was like
that of the Romish church. I replied, that I feared to tell a falsehood
by saying a thing, while actually, in my reason, I did not believe it.

"But," said they, "the patriarch here will absolve you from the sin of
the falsehood." I turned to the Patriarch and put the question whether
he would so absolve me. He answered, that he would. I said, "What the
law of nature itself condemns, it is out of the power of any man to make
lawful." He then again asked me what I wished to do. I said, I wish to
go and see the Armenian patriarch Gregory, and inquire of him what I
ought to do. He consented, and requested me, when I had done this, to
return to him, to which I agreed. I was accompanied by a priest from the
station of the patriarch to the College of Ain Warka, where I found
Hoory Joseph Shaheen, with whom I conversed a considerable time, and
with great pleasure; for I found that for himself, he did not believe
that the pope was infallible in matters of faith, that is to say, unless
in concert with the congregated church. I then began to confess to him:
but when I saw that he held steadfastly some opinions for no other
reason than that the church so believed, and without bringing any proper
evidence of the fact, viz. from councils or from the fathers, and burst
out upon me with exceeding bitter words, saying, "Know that the church
neither deceives, nor is deceived, and be quiet;" and when I wished him
to instruct me according to the word of God, with the simple object of
glorifying God and fulfilling his will, I saw that he was not disposed
to support any opinion because it was according to the word of God, but
because so thought the church; and I saw him also ready to retain these
opinions, although I should bring the strongest evidences against them
from the holy Scriptures. He told me that it was impossible for him to
teach any thing contrary to the council of Trent. So I found I could not
receive his system, because, though you should shew him that it was
wrong, he would not give it up, lest with it he should be obliged to
give up his office. I therefore told him, you are bound, i. e. shut up
as between walls, by the doctrines of the pope and the council of Trent.

In conversation on the images, he would have proved their propriety from
Baronius' church history. We found this author quoting the sacred
scriptures to prove that our Saviour sent a picture of himself to the
king of Abgar. I declared that it was false