can it afford the leaft matter of wonder, if no regard is paid to the complaints, or rather the railing accufations of fuch as under fair shews and pretences have manifeftly evil will at Sion; and while they profefs themselves to be actuated by the Spirit of liberty, appear to be really poffeffed with the Dæmon of licentiousness. I profess I fee not what we can do for, or with these determined enemies of our holy faith except praying, in the spirit of fervent charity, that God would be pleased "to bring them into the way of truth." The Spirit Speaketh expressly, fays St. Paul, that in the latter times fome fhall depart from the faith, giving heed to feducing Spirits, and doctrines of devils. This paffage cannot poffibly be confidered as a dead letter; and therefore it infinitely concerns ALL perfons

diligently to try and examine themselves, " in order to their moral affurance that it does not in any sense or degree touch THEIR fpiritual ftate. In general however, under a conviction that we are ourselves in the good and the right way, it will be our duty, as Mem

bers of the Church to wifh, and as Chriftians to pray, that God would "have mercy

upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Here"tics; that he would take from them all

ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt "of his word; and fo fetch them home to "his flock, that they may be faved among "the remnant of the true Ifraelites, and be "made one fold under one Shepherd, Jefus "Chrift our Lord."

ANNOTATION S.

Page 2. (a) or misconstrued.] Controversy in general may be faid to fubfift in a great measure by the pliancy of compofition. Chriftopher Davenport, a Franciscan, in a paraphrase, or expofition of the thirty-nine articles, makes them all capable of a Roman-Catholic sense; and Raynardus, a Roman likewife, by a perverfe interpretation, converts every article of the Apoftolic Creed into herefy or blafphemy. The defign of the latter is obvious enough. I do not recollect to whom I am indebted for these particulars. In like manner Dr. Waterland acquaints us, that Francifcus, abbot of St. Clare, contrived to reconcile our thirty-nine articles to the doctrine of the Council of Trent, "by "dint of great dexterity, and most amazing subtilty," as the learned Doctor expreffes it.

66

With refpect to religious questions, the Romanifts, in derifion of the principles and pretenfions of Proteftants,

T 2

rent in

the

Proteftants, and by way of proof of the neceffity of ecclesiastical interposition, have all along called the Scriptures mortuum atramentum, " dumb judges," &c. and affimilate the fame to a "nofe of wax," to represent their fufceptibleness of any fenfe it may fuit us to put upon them; though at the fame time none more than themselves endeavour to make advantage of their verfatility. This is appamany inftances; e. g. in their constructions of those texts by which they pretend to prove doctrine of extreme-unction, of a purgatory, &c. . The applications of Scripture made by the Roman Canonifts are ferio-ridiculous, if I may fo fay, beyond all conception. They will prove the twofold 'power of the Pope from the two words which the Apostles had when "Chrift was feized by Judas." Chrift faid to Peter, Feed my sheep in general, not fuch or fuch a flock; from whence It has been inferred, that the Pope, as fucceffor to that Apostle, is to be acknowledged the univerfal Paftor, &c, &c.

1

JEWEL'S Defence of the apology of the Church of England. part 4th. p. 473, &c. Translation of JURIEU's continuation of the accom. of the Scripture prophecies. p. 52. Dr. WATERLAND's Importance of the doctrine of the Holy Trin. p. 211, 363, &c.

Page 4. (b) Such an authority.] It is much on the fame principle that the Papifts, as Chillingworth remarks, in order to ground the belief of the

Trinity