Churches do. She do's fo: and 'tis inuch better to be alone, than in bad Company. Nay the true Church must stand by herself, whether she will or no: becaufe she would not be the true Church, if Hereticks were in her Communion. Thus Heaven will stand by itself for all Eternity, excluding every Thing that is defiled. But I hope this is no Exception against it.

2ly, you fay, that by her Principles she cannot communicate with any, who will not own her Supremacy. Very true, Sr. But you add immediately, that this was never done by the greatest Part of the Catholick Church; which is falfe. For Hereticks and Schifmaticks (whom you mean by your greatest Part of the Catholick Church) are no Part of her, as I have fully proved, and shalt prove farther hereafter i. p. §. 54. However I shall now ask a few Questions to lead you to a clear Sight of your Miftake. Pray, Sr, is not Schifm a Breach of Communion?

G. Who doubts it?

L. And can Communion be broke, where there never was any?

G. No, My Lord. For as a Breach of Peace fupposes that there was a Peace, fo a Breach of Com munion mult neceffarily fuppofe that there was a Com

munion.

L. Very good, Sr. And did not then the Greek, Church, and all other Churches now Reform'd communicate with the See of Rome, before they forfook her Communion?

G. I cannot deny it. But what do you inferr from thence?

L. Sr, I inferr first, that therefore all thefe Churches once own'd the Supremacy of the See of Rome : Because according to your own Saying, the Church of Rome cannot communicate with any, who will not own her Supremacy. And I inferr 2dly, that you contra

M

dict yourself in the very fame Breath by Adding immediately, that the greatest Part of the Catholick Church (as you call it) never own'd her Supremacy.

You tell me next, that no Nation, which broke off from Rome, did ever return to her again. Whence you conclude, that she has been upon the Lofing Hand about thefe 200 Tears paft. To which I answer, that if she has been a Lofer in Europe, she has been a Gainer in other Parts of the World. As in China, the Philippine Islands, in Goa; and the large Kingdoms of Mexico, Peru, and Brazil in America. However you are pleased to give a very obliging Reason, why no Nation, which broke off from Rome, ever return'd to her again; viz. Because it is a hard Matter for one, that has efcaped out of a Snare, to be inveigled thither again. But I can furnish you with two much better Reafons for it. First, because Obstinacy is the darling Quality of all true Hereticks; and the Perverse or Obftinate are hard to be corrected. Ecclef. 1. v. 15. 2dly, Because the Reform'd Churches have their peculiar Charms to keep Men faft, which the Church of Rome do's not pretend to. For Liberty and Ease are much prettier Things than Fafting, or Confeffing one's Sins, and Doing Penance for them. So that it is no Wonder, that they, who have once tafted the Sweetness of true Proteftant Liberty, should not be fond of Returning to Popish Restraints.

But the next Thing you tell me is a Piece of News, I never heard of before: viz. that the Church of Rome has changed her Principles, and lower'd her Supremacy and Infallibility among those, who still remain in her Communion. Now indeed the poor Church of Rome is undone to all Intents and Purposes, if you can make Good this Charge against her. But you think fit,to remain in my Debt for the Proof of it and I believe it will prove one of thofe defperate Debts,

:

which are all to be paid at the Greek Calends.

Laftly, you tell me, that Rome itself has in fome Measure been reform'd by the Reformation. Truly, Sr, I am of too generous a Nature to difown any Obligation. And therefore fince it is certain, that the Oppofition of Hereticks has always been a Spur to Learning, and the frequent. Temptations of the Devil make Chriftians more watchful; I cannot without being guilty of Ingratitude difown, that the Reformation has reform'd the Church of Rome just as the Devil reforms Chriftians by Obliging them to be upon their Guard. Now, Sr, go on.

G. I know nothing should hinder me from <«< Communicating with the Greek Church, if I were « there, while nothing finful were required of me as a Condition of Communion, nor new Creds to be « imposed on me: And fo of the Churches of St Tho- is mas, the Jacobits, and others in the East of Afia, of whom we have very imperfect and uncertain « Accounts: And fo of the Abiffines, the Cophtes, and « other Churches in Africa, and the great Church & of Russia in Europe. But Rome, while she pretends to univerfa! Supremacy can communicate with none « but herfelf. So that our Communion is more ex- « tended, or extendable than that of Rome. And this « univerfal Supremacy is that, which moft of any one « Thing in the World hinders the Union, or Com- « munion of Chriftian Churches. pag. 20. 21. «

L. Sr, we covet not the Union or Communion of Heretical Chriftian Churches upon any other Condition than that of an entire Submiffion to the Authority, which Chrift has eftablish'd. And fo 'tis very true what you fay, viz. that the Church of Rome cannot communicate with any but herself: As Light cannot communicate with Darkneß, nor Chrift with Be lial. And therefore if by taking in the whole Rif

raff of Hereticks you render your Church more extendable than ours, much Good may it do you.

or

Now as to what you tell me, that nothing should hinder you from Communicating with the Greek Church, the other Churches mention'd by you, while nothing finful were required of you as a Condition of Communion, nor new Creeds impofed upon you. I hope, Sr, the Church of Rome may have a Share in your good Graces upon the fame Terms. But what Trifling Stuff is this! For you may as well tell me, that nothing should hinder you from Communicating with the Turkish Mufiy, or the Jewish Rabbies, or the Indian Brach. mans, if nothing finful were required of you as a Condition of Communion. But I must acquaint you, Sr, that if you will communicate with the Greek or Ruffian Church, of which you are fo fond, you must first abjure your sth Article of Religion concerning the Proceffion of the Holy Ghoft, and 2dly, you must fubfcribe to every Article of Pope Pius's Profeffion of Faith, the Supremacy alone excepted. For in every Thing elfe the Greeks and Mufcovits agree with us.

§. 18.

Mr Du Pin explain'd.

ADVERTISEMENT.

After the Gentleman's laft Wards in his Cafe ftated, his Lordship is made to answer thus. But tho one Church be Supreme, yet the beft Part of Roman Catholicks place not the Infallibility there, but in a General, or Oecumenical Council, where all Churches meet. Now by these laft Words, Where ALL CHURCHES meet ३ is meant (according to the

G.

Gentleman's Intention) not only the Reprefentatives of the whole Catholick Church, but of all Separate Communions, that is, of all Heretical and Schifmatical Churches; conformably to the large Syftem of the Church's Unity eftablish'd by him. And, according to this wild Notion, he answers as follows.

Mcil.

Y Lord, there never was fuch a Coun- « cil. The Roman Empire had the Vanity « to call itself the Oicumene, which we tranflate, all « the World. Luk. 2. V. 1. Hence the Councils call'd « within the Empire ftiled themselves Oecumenical, « but no more truly fo, than the Roman Empire was « all the World. But the Latin Church was not fo « much as the Oicumene of that Empire. For Greece, « and other Parts of the Greek Church in Afia were « in it; efpecially after the Seat of the Empire was tranflated to Conftantinople, when they contended « with Rome for the Supremacy: and the Latin Church « was not then call'd by the Name of the Church of « Rome. As the learned du Pin fays in his Traité de « la Puiffance Ecclefiaftique, &c. pag. 551. It is true « (fays he) that at present the Name of the Church of Rome is given to the Catholick Church, and that these « two Terms paß for Synonimous. But in Antiquity no ce more was intended by the Name of the Church of Rome, «e than the Church of the City of Rome. The Greek Schif maticks feem to be the first, who gave the Name of the s Church of Rome to all the Churches of the Weft. Whence « the Latins made Use of this to diftinguish the Chur- ce ches, which communicated with the Church of Rome, «e from the Greeks, who were separated from her Commu- « nion. From this came the Custom to give the Name of the Church of Rome to the Catholick Church. But the « ather Churches did not for this lose their Name, or their

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