paflagc •* in Scripture from which if can be inferred that St. *' Veter was Biihop of Rome, or even that he had '* ever let \m foot in that city." Admitting the affer- tion true, though it be totally groundlefs ; *tis not the leis certain that iP^/rrwas Bifhop of Rome: for there T^To, many truths of religion which are not to be found in tlie Scriptures, as hs^ been ftiCwn to demon ftratimi 'm»5y<^ "than oiicc already. •tlVat Fe/i:r WHS at i Rome is manifeOly deduced f!Y)m the ScripairGS rforhis fir^ EpilBc is dated from Halnlon, and that under tik nanAe of Babylon, Rome was then undcriijcx>dv we know from £lM:6cri|Hai!;e and jyittlcintic liiftory: St.yo//?j, ill theJlevelatsons^i|>c»ks (rifjf*f^oq< of ;*• — ^iu — *1 I I <(■ « of the city of Rome, under the name of Babylon; ma-' nifeftly: Rev. x\u. he fays, *twas built on feven hills, and commanded the kings of the earth, which defcrip- tion is applicable to no other city in the world but Rome at that time : Babylon in Syria was then in ruins, as Plini/ and Strabo inform us ; and Babylon in Egypt was but a fort or caftle. Neither the one or the other of them commanded t'^e Kings of the earth as Rome did at that time. ,' Eiifvbiusy the father of Church hiftory Ijettcr i[>for- med than all the modern fcribblers in Europe, lays: Vaphins (one of the Apoftles dilciples) fay? this, that Fcicr in his firfl: Epiftle, which he wrote from Rome " remembered Mark ; in this Epiille he figuratively " called Rome Babylon, faying the Church ele«5i which " is in Babylon falutes you and my fon Mark.'''' "And Si. Jerome, a man profoundly verfeni in the Scriptures, who with every advantage from nature, and every external adventitious aid, had made them the fludyofalong and laborious life; a man to whom even prefumption would not compare Bifhop Bully in his book of illuftrious men, fpeaking of St. MarL\ he fays : " Pe/er in his firft Epiftle, under the name of " Babylon, figuratively lignifies Rome, faying the ** 'Church collc(^ed in Babylon falutes you.*' ^ In the fame manner this Epiftle is explained by Greek and Latin writers, Occiunenius, Bede, &c. when Dodor Bull fets his conjedhire in oppofition to the diredt.and uncontradi61ed teflimony of fo many in- telligent men, who wrote whilft the faft was yet frelh' in the memory of the .world, one of whom l^apias was a cotemporary witnefs, the Do6tor, in his great zeal, to render a certain fa6t ruinous tothe retormed fyflem, doubtful, has ruiiyed his own credit for v^fracity. Whut would the Ex. think of a man who would underlak*' ,. in defiance of all hiftorians^ to pi^ove that Alcxandxi- was nev^r in Matedon, Or the Pr. 6f 0-?' i i i !«- - r^ :-i ^! <<4 P Ij' .M MS I' i^fi li^ ,.-:, , 178 •' Rome, (fays the Ex. />. 75,) are very far from be'mg *' eftablilhed by authentic hiftory.*' The Ex- has been already told that Pelers having eAablilhcd his See at Rome is known frorw univcrfal, uninterrupted} and uncontradicted tradition, the mod authentic of all hiftory ; becaufc 'tis by it that wc know all the revealed truths of religion. The Ex. feems to have taken Do6lor Bannijler's advice, to have conllilted the heathen philofophers, and thence to have paded fifteen centuries of the Chriflian aera un- noticed. Does he know that during that period there were many eminent writers, Greek and Latin^ whofe works are yet extant? the charadler of credu- lity which he io liberally beftows on them without ha- ving read a line in their works, may be applied with great propriety to their felf-conftitutcd cenfcrs : the man muit be credulous indeed who can prevail on himfclf to believe that all thefe men, fo eminent for fcience and fan(51ity, were in error; and that an Apof- tate monk in an obfcure corner in Saxonv, a true Ion of Epicunti, detcifted their errors, and re-eftabliflied the truth, vv hich they had effaced from the world. That PcUr was at Rome, befidcs the uninterrupted tradition of the wbele Chriftian world, a fatt of which not even a doubt, ever crofTed a man's imagination till Wiclcfs days in the year 1377, we have the written tcftimony of many unexceptionable writers. Popias A cotemporary, Ircneus, born at Smyrna, Bifliop if L\ons, who fuflered martyrdom undti ScixruSf'm il05, l^iys that the Homau Church was founded by Peter ami Pfiul J 'twas founded firft by Pctcr^ and then by Viti-'K iiiid PiJtul together. — Iran, LUk J. Cap, 3. Kpiplni-nius^ Biihop of SaUmina in fvprus, a man iqqeiti firil ^-)a^^ 4 wcrd /\7t^/ and Paid-^Pan, Con H^res. 17. Chr^foflom Patr:_rchof Conrtantmoplc, wri:?;r of t|ie loii.::24 century, fays: " i>^r t^ ai^♦«»■■• " i-:::i,i. bccAule W uxHipierd the mod .roj^al y the moft powerful virtues approved it, and from that time Chriftians began to be at Rome. — Liv. 7. Hist, Cap. 6, , The great Theodoret, whole veracity wa« never cal- led in qacftioti, in' whofe writings a folid judgment and ixtcnfive erudition are eminently confpicuous, fays : " the Great Peter was the firft who delivered to them ** (the Romans) the Evangelical do St. Ignatius^ who lioced with the Apoftle, was fuc-* celfor to Ezodius, who fucceedcd St. Pete?- in the See of Antioch, when on bis way to Rome, where hefuf- fered martyrdom in the year 107. j Writiivg totheRo-j[ mans, fays : " I dg not. as Pf/c;; an^l .P^am/ commandj " you : they were Apoft^les : I api a^.ipconfiderabla, " perloii." Ue alludes t^th&^i^rty^jrdom; of P^^er and \' Paul, which happened forrietime before, fxprefling m llrongdefire that, the I^omansvvould give no iiBj^i- n'icnt to his own : a great part of this letter is recitejij , l)y St. JeroJnc, in his book of illuftrious naen, Uj!iet\ iiivcs it entire. • '-.i^ Eufebiiai relates that Dennis the Corinthian, wh?^;-. Kus, .,•) v ■ .■ Ei//i'A/WA" in his Clu«utle on the ycaa: o4' Chriil'71» f.iys : Xero ;ulded (o all his crimes a'|)crJfccution ag^infi- the C.%iftians^u)i which Pcilc;- and- Paw/died glorrojifly " at Romo. Origcn J'j/J'i'hius : Orili^cnes in his third Book on Geiicfis, as atcd by Vet4!r remained to the laft iu Rome, aod i :U' <(. "••'7'fTf^ ' pBP " was cr^ucificd with his head downwards, whk:h4ic< " himielfrequefted, leafthefliould Teem to be equalled •' to his mafter^*Vu,i3i^;nfii-ii^rM,^.^!3 swuu!- j?yt)ti?:fj ♦* r -Theodoref, in his letter to rope Leo, fays, "'Romei *f has the fepqlchres of the commpii fathers and teach- •*:^rsqf truth, PtfA?r and }P(i(M//\ Chrx/fo/lom, in his 32nd Homily on the Ej9|«ftle to tho Roosans, f9^&:i," The HcarVews are ijot rnor.ej^nlight- **^ned, when the Sui^ emits ks rays, thaiT-j^b^e! qty of *Vthc RonjaiTS diffusing thefc two great lights: ^Ijl ovci: " the world: hence Pflu/-wi)l be carried,. hen^e Pe/cr. " Think'and tremble.; W^^t ^ light willjRoiBC beholf^i 1 *> Pam/ fuddenly rifing with P^/cr, and, afcendingto " meet our Lordr" . -, Tertullien\ " if you be near Jtaly, you have. Rome* ^* Whence WjC: have authority ) ,a happy Church tto " which the Apoftles communicated the vvh9le of their ' " do6trine with their blood; where Peter i$ equalled to **,thjB pafpo^of our Lord, and^Pa?^/ is crowned by tho « deathof John. (B.)."--T' i : fk)n, ftiicl unqueftionable veracity, thus fays, in his bookof illuftrious men: Simon Peter^o^s to Kome to " fubdue Simon the Magician, there he' held the facer- •o - " dotal chair twenty five years te thfe laft, that te,' to ** the fourteenth of iSTe/v, by whom hd W$s fix^fd to a •* crofs, crowned with martyrdotn, his bead towards " the eartfh;*^ ' ': St. Aiijlin : " Rome commends the irierits of Pttfr " and Ptttti in a rauore iolemh raanner, as they both ** died the feiinc day.**— -Li^l. de Com Evan. dip. tO, '^St. MaximUsm his fifth fcrmon on the ferftivalof the Apofties fays: " Pe/cr and Panl ftifi^red martyr- " dom in the city of Ronie, which pofleffes the primacy " and fupremacy, *■ principatum k capm^ of nations, " that where the chief feat of fiiperftition had been, •*^therethe chief feat of fan^itv' might r6ft." '' Suhitius^ in his fecond book of lacreid hiitory, iays : " divine religion encreafed in the ctty^ P^to" m the " epifto[)al chair, *PetJv Epifcopatum, gertnte^ Paul " was foon after brought to the city. ;=vV4 ihey were " both condemned, Paid beheaded >^ith-i' fword^j^nd ** Pe^trraifedonacrofs.** • '•'-''-^ '! J^"'"^-** :iUil,-; ' ' Paul Oivjius : " A'Vrd tormented aiitfw/ " by the (word.*'— L/*. 7 v. Hiji. -^^ -- -" Eutropiiis: — in Vita Nerqnis, Lib. 7. •* ffciiHy to '* all his flagiribus crimes he added this. "' He ^ut the holy apofties p€tf¥ ahd'Pffa/ to death. The teftirtjonies tf thfife early VvriterS^^ maylje ciofed with ihat ofBiifeliiuffl ** as Nero profcflfed^ hii^l^f an ** open^nemy to the ^eity aiid to piety, helirft fought ** the death of the Apofties, as they were the leatrers "and ftandard bearers of the Chriftian People ; Paid he beheaded in the city of Rome, Pfter hecondemn- ned to be hanged on a croft : to feek a teftimony of ** this event clfcwhcrt is fupcrfluous : fmce the moft ce- " lebrated (( (( ( • -1/ ** lebratcd and fplcndid monuments attcft the fadl." Hiji. Lib. 2. Cap. 25. This celebrated writer thought it a moft ftupid thine to look for other proofs of a mans death whilft his iepulchre and other monuments were known to the whole city, ^v* ,^i . ,;;^ For the entire fatisfa6lion of the Ex. the Writer begs leave to give him the teftimony of three Proteft int writers, not taken from thefe early times: they were uot yet known. ' Mr. Whijion, in the memoirs of his own life, p, 599, writes thus : " Mr. Bower, with fome weak " Protcftants before him, almoft pretends to deny that " St. Peter was at Rome, concerning which matter, " take my own former words out of my three trads.'* jD. 53. Mr. Baratier proves moft facisfaftorily, as Dodor "Pear/on had done before him, that Pcier was at Rome ; the former in his chronological enquiry of the ancient Bilhops of Rome, from Peter down to Pictur, and the latter in a learned diflertation now in his poft- humous works : "this, fays he, is fo clear in Chriftian " antiquity that 'tis a fhame for a Proteftant to confefs " that any Proteftant ever denied it. This partial pro- " cedure demonftrates that Mr. Bower has by no means " got clear of the prejudices of fome Protellants as an " impartial writer of hiftory, which he flrongly pre- " tends to be, ought to do ; and he has in this cafe ♦* greatly hurt the Proteftant caufe inftead of ferving it. From the teftimoiiy of thefe Proteilant divines who candidly acknowledge the inliiicerity of Boivcr, the reader will fee wto credit is due to his hiftory of the lives of Popes. : ; ,V: ' :; If fuch'a writer, who beetle like, feeds upon putrid ^rf ^; W'^i'^ to give a hjftory of the prophet David, he W0ji^dfefeiv^paititb4 aiponfter : he would have inflfl:- A4 QO "1)1$ iP^ifidy to Uriiis, one of his moft faithful of- ficers ; his inhuman treatment of the inhabitants of •; /u^Vv.v Rabba, r if '■ m ■ "ji'N -'f\ •• v- 184 Rabba, dtid aH the cities of the children of Ammdii, and thua expofing, in ftrong colouring, all the faults of tbis pHnc«,- and concealing all his virtues, pafling unno- ticed the penitential tears and mortifications Hy which he effaced his crimes, a Bower, or a J/w/^/v/ve would^ have taught an ilUterate people to beheve that this king, after God's own heart, was an impious and in- human tyrant . Thus the fimplicity of the uninformed is abufed by thefe envenomed pens. • '^^^'^' loti .ii^imJ This ihort digreffion may fervc as a corrective to ^hat abufe which the Ex. and his learned AHy^ , Mr. C. lavi(h-6ii' Popes. They are the echoes of Bo- wej', a weak and partial writer, as acknowledged by his friends, they might have added a malignant writer, whodiftorted every objedl, and painted it, not. as it was in itfelf, but as it appeared, disfigured by malevolence in his own Gonfufed imagination. Thtlt St. Pttej- not only -died in Rome, vhcre 'his fepulchre is yet to be feen ; but that he was biihop of that S^ is manifeft from this fimple reafon ;— that the Roman See was always confidered as the firft See in the world both by Greeks and Latins: no other rea- fon can be aliigned why 'twas thought the firft afid principal See, but becaufe 'twas founded by Pf/e?-. The fame uncontradicted tradition and unanimous con- tent of the Chriftian world, which proves Peter to have been at Rome, fhews alfo that he founded that ^ee, and tranfmittcd his official -charsre of feeding his Mailer's flock to his fucceflbr in office. '- St. Jreneus gives a catalogue of the Bilhops of Rome down to Pope Elutherius, his own cotemporary hi the y^ar \h6. He begins with P^/er and Pfl?//, and fays of Clement, that he was third from the Apoftlcs. — I Ah. 3v. Cap. 3. .. • . ,1 . To pretend that. /reMc'^s 'did nbt-kiio^v ^^vhtt^Was Bi-^' iJiojVibf Rtmie in his oWiiitimC, Oi< ^6 Wcfrd MS; J>re^ •' ''"'•'^' TcrtulljeJi (( M « 185 ■ «■ *•- • ... ■ *.. ...... . Tertultien, in his, book. of prcfcriptionS reafoning againft fome fe6laries, fays : " let them expofc the or- ** derofthcic Biftiops by their fucceinon.fo that their firft BiOiop has been Ibme one of the Apoftlcs or Apofiolical men, as the Church of KQnie :iumberi» C/e/«fwr ordained by Pr/er." .ffVy ;A v.|>^..,i .;.,.% » ' St. Cyprian frequently calls the RonKin See the chair of St. Petii' : ** they," faid he fpeaking of Ibmc rcfradory chara6ters, " dare to fail to the chair of Pc- *f rer,' and to the principal church, from which facer- ** dotal unity arofe ; and to carry letters from fchifm- " atics and profane men, not confidering that they are " Romans, to whom perfidy can have no acccfs.'* ;: Audin his letter to Antonianus he fays? *' Cornelius •• was made Bifhop when the place of Fabian^ that is, ** when the place of Peter and the fummit of the faccr- ** dotal cliair was vacant." — Lib. 4. Epift. *2, . Eufebius in his Chronicles of the year Q^. " Peter ** by nation a Gallilean, the firft pontiff of Chrif- ** tians wht he had firft founded the church of Ant i- ** och went ic Rome, where preaching the Gofpel ii5 t* years he remained Bifhop of that city." ' Thus the father oi Clurch hiftory, the moft learned man cf his age, and very little, if at all inferior to any man of an) age, exprefsly fays, that Pefer was the firft or fupreme i^ontiff of ChrifVians ; that he remained S$ years Biihop ot Rome, and fpeaks of it as a fadt publicly and univerfally knoN^^n. Epiphanius, that celebrated writer, in bis book of I^ci'i Ces, fpeaking of the hercly oiCurpocata^ fays : " iu f Rome the fucccffion of Bilhops is thus, Peter ^ Paul^ f l.m.uSt Clctus " lie does not give the fucceffion of Bifhops iu his own See, the Archiepifcopal See of Salamina in Cv- prus, nor of tbe Patriarchal See of Cunftantinopk*. *Tis enough- for a Catholic Prelate to fhew that he'» in communion with the See of Rome, and that the A a ^r . ,-ji (V ^^^*» . . "'C9?{,i .( W 1 '. : -il i ' ' •! :. 1 , '., ! II I'M l-t ! 'l^ tl #0. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 Efl^ I I.I 2.5 ■^ 1^ 12.2 u 2.0 m 1-25 1 1.4 1.6 < 6" ► ffh 7 V Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WESi iv«Air rxui WEBSTKR.N.Y. USBO (716)S72-4S03 ,,v^ &? i-o'^ .•iS ■■ wwn (bdce^i^rt Ifi «Kar Sef dates: fi-dw i!(l€&ief PaftbF of e^iftV flock. • ^^i . . H ; .f ' AiHtmafms^ ia his ktter XA tht ^ffiiidsr %teidng! of the Ariaiisv^ays: ^ they did not i^Atc eyvk JLilteiiiii^ ** iWe R€>iiiaHrBiiho|>4 not itio^tdivicfa Kuecince that ** that Sec is Apoftolical/-' J >'^ vf; Ir^mdiio v^vj^v^jV) * DpPtf^ym'ia his^Syncip^ ei^ fto^ liiewr of ^ fdo- ^ets qind difGipl^s df ChriiV, ikysr; : ^ iLi/utx: Was JBic ^ i^ofy of iRotne after th« %xkAt leadctv ^ Geiiyphuisi\ ^ Ptki\- This laft writeF is not atwayscbirre^: her h^»Y<^t eit^d by Kufabins or St, Jetomt* ^ut^^ek^ p\jbli«f- fa6k' ht cowid not miftake; ;: ivii:l'>: ; Irrx ;j3!i/; •* «* ^twa» not ^vithout Divine ProvidciuJCt-lhat wnen V 'Fif/^j died, A/7;VhW alone prclrdee^ed of flaltsi fn|^ thjS.See ofRonne, h(» wa^ favourabk to tl^jf^evttjmiile^aj^ as-appearj from hi6 works. i ^ rfl I :• -rfv, :;ii; ' Optaius^ m his fecoiKi book agalnft Pkmmam, hysi " you can*t deny that you; kWw that in't)re<}fty''nf «* Roirno the Epifcops^l chair wa& firft cou&i^ta^on ** Pc/m" ■ ■■ ' '.u.^u:. aid . ..r-n 111 the fanr>6 book he enutiie>:ainrs th Peter down to Siriciusy *^ at thhsr da^ iJiiiiA ted," faid he, •* in our ffatfermty, in w^idvtli« -w^dJl " world agrees with us joined in one com that w« po^i^iu: othcJIf " prerogative*.' fOi I ,-ii.Uv i) J H in the third book 0(f th«: UKi^ W ftflfoilt UMIof *^ the kingdom of heaven and the gates' o^ hell fll^lj not prevail againil it. - Whenoe fherefot«':dQ^ )r^ claim the ke^s, who wish^ iacrilegious prefumption and <« 4« ^ ^m m :»-. ,.*••. -^i. ^!t)^ih:^dkiet4^ -«gam,^ fc^« chair of % Vft€rr\ pircfling his adverlary Partniiniant Optatu^ eontiwues] *<:^dQ datftiicfty fchit y]iQm Jij^oMr that thie_ .Jipij(ibt>pai '^mairwafiiinfl j^vti^ Pf/f/r'J« tbe.city o/RQm^,oii !*i«W)iDbvHi*ft tot -the hcM pf |l^*:ApaftlcSi Fe^erj ^r!fcittlcb;dk?tr w«^ d»e^ th*^ aU ot|h.fi^i^ncl (;haic3,,t^ ^<'iJ«r,(i(rfiori^siip «fi(MhieragatH$.t% only ehairit'V .-. 3lfle ,the«t jdqfcrtfaiet t^Ciilrigln afKl ^hC; alliisV-'o^'tB^ fibnwti^*' '*\\w& t0iycMrpaei(y;./(%%h§)-inqu^^ •* the origiiiuof ;5{6iir &h^\t,^ yh^ Pgnatii]|:s kuV^,ffM SdtKSt^skisi badsliS!^:^J}i(hop9JtRpm^, hy.ns^f^MQpo- iia^ kkz^Har ia^ucnlp^nt»:t wHo^, fy(;Qced€i^ liom/acf fi^iBaiUif aiid:£an;g^{orr was ifticceffpr to ^ V iaor .(rflm» <« «S)fjV whobrrthd iDonafiid^ h^d i^^tfjc from iifri6^ tp ^ Jltx«c,'tb.J>refwiB;jovcrthl5ir Ut^liB .icpratc C|jii^r9J? ift •Cin^ Cfty; . '3Po th» Op««4ld rcpti^^r," caii MochoHms ^*'i>y> tto bs 6ti ib (hoxfefltf ol6 §t.: jp^/er, wl^lfi^ p^rr •* liapfiilwoieWrfaflfc^' 7 foe flerA?wi»ly h« nevier.;\\vpiu to :^cihoicp»kMrA>Gf )iihc(Appftl^8, ftM js/iQ.pfiScjaic <^* |>cibifirl]^ iif tfaB;^thtwli»l,i) AJii^f.^ -mig)it hc| t«o.>V^a <* to the Cathohc world, as pofiefled of the AppilullgaJ e^'OhaiB* .iXlelJ iKdifibMitoft i|or ^le corpmat^^ of >tt>e -^5Api|ftlo ;ife jfcnt^s WeJkjthc r4i9^f^C thp t\yb •« Apoftles, Sts. Pf/frand Paw/, arc ill the Ch^rc^ at -<^>aoiwv. ,1 Weflrim^^ f pruy^ if 4ie flould offe^ iu the :if* rp\kitt^i vthnih thelte iciifcs nfe . k^^plii ifacrobmf yai^ ^*otardtiidrTOuft ish^Jt coiifefe - tlM^ l^p is featea ju tw? " chair of Kucolpius^ Boniface of Bjijli, p,\d yi«W ^Xhubkt^ oTiii3^Vi^tor i$:5^ io$< wjlhpi^t f ,faj,^r, a J*4xljftipla:i*ithrot « jna^ff^.iT^iw^SV' w^o^it^ JP'?«- :*njWhateirtr the px. o^ fif Ally roay^^hJnk ofjbeiaij* thority of Optktris^ \m reafotiing is irreiiilible. Ha^W* i<^f]'f.f ♦iri;7lib A #'>8*ao^ ;i' . - ..:^Jr.;. man }■ I I \ ! Itf . f lip!;. ■ ' .1 ■( ■.•, *y I , ' i 18$ < > ■,y '/> nia^ the Donatift, a man iw every ien&iiipieiribr tb thit Ex. or his friend, jfound it "lb. uuvbavid j!iiii(jh| Optatus makes no inquiry about the(u<^etffion of Br* (hops in the See of Carth^^e ; nor did VarmeniaTifiW he was the Douatift Biflioj^ of that Seel f:*Twasfttiett fowell afcertained, ib univerfally believedi ihat jRjomtd was the Apoflolical Sfce^^hat aU SefUrid; fA \ydlvais J'^KH •irriJo Catholics acknowledged 4t. r^'it majr riot be a'rriifs to infwrti-thb GathoUeMead^ that St. Aiifiiiii fp€ia*^irtg' of 0/W««i/5, ranks' liim, with ^t Ci/pHan SLiid jjfkty; in anotber: pUce: he.&yles hitti a"* Pfelate of vifh^VabJei memory^ whb wasi byiKil yirtui^iri bi-tiamcttt to the Catholic Church.^- i:..:j ^' St, jfuf^ehtius raHkshkn^jwith Auj/tintiKid AsMtitfA. He w^s Hiihopof Mikvum^ in Nunudii^raxii^ctitt and powerful reafoner— -tbeTa are thieviiifeh .wi^cub^iniiiy dern Icribblei's call itcduloitiMeni.iiHB.XDuikLbc ^fxi^Q^ countably credulous ^ho bclicfves,HtlML'6»'i .wfiilil,^wc!si the diilance of fourteen or ^teet) cenllarieb knonm ])jt^ cifely the Sees wlltich wer« occupied fayt sd jizi^iii^an AynbrofCjZw OpiatusitLnd-tn&n^ othei'sofiafiuiiorudte. Theft; nieh fo far fup^ridr to us didlDottkMfcnYth«iSec \vhk\i feeler occupied^ or the prerogatives at^ndxecf to thiitSee; • ' ^-'^^ ^f; •• .■ . •' :■:;, li-.'- ; -; <.: ^» St.Ambrofe, in his thii^d bodtiioni tbdSaccajiienfs fays ; ♦♦ Vfter the Apdftte* who was PridV of thf ^Ko- ^* tnan Church, is^^ to Us kuthofof tlius:a(!iBrtkm/<*'»^ Cap. 5: -i ^f , ^;^ ^«*i ^iSf^'i fcnij:\^\'>'i 414 \zMUk\1\ •♦ St, 40h\, in hift'fccbiKl boplt againft.«^c///nrfft Ee(- ter^, fays : « W hat his the chair of the Doiban Ghurdi *' done to thee, in whiidh Pe/rriat,;8ndiiit.iwfaidhjiow **\/l J^njltr/lus dtsV* ' A , i ivy . •\..'.l uj a' • l/hef'f a difciplc of Si. Aujiin^ wilio cntitiaVMsd the chfohicle of Kt(/ebius dowm toi Jiis :owii. timie. in the year j^f^, ip his book of ingratitude, fa)'i:; J*^^R6me «^ tfit (cat 6f ¥»etfr 5f pWiorol hoiwii t thohcad Afv the 'World*., v^i'i^i V .••^' '■; :;'• t.- .'.' -1 mi ,iiii;i^C 10 \in( .'1 ^* ' Numbcrlcls citations fr«rii different author)* arc ad" duced ^ 489 !2ti a duced^ by pbkihicair writors on thit fiibjeA. Thef^ kw.fcom the naod: celebrated lauthor^, ar« adduced tp c6ii'viQ<^e the reader how little credit, is due to, BQwer, or hi« echoes in (lander, whilfl they preTume tocontrao did upon wild conje6hiresv the.pcjlitive a0ertiQi)s of all ^ritcrsofall countries 'from -Pe/ifrV days down to the pretended telbrmatibn^ io 1517. . ; :, /. . b .j , > ' Writfers don't agree exadlly on the time wbie^ 'P^fex same tb Rome. What thetr? ^ChrooologiQal waiters •ieldom agpcei Are we to conclude . that .a ; fyh m which all agr^e, is not certain, hecaufe at.the -^ft^nce of eightccoi centuries we don't kr)u5w preciGdy tb0 year lon.wliich it haj^jied? this ia nQt.reafoning,:.but. ca- .vlUing.. . i):jLo:no:j ^;:';i Ji sd'jon biuo^ JiVinofima*'**' 3. The Ex- tbinlai Pmrs filencc with refpc^ to Ptiter an liis Epifile to. the Romans^ an arganoeot . that Peter .wais riot thd'e. , What 1 does the filence of one man ^invalidate the pofitive teftimohy . of mftny ? perhaps iPeter was not at iRome" pccciidy at th^t, time : ^e imade itianyi cxcurfioiw m/thocourfe.'of his/jniffion; if he hadbeen?at Rome St^ P«u/"Would not have meii- tioned him in a letter of in{lru6tion to the f^rhiUl : .'twould hav^bceji iprefwuption to addrcfsfUeh ajletter iixPtteri ^e did -not raliit$.:S^ iKif/m ftt. Eph^f^e, nor \iTimoihy the fiiibopraa his /letter .wias; add r^eOed .to tl^e faithful he did not clais .(he; Bidiup with them* f'He wrote lettecs of inftrudiom Xo Timothy and Titus, iwho were hisi^ifcipksi: but' ^euever undertook to in- •ilruA htSi ftllow Apoftles, <^vet whom he hi>4 up ju- -rifdidiQnw , l i. '3'?f)i* t tMifirirr; j I't w i^i-»ff*>1f:)^M ti 8i:i The Er. concludes that if;Pe/fr was at. Rome, be hmttft.hayedeferted his original vocation; > This our Ex. has not read the laft chapter of St. M^thew^xa ?wbicK!tis faid'tn very jHain-litdguage.that JiiChrift or- \dercd his Apoftles to c*ach all iititions.i .Was not Pf- t/eron^ of thetnf, did Peter affertt a fallehood when he i tol^ thcL Apoftles. at J^ruiailefn, that tbey. knew that cQqA bad mi^d^ cbaisedfiiiou ^^^ froni;&i9 mouth the •'ii; n.^ il U 1: iH did Ftfli/de^^ lfiB«rti^iklmaidai}oni^heaiherpf«achcd *i th«>'-<>ii2igef^«^ tjh t^ h^ !j*f the, ibb 4jil Qoil^^' irf . leogth frotn-^iVfw»i^7i^ W -*«-^a^idlie,|f;ir^«^IV/^ntexdibseh!ps£fe^ G)f 4bdf h^; 1 ** authority it could not be fo lone concealed ; ..^j, * iUv. V *• knttJfliiqV» b^ii/eftgifdrtfcd ia^CWifti&iutyi't i T^^ * 'k'ft p#«^ril»dflr ir-trcioi' atid bvciubir' 'twasf^tat^ftel in <$hfi{lifa«iictf>'(Wttiunli^rifi^l>^- ldiitt##to .«ilrfiiihoii5B, ^^^ms; i^nd evew t9 h«a»l^i)s : of it* t^ie chan^rof dindi^ii ibi^ifls^^iid iiiblf hcathdils! asfcouldb woditc '•d'<56^k' ~i'i OJ lioiiiutfiiii "lo Tj'!-:! a m rr.in hirloit v^^at thls^ adtlw)fityi(W!afir'v^09l inr Itbe BiOum tT Ucv^ V'e^it^s im(^ Ar<:ccab^ il& tdaMbifdl fiX)R/itbe 9;^ah dBoial adiliirtirj^ ili^piUs • l^'-IWe {licccll^jr^ hi ' i)ffidd. <: i 1 ' in i.i f > on 1 .. s i ' . i >;\ . .^tliority. is giVeti? to t^ ^It&dr^ jnetl forJchimiUFf -litii fiii- tile flock ^€ivi>rWhicnhbriikiEpkicbd^: it niiiil - t^ei afore cof^intiet^ loHg jt&the^ck'ciibitiMbiir tfiei flock of Chiift will continue to the end of tini»yiihd'to* ofhofic^^f' Chief Pa)fl!{ir iveflwB iii^iPi/igr b^.xU: ^breft njilkhfe'«Mol^titoe...;iq:':ij -Uii -.'1 i'-ot j../! ff.H .xji 'i tihat^tNe£Ufaop4eRdme^a^Pf/rir*»i^ceidflbrv<#ifl •Wiko^vfi coVKe fd«hfiilrtkbn it Roiliry By (Ke ttAuwniy -cif t\<6ifiHM[i'^ ki tillit^ruch'i^Oi are knbvni ^.'iwidif ;a; J :jO auuther; r tsk r 1 \ V. attatWr teu» 'tis known b^lhat vmveffil andHnHit ttorupiiedi tcaditlom K^ir Which wo know the feri|>tufQl! tq W the wiord i6f God ^ hence til thefe writeF». ilK Fead\3<(!itftd,jvrd^bf others paflcd iiunoticiidi tQ> a«ol(i firoJixityi iijadik of; it as a: |&ubUc £4^ kiiQM^^ td the" World, of whioHnia man douhted. '•\^ , .^ The Eailerii Churches efCot\ftantin6pIe,rA(itioeh^ «i fe ofalera, and Afifc Min^, never heard of' fiieh aqf ** authority, fiiys; the Ex. /». 7% and- when *tw»9claii»ir H ed, : they treated it as a lureteniion x totally ^nfoqiided^ 'f aiid never iiihraitted to it." What never ! the ^i dreams: thataU the Aiiatic Churches! did iSlhnciit Hi th»authorrty of the Romaik See, ffom Gregory's ^yi ja the year 990 ddwn ioVhotius' fchifnEi in '!m!* ¥:>trie&i:oand'thein, that he «f.R()cnQ had over thciif ** i \«hk:|i.; i^«boiit that idii)^." ThC Bx. raoft iftjttdit 4«dpfly^eiteBthi&^Coimcil()£.Ntce. . Why not tell hil iotdecs that of the aiB. Prelaterlvhci^ctjmpofed tha^ v«? IMtfahle ailigmblyytl^re WAS jiot one protd(bnt; that tQ 4 fKdtfiitfiey t^dievirdj intranfahlhatidtton: and cdebr^od inaivtfioi[lplbufl;yv>liti wt] EzpiiU dot yf\r ThQ Exi cbb& not> cicei thib cdndn but igives Ji ipuriom .vrrfoii'; of H ia^ ^dta:tJo iniilffad the un learned, the Virriter midk brg4ciaveti»cor«e£t both the £xr*s. yer^o^ and inter* ^tktiqn;u;dTis.ihKJ$;h.Q^ Nidn, to Khich he alludci the canon is thus conceived : *' Let the ancient ctfilpm f^oblttimicniiiiiEgyiptv' Lybia; ai^d Pentapplis, th^tithe lhQiUkdp,aB>AkumdnA have the pftwer qI alii iktvi" J2i The .4 iij :ffi ^1? B( : ^i li I? VSfZ The Cotificil immediately alTigiistlie motive on which this diipoiition was founded in fav6uirn over the Bifliops in them provinces; nor could he alTume it by his< own. private authority, nor did the Council invefl him with this authority which had exifted long before theCouiit cil was afTembled : the Council only decided that the; old cuflom (hould continue, in order to f>revent dif-v pUtCS.'' ■ V^oi : ::;:; -, '1 - • ^i - How unlucky in this Ex. in his reference to author rities; they invariably condemn him. . o-^ This Council of Nice was held in the y^r 525 ; ihb Prelates fay 'twas an old cuftom for the Bifhdpof Alexandria to fuperintend feveral provinces, and they afcribe the fburce of this authority to the cuftom adopt- ed by the Bilhop of Rom6. The commencement ef this canpn of the Council of Nice does not appear in printed books; but *tis given by a Council of equ^ authority, that of Chaicedon, in 451. Tis thus cited iiTfhe 16th Adiion by the Biihop Ptf/cAij^ttf : ** the ^* R()man Church had always ths primacy., txt the ** dd cu^om' continue that the Biihop of Alexandria^ >*> 2ic.*' After this Cth canon of the Council of Nice ^4s read, the fudges fard : ** We confider that all pri* ** macy and cnief honor according to the canons be re; \H " tin6i eri fhtji> aUtbft. Pnfefi ptri pditdkofious eikq/td " Ureas tin oikii^fi eptdeik iieuio .,,,,, ,6itfu men •• OS hphaU irieldhh^iVnbii'euenefi tots ten fen tattifi epo* ** chouji tin iuhoidh ipideik inUfhthos, In rtlationt ud ** Papamr Speaking of Dioftdfus, thft wicked t'atriarch of Alexandria, Whorti thfcy had depdfed, after fcniiftierating ether crimes, th6 Pteiatfcs fay : " moreover he cxtcn- " ded his madiiei^ againft him, who was by the " Saviour entrufted With the card of the Vineyard, " that is againft your Holineft .•** .** tti kai kat auiou " tou tes Ampeldutofiphulaktnpnft^ toU Jbtti'Oivs epitt^ " pommehoH ttfi inafii an iitetdnt j legontm de tin fes ^* o/iotHos:* in the General Cbuncil of Ephefus held in tht fhtf *31, 'twas affirmed without a contradi^rdn, of even without the leaft emotion of furprife, that Petfr Was the head of the Apoftles, and Pope Cclejime, (theti at " Rome), head of the Council. ** Pftros S exaixhos kiti " kephale kai k^pktlte Toft apqfiohn.^^'^-affajginojkotnefion " iurion ton gyaWimatofi tdu dgitt kepfraU taisngiaii ek' ^'bqtfin ehenochater'^Tvm. S. Att^, n.«lJ5>-^. B. in the feventh ly nod held at Nice, which P*a/iiwi, lli'ough not a Proteftant, an irrecbnciteable enetny to the Papal 'p'6Wcc, ranks atiiofngft General Coiincils, Pope Jtdrian*s letter t6 Thurfifins was received ^ith uhiverfaJ appkufe, in it we read that his Sec was head of the univcrfal Church : " te tmeho apojhlico throrto '''• qjlis e/ii kepkalt pa/on ton ekklei/hni**'—Epi/l. ad Tha, Tom. 7. Con. p. 125. 1). £. That it has adif- tinguiflied primacy over the inhabited world ; that Vetcr ul\vayis was and is ftill fupremc *: " Sit ei Petros " ou thronos els pafan ten oikomenen pro- *• tenon dialatnpei^ kai kephalc pa/on ton ekklejion ttpar- ** c/iei , , , , » to tou kuriou proftagmaii poimanon ten ** ekkleJVian ....... ekratefepantote kaikratei tenar- "^chenr—ihid. i^e tcftitnony of Genera! Councils celebrated by the \i ' p 19$ tl}9 Latins is omitted, tjbough in theqt wc have fome thoulands of refpcitable witnefTes ; againft the Greeks and AHatics uopbje^ion can lie, of th9r(; we have 5 20 Prelates fubfcril^ing witncff^s in the Council of Chal* eedou, 313 in the Council of Nice, fome hundreds in that of Conflantinople and of Ephelus ; yet in the face ©jf (o many witneflfes, Greeks, and Afiatics, Patriarchs and Prelates, th^ ^x. ailerts that thefe Greeks and AHatics knew nothing of the Bifhop of Rome's pre- eminence ! he mufl: have fcrupuloufly adhered to , Do6tor B0nnffier*s rule, th^t is to re^d the heathen poets and phjlpfophers, then pais all the writers of fif- taen centuries unnoticed, till th^t great li^ht of Sax- Oi^Yf Martin J^mher, appeared, and with the aflidancc of thecejitury writers pf Magdeburg, new-modelled the biApry of the Church as weTji as its faith. *Ti$ fpmething remarkable that the firft foyr Gcne* ral Covi^cJiJU of Nipe, of Cpnfiantinppje, of Ephefus, sod Chalcedpn, are acknowledged genuine, and 'decla- red authentic, by ^e c(labli(hed Church of England in hef thirty-nine Articles. The framer? of the Articles did npt read the a£b and deciHons of them Councils. Or if t^ty did, they did not think it prudent to |-ejeA an authority* which the Chriftian world had revered fpr lb many centuries. Be that as it will, the writer begs leave to aHure the Ex. and his friends, that the A£is of l^te Councils are yet extant in the hands of Greeks as w*!! a? J-atins, who cannot be prefumed in concert to )lftvi5 fupppied or interpolated them. He ha^ to la- fpttfii ^hat he cannot refer the Ex. to Oxford, as Crom^ fWctfV Informing foldiers in their great zeal for the def- tru^ion of Popery, had committed to the flames in one .turning, forty thoufand volumes, the monuments of antiquity, which that Univerfity in the days of Popery, had with perfcvering diligence and a vaft expenrc, Ciolle^led from all parts of the world ; and the few vo- lutins which had efcaped the paws of Henry the ' Vimth's ravaging and reforming monafterial vifitors, B b 2 colleaed % I' 'i§\ i ■I.JI \v ! n \ ') :§ l3* ■'V 196 J-.. 'if. El i. coIie(5le(i by t^offowj were conlumcd by an accidental fire in 1751. Theie fokliers were judrcrous reformers : they knew tbat Popery was lb interwoven with antiquity, that the one could not be deftrbyed till all the monuments of the other were effaced. That the Popes in' the firft ages of Chriftianity did exerclfe their jurifdi^ion, and that the Greeks and Afiatics did fubmit to it,^ befides theteftimony of the(6 Councils already adduced^ we have the teftimony of all early writers on the fubje6t of Church HiftoFV. St. Ignatius, a diiciple of St. P«/ct*, inhis Epiftleto the Romans marks the pre-eminence of that See: his letter is thus addreffcd : •*■ To the beloved Church, " which is enlightened by the will of him, who or- - " daineth all things, which are according to the cha- »* rity of J. Chrift our God, Vf\i\cYi prefides m the '* coulj|:ry of the Romans worthy of God, moft adom- •;* ed, juftly happy, moft commended, fitly regulated, '* aiid governed, moft chaftc and prefiding in charity,** To tae other Churches his letters are addreffed in a • different' manner : thus, " to the blefled Church " which is at Ephcfus — te otis a tn EphefOy* at Tralles : at Magnefias, near the Meander : at Philadelphia : at Smyrna. ' • St. h'enens : Lib 3. Cap, 3, " We confound all ** thofe, who in whatever manner, whether through *' I'eJf-love, vain glory, blindnefs or unlbund do6trine, ** colle6t what tney ought not, by indicating to them " the faith of the greateft, the moft ancient, and bcft "** known Church founded at Rome by the two mbft (( glorious Apoftlcs Peter and Pan/; and that tradition, *^ which it has from them and is come to us by the ** fucceffion of Biihops, 'Tis neceflary that every '" Church (hould agree with this on account of its more powerful principality. That is the faithful, who aie in all places, in which Church the tradition, which i« from the Apoftles, is always prefcrvcd I;* *J5ioic (( (< n r m ^ lew the of u it «• who arc every where faithful." No modern Papiit (peaks in flronger terms than this learned Greek of the fecond century, i Epiphanius fays : "^ that Urface and Valens went ir> penance with libels (fupplicatory) to the bleffed Ju-* litis, Bifhop of Rome, to give an account of their er< ** ror and their crime." Her, 68. ' Would thefe Bifhops appear to account for their condud before a Bifhop in whom they acknowledge no jurifdi^ion ? ■^''^' St. Athanajius attefts in his fecond apology, that thefe Bifhops did afk pardon of Pope Julius iov their crime ; and in his letter to Pope Felix, this patriarch of Alexandria fays : " for this that Jefus Chrifl placed •* you and your predeceiTors in the fortrefs of the fum- *• mit, and ordered you to take cire of all Churches* " that you might affifl us " In his book on the opinions of Dennis, patriarch of Alexandria, he fays : " that fbme went up to Rome and •' accufed the patriarch before Dennis the Roman Prc- ** late." Did they pretend to accufe him before man, who had no jurifdidtion over him Bqfil the Great, in his 52nd letter fays: "it appears tnect to write to ** Rome, that he may fee our afi^airs, " the fentence of his judgment; and becaufc, 'tis diffi- •* cult for any to be fcnt, thence by order of the Coun- cil, let him give authority to fome chofen pcrforiSi who may be able to fupport the fatigues of the journey; and who by friendly and eafy manners, as " well as by well adapted and prudent words, may " adminifh thofe, who have declined from the right " way, and bring with them alfo, the afts of the " Council of Rimini, to refcind what has been done, " violently there." This Greek Prelate, as well from his fcience as his fan6lity, furnamed the Great, knew that the Pope had a power of nominating vifitors for the Eaflern Churches, and power refciuding the - . ' A(5ls a c< « €t to Athanofiui, the Bifhop of and interpolc r. :i \ ill I 19^ m A£ls of a numerous Council, on proof* of violence of* fcred to the members who compofcd it. And yet aur Ex. confidently aflerts, that the Greeks and Afwtics knew no liich jurifdidion ! docs he know better tlian the Greek Prelates themfclves? Chryfojiom, Patriarch of Condantlnople, in the year ^07, had been unjuftly depofed by Theophylus Patri- arch, oi Alexandria in an aflembly compofed of ibme of his own creatures, and under the prote6lion of the Emprefs Eudoxia, a woman of whom Zcnymm, a heathen writer, fays : Op. Tom, 3. v. p. 515. " that ** her avarice, extortion, and injuftice, knew bo ** bounds ; that to gratify thefe paffions (he had fillecj ** the Court with informers, Harpys and Calumnia- tors.** Chryfojiomf in confequence wrote to the Pope Innocent the firft, in thefe terms; " I befeech yottto ** write thefe A(5^3 fo unjuftly paifed, have no force, " and that they who have a^ed fo unjuftly, noay be " fubjeft to the penalty of Ecclcfiaftical Laws." In his fecond letter to Pope Innocent, he fays : ** we return you perpetual thanks, beeaufe you have •* declared your paternal benevolence to \js.'* In the feme letter he prays the Pontiff not, to launch an excommunication againft Theopk^flus, and his adher- ents tho' they deferve it : " I pray your vigilance, fays " he, that tho' they have filled all places with tunaults, ** if they be defirous of being healed of the difcafr, *• they be not afflidted, nor rejeiSted out of the Commu- "** nion." Here we have a Patriarch of Conftantirio- ple, the moft celebrated Prelate that ever filled that Sec, appealing to the Roman Pontiff, againft the op* ^>rcffionofan Afiatic Council pioteded by the Em- prefs, and by a juridicial Aft acknowledging the jurifdiftion of the Roman Sec, over all the Greek and Afiatic Churches. Cyrii, Patriarch of Alex- iudria, in his 10th Epiftle to N^orius^ then Patriarch of Conftantinople, and in his 1.1th Epiftle to the Clergy and People of Conftaiv- tinople, 199 tinople, lays: " that if Ne/iorius within the tiinf? pre- •♦ Icribed by the Pope Celejine, did not revoke his " errrors, he is excommunicated." And in his 18th letter to Pope Celejiine, whom he calls moft Holy Father, he alks if it be his will that the people may as yet hold Communion with Nejiorim, or avoid him. The great Theodoret, Bifhop of Cyrus, when un» juftly depofed by Diofcirus and his gang, in the infa- mous Affembly, at Ephefus, appealed to the Roman Se^, and by its authority was reinf^ated. In his letter to Pope Lm, belays: *< I wait the fentencc of your •* ipoftoiical See, I fupplicate, and befeech your Ho- ** lineft to j^ive relief to me ; who appeal to your juft, ** and equitable judgment; and that, you order me to " appear before you, and cxpolc my doctrine, folio w- ** ing the ftcps of the Apoftles.*' In his letter to Renatus Prieft of the Roman Church, hie feys : •* they fpoiled me of the Priefthood, they ex- ** pellcd me from the cities, without any relpedt to my ** age, paflcd in leligion, or my grey hairs, where- •* fore, I pray you that you perfuade the moft holy, ** Archbiihop Leo, to ufe his apcftolical authority, »* and order us to come to your Council : for that holy *♦ See holds the Government, of all the Churches in ^ the World." Soyomtn, the Greek hiftorian lays : Lib, 3. Cap. 7. that JuUus, Bilhop of Rome, reinftaied Athanajius in the See of Alexandria, and Paul in th^t of Conftanti- iropl^ : ♦* finoe lays the hiftorian, n account of the " dignity of his See, the care of all others belongs to " him, he reftored to each of them their Churches." Hence we fee that his jurildiction was known, ac- knowledged and exercilcd oveii all the Greek, and Afiatic Churches, which our Ex. thought ignorant of it. Poi)e Vicler, in the year 192, threatened to excom- municate the Aliatics for celebrating the Eafter on the iamc day, with the j€ws: " Blajius" fays TeriuUien, de if I >lll >i' 20(1 depra in fine, — ^" fraudulently endeavoured to intro- " duce Judaifm : he faid that Eafter was not to be ce- " Icbrated but according to the law of Mofes, on the ** fourteenth day of the mouth." As the Afiatics had adopted this mode of celebrating the Eafter> the Pon- tiff ap|>l)ing an efFedual remedy to a growing evil, ci- ther did or ferioufly threatened to retrench from the Catholic communion all thofe who obftinately periifted in the error. Eufebius relates the fa6t Hiji. Lib. 5, Cap. 24-. He adds that St- Jreneus and other Prelates made fir on g remonftrances to the Pope : " their let- •' tcrs, (lays Eufebius) arc exant- in which they (harply ** reprove Victor as adiug contrary to the interefts of ** tlie Church." The letters of thefe Prelates (hew that they tliought this a6l of authority, on the validity of which they fcrmcd no doubt, both inexpedient and ill-timed. Ircn^us had been lent in the year 177 as deputy from the Church of Lyoiis to Eleuth^riuSf Vic- ior*s immediate prcdeccflbr, to pray him not to cut off the orientals for what he and other Prelates thought a trifling difference in difcipline; Victor, better inform- ed, faw that 'twas not {imply a difference in difcipline, but a gradual introduction of Judaifm. And whether hc.did in fad excommunicate the Afiatics, or in com- plaifancc to thefe Prelates confine himfelf to threats. His ifeverity put a ftop to the progrcfs of the evil, his authority was never called in queflion. That Popes have in all ages claimed this pre-emi- nence, no man doubts wlio has any knowledge of Church hiflory. Julius the Firfl, famed for fciencc and fandity, in his letter to the Orientals, which Atlumafius, a credible witnefs, gives entire in his fc- cond apology fays to them, " Don*t you know it *♦ to be the cuflom firfl to write to us, that here what *• is jufl may be determined? wherefore if fuch a ** fufpicion be conceived againft a Bifhop, *twas nccef- '* I'ary to repeat it liere to our Church " And , underneath be lays, " what we have received from \ the the *^ tl^ bjleilcd Apoftle Peter wc figuity ; to you, though " ^ye fhould not ha^f written^ what we think you al- *.* rpady l5nc>w, if the fa^s ha^ jiiotclifturbed us. Ju- ^,«,^ii« clairped a right and ejqeccifed that right of jud- ging; th^Patr^^rcijis. Xhis wc kflpw from themfelves, ijio* iE;?f . thm^ they, knew no fucti rights . ' . JPope JJiamq/us l in his letter to thej- .oriental . Prelates; ^^i^l^ich J^h^iot^t gives in h^s , biftprjM Lih.\ 5 ., Cap. ] 0. ia^ys,:;** "Vy^hcreas ypur charity moft honored fons gives ?*. dftc rev.ere)ri i^r ?• ,vTh?t^ the, gr^^^Theodoret di^ not think the Pope af- Iv^ing in faying. that, he held the principal place in t^iif thu^^hv; we Iiinow : fpr immediately before the •ijjfcFtionpftJii?, letter, he fays :" the celebrated Da- fyJllfifus, .a!ma[n:WorthyiOfeternalpraife,,as foon ai^ be « .heard that this :hetcfybegg,n tp fpread, did not only ?^,depo(e and excpjpnfiunicate^/>o//mar/,?, but alfoT/- <**^ mothy his diifciple, andg^^v^ notice to the BiHiops of -** the Eaft bv letters, which letters I. have thought ne- ^ JJ ceffary to infert in'this-hiftoFy." ^ . ApoUiiiaris ^va^sl^iihop of Laodicea, in Syria, and his *idifcipies cfiofe one. pf their party, Timothy, to fill the patriarchal 3ee of Alexandria; they were both depo- -^edand excomn>nnicated by Pope Z><7?«fl/ia-, Thi» «.w^J^npw from the ori|?ntal writers. - ii j i>,fli/w«oce/i^ thp Ift* ip his letter to the Council of Mir tjqvis^whjch is,,ther93d; amongft St, Aiiftin's Epiftles, c iays; " You diligently and meetly attend to the Apo- '*• ftolical hon,pr:3 to the honor of him, on whom be- ** .fides t^eie things which arc without, the care of all .** Churches is incumbent : you obferye the form of the ,** ancient rule — which you know, has-been obferved by .lhc!^;iy|[^ole worjd with us. ! i^jOdjinhisEpiftlcto the Council of Carthage, the ' ; ; ; c c pift ■' • ' 1 . .'1 ; \ \\- 202 1 ■s f; ; ^v !) 1 ft amongft St. AttfiirC^ he feys ! " that tiM U^^hikii «« See is the fountain arid head of all oth^j*- fehtilHfeliW." • I'heeentury writers pretend that St. /^wocfiWafiu- mcd too much. Men who do not fpare f^fw*^ Hid ^ot furprifi rig that they ihould eenfure fcis ftieiicflbJ'iVJ^^Jt St. Aujiin, an African Prelatte, indifputaWy- thd-nWjft learned man oi his age, lays *e VriiVwftlfid! ** rison all tnefe trania^ibns in fiWh a 'ftififriirier ai'h^i « catDC the Prelate of ^hfel^Apoftolfc*! Sfe^.^ AH'^ire the century writcfs better irifcrmed ©f tlie right^ j*nd privilegesof the Africati Chttrch than St!.^^iK^tb#= i ' The w riter paflfes unnoticed paffiiges ivhicli ftrd "Ad- duced from rhe firfl: Epiftk (Df VltHientjihtl^^of Anactefuffthe firft of Atexandel^, off^ik^ efAitihitus, of Victor, of Zepki/fMiiy the ftcond, of Calictm^kht firft, of Lucius, of Mekhiddes, arid of MdtiuHi ' 1^ alfopafles in filence the letters of iL«) the^ <3reiatt, bf Girgdfy and all iucceeding Pontiff^ ; he has corifiried hiriiifelf t6 thefe teftimonies, wbich^'fare ivarraritid; by cotemporary writer^ of great^ft not*. Agamft wliicft no oh]e6tion can be ftkted which is not offeilAVt to common Ibnle. - ^'^'^k < " ^Uoi &fi) *^ The Ex. has recourffc tb S^.CypriafCs authoritVi ni order to eftabii(h his ]>f€tended equality of Bimops. He could not have been more unlucfcy Iri his chriicfr^ they are not detached fcntcnces from the Works bfthifc celebrated writer, which are adduced in fupp(6ft' oF Catholic do<51rine ; but wh<&te' boofks'pHsMedly Writ- ten to demouftrate the riiiitv o^ the Chiirch, ariltfthe unity of the priefthood d^lcending fr^rin St. Peter yjfi bis book on the unity of the GHiwdhV after havlrit^ ihewn by the moft coriclufivc reafoiVi'rtfg, that '.the Church h .effentially one. He lays, '^* that aS i^'Vl- »* lible mark of thii vinity, Chri# built i^ia ChuVch •♦' upon St. Peter, arid gave the power of his l^eys to " him, though he aUb gave power to all his Apbftlfc* ** he would have it lake its rife from one, awd 'Kittled i- 4» the ao8 *• the.\vhoic\|ppp^^t fouud^tiott ,. .... .** He lays dowfiOB agener^it rul^ in matters of faith, that, fa<5t i^,tol9&^umed asprppf; helhen produces as a well* kao^wn fa£t \\^9, Q^u^eh founded by J. Chrid upon St. I^^^r, fromr \}^j)^nGe ks unity is : manifeft j from this known principle! he infers that the man, who deferts thisCl^urch is uiifanflificd, an alien, an enemy; he Gs^nnoti have God for his father, who hath not the Church for his. it^oth^r; " who, (fays he,) is fo profli- " g^ate and abandoned as to imasine that the unity " which fubftfts in heaven may be broken on earth? " that the Church ofChrift, which is always delcribed *^,a«^one, may be devided into many? to believe that " this is poilib^e is groTs abfurdity ; and to attempt it is ".flagrant impiety, our I^ord, (lays he,) tells us there *JJhall be. one fold atid one fhcpherd." In his difpute with Pope Stephen^ on the baptifm of iedlarles, an abftruie and difficult quedion, which was not at that time ultimately determined by an express declaration of the Church, St. Cyprian menaced by the Pope for adhering to what the Pope kn^w to be erroneous, though St. Cyprian thought it a matter of meer difcipline, dropped fbme unguarded cxpreffions againft his fuperipr, but uev^r cilied his authority in queftion. St. Cyprian did not believe the Pope infallible, nor do tx^y Catholics ta this day. That is meer matter of opinion ; he thought his own opinion of the inVali* dity of baptifm without the pale of the Church found- ded on the Scriptures ; and to confult the Scriptures alone without having recourf^ to tradition, vi^hich de- termines the intended fenfe of the . Scriptures, he was not wrong. That tradition was not then cxprefsly de- clared, by ther Church. If it had been fron^ the prin-' ciplpsi wliicl^ S^ Q^/?mM lays down in his bopk of the Churehand other works, we areauthoiiled to fay that he would have fubmitted to it-~hence St. Au/iint his countryman and great admirer, lays of him, quoting Cca there iiiv .t.; !! Ml . 1' '■..ii ! 1 I ' r, ^>i: ^. 96Af t B<), «( t( t( •( thefe words of Cyprian in k Council Whidh he hatf'af- lembledat Garthagc, iand-to which tlic Ex*rs; katiied author, as he calls hitn, fcfcm^to allude :*' fittce there " is none of us who has coriftitiiited himfelf Btflibp " of Bilho|>s, or by tyrannical terror obliges his fc<^- " leagues to obedience fince each Bifhop hasthe frec^ ** difpolhl of his own power tbr the liberty ofhis opi- " nion not to be judged by any other, but we all expcft ** the judgment of J. Chrift, who has the power of pre- " pofnig us in the government of his Church, 'and judging us for our actions/* • *' I believe, (faid St. Au/iiriy) Lib. 3. de B one judge for thetrme in the place of ' Chrift, to ** whom, if atcording to '-divine infti-uftibn, the wh<'c :*.'.5.'Ij f^ ■' '^ , "fraternity ^ 'Ids if: We on ^'ftzttrnitf ootyed, no one' would 'difturb the college St. Cyprian (hews that there is but onePrieft in the Csitholic Church to 'whom all others owe obedience ; thit difobedience to him is the fource of herefy and fbhifm. Tliis iis the >yriter whom the Ex. quotes for the equality 6f Bifliops! in the lame Epiftle he calls the Roman Church the See of St. Peter, and thepriu- cipal Church from which-thte unitv of the pricfthood In a fccohd Epiftle to the fame Pope, he fays of thb ill-fated itreh, who were engaged in the fchifm of Novatien.-^^* y^e lately fent oiir colleagues that they " might doitipofe to the unity of the Catholic Church " thefe members of the rent body ; but the obftinate ** and inflexible perverlcnels of the adverfe party has " not only refufed the embrace of the root and mo- " ther, but alfo has formed to itfelf an adulterous and " oppofite head without the pale of the Church." — Lib. it, Episi 10. Novatien himfelf, the Antipope, St. Cyprian calls : " a deferter of the Church, an enemy to all tendernels, " an abfolute murderer of penance, a teacher of pride, " a 'corrupter of truth, a deftroyer of charity." What would he have faid of the Saxon Antipope, who not only aboJiftied penance, but raifed Epicurean fenfualitr on its ruins? , In a fetter to the people, he fays : " there is one •*'God, one Chiift, one Church, one chair founded ** by the voice of the Lord on Peter, another altar, a " ne\y priefthood befides that one altar, and that one " pricfthodd tan not be erected. He that gathers elle- " where fcatters." — Lib. 1. Ep. 8. Finally, a^ a dire(5t contradi6lion to this Ex. and his learned author^ St. Cyprian, in his letter to St. Stephen, which is ftill extant in his third book, 1 3th Epiftle, ex- horts the Pdjie to order the then Jjilhop of Aries, A/arcian, to be depoled, and a fucceflbr provided for ■ ' that I '1 I 'II !l I m Hi I : Aew^ thought " of excommunicating them ,. y, > ^4 byt. jj^eing endu^^ " ed with the bowels of holy charity he judged it bet- " tcr to abide in union . . . .j,^^-...|he peace of Chrift •" was victorious in their hearts."} ... ^. The Ex. fays, p. 75, that the high authority of the See of Rome was totally unknown for naany centuries after Chrid ; and p. 77, he tells us that St. Irxnus and other Prelates early exprefled their refentment and cenfure againfl thefe encroachments — did they cxpreis tlieir refentment againil a thing that was totally un* known ? St. Iranus is a writer of the fccond century s he fevcrely cenfured what he thought an inexpedient and ilUtimed exercile of Pope Fic/or** jurifdi6lion, who ferioufly threatened, if he did not actually excommuni- cate the oriental Bifhops for celebrating Eaderon the fame day with the Jews ; but no man was more fub- miffive to that very authority, the ^bufc of, which he v;enrured than /;•/f7^^« himfelf. '!' ' How this Ex. has dil'covered the ignorance of thefe early times is not eafy to furmife : he does not leem to have read a line of the v^prks of thcle celebrated wri- ters, whom the Chiiftian world revered. Does he in* tend to perfuade us that thefe men who were tb'catcn- cd with an excommunicativju knew nothing of ^hc Poi'C's authority ? , the «ot \ ^^The Ex- rtates the imrtut neither the one nor th6' other ^ves the powers of offiee or deftroys them. ' In his abulc of Popes he agrees WithhisaHj— that's a favourite theme. This eminent writer from who ii they borrow, is in all appearance the infamoufly famous retailer df flander, Bcwer, or Aretin of impudent ittertiory. "^ If the Elc. or hts affociate had ftudiecl ethks, tbeyiwould have krtown that the man, who in biAit 'tb'd.cfkme, confidently advances that for truth, which he dttes not krrow to be trtith, is a calumntator, Jk term which is in i particular manner applied to thd jlj tefemy of fiaij. All v)ague aflVrtions only cxpofe, the tnalevoletice of th<5 Writtr ; , th^y require no refutation. The Ex. 'under i^rctepcc of inftrufting Mr. B. be- , . tr'aysthe mbft profouitd Ignorance of hiftory. Mr. B. did hot watu'tp be informed that the Popes were ele^- ' tA hf the Clergy with the confent and appix>batidn of the p^jple, ^pS'iTi latter tioflcs with the confent of the : '■■''" Empferor befdre the inftitutiQii of Cardinals ; but the wwr itiforiijjs this ^Ijc tljatthe General AflemWy at JRbme ! v/&ri heathens for irear 300 years after the deafli of Chrift ; that durihg' that period neither the no- biKty nor bui^efles had any. thing to do with theelec* f?6hyo£ Popeis : thty Werq ele(*^ed by the Clergy and the Bifhops of thf adjacent Sees, as were all Catholic Bi- ' flioj)*^' during that interval. He aMb begs leave to in- fcttn this Ex. that fpiritual powers art not conferred hj^ttic^ cledion, which only defigpatcs the perlbii thou^ tljie beft qualified for the office by the ele^rs ; btit by the external ceremony of inauguration and cou{et:ratio\t inftituted by J. Chrift, from whom all fpi- ritualpo«trej:& ate derived. * This Ex. who believes nothing but what is expref- flv (■ 1 * I li L.'' ii; fly declared in Scripture, wiy. find no fu^h right as, that of apppintingtfieir fpiritual Paiiors given tp laymei>;: in the Old Teftament, Mofe^j who .\y,as himfclf ?i prieft, ixy" the exprc^ pr^^f oi God auointcU ^z/aron an4 his ipifi Eleafar after him without cpiifulting the peo^- pie;, and during the Jewifli,dirpenfation tfje pricfthoQ^ was cxclufively confined to the family of 4^ronH. T^iie. prince anpaiftors was vefted in the ehjef Pajftors; the iheep.hadnot yctlearfit to couduj^t the/(hepherd. This: i^ fo.tructha< though the immediate. offi:e of the firft Deacons wa:^ to, iuperuUcnd the diftributioa of alms, the Apoftles dircfli«d. the people to chuf^ men, whom they thought Ueit qualified fpr that, purpolb ; but referved to themfelyes th« right- of inAituting- them: "'tis not, right, faj,^ the y\j)oftlfs, that. \\g •* fliould neglfiift the worid of God to ferve at. the tables, " confider therefore brethrjea fe.vQU men, having good **^ teftimony from yovjflelvejs . . . .,. whom wo may " conf^itute over this nejccflary work : dus katajicfomm. «- epi th chercia^ tm ^4 '^-^Actf vi, SJ, 3.-— but the mi- lyiftera of the altar werejnftitutcd t^ the Apoftles with- out Gonfujting the people ; and ft< ange/s frequently lent fromafersWifaowerenofrkiwwu to the people, St. Vmd Jiwc8rcpeatod(inftro6^tons to his difciple Timothi/y Abp. of Epheius, on that fubjefti*, and tells Titm another of liis^fiiiplcs that he kad; left: him at Crete cxprclsly to D d correal II iit: V v'f r correal what was wanted there, arid conftitute prtefts over the cities nf that jurifdidion according to the di- rc6tiocis which he (the Apoftle) had given him : " ina< , ** kataflefes kata Polin Pre/biiterous.** We kiww from authentic hiftory, not from heathen; . poets or philofophcrs, that Linu^s was appointed Bifhop- of Rome. By the Apoftles Peter and Paul. — Iren, .'5. Lib. 'i. Cap. 3, that Polj/carp was inftituted Bifliop of Smyrna, by the Apoftle St. Joht. — Tert, de Pras, En/chins informs us that Timothy was inftituted Bi- ft\op of Ephelus, and TiUts Bilhop of Crete, by the. Apoftle Vaul. — Lib. 3. Cap. 4. Isicephorous fays, that a certain Piato was inftituted i Bilhop of a town of barbarians named MirmenOy by- the Apoftle St'. Muitheiv \ that St. Mark was made Bilhop of Alexandria by St. Ptf/er. ii We know from Leo the Great— Epist. ad Dios. 81.' , that a right of fufFrage even in the eledlionsof part^cu-- lar Bifliops was neither aflumcd nor claimed by the, kity in the early ages of the Church ; their teftimony of the man's morals was admitted; but the right of eleflio!) wa? confined to the Biftiops of the province and the clergy of the vacant Church. St. Paul in his inftruciions to Timothij requires the teftimony even of thefe, wlio were not of the Church : " he ought to ** have a good teftimony from thofe, who are without, " leaft he fall into reproach:" — iii. 6. — The Apoftle gives no inftru6tions to the laity about the ele6lioii of ipiritual Paftors : he knew *twas not their bufinefs. From giving teftimony of the morals of candidates' in fome Churches the laity began to pretend a right to V vote on ele61ions, which was confidered, as 'twas inrea-' lity, an abufe, and checked: the 13th Canon of the Council of Laadicea in Phrygia prohibits it in thefe terms : " It muft not be permitted to the multitude to make the election of thofe, who arc to be promoted to the priefthood." And in the Iccond Council of ice, third Canon, an eledlion made by magiftrates ia declared t( i( 2U ts Il- ia in >P le » I declared null : ** every clc6lion of Bi(hop, Pricft, or ** Deacon, by magiftrates is to remain null : for he ^' who is promoted to a Biihoprick mud be elected bv Bifliops." There is no prohibition to be found again ft the laity, either princes or people, which forbids them to ordain Bifliops or Priefts : fuch an extravagant af- fumption,or rather impudent ufurpLtion of power, ne- ver croffed the wildeft imagination before the i^ra of Luther I an unfortunate period, fruitful iu monftrous abfurdities ; produSive of all the difTerent (cds, which now disfigure the face of Chriftianity, and arc conti- nually encreafing. The abule which this Ex. lavifhes not only on Popes but on the whole body of the Catholic Clergy, of whom perhaps he does not know a lingle man is refuted by contempt ; ilauder is no fubftitute to argu- ment. In his xith. Proportion the Ex. pretends to prove from the internal evidence of Catholic dodirine that there is no infallibility in the Catholic Church. His reafoning on the fubjed is extremely curious : " if it " befaid, (fays he, /;. 80,) that the Church is infal- ** lible her decifions muft be right however abfurd or ** weak ihcy may be." Ht feems to forget that infal- libility excludes abfurdity ; that to couple them toge- ther in the fame phrafe is noafenfe. He might realbn in the fame manner againii the infallibility of J. Chrifl, with equal force and propriety : thus if J. Chriil be infallible his decifions muft be right, however abfurd or wicked ; he's told that infallibility removes the idea of abfurdity and wickednefs. Learned writers, fays the Ex. have proved that Rome impofes dotirines contrary to Scripture. I3y learned writers he feems to underftand fome pedagogues muttering a few words of Greek and Latin to an ad- miring populace, and declaiming againft the harlot of Babylon. When thefe proofs are produced we Ihall III if i Dd '2 difcufs M 2«'i ■ b' ' \ ■ ■'M i Mm.'- difciifs them.. Hitherto we havc'feen nothing fike, The &X. inftanc^ one. 3c8flritre &t5ntraTy to Script-, ture as he imagines, that is the invocation of faints and" angek. lo proof of this liemufters up a num-be'r of texts -to Anew that fovcreign homagx is due to God alone, what no Catliolic* ever denied or even doubted. [ He adds with ibnie qonfidence, that there is not an in* ftaiice in Scripture o£any man's, invoking either Saint . or Angel. This is iiot the firft fpecimen he has given of the' moifl profound ignorance of 'this very Scripture, in whiGhhemuft find all truthsxjf religion. Let h'oi read the forty eighth chapter of Genelis, and he will lee the patriarch Jucah, a trtan of fome authority, feri- ouil; and foiemnly invoking an ungel, and acknow- ledging- his protection through li& : ** niay the angel of " the Lord, who delivered mc from all evil blels thefe " boys :'* — " ha M aleak ha goel othimi cal rahjibraek " e/// haNaariim.'' 'Gen. Iviii. il(?. — Would the Ex. perniit this holyipatriarch, whocandidlyHcknowledges that the angel had delivered :him : from every evil, to fay once in his life: Jdoly Jllig^l' pray for me? or Holy Angel ptroteiSt me ? 'Fhe patriarch done fome- thing more, for we read-.in the thiity-fecond ofGenefisj that he pmyed an Angel to blefs him, und Mofes, d man of fcne credit adds, " ttrnt the Angel did blefs ** h'lni ;" — ^" m jihtirek otho/ltamy Has not this Ex. read the exprcfs order given by God himtelf to the ;^vvs ? " Behold, I feud my Angel " toproccCl you in the way, and; to condud you to the •' place which 1 have prepared. Beware of him and " hear his voice ; don't negleft him for he will not bear ** your -prevarications, my name is in him :'* " Hiflid' mer mi Phuiiaiiffve flivmaU Be coloal thamer Boki Id Jijii fe phi/Juih chem kijkemi be kiiboj'* Though this Angel was cxprelsly lent lo protcupklity-~.it baffles defcription. ;;. : -r^^ - That f he Angels do ipray for us, we know from fe« veral paflage§ in Sciipture : iu the |)rophecy ofZachu' m* we read:, i. 12* " And the Angel replied and • ';laid, O liord of jHofts, how l(mg wilt thou ncft have -: mercy on Jcrufalem and the cities of Jpda, with ■ \yhich thou haft been angry now thcle 70 years,"— ve jahan Maleuk Jehovah vajomar Jehovah tofibaoth had Mat hill At (ha to therechem elh JeruJIialem vceik " ha reijehoudah ({/her zehemathazehjliihebimjlianah.'"' The Angels carried the foul of Lazarus to the place of reft. — Lukexvu iiS. At thelaft day Chrift will fend his Angels and they - will colled his eleiSl from the fgur winds, and from the fummit of the heavens. — Piatt, xxiw 31. St. John faw an Angel offering to Gx>d the prayers of the Saints.— Rfv. viii. 3,4. >*'..• *: That the Saints arefunilar to the Ai^els we know . from the exprefs declaration of J. Chrift : " they are as the Angels of God in Heaven :'' — " os Angeloi ton tkeou en oiirano eiji." — Malt. xxii. " I'hey are ** equal to the Angels." — " ijangeloi gar ciji.'*- Luke XX. . As povs-'ti is given to the Angels over nations, fo power is given to the Saints who Hve with Chrift. This truth is exprelsly revealed by St. Johji : — " To ** him who overcomes and obferves mv works to the " erid, will I give power over nations, and hs will rule "them with a rod of iron." — Rev. ii. 20, '21. St. Pmil feverely ccnlures a luperftitious worftiip which was paid to the Angels by tlie. Coilofians, decei- ved by lorne fulfe teachers, who induced them to be- lieve that there was no ^ccefs to God but; through the mcdiatioivot tl^ Angels, .thereby deftroying the media- torftiip of J. Chrift, through whom alone and exclu- fively the Aix>ftle Ihewsin the firft and lecond chapter ■of his Epiftle, we have accefs to Cod; v.nd that he is . the n it A ft- 21* I 1' M the head of Angels as of men. Of this truth no Ca- tholic ever doubted ; nor did any Catholic ever pray to an Angel or Saint as to a Mediator, but limply as an interceflbr, whofc prayers are more acceptable to God than ours. To God we pray for mercy, grace, and glory, which we hope to obtain through the medi- atorftiip of Jclus Chrift; to the Angels we pray for none of thefe graces : we aik their prayers as more ef- fe6tual than ours, and we have already fhcwn that they pray for us inceflantly. Hence a religious honor has been at all times, paid to them, of this we have many inftances in the Scriptures befides thefe already adduced ; Jojue being told by the Angel that he was Prince of the army of the Lord, fell on his face and adored the Angel : " jipkol Jehojfiua el phanaio, " vajist/iacou.** JoJ'ue could nof miflake the Angel for his God, becaufe the Angel had told him that he him- felf was chief of the army of God : " anifar tfiba Je- ** hovah.^'' — Jos, v. The Angel exadted a yet greater homage : he ordered Jofue to loofe his fhoes from his feet, becaufe the place on which he ftood was holy, and Jofue done as he was ordered. The place was not other wife holy, but becaufe 'twas fandified by the prefence of the Angel. We fiiid John the Evangelift falling proftrate before the Angel, (fee ixth. of Rev.) The Ex. who is fingu- iarly unlucky in his references, fays, the Angel refuted to receive this homage — true, the Angel did, and there- by commends his modefty and humility in refuting to receive luch homage from fo great and highly favour- ed an Apoftle as St. Jahn^ the beloved dilciple of Je- l\js Chrill; but he will permit us to believe that St. John knew fomething of the Chriftian religion ; that he thought he might without being guilty of idolatry pay a reverential worfliip to the Angel ? if not, St. jQh}i was iiighly criminal in repeating the offence : for he tells us that again when the vifion was finithed : •' I John^ who heard and faw thefe things ; and after . "I had 215 " I had heard and feen I fell to adore before the feet of ** the Angel who fhewed me thefe things." — Rev, xvii. St. John was therefce convinced that the Angel's modefty did not free iiim from the obligation of pay- ing honor to whom honor is due, according to that in- ftru6lion of St. ''flu/ to the Romans. — xiii. 7. This maxim which the Apoftle praflifed he taught : Origeji, a very early and well informed writer fpeaks of it as an univerfal pradlice in the Church: "the Angel of •* the Chriflian offers his prayers to God through the " only High Prieft, (J. C.) himfelf, alfo praying " for him, who is committed to his charge." — Lib,. 8. Cen, Celfum, In the fifth book he fays, " that the ** Angels carry up our prayers to God, and bring down his bleiiings to us ; in his firft Homily on Eiekiel, he offers a prayer to the Angel of a perfon who is going to be baptized that the Angel would inflrud him. The holy martyr Nemcfian and his companions writing to St. Cyprian, fay, " let us affift each other " by our prayers, and beg that we may have God " and Ciirift, and the Angels favourers in all our ac- « tions."— £;>. Cy, 77. ' . . Gregory Nazianzen fays : *• the ar-"lical powers " are a fuccour to us in all that's good.' — Orat, 4 v. In his poems he prays the good Angels to receive his " foul at the hour of his death." — Cam. 22. To avoid prolixity let the Ex. and his friends take Jofeph Mede's teftimony. This zealous Proteftant, in order to fhew that the Papal power was the kingdom of Antichrift, has coUedted the concurring teftimony of many early writers in fupport of the do6lriiie of the invocation of Saints and Angels. — Book 3. Ep. 16. &c. In his expofition of the Prophet Daniel, explaining thefe words of the prophecy : " and he adored the " God Maozim, and he will raife forts to Maozim."* Mede in thefe words difcovers the Pope to be Anti- chrifl, and the Saints the forts of Maozim. Why (o } Bccaufc, fays he, Bafil preached to the pcvople that the relics >. » relics of the forty martyrs were towers by^ which the city was defended ; — Ora^ in 40. i^flrr.— -awd (Chrt/Jbf- tom laid, Noin. 32. adRoin. — ** That the- pelics of Sh " Peter and St. Paul were to the city of Rome towens "more affu red than tea thoufand ramparts;'* Med& lays that St. Hilary found ramparts in the Angels ; he- oites St. (iregory, of NylTa, Gennadius, Evagriiis, Eu- cher^ Theodoret, and the liturgy of the Greeks to the- fame purpftfe. To thele /iwvV?/, not lefszealou* than- Mffl'f, and equally intent on proving the Pope^to be Antichrift, and that his reign would continue but 12<50 years, adds St. Antbrofe, who laid that the mantyrs Sts. Jervais and Protais were the tutelar angels of IVh* Ian, he might have added St. Gregory^ St. Jerom^ St. Avjiin, the author of that Chaii)ter of the ^ook of Kings, in which 'tis related that a dead^ ma« was rai» fed to life by touching the prophet Elijha's Uon«9, 4' It. of Ki7igs, xiii. 21. The pious King J{y/tas who i^el^c^ed tbe bones of the prophet, who had foretold tiia d&- i^ru6iion of Bcthd — 4 //. of Kirfgs^ xjfiii* I'S.— and Mofes himlelf "'ho returning from £gyp^, took with him the bones of the great patriarch- Jojtpk; in a word all thele great men of primitive times, whom the world has, does, and will continue to revere, whilftr rfie prophecies ofMcde, of Jurieu of Lut/ter himMf'y and a croud of fcf ibbling enthullafts amule chlMren aiwl old wives, a^id afford a fubjeft of contempt and derilion to all men of real fcienee. Arc we allured, (lays the Ex. jp. &2.) that the An* gels are in a fituation to hear us ? We are alTurod bj' (. Chnft in very plain language that thej rejoice at the converlion of a finner ; — Lide xv. lO.-— and common fenfe afTurcs us that they don't rejoice at an event of which thev know nothing: two things therefore they mud: know : who are linners, and who are lincere converts : for no rcafon can be afligned why their knowledge fliould be confined to a particular finner. . . 'Tis matter of furprile how the firft reformers ' : » "^ could «17 le An-* id by. at the jmmon ent of Icrefore Ifincere their Iner . . . formers could Cduy11i2ive;fw'e Vailed oti tti^lrcjetuded followers to be- l^V'i^ that ^^c r that,' Wjiilft we khow, and (iojifefs, that fovei;eigji hotbage aod fupreryic worfhi'p' is clue to the Creator ^6116, V'' mould psty this homage to anv of 'his: cr^ar imi, f h6 ;^bfurdjty is (0, gt'ofs,' that we auvt f^ffi- bleiitly admii^e the ftupi^itybf thefe vyhp permit t^'em- f^lVe^ tob6 duped by it^; l^ut "'tis a /)rpdig}', th?ir rtijs fta'^olding, how^v6r iieicefrary to tlie arciiitefts of t!h4 y^Stk of dai;lc^rs,:!^'hi^H mifrepr^ientatian had foi^!^^, pi6i}\d yet tontinU^ hbtWifhmiididg the n\iri?berlefs diAertatbiis pi:^lil%d by Cat'hbKc writers, ip wllicfi tiie ieflential difference i?e|:wefch'th^ veneratiohjj vt'll'i^li ^^'CatholickhaVe fbr AAg^s>ild Saii>ts^^anJ'^h6' fej- 4a^:.j^ _^i!-.A ^^ jfhew their relics' /ancl images, arid tiial; fovepei^'n h6rtia|e and fuj^rc^'i^^hohbr Whl^' W9 pay our 0^, is '& dearljr fl;ate(f ttiat even ' itilbVarlce calonoi; i^iilAl^e it..' jliei4; rtiijiVJ^ ^orri^ hiffe'c^u^ ^p- . Tprmities in" JHe iv6Y^ whdn Icatfbtdi^i^ of Ipch m6ri- ^rdus aip6£t Is found necelTary to conte^althiti^/ V' 1 Ifhe very' iform of ,prayei-* whlcb we rpakfe to tlie Virgin and dther 'Saints carfies Its juftification : riolj/ Mary pray for us. Such a forrn of prayer laddrelted to Almignty (3od would be downright blaifphemy — an stbprtiinatron. Why lb ? becaiil^ a' prayer in this form "dieWs we confider theperfbn to Whom 'tis addrefTed as ■' dependent on the will of a fuperib'r -power. If at any * time a Catholic fhould offer a petition to an Angel or f ^aint in a moreabfolute form, the fenfe in which *tis underftood is manifeft from the llibjed matter. There are many examples in fcripture: 'tis faid of Jo/«c.-— • ^* was not the fun flopped in his anger, and one day ** made as two?'* Ecc, 46. 4. ; of E lias : " that he '" caft down fire from heaven; fhriqe:" xlviii. :i. ** that "he raifed a dead man from below, from the lot " of death,'* ibid. 5: of Eit/ka: *' that in his life he *' did great wonders, and miracles in his death," ihitl. E c " that ■H i' . I '' that Ins dead body prophesied, alluding to the nia«i wha was enlivened by his bones." ; 'Tis i^id tnu3 Aits V. \*2.. weread: by the hands of theAjpofr *.' tjjes riifiny figns and pijodi^ies, /ewe/V Hi terata; ^* ^'er« wrowght aipong the pe()|)lc,"', 0id the facred j()ei)irnari think that Jo/i^e had any. power to ftoptli^ ccorre of the fun t ^//««any .power tO; hying down fir^ fx^nv^hp .heayeii Ij ": }i,e .^'r EliJIiq a»)y po^ver to >rai(^ 'the cleat) ? of that hi the hands of the.Appftles there wasanj power to work fuchfigns and prodigies ? jNo, but |;h9,4ubje(^ Oiaiter explained the lefrie in whic^ . their wqM? muft be'upderftdod': that, all the/e iprra- cles were wrought lay God at the iii{lancc: of his ferr vants, whoie veracity . and fan6!ity he thws atte{led ; hence the Inrpired writei-s afcribed to 'the Saints themfclvesthcle rciir^cles, which God wrought by theix That a religious >'efpe?t Is due and was always flicwn to Angels, Saints, relics and images of SaintSjis manifeftly, revealed in Scripture ; we find, the Patri- arch incob praying an Angel to blefs him. Gai. xxxii. , hfue ^jidoring an An^el. Jos. v. The Evangelift St. ]i>hn pjoil rating li'indielf imore than pncfs^ before the Angel who ipoke to nnp. Rev. xvn...' . , , We have lonie ftrJkiii.g examples of the religious ref- pe6l fhewn to Saints bgth in'the Old and. New Tefta- ment ; '.lis laid of EJujs^ 1. Khi^s, xvii. that : ** Wheu " Jbdiits was ill the vyay Elias met him, who, when ** h? knew hini, ftll on his face and laid: thisyou»my •* Lord Eliati i^'^ Bw\ . 53 iCingSj I 'tis faid that after fire trtjm hk. 'God ^fo' punifhed 02rf with death for prefii- Win^'tb|fat his hand to the Ark: ** And the nidigiu- ^* fion of the: Lord was kindled againft Oza, and he ** ftruck him for his raflmefs, and he died there before •• the Ark of God.*' 2 Snm. vi. 7- We know the veneration which was conceived for the Brazen Serpent, on which who- ever looked when bit by the fiery ferpents, was kvftantly healed. — Num. xxi. The Saviour informs us that this I'erpent was a ' figure of hinilelf on his Crofs: " as Mofes liftiid up the " lerpcnt in, the wildernefs, fo muft the^Son of Man be lifted up.*'-^Sohn iii. !♦. Thereiped and veneration ihewn td relics and mi- Ee2 laclet *t *t . .,rS> '- • • m m ■ '1 > Hi raclcs wrought by God to authorifc this r«rpc^j.,Jis dearly revealed -both iu the Old ai^d >!r«)y T^ftgt|ip|f,i^t:; f Mojh going out of E^pt took Avi^p nun t^ boojp^.pC the Wsklr'mQklqfepJi^ E^. }dil ^Ll^a^wh^ltru^mfky tcr Eli(is.\\'as tra^llated.ia,aiiery chariot by Arigje^s,, on his return ftruqk t)\9i^w»te|;^ i^/jorda^n. wit^.^,tWf mantle which had. faH^n from tlie propfeeit* ^^*i^M " where now is the Qq^^ of&lias * . * rkvd. the w^^«5^ were divided hither and t]}^ther, md ^I0ia^a(&^ ^y^j', \ ii Kings, ii. \4f. WhavCs^thoho ',^yer esqjrefled ' iU<2^ coufide^ice in any relic ?i^ this hqly ; gropH^ did m tR^ mantle o£ Elia^f a^tj w? lee God, wro»gfjta,ftwp^pV> dous prodigy to auth^^riz/B this CQnfidcnccind attcft tnfi iaudtityof his i€r,v£^n,t|.'; A more .ftuMti^ous mir^clfe was wrought to att;e^ the fanj^iiy or £/irfitf niofifej^ : 'Tis thus related by the inrpirea writer : ** aad 6«- - Jiii died and- thiey , V^jriedhina,. and^ plunderers trop^ Moab c%me into tjie l^nd the fame year,.audibme wi^ were buryitiga ^anan faw the plunderers, and c^il jthe^ ** body.intothefi^pMkhyeof E/z/Wj an^Wfhenit tou^ . " ed the bones of E^UJIm the man caine ^to. life ^jq " flood qn his fc?t*V' H KmgSyXixu SJQ, ^U Woul^t the. Ex, permit (this iii^n, who was rkife:d from t^R dead^ or his friends' taht^ve iomq.rej^jSi for ^tli^eie ve- nerable bones to wl)ic|i J)e 3*(as fo;.miith|;ndcb^e|.;j ./^ In the New T^ftaincnt we^find.many^ ibir^cIes.r.ajF cribed to relics : thus Afis xix. ■ Ij Jr«"^**i -^J^ W^^Sm^ ** fpeciial miracles by the hamd of JP^tiliJo. U\^V;tvci\ " there, were brought from big body/handkerchjefs and " aprons, and the dileafes departed ffpm t|hem and thp ** wi'.ked fpirits went out of them." If one of theic handkerchieis or aprons had relieved the Ex. from -a mortal difeafe would he have ttiiown it afidc to rot? • would he fliew no-lort of refpedebted for a continuation of li^c ? .Wlty thcn'sfceufe.^^^at^pljcs; of tuperftition for ihewing that rcfped to the relics of Saints,, wj^ich he hinjlftlfiO ^ftmikr cirn^untfti^^vcs: would have , (hewn> 'ifnAi"»?ft^ft i m t/ I h^ye flievyp if Jic rct^iri^d an^ remains of gratitudp,?. r»rin#>'fliHfl nf i hhpr>nf r)Q\irArs rSf .a^inii ? 'that we ' th \it\r ^% iiavc pofliemoii of toin- bp true, ^^ey aft^er the refprmjition is iSt planted wifrbe eradicated.*^ Pafa Phuteia e?i oiik^ *,* ephutei^f^n o JraUj nwu qurctni(^$ efi:rifotny^tai. — ; JlSffl//. xvl'13.* '■'"■ '" '"■■ ' V. • .. . • The Ex.. fevems furprifed that Mr. p. fh9ul4 objeJS fb^hoyeitie^ in ieligioi} : novelty, he lays, (las ijdthjng U t9^dO;i^i(ti truth*. Np— but novelties of man*s iiiven- ^jpn'arc ^ipt reveajed truths ; tliey are not truChs of re- ligibi|. 'iL^jgiies'l^e pfetfpdtp c^ Newton's Aftrp- ' lyiri^icat .0i(coypries, or Pri^lftly's tefltures on Efe6lri - city, w ith'Irt-utMof Religior^ ? 'AH iicxvclties are ineeir hufifjan ii^vehtlohV ;' tfiev were not taueljj:' by J. Chriftj. iior did |ie pracjr ii^is n^lni^^^ tl^cnji: hi? terni^ are : ^* teaching theriitb bbferye all things whatibeyer "I have conamanded you.**' Mait, ult. and iSt. Johti cloliijigine KfeVblati9liSi fajs : "if any man witj add "to'f^ele tiliil^^,'iS6ll'' will add ^t the .phgue§ '^jwr|tt6n'in'th|bdbkr.^'^5r.^f//^ ' '; •^; r '^^ ^' St. Tilde exhoirts this failll^ful to perfevere in the faith once delivered to the 'Shints, St, Judc, i. He did not think t'he additions of every fanatical enthufiaft necei* fary. The Proteiftant religion, fays the Ex. p. 84, ta:king the Scriptures for its only rule and guide, is as old as Chriftiknity. There are alnfioft as majiy errors in this (hort fenteiice as there are words. The New Tefta- ment is not as old as Chriftianity. — This truth re- quires no proof: Chriftianity was cftablilhcd before there h '\^ . I 1' I there was a line of the New "^cft?^ii>ei\t w^^^^'i » partt. of ttlvcfc written forty or fifty vears after. The ,Pro-' t^ftaiit does, not take the Scriptyres for a., ible rule'pf- faith :, this hias ' been ^ewn [ to [ (feiiionftraticMi/ more than once already/and^he Ex.' hinpiw.- proves in the Ae^tpage: in it he fays: that the mjniiierfd^^^ congregations to tal^e Go^*s word ipr their Ifaw'j -'id' , thaiTrcafon, which God gave themi for tjjcir guidaihce; as w^ir beft interpreter ; hence *tis evident i^zt' thiBir own interpretation of the Scriptures, or ias.'he ^ad faidf elfevvhcre, th^ar owfi fai^cy, is their folerule of fafth;. but neit^icr their ihtcrprctatioo nor their fa(icy is the, word of Cod, and the man who thmks it, flatters and deceives hiipfcUl That infallible fupremacy which we C> jiiftly rcfufc to the Popifh Church we cjo not claini ^ to ourielves-—^ fays our Ex. )?. 85. By this he admits tk^t )iis Churcli may deceive and be deceived; that "'tis ^lot the piltarl and ground of truth which St. PaM^.expreflJy caUs the Church of Chrift; that^tis not that Church, in whict J. ChnH; himfclf teaches by his ininifters, according to his promife: *' I am with you to the end of tirpi,* in a word, that 'tis not the Churcl^ pf J. Chri(l put w which, th^re is no falvaiion. - ' The reihainder of this Pampi^let is replete ^ith pcr- fonal ftri6hires on the ^uthpr.of the Letter pf'lrtirtr\jc4 don, which it pretends to examine:' Mr. Burke may reply to it if he thinks proper, the writer will not ; he concludes with this remark on that production : in it there are many vague afTcrtions crouded together with- out order or proof; many texts adduced either foreign td the fubje6^, or conclufiveagainft the Ex. not one argu- ment in the Letter of Inftrudlion invalidated or eveij weakened, though that letter fcems to be drawn up in hafle and the author would do well to revife it. 1 ■^ ^i 4 fa i ». a»--- .• ■■■p ./ b i