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at whofe feet the great St. Paul boasts his edu cation. Out of many, I will felect, from the Acts of the Apoftles, but one other negative proof in this matter. In ch. ix, we have the story of Cornelius, who though a Gentile, was- A devout K man, and one that feared God, with all his houfe; which gave much alms to the people, ⚫ and prayed to God alway.' To this man, this Gentile,(unluckily for our thirteenth article) an angel declared Thy prayers, and thine alms " are come up for a memorial before God,' commanded him to fend for (not go to) St. Peter, who was at Joppa, and added- He fhall tell thee what thou oughteft to do.' Peter himfelf was prepared for this extraordinary business by a vifion, and a dictating fpirit: his entry into the house of Cornelius, was in the presence of their feveral friends collected for the purpose; before whom Cornelius related his vision, and then called upon Peter Now therefore are we all here prefent before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.' Peter, upon this, related the life, death, and refurrection of Jefus ; adding- And he commanded us to preach unto

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the people, and to teftify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick

and dead. To him gave all the prophets wit

nefs, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him, fhall receive remiffion of fins.' Here instead of refting the matter upon the Jewish prophecies,

phecies, was a fair and proper opportunity for declaring, that the power of remitting fins was actually vested in him two feveral times, by Jefus himfelf; once fingly, before his death; and once conjunctively (with nine other) after his refurrection. And here, if he poffeffed fuch a power, a proper opportunity offered, in which the exereife of it became even neceffary: but we find nothing related that has the leaft tendency that way: we are told, that Peter perceiving the Holy Ghost had fallen upon all men (meaning the Gentiles) that heard the word, ordered them to be baptized in the name of the Lord; and fo ends the affair. If there was any remiffion of fins in this cafe; it was given by God himself, and manifefted by the operation of the Holy Ghoft, previous to their baptifm; as a reward for their belief that Jefus was his Son, &c. I have, in this fhort enquiry, fhewn the weak foundation upon which the Ca tholic church erected a fabric, large, convenient, and profitable; but weak, and dark: ftrong ignorance propt the firft of thefe defects; and the laft was helped by glimmering fuperftition. But when- Great Erafmus drove thofe holy Van

dals' from the fhrine: down came this delufive manfion, and the abominations committed in its darkest cells; were, in open day, expofed to the aftonished multitude. The Proteftant compilers appear to have hung up the fign of this Catholic manfion houfe, but for what purpose, I know not $

not; whatever they may wish to fell; certain it is, in this age, there are no buyers. And I hope their wishes for a revival of the godly difcipline of pennance, with which they have prefaced the anti-christian, Jewish, commination fervice, will ever be as ineffectual, and unavailing. The faid commination is an unwife, as well as unchriftian ceremony; contradictory to the command of Je« fus: Judge not, left ye be judged.' Those who commit the crimes therein particularized; may, with propriety, be pronounced finners; but that they should be curfed by their friends and neighbours, wives and children: confifts, I affirm, neither with duty, humility, or charity; whatever the prophet David beareth- witnefs,' to the contrary. The writings of that Jew; though denominated a prophet, and, notwithstanding the enor mity of his crimes, the man after God's own heart,' fill up too much of our church fervice. The feverity with which he curfes his enemies: his representations of God's fwearing in his wrath: calling upon him-Up Lord, why fleepest thou? And then defcribing him- So the Lord awaked

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as one out of fleep, and like a giant refreshed ' with wine;' are but indifferent, or rather, are bad leffons for a Chriftian congregation in the prefent age. Even the least exceptionable of his works used as a guide, often involves the inattentive Chriftian in abfurdity; frequently leads him to prefumption, and fometimes to untruths: if

this is the cafe, Why are they not abolished? In the first age of Christianity; fhewing respect to the memory of this favorite hero, king, and prophet; might be good policy, as influencing the Jews to converfion: but in the last twelve hun. dred years, I believe, not twelve inftances of that kind peradventure can be found: even if you add thereto all the influence of racks, swords, and fire, which have been often moft cruelly tried upon them by the teachers of mercy. In the prefent age, wherein thefe horrid practices are abolished, and in which the ingenuity of our induftrious divines has been employed to prove, the divine legation of Mofes the coincidence of Ifaiah's prophecy the harmony of the gospels, &c, &c.-These children, far removed beyond the third and fourth generation, are still as averse to believing that Jefus was the Meffiah promifed, as their fathers were and this circumftance, with its effect, is denominated by our divines, a ftanding miracle, If they can prove it fuch, they must prove it a very cruel one. But, however that may be; we are now convinced that the Christian politeness fhewn in the retention of this leven, hath not, in many ages, produced a converfion, or even a imilar compliance in the Jews; and what is worfe, we perceive that it has fermented, uncharitablenefs, injuftice, and cruelty, in the hearts of thou fands, their own defcendants. Proofs of this may be adduced, not only from the actions of the ig22

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norant commonalty; but from the conduct and writings of their most learned and popular teachers even when they were oppreffed by their Pagan niasters, and were earnestly recommending toleration, charity, and mercy, they were fo ftrongly worked by this leven that they could not fupprefs the pleafure they felt in the idea of a complete revenge in another world. The exultation of Tertullian in this way, is fhocking to humanity: David's cixth Pfalm, is unequal to it; and whether Ernulphus, with all his labour, hath exceeded it, let the priests of Baal determine: We find, and are not furprised at it, that when thefe kind of Chriftians-by pious frauds, practifed upon the weak, and by collufions, practifed with the wicked-had obtained fufficient power; they delayed not their revenge, for the amusements of another life, but pursued it with avidity in this. All their former precepts were forgotten, and they blindly followed this infatiate and undistinguishing fury, through feas of blood. Having excluded the far greater part of mankind from mercy hereafter, no wonder they thewed them none here; and the Pagans who efcaped, were not at all furprized at the maffacre: but what was their aftonishment, when they beheld these enlightened, these elect reformers, turning their bloody weapons against each other: fome forcing, and others refufing alternately, dogmas which neither understood. Five hundred

years

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