themfelves gods. All fins fhall be forgiven but the fin against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, neither in this world or the world to come. They alfo take upon themfelves the authority and power to forgive one another their fins, which no man can, being another mark of infallibility, which encourages finners to commit the moft enormous wickednef's with impunity and without remorfe.

Mof. Thefe are heavy charges, and the very crimes we brought against Chrift, your Meffiah, and condemned him to the most ignominious death, and we would be happy if joining you in the fame caufe to exterminate his whole race, which, as we have obferved, has reigned near 1800 years, and are as numerous as ever, and hitherto have been an overmatch for both of us, and, in fhort, for all the world, who join in one general hatred against Roman Catholics, for their infolence and boast of Chrift, under whose banner and authority they fight and act. You have made choice of a ftrong fortress in allowing the Jewish religion infallibility, which is the divine quality promiled to our covenant.

Luth. & Calv. But to the fecond, the plenitude of all grace, to which the old muft give place.

Mof. This our prophecies affirm, and which we are in daily expectation to embrace, when our old will be fwallowed up in the new, to our eternal happinefs and never-ending joy, which will dry up our tears, and bring in everlafting righteoufnefs, when we fhall know,

no

no error, as we fhall be (as our fcriptures affure us) all taught of God. This will be true infallibility.

Luth. & Calv. The fecond covenant, and plenitude of grace, and everlasting happiness, (as our old fcripture promifes) was at the appointed time (according to the prophet Daniel) confirmed and established by Jefus Chrift, our Meffiah, with his church, which was the expectation of us Gentiles; fo that your farther expectation is rendered abortive, unless you become chriftian.

Mof. According to Almighty God's promife our fecond covenant will neither be liable to error or change, being to be ruled, kept and taught by himself perpetually for ever, as it will be an everlafting covenant. These are not the properties or qualities of the chriftian co

venant,

Luth. & Calv. Ah, the pope has forwarded our ruin, and has made an itreparable gap which has reduced our covenant to a proverb and by-word, as your's, this day.

Mof. The Jewish covenant is infallible; this you grant without exception.

The chriftian covenant is infallible; this, you fay, is blafphemy..

Chrift, the founder, commiffioned his apoftles and church this infallibility, which is confirmed by his gofpels, the epiftles of his apoftles, and his church, from her firft establishment to this day. I will repeat a few matters to confirm what I have advanced, and carry your charge of blafphemy against the present

christian

chriftian church, up to its fource and head, and fhew that the blafphemy you accuse and ftigmatize his church with, is by his exprefs commandment, and practifed by his church in its primitive and infant ftate.

First, the primacy of the pope. I fay to thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou halt bind upon earth fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall be loofed in heaven. These are the words of a God, according to yourselves. How then can any chriftian dare cenfure, or call in question, this infallibility, granted by their God to his Vicegerent, by his exprefs appointment? Nay, he confirms the aforefaid commiffion and authority to Peter, after his refurrection, with thefe words, Feed my fheep, &c.

Luth, & Calv. Thefe are the words of Chrift, which all christendom acknowledge, that fettle and confirm Peter Chrift's vicar, or governor, of his church; neither can we fuppofe that this primacy, or chief bifhopric, ceafed with Peter; for, according to the priesthood of the firft covenant, Aaron was appointed prince of the priesthood; and at his death a fucceffor was appointed. So in the fecond covenant Peter is conftituted, and the primacy and chair established; but the fcriptures do not mention, as we have it in your fcripture, the fucceffion of your priesthood, until it was tranflated into the fecond, as our fcripture af

firms, that Caiphas was your high-prieft, when Chrift was crucified, and our Lord confirms the authority of fucceffion when he orders obedience to be paid to the chair of Mofes, but not to copy their lives; fo that, though their doctrine were divine, themselves were fallible. The infallibility of the pope is the cause of great contention betwixt proteftants and catholics. We wish to have a right understanding in this matter that has divided all chriftendom, and rent the feamlefs garment of Chrift, which was a type of unity and univerfal love and order throughout his church, (otherwise how can he be termed Prince of Peace) and appointed a primate to maintain this bleffing and uniformity without a head, confufion must take place. This we are eye-witneffes to in our reformation, which, if we may ufe the expreffion, is fhattered into a thousand religions and daily fprouting

out new ones.

Mof. We will firft fearch out and confider the article of infallibility which proteftants rail and exclaim against. The pope, fay they, is feated in Peter's chair and proclaims himfelf God, and allows no fuperior. I have examined the decrees and decifions of the general councils, writings of their doctors, and other bigotted papifts, catechifims, particularly that ordered by the council of Trent. I have confidered and compared them through every age and period of the church, from Peter to the prefent pope, and cannot find one God amongst 236 popes. Many of this number laid down their lives for Jefus Chrift, neither of them ever

at

attempted to add, alter, or diminish the catholic faith they received from their predeceffors; they have on all emergencies followed the example of Peter, when any invaders have attempted to bring in herefies, or in the fmallest pretenfions to alter the faith, or introduce novelties, by fummoning a council to canvass the matter, and if neceffary call a general council to decide according to the faith and difcipline of the church. This is the rule Chrift delivered, when he faid, if a brother offend, reprimand him; if he continues obftinate, apply to the church, and if he will not obey the church, let him be as a heathen and publican.

This we fee put in practice by the apoftles, who called the first council in the Chriftian church, to be an example to their fucceffors to the end of the world. I will give it to you in brief, Acts 15. The Jews that became Christians contended, that it was neceffary for the heathen converts to follow the law of Mofes, which Paul and others oppofed; they immediately applied to Peter, and other apoft les and elders to give fentence on the matter; they accordingly called a council, who pronounced the following fentence: It has feemed good to the Holy Ghoft, and to us, to lay no farther burden upon you than thefe neceffary things, that you abstain from things facrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things ftrangled, and from fornication, from which things keeping yourselves, you fhall do well.

The