all things neceffary to falvation: the proteftants with much more truth and reafon affirm this concerning themselves; and that the things wherein they differ from each other do not hinder their being of the one church of Jefus Christ.

But if the church of Rome did agree with itfelf in all points of doctrine and practice; that is, if they were at unity among themselves, which it is plain they are not, nor ever were: yet their unity could not be said to be with Chrift Jefus, the fole head of the church, but with the pope confidered as head; which very thing is inconfiftent with and fubverfive of the true unity of the chriftian church.

Whoever they are, that deny Jesus Christ to be the head of the church, they cut themselves off from union with him; and confequently must be far enough from being his one church. Now Chrift is not the head of his church, if he is not fole head. How then comes the pope to pretend to make laws as he pleases? And how can they be the one church of Chrift, who are so far from owning him their fole head, as to remove their allegiance from him to a fellow mortal, and to obey that mortal even in oppofition to Chrift? Yet this must be the cafe in all thofe inftances, where the pope's decrees are obeyed, though contrary to the mind of Christ. To what purpofe therefore can it be for papifts to prove the unity of Chrift's church from fuch texts as that of Eph. IV. 5. where the apostle affures us, that there is but one Lord, and one faith; when it is plain that they fet up another Lord befides Chrift, and another faith, contrary to that which

he

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 fhould be: yet the church of Rome cannot be this one church, while fhe renounces allegiance to Chrift the head, and obeys another head, in many things which are quite contrary to Chrift's do&trine.

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 apostle, 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 impofes 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 fhe 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 schifmatics, who are the causes, the neceffary causes, 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, notwithftanding the inferiority of fome members, and the fuperiority of others; and even notwithstanding fome weakneffes and defects in fome of the members, which the reft 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 the 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 fhe to catholicism? Next to holding Chrift the head, the unity of the chriftian church confifts in 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

.

There is, I fay, no need to compare numbers for deciding which is the catholic church. And therefore it is to no manner of purpose, that the author of The Grounds of catholic doctrine 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 represented 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 through the world: nor is it any where promised, that it fhall 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 gospel 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 fometimes been fuffered to prevail almost to the extinguishing the light of it.

By thofe corruptions they have effectually proved themselves not to be that holy church, which

* See the preface to this effay.

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 absolutions by mortal men, and even by men under the the power of mortal fin themselves; the dependence of the efficacy of the facraments upon the pricft'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 chriftian 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 holy church; efpecially with the one, holy, catholic, and apoftolic church. And these 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 pœnitentia: 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 priefts are the minifters of abfolution; let him be accurfed.