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 ...…

V. If Power impose men without fitness, and without the Flocks consent, to be all the Peoples Pastors, so that they are Usurpers, or such as wise men cannot safely trust their souls with as Pastors, it is no sin (much less damnable) to choose better Pastors, if they may be had without more hurt than benefit. It hath ever been Satan's way against Christ, to thrust his Servants into the Sacred Office, to butcher the Flocks, and then cry out against all as Schismatics that would save their souls, and others, from them.

V. If Power impose men without fitness, and without the Flocks consent, to be all the Peoples Pastors, so that they are Usurpers, or such as wise men cannot safely trust their souls with as Pastors, it is no sin (much less damnable) to choose better Pastors, if they may be had without more hurt than benefit. It hath ever been Satan's way against Christ, to thrust his Servants into the Sacred Office, to butcher the Flocks, and then cry out against all as Schismaticks that would save their souls, and others, from them.

VI. The Laws of Rulers that set up Patriarchs, Metropolitans, and other Humane Orders in the Church, if they be but to do what man can impower them to do, must be as far obeyed as other Humane Laws (not being against Gods Laws): But the breach of them unchristens not, nor is punishable, but as the breach of other Humane Laws (which some Casuists say, bind only in case of scandal, if we break them; others only if they be for common good: but I say, if they be not against it, and be things which belong to their Office to determine)▪

VII. In the Roman Empire the Christian Pastors at first had no such way to preserve the people from Heresy, as by keeping close Concord among themselves, and agreeing that all should disown those that were regularly rejected by their own Pastors, which in case of Controversy, Councils were to try: And Christian Emperors added their civil sanction to this power of Councils, and banished such as the Councils condemned as Heresiarchs: And this combination they called [the Catholic Church] (in the Empire), to distinguish it from all the Heresies that brake from them. And (Emperors not using the Sword to compel any to Communion, nor enabling the Bishops to do it) this course was needful, and did great Service to the Church, as long as the Majority of the Clergy kept sound: But when worldly Baits drew worldly men into the Bishops seats, this turned clean the other way; and Arians, and every Sect that by power could get uppermost, called themselves the Catholic Church, and persecuted the rest as Schismatics. In this case the Orthodox durst not plead Majority: but 1. They fled to the Scriptures to try which was the sound part. 2. And they appealed to the Nicene and first Councils when the Church was sound: But the Second Council (at Const.) began a breach; the Third (at Ephesus) made it wider, and was rejected by a great party: The Fourth (at Ephesus) made it yet wider, and was utterly disowned by the soundest part: The Fifth (at Calcedon, called the Fourth) made it yet wider, and rent the Church almost into equal parts: And the following Councils went on till they set up Images and Popery, and tore all to pieces.