Serra. VIII. OfConflancy in the Profe /Jîon ofthe [rue Religion. Force of them. But now, after this, to deny them all Ability to judge ofpar- ticular Doftrines and Points of Faith, is a very abfurd .and incontinent Pre- tence. - Secondly, Another Art they - ufe, in order to their making a right Choice of their Religion, is earneftly to perfwade them to hear and read only the Argu- ments and Books on Their fide : Which is juft as if one fhould go about to perfwade a Judge, in order to the better underftanding and clearer Decifion of a Caufe, to hear only the Council on one fide. Thirdly, They tell them, that the only thing they . are to enquire into, is, which is the True Church, the one Catholick Church mentioned in the Creed, out of which there is no Salvation ; and when they have found that, they are to rely upon the Authority of that Church, which is Infallible, for all other things. And this Method they wifely take, to avoid particular Difputes about the Inno- vations and Errors which we charge them withal. Btit. I have (hewn at large, that this cannot be the Firft Enquiry : Becaufe it is not the True Church, that makes the true Chriftian Faith And Doftrine : Bit the ProfefCion of the true Chriftian Faith and Doftrine, which makes the True Church. Befides, their way of proving Their Church to be theonly true Church, being by the Marks and Properties of the True Church, of whichthe Chief is, the Con- formity of their Doftrines and Praftices with the Primitive and Apoftolical Church ; this unavoidably draws on an Examination of their particular Doftrines andPra&ices, whether they be conformable to thofe of the Primitive and Apollo= heal Church, before their great Enquiry, Which is the true Church ? can be brought to any Dr= ; which it is plain it can never be, without entering'into the Ocean of particular Difputes, which they delire above all things to avoid. So that they are never the nearer by this Method ; they can neither fhorten their Work by it, nor keep, off the Examination of their particular Errors and Corruptions ; whichare a very fore place, and they cannot endure we fhould touch it. I (hall now proceed tò difcover foie other Arts and Methods which they ufe in (educing People toTheir Churchand Religion, and fhall be as brief in them as I can. Fourthly., They pretend that' the Roman Church is the Catholick Church, (i. e.) the Vifible Societyof all Chriftians, united to the Bifhopof Rome, as the Supream Paftor and Vilible Head óf Chrift's Church upon Earth Prom whence it clearly follows, That it is neceffary to all Chriftians to joyn themfelves to the Communion of the Roman Church ; otherwife they cannot be Members of the Catholick Church of Chrift, out of which there is no Salvation. We grant the Confequence, That if the Roman Church be the Catholick Church, it is neceffary to be of that Communion; becau.ufe out 'of the Catholick Church there is ordinarily no Salvation to be had. But how do they prove, that the Roman Church is the Catholick Church? They would fain have us fo civil, as to take this for granted : Becaufe ifwe do not, they do `not well know how to go about to prove it. And indeed, foie things are òbftinate; and will not be proved without fo much Trouble and Difficulty, that it is better to ,let them alone ; and by the confident Affertion of them, by Importunity, and by any other fair means, to get them believed, without Proof of this ftubborn fort ofPro= pofitions, which will admit ofno Proof. This is one, That a Part is the Whole i or, which is all one, That the Roman Church is the Catholick Church. For that is but a part of the Chriftian Church, and not the belt Part neither; but -perhaps the very worft and molt corrupt of all the reft, is- no difficult matter to prove, and hath been often done. But now to prove the Church of Rome to be the Catholick Church, that is, the whole Society ofall True 'Chriftians in the World, thefe following Particulars ought to be clearly (hewn and made out. s. A plain Conftitution of our Saviour, whereby St. Peter, and his Suc- celfors at Rome are made the Supream Head and Paftors of the whole Chriftian Church., For St. Peter Firft. Can they fheiv any fuch Conftitutien in the Gofpel, or . can they produce the leaft Proofand Evidence out of the Hiftory of the Alts and the Epiftles of the Apoftles, that St, Peter was acknowledg'd for inch by the refit of the Apofiles ? Nay, is there not clear evidence there to the contrary, I 2 that 9
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