A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

III. That your selves, that is, the Pope with those who in matters of Religion adhere unto him, and live in subjection unto him, are this Church; in an assent unto whose infallible teachings and Determinations, the Unity of Faith doth consist. Could you prove this Assertion I confess it would stand you in good stead. But before we enquire after that, we shall endeavour a little to come unto a right understanding of what you say. ⟨p. 195⟩When you affirm t•at the Roman Church, is the Church of Christ, you intend either that it is the only Church of Christ, all the Church of Christ, and so consequently the Catholic Church; or you mean that it is a Church of Christ, which hath an especial Prerogative enabling it to require obedience of all the Disciples of Christ. If you say the former, we desire to know (1.) when it became so to be. It was not so when all the Church was together at Hierus•lem, and no foundation of any Church at all laid at Rome, Acts 1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. It was not so when the first Church of the Gentiles was gathered at Antioch; and the Disciples first began to be called Christians; for as yet we have no tidings of any Church at Rome. It was not so, when Paul wrote his Epistles, for he makes express mention of many other Church in other places, which had no relation unto any Churches at Rome, more than they had one to another in their common Profession of the same faith, and therein enjoyed equal gifts and Privileges with it. It was not so, in the days of the Primitive Fathers of the first three hundred years, who all of them, not one excepted, took the Roman to be a local particular Church, and the Bishop of Rome to be such a Bishop, as they esteemed of all other Churches and Bishops: Their persuasion in this matter is expressed in the beginning of the Epistle of Clemens, or Church of Rome unto the Church of Corinth, [Greek or Hebrew], the Church that is at Rome, to the Church that is at Corinth; both local Churches, both equal: And such is the language of all the Writers of those times. It was not so in the days of the Fathers and Councils of the next three Centuries, who still accounted it a particular Church; Diocesan or Patriarchal;

III. That your selves, that is, the Pope with those who in matters of Religion adhere unto him, and live in subjection unto him, are this Church; in an assent unto whose infallible teachings and Determinations, the Vnity of Faith doth consist. Could you prove this Assertion I confess it would stand you in good stead. But before we enquire aftes that, we shall endeavour a little to come unto a right understanding of what you say.