without faith, truths clearly written in the word of God; whence we conclude, that out of the true faith no persons can be found who lead moral good lives so as to be in the sight of God justified.

But may not invincible ignorance excuse many from the guilt of heresy and schism, who are engaged in it through mere mistake and a wrong education, and are in no capacity of undeceiving themselves?

I answer, That if any such there are among sectaries who are absolutely idiots, who scarce have sense or education enough to know there are any other pastors or church but their own, and pretend not to pass their judgment at all upon other religions for want of capacity to do it, and indeed are in no capacity of knowing anything about religion but what their own pastor pleases to teach them, having no learning to examine into such matters; such by their invincible ignorance may escape the guilt of heresy or schism; because their infidelity is purely negative, and God will not impute it to those who have it not in their power to avoid it. Now whether such invincible ignorance is to be found in these parts of the world, where the true Church is ever visible, I leave others to determine; certain it is, that gentlemen and gentlewomen who have had a liberal education, as also tradesmen and others who are in a capacity of being better informed, and who know well enough where that spiritual authority is to which they owe their subjection, are not comprehended in this case, and it is much to be feared that the true reason they are not actually in the communion of the true Church is, because they are not actually in it even in voto, in heart and desire, which all must allow to be the indispensable

obligations of all that hope for salvation. But in reality the dispute betwixt us and Latitudinarian Protestants is not whether some few persons, in some rare accidental circumstances of invincible ignorance, incapacity, or want of means to be instructed, may be excusable; but whether heresy and schism, considered in their own nature, are sins which destroy salvation? We affirm they do, and so does the word of God too.

Latitudinarian Protestants reply once more, That certainly all are excusable who think in their conscience they are in the right way.

But this is directly contrary to the written word of God, where we are taught that there is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the ends thereof are the ways of death. (Prov. xiv. 12). Then every one who thinks in his conscience that he is in the right way to heaven is not so indeed. The time cometh (said our Saviour to his disciples), that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doeth God service. (John xvi. 2.) Those who persecuted the apostles, and put them and the primitive Christians to death for teaching the faith of Christ, thought in their conscience that they did God good service by it: yet I suppose no Protestant will say they were excusable from sin. Then all are not excusable who think in their conscience they do right. Before it can be proved that what people call their conscience excuses them from sin when they act contrary to their duty and obligations, it must first be proved that pride, obstinacy, selfinterest, and passion, have no influence in forming men's opinions and persuasions, which they in other words, call their conscience; for it is evident that such a conscience springs from vice, and is therefore sinful; and consequently, instead of

excusing those who act according to it, is itself punishable and liable to correction.

But, after all, is it not a great want of charity in Catholics to say that no one can be saved out of the true faith?

To this I answer, in the words of a learned divine (the Author of the Catholic Answer to Mr. Barret's Sermon), "That it is no want of charity at all. For, in the first place, what we say of this matter, we say not from ourselves but from the word of God. True charity consisteth in loving God above all things, and our neighbour, whether friend or enemy, as ourselves. But to true charity it never did nor ever will belong to find, either for ourselves or others, more than one way to heaven. And the reason is, because men have not authority to allow people salvation just as they please, but only according to the terms which God most justly requires of us all to be saved. For God, though he be charity itself (1 John iv. 16), does not promise us his kingdom otherwise than upon certain conditions. Now one of these conditions is, That we hold the true faith which Christ and the apostles taught, and hear and obey the true Church. "He that believeth not shall be damned." Mark xvi. 16. "If he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." Matt. xviii. 17. In like manner, we declare openly that people cannot be saved without baptism, nor without keeping the commandments; and if infidels and wicked men take this ill of us, we cannot help it. Nay, to teach them this truth is the effect of charity, not the want of it. Supposing I and another person were crossing the sea in different ships, and I knew that the other person's vessel, being faulty and rotten, would certainly be cast away, would it

not be true kindness in me to admonish and convince him that he was in the utmost danger of being lost, and advise him to change his ship? though, perhaps, he might take it ill of me at first that I should pretend my ship to be better than his. True charity flatters not, nor does it invent new ways to heaven, but does all that it can to help all thither, according to the old way, the only way. On which account it admonishes, proves, and endeavours to convince all people of the mistakes and errors in which they are engaged. And it is

plain to the world that this is what the priests and preachers of the Catholic Church have continually done, even to the loss of their blood and their lives. How then can any one accuse us of the want of charity, when our Saviour in the Gospel has declared that, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John xv. 13.

We do, therefore, most humbly beg and conjure all Protestants to believe that it is not the want of good-will to them, but the abundance of evidence, which forces us to declare this necessary truth, that unless they hold the true faith which Christ and the apostles taught, and hear and obey the true Church, vain is their hope of salvation.

CONCLUSION.

I SHALL conclude with setting down to Protestants some marks or notes taken from the written word, by which they may yet further convince themselves that they are not in the true Church of Christ.

1. ONE. In the one Church of Christ from the beginning there was but one faith, as the Apostle witnesses. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephes. iv. 5.) But the reformed Church of

Protestants does not hold one and the same faith; affirming that to be true faith in one country which it denies in another; Lutherans holding the real presence in Germany, which Sacramentarians, who are as good Protestants as they, deny in Switzerland; Calvinists rejecting Episcopacy, which the true Church of England maintains; the Church of England disputing the validity of lay baptism, at the same time nine parts of ten of all the Protestants in the world must defend lay baptism to be valid or themselves to be unbaptized. Then it is plain to a demonstration, that the Reformed Church, whose members are all divided in faith and who seem to agree in no one point so much as in the very principle of division, which is that of referring controversies to the private judgment of contending parties; it is, I say, from hence evident that the reformed Church of Protestants cannot be the Church of Christ, in which we are fully assured by the written word of God there was but one faith. And, indeed, considering that the faith was planted by the apostles who were inspired by the Holy Ghost, it was not possible there could be any more than one.

2. HOLY. The Church of Christ is a Holy Church, so the written word of God teaches: that Christ gave himself for it: that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Eph. v. 25, 26, 27. For, indeed, what was the Church instituted for, but to teach us to be holy and to give to God his due honour? Now, sanctity may either appear in the doctrine of the Church or in the lives of the faithful; and both these ways it