Strictures on Dr. John M. Mason’s Plea for Sacramental Communion on Catholic Principles.

BY A FRIEND TO TRUTH.

[James Chrystie]

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God.—Rev. iii. 2.

NEW-YORK:

PUBLISHED BY WILEY & HALSTED, No. 3 WALL-STREET.

J. Kingsland & Co. Printers.

1821.

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[Copyright Page]

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK, ss.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the ninth day of May, in the forty-fifth year of the Independence of the United States of America, WILEY AND HALSTED, of the said District, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words and figures following, to wit:

“Strictures on Dr. John M. Mason’s ‘Plea for Sacramental Communion on Catholic Principles.’ By a Friend to Truth. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Rev. iii. 2.”

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, “An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned.” And also to an Act, entitled, “An Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled, an Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints.”

G. L. THOMPSON,

Clerk of the Southern District of New-York.

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CONTENTS.

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INTRODUCTION, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page v

CHAPTER I.

The principles of the “Plea for Sacramental Communion on Catholic Principles,” are founded on a dangerous want of precision concerning the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, or the one faith of the Church of God, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

CHAPTER II.

The principles of the “Plea for Sacramental Communion on Catholic Principles,” are calculated to open the doors of the Church to worldly and heretical professors of religion, and to profane the ordinances of Christ, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

CHAPTER III.

The principles of the “Plea for Communion on Catholic Principles,” are absolutely incompatible with a faithful adherence to the doctrines of the Westminster Confession of Faith, or to the respective standards of any of the Reformed Churches, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

CHAPTER IV.

The reasonings from the writings of Augustine and Calvin, and from facts in the history of the Church in support of the principles of the Plea, are erroneous and inapplicable, . . . . 111

CHAPTER V.

The arguments drawn from the Holy Scriptures, for the Sacramental Communion, contended for in the “Plea,” are destitute of foundation, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

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[Errata Corrected in text.]

ERRATA.

Page 13, line 5, read “in” for “is;”

31, 20, “covenant” for “government.”