Of Supremacy.

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He two next Pages after the Gentleman's laft Words quoted by me contain nothing but a Repetition of Objections against the Pope's Supremacy already anfwer'd in our Difpute upon that Subject: after which he continues thus. No Kingdom of the Earth will content him. He will be univerfal Monarch of the whole World. And why fo? pag. 194.

In good Truth I cannot tell. For I cannot give a good Reafon for a Chimera. And I dare fwear the Pope himself knows nothing of the matter. But the Gentleman knows better Things, and answers the Question thus for the Pope. Because Christ is the Head of all Churches, and therefore must have an univerfal Vicar. This the Gentleman will needs have to be the Reason, why the Pope, as he tells us, pretends to be univerfal Monarch of the whole World. And I cannot but fay, the Reason is as nonfenfical as the Chimera, that is built upon it. But as the fame Art Magick, which conjures up Spirits, can conjure them down again; fo the Gentleman shews he can as eafily confute Chimeras, as invent them which he has done with great Skill by Saying, that from the fame Parity of Reafon it would follow, that because God is the King of all the Earth, therefore he must have an univerfal Vicar in Temporals. I allow the Parity to be good, and the aforefaid wife Reason fully confuted by it.

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But I shall give him another Reason for the Pope's Supremacy (by whatever ridiculous name he is pleafed to call it) which I hope will not be fo eafily confuted. It is grounded upon three plain Facts, 1. That Chrift gave to St Peter by a special Commif fion the Government of his whole Flock. 2. That this

Power of Governing his whole Flock was not to die with St Peter, but like Epifcopacy and Priesthood continue in his Church for ever by Paffing to his Succeffors. And 3. That the Succellors of St Peter have always been Bishops of Rome, whom we call Popes in our Language. The two firft are of Divine Institu tion, and all three are as inconteftable, as that the See of Canterbury is the Ecclefiaftical Metropolis of England. At least I flatter myself they will appear fo to any unbiafs'd Reader, who will but give himself the Trouble to perufe, what his Lordship has faid in Defence of the Supremacy, 1. p. §. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. and 55. of the fame Part..

Nor can I see how the Gentleman and his Protef tant Brethren will efcape being convicted of Herefy and Schifin by his own Confeffion, fince he tells us pag. 194. 195. That they will own themselves Hereticks and Schifmaticks, and pay their Obedience to the Pape, if it can be shew'd that Chrift has appointed an univer, fal Vicar in his Church; unlefs by univerfal Vicar he means a great Deal more than we do, and then he fights against his own Shadow. For we mean no more than that St Peter was, and his Succeffor is next under Chrift the fupreme Head or Governour of his Church in Spirituals. And he who cannot find this in the Text of St Mathew 16. V. 18. And St John 21. V.15. where all Antiquity clearly found it, is wilfully blind.

I therefore cannot doubt but the Reader will be extremely furprized at the Gentleman's exorbitant Rhodomontado pag. 195. where he speaks thus. We are verily perfuaded, that there is not the leaft Ground for this univerfal Supremacy either in holy Scriptures, or in Antiquity, or in the Reafon of the Thing, or in Fact fince the first Foundation of Christianity to this Day, or that is ever was acknowledg'd, or is now by the Majority of

Chriftian Churches. Was there ever fuch a Compli cation of Falfehoods utter'd with fuch a confident Air! What! Not the leaft Ground for the Supremacy either in Scriptures, or Antiquity, or Reason, or Fact from the firft Foundation of Christianity to this Day! And is the Gentleman verily perfuaded of this! Then he must be verily perfuaded, that the whole Ifland of Great Britain (for it's Share alone) was Mad for nine hundred Years together: fince it acknowledg'd (as he owns himself Cafe ftated p. 108.) the Pope's fpiritual Supremacy for fo many Ages: which none but a People void of Senfe would have done upon a Principle of Confcience, if there were not the leaft Ground for it either in Scriptures, or Antiquity, or Reason, or Fact from the first Foundation of Christianity, as the Gentleman has the Affurance to tell us. But when he wrote this he was fole master of the Field. His Lordship was under Tutelage, and could not contradict his Tutor without his Allowance, who took effectual Care to tie up his Tongue, and doubted not but any Tale of a Tub would pafs for current Truth with the Bubbles he chiefly wrote for. And this he calls Stating the Cafe. But I hope the Cafe of Supremacy is fomewhat more fairly ftated by his Lordship in the feveral Sections, to which I have juft now refer'd the Reader. And as to what the Gentleman fays, that the Supremacy never was acknowledg'd by the Majority of Christian Churches, the Reader is defired to turn back to §. 16. 17. of the firft Part, where he will be fully convinced of the notorious Falfehood of this Affection.

Page 195. 196. the Gentleman entertains us with a fine Flourish upon the Inconvenience of Appeals to Rome, where he fays Caufes laft from Age to Age. This (fays he) made the Reformation even necessary for the Prefervation of the People as well Laity as Clergy, whe

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groan'd under the Burden, which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear. However I must take the Liberty to tell the Gentleman, that England was as flourishing a Kingdom, and the People both Laity and Clergy lived as confortably under the Pope's Spiritual Supremacy, as they have done fince it was thrown off. But let that be as it will, are there no Ways and Means to put a Stop to Abuses without Affronting, or pulling down the Authority, that commits them? Are there not Lawsuits in Great Britain entail'd upon Families from Generation to Generation? And muft we then conclude, that the Court of Chancery and other Courts of Judicature ought to be fupprefs'd, because frequent Abufes are committed in them? Nay I fear the Supreme Tribunal itself which is the Bulwark of the English Liberties, will not be fecure against the deftructive Force of this Logick

But the Gentleman's Argument ftrikes yet much deeper for the Queftion between us is precifely, whether the Pope's Supremacy be of Divine Inftitution? We maintain it is; and 'tis his Business to difprove it. Now I appeal to any Man, whether real or fuppofed Abuses of any Authority be an Argument of any Force to prove it not to be of Divine Insti tution? If not, all Arguing against it from fuch Abufes is wholly frivolous. But if it be a solid Argument, and if it be true that fuch Abuses (as the Gentleman tell us) make a Reformation which annuls that Institution necessary, then the blessed Sacrament, which is abused by Thoufands to their own Damnation, is the firft Thing that ought to be reform'd away, and difcarded as well as the Pope's Supremacy.

But befides all this, what a frightful Lift of enormous Abuses committed by fecular Magiftrates and Parents in Relation to their Subjects and Children

might a Man produce, if it were worth his Pains? And would this be a good Argument to prove that their Power and Authority is not of God, or that a Reformation is neceffaty to abolish all Power upon Earth? Thus the Gentleman's Arguing from real or fuppofed Abuses of the Pope's Supremacy to justify an abfolute Denial or Abolishing of it, would make one fufpect him to be neither Divine, nor a good Christian, nor good Subject. For it plainly tends to fubvert the Inftitutions of God, and cuts down all Power Root and Branch: fince all these are liable to be abused.

'I come now to a Piece of Slander; which for it's Boldness is hard to be match'd. It is worded thus, pag. 197.198. The Pope's Supremacy (upon which the Difcourfe runs) is the only Article in your Creed (fpeaking to his Lordship) to be believed explicity. As for others, implicit will do for them all. That is, it is no Matter, whether you believe them or not: fo the Sovereingnty of the univerfal Bishop be maintainʼd inviolably. I cannot imagine what the Gentleman propofed to himself, when he wrote this extraordinary Piece. Was he afleep or awake? Or was his Head seiz'd with a Fit of the Gout, which hinder'd him from Thinking? Could he imagine that any Man of Senfe in the World would believe him? Or did he think his Reputation fo well establish'd, that if he should tell People, that Light is Darkneß, they would take it for a Truth upon his bare Word?

Surely the Gentleman's Overshooting himself in so exorbitant a Manner must be attributed to fome fuch Cause, He fays the Pope's Supremacy is the only Article we are bound to believe explicitly; as to others, it is no Matter, whether we believe them or not. What, is it no Matter with us, whether we do or do not believe in God the Father, or in Jefu Chrift bis enly