177 fater having mention'd the Prophefies concerning the Rejection, Sufferings, and Death of the Meffias you make no difficulty to fay, pag. 99. that before the Coming of Chrift the Jews understood thofe Texts as we do to be certainly meant of the Meffias and no other. But fince that Time they have forced themselves to put the most strain'd and contradictory Meanings upon them.

There then you attributed the Infidelity of the Jews to the Perverfnefs of their Difpofition, and co the most affected and culpable Ignorance that can be: fuch as came from their forcing themselves tà put the most strain'd and contradictory Meanings upon the Texts rightly understood by their own Forefathers. But here you impute it not to their Malice as before, but to the great Deference they had for their Church. And pray, Sr, what gave you this new Light, but the good Inclination you have to catch at any colourable Pretence to run down the Church's Authority, and condemn our Submission to her Judgment as a Source of Seduction? Whereas Chrift has establish'd her Authority in the plaineft and strongest Terms. First by a pofitive Promife, that be will be with her to the End of the World. Math. 28, .10. 2dly, by this unalterable Maxim, viz, he that bears you hears me, and he that defpifes you defpifes me, Luke 10. v. 16. and 3ly, by declaring that he who will not hear the Church shall be reputed as a Heathen and a Publican, Math. 18. v. 17.

G. But were not the Jewish People alfo obliged to receive the Law from the Mouth of the Priest? And did not Christ himself command them to do as they were bid by the Scribes and Pharifees, because they fat in the Chair of Mofes? Yet their blind Obedience to them was the Occafion of their Ruine. And this is the Cafe of the Church of Rome.

L. Sr, it is certain the Jews were bound to obey

the Authority of their Church in every Thing, wherein there was not uncontestable Evidence against it. But no Authority upon Earth can oblige any Man to a Thing, that is evidently unlawful. Now this was the Cafe in Relation to Chrift and the Jewish Church. There appear'd in his facred Perfon all the Marks of the true Meffias foretold by the ancient Prophets even as understood by their own Forefathers. Particularly thofe relating to the Time, Place, and Manner of his Birth; the Holineß of his Life; the Purity of his heavenly Doctrine, The Death he was to fuffer through the Malice of his own People, and above all the ftupendious Miracles wrought by him: The Evidence whereof was fo ftrong, that it could not be contefted but by the blacket Malice. Here then there was an uncontestable Evidence of the Truth of his Doctrine, and by Confequence of the Unlawfulness of Obeying that Authority, which condemn'd it. And till you can produce an Evidence as uncontestable as this against the Church of Rome, a Parallel between her and the Jewish Church (which is the Thing you drive at) is all Froth and Nonfenfe. But whenever you produce an Evidence against her equal to this, I promife to become your Profelite.

As for Inftance, when you can shew me a Refor mer of the Faith profefs'd by the Church of Rome, that has been plainly foretold by the ancient Prophets or Apostles under the Character of a Person fent by God that has given Sight to the Blind, Speech to the Dumb, Hearing to the Deaf, Health to the Sick, and Life to the Dead in Teftimony of the Truth of his Doctrine, and by Confequence of the Falsehood of the Doctrine taught by the Church of Rome, .I affure you, Sr, I will renounce that Church to embrace the Reformation. Because no Authority

upon Earth can oblige me to believe any Thing, that has fuch uncontestable Evidence against it. But fince the very Reverse of all this is manifeftly true, I tell you once more that your Comparing the Danger of our Submiffion to the Church of Rome with that of the Jewish People to the Synagogue is as Nonfenfical, as it is Malicious.

In a Word, the Difference between the Synago gue and the Church establish'd by Chrift, that is, the Church in Communion with the Succeffor of St Peter, is manifeft to any one, that will but open his Eyes to fee it. For whereas Chrift has promifed that the Spirit of Truth shall abide for ever with his Church, Joh. 14, . 16. And that he will be with it even unto the End of the World. Math. 28. v. 20. No fuch Promife was ever made to the Jewish Church; on the Contrary her Apoftacy at the Coming of the Meffias, was mani, eftly foretold.

G. My Lord, it is perfectly Begging the Quef- « tion of the Jews to fuppofe that Chrift was the « Meffias. For that they deny, and bid us prove it. « That is the whole Question between them and us. « pag.45.46. c

L. Under Favour, Sr, Proving is not Begging the Question, and we prove it with the utmoft Evi dence from their own Prophets as explain'd by their own Interpreters, and all verified in the Perfon of J. Christ.

G. My Lord, the Jews anfwer all this by the « Authority of the Church; which said, have any of the « Balers or Pharifees believed in him? But this People, « the knoweth not the Law is curfed. Joh. 7. V.34. And « they aid that Chrift work'd his Miracles by Beelzebub, « Math. 12. V. 24. And who was to be the Judge in « this Cafe, the People or the Church? Upon the Foot « of the Authority of the Church is was impoffible at «

» that Time for any Man to be a Chriftian. And there"fore of all Men Chriftians have the leaft Reason to infift upon this. pag. 46.

L. What, Sr, have Chriftians of all Men in the World the leaft Reason to infift upon the Authority of the Church establish'd by Chrift himself! This would found well in the Mouth of an Independent; but if this be the Doctrine of your Church, I pray God to preferve me from ever being a Member of it. I am fure St Paul preach'd no fuch Doctrine. On the contrary in his Epistle to the Hebrews he takes Care to inf truct them in the important Leffon of Submission to their fpiritual Guides. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and fubmit yourselves. Heb. 13. V. 17. And furely when Chrift said, he that will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican, he did not intend her Authority should either ftand for a Cypher, or be a fource of Seduction to those, who should pay a Submission to it.

You fay the Scribes and Pharifees infifted upon the Authority of their Church. I anfwer they might have lawfully done it: if there had not been uncontestable Evidence against it and therefore Roman Catholicks have a full Right to infift upon the Authority of their Church, till the like manifeft and uncontestable Evidence be produced against it by Proteftants: which is the very Thing we have always moft earnestly demanded ever fince the pretended Reformation, but never could obtain.

You add, that the Rulers or Pharisees attributed Chrift's Miracles to Beelzebub, and ask, who was to be the Judge in this Cafe, the People or the Church? I anfwer, neither the one nor the other. For Chrift was! then the only infallible Judge, and his Works gave! Teftimony that his Commiffion was from God, and could not be queftion'd but by fuch as were rotten

1

181 at Heart, poifon'd with Malice, and refolved not to yield to the Truth. I heartily wish it may not be the Cafe of many at this Time.

As to their Attributing Chrift's Miracles to Beelzebub, I answer, this was the most flagrant Instance of the Corruption of their Hearts, and of the most confummate Malice reduced to it's very laft Shift. Nay Chrift himfelf calls it Blafphemy against the Holy Ghost. That is, Denying the manifeft Truth, and Shutting their Eyes against the cleareft Light. In Effect this Proceeding was as exorbitantly irrational, as if they had attributed all the wonderful Works of God to the Operations of Satan.

Laftly you tell me me, it was impoffible at that Time for any to become a Chriftian upon the Foot of the Autho rity of the Church. To which I anfwer briefly as before, viz, that the Authority of the Jewish Church was not to be regarded, or obey'd, when it commanded the Rejection of our Saviour; because there was unconteftable Evidence against the Lawfulness of it: as a Child is not bound to obey his Father, if he commands him to commit Murder: nay he is bound not to obey him.

But I prefume, that all you have now faid is only to prepare me to relish your darling Doctrine of private Judgment in Oppofition to Church Authority.

G.

M

I. 33.

Of private Fudgment.

Y Lord, private Judgment is all we have « for the Belief of a God, and of Chrift, and by your own Conceffion for the Choice of a « Church. And then we may well truft to it in fmal- « der Matters. In short, we must trust to it in every ce