proved above out of the Scriptures and St. Igna tius's Epiftles to the Church of Smyrna: But left I fhould feem to want proof, I will now prove it farther by unconteftable Authorities, whatever becomes of that Definition of a Church. [And glad I am of an occafion to bring new Proofs of it, though there is no need of them, because they will fet the old true Notion of the Catholick Church in its proper light against your new and falfe Notion of it; and alfo fhew, that your Church in ancient Times was never efteemed more than a part of the whole Catholick Church or Univerfal Church of Chrift.] A Synod of Egyp tian Bishops being met in Council at Alexandria, directeth a Circular Letter, which they wrote in defence of their Patriarch Athanafius, thus: The Synod convened from Egypt, Thebais, Pentapolis, and Livia, fend greeting in the Lord to the Bifhops of the Catbolick Church in all Places: Τοῖς ἀπαλλαγή + καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπισκόποις. Athanafii Apol. in Vol. 1. p. 722. And St. Cyril faith, Catech. xviii. That the Church is called Ca tholick, because it is diffufed through the whole World, from one end of the Earth to another; and because it teaches all Dottrines, which Men ought to know, of things visible and invifible, of things in Heaven and in Earth, Catholickly, i. e. UniverSally, without defect or difference; and because it fubdues all forts of Men, Princes and private Perfons to Religion, and because it cures and univerSally heals all forts of Sins both of Body and Soul. So Theophyla on 1 Cor xii. Katoxinn cuxλn=. Καθολική Εκκλη oia, &c. The Catholick Church difperfed through the whole World, whofe Body confifts of all Churches every where, having Chrift, (not any one Bishop) for its Head. So St. Athanafius, Quest. xxxvii. of the Parable of the Scripture, Tom. 11. p. 402. 'Ex κλησία Id xλnola naborinn nahe, &c. The Church is called Catholick, because it is difperfed through the whole World. So St. Auguftin, Epift. 107. fays, Quid cultus ejus per omnes pene mundi terminos emanavit Catholica vel univerfalis vocatur Ecclefia. The Church is called Catholick or Univerfal, because its Religion is gone over all the Countries of the World. So Vincentius Lirinenfis, Cap. iii.. In ipfa Catholica Ecclefiâ magnopere curandum eft, &c. We must earnestly take care to hold That in the Catholick Church, which was believed every where, always, and by all. And, Cap. xxv. Ille eft verus & germanus Catholicus, &c. He is a true and genuine Catholick, who being fix'd and ftable in the Faith, holds and believes only that which he knows the Catholick Church. in old Times univerfally held. So our Countryman Bede, eft, præparent omnes Ecclefia per orbem, quæ unam Catholicam faciunt, panem & vinum in myfterium carnis & fanguinis Agni immaculati, qui abftulit peccata mundi. That is all the Churches of the World, which make one Catholick Church, Should prepare Bread and Wine for the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of the immaculate Lamb, who took away the Sins of the World. And all this most agreeable to more ancient Notions and Authorities, as that of St. + Irenæus, 'H' înxλnoia. The Church of God difperfed over the Univerfal World unto the Ends of the Earth. To which add the Words in the Paraphraftical Epiftle of St. Ignatius to the Philadelphians, Mia i čunλnvia, &c. The one Church, which the Apoftles founded by their Sweat and Labour from one end of the Earth to the other in the Blood of Chrift. [So *Opt. Milev. l. 2. p. 34. Ecclefiam Catholicam, que fit in toto terrarum orbe diffufa; The Catholick Church, which is diffufed throughout the whole · World. So + Collat. Carth. cum Donat. p. 57. n. 55. Ecclefia Catholica, que toto, ficut de illa divine teftantur eloquia, terrarum orbe diffunditur ; The Catholick Church, which as the Scriptures teftify of it, is diffused throughout the whole World.] I hope the concurrent Authority of fo many old and authentick Teftimonies are fufficient proof, that it is neither abfolutely nor at all falfe, that the Church of Chrift may be taken for all pure Apoftolical Chriftianity, or for the Church of the Faithful difperfed over the Face of the Earth, at firft called Catholick or Univerfal, because it confifted of all particular Churches of Chrift through the whole World, according to that of St. || Bafil, εἰς λαὸς πάντες εἰς χρισὸν ἠλπικότες, Ε. All thofe that believe in Chrift are one People; and there is but one Church of Chrift, though in different Places, [So the Church of Smyrna in the Infcription of their Epiftle in Eufebius's Ecclefiaft. Hiftory, lib. iv. cap. xv. Пáous MI wáv τα τόπον - ἁγίας καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας παροικίας To all the Diocelles of the holy Catholick Church in every Place. Where let me by the way observe, that if the holy Catholick Church and the Roman Catholick Church had fignified the fame, they might as well have faid, To all the Dioceffes of the Roman Catholick Church in every Place. In like * See l. 3. p. 61, 64. l. 4. p. 89. + See Collat. Carthag. iii. p. 67. n. 7. p. 70. n. 51. p. 72. n. 72. p. 73. n. 82. p. 74. n. 89. Epift. cccxciii. manner, manner, * Saint Auguftin, Ecclefia Catholica per totem orbem validè latéque diffufa; The Carbolick Church (not the Roman Catholick Church) is mightily diffufed far and wide, throughout the World. So in his Epiftle to Severinus, The Church is called Catholick, because it is diffused through the whole World.] So St. + Chryfoftom, Αἱ με' πόλεις και χώρας ἐκκλησίαι· Churches in Cities and Provinces, tho' many in number, make but one Church; for Chrift is every where in them, perfect and undivided. So Theophylact in 1 Cor. cap. 1. Μία εκκλησία εἰσὶ πάντες οἱ πι soi, &c. All the Faithful are but one Church, where foever they are. [So Apollinarius, Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. lib. v. cap. xvi. calls the Church of Chrift, * καθόλε και πάς * από τ ἔρανον ἐκκλη vias The Univerfal and whole Church under Heaven. It would be ftrange, Sir, if the Church of Chrift might not be taken for the Univerfal Church under Heaven, when they are thus reciprocally affirmed of one another, and fignify the fame thing. Thus we may fay in our Language, the Church of Chrift is the Universal Church, or the whole Catholick Church under Heaven and the Universal Church, or the whole Catholick Church under Heaven is the Church of Chrift. For the Church of Chrift is his myftical Body, of which he, and no other, is the Head and Archetypal High Prieft; and the Univerfal Church of the Faithful, commonly called the Catholick Church, is that myftical Body; and therefore De verà religione, Cap. 6. & 25. See his Epift. 152. Contra Donatiftas, p. 448. Epift. Emerito, 164. p. 480. Epift. Fefto, 167. p. 490. lib. de Genefi c. I. contra Fauftum Manich. lib 23. 1. 9. & contra Adverfar. legis, & prophet. lib. 2. cap. ult. + Hom.cxlix. Tom. v. the the Church of Chrift may be taken for the Univerfal, or if you please, for his Univerfal Church. Of which St. Auguftin de Catech. Rud. cap. iii. fpeaks in thefe Words, Ecclefia eft populus Dei per omnes gentes, quod eft corpus ejus; The People of God in all Nation is the Church, which is bis Body.] This one whole Universal or Catholick Church of the Faithful, unanimoufly confeffing the true Faith, and thereby being vifibly diftinguished in all Places from the Ecclefiæ malig-. nantium & Conventicula Hæreticorum, as * St. Cyril fpeaks, came to be called the visible Church; When thou comeft into any City, faith that Father, do not barely enquire where is the House of God, nor barely ask where is the Church; but where the Catholick Church is: For this is the proper Name of this holy Mother of us all, the Spouse of our Lord Fefus Chrift, the only begotten Son of God. This vifible Difference and Diftinction of the Catholick Church profeffing the true Faith, and rightly adminiftring the holy Sacraments in all Cities and Countries, from the Churches and Congregations of Hereticks and Schifmaticks, made the former, I fay, be called the visible Church, becaufe vifible to all diligent Enquirers every where after the Catholick Church. And therefore that Definition of the vifible Church in the 19th Article of the 29, which you bring to prove that the Church of Chrift cannot fignify all Chriftianity, proves the contrary, because it is a Definition of the Catholick Church, which is [in its feveral Parts] a vifible Church of Chrift, or one (general Society or) Congregation made up of faithful Men in all Places, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments du Carech. xviii, ibid, ly |