(1)

THE

True Church of CHRIST,

Shewed from the Concurrent Testimonies of Scripture and Tradition.

The FIRST PART.

CHAP. I.

1

The Cafe Stated between the Church in Communion with the See of Rome, and the Church of England, as to the Safety or Danger of Salvation. 013

T

HE Stating of a Queftion, im ports Two things: First, in what the Contending Parties agree Secondly, where they difagree and what is the Proper Plea of each Party. The firft of thefe Mr. L. hath quite omitted, in his Cafe Stated between the Church of Rome, and the Church of England.

B

And

And not fo fully treated as he might, the proper Plea of the Church in Communion with the Sec of Rome. I muft endeavour to fupply what he pafs'd over; and first, let the Reader fee the Common Terms of their Agreement: For if thefe be mif-understood, Difputes are Endless.

§. IT

ARTICLES, in which the Two Churches are Agreed.

Firft,

BOT

OTH Churches Agree, That as all Men, to whom the Gospel is duly Propofed, are oblig'd to believe it, under pain of incurring highly the Diviné Difpleafure, and to be baptized, S. John. 3. ver. 5, 18. So are all Chriftians, in the fame manner obliged to embrace the Communion of the True Church of Chrift. Obftinacy, in both Cafes, being a grievous Sin; and, without Repentance, damnable.

Secondly, Ir is Agreed on both Sides, That the Church, in Communion with the Sec of Rome, was not only the True Church in the Apostles time, but alfo for fometer it. S.Paul, Wri ting to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints; Rom. 1. ver. 7. commends that Church fo very much, that he fays, Your Faith is Spoken of through the whole World, xalasinnetou in

Korp Altho' he had not then been at Rome himself as appears, by ver? 13, 15.x oneλύθων ἄχει το δεύρο. Ου]ὼ τὸ κατ ̓ ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν Tais e Paun cuay fexioa. It was then an Oτοῖς ἐν ἐυαγελίσας. L verfight in Mr. L, to fay () page 4. That the

Edit. 3.

Church

Church of Rome is not once named in all the New
Teftament, unless She is meant by the Church at
Babylon, 1 Pet 5. ver. 13. And in his Treatife
of Private Judgment, pag. 195. There is not One 09
Word in the Scripture of either the Pope, or Church
of Rome. Both which Parts are equally True.
But, whoever was the first Bishop, Dr. Barrowo
joins with S. Epiphanius in this, that (*) the City
of Rome could not be without a Bishop, in the Ad
poftles time. T

Thirdly, Iris alfo Agreed, that Rome hath 201
had a continual Succeffion of Bishops, from the
Time of the Apostles, till Clement XI. the
fent Pope.

e pre

Cap. 3.

Fourthly, Fris Agreed, that feveral of the * Lib. 3. Ancient Fathers, as S. Ireneus in the Second contra Century; S. Optatus, Bishop of Milevum, in Hærefes. the Fourth; and (2) S. Auguftin in the Fourth + Lib. 2. and Fifth, had recourfe to this Succeffion of contra ParRoman Bishops, against the Hereticks of their menianum. Times. By fhewing the Tradition, fays (3) S. Irenæus, of the greatest Church, and the most Ancient and known to all, founded and conftituted at Rome by the most glorious Apoftles, S. Peter and S. Paul, A Tradition, by a Succeffion of Bishops, coming down

Of the Pope's Supremacy, An 1680. pag. 114 M Lubang the Papicias won and Em D,S Epiph. Hær. 27. (*) In Pfalmo contra partem Donati: & Epifi (veteris Edit.) 165.ad Generofum, fcriptâ circiter an it. 165.ad Generofum, fcriptâ.

num 400.

1.3. cap. 3. Maximæ & anter

& omnibus cognitæ, à gloriofiffimis duobus Apoftolis Pe tro & Paulo Romæ fundatæ & conftitutæ Ecclefiæ eam quam habet ab Apoftolis Traditionem, per Succeffiones Epifcoporum pervenientem ufque ad nos, indicantes, confundimus omnes eos, qui quoque modo, &c. præterquam oportet, colligunt. Ad hanc enim Ecclefiam, propter potentiorem principalitatem, neceffe eft omnem convenire Ecclefiam; hoc eft, eos qui funt undique Fideles.