ARGUMENTS FOR ROMISH UNITY ANSWERED. 409 Ans. 1. That all churches are bound to observe the same divine institutions argues only an unity of relation to the same heavenly King, or a specifical unity and similitude of policy ; the which we avow. -1 Cor. xi. 16. Ans. 2. We also acknowledge it convenient and decent that all churches, in principal observances introduced by human prudence, should agree so near as may be; an uniformity in such things repre- senting and preserving unity of faith, of charity, of peace. Whence the governors of the primitive church endeavoured such an uniformity; as the fathers of Nice profess in the canon forbidding of genuflection on Lord's-days and on the days of Pentecost.' Ans. 3. Yet does not such an agreement,. or attempt at it, infer a political unity; no more thanwhen all men, by virtue of a primitive general tradition, were tied to offer sacrifices and oblations to God, that consideration might argue all men to have been under the same government; or no more than the usual agreement of neighbour na- tions in divers fashions concludes such an unity. Ans. 4. Indivers customs and observances several churches varied, with allowance; which rather infers adifference of polity, than agree- ment in other observances argues au unity thereof.' Ans. 5. St Cyprian affirms that in such matters every bishop had a power to use his own discretion, without being obliged to comply with others. Cypr., Ep. lxxiii. Arg. VI. The Jewish church was one corporation, and in corre- spondence thereto the Christian church should be such. Ep., p. 39; Lat., p. 159. Ans. 1. As the Christian church does in some things correspond to that of the Jews, so it differs in others, being designed to excel it; wherefore, this argumentation cannot be valid, and may as well be employed for our opinion as against it. Ans. 2. In like manner it may be argued that all Christians should annually meet in one place; that all Christians should have one archpriest on earth; that we should all be subject to one tem- poral jurisdiction; that we should all speak one language, &c. Ans. 3. There is a great difference in the case; for the Israelites 1 oú závza lv a-áon xapaod ópeoí1 00.Zorr,ç#,a.--GanC. Nie., can. xx.; Vide de Paschate. ® Vide Aug, Ep. lxxxvi., ad Casul.; Ep. cxviii., ad Jan.; Cypr., Ep. lxxv., p. 198; Iren., apud Euseb. v. 24; Socr. v. 22, vii. 19. Cetera jam discipline et conversationis admittunt novitatem correctionis, hac lege manente, &c. Tert. de Virg. vel Thorn. Lat., p. 219; P. Greg. L. In una fide nihil officit sundae ecclesie consuetudo diversa. P. Greg. I., Ep. i. 41; P. Leo IX., Ep. i. cap. xxix. Nil obsunt saluti credentium diverse pro loco et tempore consuetudines, quando una fides per dilectionem operans bona quæ potest uni Deo commendat omnes.P. Nie. I, Pp. vi. De consuetudinibus quidem, quem nobis opponere visi estis, scribentes per diversas ecclesias diversas else consuetudines, si illis canonica non resistit auctoritas, pro qua eis obviare debeamus, nil judicamus vel eis resistimus, &c.
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