the Communion of the Ecclefiaftical Unity. For a while you think you can excommunicate all other « Churches from you, you have only excommuni- « cated yourself from them. Dum enim putas omnes ce abs te abftineri poffe, te ipfum abftinuifti. Cyp. Epift. 75. pag. 41. 42. «

L. Sr, the Pope's Supremacy is the great Bone of Contention with Hereticks and Schifmaticks, just as the rightful Prerogative of the Crown is the great. Bone of Contention with rebellious Subjects. And the Church of Rome has the fame Reafon to thrust Hereticks from her, as a lawful Sovereign to attaint Rebels. As to Firmilian, and St Cyprian, they were cer tainly engaged in a wrong Caufe, as you yourself muft own. And if you had produced their Words. to prove that they denied the Pope's Infallibility, you would have spoken to the Purpose. But Infallibility and Supremacy are two Things. For tho it be very probable that they denied the former, they never quef tion'd the latter; but only blamed Pope Stephen for Making an ill Ufe (at least as they thought) of his Authority against them. And therefore told the Pope, that if he should excommunicate the Eaftern Bishops unjustly, he would only hurt himself by it: Which is the true Meaning of their Words. But you will have fome Difficulty to shew, that the Church of Rome excommunicates Hereticks unjustly.

§. 30.

The Subject of Supremacy and Iùfallibility resumed.

G.

MY

Y Lord, the Church of the Jews had a « much stronger Plea for her universal Su- « remacy and Infallibility, because all Profelytes of « whatever Nations must come to her. For there «

was no other Visible Church of God upon Earth and the Sacrifices, were limited to the Temple at Jerufalem. Accordingly we find, A. 8. v. 27. that » the Eunuch came out of Ethiopia to Jerusalem for to worship. pag. 42.

L. St, the Jewish Church had perhaps as strong a Plea for the Supremacy of her high Prieft over all the Jews, as the Church of Chrift has for the Supremacy of St Peter's Succeffor over all Chriftians. And where is the Inconveniency of it? We shall confider her Infallibility hereafter, which is a very different Thing. But what you add, viz. that all Profelytes of whatever Nations were bound to come to the Jewish Church, is the fame as if you told me, that all, who turn'd Jews, were bound to come to the Jewish Church: which is very true indeed, but nothing to the Purpose. Becaufe none of those, who were true Believers among the Gentiles, were bound to turn Jews; that is, em-brace the Law of Circumcifion; Neither were these obliged to come to Jerufalem to offer their Sacrifices, but were at Liberty to offer them to the true God, where-ever they pleafed. 'Tis true, many of the Gentiles themselves, especially the true Believers among them, had a great Veneration for the Temple of Jerufalem, where God was truly worshipped: And, if the Eunuch you speak of, was a Gentile, this was doubtless the Occafion of his Coming thither to worship. I ask you then, whether this Eunuch was a Few or Gentile? If a Jew, your Argument is frivolous. For there is no doubt but Jews could Sacrifice no where but at Jerufalem. If he was a Gentile then all Gentiles were not Infidels. For he, who came to adore the true God, could not futely be an Infidel.

But, Sr, I am still in Expectation of the inferences you will draw from what you faid last.

G. My

G. My Lord', the last thing I faid was, that tha Sacrifices were limited to the Temple at Jerufalem, Now « if the Chriftian Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Chrift (the most fulemn Worship of God) were con- « fined to St Peter's Church at Rome, and could be had « no where elfe; as the moft folemn Worship of « God (the legal Sacrifices, which were the Types of « the Chriftan) were confined to the Temple at Jeru- « falem: And if the Church of Rome like that of the « Jews, were the only Church in the World, yet « after all would the Church of Rome have no more « Pretence to Infallibility, and Perpetuity, than that « of the Jews had. pag. 42. «

L. Sr, with your good Leave, the Church of Rome, that is, the Church in Communion with the See of Rome is the only true Church of Chrift upon Earth: And the Chriftian Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Chrift which we call the Maß; and you, to my moft agreeable Surprise, call the most folemn Worship of God) is fo confined to the Church in Communion with the See of Rome, that it cannot be legally offer'd in any other Communion.

But all this is foreign to the Purpose. For that which gives this Church her Title to a perpetual Infal Libility, and which the Jewish Church never had, are precifely the Promifes of Chrift. If you can prove that thefe are of no Weight, then you will fay fome thing to the Purpose.

G. My Lord, As the Church of the Jews has « been cut off for her Difobedience to the Law of « God, fo (as before mention'd) has it been faid to the Church of Rome particularly, thou shallt also be se cut off, that is, upon the fame Condition, if thou «s continueft not in the Goodneß of God. Rom, 11. V. 22, pag. 43. "

L. Sr, this wretched Objection has already been anfwer'd (§. 23.) fo pray go on.

» G. And we cannot imagine there should be a Church of Rome visible as now with a Pope at the » Head of it, and a Number of Bishops, Cardinals, » &c. under him holding the true Chriftian Faith,

when that Time comes, which our Saviour fore» told when the Son of Man cometh, shall be find Faith » upon Earth? For then it would be found, and very vifibly at Rome. pag. 43.

..L. Sr, I hope it will be visibly found at Rome as well as in many other Places. And fince the Pope, and his Bishops have in all former Perfecutions been the strongest Bulwark of the Church of Chrift, so I have no Reason to doubt, but they will be fo in the Days of Antichrift, tho their Refidence should be in Caves and Defarts.

But fuppofe Chrift at his fecond Coming should not find Faith at Rome, what is the Confequence? Is the City of Rome effential to the Prefervation, or Vifibility of the Church of Chrift? If Rome were buried under Ground by an Earthquake, would Chrift lose his ·Church? Or would the Church be difabled from choofing a Succeffor to St Peter? However you do well to give me this plain Hint that by the Church of Rome you mean precifely the City or Diocess of Rome. And this is already your fifth of fixth Relapfe into the fame wretched equivocation. As to your Text from St Luke, it was fully answer'd before (§. 24.) and fo you may once more go on, you please.

$.31. No general Defection foretold by Christ.

§. 31.

No general Defection foretold by Christ.

Mat

121

G. Y Lord, that State of the Church (viz. « at the fecond Coming of Chrift) is better « reprefented by the 7000. who had not bow'd to « Baal, but of whom Eliah knew none, was a State < of Segregation. There were particular Perfons, « who kept the Faith, but invifible to the World, « or to one another : without any publick Wor- « ship, or fo much as private Meetings. For Eliah « would furely have known of these, and been the « principal amongst them. Far lefs could they have «< had an organiz'd Church with Paftors and Rulers o- « ver them without being known to Eliah, and to « many more, even to their Perfecutors, who found « out the most private Receffes of the primitive « Chriftians, and their Meetings, tho in the most « fecret Manner for divine Worship; and their « Bishops too, whom they hauled to Prisons, and « to Martyrdom: For they could not lye hid. And « the Faith was then vifible, tho under Perfecution. « Therefore it must be a much more univerfal De- «< pravity and Corruption of the Church, of which « our Saviour Spoke, when Faith should not be found, at leaft visibly, upon Earth. pag. 43. 44. «

L. Sr, our Saviour never faid nor meant any fuch Thing, if we may believe St Austin, and St Jerom above mention'd [§. 24.] the Donatifts indeed, whofe Company you have no Reafon to be proud of, maintain'd your Doctrine, and quoted the fame Paffage of St Luke, which you now repeat the third Time, as if not Anfwer'd. But the whole Catholick Church opposed them, and St Austin and St Jer