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Rome the Mother-Church.

Y Lord, it is certain that Jerusalem was « the Mother-Church, where Chrift first « planted the Gospel, and commanded that it should « be thence propagated to all other Nations, as « himself faid, beginning at Jerufalem. Luke 24 47. « And till after the Vifion of the Sheet to St Peter. « A&t. 11. 19. They travelled preaching the Word to e none but unto the Jews only. So that the Jewish Chrif tian Church was the only Church for fome Time, « and she it was who converted the Gentile Nations, « and therefore was the Mother-Church to them all. « And Rome was not the first Gentile Church. For the «e Difciples were call'd Christians first in Antioch. A&. « II. 26. And the Greek Church was before the Latin: ce the New Teftament was writ in Greek for their Ufe. « Therefore the Greek Church could not be the « Daughter of the Latin Church, which was born after « her. « If your Lordship alledge that St Peter was Head of the Church, and Bishop of Rome. I answer, This « will not make her the Mother-Church. You may « call her Supreme, Abfolute, Univerfal, or what you « pleafe, any Thing but the Mother - Church, to « which it is impoffible she should have any Title. « pag. 2. 3. «

L. Sr, it is not only poffible, but clear Fact. What you have faid proves indeed, that both Jerufalem and Antioch, and perhaps many other Towns received the Chriftian Faith before the City of Rome. And the only Confequence I can draw from it is that Rome is not the oldeft Chriftian City, nor the most ancient Episcopal See in the World. But you

afe pleafed to inferr likewife from it, that therefore she cannot be call'd the Mother-Church, and your Reason for it, viz. because the Mother cannot be born after the Daughter, is fo very witty and Pretty that I fear I shall be thought impertinent in not yielding to the force of fuch folid Reasoning.

However be pleased to take Notice, that MotherChurch is a Metaphor, and a very proper one. Bur truly, Sr, we shall be forced to lay afide all Metaphors, tho never fo proper and beautiful, if they must all stand the Teft of your Legick. That is, if there must be a Resemblance in all Refpects between what they fignify figuratively, and the Thing fignified literally by them.

As for Inftance, a crafty Man is by a very proper Metaphor call'd a Fox. But if fome wifeacre should argue thus, let him be as crafty as he will, he neigher has the Smell, nor Colour, nor Head, nor Tail, nor Shape of a Fox, therefore he is no Fox: I believe he would not get the Reputation of a profound Wit by it. Now, Sr, your Argument Againft my Calling the Churb of Rome the Mother-Church is much of the fame Force. You fay, she is not of Age to be the Mother of all Churches. I answer it is not Age, that gives her that Denomination. But she has the Jurifdiction, the Power and Authority of a Mother over other Churches: ând that fuffices to give her a juft Claim to that Title. As the late Queen Ann was ftiled the Mother of her People, tho she was not the oldest Woman in the Nation."

King James the first stuck not to own her Title in a Speech to the Parliament An. 1603. I own (fays he) the Church of Rome to be our Mother-Church. And indeed her Claim to that Title, particularly in Rea lation to the Church of England, is unquestionable, because the whole Kingdom of England ows it's Con

verfion

verfion from Paganism to Chriftianity to the See of

Rome,

G. My Lord, in the Conversion of Gentiles to Chrifianity one Man and one Nation must receive « Faith before another. They were not all converted on a Day. And as when one Man converts « another, so it is of Churches and Nations, it gives the one no Superiority over the other, except that « of Gratitude and Efteem, but Nothing of Authority. pag. 3. 4. a

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L. 'Tis very true, St, that one Nation converting another gives the former no Authority over the Lat ger. And therefore, thô the Church of Rome deferves even upon that Account the Title of being the Mother-Church to the Church of England, becaufe she begot her Fore-fathers in JESUS-CHRIST through the Gospel. I. Cor. 4. V. 15. Yet 'tis not on that Title her Claim to Superiority is grounded. For this was the Cafe of the Jewish Chriftian Church, which (as you obferved before) converted the Gentiless and the refore was their Mother indeed, but not Superiour. Nay Jerufalem, where the Chriftian Faith was firft planted, is the very last of the Patriarchal Sees in the East: And in St Jerom's Time had not even Jurisdiction over Palestine, but was subject to Cefarea it's Metropolis, as appears from his 61. Epift. to Pammachius. So that, tho Jerufalem was the first in the Order of Time, it became afterwards inferiour in the Order of Government.

The Title therefore, on which the Church of Rome grounds her Claim to Superiority over other Churches, is the Supremacy of her Bishop, who in Quality of Succeffor to St Peter is Head of the Catho lick, that is, Univerfal Church. And this gives her a fpiritual furifdiction or Authority over all other parti cular Churches.

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» G. Hatever the Privilege of the MotherVV Church may be, if it can be tranflated » from the Mother to the Daughter, from one Church » to another, from Jerufalem to Antioch, and from » thence to Rome, as you must be oblig'd to fay, then » it may be tranflated from Rome alfo to fome other » Church,unless fome pofitive Command of Christ can » be produced, first, to fix it at Rome, and then a Pro» mise,that it shall never be removed from thence.p.4.

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L. Sr, I perceive you go upon a Mistake. For you imagine we fuppofe, that Towns as well as Men were appointed by Christ for the Government of his Flock. But I must disabuse you. For he neither made Jerufalem, nor Antioch, nor Rome the Seat of St Peter, or his Succeffors; but left them to choose the Place of their Refidence, where they should think fit. When St Peter had his Seat at Antioch, that was the Metropolis or Mother-Church of the Chriftian World. When therefore he tranflated his Epifcopal See from thence to Rome, did he leave his Commiffion behind him, or deveft himself of the Authority Christ had given him to govern his Flock? No furely. Rome therefore became at that Time the MotherChurch, as Antioch had been before.

G. It might then have also been removed from thence to any other Place.

L. I doubt not but it might. But will that any Ways endanger the Supremacy either of St Peter, or his Succeffors? I hope, not. For, if it be not alfo removed from their Perfons, as I prefume it never will as long as Chrift's Inftitution stands Good, every

Thing is very fafe, and I am in no Pain about the Place, where St Peter might have fix'd his Seat. For furely his Authority follow'd him whereever he

went: and if he had pleased, he might have fix'd it in any other Town as well as Rome. For Chrift neither made him Bishop of Rome, nor Patriarch of the Weft, but Head of his Church, and by Confequence his Succeffors after him.

Whence it appears beyond all Difpute, that there is no Need of Producing any pofitive Command or Promife of Chrift to fix the Papal Seat immoveably at Rome: But, if you will fay any Thing to the Purpole, you must shew where Chrift has pofitively forbid Rome to be the Seat either of St Peter, or his Succeffors.

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G. My Lord, the Church of Rome is not once « named in all the New Teftament, unless she is « meant by the Church of Babylon. I. Pet. 5. 13. nor « is there any Promife whatsoever made to her, or » any the least Intimation of her being the Head of « the Churches, the Standard and Center of Unity to « them all. Strange! if that be the Summa rei Chrif- « tiane, as Bellarmin calls it (in the Preface to his « Book de Romano Pontifice) the Sum and Foundation « of the Chriftian Religion. pag. 4. «

L. Sr, whatever you may think, it is not at all frange in my Opinion, that the Seat of St Peter and his Succeffors should be the Center of Unity, and yet not named in the New Teftament: And the Reason, why it do's not appear strange to me is, because tho Chrift appointed the Perfon, that was to govern his Flock, he did not appoint the Place of his Epifcopal See. However if the Church of Rome be not once named in all the New Teftament, we are then at leaft fecute, that Chrift has not left any pofitive Prohibition against it's being made the Seat of