he taught? Let it be ever fo clear, that the church of Chrift is one, without distinction of Jew and Gentile; as Chrift himself, John X. 16. fignified it should be: yet the church of Rome cannot be this one church, while the renounces allegiance to Chrift the head, and obeys another head, in many things which are quite contrary to Chrift's doctrine. Again: their fchifmatical feparation from the reft of the body is in itself a fufficient proof, that the church of Rome cannot be the one church of Christ. There is, fays the apoftle, one body, and one fpirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: Eph. IV. 4. But the church of Rome opposes and renounces this one fpirit, which fhould unite us; rends herself from this one body; or, which comes to much the fame thing, tears off from communion with her all those who will not fubmit to her arbitrary determinations, denying that any fuch can have the one hope of the chriftian calling. She impofes her abominable corruptions upon thofe, whofe confciences cannot comply with them; and imposes them with the utmost bitterness and cruelty. She thereby drives all other chriftians from her communion: and confequently creates a fchifm, and destroys that unity to which the pretends. If therefore this corrupt and perfecuting church is a part of the church of Chrift, it can be no better than a fchifmatical part: for they are always the fchifmatics, who are the causes, the neceffary caufes, of the fchifm. However, nothing is more plain, than that they cannot be the one church of Chrift. Confequently, they cannot be the catholic church. There is no need to compare numbers, for for deciding this point: no need of enquiring whether the numbers in the church of Rome are fuperior or inferior to the Greek church and all the proteftant churches put together. Their cutting themselves off from union with Chrift the head, and from all other parts of his body, plainly fhews them not to be the catholic church. All they who hold the head may be united to each other, notwithstanding the inferiority of fome members, and the fuperiority of others; and even notwithstanding fome weakneffes and defects in fome of the members, which the rest are to bear with, and to contribute as much as they can to their restoration and perfection. But when, befides rejecting allegiance to the head, the church of Rome does what fhe can to destroy all other members befides herself, damning and perfecuting with the utmost cruelty all those who cannot comply with her unrighteous claims; what pretence has the to catholicism? Next to halding Chrift the head, the unity of the chriftian church confifts iu the mutual love of the members to each other. This is that bond of perfectness, which unites the whole catholic church together; and not an exact unity of opinion in all points. How then can they be the catholic church, who will damn their brethren to the pit of hell, and without mercy perfecute them to death in this world, for want of agreeing with them in every doubtful opinion, and joining with them in their abominable corruptions? There is, I fay, no need to compare numbers, for deciding which is the catholic church. And therefore therefore it is to no manner of purpose, that The profeffion of catholic faith, &c. published laft year, [1734] for the reception of converts into the church of Rome, produces fuch a number of texts, and particularly prophetical texts, to fhew that the church of Chrift fhall be univerfal, by being the church of all ages and of all nations;' and affirms, that 'in them it is always reprefented as a numerous congregation fpred through the ⚫ world.' For in none of these texts, nor in any other, is it promised that the church of Chrift fhall always be a numerous congregation, fpred thro' the world: nor is it any where promised, that it shall in all ages be the church of all nations. Indeed thofe texts have been in fome good measure fulfill'd already, in the large fpread which the gofpel of Chrift has received. And from thofe and other prophetical texts we have good reason to believe, that in God's good time Chrift's church will become univerfal. But then this must be brought about by the overthrow of the antichriftian church of Rome: whofe abominable corruptions are the grand hindrance of the larger fpread of the gofpel; and have sometimes been fuffered to prevail almoft to the extinguishing the light of it. By thofe corruptions they have effectually proved themselves not to be that holy church, which * The whole title of that book, quoted at length in the preface to this, includes both the Romish profession of faith, and the vindication of it. The profeffion of faith itself is the Creed of pope Pius: and in my following remarks I fhall, for brevity's fake, choofe to quote the vindication of it in the words of the running title, The grounds of catholic doctrine. † pag. 12, 13. * which they pretend to be. And furely we may venture to fet down in the number of corruptions the worship of faints and angels, and of images, contrary to exprefs warnings of the word of God; the worship of the bread in the facrament, on pretence of its being turned into the body and blood, and foul, and divinity of Jefus Chrift; the making the Mafs a propitiatory facrifice for the living and the dead; the doctrines of indulgences, of purgatory, of authoritative abfolutions by mortal men, and even by men under the the power of mortal fin themfelves; the dependence of the efficacy of the facraments upon the prieft's good intention; the taking away the fcriptures from the common people, and requiring the use of an unknown tongue in their prayers but above all others, the doctrine of infallibility, which takes away the very foundation of christian faith, by taking away the authority of the word of God, and leaves no foundation for the faith of the christian church, but the authority of fallible men; and the doctrine of the pope's fupremacy, which is an impious invafion of Chrift's prerogative, who is fole lawgiver and head of the church. These are corruptions inconfiftent with a boly church; efpecially with the one, holy, catholic, and apoftolic church. And thefe are inftances, in which it is certain that the church of Rome has actually fallen into pernicious errors. So that it will no way help that church to fay in general concerning C + See the Vth. article of pope Pius's Creed. *The council of Trent fays, Seff. XIV. can. 10. de pœnitertia: If any one shall say, that priests who are in mortal fin have not the power of binding and loofing; or that any other befides priests are the minifters of abfolution; let him be accurfed. cerning the church of Chrift, as the author of the *Grounds of catholic doctrine does, that she is al ways holy in her doctrine and terms of commu nion,and always free from pernicious errors.' For whatever is true concerning the church of Christ, this is not true concerning the church of Rome. The doctrines just now mentioned are her doctrines, and are by her made terms of communion: and they are pernicious errors, wherein the has fhamefully apoftatiz'd from the holy doctrine of Christ. It is vain therefore to apply to that church those texts of fcripture which belong to the invifible church. Vain is it in particular to apply to that church what our Lord faid to Peter, Matt. XVI. 18. that he would build his church upon a rock, and the gates of hell should not prevail against it. For the rock, upon which our Lord there declared he would build his church, was manifeftly Peter's confeffion, mentioned ver. 16. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. But by the abominable corruptions just mentioned it appears, that the church of Rome is not built upon this rock, but upon fomething else, very different from it. It is vain for them to ‡ alledge in this cafe, from John XIV. 6. that Chrift is the way, and the truth, and the life because it is evident by these instances, that they have apoftatiz'd from the true way, and do not walk in it. It is vain to apply to themselves the promise which Chrift made to his apoftles, || Matt. XXVIII. 19, 20. when he gave them commiffion to teach and baptize in his name; that he would be with them always, even unto the end * Pag. 10. + ibid. ibid. ibid. |