Meaning of the Word Church, but on the contrary they have establish'd it: And all Orthodox Chriftians, that ever were in the World, have been convinced by them, that the Church of Chrift cannot be but in one Communion, and that Christ appointed one visible Head to govern her.

» G. My Lord, in our Way of speaking, when » we say the Fathers of the Church, or the primitive »Church, we mean not any particular Church, but » the whole Body or Church of Chriftians, tho divided » into many Nations or Churches. pag. 15. 16.

L. 'Tis true, Sr, we mean not any particular Diocef, or even National Church. Neither do we mean a ridiculous Compound of all Sorts of Chriftians, whether Orthodox, Hereticks, or Schifmaticks. But we mean precifely the whole Body or Church of Catholicks: which, tho divided into many Nations or Churches are all in one Communion; that is, profess one Faith, and are united to, and govern'd by one Head, who is St Peter's Succeffor, and Bishop of Rome.

» G. What! Were they united to the Bishop of »Rome before there was a Church of Rome! For there » were Chriftian Churches before, as I have told you. " pag. 16.

L. No, Sr, but they were united to St Peter both before and after he was Bishop of Rome. And tho there were Chriftian Churches before the particular Church, that is the Dioceß of Rome, yet I think there was no Chriftian Church more ancient that St Peter. And as the Catholick Church was in Communion with St Peter both before and after he was Bishop of Rome, fo has she always been in Communion with his Succeffors, who, as I told you, actually are, and have always been Bishops of Rome. Nay St Cyprian made no Difference between being in the Commuion of the Bishop of Rome, and the Communion of

the Catholick Church, for in his 52 letter to Antonianus he says, a letter was writ to Pope Cornelius to let him know that you were in his Communion, THAT IS, in the Communion of the Catholick Church.

G. Is not then the whole Body of Chriftians truly and properly the Church of Chrift?

nea

L. Sr, the whole Body of Orthodox or Catholick Chriftians is truly and properly the Church of Chrift. But Heretical and Schifmatical Chriftians are Members cut off, and belong not to Chrift's Mystical Body the Church. As St Austin teaches in these express Terms. Nec haretici pertinent ad Ecclefiam Catholicam, Schifmatici [de fide & Symbolo ] that is, neither he reticks nor Schifmaticks belong to the Catholick Church. And therefore we fay not in the Creed, I believe the Chriftian, but I believe the Catholick Church. For tho all Catholicks be Chriftians, all Chriftians are not Catholicks; nor have I ever heard of Catholick Hereticks in my whole Life.

But what Need of many Words? Let us bring an unquestionable Inftance from Antiquity. The No vatians and Donatifts were unquestionably Chriftians, and by Confequence within the Pale of what you call common Christianity. Yet how were they treated by the Ancient Fathers? Did they ever allow them to be Members of the Catholick Church, or capable of Salvation? Nothing lefs. For they wrote whole Volumes to convince them of the Contrary. I shall only quote two Paffages from St Austin to avoid · being tedious.

They (fays he) who believe the Incarnation, Passion, Refurrection, and Divinity of Chrift, yet if they do not communicate with the Whole, wherefoever it is spread--it is evident, they are not in the Catholick Church. L. de Unit. Eccl. C. 4.

And in the 3d Chap. of the fame Book he ex

preffes himself more fully thus. All those, who be lieve in Jesus-Chrift what Faith Teaches, but differ about his Body the Church; so that their Communion it not with the Body, but with fome Separate Part it is manifeft they are not in the Catholick Church ---- Both of us have Baptifm; in that we are united. We have the fame Gofpel, in this we are alfo united. They celebrate with us the Feafts of Martyrs, in this we also agree ---- But they are not with as in all Things. They are not with us in their Schifm, they are not with us in their Herefy. And by Reafon of those few Things, in which they are not with us, the many Things, in which they are with us, avail them nothing.

This was St Austin's Language, and indeed the Language of all the Ancient Fathers, when they wrote against the Hereticks or Schifmaticks of their Times. They were wholy Strangers to your large Notion of the Church's Unity confifting in common Chriftianity. A Body without a Head, and compofed of Farring Heterogenious Parts appear'd fo monftrous to them, that they would never allow any Heretick or Schifmatick to be a Member of the Church of Chrift, or capable of Salvation, tho he believed all the Fundamentals of Chriftianity. And how then had you just now the Affurance to infinuate, that we have alter'd the common Senfe of Mankind as to the Meaning of the ・Word Church, or take it in a Senfe different from the whole World?

S. 12.

The Supremacy resumed, with a Touch, upon Unity.

„ 6. M

My Lord,

Y Lord, after there was a Church at Rome, the Bishops and Fathers of those Times

» knew nothing of it's Supremacy-----

L. Stoutly faid, Sr.

G. Much

G. Much lefs Infallibility. Nor ever appeal'd to « it in their Difputes with Hereticks, which had been « the shortest and fureft Way, and impoffible to « have been forgot, had it been known, and recei- «< ved as the current Faith, or but opinion of the «< Church, pag. 16. «

L. St, tho the Pope's Supremacy always was, his Infallibility has never been an Article of the Church's Faith; and fo it is no Wonder, it was not appeal'd to in Difputes with Hereticks. But fuppofe it had been appeal'd to, how could this have been the shorteft and fureft Way to end Difputes, unless you likewife fuppofe that Hereticks were always ready to acknowledge it, and submit to it? Whereas they have always difown'd even the Church's Infallibility which if they would acknowledge, then indeed appealing to her Authority would be the shorteft and fureft Way to terminate all Difputes.

G. My Lord, other Churches have contended ce with that of Rome, and afferted their own Liber- « ties, and Independency upon her, when her En- « croachments began to arife, and disturb the Peace «< and Unity of the Church, which I shall shew you « prefently. But this only to let you fee, that the « Unity of the Church was then understood, not as « being united under any one Supreme Bishop or « Church; But in the Concord and good Agreement « of the feveral. Churches among themselves, and in « the Unity of the common Faith. pag. 16. «

L. I prefume, Sr, you mean the common Faith, you fpoke of before, viz, the Belief of common Chriftianity. But pray remember the Inftance I produced juft now concerning the Novatians and Donatifts: and Judge by that, whether there be any Colour of Truth in what you fay.

You tell me, other Churches have contended with

f. 12. that of Rome, and afferted their own Liberties, and Independency upon her. And fo have also many Rebels dif puted the Crown with their true and lawful Sovereign: Yet I hope that is no Proof of the Nullity of his Title to it. But if you mean no more, than that particular Churches have ftood up for their juft Rights and Liberties against real or fuppofed Encroachments of the Pope, this is no more than what Subjects do when they go to Law with the King: which I prefume they may do Lawfully, and without impeaching, or difowning his Regal Authority. And fo may particular Churches maintain their Liberties and Rights, provided they keep within the Bounds of Decency and Respect:; which are always due to a Superiour.

Thus a Son may go to Law with his Father, if he pretends to wrong him. But he must still remember that as he is his Father, he ows him a Subjection by the Law of God and Nature. And fo it is with particular Churches. The Pope is their common Father jure Divino; and all Bishops are his fpiritual Children, and as fuch fubject to him. But they are neither his Vicars, nor Slaves. And therefore, if he should carry his Pretenfions too high, they may oppose him without any Breach of Filial Duty, or Derogating from his Jure divino. And this has generally been the Cafe in Difputes between particular Churches and the Pope. So that, what you have alledg'd is far from Answering your intended Purpose: And you must lend me a better Pair of Eyes to make me fee, that the Unity of the Church was not then understood of her being united under one Supreme Head. In a Word, Sr, all we mean by the Pope's Supremacy is contain'd in the two following Articles.

Frift, that Chrift after his Refurrection, to preferve the Unity of the Church, gave to St Peter a Superintendency or Jurifdiction over his whole Flock