» 24, V. 21. But when he was dead, all their Hope » was gone. They expected no Redemption from » him. This was far from a Chriftian Faith: and could there be a Christian Church without this Faith: » pag. 61.

L. This, Sr, is imputing the perfonal Defect of' one or two to the whole Society; which is not only falfe Reasoning, but great Injuftice alfo. For the Text you have quoted, and on which you lay fo great a Strefs, fpeaks only of the two Difciples of Emaus, who were neither the whole Church, nor the principal Members of it: and fo it might have subfifted, tho they had quite faln off from our Saviour; which yet is not true. For they continued to love him, as is plain from their Difcourfing of him, and being fad for what had happen'd to him; as alfo from his appearing to them to comfort them. 'Tis true, they knew not that Chrift was to effect the Redemption of Ifrael by that very Means, which feem'd to hinder the Effecting of it, to wit, his Death. For they imagined he would have effected it during his Life; and being difappointed of that Hope, they were at a Lofs what to think of it. But there is a great Deal of Difference betwixt a form'd Judgment against a Thing, and a Doubt or Uncertainty about it by Realon of it's Obfcurity; as there is likewise betwixt their abfolutely Defpairing, and their being between Hope and Defpair in the Trouble of their Mind for the Death of our Saviour, and Disappointment of their prefent Hope. Which is the utmost import of the foremention'd Words.

» G. However, My Lord, to avoid the Force of this Objection and fecure the Promife of Indefectibility to the Church fome of your Authors of greatest Name have faid that the Church was then preferved in the Virgin Mary and thence infer

223 that the Catholick Church may be preferved in one « Woman as it was then. And fo it may be again in «< the Time of Antichrift and the great Defection « foretold before the fecond Coming of Chrift, when « Faith shall not be found upon Earth; that is, very « Bardly: when it may be confined to one Laick, or Woman, or a baptiz'd Infant. As Bannez (Com. in « 2.2. Q. in Art. 10. dub. 1.) and others of your e Doctors allow. They are no lefs Men thah Alenfis « the Author of the Gloß upon the Decretals. Lyra, « Octham, Aliaco, Panormitan, Turrecremata, Peter « de Monte, St Antoninus, Cufanus, Clemangis, Jaco- « batius, J. Fr. Picus, &c. and to fave Repetition, « your Lordship will find their Books and Words « quoted in a fmall Treatife entitled, the incurable « Scepticism of the Church of Rome printed here Ann. « 1688. p. 22. &c. I name this little Tract, because « is short, and will give your Lordship no great « Trouble and proceeds upon the fame Argument « I have undertaken with your Lordship instead of « the particular Points in Difpute betwixt the Church « of Rome and us as Invocation of Saints, Purgatory, « c. to go at once to the Bottom of the Caufe, «

се

and examine the Ground and Foundation of Faith « as taught by the Church of Rome: which is shew'd, « I think, to a Demonftration to be wholly preca- ce rious, and uncertain; and that there is no greater « Difference and Confufion among any Sort of « Men upon any Subject whatsoever, than there « is among the Divines of the Church of Rome con- « cerning her Rule of Faith, and Infallible Judge of « Controversy. And every one of the different O- « pinions about it is in flat Contradiction to all the others. So that if any one of them be true, « all the rest must be falfe. Yet they all pretend « to believe with divine Faith, and think it necef- ce

fary in this Cafe, because it is the Foundation of » their Faith.

"Now if according to thefe learned Doctors the » whole Church fail'd upon our Saviour's Death, then the Gates of Hell did prevail for a Time. And » if the Virgin Mary were exempted, that would not do much as to the standing of the Church. But » have they any Revelation to ground divine Faith upon? Or upon what Grounds do they believe that the Virgin Mary knew the Scriptures, or the Refurrection of Christ more than the Apostles, and was not under the fame Defpondency as they were? This feems to be that Sword; which Simeon told her should Pierce through her own Soul alfo. Luke 2. .35. pag. 62. 63. 62.63.

ΟΙ

L. Sr, you have here impannell'd a jury of 12. Catholick Divines against me, who (as you tell me) maintain, that at the Death of Chrift the Church was preferved in the Virgin Mary, and may, for ought they knew, be reduced to a fingle Woman, or Laick, or baptiz'd Infant before the second Coming of Christ. But I doubt very much, whether those Divines ever maintain'd either of thefe Opinions; and a very good Reason of my Doubt is, the little Credit, that is to be given to your Voucher, the Author of the incurable Scepticism, which you magnify into a Demonftrative Piece against us; whereas it proves but one Thing to a Demonstration, to wit, that the Author of it is a notorious Mifreprefenter and Falfifier of our Divines. For the Truth whereof I refer you to the Appendix of the true Church of Chrift shew'd, &c. from pag. 455. to pag. 476. where you will find enough to convince you how little your unanswerable Author is to be depended upon in his Quotations.

But fuppofe thofe Divines had really taught what

is imputed to them by that Author relating to the Points in Question, I have no Obligation to follow them in particular Opinions, which appear contrary both to Reason and clear Facts. You tell me, that to avoid the Force of your Objection they said the Church was at the Death of Chrift, preferved in the Virgin Mary. They allow then that it was preferved, contrary to your Opinion. But I fee no Manner of Neceffity of their being reduced to that Answer: because there were others enough befides the bleffed Virgin to uphold the Church. For, to say nothing of the many Samaritans, who believed in Christ, Joh. 4. Y. 39. or of many of the Multitude, who alfo believed in him, Joh. 7. V. 31. what do you find in Scripture against Lazarus, the blind Man of the Temple, Jofeph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Zacheus, St Mary Magdalene, and other pious Women? Is it credible that Lazarus could fo foon doubt of that Power, which but a few Days before had raised him out of the Grave; or that he was lefs devoted to Chrift after that ftupendious Miracle wrought in Favour of him than before? What Reafon can you invent to fufpect the blind Man, who stood up fo boldly in Defence of him against the whole Jewish Council at a Time, when they were refolved to make an Example of any that should declare for him? For if he ftood up fo couragiously for our Saviour, before he did him the fpecial Favour to reveal his Divinity to him, how much more firm must he have been to him after that? Nay fo far was our Saviour from being forfaken by all at his Death, that there were fome, who stuck to him then more openly than ever. Jofeph of Arimathea, who before was but his Difciple in private for Fear of the Jews, was now bare-faced for him, and went boldly to beg his Body, which he and Nicodemus embalm'd, wrapt up Ff.

§. 38. in clean Linnen, and laid in a Virgin-tomb, venturing every Thing to give him an honourable Burial. St Mary Magdalene and other holy Women were remarkable for their Devotion to him not only before but after his Death: witness their standing by him, whilst he hung on the Crofs; their Mourning at his Sepulchre; their Preparing their Perfumes the Evening of the Saboth; their going early the next Morning to embalm his Body, and their other pious Offices, which were the Effects of their Faith in him. All these, I think are Proofs enough that the Church was far either from Failing, or being reduced to a fingle Perfon at the Death of Chrift. And that she will not fail before his fecond Coming I have fully proved already. First, from this plain Promife of Chrift, that he will be with her even unto the End of the World. Math. 28 . 20. and Chrift cannot be with a Church, that has no Being. So that when the World Ends, then indeed the Church will End, and not before. 2dly, because the Church will be perfecuted by Antichrift; and she cannot be perfecuted, unless she has a visible Being. 3ly, because the Elect will not be feduced by him; and furely the Elect will not diffemble their Faith, but profefs it openly. 4ly, because Enoch and Eliah will appear vi fibly upon Earth, and maintain the true Faith againft the wicked Antichrift; and sly, because the Jews will be converted, and brought into the Fold of Chrift not long before the End of the World; and thefe will not be converted by invisible Paftors, but by Men openly Profeffing and Preaching the true Faith of Chrift. And is all this confiftent with your faying and Repeating it fo often as you do, that there will be no Faith upon Earth at Chrift's fecond Coming?

But, to return to the chief point under Debate, you are not content to treat the Church as