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The power

of difpenfing with any promife, oath, or vow, is another branch of the spiritual power of the pope; and all who acknowledge his fpiritual power, muft acknowledge this: but whoever acknowledges the difpenfing power of the pope, can give no fecurity of his allegiance to any government.

Oaths and promifes are none: they are light as air: a dispensation makes them all null and void.

Nay, not only the pope, but even a priest, has power to pardon fins! this is an essential doctrine of the church of Rome: but they that acknowledge this, cannot poffibly give any fecurity for their allegiance to any government. Oaths are no fecurity at all; for the priest can pardon both perjury and high treafon.

Setting, then, religion afide, it is plain, that upon principles of reafon, no government ought to tolerate men, who cannot give any fecurity to that government for their allegiance and peaceable behaviour: but this no Romanist can do, not only while he holds, that "No ' faith is to be kept with heretics," but so leng as he acknowledges either prieftly abfolution, or the spiritual power of the pope.

"But

"But the late act," you fay, "does not either tolerate or encourage Roman Catholics." I appeal to matter of fact. Do not the Romanifts themselves understand it as a toleration? You know they do. And does it not already, let alone what it may do by-and-by, encourage them to preach openly, to build chapels, at Bath and elsewhere, to raise seminaries, and to make numerous converts, day by day, to their intolerant, perfecuting principles? I can point out, if need be, feveral of the perfons and they are increasing daily.

But "Nothing dangerous to English liberty "" is to be apprehended from them." I am not certain of that. Some time fince a Romish priest came to one I knew, and after talking. with her largely, broke out, "You are no he"retic! You have the experience of a real "Chriftian!" "And would And would you,” she asked, "burn me alive?" He faid, "God forbid ! "Unless it were for the good of the church."

Now what fecurity could fhe have for her life, if it had depended on that man? The good of the church would have burft all the ties of truth, justice and mercy; efpecially, when feconded by the absolution of a priest, or, if need were, a papal pardon.

If any one please to anfwer this, and to fet his name, I fhall probably reply: but the productions of anonymous writers I do not promise to take any notice of.

I am, Sir,

Your humble Servant,

CITY ROAD, JANUARY 12, 1780.

JOHN WESLEY.

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VARIOUS pieces, under different fignatures, having appeared in the public prints, cafting unjuft reflections on the Proteftant Affociation, and tending to quiet the minds of the Proteftants at the present alarming crifis, by infinuating that there is no danger arifing from the toleration of Popery, and that fuch affociations are unnecessary; I think it a piece of justice, which I owe to my countrymen, to give them a plain and true account of the views of this affembly, and lay before them the reasons which induced them to form this Affociation, and determined them to continue it.

Whether the gentlemen, who have favoured the public with their remarks on this occafion,

are

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