CONTENTS. DIALOGUE I. A sermon at which the friends are present lays down the following propositions: viz. 1. Religion is essentially dogmatic. 2. Salvation is contingent upon the belief of certain dogmas. 3. God has furnished mankind with an infallible guide to essential dogmatic truth. Leonard undertakes to show that these propositions lead necessarily to Rome. Basil denies this. It is agreed that the propositions are held by all Catholics, whether Romanists or rot, and by almost all orthodox Protestants. The exceptional position of Broad Churchmen considered. The logical weakness of the Broad Church position admitted. The propositions in question import that a search after true religion resolves itself into a search after the infallible guide. How this search should be conducted. The absurdity of making our estimate of the doctrines taught by the alleged guide, the test of its pretensions to infallibility. Are there any easily recognizable signsplain and palpable to all men, whether learned or unlearned-which must necessarily characterize an infallible religious guide? Leonard thinks there are. Two such signs accepted. 1st. The infallible guide must either plainly profess infallibility, or have its authority attested by an obviously infallible witness: 2. The infallible guide must be available as a referee to decide dogmatic questions.-The guides on behalf of which infallibility is claimed may be practically reduced to three: viz. 1. The Bible as viewed by Protestants. 2. The Church as defined by the Anglo-Catholics; and 3. The Church of Rome. Conway undertakes to show how the Bible, as viewed by Protestants, exhibits the accepted signs of infallibility. The argument, which is chiefly derived from the work by the Bishop of Ely on the Thirty-nine Articles, proposes to prove : 1. That the infallibility of the Bible is asserted by our Lord; and 2. That it is affirmed by itself. The argument breaks down upon both points. Basil also shews that the Bible does not satisfy the conditions of the second sign. The discussion adjourned PAGES 1-52 |