Page images
PDF
EPUB

L. But are they not neceffary to Salva

tion ?

G. They are generally Neceffary, as our Ca techifm words it, that is, to be Reverendly ufed when they may be had: But they are not abfolutely Neceffary, fo that if our Circumftances, or Places where we live are such as not to afford us the Opportunity of Receiving the Sacraments, we fhould be Damned for want of them. I think none will fay this. They are Means of God's Appointment, therefore to be used, when we can have them; we are tyed to this, but God is not tyed to thofe Means to which He ties us. He can fave without them.

L. But we have feven Sacraments, and you have but two.

G. That is, we take the word Sacrament in a ftricter Sense than you do. And of the five which you have more than we, you cannot fay that they are fo much as generally Neceffary to Salvation, because none can partake of them all, for your Sacrament of Orders excludes all the Laity, and that of Marriage the Clergy.

(5.) L. It is a fad thing that the Church fhould be Divided about these Matters. But we are all one, you are miferably Divided. How many Sects or Churches are there among you?

G. Not fo many as with you.

L.

L. How can that be? We have but one Church which we own as fuch.

G. Ifa Church is anfwerable for all that break off from her, then you have all these Sects to reckon for, and us too, which is one more.

L. A Church is not anfwerable for those who Break off from her, because they are no longer of her.

G. Then we are not anfwerable for thefe Sects which Break off from our Church,

L. But we are all one among our felves. G. So is every Church or Set, that is, thofe who agree among themselves, do agree! So that this is no more a Mark of Unity than every Divifion of Men can plead, and every Sect.

(6.) L. But we are the great Body of Chriftians from which all broke off.

G. No, my Lord, not the half, or ever were: The Greek Church is an Elder Church than yours, fo that you rather broke off from her, by fetting up your Univerfal Supremacy; which the never owned, nor the many other numerous Churches in Afia, nor the Great and once Famous Churches in Africa; nor the Empire of Ruffia of vaft Extent in Europe, once a part of the Greek Church. These never owned the Supremacy of Rome, and by far out-number all that ever did own it, or were of her Communion as fuch. And confidering how many Kingdoms and Nations have broke off from her fince the Reformation, her Communion is now reduced to a very fmall part of the Chriftian Church,

·Church, in Comparifon of thofe who differ from her.

L. But thofe other Churches do not all Communicate with each other.

G. Nor Rome with any of them. So that the ftands by her felf, as other Churches do. And the moft Irreconcilable of any, because by her Principles the cannot Communicate with any who will not own her Supremacy. Which as it never was done by the greateft Part of the Catholick Church, fo there is little appearance that ever it will be; for it is obfervable that po Nation which broke off from Rome did ever Return to her again. It is a hard matter for one that has Escaped out of a Snare, to be Inviegled thither again. So that it is very vifible Rome has been upon the lofing hand about this 200 Years paft. And that not only as to those who have quite forfaken her, but as to the Change of Principles and Lowring her Supremacy and Infallibi lity amongst thofe who ftill remain in her Communion, which I fhall fhew your Lordfhip prefently, and that Old and New Popery are very different things, and that Rome it felf has in fome meafure been Reformed by our Reformation.

I know nothing thould hinder me from Communicating with the Greek Church, if I were there, while nothing Sinful were Required of me as a Condition of Communion, nor new Creeds to be impofed on me: And fo of the Churches of St. Thomas, the Jacobites, and others in the Eaft of Afia, of whom we have very Imperfect and uncertain Accounts: And fo of the Aby

nes,

nes, the Cophties, and other Churches in Africa. The great Church of Ruffia in Europe, &c. But Rome, while the pretends to Univerfal Supremacy, can Communicate with none but with her Self. So that our Communion is much more Exten→ ded or Extendable than that of Rome. And this Univerfal Supremacy is that which, moft of any one thing in the World, hinders the Union and Communion of Christian Churches.

(7.) L. But though que Church may be Su preme, yet the beft part of the Roman Catho licks place not the Infallibility there, but in a General or Oecumenical Council where all Churches meet.

G. There never was fuch a Council. The Roman Empire had the Vanity to call it felf the Oikumene, which we tranflate, All the World, Luke 2.1. Hence the Councils called within that Empire Stiled themselves Oecumenical, but no more truly fo, than the Roman Empire was All the World. But the Latin Church was not fo much as the Oikumene of the Empire, for Greece and other Parts of the Greek Church in Afia were in it, especially after the Seat of the Empire was tranflated to Conftantinople, when they contended with Rome for the Supremacy. And the Latin Church was not then called by the Name of the Church of Rome, as the Learned du Pin fays in his Traité de la Puiffance Ecclefiaftique. &c. p. 551, It is true (fays he) that at prefent the Name of the Church of Rome is given to the CatholickChurch,and that these twoTerms pafs for Synonimous. But in Antiquity no more was inten-

ded

ded by the Name of the Church of Rome,than the Church of the City of Rome, and the Popes in their Subfcriptions or Superfcriptions took fimply the Quality of Bishops of Rome. The Greek Schif maticks feem to be the first who gave the Name of the Church of Rome, to all the Churches of the Weft, whence the Latins made ufe of this to difinguifh the Churches which Communicated with the Church of Rome, from the Greeks who were Separated from her Communion. From this came the Cuftom to give the Name of the Church of

Rome to the Catholick Church. But the other Churches did not for this lofe their Name, or their Authority, &c. Then he goes on to Vindicate the Rights of every National Church, independent of the Church of Rome, and paft her Power to Controul or Alter. And the Proceedings of the Parliament of Paris, p. 45, 46. Appendix, tells the Pope that his Bishoprick extends only to the Diocefs of Rome,and his Patriarchat to those Provinces called Suburbicarian. And that by taking upon him to Excommunicate others Unjustly, and where his Power did not reach, he had Excommunicated himself. And then he was fo far from being Head, that he was not fo much a Member of the Church. they mind him, as likewife du Pin in the Treatife before mentioned p. 263. of the Stout Refistance made by the Bishops of France to the Pope who threatned to Excommunicate all of them that would not fubmit to his Decifion ; but they refolutely anfwered, That they would not fubmit to his Will, and that if he came there to

And

Excom

« PreviousContinue »