» should be fo wholly filent in it; nay shewing the » very contrary in Fact, as I have said already con»cerning St Peter. pag. 10.

L. St, Saying and Proving are two very different Things. You have faid it indeed, but you have no Reafon to boast of it, unless a good Affurance be a Virtue. I grant then that the Supremacy of St Peter is an effential Point, and it is clearly determined by the Word of God, if plain Words and Facts may be depended upon. The Scriptures therefore are not fi lent in it. But it is your Miftake, and not our Doc. trine, that St Peter's being at Rome, and Bishop of Rome are any Part of the effential Point of his Supremacy. For, tho the Facts be as unquestionable, as any hiftorical Facts can be, yet neither St Peter's Sw premacy, nor that of his Succeffors has any Dependence upon them. Becaufe St Peter would have been Head of the Church, tho he had never been at Rome: and his Succeffors would be the fame, and have the fame Authority, tho he had chofen any other City for his Epifcopal see.

» G. My Lord, when the direct Question was put to our blaffed Saviour upon the Contest among the Apoftles, which of them should be the greatest. Luke 22. . 24. I fay, if this was fo material a Point, as to the very Being of the Church, it is inconcei vable he should not have determined it, but by 2 his Answer rather checkt the Error of their Thoughts, and left them all upon the level, pag. 10. L. Sr, I have but three Things to fay to this Ob jection. 1. You have mifreprefented the Text. 2. Tho I should allow it to be fairly reprefented, it can render you no Manner of Service, and 3. the Context is against you.

1. The Text is thus. And there was also a Strife among them, which of them should be accounted the grea

teft. Luke 22. V. 24. Here indeed we are plainly told, that there was a Contest among themselves, but not a Word of any direct Question put to our Savet viour; and is it then fo very unconceivable that there should be no direct Answer, when no direct Question was put ?

2. But fuppofe the direct Question had been put to our Saviour is it fo very unconceivable, that he should not take that Occafion to determine the Matter? For was not Chrift fittest to Judge, what Time was most proper to place a Superiour over his Apoftles, as he did in Effect not long before his Acenfion? Joh. 21. v. 15. 16. &c. Or was he bound to gratify their Ambitious Curiofity with a politive Determination upon the very Spot? On the contrary they deferved even a feverer Check, than he gave them. However it was perfectly adapted to the Nature of their Fault. For inftead of Determining their Conteft, he gave them a Lecture of Humility to cure them of their Pride. Yet at the fame Time he infinuated very plainly, that there was to be a Superiour amongst them; thô he did not think fit to nominate the Perfon at that Time. Which makes good what I faid

3. That the Context is against you. Our Saviour's Words are thefe. And he faid unto them, the Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them; and they that exercife Authority upon them, are call'd Benefactors. But ye shall not be fo. But he, that is GREATEST among you, let him be as the Tounger, and he that is CHIEF, as he that do's ferve. Luke 22. V. 25. 26. Is not this a clear infinuation that there was to be a Chief among them, join'd with an Inftruction, with what Humility he was to behave himself? So that the Text you have quoted, makes nothing against St Peter's Supremacy, and it's Context makes for it. Unless you

can name me some other appointed by Chrift to be the Head of his Church and Center of Unity there is but one Church of Chrift upon Earth,

§. 8.

For

The Church's Unity, and Supremacy of the Pope.

"G. YOur Lordship may add, and in Heaven too:

For all are one Church to Chrift, of which » he alone is the Head. And one Part being milistant, the other Triumphant, makes them not two » Churches, but two States of the fame Church, which » is call'd one Family in Heaven and Earth. Eph. 3. "V. 15. In like Manner Heaven, Earth, and Hell » are one Kingdom to the great Creator; for his King. » dom ruleth over All. And of the Earth it is faid, The Kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the Governour among the Nations. Pf. 22. . 28. All the Nations »are one Kingdom to him. pag. 11.

L. Sr, no Man doubts, but the Church Militant and Triumphant are but one Church to Chrift, who is the fole Supreme and independent, but invifible Head of the Church Militant upon Earth. But the Question between us is, whether he has not deputed a Vifible Head to govern this Church under him?

» G. My Lord, he has appointed no Univerfal » Monarch as his deputy of his Kingdom of the Earth. » But each Nation is govern'd by their respective » Rulers, who are independent of each other. For » fo his Wisdom has difpofed according to the Ca"pacity of his Creatures. For what Man would be » fufficient to govern the whole World? And where » muft the Seat be of this Universal Monarch? Must » he not have as many or more Deputies under him, as there are now Kings or Nations? And what Pru

A

dence could prevent Defections and Rebellions in « far diftant Provinces? This has overthrown great « Monarchies, which have fallen with their own « Weight. What then could fupport an Univerfalis Monarchy? When Nations go to War, other « Neighbouring Kings and States may interpofe, or « affift the oppreffed by Mediators and Guarantees of Peace. But this could not be in Cafe of Defection « from the Univerfal Monarch. For who affift Rebels, « are Rebels themselves: And fuch Wars could not « but end in the utter Destruction of the one Side « or the other. Therefore God has confulted beft « for the Peace and Safety of Mankind in Distribu- er ting the World into feveral independent Govern- « ments, rather than put all under the Dominion « of one. pag. 11. 12. «

L. Sr, you have taken a great Deal of Pains to prove a Thing, which no Man ever denied. viz. that God has not establish'd an Univerfal Monarchy or Monarch upon Earth. And therefore tho the feveral Kingdoms upon Earth be one Kingdom to God, yet they are not One among themselves, even when in Peace but much less when they are at War.

G. My Lord, the Unity of Kingdoms is indeed « disturb'd, when they are at War; but it is not to- « tally diffolved. For there are Laws of War, where- « in all agree. There is ftill what we call the Law « of Nations, which as it maintains Commerce in « Peace, fo it regulates the Fury of War. And there « is one Unity, which nothing can diffolve; that is, « God having made of one Blood all Nations upon the « Earth. So that here is an Unity of Relation, of Hu- « manity, and of common Principles, which all retain. « pag. 12. «

L. However an Unity, which do's not hinder People from cutting one another's Throats, is but a very flen

der one.

Дер

» G. It is not as it should be; but it is fo as is » confiftent with our fallen State, and the Corrup» tions of Mankind. It is not fuch an Unity, as is ❞ in God's Kingdom in Heaven, which yet was once » difturb'd by Rebellion. pag. 12.

L. But, Sr, the Rebels were banish'd out of Heaven; and fo all Hereticks, who are Rebels against the Church, are cut off from her Communion. For 'tis as impoffible for Hereticks to be Members of Chrift's Church Militant upon Earth, as for the Devil, and his Apoftate Angels to be Members of the Church Triumphant in Heaven. But, furely, Sr, you will allow a stricter Unity in the Church of Chrift upon Earth, than there is among Nations, that are at War with one another?

"G. I wish it were fo. But alas it is not. And the Frailty of Man shews itfelf in the Church, as » well as in the State. The many Herefies and Divi» fions in the Church have rent her to Pieces, and » broke her Unity as much as Wars have that of the » temporal World. pag. 12.

L. Is it then poffible, that there should be no greater Unity in the Church of Chrift, than there is among Kingdoms, that are Tearing and Devouring one another! If this be all the Unity we are capable of in our fallen State, then the Church of Christ is a meer Babel, and his Kingdom a Realm of Confufion.

You fay, the many H refies, that are in the Church, have rent her to Pieces. If you mean, Sr, that they have torn many Limbs off from her, I grant it. But they remain not in the Catholick Church: They are caft out of her, as Lucifer and his Apoftate Angels were caft out of Heaven: and she remains truly One (or elfe the Nicene Creed deceives us) that is, Óne in Faith; One in the Participation of Sacraments ; and One