Catholic communion defended against both extremes, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…Catholick communion defended against both extreams, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…

Ans. 1. The whole World is one great Kingdom of God, as verily as the Church is the Church of Christ: And yet we Non-Conformists think that every Man in it (no, nor every Saint) hath not right to be King of England, nor a Judg in our Courts, nor Lord Mayor of London, nor so much as a Freeman in any City. And we think that the Church hath no more one subordinate universal Sovereign, than the World. And that therefore the case, in point of universal privilege, is not by this similitude well explained.

Ans. 1. The whole World is one great Kingdom of God, as verily as the Church is the Church of Christ: And yet we Non-Conformists think that every Man in it (no, nor every Saint) hath not right to be King of England, nor a Judg in our Courts, nor Lord Mayor of London, nor so much as a Freeman in any City. And we think that the Church hath no more one subordinate universal Soveraign, than the World. And that therefore the case, in point of universal priviledg, is not by this similitude well explained.

2. Your odd supposition of the World being one Family, either supposeth one Husband to all the Wives in the World, and one Father to all the Children in the World; or else that all distinct Husbands, Wives, Children and Servants, are in this one Family. In the first supposition I may suppose that you take him to be more than a Man that can be an Husband to all the Women, and a Father to all the Children on Earth: And therefore if his Wisdom be equal to such a greatness, he must be no Fool. And if so, whi•e Men are his Family, he will order and govern them as Men; and then they will be distributed into subordinate Families, Cities and Kingdoms, as now they are. But if you suppose many Husbands and Fathers, our Opinion is, that Husbands and Wives should not be common, nor Parents and Children. Nay, which way ever you take, that Children's Food, Raiment and Portions should not be common: Nor could any come from India, and claim ⟨p. 8⟩a Lordship or Lands in England, as a Member of the Family. Fathers distribute unequally, as their Will and Wisdom, and their Children's fitness, are diversifying Causes. Even in a College one cannot claim another's Chamber, Books, Clothes or Food. One would think by your scourge for Non-Conformists, that you were no Leveller, nor against fatherly justice, and inequality of right and distribution. Even they that come to your Church, cannot so much as claim equal right in Seats.