fallen in love with some singular way and set â—p their Rest in some dividing Principles they do not fetch the Nature of Unity from the full Precepts of the Gospel which best Teach it and the Practice of the Primitive Church which best Explains it but Catching some Shreds of Scripture for pretence they frame such a Notion of Unity as may suit with their own Scheme and rather then quit any of their darling Errours they will undertake to Wash a Blackmore white I mean to find out such a Unity as shall be consistent with Division and Separation But it is pity to fall out about Unity and therefore leaving such to their vain Imaginations I shall discover my own Apprehensions wherein I think it Consists And if I fail in any part I shall be highly obliged to that person who shall bring Me to a clearer and fuller Understanding of its Nature for certainly did we better understand what it was we should come nearer together and better concur in the Observation and Practice of it II. But before I can proceed I must for my own Security enter a Caveat against the Pretences of extraordinary Cases And therefore do tell my Reader that I shall limit my Discourse to Gods ordinary Way and standing Establishment to which all Persons ought to have Regard I will not here concern my self upon what terms he may stand who is fast Lock'd in a Dungeon or cast upon an uninhabited Coast or made a Slave amongst Infidels or Lies Concealed in a Cave for fear of his Life or any of the like Nature I make no doubt but that for extraordinary Cases God hath extraordinary Mercies but then this is not Applicable to what is common or ordinary There can be nothing more perverse and unnatural then to judge of the stated Case of Things by the Exceptions from it Or to Confound the common Condition of Mankind with that which is rarely and only at some times the sad Misfortune of some few And it is not possible to Guess whither those Mens Errours will lead them who in stead of observing what are the Exceptions from a General Rule do frame to themselves a General Rule from exempt Cases and so overthrow the common Standard And I must Confess that I have not been a little scandalized to find this very thing done in a great Measure by Men otherwise of Eminence Learning and Piety III. Now though this Christian Unity be a Harmony of many parts many of which must concur to make it true and all ought to meet to make it Compleat The first Bond in this Common Tye or that from whence it takes its first Rise and Beginning is that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints And he that doth unfeignedly embrace it is so far forth united both to all those whoever heretofore received it And all those who now live in Profession of it but yet we must go a great way further or else we shall come short Home IV. For though this Unity principally relates to the Catholick Church of God Comprehending all Ages and places which is that Body whereof Christ is the Saviour and to whom the great and precious Promises are primarily made yet if we would speak rather usefully then magnificently we are not so much to Consider in this Case the Church we are united to as the means whereby we are united to it and therefore as Men on Earth we are to consider our selves in statu viatorum as Men that are not only bound to believe but to profess the Faith of Christ Crucified for our Blessed Saviour hath told us That if we be Ashamed of Him and his Words He will be Ashamed of us when He cometh into the Glory of his Father Mark 8. 38. as Men so indispenseably bound to that Profession that they must not only hazard but even Actually lose all that is near and dear to them rather then depart from it for the same Christ hath told us That if a Man come to him and hate not Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be his Disciple Luke 24. 26. as Men who are bound to embody in a common Fraternity and Society that they may joyntly as well as openly make this Profession not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 10. 25. In a word seeing we here live in expectation of the Promises we must submit to all the termes and conditions of the Covenant upon which God hath made their Performance to depend And being the whole tenure of the Gospel doth oblige us on Earth to joyn in a visible Fraternity to a visible Profession to particular duties to visible Professors and to a real not imaginary Obedience to them who Rule over us and Watch for our Souls I see not how we can Challenge the Name of Christians whilest we cast off all Care of these Duties And hence it is Apparent That we cannot be United to that great Catholick Mystical and Invisible Church of God but by becoming Members of his visible Church on Earth as being that part of his Church wherein he hath placed and to which the greatest part of our Duties do particularly Relate To Arrive to the state of Glorified Saints and Angels that Church without Spot or Wrinkle is our Hope and Endeavour But whilest we are on Earth we are only on our Way towards it and are particularly of that part of Gods Church wherein grow Tares as well as Wheat to be distinguished and separated in Gods good time And by our faithful sincere Obedience in this we do through Christ Jesus Require and Preserve a Right and Title in time to be made the immediate Members of the other V. This being our present state and condition our Unity ought certainly to be agreeable and suitable to it and therefore must be visible amongst the visible Professoms of the Gospel and what that is or wherein it consists is my present Business to describe But first from the foregoing Premisses I would make this Inference That a Believer at large is only a Christian in Fieri his Faith alone without the other Duties and Accomplishments which the Gospel prescribes to all Christians is not sufficient to give him the full Title of a Christian 'T is true he hath laid a good Foundation but unless he proceed to build thereon he can no more be said to be a Christian then an Artificer can be said to have Erected a fair House when he hath only laid the Ground-Work And the Reason is plain because Faith in its own Nature doth not only incline but oblige to Obedience And I therefore not only more chearfully Obey Gods Commands because I believe Him faithful who hath promised but I must condemn my self as utterly inexcusable if I disobey Him at the same time that I pretend to believe in Him Hence it is observeable That the word Faith
and freedom and therefore may still Challenge the Benefit of the Ephesine Canon against Usurpations XXX But now let us for once suppose what can never be proved viz. That the Patriarchate of the Bishop of Râ—me was Legally and Canonically extended over these Isles yet what Feats will this do for him even under Patriarchates sor they did not obtain in all places of the Empire the power of Metropolitans was still Reserved they still Ordained the Bishops of their Provinces they did Convene and hold Provincial Synods and determined Matters as formerly Only whereas the Metropolitan was before Ordained in his Province by his Suffragans now he was to be Ordained by the Patriarch or at least with his Consent and there lay an Appeal from him and his Synod In short the Power of a Patriarch Consisted in certain known Instances but chiefly in Conjunction with the Bishops of his Diocess or Exarchate Now what a pitiful shrivel'd thing would the Pope think this if it were offered him How would he fret and storm if we should thus Admit Him and Tye his Hands behind Him And yet as Patriarch this is all he can Claim But to Claim that and ten times more where he hath not so much as a Patriarchal Right is such a Piece of Impudence as none would be guilty of but those who can blush at nothing And therefore it will be best not to trust him but hold our own as long as we can XXXI Upon the same Supposition we may still proceed further and Enquire whether a Patriarchal Power do Entitle a Man to all he can Grasp or lay his Hands on Are we so fast bound that there is no getting quit of Him though he Command such Matters as dishonour God disturb the Church mislead Christians out of the true Way and does Actually Tyrannize over Mens Souls Bodies and Estates Patriarchal Authority was first Instituted for the good of the Church that Order might be preserved Purity of Religion secured all Persons contained in and held to their Duties and Heresies and Schisms prevented But now if this Power be made use of against all these Ends must the good of the Church give way to it or it to the good of the Church That it has been and is abused by the Bishop of Roms contrary to all these Ends might be fully proved by an Induction of Particulars but that would lead Me into too large a Field And I shall therefore Omit here because it will be done hereafter when I shall insist on those particular Heads which prove the Romanists guilty of the Schism Besides a Patriarch is only a Bishop with an extended Jurisdiction The Bishop is the highest Oâ—der in Gods Church the Patriarchate is only an Ecclesiastical Gift or Institution whereby the Bishop of a certain place is Entrusted with the oversight of more Churches for the Enlarging Communion and securing Religion Now if any Bishop go against the Canons or teach false doctrine or encourage lewd Practices and preach up ill Manners his Flock might desert Him and joyn in Communion with such as were Orthodox If a Metropolitan took such Courses the Bishops of his Province might cast Him off and Govern their Churches by themselves independently of Him And if a Patriarch who hath somewhat a greater trust shall at the same Rate abuse it he ought the more speediâ—y to be Renounced to Avoid the greater Mischief and Detriment which will otherwise befal the Church of God Ecclesiastical Constitutions must give way to Divine and when instead of serving them they overthrow or frustrate them they are ipso facto void and null Let us suppose that a Person were Recommended to the Pope to be Consecrated or Instituted Archbishop of Canterbury besides the tedious Waiting and large Feeing that must be in the Case his Holiness will have for First-Fruits 10000 Florens and for the Pall 5000 for these were the old Rates And besides all this to secure the New Archbishep to be at his devotion at all times for the future will force Him to take an Oath not of Canonical Obedience but of Fealty for that they have brought it to Now perhaps the King may not be willing that such great Summs of Money should from time to time be dreyned out of the Nation And as much more Averse that his Subjects should Swear Allegiance to another Prince as thinking it prejudicial to his absolute Sovereignty and inconsistent with the safety and peace of his Kingdoms What shall be the Issue of â—his Either the Person Recommended and King too must yield or we must have no Metropoliâ—an and the King shall be Excommunicated And if he continue stubborn and obstinate in the Right perhaps the whole Kingdom shall be put under an Interdict And so if your Purses be not at the Popes service and your Persons his Slaves you shall not be suffered so much as to Worship God Now is not this a fine Patriarch And would it not be a great Sin to cast Him off and serve God whether he will or no This Power the Pope has used this Power he still pretends to and he that Claims an Authority against God and his Worship who was only Entrusted for it hath Forfeited his Trust and fallen from the Honour of it XXXII I shall now only Advance one step higher and then leave this mighty Patriarch tiâ—l we Meet him again in another disguise Let us still suppose the Roman Patriarchate to have extended over these Isles Nay more be it supposed that the Pope is his Holiness indeed and that he could be accused of no ill Management yet I doubt not but his Patriarchate hath of it self in course failed ceased and become void at least so far as Relates to their Churches And that too by these very Laws and Canons of the Anciâ—nt Church which may sâ—em to have Erected or Countenanced it The Motives Reasons and Ends of a Law ought to be well Considered because It is not the Words and Phrases but the Sense and Meaning which is the Law And therefore we commonly say That Ratio Legis Lex est Now nothing can be more plain then that the Bounds of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction were Framed on purpose that they might not interfere with the Civil Power And as hereby the Church maniâ—ested her Tenderness and Regard to it and the Subjection of her Members so She Reaped no small Benesit by it Hence the Limits of Jurisdiction in the Church followed the Divisions of the State Where the Governour of the Province had his Residence there of course the Metropolitical Authority placed it self and the Bishop of that City was he whom the Apostles Canons Can. 35. call the First to whom all the other Bishops of the Province are to have such a peculiar Regard that they are to Act nothing of Common Concern without his Concurrence And so after the Division of the Empire into Diocesses suddenly rose up that Rank of Men since called Patriarchs But by the way we
THE SEPARATION OF THE CHURCH OF ROME FROM THE Church of England FOUNDED Upon a Selfish and Unchristian Interest By a PRESBYTER in the Diocess of Canterbury Febr. 28. 16 89 90. Imprimatur Z. ISHAM R. P. D. HENRICO Episc Lond à Sacris LONDON Printed for Richard Northcott at the Marriner and Anchor Adjoyning to St. Peters Alley Cornhil London 1691. The EPISTLE to the READER Courteous Reader FOR Right or Wrong so we Call all Not that we Believe they will be so but because we would have them so For when a Man hath been at no small Paine at least as he thinks for the Benefit of Others he is very prone to expect as his due a Return of Kiâ—dness or Candour But on the other Hand He who is at the trouble to Peruse takes it to be his Privilege to Judge and so far he judgeth rigbt if he proceed not further thinking he cannot be a Judge unless he be malicious And that the Business of Reading a Book is to find or make more Faults then there is not to make an honest Advantage of what may be found useful Vpon this Score he that Adventures on the Press brings Himself like a Bear to a Stake where though he may Fancy he Creates Others great Diversion yet He himself is sure to be the Sufferer and becomes liable to be Baited at every ones pleasure But be it as it will I have wrote my Thoughts freely and I Envy no Man the same freedom of speaking his Only I could wish all Men would Consider That sometimes Men run down-Hill faster then is for their own Convenience and that Liberty loseth its Nature when it degenerates into Licentiousness or becomes a Cloak of Maliciousness I will not waste time in fruitless Apologies For if this small Tract hath nothing in it self to Buoy it up it must certainly Sink for it is not all the Daubing and Flattery in the World that will Perswade Honest Sober or Judicious Men to embrace Senseless Impertinence And as for Others I desire not the Scandal of their good Opinion If this little thing should be any whit taken Notice of in the World I know it will be bitterly Objected That I seem inclineable to the Exercise of a more severe Discipline then hath at least of late been Exercised amongst us or then this loose Age will bear in which perhaps there is too much Truth But I could wish the Reader would suspend his Censure till he hath Considered these few things I shall Return in Answer First that in an Age wherein all Men are Caâ—vers to themselves for Religion it is but equal that they should not deny me who am very sparing of using it the same Liberty with themselves especially since a wanton or loose Practice of Religion may be as uneasie to me as the strictest Rules Order or Decency can be to them Secondly because in this I am not Singular but have not only the Judgement of the Fathers and Practice of the Primitive Church but the Constitutions of our own Church on my side which to Avoid Numerous Instances is evident from the Preface before the Commination Appointed to be Read on Ash-Wednesday Thirdly that the more ungrateful it may be to Vn-governable tempers So much the more necessary it is for the Safety and Peace of the Church and perhaps also of the State For for want of this all things Run into Disorder and Consusion Discipline bâ—ing not only the Fence about Doctrine but the Procurer and Preserver of good Manners and sober Conversation And in vain shall Men Reason Talk or Preach whilest the Corruptions Discontents Pride and various ill Humours of the greatest part of Mankind knows no other Awe then the simple Restraint of bare Perswasions Both Romanists and Dissenters frequently with open Mouâ—h upbraid us that we have not that Influâ—nce on the Lives Manners and Actions of our People which they have and that meerly for want of Discipline which indeed is true though we do not desire so much as they have For by wosul Experience we find that they can as powerfully Influence them to ill Actions as good But at the same time they forget to tell us that they Joyâ— all their Forces and make all possible Interest that we may be Tied up from the Exercise of the most just and necessary Discipline and that purely in fear lest a Discipline as primitive as our Doctrine joyned together should get Ground so fast in the World that in time they might become Ashamed or grow weary of their Trade It was the Observation of a Learned Person that the Cunning and Master-piece of the Eusebians lay in Evaeuating the Discipline of the Church under a pretence of Moderation not doubting but that if Discipline were broken the Arrian Doctrine would easily break in And indeed this hath been the Practice of Heâ—eticks all along And whatever the Persons might gain the Church was ever a Loser by the Devices of her Projectors for neither the Henoticum of Zeno nor the Capitula of Justinian nor the Interim of Charles the â—isth nor all the Tricks and Contrivances of our Modern Trimmers Tolâ—cators and Comprehenders ever did the Church of God any good but Animated 〈◊〉 Paâ—tâ—â—s and made the Breathes wider and more irreconcilcable The Judgement of Queen Elizabeth is herein very Considerable because of the Reasons that go along with 〈◊〉 For the for saking the Primitive Rule and Aâ—owing the Publick 〈◊〉 of Varieâ—y of Religious Perswasions â—he saith is nothing else but Religioneâ—â— ex Religione serere mentes bonorum variè distrahere factiosorum Studia alerc Religionem atque Rempublicam contâ—â—bare divina humanáque commiscere Quod est râ— malum Exemplo possimum suis perniciosum illis ipsis quibus permissum nec admodum commodum nec plane tutum Camb. Ann. Eliz par 1. p. 28. What is here wrote is only a Preparatory to my principal Design which was to shew That notwithstanding all the High and Specious Pretences of the Romanists when Matters are thoroughly Examined the only true Reason of their difference with us would be sound to be Interest and that such an interest as to say no worse is very unbecoming the Professors of Christian Religion This alone was first in any thoughts and the rather because I observed that many had touched upon it in their Way but no Man so far as I know had ever yet made it his Business But upon second Thoughts though I did not depart from my first Design yet I thought fit to Enlarge it not only because some would think that alone would look more like a Libel then a just Plea but because I my self did think that to Common Apprehensons it would leave things in the dark and not be very profitable to any and perhaps to some hurtful For as some vain Mindes are Apt to take Occasion from our Dissentions to Burlesque all Religions so some Persons Addicted to the Reading of Controversies have Learned
Skill enough to Condemn others but not to know themselves and they can tell you what they are not but not what they are Now a purely Negative Religion at best is next to no Religion if it be any at all Now though this be not the fault of those Authors who are bound to follow their Adversaries Stepâ— but of those Men who will only Busie themselves in such Authors yet whâ—n my Method and Matter was wholly at my own Choice and in my own power I could not think my self excuseable if I should proceed only in a destructive way And therefore in reference to the Parts which are to follow I did propound to my self to state the Case between us in each particular to set down positively what we do Hold or can Allow And then to Enquire into the Reasons of the Controversie both pretended and real for that Method I take to be best which leaves Men not at a Loss for Right whilest it fortifies them against the Wrong When in the late great Ferment of the Nation Controversial Pieces flew so thick about this First Part was then ready for the Press but for a very Justifiable Reason then laid Aside Whether ever I shall be able to Finish the other Two Parts which must Consist of Particulars relating to the Doctrine and Government of the Church God only knows For in Order thereunto I must have Expended more Money then my mean Fortune will well bear to purchase some Books which I have not by Me But now by reason that I cannot Walk the same pace which so many Men do I fear I shall be Necessitated in a short time to Sell those â—ew Books I have to Buy my Children Bread And in such a Condition a Man can have little Stomack and less Opportunity or Leisure to Write Controversies However I think this may be sufficient amongst all sober Men to Vindicate Me from the Slanders of some Black Mouth'd Persons who Give a Reputation to the Roman Religion by Representing all us Papists or which we find by Experience is worse as Reputed Papists or Popishly affected who will not run into the same Excess of Riot with themselves I pray God give them more Grace and Sobriety then to proceed in such Courses and Me more Patience under such unjust Reproaches But my Comfort is this that my Share is inconsiderable in respect os my Great Master's or his true Follower St Paul who underwent the full Trial of all those things whereby he Teacheth us to Approve our Selves Ministers of God amongst which I think I have some peculiar Interest in these i. e. To have done it by honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as a deceiver and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. I never thought that Controversies were to be written for Controversies sake but rather what in us lay to put an End to them And I should not think my self unfortunate under all the Calumnies and Sufferings in the World if I could be in the least Instrumental to Advance the Sincerity of Religion and Promote the Peace of Gods Church But if I may not be Capable of Endeavouring it to any purpose I will never cease to pray for it And therein I doubt not to have the Concurrence of all good Men whatsoever otherwise may be their Perswasions And thus Protesting my Integrity before God and freely leaving my self to the Censure of all Men. I am Yours in all Christian Offices S. G. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. Of Obligations to Unity among Christians 1. REasons of the Enquirie 2. Obligations from the Nature of the Christian Religion 3. From Christians Considered as a Body with Remarks thereon 4. An Objection Answered 5. From the Honour of the Christian Religion 6. From express Precepts of the Gospel 7. From the Rewards of Preserving and Punishments of the Breach of Vnity 8 From the Encouragements Helps and Succours to Attain it CHAP. II. Wherein this Unity Consists 1. Mistakes concerning Vnity and the Reason thereof 2. A Caveat against the Plea of extraordinary Cases 3. The first Step towards or the Foundation of this Vnity 4. That our Vnity must be suitable to our state what that is and that it must be in the visible Church 5. An Inference thence 6. In Respect of our State-Vnion with the invisible Catholick Church by Vnion with the visible Catholick Church and Vnion with the visible Catholick Church by Vnion with some true Part of it i. e. a particular Church 7. That Admission into all Societies is by some known Ceremony or sormal Way of Proceedings this in the Christian Society is Baptism Reflections on the Anabaptists 8. That Admission into a Sâ—ciety implies Submission to the Rules of the Society and an Obligation to the Duties thereof and to whom these have Regard in the Christian Society 9. Duties of particular Christians towards each other 10. Tbat Duties of particular Christians must be Practised in Conjunction with Duties Relating to Worship and Communion 11. Communion though of necessity it be in particular Churches yet thereby it is in and with the Catholick Church 12. Communion in Worship supposeth a Necessity of Communion with lawful Pastors which is further Proved by several Arguments and Instances 13. That the Pastors ought also to maintain Communion with each other and the Nature thereof or by what means it is maintained briesly Examined 14. An Objection Answered and what is the Duty of particular Persons in such Case declared CHAP. III. Of the Nature of Schism 1. What hath inclined Men to maintain ill Principles and particularly Schism 2. The General Notion of Schism 3. 4. 5. Several Separations which are not Schism 6 The distinguishing Note of Schism and an Inference thence 7. 8. 9. Several Ways whence Schism Ariseth 10. What Schism is sinful with a Definition thereof 11. The Authors Acknowledgment and the Assertion in Relation to the Controversie which he undertakes to prove and his Request CHAP. IV. Of the Liberties and Priviledges of the Britannick Churches and of the Actual Separation 1. Two General Objections against our whole Cause and a General Exception against both 2. The first Objection Consists of two Branches whereof the first at present put off the latter Proposed to be Examined 3. The Title of Patriarch at this time set up as a Sham Device 4. Granting a Patriarchate to the Pope it is denied to Extend to the Britannick Churches 5. How Patriarchates came in and that they possessed noâ— all Places 6. 7. The Bisbop of Rome not possessed of any such Jurisdiction in these Isles but after Patriarchates were set up 8. Britain a Church before Rome and Reasons of the different Observation of Easter both in them and other Churches 9. The Reasons of the Britons mistake as to Easter such as ought not to have made a Breach and that they were not Quartodecimani 10. Augustines Mission and Helps for the Work That the Kentish Saxons were before Prepared for Embracing the Gospel how He and the
taken Objectively is often in Scripture-phrase used to Signifie not only Revealed Truths but Precepts of Life even the whole Gospel of Christ Jesus or the Law of Faith And where it speaks distinctly of it yet it will have the other to follow it Commanding us to add to our Faith Vertue 2. Pet. 1. 5. And to Shew our Faith by our Works Jam. 2. 8. And accordingly the first Converts to Christianity upon their Owning the Faith thought themselves Obliged to go on to what the Law of Faith Required Thus the Eunuch when Convinced by Philip that Jesus Christ was the Son of God doth not Acquiesce in that Faith but proceeds as far as his present Circumstances would permit and of his own Accord bespeaks Philip See here is Water what doth hinder me to be Baptized Acts 8. 36. And consonantly hereto it is Observable That the primitive Church did Vouchsafe the Title of Fideles to no Adult Persons but such as were in full Communion And did Men perswade themselves that their Faith did so indispenseably oblige them to all Christian Duties that without their sincere Endeavour even Faith it self became defective it would make a fair Advance towards Unity And till they do so I see no Reason to hope for it VI. But now to Return to the thing in Hand As we are Men on Earth and Probationers for Heaven our Unity must be such as is Required by this our state and consequently must consist in such matters as Unites all the visible Professors of the Gospel into such a Body or Society which God hath instituted and designed for his Worship on Earth But then we are to Consider That as we are United to the Catholick invisible Church of God by being United to his visible Catholick Church on Earth so we are United to this visible Catholick Church by being United to some true part of it or by becoming Members of some particular Church for no Member can be United to the Body all over or to the whole immediately but is United to the Body by being United to it in some part For the Body is not one Member but many 1 Cor. 12. 14. And as these fitly Framed altogether make the whole so by Vertue of this Union each Member hath a Communication with the Whole and is both capacitated to discharge his Duty to the Whole and to Receive Supplies from and claim an Interest in the Whole VII Now being that our Belief in the Son of God and that he is the Head of the Body his Church if considered Antecedently to and separately from other Christian Duties doth rather capacitate us to become Christians then denominate us so it will follow That to have the benesit of our Belief we must take care to be Admitted into that Body which it qualifies us to be Members of Now in all manner of Societies of what Nature soever Members are Admitted by some Signal Ceremony and known Form of Proceedings that thereby they may be known to Others to be Members of that Society and may undisturbedly do the Exercises and enjoy the Priviledges of that Society Now this Formal Way of Admission into the Christian Body or Society is by the Sacrament of Baptism And that even by our Saviours own Command and Institution for when they are so well Instructed as to believe he will have them Received by being Baptized Go ye saith he Mat. 28. 19. Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name c. And though Unbelief alone be sufficient to put a Man into a state of Condemnation yet Belief alone without Baptism doth not ordinarily put a Man into the state of Salvation This is our Saviours own Doctrine Mark 16. 16. He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be saved And he that believeth not shall be damned And the Reason is plain for though Unbelief as rejecting the Covenant of Grace and its Author is alone able to exclude us srom all benefit of it yet Belief though it lay hold on the Covenant is not able alone to secure to us the benefits of it if considered abstractedly and separately from the other necessary Conditions of it for he that expects the benefit of a part must observe not one but all the necessary termes and conditions of it from hence it may appear how necessary it is that we be all Partakers of that one Baptism And this Consideration ought to Alarm those Persons to examine well the Grounds whereon they proceed who separate from all other Christians making it the singular part of their Religion to deny Baptism even to the Children of Christian Parents for though God is not bound up to withhold his Mercy where the default is not in the Persons themselves yet we have no certain Rule to assure us that he will afford such Mercy out of the way that he hath prescribed but it is purely in his good pleasure And if Baptism be ordinarily the Way of Admission and Entrance into that Body whereof Christ is the Saviour then such Persons by denying them Baptism do what in them lies to damn them which doubtless is a very unchristian part And though it be true in relation to Persons out of the Covenant that they must first be qualified not only with an actual but a professed Faith without which they are not capable of Admission yet in reference to Persons in Covenant the Case is quite otherwise for the Covenant is not to them alone but to their Seed And the Childreâ— being sanctisied in their Parents do follow their condition and are bâ—rn to Priviledges in the Church which those without cannot claim And thâ—refore ought not particularly to be denied this without which they are not by the ordinary Laws of the Covenant Entitled to the Rest But I will prosecute this no surther my business being rather with Adult Persons then Children For though their Salvation is by being of the Body yet they have small Inflâ—ence on Christian Communion and until they lose that Name are scarce able to disturb or break the Unity of the Church which is the thing I am to Explain VIII The Parts of our Christian Unity are so close Knit together that they seem to Lead Us by the Hand from the one to the other so that it may seem somewhat a wonder how Persons should for the Generality be so wofully mistaken about them For having thus laid the Foundation of Faith and being Actually Admitted by the Sacrament of Baptism it will I suppose be easily Agreed on all Hands That Persons are not only Admitted to the Priviledges and Benefits of the Society but come under an Obligation to observe the Laws and do the Duties of the Society for no Society whatsoever whether Sacred or Civil ever admitted any to their Priviledges without Tying them up to their Rules 'T is true that in some Societies there are certain Honorary or Titular Members but it is indeed only a Title For where they are excepted from duty they are excluded from
try if we can come to any better termes with the Western Patriarch III. This latter Title as less liable to Exception hath been insisted upon of late by some who would seem to be of more moderate Principles and more tender both of the Liberty and Authority of particular Churches nor is it to be denied That the Bishop of Rome had a Patriarchate in the Western part of the Roman Empire but by what Authority he came by it and how far it was extended and whether he hath forfeited and justly fallen from it and other Questions of the like Nature will fall in of themselves in the Series of our Discourse In the mean time I do think this Title to be set up at this time only as a Blind to Amuse the more unwary and well Meaning Persons who are willing to submit to Ecclesiastical Constitutions though they detest all unjust much more all insolent and shameless Usurpations for if by a Charter from Christ he be his only Vicar over the Universal Church it is not only a Lessening of his Holiness but a direct Affâ—ont to our Saviour to Cope up his Deputy within Bounds and to Give Him a limited Jurisdiction by Ecclesiastical Authority when he is Invested with all by Original Right and needs not any which they can Give And it would certainly be much greater Satisfaction to the Christian World to prove his Authority to be of God rather then Men. Besides I would gladly know whether the Bishop of Rome will Acquiesce here and Rest Contented with the Title and Authority of the Western Patriarch For Patriarchal Authority is by Ecclesiastical Constitution and was at first Suited to the Divisions of the Empire and the Grandeur of some principal Cities in it And by the same Authority it was Given may be taken away or placed elsewhere as shall be judged most useful and beneficial to the Church of God Now though all this may be easily proved yet being applied to the Bishop of Rome and according to the present state of the Question it is as applicable to him as any other Patriarch I fear the whole College of Cardinals Nemine Contradicente would Cry out Heresie damnable Heresie And therefore the starting this Title at this time I only look on as a Sly Device to let in the Cats Head that she may with greater Ease draw in her Body after IV. But be it as it will without any regard to any such ill Designes which some Men may covertly Manage let the Objection have its due force and let us Examine whether the Bishop of Rome as Western Patriarch so called in Relation to other Patriarchates in the Empire of another Site had any peculiar and proper Jurisdiction over the Britannick Churches or whether they were any part of his Diocess as the word in its largest Acception signifies A Division containing several Provinces And this I think will be fully Answered if I prove That in Relation to the Britannick Church either he had no such Jurisdiction or noâ—e by Right V. That the Government of the Church was left in the Hands of the Bishops I shall prove hereafter But for the more convenient and advantageous Management of the Churches Affairs there began very early a particular Deference Respect and Observance to be paid to the Bishop of the principal City where the Secular Governour had his Residence He at first was called Episcopus primae Vrbis or Sedis Afterwards a Metropolitan But some overgrown Cities whose Numbers Wealth and Interest enabled them to overtop and oppress Others as it were Naturally Infused into their Bishops a Spirit of Ambition to extend their Jurisdiction and Power Answerably to the Grandeur of their City These Mens Encroachments were for a long time stoutly opposed but Power naturally following Strength Wealth and Interest and an Advantage being given them by the New Division of the Empire by Constantine they in the End prevail'd and Grasp'd so large Jurisdiction as to have several Metropolitans under them and obtained their first Ratification in the Council of Chalcedon as our late Learned Bishop of Oxford hath clearly proved Account of Church-Govern These at first were called Exarchs afterwards Patriarchs and sometimes Primates Of this new Booty without fail the Bishop of Rome as Bishop of the most Renowned City in the World and the Ancient Seat of the Empire carried away no small Share for he was always of Kin to the Lion in the Fable who when the Prey came to be divided made the Beasts that Hunted with him Content with a very small pittance if he was so gracious as to allow any thing But yet this New Exorbitant Power did not swallow up the whole Church but in many Places they still Lived in their Ancient Liberty Governed by their Bishops and Metropolitans without being subject to any Pratriarch of which the Cyprian Churches are a famous Instance in the East and I can yet see nothing to perswade me to think otherwise of the Britannick in the West VI. Never any Succession of Men have stood so constantly on their Guard and have been so watchful diligent and industrious upon all occasions to depress others and Exalt themselves as the Bishops of the Roman See All was Fish that ever come to their Net If they could at any time steal into a Jurisdiction though never so unjustly they would never quit it or not without strong Tugging and eternal Claiming And therefore Considering this Temper it were a fair Proposal that Setting aside Flams and Impertinencies they would produce any fair Footsteps of a proper Jurisdiction exercised by the Bishop of Rome over the Britons within the space of a Hundred years after the Council of Chalcedon For when Men have always been so busie in Acquiring so tenacious in Keeping so severe in Exercising Jurisdiction and want no Records unless what themselves have either falsifyed or abused That these Men can produce no good Evidence for such a Jurisdiction to Me it seems a good Argument that from the Beginning there was none If bare Claims and those coming after were enough no Man could live in Peace And therefore he that will thrust another out of possession for his own benefit must well and clearly prove his Title Had these Islands belonged to the Roman Patriarch there was no strength in them to have kept out his Power when it was back'd with the least Shew of Right If therefore it cannot be proved that the Bishop of Rome was in possession of such Jurisdiction here at or near the time that Patriarchates were setled he may let his Suit fall unless he have more Hopes from force or fraud then Right In this Cafe if in any that Common Rule Idem est non esse non apparere hold good And the rather because the Canon that Confirms Patriarchates supposeth the former Exercise of fuch Jurisdiction by Custom What by degrees he gained long after may serve well enough to prove him an Usurper but can Create him
appear abroad lest it should have bâ—en Knock'd o' th' Head for a Monster Popes themselves in those days pleaded the Canons and were iudged by them And this Canon hath a peculiar evil Aspect upon him for it is directly contrary to his declared Opinion and Determination in behalf of the Bishop of Antioch So that if the Popes now do not regard the Canons it seems heretofore they as little regarded him The second Reason of the Canon is expressed thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Pride and Vanity of Secular Power may not enter the Church under a pretence of Discharging the Ministerial Function which seems directly to point to that Saying of our Saviour to his Disciples Matth. 20 25. I Cite the Original because there is something peculiar in the words which our Englisb Translation could not easily reach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely if these Fathers had not a Grudge at the Bishop of Rome they had a foresight of his Progress For put together what the Bishop of Rome now Acts and what he Claims And if that Typhus Seculi which the Antients all along so feared and bitterly inveighed against be not brought into the Church by him I will be bold to say that all their Feares were Follies and that it neither is nor ever can be brought in whilest the World stands The third Reason ought to Affect any Man who calls Himself a Christian It is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest by degrees we lose that Liberty which our Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer of all Men hath purchased for us or bestowed on us with his Blood If so our Churches in stead of being blamed ought to be highly Commended for defending this Liberty And as he who shall invade it ought at present to be discountenanced by all others so it is to be feared that he will have a sad Account to make up in the day of the Lord Jesus though he pretend to be his Vicar Now if Reason could prevail here is sufficient But because oftentimes Men will not be Ruled by Reason therefore the Fathers yet take a further Care to Compel them by Law and determine in the same Canon That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any Man do Seize anothers Province and subject it to Him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That He shall Restore it And that they might take away all Pretences they Conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if any Man should produce a Constitution contrary to what is now determined it shall be void or of no Authority Now if there be any Reverence for or force in a Canon so carefully penn'd by so Venerable a Councel then it is plain That we have withdrawn no Obedience which the Pope could lawfully Claim nor Cast off any Authority that he was possessâ—d of in Right For being there were then Churches in these Illes setled under their Bishops according to the primitive Forme and Usage and Owed no Subjection to the Bishop of Rome either as Metropolitan or Patriarch as hath been proved then whatever Pretences he can now make for any Authority over us are by the Councel determined to be void And what Usurpations soever he hath made are Adjudged to be Restored So that if they have no better Arguments then the Bishop of Rome's Authority as Patriarch that will do them no service here but it will rather Appear That we have proceeded very Canonically in our Reformation XXIX Thus much will clearly Appear That as the Bishops of those populous and powerful Cities Rome Antioch and Alexandria were ever and Anon making Inroads upon other Mens Jurisdiction So the Three First General Councels were very careful to Fence the Liberties of the Church against their and all others Encroachments For as for the Sâ—cond General Councel which I have Omitted any Man may be abundantly satisfied who will take the pains to Read The Account of the Government of the Christian Church written by the Learned Dr. Parker late Bishop of Oxford Yet either Tyred with endless strugling or over-born with power or out-witted by Cunning or rather wrought on by all these means the Fourth General Councel did plainly Amplifie their Power For after the Translation of the Seat of the Empire to Constantinople the â—â—shop of that place by the favour of the Emperour by the Power of the City by the Assistance of Dependants and by a lucky Opportunity offered from the New Division of the Empire suddenly starts up from a mean Suffragan to be the Second and perhaps most powerful Bishop of the Empire And now a Councel Meeting at Chalcedon just under his Nose and Consisting mostly of Eastern Bishops and many of them his Dependants and where the Emperour some time Appeared in Person and his Ministers all along bore a great sway This he thought was the time if ever to get that done which no Councel before would hearken to And to obtain a Conâ—irmation of that exorbitant Jurisdiction which that Ravenous See had seized in few yeares space But in doing this he is constrained to do Others Business that he might do his own And here first we find one set over the Head of the Metropolitan and an Appâ—al from Him Ratisied by Canon And thus the Bishops of those great Cities Mounted into Exarchs afterwards called Patriarchs and the Bishop of Constantinople got the best Share There was doubtless no mean Artifice used in the Managery of this Matter for it seems to be rather Slurr'd upon the Councel then Acted by them And the Foxes themselves the Bishop of Rome's Legats were here caught and all they could do was afterwards to Protest against Proceedings in this Matter But when Leo heard of it at Rome he fell a Roaring at no Rate not that he had too little but that the Bishop of Constantinople had too much He was in a bodily fear of such a dangerous Competitour who on a sudden had from almost Nothing Risen to such Greatness that he was able to Cope with Him And by the Grandeur of his City his Interest in the Clergy and favour of the Emperour might in a short time be able to over-top Him It is not unlikely that Leo might think that he could have scrambled well enough for Himself without the Help of any such Canon and might possibly look on it as a Confinement But whatever he thought his Plâ—a is clear contrary and that he might depress the Rising Constantinopolitan he is â—ooth and Nail for the Nicene Canons and the power of Metropolitans which by the Way is an Argument that it was not then thought that the Nicene Canons Erected Patriarchates as some since Maintain The Issue of this Quarrel I am not concerned to pursue But granting the Bishop of Rome to be here made Patriarch you see he doth not care to accept it But suppose him to be Nâ—lâ—ns Volâ—ns invested with it yet the Churches in these Iâ—les were out of the Reach of it and lived long after in their former state
must observe that this did not take in all places For in some Cities where the Vicars of the Empire Resided were not of Strength Interest and Power sufficient to Mount their Bishops into Patriarchs Besides the Bishops of the Church were exceeding jealous of this new start-up Power as savouring more of Worldly Pride then Episcopal Care and therefore kept it out wherever they could And the wary African Bishops made a Decree against so much as the Use of the Name And great Reason they had for it for it would be no hard Matter to prove that by this means crept in those Abuses and Corruptions into the Church which are now Maintained with a Pretence of Authority and therefore the more Remediless Moreover as this new Honour was dangerous so it was needless for the Diocesses though they seemed to swallow up yet they did not destroy the Provinces So that the Metropolitical Authority remained still Suited to the Government of the State and was much more safe and botter Fitted to keep out Secular Pride Vanity and Worldly Pomp out of the Church And though it was thought requisite that the Ecclesiastical should Comply with the Civil Government so far as to be useful in the State yet it was never thought needful to run oâ—t into all Divisions of Civil Government so as to be prejudicial to the Church But however if those Laws of the Church which Erected or Confirmed Metropolitical or Patriarchal Power proceed upon this Grand Reason That the Government of the Church might be Agreeable to the State then it is Apparent that they never did immoveably Fix such Authority to any particular places for Alteratioâ—s often happening in States that might be clear contrary to their deâ—â—gnes Bùt the End Sense and Meaning of those Laws must be this that the Governours of the Church should always be careful that the Limits of Church mens Jurisdiction should be made to Comply with the Divisions and Limits of the Civil Government under which they live that both may Sit easie and be useful to each other And doubtless the God of Order never intâ—nded that his Church should Fill the World with Disturbance and Confusion which will be unavoidable if those two Powers be always Clashing If then such Civil Divisions are abolishâ—d and the Government ceased or altered for whose sake such Metropolitical or Patriarchal Power was Erected then those very Laws themselves which first Erected it do in their professed Design Reason and Intention not only disannul it but direct the Governours of the Church to establish or procure the Establishment of such other Limits of Jurisdiction as may be more satisfactory to the State and beneficial to the Church Indeed all these Supereminent dignities whereby one Bishop was raised above another were Erected either for he better Management of Affaires in the Roman Empire or for the Grandeur of it Or else sprang up by degrees for the benefit of those Cities which were of greatest Power and Interest in which thing Rome had the most advantage as being the Imperial City and giving Denomination to the whole Empire But now that Empire being broken and Resolved into several absolute and independent Principalities other Measures ought to be taken and for the same Reason that such Authority was set up it ought now to be taken down or Restrained And the Limits of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Confined within the Extent of the Civil Power and Exercised for its Ease Safety and Benefit And it seems to Me to be a Matter not to be despised that though the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament were written under the Government of the Roman Empire and in the time of its greatest Height and Glory yet the word Emperour so far as I can Call to mind is no where to be found there Indeed there is a Precept Relating to Caesar by Reason of a particular Question which determined it to that Name and the word Augustus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Answers it are Historically mentioned But these what use soever After-times made of them were then Gentilitial or Honourary Titles But the Name Emperour was that by which they then Ruled and which Held all along whatever other Titles or Distinctions were devised And that I think is no where to be found in the New Testament at least not in that sense Perhaps the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which mostly Answers it was thought too presumptuous However it is the Security the New Testament gives them is only by Commanding Obedience to the Higher Powers or in the like Phrases never mentioning their distinct Title But though the Name of Kings was odious to the Romans yet most of the Evangelical Precepts which Require Obedience to the Civil Power expressly direct it to Kings so that they seem to be given not only with a Spirit of Prophesie that that great unweldy Body should fall in pieces and be divided into several Kingdomes but also with a special design to secure and oblige all Christians to Obedience and Submission to such Kings And if we further consider that our Blessed Saviour hath told us That his Kingdom is not of this World And that the Christian Religion teacheth Self denial and Renunciation of the World and Requires all Christians especially the Governours of the Church to be of a most Humble peaceable and exemplary Behaviour This kind of Proceedings in its Covernment will seem most agreeable and natural to it For the Business of Church-Governours is to promote the Interest and Power of the Gospel not pertinaciously to strive for Jurisdiction to its prejudice and dishonour If each Changes happen in Mundane Affairs that by Alteration of the Bounds of Temporal Principalities one Bishop gain and another lose yet the Church of God loseth nothing but hereby gains its Peace and a good opinion amongst the Princes of the Earth And Church-Governours have the greater freedom and more Advantage to do good But the insisting upon Jurisdiction in another Christian Princes Dominion is to take his Subjects from him It ever causeth Disturbances Creates Jealousies in Princes and makes them think those who should be the best Christians to be the worst Subjects And for that cause to have the meaner opinion of Religion it self It would therefore certainly be best with the Church of God and most conduce to its happy Government if this Rule were observed in all Christian Kingdoms that the Jurisdictions of Bishops should Comply with and Conform to the Divisions Boundaries of the Civil Power This was the true primitive Practice and this the Bishops have ever been inclinable to when they have been able to withstand that everlasting Encroacher the Bishop of Rome Of which take this one Instance Immediately after the Synod at Constantinople against Photius a Controversie arose to whose Diocess the Bulgarians then newly Converted to the Faith should belong The Bishop of Rome who never lost any thing for want of demanding it made strong Claim by his Legats Upon this
in this Matter are such as may with equal if not more advantage be â—eturned upon themselves 'T is true we are not desirous to Molest others we wish Peace to the Churches Reasonable things would Content us and therefore we generally keep on the defensive part and stand all their Attacks and Opposition But if by such foul dealing they will continually provoke us till we change the state of this Scribling War and bring it into their own Countrey what Work will this make For if they will Vouch those Arguments to be good against our Orders And we prove that they are of no less force against their own or that we have other stronger Reasons against them whither will they then go for Ecclesiastical Authority their pride and stomach is too great to Truckle to the Greek or any other Church or to Borrow any Authority from them But if they should they ought to Consider whether the same Arguments will not follow them yea more whether divers of their Hot-spurs have not Carried them thither already If so all their Labour is in vain And if their Arguments be good all Church power and Succession is lost This indeed doth not so fatally affect us as it doth them because we for good Reasons deny those Arguments to be good and so keep up our Succession and Ecclesiastical Authority But what will become of that Church or what Remedy is left for it which obstinately maintains the Validity of such Arguments when they are proved as valid against her self especially it being a Church of that pride and ambition as to scorn to own any Authority in any other Church which she hath not more fully in her self Now if rather then not destroy our Orders they will what in them Lies overthrow all Ecclesiastical Authority and Succession though thanks be to God they cannot do it yet it is Apparent that they will hazard the very Worship of God and shake the very Foundations of Religion rather then be frustrated in their malicious Purposes and ambitious Designes And this I take not to be any strong Temptation to prefer their Communion before all Others XL. As for our Doctrine we are willing it should come to the Trial And I know no better Way to Try it then by its Agreement with what was Taught by our Saviour and his Apostles This is the Way Tertulliaen prescribes us both for the Security of the Church and Exclusion of Hereticks For after some things premised he makes this Inference Const aâ— proinde omnem Doctrinam quae cum illis Ecclesiis Apostolicis Matricibus Origiualibus Fidei conspiret Veritati deputandam id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesiae aeb Apostolis Aposto'i à Christo Christus à Deo suscepit Roliquam vero omnem doctrinam de Mendaâ—io praejudicandum quae sapiat contra Veritatem Ecclesiarum Apostolorâ—â— Christi Dâ—i And again speaking of Hereticks in general Ipsa 〈◊〉 doctrina â—orum cum Apostolicâ comparata ex diversitate contrarietate sâ—a Pronunciabit negue Apostoli alicujus Autoris esse neque Apostolici And then shewing how later Churches or such which shou'd at any time after be Constituted might defend themselves against Hereticks He saith thus Ad hanc itaque formam Provocabuntur ab illis Ecclesiis quae licèt nullum ex Apostolis vel Apostoliciâ— Aâ—ctoâ—em sâ—am proserant ut mulâ—ò Posteriores quae denique quotidie instituuntur â—amen in eâdem fide Conspirantes non minùs Apostolicae deputantur pro Consanguinitate doâ—trinae de Praescrip Now let this be the Test and in our Defence we say with Tertullian Postcrior nostrares non est immò omnibus Prior est Hoc crit Testimonium Veritaetis ubique occupantis Principatum de Praescrip Now let them Charge us if they can with Maintaining any Doctrine as of necessity to Salvation which came not from Christ or his Apostles and when they can prove that all these did they shall make Me believe any thing Only by the Way I cannot but take Notice of the difference between this good Old Father and the present Romanists in their Resolution of Faith or in the last Result Standard and Trial of Faith The One Refers us to what our Saviour taught by Commission from the Father and the Apostles by Authority from Him and to Examine Matters by their Agreement herewith The other without more ado Resolves all into the Authority of the present Roman Church The One saith It is the Way of Truth because the same that Christ and his Apostles Taught The Other saith We cannot be deceived because the Present Roman Church Voucheth it to be Right Now though for my own part I Adhere to the Opinion of the Father and therein of the Ancient Church yet I must Confess that the Romanists whether right or wrong have laid their Plot well for if they can once bring a Man to swallow this Proposition That the Roman Church is the only certain Rule and Judge of Truth Or That all thinge must give Way to their Determinations Then as for Particulars his Work is done and he is bound with an implicit Faith to swallow them all without any scruple or the least Examination Now this is sure and quick Work but too quick for Me who as a Christian lying under an Obligation upon occasion to Render a Reason of the Faith that is in Me would be willing to know a Reason that I may be able to do so That the Roman Church saith so will be no Reason till she produce a better Charter for her Authority then she hath yet done And till I and Oâ—hers can be satisfied by good Reason or Evidence of such Authority For if a Reason be Required of Me my Answer that Others say so will be none unless I can convince them by good Evidence that their Say-so is of sufficient Authority and indubitable the Plea indeed of Indefectibility were good if it were true But they rather urge that because it serves their Turns then that they have any good Evidence of it And the Father who directs us to trace Truth to the Apostolical Churches supposes that particular Churches may fall from it Sicut saith he Apostoli non diversa inter se docuissent ita Apostolici non contrarià Apostolis edidissent nisi illi qui ab Apostolis desciverant aliter praedicaverunt de Praescrip The Romanists indeed lay their Scene wisely they understand well enough what would do their Business and accordingly fail not to plead what must do it with those who Admit their Plea without proof The Consequence or Building would be good if the Antecedent or Foundation were sound But you must not narrowly Examine that lest a Rotten Bottom tumble all the stately Pageant down again If the Roman Church be indefectible by Vertue of any Promise made to St. Peter then other Churches may use the same Arguments and lay Claim to the same Privileges as well as they And our own Church
Scriptures being the most perfect Rule as proceeding from the All-wise God and leading to the Noblest End why should not Others or rather all be subservient to them yet this is so far from making thâ—m less that it argues their greater Perfection Secondly That nothing be Admitted as a Tradition which hath not some Apparent Foundation in Scripture for that being the undoubted Word of God whatever is not Agreâ—able thereto much more whatsoever is contrary to it ought never to be admitted But by Reason of our own Weakness or Others Fâ—owardness the Rule in some Cases being not so clear a true primitive Tradition in relation to Matters contained in Scripture may be very useful to lead us to the true Sense as in the Case of Infants Baptism the Observation of the Lords Day and some other Matters For all the Churches of God from the first times having Baptized Infants and duely observed the Lords Day it must be supposed That the Apostles did unanimously so teach the first Churches and consequently that those General Precepts concerning Baptism in Scripture are inclusive of the Children of believing Parents And that those Scriptural Instances of the Observation of the Lords Day were intended to direct our Practice Nor let any Man think that the Romanists will be Gainers by this for I will never deny any Truth for fear of giving Advantage to an Adversary Whatever they can prove from Scripture Expounded by such truly primitive Tradition as shall be agreeable to the two foregoing and the following Cautions I shall freely yield to them or any other Party But if the Matter come to this Issue they must lose all the most Considerable things for which they Contend with us I know they make great Flourishes and pretend Scripture back'd with Tradition for Purgatory and some other Fopperies But what can I or any Man help it if they will use the best means for the worst Ends They know good Rules but use them ill For as for such a Notion of Purgatory which they have set up and such a Use for it as they have devised as there is not any Footsteps of it in Scripture so was it utterly unknown to the primitive Church or if it could have been known would have been Abominated And if Men will have the Impudence to pretend without any colour for their Pretences yet I will not forsake a good Course because they abuse it Thirdly that nothing be admitted as a genuine Tradition but what was universally received and wherein all the primitive Churches were agreed according to that known Rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis Quod ubique quod semper quod ab â—â—…nibus or as he otherwise phraseth it Vniversitatis Antiquitatis Consensio Nothing can be so plainly spoken but the Weakness the Heedlessness or the Malice of some Persons may mistake or corrupt it Thus the Millenary Errour sprang from Papias misunderstanding John the Elder And his Authority again seems to have Influenced Irenaeus and Justin Martyr But this Meeting with Opposition in the Church and being in the End Exploded it hath only the Reputation of a very early Mistake and serves well for an Instance to shew how quickly Tradition may be Corrupted unless the Churches of God be exceeding vigilant What the Apostles taught for the Common Concern of our Salvation in any one Church they taught the same in all and therefore unless they all Agree that there is a Mistake is certain whether there be a Tradition or where it lies is uncertain and so at least it is useless But though here and there a Man might in some particular things mistake the Apoâ—tles and by their means Others might be deceived yet that all Persons of all Churches should clearly mistake the Apostles in any necessary matter notwithstanding they lived so long and daily so Laboured in the Word and Doctrine is a thing incredible And therefore wherein they unanimously Agree concerning the Doctrine of the Apostles no doubt but it is the best Exposition of the Doctrine in the Scriptures the same things being written for our perpetual Instruction which were at first preached for the benefit of the then living Generation Fourthly That Traditions be always deduced from the First Ages of the Church for Traditions are received not made And if they proceeded not from Apostles and Apostolick Persons they can never become genuine Traditions afterwards What was delivered to the first Churches though since neglected lost or forgotten was a true and genuine Tradition and is so still if it can be discovered But if any thing be Vouched as a Tradition though of a Thousand yeares standing and more yet if it came not from the First Churches it is not a Tradition but an Imposture And such are most of the Roman Traditions much like those of the Pharisees of whom our Saviour saith That they had made the Commandment of God of none effect by their Traditions Mat 15. 6. and yet they called them the Traditions of the Elders verse 2. and stood then up for their Antiquity as stoutly as the Other do now But as Tertullian observes lib. de Praeserip Veritas mendacio prior est And therefore here we are to follow not quâ—d Antiquum but quod Antiquissimum Lastly that a Difference be observed as to Traditions according to their Nature and Rife There are Traditions of particular Churches arising mostly from the Orders and Constitutions of some Venerable Apostolick Persons made and prescribed to the Churches which they respectively Governed These Claim a Respect not only upon the Account of their suitableness to Order but also in Honour of the Persons from whom they came but yet they oblige not other Churches None indeed ought to contemn them but they may lawfully either use or disuse them as their present Churth-Governours shall think Fitting for the benefit of the present Churches Some Traditions are more Universal as proceeding from the Apostles themselves but if they be only concerning things in their own Nature indifferent neither are these immutably binding That some such were is Apparent from that of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. 34. The Rest will I set in Order when I come But if any Man can certainly tell Me what Orders he made Erit mihi magnus Apollo And perhaps the Apostle never Committed them to Writing lest an over-great Veneration to Apostolical Authority should Run other Churches into an inconvenience For those very Orders though most wisely Fitted to the Church of Corinth might at the same time be inconvenient for other Churches yea for the very self-same Church in following times For though some indifferent things must of Necessity be determined because otherwise the Solemn Worship will unavoidably be disorderly and indecent yet such Orders can never be so Fixed for all â—hurches as to be of a perpetual immutable and unalterable Nature For Climates Customes Times Persons do variously alter the state of Matters so that what is prudently Constituted in one Church may be
it is not that which they would have as also because they have Received such Answers already in that Matter from Spalato the most Reverend A. B. Laud the Learned Dean of St. Pauls and others that it is now altogether a Needless Labour III. He that takes his Aim though never so carefully yet may sometimes miss his Mark And if that should be my Misfortune in what I write in this place I may in Equity expect the more favourable Usage For though in a good Sense a Councel may be said to be the Church Representative as I shall shew anon Yet I have Considered and Considered again and can by no means Reconcile to Reason that Notion or Proposition in the sense which some Men take and Explain it That a General Councel is Representative of the diffusive Body of the Church For if it be so it must either be by Institution from God or Delegation from Men. But that God in any Case hath Appointed the whole Body of Christians to choose certain Persons as their Representatives whose Acts by vertue of such Election shall be as binding as if it had been done by all and every Man I think can no where be found for my own part I could never see any Footsteps of it or any thing like it If on the other Hand it be by an unprescribed spontaneous Delegation from Men it must either be by the whole Body of Christians Met together for that purpose or by Parts Assembled in particular Churches The First I think if it be not impossible is altogether impracticable as the state of the Church now is Nor was it ever put in Practice when the Church being less closer and better united did not labour under those difficulties which now it doth As for the second it hath neither Scripture nor Antiquity on its side and for that Little which some may wrest to look that way it is so very little that it may thence Appear that the Churches of God never thought it necessary For though Paul and Barnabas and certain others were sent up to Jerusalem about the Controversie between the Jews and Gentiles Acts 15. 2. Yet there is not any Circumstance to lead us to think otherwise but that they went by Order or Agreement of these Governours of the Churches among whom that Controversie had been debated but could not be finally decided by reason of the turbulency of the Jews and not by Election of the People And when the Councel Met at Jerusalem though all Christians had freedom to Appear in it yet when the Apostles and Elders are said to come together to Consider of the Matter verse 6. they Met by their own Authority And further if a Councel be so the Church Representative that in Order to its being a Representative it be necessary that the Persons Appearing be Elected from the Church-Members of particular Churches the Consequence will be That the first four Famous General Councels were not lawful Councels for they Met by the Emperours Summons not by Election from the People And therefore upon this Supposition could not be duely Convocated Besides if a Deputation of the People or Church-Members be necessary let the Honour or Orders of the Persons deputed be what it will they must Represent mostly as Laymen for such are Incomparably the far greater Number But we read not of any Bishops Sitting in Councel but as Bishops and subscribing as Bishops and taking place there by vertue of their own Authority as Bishops not by any Deputation unless perhaps some Person Appeared for some absent Bishop as well as himself or as the Legate of some Bishop But then a Commission or Deputation from that absent Bishop was sufficient without so much as Consulting any Church-Members I do not say but that some Persons were Chosen on purpose to be sent to Councels but then they were either such Priests or Deacons as the Bishops thought Fit to take along with them or were pitch'd on by the Advice of their Clergy And we have a Custom amongst our selves that Two out of every Diocess be Chosen and sent to the Provincial Synod or Convocation And though it is Reasonable that some should be there who by daily Inspection and Experience understand the Countreys Affairs and the Circumstances of the Rural Clergy upon whom not the least part of the Burthen lies yet the great Reason iâ— this That the Determinations of the Convocation may pass into the Law of the Land which they cannot do unless the Convocation consists of such Persons as the Law requires whose Acts must be Ratified by the King also to that purpose But then those Persons so Choseâ— are only the Proctors of the Clergy not Deputies of the People And Câ—nonâ— for the Church might be made without them though not Laws of the Land And indeed the Romanists themselves though they talk loud of a Councels being the Churches Representative yet sometimes they are as dumb again and willing to let it sleep or to shift it off When they have to do with private Persons or such whom they Call Hereticks then they talk big of their pack'd Councels and what a Madness it is to withstand the Representative of the whole Church of God This looks great and seems to carry no small Authority with it But if DiscouÌ„rse happen of a Councel in Relation to the Pope then they are as Mute as Fishes or Mince the Matter and will by no means be induced to speak out as to any such Authority in Councels of themselves And it is well known That the Tridentines were never suffered to use the Phrase Repraesentans universalem Ecclesiam though many stickled hard for it the Pope being in no small fear that an Inferencâ— would be thence drawn That any Member how great soever was Inferiour to the Representative of the whole Body of Gods Church the Consequence of which might have been fatal to Himself But the Question concerning the Right to or Exercise of Authority in any diffusive Body of Men whether Ecclesiastical or Civil perhaps deserves a more thorough Examination then it hath ever yet undergone And consequently whether any can And if any then who and how far they can make a Representative I may perhaps have Occasion to discourse of it hereafter but shall not in this place IV. He that proceeds only in a destructive way gives too much Advantage to Loose Wits and in stead of Instructing unsettles weak Heads It is therefore but just that he who opposeth what he thinks a Mistake should set down what he thinks right lest he do more hurt by leaving nothing to build upon then he doth good by discovering an Errour which perhaps might be harmless if Consequences of too great moment were not Wire-drawn from it If therefore we should say That a Councel i. e. as far as Relates to such Churches whose Bishops Appear in Councel is the Church Authoritative and in Consequence the Representative as bringing with it all that Authority Christ
left in his Church and which he Lodg'd in his Church-Officers by Vertue of which Authority they Represent and not by any Deputation from the People or Church Members I think that with submission to better Judgements it would be much more plain in the Explication and facile in the Reasons of it And thence would Evidentâ—y Appeâ—r the true Grounds of the different force of their Decrees and Canons For in what Relates to Discipline and exâ—ernal Government every Bishop haâ—h Power to make Orders in his own Church And when they are Met in Councel together for the Agreement and Harmony of Churches and better upholding Communion they may make Rules binding all those Churches and in all things lawful and honest they are to be obeyed For in their Hands God left the Government of his Church as a Church And it is no less then an Apostolical Command in â—eserence to Church-Governours Obey them thâ—e have the Rule â—ver you and submit your selves c. Heb 13. 17. And this is so clear from the Practice of the pâ—imitive Church that to bring a few Instances were only to light a Candle to the Sun But then those Regimental Rules or Orders were not binding to those Churches whose Bâ—shops were not there either by themselves or their Delegates and Consenting to them though they were bound to observe them whenever upon any Occasion they came to any of those Churches on whom they were laid And also had a Power to Receive and Confirm them if they found them convenient for their Churches and so to make them Obligatory ex post facto though they themselves were not at the Councel And it is further Observable That Constitutions of this Nature were never thought to be so unalterable and binding But that not only foâ—lowing General Councels might alter them but even Provincial Councels in some Cases mighâ— Reseind what more General Councels had Appointed For no Laws are binding contrary to their own End and Design Now the End and Design of their Constitutions being the Peace and Bâ—nefit of the Churches and for the most part in Matters of themselâ—es by Nature indifferent or mutable It can hardly be that in all things their General Sanctions should Hit the Condition of all Churches for Climates alter Men much And the Humours Inclinationâ— and Customes of People much vary in different places yea not seldom in the same place in different Ages So that what is convenient easie and useful in one place may be inconvenient uneasie and unprofitable in another If therefore by Reason of the Condition of some particular Church or Churches which was not well made known to the General Councel some of their Constitutions should prove to be really and truly Burthensom and Ossensive to such Churches If there be no Prospect of another General Councel near at Hand a Provincial Councel of their own who understand their state and necessities may Relieve them by making other Orders more Fit and Practicable for them but always with Honour and Observance of those Constitutions where they do take place and without any Contempt or disrespect where they are laid aside To this Effect is that Answer of our Learned Dr. Beveridge to his fâ—â—ward Observator Nemo nescit Synodos Posteriores sape aliâ— nonnunquam â—entraria constituisse ac quae prioribus constituta fuerant idque licèt Priores iâ—ae acuâ—â—â—icae sive Vniversales Posteriores singularium tantummodò Provinciarum Synodi 〈◊〉 quod sexcentis sinecesse â—sset exemplis demonstrare licet Cod. Can. Ecc. â—â—i lib. 1. cap. 3. In these things if I mistake not consists the greatest 〈◊〉 most direct Power of Councels for these things are to be received and observed by vertue of their own Authority And hence it is Observable That in most ancient Councels the greatest Part of their Canons relate to Discipline and Government And they never Caâ—ed to meddle with Matter of Doctrine unless the Troubles of the Church and unquietness of Hereticks constrained them to it And though in this Case not only Men in inseriour Orders but even prudent Lay men may be Consulted with and have liberty â—o Advise and freely spâ—ak their Thoughts that the state of the Church may be the better known yet the decisive Voice is in the Bishop And that the Contrary Asserted by Spalato is a great Mistake I shall happily have Occasion to prove when I come to speak of the Nature Power and Rights of Episcopacy in opposition to the Roman See whose Usurpations have not only diminished but in a manner destroyed that Order to the irreparable damage of Gods Church and without the Restoration of which to its just Rights I see not how the Church can hope for either Unity or Peace V. But though in Relation to Government and Discipline the Power of Bishops in Councel is very great yet in Matters of Doctrine it is by no means the same For he that Committed to their Trust the Government of his Church gave them no Power over the Faith Rules for Discipline may alter as Cases alter But the Gospel of Christ Jesus must be yesterday and to day and the same for ever No Monckish Evangelium aeternum nor Fanatick Evangelum armatum must be suffered to thrust this out of doors What Christ and his Apostles delivered to the Saints at first must be the Rule to the last And therefore here the Business of Councelâ— is not to Appoint but Enquire Not to Constitute but declare They have no Authority to make us a New Gospel or any New Article of Faith but to discover the Old And therefore here their Authority goes equal pace with their Sincerity Diligence and Skill And if these Qualifications be truly in them and duely used It â—s all the Reason in the world that we should Acquiesce in their Determinations and that not only because we cannot have any better or more able Body of Men to decide the Controversie But also because we have good Grounds to believe that God will Afford them his Assistance for the Promise made to the Disciples of beiâ—g with them always to the End of the World is not capable of any other Construction but of his Affording not only to them but to their Successors sufficient Aid and Assistance to preserve discover teach and declare that Truth and Doctrine which our Bâ—â—ssed Saviour and his Apostles taught and left with them to be taught to thâ— End of the World for the Salvation of Souls And though even Laymen as being all Concerned in the Common Salvation may Challenge a Right to Appear in Councel in orderly Manner and Number yet certainly the greatest Authority lies in them To whom God hath Committed the Care of all the Churches and who must Answer for others Souls as well as their own Where therefore the Pastors of the Church are Mâ—t together about Matters relating to the Necessities of the Church and are Honest Industrious and able I doubt not but that in Matters of Religion
of Bishops that they are not willing to Allow them the Shadow of it And indeed they have Reason for it sor if every Bird had her own Feather those Jolly Cardinals now Princes Mates would Appear to be only a parcel of bald Câ—otes For this and some other Reasons the Councel of Trent might have Waited for a Confirmation had not Hugo Buoncompagno Bishop of Bestice not only clearly Convinced the Pope that he was no Loser by the Councel but also taught Him a Trick how He might make what he pleased of it and become no small Gaâ—â—er by it Hist C. T. p. 816. To all this the Bâ—goted fort of Romanâ—st◠〈◊〉 Return that it is the Pope's Right But if it be not his Right then â—â—th He and that Councel are guilty of a World of Wrong done to the Churches of God But that Dispute is not proper in this 〈◊〉 but will be fully Handâ—â—d in the Particular of Supremacy And if they be cast in that they must be so in this IX â—t hath ever been Held to be one necâ—ssary Qualification of a General Councel That it be free And therefore I may Reasonably put in this Exception against that at Trent That it was in manifest Slavery all the time If there were nothing more to be urged but the Decree Proponentibus Legatis that alone were sufficient For by this mâ—ans the Bishops who best knew the state of their Churches could not offer any thing in Councel how needful soever they knew it to be And what should be debated was wholly left to their pleasure who either could not understand the state of the Churches Or if they did yet did not regard it but made it their whole Business to Advance the Interest of the Court of Rome And though it was Pleaded that this was a New Thing never besore done in any Councel though at several times strong Reasons were brought to prove that it Infringed the Liberty of the Councel And from time to time great Intercession was made to take off that Decree yet it could never be obtained And we may Reasonably believe that it was Resolved it never should whatsoever they might pretend For when this Decree with no small Art had passed the Pope was so well pleased with the News that he wrote privately to the Legats That they should Maintain it firmly and put it in Execution without Relenting one jote Hist C. T. lib 6. p. 470. But though this was too much yet this did not satisfie them But they took still a greater Liberty to Enslave all the Rest For when they had proposed any Matter is the debate did not proceed to their Mind they took upon them to interrupt Men in their speaking and to Check Reproach or Threaten Others so that several died of Grief or Indignation for the Disgrace and Abuse Received And some pretended Necessity of Business or want of Health and Asked leave to depart and were not a little glad they were got away If this did not do then by Prorogations and Delays they wearied Men out and would do nothing till an Opportunity Presented for their purpose Neither was the Councel under less Restraint as to time then Matter they were so far from having any Power to Sit till they had dispatched the weighty Affairs they came about that they could not Sit an Hour longer then they pleased their Masters the Legats For they had a Bull by them empowering them to proâ—ogue transfer or dissolve the Councel as they should think Fit So that let the Necessities of Christendom be what they will if the Designes of the Legats were not carried on all the Bishops in Councel must either Sit still and cool their Heels oâ— March off and be gone And that they were Resolved to take this Coursâ— if they could not Compass their Ends is manifest from that rude Translation of it to Bolâ—gna And yet one would think there should be little need of all this Caution for the Councel consisted wholly of Persons sworn to the Pope in as full and ample Manner as any Oath of Allegiance can be made by a Subject to his Lawâ—ul Prince as is plain from the Form of the Oath set down by our Learned D. of St. P. â—â—nd A. B. L. cap. 8. p. 491. so that they could Practice nothing contrary to the Pope's Will without being guilty of Perjuâ—y And the Legates upon Occasion did not fail to put them in Mind of it Indeâ—d it may more properâ—y be called a Faction then a Councel for there were none Admitted but the Pope's Party And was it likely that they should do right who were Complained of for doing all the wrong The Protestants are not suffered to Come and Sit as a Part of the Councel but to be heard as Criminals And they had great Encouragement to come who wâ—re Condemned before-hand Three Safe Conducts were Granted to the Protestants Two under Julius 3tius and one under Pius 4tus but not one of them will Admit them as Members of the Councel but supposeth them to come as Offenders with a â—iberty to make the best of their Cause they can But he who shall Heedfully read the first Safe-Conduct will see that it was rather intended for a Snare to Trepan them then an Instrument to Secure them That Phrase Quantum adipsam Sanctam Synodum spectat looks suspitiously as if they intended it as a Reserve for another to do that which they were ashamed of themselves and there is the greater Reason to think this because the very last words of the Safe-Conduct shew that they did intend to proceed against such whom they should judge Hereticks Only they promise that they shall have Judices sibi benevolos i. e. They shall be Hanged with Silken Halters And what kind of Entertainment they were like to find we may hence Guess that it is sometimes plainly said by some in Councel That their Coming thither was to Condemn the Lutherans And when Vega spake of a Lutheran Opinion as Reconcileable with what they called Catholick the Councel was highly Offended as thinking it a prejudice that any of the Differences might be thought Reconcileable Hist C. T. p. 208. yet they had the best Knack at Reconciling when they had a Mind to it that I ever knew for they could Reconcile differences amongst themselves that were as opposite as Light and Darkness without Condemning either of the Contraries Witness among others the Controversie between the Dominicans and Francisâ—ans about the immaculate Conception They were so bâ—nt on this design that they would Admit none into the Councel who were thought in the least to favour the Reformers When Vergerius Fled to the Councel though as a Bishop he had Right to a place there yet the Legats would not suffer him to be there but send him to the Pope to clear himself from the Imputation of Lutheranism And he was glad to be gone and at last to get out of Italy though he did in some Measure
Requite the Kindness afterwards For in Revenge he wrote a Book to prove that all Liberty was taken away from the Councel and that it was Called by the Pope not to Estabish the Dectâ—ine of Christ but the Servitude and Oppression of poor Souls Hist C. T. p. 436. And though he had been soully abused and was an angry Man yet in this he was too much in the Right But as some were not Admitted so such as did Sit there were upon their good Behaviour and might by one Device or another be â—etcht out of the Councel at pleasure Even one of their greatest Creatures the Bishop of Bitontâ— was Cited from the Councel to Appear before the Auditor of the Rota at Rome such a piece of Impudence as was never before Practised and enough to have made the Councel Assert its Authority against the Pope if there had been any Considerable Number of â—ny Courage or Honesty But though upon the Bishops modest Complaint â—he Legats were ashamed of it and the poorer Bishops began to be Muinous yet the Pope made his Advantage of all For laying hold on this Opportunity as it were in Compassion to succour the meaner Bishops he â—ade Pensioners and fast Friends of those who were in danger to be his Enemies and gained a clear Instance of the Pope's Exercising Jurisdiction over a Councel And though this shews Him to have been a dextrous Artist who could so easily turn his danger to his gain and Kill two Birds thus with one Stone yet it speaks little in Commendation of those who what in them lay sold the Liberties of all Christians so Dog-cheap And though the Pope was thus secured of them yet they were not trusted But when the Legats had prepared any thing if it was not treated of in all Points to their liking it was either utterly quashed or laid aside at pleasure When as Matter of Reformation it was proposed to set down the Qualities requisite in the Promotion of the greater Prelates and Ministers of the Church which certainly might have been of great use and profit to so disordered and corrupt a state as the Churches Affairs were then in It was all presently turned out of doors and that chiefly for this Reason Because more then two Thirds of the Benefices aere Resorved to the Apostolick See unto which it is not Fit to Prescribe a Law Hist C. T. lib. 2. p. 216. When the Matter of Residence was treated of with some little Heat they were all presently cooled and the Matter put off Cardinal Monte after some specious Pretences plainly telling them That the Pope's Wiâ—â— was Resolutely so Hist C. T. lib. 2. p. 232. And with this they are all struck dumb And as they might not speak but with Leave and Licence so what they did was insignificant if it Chanc'd afterwards not to please the Pope For the Councel having taken Care for Correcting the Vulgar Edition and for procuring an exact Impression and having Employed Deputies on the Work When this News came to Rome the Pope undoeth it all by his own Authority and the Legats in pursuance of his Order cause the Deputies to desist from the Work and to bring all they had done to them and this without any Respect to the Councel or so much as making them privy to it It seems somewhat strange that they should have no more at least seeming liberty but be used so fcornsully For the Pope had ever the Major Party in the Councel It began if not altogether yet for the most part with his own Creatures And they when but a contemptible Number and as the Historian saith for the greater part a very ignorant Parcel of Men desined Matters of the greatest Concern which were never before defined And too soon then But when Cardinal Pacceâ—o gave Information that the Spanish Bishops Men of exemplary Piety and great Learning were coming to the Councel the Legats thought as they truly â—â—uâ—d that their Tasâ— would be harder And therefore they begin timely to look about them and sollicit the Pope to send them trusty Bishops to out-Vote the Vltramontans as they called them Hist C T. lib. 2. p. 142. This did well enough all the time of Paul and Julius But when the Fâ—ench were preparing to come to the Councel in the time of Pius 4 tus the Rumour of such Mens coming who were naturally of a daring temper and free Speech and in no great danger of incurring the displeasure of their King for either fo Alarm'd the Pope that he openly and with little less then a professed Design for out-Voting them sent such a strength of Confidents and Titulars that the Papalins in Councel were themselves a shamed of it for by that it was manifest that nothing could be done in that Councel but what was Carried by his Creatures and consequently by himself This will still be more plain if we Consider the Number of Prelates in Trent The Catalogue at the End of the Councel tells us that they came from fourteen Nations but if it were well Examined it would Appear that many of the Prelates of those sevâ—ral Nations were only Titulars or the Pope's Pensioners But the Number of all together and yet they never were all together Amounts to 281. Now all of this Number take Procurators and all which Appeared at various times from thirteen Nations were only 91 the Rest were all Italians the Pope's Devotees who either for fear durst not or for Interest would not in the least oppose him and they Amounted to 189 which makes somewhat above two Thirds of the Councel Now when all the Complaints were against the Court of Rome let any Man judge what could be â—arâ—ied in a Councel wherein the Pope had so much the Major Party and Voices were Numbred and not weighed And when the Councel is Called by Him and Consist chiefly of Persons whose dependance is on Him and all Sworn to Him and when they are Met must Treat of nothing but what is Proposed by his Order nor then any further or in any other Manner then makes for his Interest And if any thing displeases are liable to be sent packing away when he pleases And their Orders may be discharged without their â—onsent and are in all things under his Government who will never suffer them to follow their own Judgement I Humbly desire to know by what Figure such a Councel is called Free for in proper speaking it cannot be so X. Another small Objection which I have against this Councel is this That the Dâ—crees and Canons set forth in that Councels Name were really not the Decrees and Canons of the Councel for the Truth is it was a meer Sham and only a Skreen or Curtain drawn between the World and the Pope that he might play his Game more safely out of Sight For what do they tell us of Trent If there was any Councel it was at Rome for thero all was really Transacted and Concluded In Trent thâ—y did only