defire to know what is Nonsense, if this be not? viz. that the pretended Machine of Popes being infallible Guides to Heaven would be broke, if they were not permitted to carry as many as they please to the Devil without Reproof or Molestation.

But let us fee, what Justice you have done either to Bellarmin, or Gratian's Canon-law, which you mifcall the Pope's. As to Bellarmin, the plain Meaning of his Propofition is this. That if an infallible Perjon (as he maintains the Pope to be) should teach the most impious Errors, we should be bound to follow him: which mad Suppofition together with it's Con fequence as ridiculous as itself do's no Manner of Harm, unless you can shew, that Bellarmin was fo mad as to hold it poffible that an infallible Perfon can teach the most grofs and impious Errors. All therefore that Bellarmin teaches is, that an abfurd Confequence would follow from an abfurd Suppofition,~~ which is certainly true as it is true to say, that if a Man were a Horfe, he would not have a rational Soul. And if I should maintain this conditional Propofizion, would it be fair to charge me with Holding, that a Man has not a rational Soul?.

2.

As to Gratian's Canon-law, befides that he is an Author of little or no Credit amongst us, you have very much mifrepresented his Words; if Coining one Part, and Clipping another may properly be call'd, Mifreprefenting. For you make it begin thus. If the Pope were fo wicked as to carry with him, &c. Whereas the true Tranflation of it is as follows; If the Pope being neglectful of his own Salvation and that of his Breshren, be found unprofitable, and remiß in his Duty; nay and moreover is filent when he ought to speak; which is a greater Mifchief both to himself and his whole Flock: nevertheleß draws with him, &c.

Now, Sr, there is a Difference between this and

284 your Saying, if the Pope were fo wicked as to carry with him, c. For this imports no lefs than a deliberate Defign to damn whole Multitudes: in which Chimerical Cafe no Man furely is fo mad as to fay he might not justly be refifted. Whereas the true Words of the pretended Canon import no fuch Thing, but only a Neglect of his own and Neighbour's Salvation a Remifneß in his Duty, and a criminal Silence, which may occafion the Lofs of many Souls; in which Case it fays, he cannot be proceeded against Judicially. For the Word redarguere can bear no other Meaning, as is plain from the Reason immediately added to it, viz. because he is Judge of all, and himself to be Fudg by none, However you thought fit to omit the Exception immediately following, viz. unleß he be found Swerving from the Faith, Which is Clipping a material Part of the Text: and the Reason why you. ftifled it is plain, because it utterly overthrows what you chiefly charge us with, viz, that the Pope is free to damn as many as he pleafes, Nay Bellarmin the most zealous of all Catholick Writers for the Pope teaches expressly, that he ought to be oppofed by Force of Arms if he endeavours to destroy the Church. De Conc. Auth. C. 19. L. 2.

ADVERTISEMENT.

It is plain from the Gentleman's last Words that be Suppofes the Pope's Infallibility to be a Part of our Faith. And bis Lordship Saying nothing in Contradiction to it in the Gentleman's Cafe ftated; he go's on as follows, under the fame Miftake.

Nn a

§. 48.

The Subject of Church-Authority, and private Judg ment refumed.

» G. Mlieve the Pope fuch an Infallible Guide. And

Lord, I must have fome Reason to be

» I cannot be more fure of it, than of the Truth of that Reafon, upon which I believe it. So that all recurs upon my own Reafon ftill. And if my Reason » mifleads me in this, it is the moft fatal Delufion, » because it stops all Methods of Recovery, when I have once given to another the Dominion of my Faith. pag. 87.

L. Sr, you run upon a falfe Suppofition. For you take it for granted, that the Pope's Infallibility is an Article of our Faith, which I never have allow'd of: and therefore your Arguing against it is but Beating the Air. However fince your Argument ftrikes equally at the Infallibility of the Church, or indeed at any Article of reveal'd Religion, I shall give myself the Trouble to answer it.

You fay, we cannot be more fure of any Thing, than we are of the Truth of that Reason, upon which we believe it. Whence you conclude, that all recurs upon our own Reafon ftill. I anfwer as before, that fince all Faith is rational, I believe nothing without a folid Reason to build my Faith upon. But the Word Reafon is equivocal. Because it may be taken for any Motive or Inducement, for which I affent to the Truth of any Thing, whether that Motive or Inducement be humane or Divine. Thus if any one asks me why, or for what Reason I believe the Blessed Trinity? I may anfwer him, because God has reveal'd it. If he asks me again, why, or for what Reafon I believe, that God

has reveal'd it? I may answer him, because the Church, which all the Motives of Credibility convince me to be the Pillar and Ground of Truth, has declared it to be a reveal'd Truth. And if you will needs call this Recurring to my own Reafon in Matters of Faith, you may do as you please; for I cannot hinder you from Trifling with Words: Tho I should rather call it Submitting my Reafon, when it acts no other Part than to oblige me to believe a Thing, which I neither do, nor can comprehend.

However it follows hence that every Man's own Reafon fuffices to convince him, that he cannot ra tionally doubt of any Mystery of Faith: because it is not rational to doubt of a Thing, when we have a moral Evidence or Certainty of the Revelation of it. For furely our Reason cannot mislead us in this: Nor need we fear the fatal Delufion, you speak of, in Trufting the Dominion over our Faith with that Church, which the strongest Motives of Credibility mark out to us to be the true Church of Chrift, with which all Truth is depofited; and which he has promifed to lead into all Truth unto the End of the World. G. My Lord, the Apostles difclaim'd this Domi- « nion. For when they exhorted the Churches, they « faid, not that we have Dominion over your Faith, but s are Helpers of your Joy: for by Faith ye ftand, that is, « by your own Faith. 2. Cor.1. V. 23. And if we, or an ce Angel from Heaven preach any other Gofpel unto you; « let him be accurfed, Gal. 1. v. 8. Did not this make « them Judges, whether any new Gospel or Doctrine « were preach'd to them? And our Saviour bid them « ftick to their own Judgment, and faid unto them, « Tea and why even of yourselves Judge ye not what is ce right? Luke 12. V. 57. And if I do not the Works of « my Father believe me not, Joh. 10. v. 37. Was not c this Appealing to their Judgment, whether he did «

6.48. a the Works of his Father or not? And as many as follow'd their own Judgment, they believed in him, But they who were tied up implicity to the Authority of the Church, rejected him. They faid, bavi » any of the Rulers, or the Pharifees believed in him? But this People, who knoweth not the Law are curfed, Joh. 7. v. 49. pag. 87.88.

L. I have already told you, and I repeat it again, that no Authority upon Earth is to be obey'd, when it has uncontestable Evidence against it; such as the Miracles of Chrift were against the Authority of the Jewish Synagogue. So that the People who follow'd Chrift, Judged indeed by the Light of their own na tural Reafon affifted by Grace, that the Miracles, they had feen with their own Eyes were an unconteftable Proof of the Truth of his Doctrine, and that therefore no Authority upon Earth could oblige them to reject him. But when they had once form'd that Judgment, then they believed every Thing he taught with an implicit Faith according to the Direction infinuated to them in the Words you have quoted from Joh. 10. viz. that, if he did the Works of his Father (as was manifeft both to their Reason and Senfes) then they were bound to believe him. Which was not Appealing from his own Infallibility to their private Judgment, as you have the Boldness to affirm, but teaching them their Duty of an entire Submiffion to his Doctrine.

As to your first Quotation from St Paul 2. Cor. 1. . 23. Surely, Sr, you will not renounce your Reafon fo far as to fuppofe St Paul meant, that he had no Power, or Authority from God to oblige the Corinthians to believe the Doctrine he had taught them, or that he fubmitted it to their private Judgment; and gave them full Liberty to examine, change, or reform it as they pleased. And if this be not your