Against the Revolt to a Foreign Jurisdiction, Part 2 · Chapter 1

Against the Revolt to a Foreign Jurisdiction · Part 2 · Chapter 1

p. 369Chap. I. The true State and just Resolutions of the Controversies about a Foreign Jurisdiction, in Sixty Evident or Proved Propositions.

§ 1. HOW great advantage Satan maketh of the deceivableness of ignorant men, and of the deceitfulness of the Crafty, and of the aptitude of ambiguous, or false, or artificially-contrived Names and Words to deceive, the sad Experience of the deceived World, and corrupted and divided Churches openly declare; and yet, alas, how few observe it and escape the snare?

§ 2. If all Men were judicious and stablished Christians, when serious Faith and Godliness is made a scorn, by the false names of Hereticks, Schismaticks, Puritans, Fanaticks, Sectaries, or any sensless jears, it would no more turn them from the holy performance of their Baptismal Vow, and Obedience to Christ, than the raving of a Drunkard or a Bedlam, or the crying of a Child. But ignorant unresolved Persons, that never yet know what the bearing of the Cross was, nor have learned self-denial, are stopt in their convictions, good purposes, and hopeful dispositions, when they hear serious Piety made a common scorn, and that by those that were themselves Baptized, and profess Christianity. Some of them think, sure all this reproach is not laid on them for nothing, and others that think it but the stinking p. 370breath of ulcerated malignant minds, yet cannot bear it, but draw back and shrink: Therefore Christ pronounceth a dreadful Sentence against those that offend (that is, by such stumbling-blocks turn back and discourage) even the least of these childish beginners; It were better for that man that a Milstone were hanged about his Neck, and he were cast into the Sea.

§ 3. But no scandal or snare is so dangerous as those which are made by Rulers or Great Men, or by Pastors and Teachers on the pretences of Religion, and Divine Authority, abusing the holy Name of Christ.

§ 4. And the same Artifice that Satan useth against Godliness in general he useth against particular Truths, Duties and Persons. And one of the most dangerous that I now perceive the Protestant Religion assaulted with, is putting the Name of Nonconformists, and Puritans, and Schismaticks, on Protestants as Protestants, and the Name of Catholick, the Church, the Church of England, the Clergy, yea of the Reformed Church, and of Protestants on the Papal Roman Sect. The Church of England, King, Parliament, Archbishops, Bishops, and the rest were sixty years ago and less against that as Popery, which now is obtruded on us as the sense of the Church of England against Popery: Such Wonders can bare Names do with the ignorant: And they go on without any great resistance.

§ 5. Whereas there are great differences among the Papists about the degree of the personal Power of the Pope, the Cheat is this; To confine the Name of Papists to the one party, and to own the Opinions of the other Party, and to call them p. 371Presbyterians or Nonconformists that are against both, and will be no Papists. 1. The Italians are for the Popes Sole Supremacy, and Councils being but his Counsellors. 2. The French Lawyers are for the Councils Supremacy above the Pope, as to Legislation, and Judgment when they sit. 3. The middle greater part are for the Supremacy in Pope and Council agreeing, and the Popes Executive power in the intervals, not absolute, but according to the Church Laws or Canons. But all for a visible Universal Supremacy, and for the Papal Presidency in General Councils, and his prime Patriarchship in the West. If in England some be for the Kings Sole Legislative Power and Absoluteness, and Parliaments being but his Counsellors; and others for the Conjunction of King and Parliament in Legislation, and the limiting of the Kings Executive Power by the Laws, doth it follow that only the first sort are the Kings Subjects? The Controversie is the same. Yet the same men that are for Absolute Civil Monarchy, take on them to be for Ecclesiastical Aristocracy.

§ 6. Men love not to be tired with tedious Volumes; nor can I find time to write more such, therefore I shall here lay down what the Reader must necessarily know in some Theses or Aphorisms, with so short but sound a proof as is necessary to capable willing Readers, instead of puting them into distinct Chapters with numerous proofs to urge the unwilling.

I. The World is the Kingdom of God; who is Eminently the King, and all Reasonable Creatures his Subjects under Moral Government, as all natural Agents are under Natural Potential Government.

p. 372No man will deny this but the Atheist, whom I leave to be disputed with by Sun, and Moon, and Stars, Heaven and Earth, and common Reason.

II. God only is the Unifying as well as Specifying Governor of this Universal Kingdom; and tho' all men be of one Nature, Species, Mould, Interest, &c. yet it is only by their Relation to one God that they are one Kingdom.

III. God hath made no Universal Supreme Monarch or Aristocracy under him in the World: But only appointed to each Soveraign his particular Province or Republick. For, 1. No Man or Senate is naturally capable of it: They do not so much as know the Terra incognita, nor can send to the Antipodes and all the Earth as Regiment requireth: He would be thought as mad that should attempt it as he that claimed a Kingdom in the Moon. 2. No Man or Senate had ever yet the madness to claim it.

IV. He that should Claim an Universal Supremacy, must thereby make all Kings and States, and all the World to be his Subjects.

V. He that doth so proclaimeth himself to be publicus hostis, the publick Enemy of all Kings and States, while he will make them his Subjects against their wills. And therefore all Kings and States are allowed to resist and use him as their common Enemy.

VI. The whole World is now the rightful Dominion of Christ our Redeemer: For this end he both died, rose and revived, that he might be the Lord of the dead and of the living, Rom. 14.9, 10. All power is given him in Heaven and Earth, Mat. 28.19. All things are delivered to him of the Father, and p. 373given into his hands, John 13.3. and 17.2. He is made Head over all things to the Church, Eph. 1.23. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son, John 5.22.

VII. Princes are therefore now the Ministers of Christ by Duty, and are bound to study his Interest and Laws, and to obey him.

VIII. Subjects by Obligation are not always Subjects by Consent, nor Subjects by Professed Consent, always Subjects by Heart-Consent.

IX. All the World is the Kingdom as of God the Creator, so of Christ the Redeemer as to Obligation: And the Wicked as Rebels.

X. All the truely Baptized are thereby made the Kingdom of Christ the Redeemer by Profest Consent. And this is the Church visible.

XI. All the true Believers and Sanctified are the Kingdom of Christ by Heart-Consent; and these are the Church Regenerate and Mystical.

XII. Therefore the Kingdom of Christ is larger than the Church of Christ: And the Church is an Elect peculiar people, Visible as to Means, and Mystical as to Salvation. Even as the Israelites had the Covenant of peculiarity, while the Law of Grace in the first Edition made to Adam and Noah was still in force to all the World: And Abraham thought that even Sodom had had Fifty Righteous Persons in it.

XIII. The Church of Christ is an Eminent Politick Society, of which Christ is the Specifying and Vnifying Head, and all Christians are Members. All the Baptized Visible Members, and all the sincere consenters mystical Members.

XIV. Christ is the Maker of his own Body, Church or Kingdom: He made himself the Head: p. 374He made the specifying Institution or Law; the Terms of Union and Communion; He giveth Men the Grace by which they Believe, Repent, Consent and are made Members.

If Christ made not his own Church, as to the Formal Head, the Species, the Unifying Terms and Graces, it would be as a Wooden Leg to a living Body, a Human Creature imposed on him, Savouring of the Errours and Naughtiness of those that made it, and Mutable at their Mutable Wills. Every active Form, makes it's own material Domicilium. Who is he, or who are they that had power to make Christ a Body or Church in specie, before he made it himself: Christs Body is not made by Man? If it were, who were they? Were they his Body or Church first themselves, or not? If yea, who made them such, and who them, and who them in infinitum: If not, how came Infidels and the Members of the Devil to have power to make a Body or Church for Christ?

XV. Christ hath de specie Instituted who shall be Members of this Church: And by his Laws, Terms and Description taught us certainly to know the Members as Visible.

Else we could never know whom to take for Christians, nor whom to love as such; Nor to whom to give the Seals of his Grace, and Communion with his Members.

XVI. Baptism is the Symbol or Badge of Christians, and Baptizing is our Christening; and whoever believeth and is Baptized, shall be Saved: Therefore till they Revolt, all truly Baptized persons are Visible Christians, and make up the Visible Church: Which is the Society of all p. 375Christians, Headed by their Soveraign Christ.

XVII. All Christians entered in Infancy, are not capable of the Duty, Blessings and Communion of the Adult. Adult Members and Communion must be distinguished from Infant.

XVIII. Therefore all that will have Adult Communion, though they must not be Baptized again, must as fully own their Baptismal Covenant, Devoting themselves by their own Vnderstanding Consent and Vow to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Renouncing the World, the Flesh and the Devil, as if they were now to be Baptized.

The neglect of this, or turning it into a dead image and Ceremony, by dead Images of Bishops, on pretence of Confirmation, confoundeth the Church, and would make it a dead Image, and really but the World.

XIX. The Universal Church of Christ in his days on Earth, was but an Embrio; and his few Apostles and Disciples, who were suited in number to the Jewish Nation, where their Ministry was to begin, were but like the Organical parts of the Body, the Heart, Head, Eyes, Liver, &c. when Nature hath first made them, that by them it may make the rest. But when Christ was Risen, and the Holy Ghost sent down in Eminency, and the Gentiles called, and the Church began to be Catholick, this Kingdom of the Holy Ghost is that which is called specially, the Kingdom of God and Heaven, which the Gospel then proclaimed, and John Baptist told Men was at hand.

XX. The Church of Christ on Earth is partly Visible and partly Invisible, and yet but one Church.

p. 376As Man is visible as to his Body, and invisible as to his Soul, and yet but one Man. It is visible, 1. In that the Subjects persons are Visible▪ 2. Their profession is Visible: 3. Christ was Visible on Earth: 4. He is Visible now in his Court of Heaven: 5. He will in visible Glory come and Judge them. 6. They shall see his Glory for ever: 7. His Laws are Visible: 8. His Officers are Visible. 9. Many of his Judgments and Executions are Visible here: 10. The rest shall be so quickly, and for ever.

His Church is Invisible, 1. In that Christ as God was never seen: 2. His Soul never seen: 3. His Office as to Truth, Right and Authority Invisible, and to be believed. 4. The Souls of the Subjects Invisible; 5. Their Sincerity Invisible. 6. And Christ now not seen on Earth. 7. Nor Heaven and Hell seen, where is his great Execution and Retribution.

XXI. Christ only is the Specifying and Unifying Form of the Church, as United to the Matter: And all Christians, Pastors and People, are but the Matter.

They have a sort of Unity in themselves: They are of one Human kind, of one Interest, of one Profession (and Faith and Love if sincere) and joyn in one sort of Worship, and Acts of Obedience to Christ▪ But they are One Christian Church, or Body of Christ, only by their Vnion with Christ, and Relation to him their Head and Center. As the Kingdom of England hath one sort of Men in our Land, of one Language, &c. But only their Relation to one King, makes them one Kingdom.

XXII. The Church or Body of Christ when p. 377fully made, hath dissimilar parts; some are Noble Organical parts, first made to be instruments in making and preserving all the rest; and the Church cannot be a Formed Church without them; some are such Integrals, as the Church may live without, but not be Whole without.

Even as Aristotle defineth the Soul to be Entelechia, or the Entitative Act and Form of a Physical organized Body, capable of being Animated by it. And as in Generation the Heart is first made, and then some Rudiments of the Vessels for Distribution, and then the Head and Eyes, and then the Liver, &c. So Christs Humane Nature with his Spirit, is as Heart and Head to the Church: And then Teaching by himself first, was as the Arteries for Distribution; And the Apostles were first made the most Noble Organical parts, to Deliver and Record his Universal Commands, and by his Spirit, make up the Inferior parts, and the ordinary Pastors to be as the Stomach and Liver, &c. for the Nutrition of the whole. None of these parts are the Soul or forma hominis; but the Noblest parts are necessary in that Contexture, which is forma Corporis, to make it materiae disposita, receptive of the Soul, which is the Form, as to its full Operation, though the Semen to make an Embrio before received it. Much like is it in our present Case.

XXIII. Our Controversie then is not, whether it be necessary to the being of the Church in facto esse, that it have Apostles and Pastors and Teachers, to make it the Organized Body of Christ, for this we all acknowledge. Nor yet whether these should be all Christians of one Body, Spirit, Faith, Baptism, Hope, united to one Head p. 378and God in him; Nor whether the Unity of the Spirit (for that's the Unity) should be kept in the Bond of Peace, no more than whether the dissimilar parts of the Body should all be of one Matter, and live by one nutriment, united to the same Head and Heart, Contiguous, and made for the Good of the whole, actuated by the same Spirits, and Animated by the same Soul.

XXIV. But our Controversie with the Papists is, Whether the Church on Earth have any One lawful Supream Power under Christ, Monarchical, Aristocratical or Democratical, authorized to Govern the whole by Legislation and Judgment: That is, One Ministerial Soveraign, or Vice-Christ; a Constitutive, specifying and Vnifying Supream over all, being one Political person, whether in one, or many natural Persons? This Protestants deny.

XXV. It is but our second Question with the Papists, Whether the Pope be this Head or Supreme Rector: but our first and fundamental Controversie is, Whether there be any such at all but Christ.

Did we believe there were any such at all, we should readily be Papists, either of those that give most to the Pope as Absolute, or of those that make him the President of Councils, and in their Intervals, the Prime Church Governor according to the Laws. Of which more anon.

That the Protestants commonly deny all Universal Soveraignty but Christ's, I should tire the Reader needlesly to prove by numerous Citations. He may soon know that will read, 1. All the Churches Confessions in the Corpus Confessionum. 2. Our Oaths for renouncing all foreign Jurisdictions. 3. Our Disputants, Luther, (de Conciliis) Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Melanchthon, Brentius, p. 379Calvin, Bullinger, Zanchy, Illiricus, Pezelius, Musculus, Aretius, Chamier, Molinaeus, Blondel, Dallaeus, Rivet, Paraeus, Sohnius, Piscator, Beza, Sadeel, Danaeus, Grynaeus, Spanhemius, Arminius, Episcopius, &c. Jewel, Whitaker, Reignolds, Crakenthorpe, Abbot, Challoner, Willet, Vsher, White, Chillingworth, Davenant, Morton, Carlton, Bernard, Barrow, &c. Their Disputes were not Who is this Summa Potestas Ministerial to Govern all the Christian World, but whether there be any such?

XXVI. No Protestants ever▪ yet denied the Councils of Pisa, Constance and Basil, and the French allowed Clergy to be Papists because they were not of the Italian strain, nor for the absolute unlimited Power of the Pope. Nor did any call them Protestants.

XXVII. That the Pope hath no right to an Universal Supremacy, Headship or Government, I have proved at large in the First and Second Part of my Key for Catholicks: And Dr. Barrow hath better and more largely proved after many other. Briefly,

1. No Man is naturally capable of Governing all the World. Only God and our Redeemer is capable; Man cannot know, hear, send, execute over all the Earth per se & per alios, it's a kind of madness to imagine it.

2. The Christian Churches are mostly under the Power of various Princes, Abassines, Turks, Persians, the Mogol, Moscovites, Tartarians, Swedes, Danes, English, &c. that will not receive the Pope: How then can he govern the Subjects under them?

3. Had such a Head been of Christ's making, he would have plainly made us understand it by p. 380his word: Of so great importance would it be to the Churches Unity and our Salvation.

4. When Heresies and Sects and Controversies arose and troubled the Church, the Apostles would sure have told them this necessary means of ending all, and living in Unity and Concord.

5. Paul would never have chidden the Contenders for saying, I am of Cephas, if centering in him had been the only uniting means.

6. Peter never exercised any Power over the rest of the Apostles, nor over the Universal Church any more than the rest.

7. If he had, it had been no more to the Bishop of Rome, than to the Bishop of Antioch, and others.

8. None can shew any Commission of Christ for such a Headship: And none other can authorize them.

9. The Council of Chalcedon saith expresly, that it's being the Imperial Seat, caused Rome to have the Primacy by the Father's Gift.

10. The whole Greek Church never believed that Christ made any Universal Soveraign: For, 1. Else they would never have contended for the Primacy at Constantinople (nor for the second place)▪ For they knew that was no Apostolical Seat, nor did they claim it as by Christs institution: and they were not so impudent as to set up a Human Right before a Divine. 2. And even they never claimed a Soveraignty over the Extra Imperial Christian World, but only over the Churches of the Empire, and those that had been the Emperor's Subjects.

11. The Fathers and Primitive Church, and Tradition are all against the Pope's Universal Government without the Empire (as I have elsewhere proved).

p. 38112. The Catholick Church is now against such a Soveraign, even the far greatest part of Christians: And it never acknowledged him or united in him in any Age.

13. There is less reason for one Church Monarch over all the World than for one Civil Monarch (as shall be further proved) which yet no Man hath the face to plead for.

14. This Papal Claim hath no just pretence; There is no work or use for any such Power (of which more anon). Let not Magistrates or Pastors be robbed of their right, and there will no Governing Work be left for the Pope.

15. It is an unsufferable Usurpation of the Power of all Christian Princes, who are entrusted with the Exteriors and Accidentals of the Church; and a wrong to them, and their Kingdoms to subject them to Foreigners. The Pope of old was a Subject to one Prince; And for one Princes Subject to Rule all other Princes of the Earth, is in effect to make that Prince the Ruler of them all.

16. A humane Usurping Head maketh an human adulterous Catholick Church; and makes that the Body of the Pope, which should be but the Body of Christ.

17. It is a certain means of Schism, while thereby they separate that humane Society of the Usurper from all the Church that will own no Head but Christ.

18. This Idol Head or Vice-Christ in plain Pride setting up himself as the Governour of the World, and setting the World together by the Ears about his Title, by Usurping the Government over them, must needs make it a hard question at least to Christians, whether this Idol be not the Antichrist, p. 382that is, the Pro-Christ, while he makes himself the Vice-Christ. And especially when it's considered what men abundance of the Popes have been, and how much they have done against the Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and faithful Servants of Christ.

19. They have no way to give the World any satisfactory certainty who is Pope, and who not: How then can the World be ruled by him? 1. They cannot tell whether the Electors or Consecrators be they that necessarily give him his Power, or make him Pope. 2. If it be the Electors, they cannot tell us who those must be. If any will serve, the Turk may make a Pope! And then ten sort of Electors may make ten Popes: If it be tied to any one sort of Men, the Papacy hath long been extinct; for in some Ages the People of Rome chose with the City Clergy: In some Ages the Neighbour Bishops and People chose: In some the Emperors: In some Cardinals; And sometimes General Councils: If God had appointed one Vnifying Head to his Church, he would have determined who should choose him, and told us how to know him.

If it be Consecration that maketh him Pope, God would have authorized some to Consecrate him. If any will serve, some may Consecrate one, and some another, and some a third: Every one may have three Bishops. If it must be both a just Election and Consecration the uncertainty will be the greater, when neither of them is certain.

And none can give Power but they that have it to give. But Electors and Consecraters being Inferiors have none to give.

p. 383If they say that God only giveth the Power, and the Electors do but choose the Receiver, and the Consecrators invest him: I answer, It is so indeed in the true Col…ation of Church-offices, and Power (Whether Mr. Dodwell and such others will or not). But that's here all one as to our uncertainty Who is the Man.

2. And this is no feigned case: when in such a multitude of Schisms, there have been two or three Popes at once (and once six alive at once that were or had been Popes): And these made Bishops and Cardinals, and those Bishops made Priests, and no man yet knows which of them (if either) had the right.

3. And is it the Name of a Roman Bishop, or the Thing that is necessary to the being of an Universal Pastor? If the Name, a Hundred may be so called; And bare Names give not so great Power: If the Thing, how were those Bishops of Rome, that divers Score Years did dwell in France, and never did any Bishop's Work at Rome, nor had Rome's Consent? Might not one in Armenia have been as truly called the Bishop of Rome?

But if it be Possession that gives validity to the claim, then the strongest hath the best title. And they that have by turns driven out each other were all true Popes: And who was Possessor, when one was at Rome, and another (that carried it at last) at Avignion or in Germany?

20. Tying an Unifying Head of all the Church on Earth to Rome, doth leave it in the Power of any Infidel, or Arian that can get Rome to set a Head of the Christian Religion on the Church; that is, To un-church it, destroy it or corrupt it. For all that know the World, know how ordinarily p. 384the Present Powers can prevail with their Subjects to Elect whom they please; As Theodoricus and other Arians at Rome have done. And if the Turk should conquer Rome, how easily could he keep them from having any Bishop at all, and so the Church were dead as headless.

21. Yea Rome hath long been without any true Bishop: And the Church is no Church without it's Constitutive Head. In divers times of Wars, Desolations, and Persecutions, yea, long by the Disagreement of the Electors, and many ages by the nullity of uncapable Popes, some set up by Whores, and Tyrants, and some deposed by General Councils as Hereticks, and yet continuing (as Eugen. 4.) And long much of Italy it self deposed the Roman Bishop, and set up a Patriarch at Aquileia, and took him for their Head.

22. Yea, it is certain by their Doctrine of necessary uninterrupted Succession, that there is now no Pope nor ever can be. For when so many false Elections, Incapacities by Simony, Heresie, Schism, Infidelity, Councils Depositions, have interrupted the Succession, it can never (by their way) be restored.

23. By all the Canons every City should choose their own Bishop: And so Rome (oft a Nest of Wickedness) would be made the Mistriss or Head of all the World; when as Cosmography is not so necessary to Christianity, that all the World should be bound ever to know that there is such a place as Rome in the World: And it were a strange thing that God should make it necessary to Salvation for them at the Antipodes and all the Earth, to obey one City, and him that they elect. Was it ignorance or craft in Pope Zachary to Excommunicate p. 385one for saying there were Antipodes. If he knew of no Men on the other side of the Earth, he was unlike to Govern them. If he perswaded Men that one half of the Earth was uninhabited, that he might not be known to be no Governor of them, it was vain Craft. But it's liker it was Ignorance.

He that would have more Proof, may find enough in Dr. Barrow.

XXVIII. The Pope by this Claim of Universal Government claimeth so much Power unjustly from and over all Princes on Earth, as obligeth them all to take him for a Publick Enemy, as one would do that should claim an Universal Monarchy, and tell them on pain of Deposition they must be all his Subjects: as the Pope doth on pain of Excommunication, Deposition and Damnation.

None ever had the madness to dream of an Universal Schoolmaster, or Physicion. Gregory long ago made the claim of Universal Bishop to be a mark of Antichrist.

XXIX. Christ bindeth all Christians to live in Communion as Saints, as making up one Body Politick (of a transcendent Species) of which Christ is the Supreme Governor or Head.

This therefore is none of the Controversie between us: All Christians are agreed that as many Members of different shape, use and honour make up one Natural Body, so do Christians that differ in Gifts, Office and Grace make up one Body of Christ. And as every Member contributeth to the good of the whole Body, so must every Christian to the good of the Universal Church: And so it is not only Bishops that have every one a Charge in his Place to promote the Universal p. 386welfare, but every Presbyter, and every Christian in his Place. Therefore that Bishops are related to the whole Church, no more proveth that they have as a Senate a summa potestas or any Universal Government over it, as one College, than it will prove it in all other Christians, who are all related to the whole; Nor no more than the Members of the Body do make one natural Governing Part by Consent.

XXX. This Communion of Christians in the Church as Catholick; is essentiated by the Essentials of Christianity and Ministry; for Christians as Christians with Christ the Head do constitute the Catholick Church, in its first being as in fieri, And Christians as Christian Ministers of Christ, and private Disciples, do constitute the organized Body which with Christ the Head make an organized Catholick Church.

XXXI. The Integrals of Christianity & Communion are not necessary to the Essence of the Church, but to the Integrity: Much less the Accidents.

XXXII. The Christian Churches through the World have Communion in all these things following at this day. 1. They are all Baptized with the same Baptism in Essence; and so are all Christians. Particularly they all profess to believe in God the Father, one Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and one Holy Ghost, one in Essence with the Father and the Son. They all profess the same Creed called the Apostles, yea and the Nicene: and the Lord's Prayer as the Rule of our Desires, and the Decalogue as a summary Rule of Practice: They all believe the same holy Canonical Scripture, as to as many Books at least as are necessary to the being of Christianity and Salvation. They all p. 387agree in the Essentials of the Sacred Ministry, that such must teach the Infidels of the World, and make them Disciples of Christ baptizing them; and then must teach them Christ's Commands: That they are under Christ's Teaching, Priestly and Kingly office, to be to the Churches the Peoples Teachers, their Guides in Publick Worship, and the Rulers of their Communion by the Power of the Keys. They agree in the Essentials of the Lord's Supper, save that the Papists have corrupted it by Transubstantiation, and other foul Abuses▪ The Protestants, Greeks, Armenians, Abassines and all or near all the Parties of Christians in the World are agreed in all this and much more, excepting the said Corruptions of Popery. 2. Their Religion teacheth them all to Love one another, as the Members of the same Body of Christ; to do good to all, especially to the Houshold of Faith; and to Pray for one another, and and relieve each other in want, and to do to all as they would have others do to them. In a word to Love God as God, and Saints as Saints, and Men as Men, and all to seek one Heavenly Kingdom, and all fight against the same Enemies, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. And this is Catholick Communion.

XXXIII. The greater Communion they have in all the Integral parts of Christian Faith, Worship and Government, the more strong and amiable the several Churches are, and so is the whole by such Communion: But it is not necessary to the Essence.

It is not the Papists trick of challenging us to name Fundamentals that will cheat men of understanding to confound Essentials and Integrals: That p. 388which hath no Essence is nothing: that whose Essentials are unknown is not knowable, nor can be defined. Christianity was once known by Baptism: and it was once knowable who were to be Baptized, and who to be received as Christians into Communion. There are multitudes of Divine Truths revealed in Scripture, and therefore to be believed, which are not essential to a Christian or a Church: And so there are Integral Parts of Worship and Discipline. He that needs more proof of this, is not one of those that I write for.

XXXIV. The Accidents of Christianity and Churches are of two sorts: some such as it is desireable that all Churches should agree in, though it be necessary neither to their Essence or Integrity. And some such in which an Universal Agreement is neither possible nor desireable.

As it is desireable to comeliness that all men have Hair and Nails, &c. but not that they all wear Cloaths of the same Stuff, Shape, or Price; or all dwell in Houses of the same materials, form or bigness, nor all use the same Trade of Life, nor be of one Age or Rank, &c. It is desireable that all the World spake one Language, and were of one Judgment in all things of common concernment: But it's hopeless, And he would play the hypocritical Devil, that on pretence of seeking Unity, would destroy or ruin all that agree not in these things; so is it as to Church Communion: It is desireable that all Christians understood and spake one Language; and that we had but one perfect sort of Copy of the Bible without various readings; or where Translations are necessary that they were all perfect and agreeable; but it's hopeless: As the case is, it is not desireable, much less p. 389necessary, that we all Worship God in one Language when all understand it not, or that we all use the same Translations, Liturgy, or words of Prayer or Preaching, or all wear the same sort of Garments, and an hundred such like: And to silence all that do not, or reject them from Catholick Communion is the like hypocritical Diabolism; and in that way, the Devil and the Pope are the greatest Vniters, that is, Dividers and Destroyers in the World.

XXXV. The Vniversal Church containeth many particular Churches throughout the World.

This none denieth. As a Kingdom hath many Cities and Corporations.

XXXVI. These particular Churches Parts of the Universal, have a distinct constitutive Form: That is, Christ only is Soveraign of the Universal, but his Officers are the particular constitutive ruling part of the particular; though under Christ.

King and Subjects only are Essential to a Kingdom: But a Mayor, Bailiff, or other chief Officer, and the common Citizens are Essential to a City. And to call a man Chief or Head of a Family or City, that is no King, is no Treason, but to claim the Royalty is.

XXXVII. Therefore there is more necessary to Communion in a particular Church as a Member of it, than to Catholick Communion. Viz.

He must consent to his Relation and Submission to the particular Pastors of that Church; and to meet at the same time and place, and joyn in all the necessary Parts of Publick Worship with them: Else local Communion will be impossible.

Therefore it is injurious ignorance which maintaineth of late, that he that separateth from or is p. 390justly cast out of one Church, separateth from, or is cast out of all. For he that will not own the Pastor of that Church, cannot have Communion with it as a Member of that Church; who can come to School to a Schoolmaster that he consents not to? And yet he may own most or all other Pastors of the Catholick Church as such. He that thinks the Subscriptions, Forms or Ceremonies of the Greek, Roman or English Church unlawful, doth not therefore think Christianity or Catholick Communion unlawful.

XXXVIII. All Christians are not bound to be fixed Members of particular Churches subordinate to National; but those that can enjoy it ought.

The Negative I have so fully proved against Dr. Stillingfleet, that for Dr. Sherlock to go on to harp on the same string, and give no answer to it, doth but tell us with what Men we have to do. I will not repeat the Proofs I gave, that some Ambassadors, some Merchants, some wandering Beggars or Tradesmen, some Travellers, and some where no Churches yet are gathered, some Soldiers, and some in times of Confusion, are not obliged to be fixed Members of any particular Church; but only to be Christians in Communion with the Church Catholick, and to hold transient Communion with the Churches where they come. He that yet will deny this, words will not make him see it.

XXXIX. Many of these Churches in one Kingdom, have so great advantage by the Unity of Soveraignty, civil Interest and Laws, to be strengthening helpers to one another, that they should accordingly associate, and live in as much concord as their various conditions, Auditors and Imperfections will allow.

p. 391And accordingly as Neighbours owe some more Charity to each other than to Strangers, so Christians under the same Prince united by Civil Government, Laws and Interest, should be so far from persecuting and destroying each other, for that which in various Kingdoms is allowable in Religion, that they should exercise more love, compassion and forbearance of one another.

XL. Christian Princes are true Parts of the Kingdom of Christ, and eminent Integral Parts of the Universal Church, as well as Pastors. And are bound by Christ to do their best to make all their Kingdoms, the Kingdoms of Christ; that is, to bring all their Subjects to consent to be Christians, and to live in concordant Obedience to the Laws of Christ.

And so all Nations should be discipled as far as they can procure it: And such National Churches, that is, Christian Kingdoms, we must all desire.

XLI. Supreme Christian Princes or States are authorized and obliged to drive on, by just means, all Pastors and People to the Duties of their several Places, and correct them for their Crimes.

XLII. Christian Princes and States being Members of the Universal Church, are bound to contribute their best endeavours to its welfare: And therefore so far to Unite and Agree as is necessary to their mutual strengthening for the Universal good.

XLIII. Therefore so far as Civil Councils, or Dyets of many Princes or their Delegates or Ambassadors are necessary to this Concord for the common good, they are bound by God to keep such. And where Meetings cannot be kept, to use all meet correspondency by Ambassadors and Letters for the same End.

p. 392So that this is no duty proper to Bishops, but common to Christian Princes: And if their sinful omission make it strange, it is nevertheless their duty, as God will make them know.

XLIV. Thy Synods of Pastors duly ordered are of great use for their mutual advice, strength and concord, in order to the universal good.

So far are we from being against them▪ that we think the right use of them of great importance. That they may keep a right understanding of the Faith which they agree in, and bear down Heresies the better by their joynt opposition; and may keep up Christian Love, and work out the disaffections which strangers and the calumnies of backbiters are apt to breed. And even in Integrals and meet Accidents may do as much in Concord as they can.

XLV. The Obligation which lieth on Particular Pastors to observe the Agreements of such Synods, is from the general command of Love and Concord, and the means thereto. And he that stands not to such Agreements as make for the Strength and Concord of the Churches, violateth this Common Law. But such Agreements of Synods as make not for this common end, but are against it, no man is obliged to observe.

For it is no means that is not for the End, but against it. Therefore every Canon which enjoyneth sin, or is not to the Churches good but hurt, must not be kept.

XLVI. It is not true that the Diocesan is by Office the Representer of the whole Church in Synods, and Presbyters have no place or decisive Votes.

Protestants have at large confuted this in their p. 339Confutations of Popery; and so have many French Papists, and some others. The Convocation in England hath a lower House of Presbyters: Else in Abassia one Bishop were instead of all the Clergy of the Empire: And two or three were a National Synod, in a Nation that hath no more Diocesses. They can shew no Commission for such a Representative Power; therefore they have none such.

XLVII. Much less have five Patriarchs, and a few Metropolitans, or such near them as they will call Authority to pass for the Representatives of all the Christian World, and to constitute a General Council.

XLVIII. No Pastors or Churches can give power to any to represent them absolutely; but only limitedly to lawful things, for common good: And to oblige them no further or longer to stand to what they do, than the common good requireth it.

What a man may not do himself, he may not authorize another to do for him: And no man may himself oppose Truth or Duty, or cross the common good, or assert any falshood, or consent to any sin. And that which accidentally maketh for the common good in one Age or Countrey, may be against it in the next: And then we are obliged against it, whatever our Delegates, Ancestors or selves did for it before.

XLIX. There was never in the World a General Council of all the Bishops on Earth, nor of the Representatives of all the Churches: Even the six or eight, or more old Councils now most honoured, were General but as to One Empire, (yea far from that,) and not as to all the Christian World.

p. 394This I have fully proved in my second Book against Johnson; 1. From the Subscriptions to the said Councils; 2. From the Authority of the Emperors that called them; 3. From the rest of the History and Acts; 4. And from the Testimony of the Historians of those Times. Yet A. Bishop Bromhall, with the Papist Priest Johnson maintaineth the contrary, pag. 110. saying, [This Exception was made in the dark, &c. and saith, it abounds with Errours, and that the Abuna of Ethiopia submitteth to the Patriarch of Alexandria, and they all acknowledge the Pope the first Patriarch, &c.

Ans. 1. If such a cant as this go with any man for a satisfactory answer to the full proof aforesaid which I have given, and my Confutation of ten times more of Johnsons, I have done with that man.

Ans. 2. Our Question is, Whether any, or all the Extra-Imperial Churches had Bishops in those Councils, or were there represented, yea or ever called? Doth he prove a word of this? Not one word; but saith, The Ethiopians now submit to them.

Ans. 3. The Question is not, what they do now, but what they did then. Christian Reader, admire the gracious Providence of God. The Custom then was for the Major Vote of the Bishops in Council, when they anathematized any as Hereticks, to get them banished. Many of these banished men enlarged the Church, and encreased the numbers of Christians where they came; but they propagated a Condemnation of the Councils that condemned them. Nestorius, but specially Dioscorus and Jacobus Syrus, and many p. 395of the Eutychians turned multitudes in the East and South, and some in Tartary to their minds herein. Among others the Abyssines were taken with the Reverence and Authority of Dioscorus, condemning the Council at Chalcedon, and the rest that were against him. And all the Extra-Imperial Churches honoured those of the Empire above themselves, living under Infidels (except Abassia) and rejoyced in the Power of the Christian Empire; but never joyned in their Councils, nor received them as their Laws, but rejoyced as Consenters to all that they thought good. He cannot prove that before Dioscorus Banishment the Abassines obeyed Alexandria: And to this day, their Abuna is chosen by the Monks at Jerusalem, say some, but say others, chosen and confirmed by the titular Patriarch of Alexandria, and ruleth Abassia himself; and they all condemn the foresaid Councils, and the Pope. Godignus tells you and Ludolphus more fully, what respect they have for the Pope and our Councils.

Ans. 4. The truth is, all that ever I heard yet that can be said for the Subjection of the Abassines, or other Exterior Churches to the Council even of Nice, or the Patriarchs before, is but a Word in the Canons lately Divulged by Pisanus; which are novel, of no Authority, nor to be Credited by any that Credit not the Roman Forgeries: And it's contrary to the true Nicene Canon, that saith Egypt only is Subject to Alexandria, when this Forgery addeth Ethiopia: And yet it's said of Trajan, that he went far into Ethiopia to Enlarge the Roman Power: So if the Romans had any skirt there, as they had oft in Persia and Scythia, that's nothing to the Abassines, nor proveth p. 396any Exteriors, much less all represented in the General Councils of old.

Ans. 5. Many Countries and Parties did for Concord, and some Advantages, put themselves under particular Patriarchs, and also profess their voluntary consent to the Nicene, and some other Councils, Canons or Creed, who yet never took a General Council for the Rightful Soveraign of the Christian Churches, through the World. At this day one Sect obeyeth only the Patriarch of Constantinople, and rejecteth all the rest; and another the Patriarch of Alexandria, and three others, the three pretending Patriarchs of Antioch, rejecting the rest: and they reject as aforesaid some of the four first Councils, and all that followed: By which it appeareth, that they take not the four or five Patriarchs Essential to Catholick Unity, nor General Councils to have a supream Regiment over all. Most Protestants receive the four first General Councils (saving some mutable accidentals:) And yet they hold not their Universal Soveraignty.

L. It is neither lawful nor possible to call a Vniversal Council to Exercise Vniversal Soveraignty, nor ever like to be.

I have fully proved this in the Second part of my Key for Catholicks: Consider, 1. It must be Grave Experienced Men, who are fit to be trusted in so great a Matter: And such are Aged and usually weak.

2. From Abassia, Mexico, Armenia, &c. they must be a year or near in receiving the Summons, and as long in preparing and coming to Europe, if this be the place.

3. They must it's like, be some years absent at the Council.

p. 3974. They cannot (if they are sufficient Representatives) come all into one Room to hear Debates.

5. They cannot most of them understand one anothers Language.

6. They will hardly live to bring back the Decrees.

7. There is no Person or Senate in the World, that hath an obliging Authority to call them.

8. It is not like that they will ever agree Voluntarily to meet in one place, without such Authority: The Abassines, Armenians, Syrians, &c. will think we should come to them, and we shall think they should come to us.

9. If possibly they should agree, a Mans Age is little enough to go all over the World to Sollicite and bring them to such Agreement.

10. Who, and how many will undertake that task?

11. How few can bear the Charges of all this.

12. It were sinful Cruelty to Separate the Wisest Men so long from their Charges, to the Peoples loss, as well as by the Voyages and Journeys to kill them.

13. It is certain, that most of the Princes on Earth, under whose power the Bishops live, would not give leave to go out of their Dominions to such Synods; most being Infidels, many Heterodox, and many in Wars or Enmity with each other, and almost all in Jealousies; and without their leave, they cannot come.

14. The great Numbers of the nearer Bishops, and the paucity of the most remote, would make it no true Representative, as to Votes.

p. 39815. There is no one on Earth Antecedently Authorized to be their President (what ever the Papists pretend:) And to choose a President, it's like so many such would hardly agree.

16. It's already known, that they account one another Hereticks, or Schismaticks, or Usurping Tyrants before hand: Some are called Nestorian Hereticks, some Eutychian or Jacobite Hereticks, some Melchites, some one thing, and some another, and most take the Papists for Tyrants, and Hereticks both. And will all these ever meet in Council?

17. Men are naturally so much for their own ease, and so much against Works of so vast difficulty, charge and hazard, that a competent number of fit Men would never undertake it; it being almost equal to a Martyrdom, which even the best Men will not undergo, till they are better Convinced of the Duty and Necessity than any Man can truly be of such Universal Councils.

18. It's known that all the Protestants, if not allmost all other Christians, save Papists, do believe no such Councils to be necessary, no, nor lawful, but to be usurping Tyranny, as challenging the Universal Church-Government as a Senate.

So that as there never was, so there never will be, must be, or can be such a Council; unless (which God forbid) all the Church should be again Reduced to a narrow Room.

LI. They that would make such Councils, possible by pretending that a few Patriarchs and such Bishops as they will bring with them, are p. 399the Sufficient and Authorized Representers of all the rest, do but more grossly deceive and abuse the Christian World.

For, 1. They never proved, nor can prove that ever Christ Authorized such Patriarchs, much less to such a Power.

2. And whereas Arch-Bishop Bromhal saith, that God doth it by the Law of Nature, enabling Men to do it, and to deny this is to overthrow all Government: I answer, 1. We know of no such Law of Nature; nor that he is a Credible Expositor of it: We take the Law of Nature (on the Reasons before and after mentioned) to be plainly against the very being of such Councils, and especially against such trusting our Religion with them, and supposing them to be the Governors of all the Christian Princes and People on Earth. 2. What Men be they that have given these Patriarchs this Power? If Men dead 1300. years ago, they have no Authority now: Dead Men have no ruling Power. The Laws of the Land bind us not now by any power, that the Dead Kings and Parliaments have over us: But (though made by them) they bind us now only as the Laws of our present Governours. By the Constitution, the Successive Kings are still by consent to make them Their Laws, till by consent of King and Parliament, they are Dissolved: Unless some present power over us make them Their Laws, no old Church Canons can bind us. 3. If they say that God binds us to stand to what our Ancestors did, I want the proof of that: If we will have the benefit of our Ancestors Contract, we must stand to them, else we may choose: A Father cannot bind his Child to his hurt, but only to p. 400his Benefit. Let them prove the Obligation.

4. But we deny that any made those Patriarchs, who would have had any power over us, had we been then alive. The Subjects of one Prince made them in his Empire, and he Confirmed them. But neither that Prince nor his Subjects were our Rulers here, what if the King or Convocation make Canterbury and York Metropolitans: Doth it follow that they have Church-power over other Lands.

5. These Patriarchs had never the Government of any given them by the old Councils, but within the Empire: And after of some Volunteers that for Advantage chose it.

6. Who be these Patriarchs they talk of? Are they not all turned into Names and Shadows, Condemning one another? and must these five fighting Shadows Represent and Rule the Christian World?

7. To return to the twelve Apostles is Impertinent: The Apostles were prime Ministers, and more Represented Christ than the Church. The Church chose them not: Christ made them Foundations, Bases and Pillars in his Church, but not Representatives of it. And if he had, they chose none to Succeed them as Apostles; But as ordinary Ministers, all Ministers Succeed them, and as Superior Ministers, some say Bishops. Bellarmine confesseth and proveth, that the Apostles as such have no Successors, and that the Pope Succeedeth not Peter as an Apostle, but (as he Dreams) as an ordinary Supream Pastor. Had the Apostles setled twelve or thirteen Successors, or appointed any Churches to be Rulers of the rest, we must have obeyed these Rulers: p. 401But who have called them a General Council▪ None but Rome, Antioch and Alexandria claimed Succession from the Apostles; and all these claimed it but from one Apostle Peter, Rome and Antioch as his pretended Seats, and Alexandria that he set St. Mark over them, sure the Apostles rose not from the dead to make Constantinople and Jerusalem Patriarchates: And if they had, four of the five Patriarchs are all now Subjects to the Turk: And experience telling us what Power Princes have in the Choice and Ruling of the Clergy: All this doth but say, that the Turk is the Chief Governour of the Religion and Consciences of all the Christian World.

If they plead for new Power to make Patriarchs, let them prove who hath that Power over all the World, and how they came by it, and how they now use it. Will all the Christian World who fear the guilt of obeying Usurpers, and disobeying Christians, ever unite in the obedience of Patriarchs, who cannot be known by the wisest, much less by all to have any Authority to command them?

LII. The Pope hath done much of his mischiefs to the Church and World by the Councils of Bishops.

They have been his Army, and he their General: Without them he could have done little or nothing: By them the most of Church Corruptions have been made Laws: By them Emperors have been deposed, Rebellions maintained, the Pope enabled to give away their Kingdoms, absolve Subjects from their Oaths, to make it a Heresie (called Henrician) to be Loyal, to dig dead Bishops out of their graves as Hereticks, p. 402that were for Loyalty: Yea the Councils of Bishops without, if not against the Pope, deposed the good Ludovicus Pius, and have done much to the corruption and confusion of the Churches; as I have elsewhere proved.

LIII. General Councils are not the authorized or lawful Supreme Government of the Universal Church, nor have an Universal Legislative or Judiciary Power.

This many Protestants, and after all Dr. Barrow have unanswerably proved.

Arg. 1. If there never was, nor must be, nor can be a true Universal Council, then such a Council is not the Churches Supreme Governour. But the antecedent I have before proved.

Arg. 2. That Government which the Church was without for three hundred years, is not the just Supreme Government of the Universal Church: (For the Church is not the Church without its Supreme Government.) But the Church was without a General Council at least for three hundred years.

Arg. 3. That Government which rarely existeth, and hath not existed near an hundred years, or, as some of our Adversaries say, a thousand, is not the Supreme Government of the Church: (For then the Church would be dead, and no Church in all that time of vacancy; for the Species depends on the Supreme Government:) But the Church hath so rarely had that which our present Adversaries themselves take for a true General Council. If the Council of Trent were any, they have had none since. Yea Bishop Guning owneth but the six first Councils called General: And if there were none since, then the p. 403Church hath had no Supreme Council just a thousand years: And was it this thousand years no Church? or of another Species? Or can the Church be a thousand years without its Supreme Government?

Arg. 4. If General Councils be the Supreme Legislative Power, then the Church hath had no such Councils-Laws for all the foresaid vacancies (300 years first, and since 601, a thousand years after.) But the Adversaries will not allow the consequent; (that all the Canons of General Councils were no Laws so long:) But the antecedent is proved from the definition of Laws, which are the signification of the Soveraigns Will to be the Rule of the Subjects Right (actions and dues.) There is no Law which is not the Rulers Law; and if the Ruler be dead, the Law is dead: For a dead man hath neither Authority nor Will.

Obj. Our Laws die not with the King, nor at the dissolution of Parliaments.

Ans. 1. The Law saith, Rex non moritur. As soon as he is dead, the next Heir is King, and the Law is his Law, he being by the Constitution (by Contract) obliged to own it, and Govern by it. 2. And Parliaments have their part in the Legislation as Representatives or Trustees of the People, and therefore the Laws are called those quas vulgus elegerit. But the People die not at the dissolving of a Parliament. 3. At least it's of apparent necessity that the Supreme Executive Power survive, or else the Laws die: For whose Laws are they, if we had no King or Soveraign? Whom do we obey or disobey in obeying or disobeying such Laws? But our opposers say, that even the Supreme Executive as well as Legislative Power p. 404is in General Councils. If so, their Laws are dead a thousand years; and we cannot disobey or obey dead men: Therefore why do you press us to obey their Laws?

Arg. 5. If God would have had such Councils to be the Universal Soveraigns, he would have notified this plainly in his Word, or in Nature; it being supposed the Constitutive Form of the Church, or at least necessarily to be known for the common Duty and Concord of Christians: Our opposers say, [There is no Concord nor avoiding damnable Schism, but by obeying the Vniversal Governing Church.] But God hath notified no such thing in Nature or Scripture.

Arg. 6. If God would have his Church Universal to have had such a Soveraign, he would have empowered some one or more to call such a Council, and told us who hath the power to call them, that we may know which have Authority and are to be obeyed: For there have been many false and heretical General Councils (so called;) and they have cursed and condemned one another. But God hath given us no notice of any empowered to call such a Council, nor any means how to know which of them is true, and which false, which to obey, and which not; whatever the Pope pretendeth.

Arg. 7. All the Inferior Officers derive their Power from the Supreme: But all the particular Bishops and Presbyters do not derive their Power from General Councils; ergo they are not Supreme.

The Major is undoubted with all Politick Writers: It is one of the Jura Majestatis to be the Fountain of Inferior Power.

p. 405The Minor is notorious de facto in the common History of the Church: By the National Orders of the Roman Empire, Councils had a chief Power in case of difference to determine of the five Patriarchs; but not necessarily to chuse them, nor did they consecrate them; nor was this without the Empire; nor did these Patriarchs make the other Bishops. The Papists dare not determine whether Election or Consecration necessarily make a Bishop, or whether it must be both: For which ever be necessary (distinguished from invalid acts) their Popes and Bishops are nulled; much more if both. But neither of them was appropriate to General Councils.

Arg. 8. The Soveraign Government of the Universal Church, is supposed necessary to its Unity, and to avoiding of Schism, and deciding Controversies, and therefore its Laws are necessary to be Preached to all the Flocks. But none of this is true as to the Soveraignty of a Council: …or the Church had Unity mostly without it, and subsists without it at this day; and few Subjects know its Laws, and few Preachers preach them, or People think they are bound to learn them.

Arg. 9. Christ hath appropriated the Soveraignty and Universal Legislation and Judgment to himself alone: Therefore it is not committed to a Council.

The Antecedent is proved fully by 1 Cor. 11.3. 1 Cor. 12.27, &c. Col. 1.18. & 2.10, 17, 19. Eph. 1.22, 23. Eph. 4.3, 4, 5, 6. to 16. 1 Cor. 6.16, 17. Gal. 3.28. 1 Cor. 3.3, 4, 5. & 4.6. 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. Matth. 22.25, 26. Luke 22.26.

Arg. 10. They that will claim so great a Power as to be the Soveraigns of the Christian p. 406World, must shew a clear Commission for it: But Universal Councils can shew no such Commission.

Arg. 11. If an Universal Council of Bishops be the Supreme Governours of the Universal Church, they that call them not, or they that come not together, live in most damnable sin: For all Office consisteth in Obligation to do the duty, as well as Power to do it. And to neglect so many hundred years a work of such unspeakable need, must be more damnable than to neglect a particular Flock; so that this casts either all the Bishops of the World into damnation, as most perfidious men, or the Pope for not calling them.

Arg. 12. The necessity of such an Universal Supreme Senate is feigned and false; therefore none such is of God.

1. The great pretended necessity is of Universal Legislation: But that is not necessary. For Christ hath already given his Church as many Laws as are universally necessary: No man can prove the necessity of one more.

2. Nor is their Universal Judging Office necessary: For,

Arg. 13. A General Council is not capable of Universal Supreme Government: Therefore they were never by God appointed to it.

I. They are not capable of Universal Legislation.

1. Because Christ hath made perfect Universal Laws, and forbidden all addition to them; that is, at least all of the same kind. To say that Christ hath left out any of universal necessity, is to say, that he hath done his work by the halves, and p. 407men must mend it; especially if it be in necessary things. If it be but undetermined Circumstances or Accidents, then 1. None can know which of them agree with all Countries on Earth. 2. Those that agree this year may not be agreeable the next. 3. Nor is an Agreement in more than Christ hath determined necessary at all. So that here is no work for them to do.

2. And what is the Judiciary Power that they can use? No man can tell what. 1. They cannot judge of particular Persons to be Baptized whether they are fit. All the Bishops of the World must not meet to try a Catechumen. 2. Nor yet of Persons that are to be Confirmed and admitted to adult Communion: 3. Nor of Persons accused of Heresie or Scandal: No one is so mad as to say that an Universal Council must be gathered out of all the Earth to judge whether A. do justly accuse B. of these Crimes, and to hear all men speak for themselves, and to Examine the Witnesses, &c.

And whole Cities, and Kingdoms are not fit for Church Censures, because they are mixt of righteous and unrighteous, and noxa Caput sequitur: Every man must answer for his own Sin, and every one must have his own Repentance. And if whole Countries are to be Judged, whole Countries of Witnesses must be heard. And shall the Council come to them, or they all go to the Council? and whither? and when?

If it be Causes and not Persons that they must judge, what are they if they be no Persons Causes? If only Cases of Doctrine and Conscience in general, as the Expounding hard Texts of Scripture, or Points of Divinity; This is not properly a Judiciary p. 408Executive Power, which is ever subsequent to the Subjects actions; but it is a part of the antecedent Power; If it be but Instructing it is the act of a Teacher; If generally obliging it is the act of the Legislator's: For it is his Prerogative to be the universally obliging Expositor of the Law, who is the Maker of it: And it's more to Give the sence, than to endite the bare words. So that here is no Universal Legislation or Jurisdiction left for a Soveraign Council: Nor any that they are capable of.

LV. Much less can all the Bishops out of Council living all over the Earth, as one College, Senate or Aristocracy, be the Supreme Governing Power of all the Churches and Christians on Earth, having no possible Capacity thereof.

If our new Church Bishops and Drs. had not fixed on this as the Universal Supremacy, I should have expected a sharp censure for judging any so— as to own it. The same Arguments forementioned confute it?

Arg. 1. The diffused College of Bishops out of Council never did make Laws for the Church Universal: Therefore they are not its Law-makers or Supreme Legislative Rulers.

Arg. 2. They have never (much less always) exercised an Vniversal decisive Judiciary Power: Therefore they were never appointed to exercise it. The Church could not obey that Power that was never used by such as Judges.

Arg. 3. If God had given them this Power, he would somewhere have plainly told us of it, and directed them and us how to use it: But this he hath not done.

p. 409Arg. 4. The Assertors of this while they would extoll the Clergy, cruelly Judge them by Consequence to Damnation, for never performing so great a Duty as Universal Legislation and Jurisdiction; if God did oblige them to it.

Arg. 5. For the diffusive Clergy or Bishops of all the Earth out of Council to Govern all Christians on Earth as one College or Senate, which all must obey, is a thing of such notorious natural Impossibility, that I once thought I should never have heard a Man, much less a Christian, yea a Dr. and Bishop, yea, many maintain.

1. For must they all agree that their acts may be valid in Legislation or Decisive Judgment, or must it be a Major Vote? No doubt they'l say the latter. And who shall propose and draw up the Laws?

2. Who shall carry them all over the World to procure Votes?

3. Who shall gather the Votes, and Judge of the Majority?

4. Shall they Vote and Judge without ever consulting each other, and hearing what be said on every side?

5. How many Messengers must there be to go into all the World? And who shall bear their Charges?

6. How shall we be sure when they come home that they have truly taken the Votes? Will not all our Faith be resolved into the Credit of these Messengers?

7. Must accused Persons and Witnesses travel all over the World to be Judged? or must all the Bishops on Earth come to them?

8. How many Millions of Criminals will a Bishop have to hear at once, or Judge?

p. 410The Case is so gross that I am afraid you will say, I feign Reverend Men to be Mad. That which they say is, That there is no Concord to be had, nor avoiding of Schism but by obeying the Universal Governing Church, which is the College of all the Pastors and Bishops on Earth, who have as such a Supreme Power under Christ of Legislation and Judgment, which they exercise per literas formatas.

There is no way to excuse this—but by feigning that this College of Bishops is to do these great works not by themselves, but by a College of Delegates or Representatives, viz. Either Cardinals or Patriarchs: or else by reducing the whole Church on Earth to the narrow compass of some little Sect, and condemning most of the Christian World, that they may not seem to need them, for Legislation or Judgment. And these I have sufficiently confuted before.

LVI. The Universal Supreme Government either of Council or the College of the diffused Clergy, is more impossible and unpracticable, and much worse than the Soveraignty of the Pope.

For, 1. The Pope is a known Person, and it's possible to find him, to send to him, to hear from him.

2. He is One, and it's possible to know his Mind without gathering Votes or Literas formatas all over the Earth.

3. Most may send to him and hear his decision at least in an Age.

4. What he cannot do by himself he can depute others to do.

5. He is almost always in being, and the Church need not be so many Hundred Years headless or without it's Soveraign Power.

p. 4116. He hath some Cob-web shadow of right, in the Tu es Petrus, and Tibi dabo Claves, and Pasce oves: But as to the said College and Council, all this and more is contrary.

So that I do deliberately profess, that if I did believe that there were any Universal Supreme Rector or Ministerial specifying Vnifying, Constitutive Head or Governour under Christ, I should soon resolve that it is the Pope, there being no Competitor so little uncapable as he.

And all the Papists save a few Flatterers acknowledge that the Popes Power is not absolute and unlimited, and that he hath need of Councils as the King hath of Parliaments, not for constant Government, but partly for Legislation, which belongs not to the Pope alone, and partly for Medicinal reparation and execution; when the Church is diseased. So that they that are for the Pope as the stated Supreme, are for Councils also, and would use Councils better than the Aristocratical, that give them the Supreme Government, would use them. All men know that they are rarely in being. Even Bishop Guning saith he receiveth but the first Six General Councils: To say, the Church hath been headless, or without it's Supreme Government just a Thousand Years, and is so still, is to make it invisible in an Essential Part.

Is there now a visible Catholick Church, or is there none? If none, why would they silence and damn us all for not obeying that which is not? If there be, where and what is the Pars regens, the constitutive visible Supremacy? If in a Council there is none. If in the College of diffused Bishops all over the World, they are no Governors, p. 412they never so made Laws, they Govern not as such, and so are no such Governors. They only Govern per partes, in their several Precincts, as all the English Justices of the Peace, Mayors, Bailiffs and Judges do, and not as an Aristocracy. But if it be a Church now because there is a Pope, say so, and hide not your opinion. We say It is a Church because there is a Christ and Christians; and we know no other Matter and Form.

LVII. They that assert a Supremacy in a Council or College of Bishops, do unavoidably introduce a Pope.

If they will call none a Pope but him that is absolute and unlimited (and no Man a King, but an absolute unlimited Monarch) we will speak according to common use, and let them speak as their Interest dictates to them, but remember that the Controversie is but about the Name, and not the Thing. We take the French Church for Papists, If they will call them Protestants, they are free. But if we are agreed what a Pope is, the case is plain, as followeth.

I. Mr. Dodwell (their most Learned defender, if number of words or greatest self-conceit be the chief strength) tells you that if the Council be not lawfully called, it obligeth you rather to bring them to Punishment as a Rout or Rebels, than to obey them: And that none but the President hath Power to call them. (And remember yet that this good Man is no Papist.) And indeed who else but the Pope should call Universal Councils? The King in Scotland may call a Scotch General Assembly, and in England a Convocation and Parlia…ent; And, 1. The Emperor of Rome or Constantinople might call such Councils in the Empire as were p. 413then called General; and did so. But who now shall call one out of France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Moscovie, the Turkish Empire, Armenia, Georgia, Mengrelia, Tartary, Abassia, Mexico, Peru, China, &c. We are awake, and therefore cannot Dream of Princes doing it by Agreement. We are yet out of Bedlam, and cannot conclude that all the Bishops in the World will come together by common consent, or as the Atomists say the World was made, by a fortuitous concourse of Atomes.

2. How shall lawful Councils be known from unlawful, if none have Authority to call, approve, and difference them? If only ex factis, by their good or bad Deeds, half the World will Judge (as they have done and do) one Council to be spurious which another obeyeth.

3. What order shall be kept among them, if none have Authority to appoint the Place, the Time, to Preside and Moderate, and to dissolve them? and who pretends to this but the Pope?

4. When Councils Contradict, Condemn and Curse each other, who shall tell us which of them to receive, believe, and obey?

II. And if we must have a visible Supreme Power, we must have one that successively existeth, that the Church be not dissolved. And none pretendeth to this but the Pope.

III. And if all National & Patriarchal Churches be but Parts of a visible Catholick Church with a Humane Supremacy, then there must be some Power still existent to give Patriarchs and Metropolitans their Power: Mr. Dodwell saith it overthrows all Government to appeal to Scripture as a Charter or Law of Christ: None hath more p. 414than the Giver intended him: None can give that which he hath not to give. The Inferior hath not Power to give to the Superior: Who then but a Pope can give Patriarchs and Metropolitans their Power? If for want of Authoritative Collation of Power, all the Presbyterian Ordinations, Sacraments, and Covenant-hopes of Salvation are Nullities and Sins against the Holy Ghost, as Mr. Dodwell and his Tribe say; what better are all the Bishops and Archbishops for want of a Superior conferring Power? which none pretendeth to but the Pope.

IV. And who else shall judge Patriarchs, Metropolitans, and National Churches, when they prove Hereticks or Schismaticks? Their Heresie and Schism is far more heinous and dangerous than single Persons or Congregations. And Councils are not extant: And we cannot send all over the Earth to gather Bishops Votes against them unheard. It must be a Pope or no body on Earth, that must by Governing Authority Judge them.

V. And who else shall be the stated Judge of new started Controversies? You say, such there must be? shall they be undecided till the World have a true general Council?

VI. And who shall an injured Person appeal to from a Tyrannical Metropolitan or National Church, but to the Pope?

Many more clear Necessities there will be of a Pope on their Principles I blamed the Author of the Divine Hierarchy, for naming such without an Antidote, lest it should make men Papists: But I understand he is a worthy Protestant: But verily there is no avoiding a Pope, by any that assert an Vniversal humane Church Supremacy.

p. 415VII. And indeed I must not suppose them so immodest as to deny it. For it is but the Pope's Absolute Power above the Councils and their Laws, and not Simple Popery, or the Pope's limited Power that they deny. 1. They confess that they hold Rome for the Mistriss Church, as Grotius calls it; 2. And that the Pope is Patriarch of the West, and the prime Patriarch: 3. And that he is Principium Vnitatis to all the Church on Earth: And if so, they are out of the Church which is One, that deny this. 4. That he is authorized to call General Councils: 5. And to be their President, 6. And to be the chief Governor when there are no General Councils, (and that is indeed always.) 7. And that they are all Schismaticks that do not thus far submit to him. And how much more Mr. Dodwell giveth the President, I have shewed you in his own words.

VIII. As Mr. Thorndike threateneth England with God's Judgments, if they do not amend the Oath of Supremacy, by making it acceptable to the Papists that renounce not a foreign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, so others labour to prove that the meaning of it is only to renounce the Pope's Jurisdiction here in Temporals which belongs to the King, and not a Papal and Foreign Jurisdiction, properly Ecclesiastical by the Keys: As you may see partly in Mr. Hutchinson's alias Berry's Book, who on that Supposition took the Oath, (as many do) and publickly profest himself of the Church of England.

IX. In the Description of the Reconciliation with the Pope, endeavoured by Archbishop Laud in Heylin's History of his Life, Pag. 414, 415, &c. All that the Pope was to abate was, 1. That the p. 416Oaths of Supremacy and Fidelity may be taken (I told you in what sense.) 2. And that the Pope's Jurisdiction here (but no where else) be declared to be of Humane Right (that is, say ours, by the Fathers in General Councils not without the Apostles, by whose Church-Laws we are all bound.) 3. That all should be really performed to the King, so far as other Catholick Princes usually enjoy and expect as their due, and so far as the Bishops were to be independent both from King and Pope (but not from subjection to either.) This (saith he) no man of Learning and Sobriety would have grudged to grant him. 4. Marriage permitted to Priests. 5. The Communion in both kinds. 6. The Liturgy in English.

I ask any sober man now,

Qu. 1. Whether the Pope did himself think that by this bargain he ceased to be Pope, and all Papists to be Papists?

2. Whether if the King had been thus far equalled with other Catholick Princes, the Pope would not have supposed him, and his Bishops and Church to be of the same Roman Catholick Church as they?

3. Whether in all this here be any renunciation of the Popes Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in England, but only of the Divine Right of it?

4. Whether here be any renunciation of his claimed Universal Jurisdiction over all the Church on Earth?

5. Whether such an Universal Church Monarch (by Humane Right with some and Divine with others) be consistent with the Protestant Doctrine, and that of the Former Church of England?

p. 4176. Whether such a Bargain be the way to save us from Popery?

7. What to call or think of those Archbishops, Bishops, and Drs that are for such a Bargain, and for Silencing two Thousand such Ministers as were Silenced, and Ruining those that forsake them not, and yet cry down Popery, and accuse those whom they Silence, and Ruine as befriending it? Readers, Did you think till Experience told you that England had had such Clergy men? And do you not yet understand them?

LVIII. The whole Christian World (or all the Earth) is less capable of one Ecclesiastical Monarch or Supreme Aristocracy, than of one Civil Monarch.

This is easily proved to any that will understand what Church Government is.

1. Church Government consisteth in judging of the state of Mens Souls whether they are capable of Baptism, and the Communion of Saints, and the Remission of Sin, and whether their Professions be so sound in matter and understood by them, and their practices such as shew them capable or not? And an outward matter of fact with its circumstances, which Magistrates judge, is far easier judged of than all this in the understanding, will and practice.

2. It is about matters of supernatural Revelation and heavenly Mystery, which is not so easily known as Natural and Civil things.

3. It is a work of personal ability and perforformance, like a School-masters, or Physicions, and can less be done by delegation.

4. There is no rule, or warrant in Scripture for such delegation, which Magistrates may use. Nor p. 418for Church-Rulers making new sorts of Officers under them to do their Journey-work, which Princes may undoubtedly make.

5. All that are under such a Supreme, must have far greater sufficiency for their Ecclesiastical work, than every Civil or Military Officer needs for his, as the different works require.

6 Such an Universal Monarch or Senate would be supposed still in being, and so the Mundane Empire not dissolved; which here cannot be supposed.

7. Such a Monarch or Senate would be in some known place of the World where men might hear of them and find them. But it's not so here, specially as to the Soveraign College of Bishops or Council.

8. Such a Monarch or Civil Senate would be supposed to be Lords of all the World, and therefore to have Wealth enough to pay Shipping, Travelling, Messengers, Officers, and discharge all Publick Expences: But so hath not the Imaginary College or Council, no nor the Pope and Conclave.

9. Such a Monarch or Senate commanding all the World, would not have most of the Kingdoms of the Earth the Enemies of them, and hinderers of their work; whereas the Bishops have not the leave of one Prince of many to assemble and govern.

10. Such a Monarch or Senate would have no Superior on earth but God, to forbid and hinder them. Whereas our imaginary diffused College and Council, are themselves the Subjects of abundance of Princes, Orthodox, Heterodox, Infidels, Heathens, who are their Commanders, and p. 419may hinder them: So that our Universalists plead that on necessity to the Concord and Being of Christ's Church, all the Christian World must be under the Supreme Government of thousands of the Subjects of various Princes, most of them Enemies: When all Church-History and Experience have told the World, how much Princes can do on their subject Clergy.

LIX. To make the Church of England a subject ☞ part of the Church Universal as Governed by a Foreign Supreme Power, (Pope, Council or College) is to make it totâ specie, quite another thing from what the Protestant Church of England, and the other Protestant Churches are.

Proved; where the Supreme Government is altered or divers, the Species of the Society is altered or divers. No man that knows what Government is, will deny this. But here the Supreme Government would be altered or divers. For the Protestant Churches own no Supreme Universal Governour but Christ. And that the Church of England owneth no such, I will prove anon.

2. A Kingdom, and a part of a Kingdom; a compleat Political Body, and the meer Part of such a Body (as a Corporation) are not of the same Species: But the Protestant Church of England is a compleat Society in it self, and the Church of England as a meer part of a greater Society is not so. As Christ's Kingdom and the Kings differ, so we maintain that the Kingdom of England, as such, and as a meer part of Christ's Kingdom, are of different Species: And it would be so as to a Humane Universal Kingdom, were there any such.

p. 4203. A Kingdom or Church under no Laws but Gods and their own, are not of the same Species with a Kingdom or Church under Foreign Laws above their own. And so it's here supposed.

4. A Kingdom and Church whose Justices, Judges, Captains and all Officers receive their Power and Commission from a Foreign Soveraign Power, is specifically divers from that which doth not: And so it is here.

5. A Kingdom and Church which may be punished by a Supreme Foreign Power, and must be judged by them, is not of the same Species with that which may not. But, &c.

6. A Kingdom and Church whose Subjects may appeal from their own King or Church-Governours to a Foreign Power, are not of the same Species with that which may not: But the two Churches in question so differ: Therefore they are not of the same Species: And therefore Mr. Thorndike and such, truly acknowledge this as their foundation, that without owning One Vniversal Governing Church, there is no Union, nor true Consistence in the particulars.

The Consequence is evident, That the Church, which according to Dr. Heylin, A. Bishop Laud would have had, and which A. Bishop Bromhall, and his Defender Dr. Parker, and Grotius; and his Defender Dr. Pierce, and Bishop Guning and his Chaplain Dr. Saywell, and Mr. Thorndike, Mr. Dodwell, Bishop Sparrow, and all of that mind are for, is not the Protestant Church of England, nor at all a true Protestant Church: But as far as I can understand their words, it is the same Visible Church-Form, (and Government) which the Councils of Constance and Basil were for, and p. 421which the Papists French Church is for; (unless there be any worse in the French Church-form than yet I know of.)

LX. We are further from denying or violating the Churches Unity, than they are that feign an Universal Humane Soveraignty: Nor doth our opposition to Popery exclude our resolution as much as in us lieth, to live peaceably with Papists, and with all men.

I. We hold (as aforesaid) that all Christians are united in One God, one Christ the Soveraign, one Body of Christ, one Faith, one Baptismal-Covenant with Christ, one Spirit, one Hope of Grace and Glory; and must keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace: And that all Subjects must obey their Rulers and Pastors in all lawful things belonging to their Office to command and teach. And that as Particular Churches must be held for the Personal Communion of Saints; so all these Churches must by Messengers, Letters and Synods hold such correspondency, as the common good of the Universal Church and their own strength and edification by the means of mutual COVNSEL and CONCORD do require.

II. Accordingly we make not Regent Senates or Courts of such Councils, to make Laws for the Christian World: But they are like the Assemblies of pious Christian Princes, who study the Peace of the whole Christian World. Princes are bound so to do as well as Pastors: That they do not, proveth not that they ought not: Their Kingdoms are but parts of the Kingdom of Christ. If they should hold an Assembly in Europe for the suppressing of such a Heresie as threatneth the whole, or such a Tyrant as the p. 422Pope, or such an Enemy as the Turk, it were well done, and had the same reasons and power as a Council of Bishops. Bishops may not undertake Jurisdiction in other mens Bishopricks, nor Kings in other mens Kingdoms. Bishops are bound to prefer the universal good, and so are Kings.

III. And therefore the measure of such Communion by Consultation, by Messengers, Letters, or Councils, is, 1. The publick good; 2. And the capacity of the Communicants.

We have Communion with all Christians in Abassia, Armenia, and all the Earth, in Faith, Hope, Love, and all the Essentials of Christianity: But if John or Joan here commit Adultery, and be excommunicated as impenitent, we are not bound to send Messengers to the Antipodes, or all the World, to tell them of it; no nor if a Bishop or his Chaplain turn Heretick: Nor are they bound to send hither to enquire or examine it. And if the Excommunicate come to Armenia, and desire Communion, they are justifiable for receiving him, and being ignorant of our Excommunication. But Neighbour Christians and Churches live so near, that they are capable of converse: And therefore Synods and Communicatory Letters are there of great use: And so far as an Excommunicate man is like to intrude into the Communion of other Churches, it is meet that his Excommunication be published, and that other Churches receive him not without just satisfaction. And so Councils are useful as far as propinquity maketh men capable of visible Communion: Especially to Pastors and Churches in one Kingdom, where the Unity of the Civil Government giveth them more capacity and necessity p. 423of such Correspondency, than with Foreigners. And therefore the Councils in the same Roman Empire had great reason for their Decrees to avoid those Excommunicate by each other.

And yet many Councils, even under the Papacy decreed that he that is unjustly Excommunicate by one Bishop may be received by another: But that supposeth his tryal and proof of the Injury.

Therefore we come not so near the Universal Soveraignty of Councils as Dr. Stillingfleet in the Defence of A. Bishop Laud, tells us Laud whom he defended doth. Who will have the old Councils confessed truly General, notwithstanding the absence of the Extra-Imperial Bishops, 2. And will have such Councils to have been received (the Four first) by all the Christian World, when it's known how many rejected that at Chalcedon. 3. And will have such Councils to be externally obeyed by patient submission when they notoriously err, by all Christians till another Council as General and Free reverse their Decrees. 4. And will have them have such Obedience as all other Courts. For meer Councils of Bishops of several Kingdoms are no Courts, and have no proper Jurisdiction.