Petavius, the Bishop of Meaux told me, difcourf ing with him once on this Subject, that in the laft Edition he made of his Works, he retracted this opinion, which I am willing to believe upon the Authority of that great Man, whofe admirable Talents as well as particular Favours challenge a great deal of refpect and efteem from me, which I fhall always pay him, tho' he is an Adverfary to the Religion I profefs. By this judge what pitiful Shifts your great Goliahs have been reduced to, when they have found themselves oppreft by the weight of Truth. Chrift's being confubftantial with the Father was believ'd long before the Council of Nice; 'twas no new Doctrine invented by them, but only declared by them, to be and to have been the belief of the Church. You have hinted at the great Advantages of the Doctrine of Infallibility in order to the fuppreffing of Schifms and Herefies, but they are only fo in fpeculation. Your Church it felf does not think it fufficient for that purpofe; or else she is very uncharitable to make use of the feverer method of an Inquifition, and upon all occafions to call for the affiftance of the temporal Sword, as the fureft means to fupprefs them. No, he that is difpofed in mind to receive the decifions of any Church as infallible without judging of them, is much likelier to fall into Herefy, than he who thinks all fuch Determinations must be examined by Scripture and primitive Antiquity; fince by this privilege the Pope and his Faction challenge, of interpreting God's Laws without Error, 'tis eafy for them to impofe what they please, the power of making Laws and the fole Power of interpreting them being much akin. You add one thing more, that no Proteftant can deny but that the State of the Church would be much better in being fecured from Error in her Decifions, and therefore we can not not think but that Chrift who did all things well, would do that which is beft for his Church. I think it is much fafer arguing the contrary way, that Christ has not established any fuch Power, and that therefore it is not beft for the State of the Church. The Ground of your affertion is too prefumptuous, that what feems fit to human Reafon, fhould feem fit to the infallible Judgment of God. 'Tis our Duty to be thankful for those means God has left us to work out our Salvation; and not to conclude he hath done that which he hath not done, because our fhallow Capacities judge it fit to be done. But what art thou, O Man, that objectest against God! Chrift has left us fuch excellent Precepts of Modefty, Humility, Patience, Chriftian Forbearance, and Charity, that the practice of them would make us much fooner agree than any new method you can propofe; at least if we do not agree, they will inspire us with such a noble temper, as heartily to compaffionate one another, to live amicably and friendly together, and not be pulling out one anothers Eyes, becaufe we do not fee things the fame way. This is that in which I would have always different Parties zealous, for there is nothing wanting very often to extinguifh ill will, but an opportunity for Men to converfe lovingly together, by which they will quickly perceive they are not fuch Monfters, as they are reprefented to one another at a distance. This I endeavour, according to my weakness, to practice my felf; this I inculcate into all my Friends; that if we cannot agree in our Opinions, yet to take care that they do not rob us of our Charity and Love of one another, which in the fight of God is of great price. You You fee, what a long Letter you have drawn upon your felf; it would have been disrespectful to you, as well as to Truth, to have neglected an Anfwer, and therefore I don't think my felf oblig'd to make any Apology. Tho' if you had known how much I have been furfeited with Controverfies upon a melancholy Occafion, you would accept of this fmall attempt as a favour. I am, SIR, Your Faithful Humble Servant. Florence, 26. R. NELSON. FINI S. APPENDIX. PAP. I. Mr. Herbert Thorndike's Judgment of the Church of Rome, as it was deliver'd by him in a Paper to a Lady a little before his Death, taken from the printed Copy in the 85th page of a Book intituled, Several Conferences between a Romith Priest, a Fanatick Chaplain, and a Divine of the Church of England, &c. London, printed 1679. I. THE THE truth of the Chriftian Religion and of the Scripture is prefuppofed to the Being of a Church. And therefore cannot depend upon the Authority of it.. 2. The Church of Rome maintains the Decrees of the prefent Church to be infallible, which is falfe, and yet concerns the Salvation of all that believe it. Therefore no Man can fubmit to the Authority of it. 3. The Church of Rome in St. Ferom's time, did not make void the Baptifm of those Sects which did not baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But that Baptifm is void, and true Baptifm neceffary to Salvation. Therefore the Church of Rome may err in matters of Salvation. 4. The Church of Rome may err in Schifm, following the wrong caufe. If you except only things neceffary to Salvation to be believed. This fhews, that Infallibility only in things neceffary to Salvation is not enough. It is deftructive to Salvation to follow the wrong Caufe in Schifm. Inftance. The Schifm with the Greek Church for Appeals to Rome. For there is evident Tradition to the contrary. 5. The Church of Rome enjoyns Apocryphal Scriptures to be esteemed Canonical Scriptures. But this Injunction is contrary to Tradition and Truth, and concerns the Salvation of all that receive it. 6. The Church of Rome in St. Ferom's time did not receive the Epiftle to the Hebrews for Canonical Scripture, as now it doth, and as in truth it is. Therefore the Church of Rome may err in declaring the Authority of Scripture. 7. The Church of Rome doth err in teaching that attrition is turn'd into contrition by fubmitting to the Power of the Keys; But this Error is deftructive to the Salvation of all that believe it. Therefore it may err in matters neceflàry to Sal vation. That it is an Error. Because of the condition of Remiffion of Sins, which is before the |