That there is not
any other visible way to the end there mentioned by him, of
acquiring or preserving universal unity. That this is to be done,
not crudely, by returning to them as they are, submitting our necks
to our former yokes, but by taking away at once the division, and
the causes of it, on which side soever; adding only in the third
place, that the bare primacy of the Bishop of Rome, _secundum
Canones_, such as the ancient canons allow of, (which hath nothing
of _supreme universal power_, or authority in it,) is none of those
causes, nor consequently necessary to be excluded in the [Greek:
diallaktikon], citing that as the confession of that excellent
person Philip Melancthon. So that in effect, that whole speech of
his which is so solemnly vouched by Mr. Knott, and looked on so
jealously by many of us, is no more than this, 'that such a Primacy
of the Bishop of Rome, as the ancient canons allowed him, were, for
so glorious an end as is the regaining the peace of christendom,
very reasonably to be afforded him, nay absolutely necessary to be
yielded him, whensoever any such catholic union shall be attempted,
which as it had been the express opinion of Melancthon, one of the
first and wisest Reformers, so it is far from any design of
establishing the usurpations of the Papacy, or any of their false
doctrines attending them, but only designed as an expedient for the
restoring the peace of the whole christian world, which every
disciple of Christ is so passionately required to contend and pray
for.
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