they that turn from iniquity in Jacob, they may have title to this covenant; if not, they must forbear, and leave it to the Jews after their conversion; to whom it is appropriated by a more infallible interpreter than the pope; I mean St. Paul. (Rom. xi. 26.) And it seems, the church of Rome also believes as much; for otherwise, why does she, in the margin of her Bible send us to that place of St. Paul, for an exposition.

Read the fourth place, and you shall find nothing can be made of it but this: that the watchmen of Jerusalem shall never cease importuning God for the sending of the Messias. To this purpose speaks the prophet in ver. 1. "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness:" and the gentiles shall see thy righteousness." But the words following these that are objected, make it most evident, which are, Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth."

The fifth place had they set down entirely, for very shame they could not have urged it for the infallibility of the Roman church. The words are, "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers; but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts,

and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people; and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord." And now I have transcribed the place, I think it superfluous to make any other answer.

The same answer, and no other, will I make also to the sixth place. The words are, "Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for my holy name's sake: (ver. 22.) I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. (ver. 24.) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you. (ver. 25.) A new heart also will I give you. (ver. 26.) And I will put my Spirit in you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. (ver. 27.) And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers: I will also save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And the desolate land shall be tilled. (ver, 34.) And they shall say, This land that was desolate, is become like the garden of Eden."

The seventh place also carries its answer in its forehead: "Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone; and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them

all," &c. to the end of the chapter.

In all which place he that can find a syllable of the church of Rome, must have better eyes than I have.

The next (eighth) place would be very pregnant for the church of Rome, if of courtesy we would grant, that whatsoever is promised to Israel is intended to them; as you may see in the place at large, from ver. 17 to the end of the chapter.

The ninth and last place, out of the Canticles, had it been urged by a protestant, it would have been thought a sufficient answer to have said, that mystical texts are not fit to argue upon. But if this will not serve, then we answer, 1. That there is no mention nor intimation of the church of Rome. 2. That it proves either too much, or nothing at all; that is, that the Roman church is impeccable, as well as infallible; unless we will say, that errors only are spots, and impieties

are not.

Out of the New Testament they allege these Texts.

Matt. xvi. 18. church, and the against it."

66

Upon this rock will I build my gates of hell shall not prevail

But this is said of the catholic, not of the Roman church; nor can it ever be proved, that the church in communion with the see of Rome, is the catholic church. Secondly, It says something for the perpetuity of the church, but not for the infallibility of it; unless you will take for granted what can never be proved, that a church that

teaches any erroneous doctrine, is a church no longer; which is all one as if you should say, A man that has the stone, or gout, or any other disease, is not a man.

They urge Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.

"And I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world."

And here also if we will grant, 1. That by you, is meant you and only you of the church of Rome. 2. That our Saviour has here obliged himself to assist, not only sufficienter, but also irresistibiliter; not only to preserve in the church a light of sufficient direction, as he provided a star for the wise men, and a pillar of fire, and a cloud for the conduct of the Israelites; but also compel, or at least necessitate, them to follow it. 3. That he will be with them, not only to keep them from all damnable and destructive errors, but absolutely from all erroneous doctrines: If these things, I say, were granted, some good might be done: but certainly these are μεγάλα λίαν αιτήματα, too great favours to be looked for by strangers. And yet if all this be granted, we should run into this inconvenience on the other side; that if the promise be absolute, not only the whole church of Rome; not only a general council; not the pope alone; but every bishop, every priest, every one, who is sent by Christ to baptize and preach the gospel, might claim this assistance by virtue of Christ's words, and consequently infallibility.

They urge Matt. xviii. 17.

"If he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican."

But

And here again the church must be the church of Rome, or we are as far to seek as ever. what if by it be meant (which is most evident out of the place) every particular church of Christians, whereunto any one Christian, injured by another, may address himself for remedy. Certainly whosoever reads the place without prejudice, I am confident, that he shall not deny, but that the sense of the words is, that if any Christian injure another, and being first admonished of it by him in private; then by him before two or three witnesses; lastly, by the church he lives in; and yet, still proceeds on obstinately in doing injury to his brother, he is to be esteemed as a heathen or a publican: and then if infallibility may be concluded, what a multitude of infallible churches shall we have!

They urge Matt. xviii. 20.

"Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

But this also either shoots short, or over; either proves nothing, or too much: either it proves not the infallibility of the whole church, or it proves the infallibility of every part of it: either not the infallibility of general councils, or the infallibility of particular councils; for there two or three at least are assembled in Christ's name. But then,