Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/140

 the following doctrines, viz.: extreme unction, purgatory*, trananbetaa- tintion, acrifice of the mass, worship of the host, commtmion in one kind, &c. Now the testimony of popish writers can be brought to show that they are eto doctr/a. They are, therefore, Aeres/e, daring �additions to, or detractions from the word of God. And are not thee glaring facts against the church which teaches such doctrines ? Is abe the pure spouse of Christ ? Thus the gates of hell, both of/'ej and mortd'/, as above, have prevailed against the Church of Rome. Con- sequently her infallibility has no foundation. Finally, as the promise, in the text under consideration, does not hinder the church universal from being more or less deftled by sin, o neither from being deformed by error. And the mot our Saytour meant to promise was, that neither should totally abolish, though, through the faults of men, both should greatly pollute it. (2.) But they argue farther: "If a man neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican," Matt. xviii, 17. That is, say they, "If he who will not hear the church is counted as a heathen, and if God will ratify in heaven her judgment on earth, the church cannot err in any matter belonng to faith, because it is impossible that God should approve her error in any* matter of faith, or require tm under this penalty to hear her." Only let any one read the two foregoing verse and he will find that this whole parerage re- fers to private quarrel8 between members of the same church or con- gregation. For it is a case in which one brother s/as against another, or offends another. The case is not one which concerns doctrines or the principles of morality, but is a matter of offence. In the process here laid down, there are the following plain steps :2.1," Go and re- prove him alone."If this does not succeed, then, Take one or two more." But if hc neglect to hear them, then, 3. "Tell it to the church ;"that is, to the particular congregation or church to which they both belonged, or to the persons having charge of such congregation. Now it cannot be the universal church that is here spoken of, became such a process in reference to her would be impossible. Nor can it be the universal church met in council, nor even the Church of Rome in council, that is here intended. for, I. No such councils existed for the first three centuries, the first council being held in the time of Constantine, in the year 325. 2. The church must always be assem- bled in such a council, because doubtless theta are, and will be almay,s, persons thus offending against their Christian brethren. And, 3. Then every private member must be obliged, at what distance soever he be tm it, to travel to this council, and lay his grievance before them. Therefore, as these things are atmurd, there is nothing in the above passage about disobeying the Catholic Church concerning a dsputed doctrine, but about slighting the admonition of a part/erda,' church concerning a known sin; and particular churches are allowed to be fallible. (3.) Again, it is said that Christ promised infallibility to his church in the following words: "Lo I am with you alway, even to the end of the world," Matt. xxviii, 20. True, Christ will not only be with the governors of his church, but also with its members, by the influence of his Spirit, to.the end mmlM ot  s!l  time. Yet this does not imply that every, infallible. In regard to true Christians, he I *

�