Humane Creature should be subject to the Bishop of Rome, And this is confirm'd by the laft Lateran Council. But fuppofing that they do mean no more, because N. C. tells us fo; why then should they be fo fond of this Appellation, Roman Catholick Church? Why should not the Universal Chriftian Church do as well? Why fhould they study to adorn the Church of Rome with fo many Glorious Titles, which do not belong to her? The Church of Rome, we grant, is an eminent Part of the Chriftian Church; but that this Part can comprehend the Whole, that we deny. For it doth no where appear, nor are the Papists able to make it out, that the Church of Rome was invested with any peculiar Privileges beyond other Chriftian Churches planted by the Apostles; or that he was to be the Mother and Mistress of all other Churches, For Jerufalem was certainly the MotherChurch; there was the first Chriftian Church planted, and from thence all Chriftian Churches in the World derive themselves. For if Rome was the Mother and Mistress of all other Churches, 'twill be difficult to account why St. Paul, in a long Epistle to that Church, takes no notice of it: So that in all probability he was ignorant of thofe mighty Prerogatives of the Church of Rome, otherwise it cannot be imagin'd but he would have written

B 3

with

with more deference to the Mother-Church,the Centre of Unity, and Seat ofInfallibility ; where the Vicar of Christ was, by his Appointment, to fix his Throne, and establish his Refidence.

But fays N. C, if you allow the Church of Rome to be part of the Catholick Church, then 'tis certain, even to Demonstration, that it must be the whole Catholick Church, p. 99. but where to find this Demonftration, or any probable Argument to prove it, I cannot tell.

He tells us indeed, that one Faith and one Communion are effential to the Conftitution of the Catholick Church; therefore thofe who do not hold the fame Faith, nor are in Communion with the Church of Rome, are not Parts or true Members of the Catholick Church.

1. But to this the Anfwer is very easie, that the fame Fundamental Articles of Faith, and the fame Sacraments and Offices of Religion are effentially neceffary to the Constitution of the Catholick Church; but it is not neceffary that all Parts of the Catholick Church agree in every Point of Religion, or maintain mutually external Communion one with another. For the Church of Chrift may fall into many Errors, and will have many Rents and Di vifions, and one particular Church may excommunicate another, and yet both ftill

remain Members of the Universal Church. That Church indeed which retains the greatest Purity of Doctrine, and whofe Constitution is most conformable to the Practice of our Saviour and his Apostles, is the most found Member of the Catholick Church: But whatsoever Church holds the Head, and profeffes the fundamental Points of the Chriftian Religion, and retains the fame Sacraments and Ordinances of Chrift; that Church is a true and real Member of the Catholick Church, tho' there may be many Errors or corrupt Practices (fuch as put Men in very great hazard of their Salvation) found in it, and tho' it may not hold an external Communion with all other Churches. And if fo, then it will follow, That other Societies of Chriftian Churches, who have not external Communion with the Church of Rome, but are excommunicated by it, are Parts of the Catholick Church; and therefore the Church of Rome comprehends only a part, and not the whole Church, as will more evidently appear, because,

2. The Churches of Afia, which were Excommunicated by the Bishops of Rome, for not keeping Eafter as they did; and the Churches of Afia and Africa, upon the Point of Rebaptizing Hereticks, were hereby turn'd out of the Communion of the Roman Church, and yet did ftill continue B

in

in the Communion of the Catholick Church; which could not poffibly be, if the Roman Church and the Catholick Church were the fame.

This Argument N. C. tells us, is grounded upon a Fallacy, because the Bishop of Rome and the Roman Church are not the fame; and whoever faid they were? the Bishop of a Church and the Church over which he is Bishop, are certainly two very different things. But is it not the fame thing to be Excommunicated by the Bishop of Rome, and to be Excommunicated out of the Roman Church? And if so, then the Gatholick Church and the Roman Church are not the fame, nor of the like Extent; because those who are Excommunicated out of the Roman Church, may ftill remain Members of the Catholick or Univerfal Chriftian Church.

3 The Papifts themselves hold, That the Baptifm of Children by Hereticks, is good and valid, and makes them Members of the Catholick Church; but Baptifm confer'd by a Heretick doth not make the Perfon Baptiz'd a Member of the Ro man Church, therefore the Catholick and the Roman Church are not the fame.

To this Argument N. C. anfwers, That Baptifm confer'd by Hereticks is good and valid, and that fuch Perfons who are baptiz'd by them, are made Members of the

Roman

Roman Church, unless they caft themfelves out of the Church when they come to Age by partaking of the fame Schifm or Herefie, and that even Hereticks receive a true Character of Baptifm; but that this Character doth not make them either Members of the Catholick Church, nor avails any thing to their Salvation.

In which Answer, Two Things will be very difficult to be made out. First, How a Priest, who doth not own the Church of Rome, but looks upon it as a Superftitious and Idolatrous Church, and that 'tis not lawful to Communicate with it, and by being Excommunicated is become like a Heathen or Infidel, can make another a Member of that Church to which he bears no Relation; 'tis an old Axiom, Nemo dat id quod non habet, that no Man can give that which he is not poffefs'd of '; and if a Heretick is not a Member of the Church of Rome, how can he make another fo? Befides, to the due Administration of the Sacraments, the Papifts hold the Intention of the Prieft abfolutely neceffary; this is declar'd by the Council of Trent, with an Anathema upon all who fay otherwife, Seff.7. Can. 11. So that if the Priest doth not intend to Baptize, the Perfon doth not receive Baptism, nor is made a Member of Chrift's Church: Now 'tis certain, that thofe the Papists

call