bishops. pope is superior to other assures us that, in St. Paul's epistles, there are some things hard to be understood, which they who are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. (2 Pet. iii. 16.) We are directed to stand fast, and hold the traditions which we have been taught, whether by word or by epistle. 2 Thess. ii. 15. 2. That the Roman Catholic church is the mother and mistress of all churches, and cannot possibly err in matters of faith: for the church has the Spirit of God to lead it into all truth. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matt. xi. 18.) Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, has promised to the pastors and teachers of the church to be with them always, even to the end of the world. (Matt. xxviii. 10.) It is from the testimony and authority of the church that we receive the scriptures, and believe them to be the word of God; and as she can assuredly tell us what particular book is the word of God, she can with the same confidence inform us what is the true sense of scripture in controvertedpoints of faith. 3. That the scriptures are not sufficient without tradition, and that apostolical traditions are of equal authority with the scriptures. For St. Peter 4. That there are seven sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ; viz. baptism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony; and that they confer grace.-To prove that confirmation, or imposition of hands, is a sacrament, the Roman catholics argue from Acts viii. 17: They did lay their hands upon them, and they received the holy Ghost. This imposition of hands, together with the prayers here specified, was no doubt the sacrament of confirmation; for here is an outward sign and spiritual grace: therefore confirmation is a sacrament.† -Penance is a sacrament, in *The catholics do not profess to believe that the pope is infallible separate from the church. According to them, infallibility resides in the representatives of the universal catholic church; i. e the body of bishops, uniting and agreeing with their head, the bishop of Roine. The church of Rome maintains that confirmation is that which makes us perfect christians. The bishop administers this sacrament to baptized persons only, by the imposition of hands and prayer. He likewise uses the ceremony, which is not considered universally to be essential, of anointing the confirmed person in the forehead with consecrated oil and balm in the manner of a cross, and pronounces these words: "I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost.” which the sins we commit after from James i. 14, 15, quoting baptism are forgiven.* It in- the text as it is in the vulgar cludes in it contrition and translation: Is any sick among painful sorrow of heart, con- you? Let him call for the priests fession to the priest, and satis of the church, and let them pray faction to God for our sins, over him, anointing him with and likewise the absolution oil in the name of the Lord; pronounced by the priest,t as and the prayer of faith shall minister of the sacrament. heal the sick, and the Lord Christ instituted this sacra- shall raise him ap; and if he ment when he breathed upon has committed sins, they shall his apostles after his resurrec- be forgiven him.-That holy tion, and said unto them, orders is a sacrament, apReceive ye the holy Ghost: pears from 1 Tim. iv. 14: whose sins ye remit, are remit- Neglect not the gift that is ted; whose sins ye retain, are in thee, which was given thee retained. (John xx. 23.) The by prophecy, with the laying power of the priesthood to on the hands of the presbytery. remit sins is here bestowed That marriage is a sacraupon the apostles and their ment is evident from Eph. v. successors therefore penance 32: This is a great mystery. is truly and properly a sacra- Matrimony is here a sign of ment. To prove that extreme a holy thing, representing the unction, or anointing the sick conjunction of Christ and his with oil, is truly a sacrament, church: therefore it is a sacrathe Roman Catholics argue ment.‡ *The catholics say that Christ alone, through the infinite dignity of his person, is able to offer up to God a sufficient satisfaction for our sins. But, having satisfied superabundantly, he could apply this satisfaction to us, either by granting an entire remission, or changing an eternal punishment into a temporal one. The absolution given by the priest after confession is in this manner : "Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has left power in his church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him, of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences; and by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost. Amen," "Christ (say this denomination) having left this power to the pastors of his church, the sentence is looked upon as rendered by him who has establish ed them judges. It is his invisible High Priest who interiorly absolves the penitent, while the priest exteriorly exercises the function." Notwithstanding this they enjoin the celibacy of the clergy, and pretend that it was enjoined on them, as the condition of their ordination, even from the apostolic age. The church of Rome do not allow their clergy to marry, because they do not think it proper that those who, by their office and function, ought to be wholly devoted to God, should be diverted from those duties by the distractions of a married life. 1 Cor. xiii. 32, 33. 5. That in the mass there is offered unto God a true and propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and dead; and that in the sacrament of the eucharist, under the forms of bread and wine, is really and substantially present the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is a conversion made of the whole substance of the bread into his body, and of the wine into his blood, which is called transubstantiation. In Mal. i. 10, 11, God rejects the jewish sacrifice; but declares his acceptance of that sacrifice, or pure offering, which shall be made to him in every place among the gentiles, which, this denomination suppose, refers to the sacrifice of the mass. Christ, in the institution of this sacrament, said to his apostles, This is my body; (Matt. xxvi. 26.) i. e. that which is contained under the form of bread, is my true body. Christ transfigured his body marvellously on the Mount: (Mark ix.) therefore he is able to exhibit his body under the forms of bread and wine.* It is a matter of discipline, not of doctrine, in the Roman Catholic church, to receive the eucharist in one kind; that is in bread only.+ 6. That there is a purgatory; and that souls kept prisoners there do receive help by the suffrages of the faithful. For it is said in 1 Cor. iii. 15, If any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire; which, say they, may be understood of the flames of purgatory. 7. That the saints reigning with Christ are to be honoured and invoked, and that they do offer prayers unto God for us; *The catholics suppose that the change is made when the words of consecration ordained by Christ are pronounced by the priest. Then, after having adored, the priest elevates the host and the chalice, to be seen and adored by the people, and to represent the elevation of Christ on the cross. "Christ's words (say the catholics) deter them from referring those exterior appearances to the substance of bread, and teach them that his body is really present: hence they pay it their adorations," The priest, in saying mass, makes a solemn offering to God in behalf of himself and the people; and the catholics suppose that Jesus Christ, who is present on the altar, offers up himself to his eternal Father. All the priests, though of the most exalted degree, in private communion, receive, as others do, in one kind. The Roman Catholics suppose that souls are released from purgatory by the prayers and alms which are offered for them, principally by the holy sacrifice of the mass. They call purgatory a middle state of souls, where those enter who depart this life in God's grace, yet not without some less stains, or guilt of punishment, which retard them from entering heaven, and their relics are to be had in veneration.* For we have instances in scripture of honours and veneration paid to the angels by the servants of God. (Josh. v. 14, 15.) God has promised to his saints power over all nations: (Rev. ii. 26, 27.) therefore all nations ought to honour the saints, as having received from God this kingly power over them. In Rev. v. 8, the elders are said to have golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. See also Rev. viii. 4. Zech. i. 12. S. That the images of Christ, of the blessed Virgin, the mother of God, and of other saints, ought to be retained in churches; and honour and veneration ought to be given unto them. For the images of cherubims were allowed in the temple therefore images should be placed in churches, and had in veneration. 9. That the power of indulgences was left by Christ to the church, and that the use of them is very beneficial to christian people ;‡'according to Matt. xvi. 19: I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. By an indulgence, the catholics say, they apply the merit of Christ's life and death to their souls, and through his, those of the holy saints and martyrs. The church of Rome 'receives the Apostle's creed, the Nicene, and Athanasian creeds. They receive and profess all other things delivered, defined, and declared by the canons, and general councils, and particularly by the council of Trent.§ The following ceremonies, and many others too tedious to enumerate, are practised by the church of Rome in. their religious worship :—(1.) The catholics say they do not give divine, but only relative honour, to the highest angel or saint. The council of Trent ordains that all the honour which is given to images should be referred to the originals which are represented by them. The catholics say they do not mean by indulgences leave to commit sin, nor pardon for sins to come; but only releasing, by the power of the keys committed to the church, the debt of temporal punishment which may remain due upon account of our sins, after the sins themselves, as to the guilt and eternal punishment, have been already remitted by repentance and confession. An indulgence is granted by none but the higher powers of the church; as, the bishops and the supreme head, the pope. A convocation of Roman Catholic cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and divines, who assembled at Trent, by virtue of a bull from the pope, a. D. 1516. This was the last general council called in opposition to the doctrines of Luther and Calvin, х They make use of the sign of the cross in all their sacraments, to give us to understand that they have their whole force and efficacy from the cross.-(2.) Sprinkling holy water by the priest, on solemn days, is used likewise by every one going in or coming out of church.—(3.) The ceremony of blessing bells is, by the catholics, called christening them; because the name of some saint is ascribed to them, by virtue of whose invocation they are presented, in order that they may obtain his favour and protection.(4.) They have a custom of bowing at the name of Jesus, (5.) They keep a number of lamps and wax candles continually burning before the shrines and images of the saints.-(6.) They make use of incense, and have lighted candles upon the altar at the celebration of mass.-(7.) The practice of washing the poors' teet is solemnized on holy Thursday by all the princes of the Romish religion in Europe. The church of Rome ob serves a variety of holy days, as the festivals of Christ and his apostles, the festivals of the saints, &c. The church of Rome grants a `jubilee; i. e. a general indulgence, every twenty-fifth year, and oftener upon emergent occasions.* For an account of the extent and present state of the Roman Catholic religion, see Part the Second. PARMENIANITES. See Donatists. PASAGINIANS, a denomination which arose in the twelfth century, known also by the name of The Circum cised. Their distinguishing tenets were as follow:-(1.) That the observation of the law of Moses, in every thing, except the offering of sacrifices, was obligatory upon christians. In consequence of which they circumcised their followers, abstained from those meats, the use of which was prohibited under the Mosaic economy, and celebrated the jewish sabbath.-(2.) That Christ was no more than the first and purest creature of God. * A jubilee is a solemn indulgence, with certain privileges not granted on other occasions, and extends to the whole church. Pope Pius's Creed. Bossuet's Exposition of the Catholic Creed, pp. 62----107. Challoner's True Principles of a Catholic, p. 8. Gother's Papist Misrepresented and Represented, p. 22. Grounds of the Catholic Doctrine, pp. 10--34. Explication of the Sacrifice of the Mass, pp. 22-35. Roman Catholic Principles, p. 5. Brent's Council of Trent, p. 806. Bingham's Works, vol. i. p. 153. Walche's History of the Popes, p. 24. Robertson's Mistory of Charles the Fifth, در A. 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