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SECTION VI.

Ibid.

78

82

Ibid.

84

Ibid

86

88

An Objection, from the Council of Chalcedon, confider'd

Another, from Linus or Clement

A Third Objection, from the Author of Moiens fûr's, &c.

89

A Fourth Objection, from the Pope's being called, Colleague, Brother, &c.

90

A FifthObjection, from the Pope's not having the Right of convening General Councils

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A Sixth Objection, from the Popes not prefiding in the First General Councils

The Seventh and Eighth Objections

SECTION' VII.

A Paffage of S. Cyprian

Another

Of our Saviour's Promife to S. Peter

A Paffage of S. Jerom

93

97

99

100

102

104

Whether the Imperial Greatness of Rome gave

it its Supremacy

105

of S. Gregory

106

A Paffage out of S. Jerom's Epift. 57.

107

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A fhameful Flirt at the Holy Scripture

An Objection to the Canon of Scripture refuted 118

The CONCLUSION

120

117

The

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Rom. Cath.

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ELL met, Sir. Since you have undertaken to encounter my good Friend, the Author of the Cafe Reftated; who is fince dead, and fo not in a Condition to fpeak for himself, I hope you will not be offended, that I, as a dutiful Son of the fame Church with him, take upon me to appear in his ftead, to maintain those Truths he has afferted in its Defence.

Member of the Church of England. By no means, Sir only I muft beg to be excus'd, that my Circumstances will not allow me to engage in fo large an Undertaking, as it would be to confider the feveral Attacks you have made upon fome of

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our most eminent Writers against your Church and Religion. This is a Work I muft leave for fuch as have more leifure for Controverly than I have; and whofe Condition may enable them better to get Books of this nature printed than I can. Which makes it neceffary for me to apply my felf more particularly to what concerns the Cafe truly Stated; in Relation to which you chiefly infift upon the Question of the Supremacy.

R. C. I do fo.

M. C. E. For this Reafon I fhall take leave prefently to treat with you about it. But I am firft to return you Thanks in the Vindicator's Name, for the undeferv'd Compliment you bestow'd upon him, in the entrance of your Preface to the first Part of the True Church of Chrift fhew'd, &c. and to affure you that if it be spoken ironically, he fhall not be at all concern'd at it, but if intended as an obliging Encomium of him, he is too fenfible of his own Defects to value himself upon it; how much foever he may be engag'd to you for it. But I am not willing to detain you in the Porch; and therefore having thus difcharg'd my Truft in this Refpect, if you please, we will proceed to your Objections, to confider the weight and force of them.

R. C. With all my Heart, as soon as you please.

M. C. E. The Point then we are chiefly to infift upon is, as I faid, the Supremacy.

R. C. And what have you to fay againft it?

M. C. E. My Bufinefs I take it, is rather to hear what you have to fay for it; and of what ufe all you can fay will be for upholding fo great, indeed fo infupportable a Weight, as will lye upon it. Be pleas'd therefore to begin.

R. C

R. C. That I fhall do moft readily.
M. C. E. Agreed.

R. C.

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SECT. I

OU cannot but have obferv'd, that I begin with telling you, (a) tho' the Church and State may comprehend the very fame PerSons, they have yet fo different a Relation both to the End, the Principle, and the Rules of Government, that he who is the Head in either of them, may be a Subject in the other.

M. C. E. Very well, Sir: And I hope you do not expect I will conteft this with you: Nor do I fee any thing in our 37th Article that requires it of me; neither can I apprehend why you mention'd it, but only to have a Flirt at King Henry the VIIIth, who you may remember, tho' he quarrel'd with the Pope and difown'd his Supremacy, liv'd however and died in the Profeffion of the Romish Religion. And fo whatever Objections you have against him terminate in one amongst your felves.

R. C. He not only difown'd the Supremacy of St. Peter, but was guilty alfo of moft vile and abominable Sacriledge, in feizing the Lands and Revenues of a great number of Religious Houfes, p. 2.

C. E. I have already told you, it was one who profefs'd himself of your Church, that did this. It was alfo in your Church, and by the Popes themselves, (b) that the Tithes were taken away from the Churchmen, (c) to whom alone, (F. Simon acknowledges) they belong according to both Natural and Evangelical Law, and the Monks endowed

(a) Part 3. p. 1, Revenues, p. 44.

(b) F. Simon's Hift. of Eccle. (c) Ibid.

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therewith, which was no better (a) than facrilegious Robbery of the Parishes from which they were taken: and not only fo, but private Men would alfo bave Churches, of which they received the Profits, in Imitation of the Canons and Monks, and bad the Cure Supplied by Vicars. The fame F. Simon tell us moreover (b) that Philip the IId, King of Spain enjoy'd a good part of the Tithes of the burches within his Territories. And it is natural to fuppofe that the Pope's Bulls for empowering Cardinal Wolfey, to demolish the Monaftry of St. Fridefwide in Oxford, together with other Religious Houfes, and Rectories Impropriate, tho' ni order to the building his two Colledges, might eafily be made by King Henry an Encouragement to himself to do the like in other Inftances, though not with the fame Defign, but only to fatisfy his own Covetoufnefs, and gratify his Dependents. Efpecially if it be true as Bifhop Burnet relates, (c) That thefe Houfes thus fupprefs'd· by the Law belonged to the King, and the Cardinal could not have them till made over by him. Sọ that I cannot but think that for your own fakes you fhould be more fparing in your Clamours of this Nature, fince in reality they reflect fo fhamefully upon your felves.

R. C. But was it not an intolerable Ufurpation, that your Henry the VIIIth, took upon him to be Head of the Church? Ibid.

C. E. I have told you, this was a King of your own Religion, though none of the most obedient of them. And you know our later Princes have not claim'd that Title. And befides, your own fore mention'd F. Simon informs us, that (d) the Kings of Spain, and their Viceroys in

(a) P. 68, &c. Vol. I. 1. 1. p. 22.

(b) p. 233.
(c) Hift. of Reform.
(d) Hitt, Ecclef, Reven. p. 116.

Sicily,

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