77 F Free-thinkers, and other Sects, that have fwarm'd from you. They do but follow your Example: They are your faithful Difciples, and true Proteftant Brethren in that very Principle, which divided them from you. So that you cannot blame their Separation from the Church of England without condemning your own Separation from the Church of Rome, and you are fully answerable both for their Schifm, and your own: Because it is the Fruit of a Tree of own Planting, and the natural Confequence of a Principle, you conftantly Maintain. But we have no fuch Principle, or Seed of Divifion in our Church, which makes us perfectly One among ourselves in all Articles of Faith.

your

G. So is every Church or Sect. That is, those « who agree among themselves, do agree. So that « this is no more a Mark of Unity, than every Di- « vifion of Men can plead, and every Sect. pag. 19. «

L. Sr, nothing is more certain, than that they, who agree among themselves, do agree. But you will have fome Difficulty to convince me, that there can be the fame Harmony and Agreement in any Sect, or Body of Men, the very Foundation of whofe Religion is a Principle, or Seed of Divifion, as there is in a Church, which abhors that Principle. Can there be the fame Agreement among thofe, who are guided by their own private Judgment, as among those, who are bound to fubmit to the Authority of a Supreme Tribunal, from which there is no Appeal?

Your Mistake then lies here, viz. in Imagining, that all the Members of any Sect of this or that Denomination agree in the fame Syftem of Religion, which is morally impoffible. Because whoever makes pri vaty Judgment the Guide of his Faith, may change it with every Change of the Moon. Nay what feems Reason to day, may feem otherwife to Morrow: And

fo he will be incoherent not only with other Members of the fame Sect, but even with himself. Nay upon the fame Principle 'tis not impoffible, but a Sect of the fame external Denomination may be divided into as many Religions, as it has Families belonging to it, because their private Judgments may all differ, and they have no Principle of Unity to cement them: Whereas the Rule of Faith among Roman Casholicks (which is the Word of God, as interpreted by the Church, whofe Decrees all are bound to fubmit to) unites them all in the fame Belief; notwithstanding their prodigious Numbers, the Diverfity of their Interefts, Customs, and Languages; and tho they be the great Body of Chriftians, from which all went forth.

» G. No, My Lord, not Half, nor ever were. The » Greek Church is an elder Church than yours: So that you rather broke off from her by Setting up "your univerfal Supremacy; which she never own'd; » nor the many other numerous Churches of Afia,

nor the Great, and once famous Churches of Afri» ca, nor the Empire of Ruffia of vaft Extent in Ēu» rope, once a Part of the Greek Church. These ne» ver own'd the Supremacy of Rome, and by far out» number all, that ever did own it, or were of her » Communion as fuch. And confidering how many » Nations and Kingdoms have broke off from her fince

the Reformation, her Communion is now reduced ≫ to a small Part of the Chriftian Church in Compa» rifon of those that differ from her. pag. 19. 20.

L. Sr, there are but three material and notorious Falsehoods in what you have now faid: as I shall endeavour to convince you. 1. That the Church of Rome rather broke off from the Greek Church, than the Greek Church from the Church of Rome. 2. That neither the Greek Church, nor the other Churches

mention'd by you ever aknowledg'd the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. And 3. that the Church in Communion with the See of Rome never was one Half of the great Body of Chriftians, whence all went forth. As to what you add concerning our prefent Numbers, which is a fourth Falsehood of lefs Confequence, I shall have Occasion to speak of it here

after.

But before I undertake to shew the Falfehood of the three Facts, you have afferted, I fairly chalenge you to mark me out any one Separate Society of ChriBians upon Earth, but what either went out immediately from us, or fpawn'd from those that did, or, what is equivalent, received their Religion from them; as the Mufcovits did from the Greeks: who, as I shall now prove, went out immediately from us. For, if you cannot shew me any fuch Society of Chriftians, then 'tis an unconteftable Truth what I have faid, viz. That the Church in Communion with the See of Rome is the great and standing Body of Chriftians, whence all went forth. I shall begin with Examining your firft Affertion, and put it to the Teft of a plain Narrative of the Fact, whereof I am fure you can not difprove the leaft Tittle.

§. 15.

The Greek Church broke off from the Church of Rome,

N the Year 841 Michael the 3d being very Young fucceeded his Father Theophilus in the Oriental Empire, under the Guardianship of his Mother Thea dera. But Bardas the Emperor's Uncle had a Share in the Government. This Man was defperately in Love with his Daughter in Law, with whom he held * fecret Commerce. St Ignatius then Patriarch of

Conftantinople check'd him for it, and finding his Admonitions ineffectual refused to give him the Sacrament on the Feast of the Epiphany.

Bardas, who was of a furious and cruel Temper, incenfed at this perfuades the Young Emperor to fend away his Mother and Sifter into a Monaftery, and commit the Execution of it to the Patriarch; who refufing to obey fo unjust a Command was loaded with Calumnies, and banish'd to the Ile of Terebinthus.

Photius principal Secretary of State, and Captain of the Guards, was put into his Place. He was made a Monk the first Day, Reader the next, and the following Days Subdeacon, Deacon, and Prieft. So that in fix Days Time (the true Patriarch being yet alive) he invaded the Patriarchal Throne on Chrift maß-day An. 858. The Bishop, by whom he was ordain'd was excommunicated upon it by St Ignatius, who alfo accufed him to the Pope. Whereupon the Pope required of Ignatius, that he should fend fome Perfon to Rome to give him a full Information of that Affair. Which he did accordingly, fending one Lazarus. And the Point being duly examined by Pope Benedict, the next Succeffor to Leo, Ignatius his Sen• tence was approved by the holy See. [Du Pin, Cent. 9. pag. 86.]

Nicholas I. fucceeded Benedict: to whom Photius, that his Election might be confirm'd at Rome, fent an Embassy with a falfe Account of St Ignatius. viz. that by Reason of his Age he had voluntarily quitted the Patriarchal See, had retired into a Monaftery of a certain land, and was in great Efteem both of the Prince and People. Soon after he procured his Condemnation in a pack'd Council of Oriental Bifhops; when the injured Patriarch drew up a Petition by way of Appeal to the Pope; Begging his Affiftance

in Imitation of his Predeceffors Fabian, Julius, Innocent, Leo. The Pope undertook the Defence of per. fecuted Innocence: And Photius, because he could not prevail upon him to be an Abetter of his Crime, forfook his Communion.

This is the Fact as far as is to our Purpose fairly related: and let any impartial Man Judge from it, whether the Pope broke off from Photius rather than Photius from the Pope. We have here a wicked Courtier fupported by the Authority of a Prince as bad as himfelf, invading the Patriarchal Throne by the violent Depofition of the legal Poffeffor. He applies himself to the Pope to approve his Intrusion; but finding his Virtue proof against Flattery and Threats, he difowns that very Authority, to which at first he thought it neceffary to have Recourfe; withdraws himself from the Pope's Communion, and by Degrees engages a great Part of the Greek Church in his Quarrel. If this Man, and his Adherents were not guil ty of Schifm, there never was fuch a Thing in the World. But 'tis an eafy Matter to guefs, what makes you fo zealous for the Greeks. Henry the 8th, and Bishop Cranmer only copied after the Pattern fet them by the wicked Emperor and Patriarch of Conftantinople, and they cannot poffibly be acquitted of the Guilt of Schifm, unless Photius be first clear'd, or at least a fact call'd in Question, which never admitted of any Difpute.

G. But is not the Greek Church Elder than the Church of Rome? And if it be fo, do's it not follow that the Church of Rome rather broke off from her? L. A ftout Argument indeed! But it will do ną Execution unless you make it appear, that Age and · Jurifdiction always go together. Sr, there are feveral Bishopricks in Great Britain more ancient than Canterbury; yet the Bishop of that See is their Primate,

L