the Pillar and the Support of Truth, against which the Gates of Hell fhall not prevail; if She is the Judge, appointed by Christ, in all DiSputes of Religion, which she has always thought it both her Duty and her Right to decide, in feventeen Centuries; that is, if the Creed, the Scripture, and univerfal Tradition is true; She is not. I answer, fecondly. This Objection, I fear, will not be of much Credit to our Adverfaries. For (without reflecting upon them) it is the common Cry of all Hereticks, who ever were in Christendom. We have long and large Catalogues of beretical Sects, as well in the History and Councils of the Church, as in the Writings of Theodoret, of S. Auguftin, of S. Epiphanius, of Tertullian, and of S. Irenæus. But there was never any beretical Sect, which did not accufe the Catholick Church of coining new Articles of Faith, and of obliging all Men to believe them. And as our Adverfaries accuje the Council of Trent on this Head; fo did the Eutychians as freely accufe the Council of Calcedon; the Neftorians, that of Ephefus; the Macedonians, that of Conftantinople; and the Arians, that of Nicea. For as it is effentially neceffary for all Schifmaticks, to accufe the Catholick Church of caufal Schifm; fo it is effentially neceffary for all Herefies, which either are, or ever will be in the World, to accufe the Catholick Church of coining new Articles of Faith, and obliging all Men to believe them. Why? Becaufe Schifmaticks are certainly Offenders, unlefs the Catholick Church be guilty of their Schifm. And And Hereticks have no Claim to Christianity, unlefs they pretend to the Faith first deliver'd to the Saints. 15. I must therefore beg leave to say, because it is undeniably true, that all Hereticks and Schif maticks, who ever were in Christendom, have accus'd the Catholick Church of UNCHARITABLENESS. All Schifmaticks have proclaim'd her uncharitable, by being the Caufe of their Schifm. All Hereticks have proclaim'd her uncharitable, by coining new Articles of Faith, and obliging all Men to believe them. A Confideration, which ought to make our Adverfaries more backward in renewing the Charge. For Hereticks and Schifmaticks are bad Precedents. And S. Auguftin makes it a Question, Whether is in the more dangerous Condition, a most vicious Catholick, or a Perfon who is guilty of Herefy only? 16. The Subject, which is treated in the following Papers, is of a large Extent. And it feem'd, that I could neither dispatch it in fewer Words, nor fet it in a clearer Light, than by the Familiar Method of QUESTIONS and ANSWERS. But I hope the Reader will be fo kind both to himself and me, as to bear the Question constantly (16) Utrum autem Catholicum peffimis moribus, alicui Hæretico in cujus vita præter id quod Hæreticus eft, non inveniunt homines quod reprehendant, præponere debeamus, non audeo precipitare Sententiam. Lib. iv. de Bapt. Cap. xx. conftantly in Mind, as long as he is reading the P June 28. Anno 1727, ERRAT A. AGE 12, line 5, read equally. p. 24, 1. 3, r. he can ftand, that he can live. p. 34, L. 28, by fuch, r. fuch. p. 42, 1. 28, and, r. or. p. 86, 1. 17, r. invincibly. 1. 19. r. by an. p.90, l. 7, r. whither. p. 91, 1. 7, r. to come. P. 97, 1.8, r. Questions. 1. 15, r. than. I. 17, other, r. their. p. 106, 1. ult. has, r. have. p. 117, 1. penult. in the World, r. in the whole. p: 126, 1. antepen. Communion, r. the diftinctive Articles of her Communion. p. 133, 1. 26, we, r. which we. p. 134, l. 10, r. with whom. 1. 11, blot out with. p. 136, 1. 29, r. v. 15. But. p. 141, 1.1, r. S. Mat. xviii. p. 144,1. 3,is, r. is diverting himself, and fighting. p. 155, l. 20, г. Regard, of. p. 161, L 7, r. a- gainft the. p. 74, 1. ult. fince thefe, r. fince few or none of thefe. p. 216, 1. 10, r. and Pope. p.236, l. 15, r. Bishop. p. 253. 1. 7,r. Iconoclasts. p. 262, 1. 24, if, r, of. p. 281, 1. to, P. 5, 1. 3, r. obtinuit. p. 17, l. 1, Q. iv, r. 2. vi. p. 33, 1. 4 r. fubjicere. 1.7, r. E. Pour. p. 95, l. i, r. infuper. 1.3, r. ex- orta. p. 107, 1. 3, r. Juventutem. p. 108, 1. 2, r. Reliquiis. p. 109, 1. 8, r. Ogfodžia. p. 115, L. 4, r. ixi, Non. p. 116, 1. 12, r. Donatiftas quæftio. p. 222, 1. 4. r. orbe. p. 224, 1. ult. r. 1710 E. p. 229, 1.11, fubditis, r. Jubjectis. p. 268, 1. 6, г. . Leffer Faults I hope the Reader will pardon; As when Verbs and Adverbs begin with great Letters. So he will find Apo. ftacy p. xviii, 157, 213, 260. 261, for Apoftafy; Complement p. 140, for Compliment. Dioclesian p. 64, 68, for Diocletian, Prifcilianifts p. 64, 282, for Prifcillianifts. Anaftatius p. 224, for Anaftasius. Appollonius p. 268, for Apollonius. ufeing p. 74, for using. Biafs p. 75, 183, for Bias. coppy p. 113, for copy. Corpere and litteris, p. 116, 117, for Corpore and lite- ris &c. p. 204, I quote modern Controverfy as mine; because Is this general Rule of Catholick Faith, that none are Is not this general Rule, that none are fav'd out of the Catholick Communion, very uncharitable, if it be un- derftood of a Church in one Communion only?p.34 Is not this the Word of Faith, that if you shall con fefs with your Mouth the Lord Jefus, and fhall believe in Do we not read,Whoever believes, that Jefus is Christ, God, and works Righteousness, is acceptable to him. A&s x. v. 34, 35? And lastly, that whoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, foall be fav'd. Rom. x. v. 13. Does not the Scripure fay, or fuppofe, that of all Cannot a Man be fav'd at prefent, if he be in Communion with the Apostles, and with the Ca- tholick Church of the three first Ages? P. 70 Invincible Neceffity and invincible Ignorance,are Can a Perfon be fav'd, who dies, by invincible Ne- Cannot a Perfon, who is out of the Catholick Church, have a faving Faith, in any Communion of Chriftians, who believe the Trinity and the Incar |