power of binding and loosening, with which the apostles were here invested, was it not to give them the greater confidence to work miracles? that they might say to the prostrate, bed-ridden cripple, "Thy sins be forgiven thee! Arise, take up thy bed, and walk !” When the Romish priests will prove to us that they have this latter power, then may we be the more inclined to admit their interpretations and decisions upon what is, and what is not a sacrament! The apostles were, when the Saviour breathed on them, inspired prophets are the Bishops of Rome inspired? Are they Prophets?!

The council of Constance, sect. xiii. 1413, decreed, "that none but priests should receive the cup' in the sacrament of the LORD's body and blood." And the council of Trent declares, “That whosoever thinks it necessary that the people shall receive in both kinds is ACCURSED! Con. Trent, sess. xxi. c. 1.

St. Paul says to the Corinthians, "I have received of the LORD that which I also delivered unto you.... as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the LORD's death till he come. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."

According, then, to the council of Constance and the council of Trent, and all popes, Romish bishops, priests, &c. in all places, who assent to this, not only is St. Paul held accursed, and all the blessed apostles; but-Oh! reader, bear with me whilst I write the horrid blasphemy-the LORD of Heaven, the Mighty God, is held by them ACCURSED!!!

Think you that such a sentiment as this could come

from the mouths, or be decreed by the councils of inspired men, prophets, men of God, filled with the Holy Ghost?" for no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed." 1 Cor. xii. 3.

For did He not, at his last supper, order us to drink? saying, "Drink ye all of it! (the cup); for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins." Mat. xxvi. 28.

And did Jesus order us to do any thing unnecessary?! GOD forbid that I should say so. But these are not so scrupulous: these are not afraid to tax the living GOD with ignorance of what was necessary or unnecessary for his creatures. But we Christians know Him, who has said, " Vengeance belongeth unto me! I will recompense!" Oh, my brethren, "Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD?!" Heb. xi. 30, 31.

These miserable men say, that the cup was only to be received by the apostles and priests, because none but the apostles were at table. Praised be our God, we have the testimony of St. Paul to show, in opposition to this impious pretence, that it was to be taken by the people: for his epistle was not addressed to the bishop of Corinth, or the priests of Corinth, but unto the church of God, which was at Corinth, "to them that were sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our LORD, both theirs and ours." 1 Cor. i. 2, 3.

and marriage.

Mat. xix. 6. What, therefore, GOD hath joined, let no man put asunder. These were our LORD'S

words, touching that most holy ordinance of matrimony and truly they are very awful, when we consider in how very many cases the wickedness of man sets God's words at nought. We are not at all disposed to quarrel with our Romish opponents, as to the sacredness of this divine command; would to GoD that all people deemed it inviolable! No; we only quarrel with them when we see them attach to it a name, to which it has no right, to which it is much inferior. They say, it is a sacrament, and a sacrament gives grace. Now, what gives grace to one class of men, cannot (ceteris paribus) give damnation to another.

But, contrary to the Scriptures, they have forbidden their clergy to marry, which was prophesied of them, (Read, particularly, 1 Tim. iv.) vii. 2-9. See 1 Tim. iii. 2-12; iv. 2, 3. Titus, i. 56. 1 Cor. ix. 5. Heb. xiii. 4; which doctrine was established by Pope Gregory VII., A. D. 1074; and further ratified by the council of Trent, 1545; and whoever does not believe in and profess "every thing which has been declared and defined by the holy synod of Trent, is anathematized (i. e. accursed) and condemned by the church. (See Article xxiv.)

Now, then to the point, the Church of Rome curses all priests who marry, in the name of God.

So the sacrament of marriage, whilst it gives grace to a layman, ensures damnation to the priest !

Upon their own grounds then they must admit, that it cannot be a sacrament.

But they maintain, that in this expression (Mat.

xix. 6.) of our Saviour, whilst manifest in the flesh, that He instituted marriage. This is very odd, because we read in Moses, that Adam and Eve were married (Gen. ii. 24.), and that a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and that they shall be one flesh. How, therefore, could that which was ordained of GOD, four thousand years before Jesus came in the flesh, be said to be instituted by Him, at the time to which they allude? And in order, as it were, to prevent this very stupid heresy, the LORD's own words are most conclusive on this point for "they said unto Him,” (Mat. xix. 7.) Why did Moses then command," &c. " He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your heart, suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so."

We have now touched upon all these their seven sacraments; but that of the Eucharist, which will be considered under the next article but one, xvii. It has been seen, that for this, their assertion, that Christ Jesus instituted (baptismal) confirmation and extreme unction, they have not even the support of His name. But if their spell-bound judgment can so far deceive themselves, as to make them believe that they have his authority to class marriage, penance, and holy orders amongst the sacraments of his institution, the merest fool must be convinced of the falseness of this pretension, with respect to confirmation and unction. Why then, my Romish countrymen, will ye persist in believing, or in pretending to believe, these most unholy lies? Why will you continue to

derogate from the excellency of our salvational sacraments-the gifts of our blessed LORD-by placing the institutions of man upon an equality with them? Is this gratitude to GOD? No; it is mocking Him! Be ye then wise in time, and if any of God's people be yet of this idolatrous communion, take to yourselves the address of the warning voice, which we have registered by the beloved of His Master. Rev. xviii. 4. "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues!"

Thus you see the consequence that is involved by remaining in her; and I tell you ye cannot serve God and Rome at the same time: one ye must give up. Give her up then, my dear countrymen, give up her priests; and, while you may lament over and grieve for their lost condition, do not let your feeling for them induce you to follow them to your own damnation. And when they shall first threaten you, and next coax you not to desert "the old faith," as they, endeavouring to deceive you, call it, turn round and sternly say to them, in the words of Peter and John, Acts, iv. 19. "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge YE. For we cannot but believe and speak the things which we have seen and heard. v. 29. We ought to obey God rather than man. For we have read (Mat. x. 32), that whosoever shall confess Jesus before men, those will He confess before his Father which is in heaven." And he adds this dreadful denunciation and warning-(33.) "But whosoever shall deny me before men, HIM WILL I ALSO DENY before my Father