niftration, declares, that "Thofe who are called Dea"cons, give to every one that is preient of the confecrated Bread and Wine, as Christ commanded."

And the third Age is yet more exprefs, for Tertullian, fpeaking of a Chriftian Woman married to an Infidel, faith, (a) " Of whofe Cup fhall fhe participate?" So St. Cyprian, difcourfing of fuch as in Time of Perfecution had revolted from the Truth, and thereupon were barr'd from the Communion, defires, that upon their Repentance they may be admitted; for which he gives this Reafon, (b)" How fhall we fit them to drink of the Cup of Martyrdom, if before, we admit them "not, by Right of Communion, to drink of the Lord's "Cup in the Church.

In the fourth Age, St. Ambrofe, fpeaking of the Sacrament, faith, (c)" Thou drinkeft the Similitude

of his precious Blood." And Nazianzen, fpeaking of his Sifter Gorgonia, faith, " If her Hand had laid up any "Portion of the Types or Tokens of the precious Body, or of the Blood:" Meaning Part of the confecrated Bread and Wine, which plainly proves, that they then esteem'd it to be only a Figure of Chrift's Body and Blood Sacramental; as well as that the People, in those Days, communicated in both Kinds.

As to the Number of Sacraments.

(d) The prefent Roman Church curfes all that will not own, that there are, truly and properly, leven Sacraments of the new Law, inftituted by our Lord Jelus Chrift, and neceffary to Salvation. Now, this is more

(a) Tertul. Lib. 2. Cap. 6. (b) Cyp. Epif. 54. Tom. 1. (c) Amb. de Sacram. Lib.4. Cap.4. (d) Bull of Pius 4th, Anno 1564.

(a)" Every Word of God is pure, faith the Wifeft of "Men: Add thou not unto his Words left he reprove thee, and thou be found a Liar.

(b) "If any Man fhall add unto these Things, God "fhall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this "Book: And if any Man shall take away from the Words "ot the Book of this Prophefy, God fhall take away his "Part out of the Book of Lite, and out of the holy City, and from the Things which are written in this "Book."

How then shall we fay to these Men? or what Manner of Men are they? and how is it we are to call them, which equal their Doctrines, Injunctions, Precepts, and Traditions to the Word of God? Now, that this is the Cafe of thofe of the Religion of the prefent Church of Rome, will be evident to any from thefe Teftimonies.

For of their Doctrine, fay the Rhemists, (c)" What"foever the lawful Apoftles, Paftors, or Priefts of God's Church, preach in the Unity of the fame Church (meaning the new Church of Rome) is to be taken for "God's own Word." To the fame Purpose, but more blafphemously fpeaketh Stapleton, "(d) As the Jews were to

believe Chrift, fo are we fimply, and in every Thing "to believe the Church (of Rome) whether it teacheth "Truth, or Errors.

(e) "Whatsoever by the Authority of the Church is commanded, ought of all Men to be esteemed as the very Gofpel, faith Abbot Trithemius." Of Popifh Precepts (f)" He that defpifeth the Churches "or her lawful Paftors Precepts, c. And of their Traditions; (g) "He that refuseth Ecclefiaftical Tradi. "tion, deferveth to be thrown out of the Church among the Heathen, as well as he which refuseth the Gospel,

(a) Prov. 30, 5, 6. (b) Rev. 22. 18, 19. (c) Teft. Rhem. An. 1 Theff. 2. 12. (d) Staple. a Evang. in Luke 10. 16. p. 528. (e) Tract de propriet. Monarch. Cap. 4. (f) Test. Rhem. An, í Thess 4.8. (g) Stella in Luk. 10. fol.20.

faith

faith Didacus Stella. (a) "With like Affection of God"linefs and Reverence embrace we and worship the "Books of the Old and New Teftament, and Eccle"fiaftical Traditions, faith the righteous Council of

Trent.

Nay, what is horrible to think, in Support of these blafphemous Tenets, the Papifts are neceffitated to vilify, and fcornfully and contemptuously to reject the Word of God. Thus Pope Leo the Tenth termed the Holy Gospel, (b) "A Fable of Chrift." The Holy Scriptures they call, (c) A dumb Judge, a black Gofpel, Inken Divini

"

ty; " and do alledge," (d) That if the Scriptures "were not fupported by the Authority of the Church, "they were of no more Value than fop's Fables; that, the (e)" Permiffion of People to read the Bible, 66 was the Invention of the Devil."

The Popish Trent Conventicle, curfes all fuch as receive not the Books of Maccabees, Ecclefiafticus, Judith, Tobit, &c. for canonical Scripture. But the Proteftants retain the fame Canon of the Old Teftament, which the Apostles held, and received from the Jews, because that (f)" Unto "them were committed theOracles of God. (g) He fhew"eth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and his Judg"ments unto Ifrael; he hath not dealt fo with any Na"tion." Now, the Jews never received thefe Books which we term Apocryphal into their Canon, as Fofephus (h) witneffeth. Nay, Chrift himself divides the Canon into three feveral Ranks, that is to fay, (i) the Law, the Prophets, and the Pfalms; and the Apocryphal come not within this reckoning

Our prefent Romanifts rob the People of half the Communion, by their denying the Cup to the Laity, which is exprefly against the Inftitution of our Saviour, who fays, (k) "Drink ye all of it.”

(a) Confil. Trident. Seff. 4. (b) Apol. Steph. Fol. 358. (c) Pighius de Hier. Ecclef. (d) Eccius Chemnitii exam. des. Can. p. 47. (e) Peres de tradit, affert. 3. (f) Rom. 3.2. (g) Pfalm 147. 19, 20. (h) Cont. Apionem. (1) Luke 24.44. (k) Matth.26.27.

Our

Our prefent Romanifts order their Prayers in a Tongue, that the People do not understand: but St. Paul bears Witness against them, faying, (a) "If I pray in an "unknown Tongue, my Spirit prayeth, but my Understanding is unfruitful: What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the Underftanding alfo."

Our prefent Romanists prescribe Adoration due to Images. What fays the Scripture to that? (b) "Thou "fhalt not make to thy felf any graven Image, thou "fhalt not bow down to it, or worship it, &c." And again, (c)" Take ye therefore good heed unto your felves "left ye corrupt your felves, by making the Similitude "of any Figure to worship it." &c.

Nay, St. Paul condemned Images, as the lowest Degree of Folly, and the bafest Degeneracy that human Nature can fall into; (d) « Profeffing themselves to be "wife they become fools: And changed the Glory of "the uncorruptible God, into an Image made like to

corruptible Man. And changed the Truth of God into "a Lye, and worshiped and ferved the Creature more than "the Creator, who is bleffed for ever.

The prefent Romanifts tell us of Merit, nay, of Works of Supererogation, wherein a Man does not only compleatly and acceptably discharge his Duty, but lays an Obligation on Heaven, and brings the Almighty in his Debt, which he can transfer to the Advantage of another Man's Soul. Now, What fays our Saviour to this Doctrine? (e) " When we have done all, we are but unprofitable Servants."

St. Paul taught the ancient Romans, that (f) " Our E"lection is of God's free Grace." Notex Operibus pravifis, of Works foreseen.

He taught, that (g) "Eternal Life is the Gift of God." And therefore not due to the Merit of Works. (h) That

14. 14, 15. (b) Exod. 20.4, 5. (c) Deut. (d) Rom. 1. 23, 25. (e) Luke 17. 10. (g) Rom. 3. 28. (h) Rom. 8. 18.

(f) Rom. 9. 11.

the

the good Works of the Faithful, nay, even their great Sufferings are not worthy to be compared to the Glory, hereafter to be revealed, nor fuch as can deferve Heaven; the Sufferings there intended, being Martyrdoms, fanctifyed by Grace.

He taught, that (a)" Concupifcence is a Sin, even in the Regenerate." And (b)Paffovine, a late Jefuit, confeffeth, that St. Paul called it fo, but faith he, "We may "not call it fo.

He taught, that (c) " the imputed Righteoufness of "Chrift, is that only, which makes us juft before God.

Thus taught St. Paul, thus the ancient Romans, as well as the Proteftants now believed. From this Faith our latter Romanists are departed. Now, let any impartial Man judge, whether it be likely that St. Paul, handling very exactly all the chief Branches of Chriftian Doctrine, fhou'd nevertheleís, tho' he wrote at large to the Roman Church, not once mention fuch main Points, as the Pope's Primacy, and Monarchical Jurifdiction, for deciding all Controverfies, Tranfubftantiation, Prayers for the Dead, Image-Worship, c. if that Church had been the fame that now it is. But if, as it is moft plain, those Points were no Articles of Faith in the ancient Roman Church, (d) "When their Faith was fpoken of, through" out the whole World," then they cannot be Articles of Faith at this Day, but only Additions to the Rule of Faith, fuch as the Corruptions of the Times have patched up, and pieced it withal: For it is a ruled Cafe in the Schools; and, Aquinas confirms it, That the Body of Religion may grow in respect of farther Explanations, but cannot increase in fubftantial Points, as a Child, tho he grows in Stature, hath no more Limbs when he becomes a Man, than when he was a Child; fo the Church hath no more Parts or Articles of Faith, in her riper Age, than he had

(a) Rom.7.8, 10. (c) Rom.4.9, 17, 23.

(b) Poff in apparat. Verbo Patris. (d) Rom. 1. 8.