The Firſt Paper.

THE diſcourſe we had the other day, I hope ſatisfied you in the main, that Chriſt can have but one Church here upon Earth, and I believe that it is as viſible as that the Scripture is in Print; That none can be that Church, but that, which is called the Roman Catholick Church. I think you need not trouble your ſelf with entring into that Ocean of particular diſputes, when the main, and in truth, the only queſtion is? Where that Church is, which we profeſs to believe in the two Creeds? We declare there to believe one Catholick, and Apoſtolick Church, and it is not left to every phantaſtical man's head to believe as he pleaſes, but to the Church, to whom Chriſt left the power upon Earth to govern us in matters of Faith, who made theſe Creeds for our directions. It were a very Irrational thing to make Laws for a Country, and leave it to the Inhabitants to be the Interpreters and Judges of thoſe Laws; For then every man will be his own Judge, and by conſequence no ſuch thing as either Right or Wrong. Can we therefore ſuppoſe that God Almighty would leave us at thoſe uncertainties, as to give us a Rule to go by, and leave every man to be his own Judge? I do ask any ingenuous man, whether it be not the ſame thing to follow our own phancy or to interpret the Scripture by it? I would have any man ſhew me, where the power of deciding matters of Faith is given to every particular man. Chriſt left his power to his Church even to forgive Sins in Heaven, and left his Spirit with them, which they exerciſed after his Reſurrection: Firſt by his Apoſtles in theſe Creeds, and many years after by the Council at Nice, where that Creede was made that is called by that name, and by the power which they had received from Chriſt, they were the Judges even of the Scripture it ſelf many years after the Apoſtles, which Books were Canonical and which were not. And if they had this power then, I deſire to know how they came to loſe it, and by what Authority men ſeparate themſelves from that Church? The only pretence I ever heard of, was, becauſe the Church has failed in wreſting and interpreting the Scripture contrary to the true ſence and meaning of it, and that they have impoſed Articles of Faith upon us, which are not to be warranted by Gods word? I do deſire to know who is to be Judge of that, whether the whole Church, the Succeſſion whereof has continued to this day without interruption, or particular men who have raiſed Schiſms for their own advantage?

The Second Paper.

IT is a ſad thing to conſider what a world of Hereſies are crept into this Nation; Every man thinks himſelf as competent a Judge of the Scriptures as the very Apoſtles themſelves; and 'tis no wonder that it ſhould be ſo, ſince that part of the Nation, which looks moſt like a Church, dares not bring the true Arguments againſt the other Sects, for fear they ſhould be turned againſt themſelves, and confuted by their own Arguments. The Church of England (as 'tis call'd) would fain have it thought, that they are the Judges in matters Spiritual, and yet dare not ſay poſitively that there is no Appeal from them, for either they muſt ſay, that they are infallible (which they cannot pretend to) or confeſs that what they decide in matters of Conſcience, is no further to be followed, than it agrees with every mans private judgment. If Chriſt did leave a Church here upon Earth, and we were all once of that Church, how? and by what Authority, did we ſeparate from that Church? If the power of Interpreting of Scripture be in every mans brain, what need have we of a Church or Churchmen? To what purpoſe then did our Saviour, after he had given his Apoſtles Power to Bind and Looſe in Heaven and Earth, add to it, that he would be with them even to the End of the World? Theſe words were not ſpoken Parabolically, or by way of Figure. Chriſt was then aſcending into his Glory, and left his power with his Church even to the End of the World. We have had theſe hundred years paſt, the ſad effects of denying to the Church that Power in matters Spiritual, without an Appeal. What Country can ſubſiſt in peace or quiet, where there is not a Supream Judge from whence there can be no Appeal? Can there be any Juſtice done where the Offenders are their own Judges, and equal Interpreters of the Law, with thoſe that are appointed to adminiſter Juſtice? This is our Caſe here in England in matters Spiritual; for the Proteſtants are not of the Church of England, as 'tis the true Church from whence there can be no Appeal; but becauſe the Diſcipline of that Church is conformable at that preſent to their fancies, which as ſoon as it ſhall contradict or vary from, they are really to embrace or joyn with the next Congregation of people, whoſe Diſcipline and Worſhip agrees with their opinion at that time, ſo that according to this doctrine there is no other Church, nor Interpreter of Scripture but that which lies in every mans giddy Brain. I deſire to know therefore of every ſerious conſiderer of theſe things, whether the great work of our Salvation ought to depend upon ſuch a Sandy foundation as this? Did Chriſt ever ſay to the Civil Magiſtrate (much leſs to the People) that he would be with them to the End of the World? Or, did he give them the power ro forgive Sins? St. Paul tells the Corinthians, ye are Gods Husbandry, ye are Gods Building; we are Labourers with God. This ſhews who are the Labourers, and who are the Husbandry and Building; And in this whole Chapter and in the preceding one, St. Paul takes great pains to ſet forth that they, the Clergy have the Spirit of God, without which no man ſearcheth the deep things of God; and he concludeth the Chapter with this verſe, For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may inſtruct him? But we have the mind of Chriſt. Now if we do but conſider in human probability and reaſon, the powers Chriſt leaves to his Church in the Goſpel, and St. Paul explains ſo diſtinctly afterwards, we cannot think that our Saviour ſaid all theſe things to no purpoſe; And pray conſider on the other ſide, that thoſe, who reſiſt the truth, and will not ſubmit to this Church, draw their arguments from Implications, and far fetched Interpretations, at the ſame time that they deny plain and Poſitive words; which is ſo great a Diſingenuity that 'tis not almoſt to be thought, that they can believe themſelves. Is there any other foundation of the Proteſtant Church, but that if the Civil Magiſtrate pleaſe, he may call ſuch of the Clergy as he thinks fit for his turn at that time; and turn the Church either to Presbitery, Independency, or indeed what he pleaſes? This was the way of our pretended Reformation here in England; and by the ſame Rule and Authority it may be altred into as many more Shapes and Forms as there are Fancies in mens heads.