Men, would prevail against it. Befides, every one would be Uncertain, whether the Gospel (which we have in our Hands, and is given us by the Church) be a Book infpired, or no-To fo detestable a Heretick, we fay Anathema. 9. Fourth objection. p. 183, THE First and most Material Step, that every one must make, is the Choice of his Religion; whether he will be a Christian, a few, a Mahometan, or an Heathen: over all which there is no Judge. What need then of fubmitting Reafon to Authority, when we have found it? Anf. THIS equally impugns the Church, the Scripture, Christ, and all Revelation of hidden Mysteries. To believe the Scripture, Christ, or the first Principles of Reveal'd Religion, a Man has nothing to Guide him (under God) but his own Private Judgment, according to Mr. L. Muft he then Conclude, that Christ is not Infallible; or that St, Paul did ill, in casting down Imaginations, and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ,2 Car, 10. ver. 5.Or that the Converted fem, when, by his private Reafon and the Grace of God, he had found out Christ to be Infallible, must not afterwards give an inward Affent, and Implicit Faith to his Doctrine in all Points; but only give him the Honour of an Outward Submiffion, or Non-contradiction, fuch as eyery good English Proteftant is to give to his Church, and the 39 Articles? When the Grace of God, and the beft ufe of our Reafon, has brought us to know any, either Perfon, or thing Infallible, as Scripture, Christ, or Revelation it would be highly unreasonable, not to Submit (by an inward Affent) our Reafon to That, by which Reafon tells us we cannot be millead. mislead. I hope the Reader will think these Arguments fully Anfwered. And I do not remember that Mr. L. has any others Material, for fetting up Private Judgment above Authority. And CHAP. VI. Some Slight Skirmishes of Mr. L. H The Liturgy. E values himself fo much upon the p. 102, Qur Liturgy, fays he, is all Orthodox, even our Enemies being Judges. RIGHT: If he knows our Mind, better than Do we we do. But this may be queftion'd. 1. The grant it greatest Part of the Common-Prayer-Book, is the Orthodox? Mafs-Book in English. But why was the Canon, and fome other Parts left out? This was done, if me may be judges,in Favour of Herefy, and therefore hinders the Collection from being Orthodox. Would the Nicene Creed be Orthodox, if the word poor were left out to Humour the Soci nians, or Mr. Wh-n? It was all the Arians ftruggl'd for, upon many Occafions. And whatever Profeflions of Faith, were either made upon this Model, or extorted by them, were were judg'd Heretical by St. Athanafius. 2. Can any but Protestants give thanks to God, for King Charles the Second's Reftoring to this Nation his (1) True Religion and Worship. or for King William's delivering it from Popery, or, as the (2) Common-Prayer-Book calls it, from PopishTyranny? 3. Is the Practice and Rule Orthodox, if we May be judges, which the Common-PrayerBook authorizes for Kneeling at Communion; That hereby no Adoration is intended, or ought to be done, either to the Sacramental Bread and Wine, there Bodily Receiv'd; or unto any Corporal Prefence, of Chrift's Natural Flesh and Blood: For the Sacramental Bread and Wine remain ftill in their Natural Subftances, -and the Natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Chrift are in Heaven, and not here? Or, do we judge the Prayer it felf of Confecrati on, Orthodox; that we receiving these thy Creatutes of Bread and Wine, &c? 4. Is a Confeffion of Sin made in General to God, by the Minifter in a fet Form of words, fufficient before Communion, if we may be Judges? 5. Altho we judg'd the Liturgy Orthodox; it would fignifie little or nothing, unfefe the 39 Articles were Orthodox too; which, if we may be judges, will fcarce be granted. 6. Tho both the Liturgy and Articles of Proteftants were Orthodox; yet we could never judge their Minifters fo, whilft they live in a Nem-rais'd Communion, which is not yet two Hundred Years old. Which Confideration alone, would make it a grievous Sin, to Communicate with them in Sacris, if we may be Fudges. (1) Service of the King's Retauration. Oxford, anno 1700, (2) Printed at Neither NEITHER is this all, For, methinks, before Mr. L. had proclaim'd his Liturgy Orthodox, even his Enemies being judges, he fhould have fecur'd the Votes of his Friends. For which I recommend him to the Cranmerian Liturgy, and to a Zealous Brother in his Obfervations (upon an Effay for Catholick Communion) p. 8, 85, 183, and 200. where he will find it expofed, by a Minister of his Church, for a Deform'd, Difor der'd, Cranmerian Changeling. I. A §. II. The Mother-Church. BOUT this, Mr. L. is not a little con- the Church in Communion with it, to be the Mother-Church, whatever comes of it. First, What Church then was it, in which Luther and The Church the firft Proteftants were Chriften'd? For, let in Comher be never fo much Corrupted, the Whore of munion Babylon, or what you pleafe; yet She their Mother. This Juftice Mr. L. must do her, ther if he defires we should think him Sincere. was withRome is the Mo Church, in Secondly, FROM what Church, had the first respect of English Proteftants their Ordination? Not from Protestants the Church of Rome, I fuppofe, left fhe fhould be their Mother-Church. And fetting her afide: I would gladly know, how they procur'd a Commiffion, derived by Succeffion from the Apoffles? Whether it came by Sea, or Land; or drop'd from Heaven? Thirdly, I fhould be alfo defirous to learn, what we must Answer the Pope, if he fhould tell us that our Ancestors were converted from Idolatry Idolatry to Chriftianifm, by the Miracles and Labours of Miffioners, fent hither by his Predeceffor, both in Faith and Place, St. Gregory the I. and should therefore infift upon it, with S. Paul, 1 Cor. 4. ver. 15, Tho' you have Ten thousand Inftructors; yet you have not many Fathers: For in Chrift Jelus, I begot you through the Gospel? If it be certain, that Jerufalem was the Mother-Church of the Gentiles; will not this make Rome, in the fame Senfe, the Mother-Church, in regard of the English? Fourthly, If Proteftants be the Mother-Church, in refpect of the Presbyterians, and other Diffenting Brethren, who have Reform'd her Reformation, and refined upon it; is it not undeniable, that the Church, whofe Communion they left, is the Mother-Church in respect of Proteftants? but let us hear Mr. L's Objections. Fifthly, IT is certain, fays he, pag. 2, That Jerufalem was the Mother-Church, where Chrift first planted the Gospel, from whence the Apofties were to propogate it, beginning at Jerufalem, St. Luke, 24. ver, 47. Pag. 3, The Difciples were call'd Christians firft at Antioch, Act. 11. ver. 26. And there were many Chriftians in Greece, before there were any at Rome. Therefore the Greek Church could not be the Daughter of the Latin Church, which was born after her. Anf The Argument is very far-fetch'd: But will be of no great Ufe. For, befides that, no Chriftian Church (whether in Greece, or Antioch, or at Jerufalem) is Elder than St. Peter: The Question is whether the Church of Rome be not as much the Mother-Church, in refpect of Proteftants; as Proteftants are in respect of Presbyterins? And can any thing be more impertinent to |