".her Communion fuch a National Church for Reforming her felf from plain Errors and Cor

ruptions, clearly condemn'd by the Word of "God, and by the Doctrine and Practice of "the Primitive Chriftian Church, it is undoubtedly guilty of Schifm: And this is the Truth "of the Cafe between Us and the Church of .cc Rome.

And in order to make Proof of this, I fhall confider:

Firft, What Arguments his Grace has made use of on the feveral Heads.

Secondly, What N. C. has advanc'd in abatement to the Force of them.

Thirdly, I shall endeavour to give a plain and clear Anfier to all his Objections; whereby twill become evident to every honest and intelligent Reader, that notwithstanding all thofe nice Diftinctions which have been lately invented to reconcile thofe Contradictions we charge upon the Church of Rome; the Softnings which have been given to their Opinions, and the Mifreprefentations which have been made of them, contrary to their known Practice, and the Senfe of their moft allow'd Authors: Tet Popery is a Religion which teaches Doctrines directly contrary to the Revelation of the Holy Scriptures, the Dictates of Right Reafon, and the Evidence of our Senfes; And if fo, that then no Perfon can now continue in the Communion of the Church of Rome, without extreme hazard of bis Salvation: And that fuch Proteftants who have been once enlightned with the Knowledge of the Truth, and yet renounce their Holy Faith, and turn Papifts, are guilty of a Sin of the deepest Die, and of that Apoftacy which is near akin to the Sin againft. the Holy Ghoft.

THE

THE

Roman Church not Catholick,

And of the

Supremacy and Infallibility.

W

HEN the Church of Rome, which was defervedly eminent in the Times of the Apoftles, and fome fucceeding Ages, for the Soundness of its Faith, and the Exemplary Lives of its Profeffors, had by degrees in a long Tract of Time fo far corrupted itself, as to become guilty of notorious Superstition and Idolatry; then it pleafed God to raise up many. Worthies, Men endowed with an Apoftolical Spirit, and a Primitive Zeal for the Truth, who, with the hazard of all their Worldly Interefts, fet about that Great and Glorious Work, The Reforming the Church, and restoring it to its Primitive Purity and Holiness.

But as foon as (by the Bleffing of God) our first Reformers had made fome Progress in it, and it became visible to the World,'

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World, that there were many notorious Errors, many Superftitious and Idolatrous Practices in the Church of Rome, fuch as could not be justified either by Reason or Scripture; then those whofe Interest inclin'd them to retain thefe Corruptions, made it their Business either to defend them by fome plaufible Arguments, or at leaft to palliate them by fome frivolous Excuses; and amongst thofe, the Doctrine of the Infalliblity of the Church, was esteem'd the main Prop by which Popery was to be upheld and fupported.

For, if the Church cannot err in delivering the Doctrine fhe receiv'd from Jefus Chrift, nor mistake in her Explanation thereof; then (as they tell us) we have nothing elfe to do, but first to inquire which is the True Church? and fecondly, what this Church Teaches and (without troubling our felves farther about the particular Controverfies of Religion) to take up our Faith on Truft, and fit down and believe what foever the Spiritual Guides of the Church dictate to us, and we fhall be fav'd. Now,the Papifts would have us be fo good" natur'd as to take it for granted:

1. That the Holy Catholick Church doth confift only of fuch Members as are in Communion with the Church of Rome; and that all those ho are excommunicated by it, (which is the greatest Part of the Chriftian

Chriftian World) are no true Members of the Catholick Church nor have they any Poffibility of Obtaining Salvation: And if we can once be brought to believe that the Church of Rome is the only true Church, then it will be natural to infer from hence;

2. That the Pope is the Supream Head of the Church.

3. That Infallibility is fo furely lodg'd in the Church of Rome, that whatsoever that Church defines to be neceffary to be believ❜d, ought to be affented to by every good Christian, on Pain of Eternal Damna.

tion.

This at first fight feems to be a fhort and eafy Way of ending Controverfies, and freeing Mens Minds from fuch Scruples and Doubts, as for the most part perplex the most fober and honeft Perfons; fuch as are beft difpofed, and have the most serious fenfe of Religion. It feems indeed to be a plain and direct Path at the first entrance, but when we are gone on a little way in it, there will foon appear fo many crooked Windings and Turnings, that we shall be more perplex'd to find out the right Way than we were before. For,

I. It cannot be made out, that the Church of Rome is the Catholick Church

Nor,

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2. That

2. That the Pope is the Supream Head of the Church. Nor,

3. That there is any Infallibility lodg'd in it: But the direct contrary is evident, from thofe Arguments which His Grace has urg'd in his Sermons.

1. That the Church of Rome is not the Catholick Church he proves;

1. Because to affirm this, is to be guilty of the fame Abfurdity, as tó fay, That a Part is the Whole; for the Church of Rome is only a Particular Part of the Univerfal Church, and therefore cannot be the Catholick or the Whole Church.

To this N.C. answers, That by the Roman Church, the Papifts do not mean the Diocese of Rome, which in a strict sense may be call'd the Church of Rome; but all Chriftian Churches over the World, in Communion with the Particular Church or See of Rome, not as fubmitting to its Jurifdiction, but only as 'tis the Centre and Principle of Catholick Unity.

But 'tis evident, That this not a true Representation of the Matter of Fact; for the Papifts own no other Members of the Church of Rome, but those who own the Supremacy, and fubmit themselves to the Authority and Jurifdiction of the Pope of Rome. It being declared, in their Canon Law, neceffary to Salvation, that every

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