were her principal Champions. Both of them refuted the corrupt Interpretation of the Donatifts, and both explain'd our Saviour's Words in a Sense oppofite to yours. So that your Saying, that the State of the Church at the fecond Coming of Chrift is reprefented by the 7000. who had not bow'd to Baal, is Beg ging the Question. For you confidently fuppofe that your Interpretation of our Saviour's Words, tho contradictory to the Senfe of the ancient Fathers, ftands good: which will never be granted. And fo your Flourish upon Eliah's not knowing the small Number of true Believers, and his imagining himself to be alone, might have been spared. In Effect, all you can prove from it is, that as the Church of God was in the Days of Eliah almoft utterly ruined in Ifrael, fo it may at other Times fail in any other particular Nation: Which no Man ever doubted of, fince there are but too many deplorable Examples of it. But this is no Argument to prove, that the true Faith will ever be fo hid, and fupprefs'd throughout the whole World, that they, who have a defire to embrace it will not know where to find it. Neither was this the Condition of the Church in the Days of Eliah. For tho it was oppreffed to a very great Degree, and almoft utterly extirpated in Ifrael it flourish'd at that very Time as much as ever in the Kingdom of Juda under the pious Fofaphat, who was contemporary with Eliah. But this you did not think fit to mention because you knew it would fpoil your fine Flourish to all Intents and Purposes. If you have any Thing more to say, praylet us have it.

"G. The State of the Church before the second Coming of Chrift. will be like to that before the Flood reprefented by the Ark. Wherein few, that tis, eight Souls were faved. And as the Corruption

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of the old World was great, we may fuppofe « the Corruption to be greater before the second « Coming of Chrift, as the destruction by Fire is more «‹ terrible than that by Water. However fuch a ge- « neral Corruption is here foretold, as will in no Ways confift with the leaft Sort of that Visibility, «e which the Church of Rome requires, as a Mark of « the true Church, and to continue with her for ever. « pag. 44. "

L. Sr, you are ftill Begging the Question, and building upon your former modeft Suppofition, that your Interpretation of St Luke is preferable to that of the Ancient Fathers: which, I make bold to deny and shall always do, till you either convince me that the Donatifts, who have taught you your Leffon, were no Hereticks; or that the Interpretation of Hereticks is to be preferr'd before that of the Orthodox Fathers of the Church.

'Tis true indeed the World will be very corrupt before the Second Coming of Chrift; and 'tis of this great Abundance of wicked and Scarcity of good Men our Saviour's Words of St Luke may be understood according to St Austin. But the Wheat and Tares, that is, the Good and Wicked are to grow together in the fame Field [the Church] and this Field will be very Visible even until the Harveft: when both the good and Wicked will be confumed by Fire: which spoils in fome Measure your witty Reflexion upon the Difference between the two Elements of Fire and Water.

But pray, Sr, do's not Chrift tell us that the last terrible Perfecution of Antichrift will be shorten'd for the Sake of the Elect? Now I prefume the Elect will not diffemble their Faith, but profefs it openly: and if they profess it openly, will not the Church be Visible in their Perfons? Will not Enoch and Eliah appear visibly upon Earth to maintain the true Faith

against the wicked Antichrift? Finally, do's not the Word of God expressly tell us, that the Jews will be converted, and brought into the fold of Chrift's Church before the End of the World? And how then can it be true, that Faith will not be found upon Earth at his fecond Coming? For furely the Jews will not be converted by invisible Paftors, but by Men openly Profeffing and Preaching the Faith of Chrift. All which are fufficient Proofs to convince any Man, that the Church of Christ will be Visible to the End of the World, and that Faith will be found upon Earth at our Saviour's fecond Coming.

» G. But, My Lord, allowing now that there will be a visible Church in those Days, then that » Church, at least the Generality, which is the Vi » fibility, will fall from the Faith, elfe it will be vifibly to the found upon Earth. And then Men will 2 be misled by the Church, and those Marks of Vifibility, which the Church of Rome gives her; in like Manner as they were mifled by the Church be »fore, when she commanded them to reject the » Meffias. He came unto his own, the Church of the » Jews, the only vifible Church then upon Earth, » but she received him not. Joh. 1. V. 11. For she was » corrupt and blinded under the Mask of Pharifai»cal Sanctity, and ftrict Obedience of the Law, even the Tithing of Mint, Anice, and Cummin: she was zealous in the outward Obfervances, but neglected the weightier Matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faith, Math. 23. V. 23. And fo may be at the fecond Coming of Chrift, as it was » at the First: for there is no more Promife of In39 fallibility to the one State of the Church than to the other. pag. 44. 45.

» it

L. What, Sr! May it be fo at the fecond Coming of Chrift in Spite of his pofitive Promise made to

the Chriftian Church, that he will be with her to the End of the World! Math. 28. v. 20. This alone, Sr, is an unanswerable Proof that the visible Church at that Time will not fall from the Faith, but that Faith will then be visibly found upon Earth, and that by Confequence Men will not then be misled by the Church's Visibility.

However I must here beg the Favour of you to explain to me the dark Riddle you have juft now proposed, viz. that allowing a visible Church in thofe Days, yet that Church will then fall from the Faith. St, if you mean that Church, which will be model'd by Antichrift, who in all Probability will be the laft Reformer in the World, there is no Doubt but his Church will be both visible, and wholly void of Faith. But I think you and I have been hitherto Difputing concerning the true Church of Chrift: and the Quef tion between us is precifely this, viz. whether this true Church of Chrift will be visible in those Days? Now Allowing (as you do) this Church to be visible in thofe Days, I should be glad to know how it can at the fame Time be the true Church of Chrift, and 4 Church faln from the Faith, nay and Misleading People by it's Visibility? This I confefs appears to me to be a Contradiction not easy to be reconciled.`

But the Words you conclude with, are very Surprizing; viz. that there is no more Promife of Infallibi lity to the one State of the Church than to the other. That is, to the Church of Christ, than to the Jewish Synagogue. For furely, Sr, you can never flatter your felf, that any Man in his Senfes will believe this unless you first convince him that God made a Promife to the Synagogue, that the Gates of Hell should never prevail against it. Math. 16. v. 18. and that he would be with it all Days even unto the End of the World. Math. 28. 4. 20. Nay, on the contrary, the Fall of

the fewish Church is clearly foretold in the Old Tef

tament.

» G. And in the New Testament, that Chrift at his » fecond Coming should not find Faith upon Earth. » pag. 45.

L. Sr, the Donatifts with their Proteftant Brethren may find this in the New Teftament, but the ancient Fathers could find no fuch Thing; whereas they all clearly faw the Prophefies foretelling the Apoftacy of the Jews.

§. 320

The Difference between the Synagogue, and the Church of Chrift.

G.

M

Y Lord, the fews did not understand the Prophefies against themselves. They said, that the Church was the only Interpreter of Scriptures, and she must take the Law from the Mouth of her Priests. And the Church did interpret these Scriptures otherwise than Chrift did. pag. 45•

L.

ADVERTISEMENT.

To thefe last Words of the Gentleman his Lordship in the former converfation is fo weak as to answer, that Chrift being come he was then the Church, and the Gentleman refutes him in a very serious Manner. Which trifling Stuff is here omitted.

1. SRaid

R, as to what you tell me, viz. that the Jews did not understand the Prophefies against them felves, I must make bold to put you in Mind of what you said in your Christianity demonstrated where

after