A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all…A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all…

7. By what Justice shall all the Catholic Church be obliged by the Decrees of such a General Council? Is it by Law, or Contract? If by Law, it is by Divine Law, or by Humane. If by Divine, let it be showed that ever God made such a Government for the Catholic Church, and then take all. If by Humane Laws, it is impossible, and therefore not to be affirmed. For no Humane Sovereign hath power to make Laws for all the world. If you say is it by contract, then 1. All those Nations that thought not meet to send any Bishops to the Council, will be free. 2. And so will all those be that sent Bishops who dissented from the rest. For contract or Consent bindeth none ⟨p. 416⟩but Contractors or Consenters. And so England is not bound by the Council of Nice, Ephesus, Calcedon, Constantinople, &c.

7. By what Justice shall all the Catholick Church be obliged by the Decrees of such a General Council? Is it by Law, or Contract? If by Law, it is by Divine Law, or by Humane. If by Divine, let it be shewed that ever God made such a Government for the Catholick Church, and then take all. If by Humane Laws, it is impossible, and therefore not to be affirmed. For no Humane Soveraign hath power to make Laws for all the world. If you say is it by contract, then 1. All those Nations that thought not meet to send any Bishops to the Council, will be free. 2. And so will all those be that sent Bishops who dissented from the rest. For contract or Consent bindeth none ⟨p. 416⟩but Contracters or Consenters. And so England is not bound by the Council of Nice, Ephesus, Calcedon, Constantinople, &c.

8. By what Justice shall any people be required to send Delegates, on such terms as these to Councils, or to stand to their definitions when they have done? When our faith and souls are preciouser things then so boldly to cast upon the trust of a few Delegates so to be chosen and employed? What Bishops other Countries will choose, we know not. And for our own, 1. In almost all Countries it is the Princes that choose, or none must be chosen but who they will, which is all one. 2. If the Bishops choose, its those that are highest with the secular power that will have the choice, who perhaps may choose such as are contrary to the judgement of most of that Church that is thought to choose them. Most Nations have a Clergy much at difference. The Remonstrants and Contramonstrants in Holland would not have chosen like members for the Synod. In the Bishops days men of one mind were chosen here in England to Convocations: The next year we had a Learned Assembly that put down the Prelacy, for which a Convocation had formed an Oath to be imposed on all Ministers but a little before. And why should the judgment of the Prelates be taken for the judgement of the Church of England, any more then the other, when for number, learning and piety (to say the least) they had no advantage (laying aside ignorant, ungodly men, in point of number.) Till the Spanish match began to be treated on, the Bishops of England were ten, if not twenty to one Augustinians, Calvinists, or Antiarminians: Now the Arminians would be thought the Church of England, and their doctrine, agreeable to the doctrine of that Church. Would they not accordingly have differed, if they had been sent to a General Council? How bitterly are the Articles of the Church of Ireland decried by the Arminian Bishops since sprung up both in Ireland and England? so that if Delegates be sent to any Council, they may speak the minds of those that sent them, (which perhaps is the King, or a small prevailing party,) but not of the rest: (which perhaps may the best and most.) If Jeremiah of Constantinople be of a Council, he will go one way. If Cyril be of a Council, he will go another way: And his counterfeit Successor undo what he did.