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173,) and against the Holy Spirit! (p. xxii. 70, 83, &c.) he must furely be convinced that the antient apoftates, mertioned by the Apostle to the Hebrews, x. 29, could not, by any outward profeffion of doctrine, have been more guilty of "treading under foot the Son of God,” and of doing "defpite unto the Spirit of Grace," than he himself has really been, in the fullest extent of those impieties! The former apoftates, indeed, were deemed worthy of a "much forer punishment than thofe that defpifed Mofes' law, and died without mercy; (compare the 28th and 29th verses ;) but, as the Apostle has added, in the two next verles,-"for we know him that bath faid, vengeance (belongeth) unto me, I will recompence, faith the Lord," &c.—we are thereby affured, that the “ much forer punishment,” there denounced, is not of a temporal kind, like that inflicted by man on the defpifers of M.fes' law: for, as we are now under a milder and more perfect fyftem of revelation, we must not (after the manner of the Church of Rome, though her doctrines are deemed fo weighty and unanfwerable by Mr Blunt) prefume to perfecute with fire and fword on account of religion, or

to

to burn men alive for their opinions, as she has done! These are proofs only that the Roman Church herfelf bath long ceafed to be Chriflian, though he has affumed the title of Catholic Church, to the exclufion of all other churches. But her true character was foreseen by the beloved Apostle, who has represented her as seated on the fcarlet-coloured beaft of temporal power, drunk with the BLOOD of the Saints (note, No. 10) and with the BLOOD of the Martyrs of JESUS! But the members of the true Catholic Church are restrained, by the principles of their faith, from oppofing either Popish or Socinian beretics with any other weapon than the twoedged fword of God's Word, and from wishing to extirpate and diffolve them with any other fort of beat than the purifying fire of truth, accompanied with hearty wishes and prayers, that a timely repentance may avert the vengeance!

The aweful warning which was given to an eminent perfon, who for fome time unhappily oppofed the neceffary doctrine of Chrift's divinity, not lefs violently than Mr Blunt himself, feems

Fourth Appendix, p. 147.

feems as peculiarly applicable to the prefent as to the former occafion; and, as the fentence iginally proceeded from fupreme Authority, the citing of it now must not be confidered as having the leaft reference to the facetious farcafm which Mr Blunt has affected throughout his work, (i. e. the trite contraft between Sharp and Blunt,) for, the true application of it is certainly of a much more ferious nature; because it fhews the extreme difficulty and danger of oppofing the divine dignity of our bleffed Redeemer, — σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακTev, (Acts, ix. 5, xxvi. 14:) and a man who has wrote and published fuch degrading and contemptuous expreffions against the divinity of Chrift, as are contained in Mr Blunt's book, furely, has not lefs caufe for "fear and trembling," than Saul had, on his fupernatural converfion; nor lefs need, apparently, to be "led by the band," and instructed, (A&s, xxii. II to 16,) until his eyes and understanding are opened to the bright and irrefiftible evidence, throughout the Holy Scriptures, of Chrift's Supreme dignity.

d

Note transferred from p. xxiii.

* What kind of faith is here to be understood, may clearly be known by the general topics of this epiftle; but, more especially, by thofe in the two preceding chapters, and in the following chapter; for, the objects of our faith and hope are stated in them all. See Heb. ix. 14 to 18; x. 9 to 15, and 28 to 30; (wherein vengeance is denounced against him "who hath trodden under foot the Son of God," &c. " and have done defpite unto the Spirit of Grace ;) and chap. xii. 2, wherein our Lord Jefus is expreffly called "the Author" (or Leader, agunyov)" and finisher of our FAITH." Τον της πίσεως αρκηγον και τελει

στην Ιησεν, &c.

Note transferred from p. xxvi.

+ It is, at the fame time, a new teftament, (as well as a new covenant,) of which Chrift, by his death, was the teftator. See Heb. ix. 15 to 18.

Note transferred from P. xxv. 1. 3 from bottom.

(the grofs prefumption of altering t our Lord's inftitution, by denying the cup to the laity, &c.)

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‡ Deut. xii. 32.-" What thing foever I command you, obferve to do it thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish "from it." A continual breach of this cOMMAND OF GOD (in either "adding to," or "diminishing from," almost every divine ordinance) is a notorious mark of the apoftacy of the Roman church, whatfoever her Socinian advocates may think of it! The exorcifms of water, &c. for Baptifm, and alfo for purposes not commanded, are abominable acts of forcery! See the deteftable forms in the Miffale Romanum," under the heads of "Benedictio Fontis," (p. 273 to 285,) and Ordo ad faciendam aquam benedictam," (p. cxxvi to cxxix.) Plantin. edit. Antwerp, 1682. But the time of her judgement is now very near at hand! (See Note, No. 10, 4th Appendix, p. 147 and 148.)

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CONTENTS.

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