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A26061 A defence of The plain-man's reply to the Catholick missionaries being a further examination of the pretended infallibility of the Church of Rome / by the author of The plain-man's reply to the Catholick missionaries. Assheton, William, 1641-1711. 1688 (1688) Wing A4029; ESTC R9811 15,098 50

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Catholic Church As to the nature of the Christian Church the Trent-Catechism out of St. Augustine doth thus instruct us Ecclesia est Populus fidelis per universum orbem dispersus Cat. Rom. P. 1. c. 10. Sect. 2. The Christian Church is The Company of Believers A Society of men professing the Faith of Christ dispersed and scatter'd over all the world And this Church is stiled Catholick in these Two respects 1. With respect to the Persons who make this Profession Who are not now confined to one Nation or limited to one People as the Jewish Church was But in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him Hence St. Augustine Ep. 170. tells us The Church is called CATHOLIC because it is spread throughout the whole World. 2. With respect to the Faith which is professed And so Catholic is the same with sound and Orthod●x In which sense Particular Churches and the Bishops of those Churches in antient Writings are often stiled Catholic in opposition to Hereticks and Schismaticks Now in whether of these Two respects will this Missioner pretend that the Church of Rome is the Catholic Church 1. Will he affirm that she is Catholic with respect to the Persons who make this Profession Then she is the whole Church Then there is no other Church but the Roman taking in those other Churches which submit to her Authority In short Then the Roman-Catholics alone do make Profession of Christianity and there are no other Christians in the World but Papists If this be his meaning for his conviction let me then desire him to resolve me When any Member of the Church of England is reconciled as they phrase it to the Church of Rome Was that Person before his Reconciliation a Member of the Church of Christ or was he not Was he a Christian or was he not If not Why then do they not admit him into the Church by Baptism But if this Missioner is forced to grant That such a Convert was a Christian and a Member of the Church of Christ even before he was a Roman-Catholic Then there are other Christians besides Papists and there are other Churches besides the Roman Then the Church of Rome is not the Whole Church and consequently in this first sense of the wo●d is not the Catholic Church But 2. Will this Missioner pretend That the Church of Rome is the Catholic Church in the other notion of the word i. e. Sound and Orthodox If this be his Project 't is then expected that he prepare us an Answer to that larg Bill of Indictment which the Reformed Writers have prefer'd against her And when he shall have given us Satisfaction as to all those Errors and Corruptions with which she is charged As for instance The Sacrifice of the Mass Transubstantiation Half-Communion Prayers in an unknown Tongue Worship of Images Invocation of Saints Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead c. Then and not till then we may grant That the Church of Rome is Catholic in this Second sense of the word And that she is a Sound and Orthodox Church And so I leave him to his Defence which he may prepare at his leasure and proceed to consider his Second Supposition viz 2. That the Bishop of Rome is the Supream Pastor of the Church of Christ This is the Fundamental Article of the Romish Faith. And yet there is not one word of it in the Apostles Creed which is the Sum of the Christian Faith. No nor yet in the Holy Scriptures out of which that Creed was taken That de facto this Supremacy was not granted to the Bishops of Rome in the first and purest Ages of the Church but that their Encroachments were still opposed is most evidently shewed by the Learnd Dr. Cave in A Dissertation concerning the Government of the Ancient Church That the Britannick Churches were ever exempted from all forreign Jurisdiction for the first Six Hundred Years and so ought to continue if this Missioner will be so modest as to hearken to Instruction the renowned Arch-Bishop Bramhal hath undeniably proved And therefore if prosperous Usurpation may be called in Question I would ask Quo jure This Supremacy of the Pope whence was it from Heaven or of Men Who gave him this Authority to Rule and Govern the whole Church of Christ ch Their usual pretence for such exorbitant Power is known to be this viz. That our Blessed Saviour before his Ascension did constitute St. Peter his Vicar Deputy and Vicegerent and as such gave him a Monarchical Supremacy and Jurisdiction over the rest of the Apostles and the whole Church The which Supremacy was not Personal and Temporary to cease with his Person as the Apostleship did but was to be transfer'd to his Successor The which Successor say they is the Bishop of Rome This is their Plea. In confirmation of which these following Propositions must be established 1. That St. Peter had a Primacy over the Apostles 2. That this Primacy did include a Supremacy of Power and Dominion or Jurisdiction over the Apostles 3. That St. Peters Primacy with its Rights and Prerogatives was not Personal but derivable to his Successors 4. That St. Peter was Bishop of Rome and continued till his Death in possession of that Office. 5. That the Bishops of Rome as Successors of St. Peter according to Gods institution and by original Right derived thence should have an Universal Supremacy and Jurisdiction over the Christian Church 6. That in fact the Roman Bishops continually from St. Peters time have enjoyed and excercised this Sovereign Power 7. That this Power is indefectible and unalterable These are the Pillars of the Romish Cause And therefore if this Missioner will be shewing his skill let him practise upon these Points But when he attempts it he shall find to his cost that the Learned Dr. Barrow hath examined them before him In his excellent Treatise of the Pope's Supremacy To which I refer him So much for that I am next to examined his Third Supposition viz. 3. That the Catholic Church spread over the face of the whole world is in Communion with the Bishop of Rome To determine this matter we must consider the nature of Church-Communion Of which briefly thus Church-Communion to speak properly doth chiefly respect the Universal Church For to be in Communion with the Church it is to be a member of the Church Catholick in plain terms it is to be a Christian as we were made by Baptism the Seal of the New Covenant Into which Covenant being thus admitted we are united to the whole Church And by virtue of this union as Church-Members have a common Right to all Church-Priviledges and Blessings and a common obligation to all Church-Offices and Duties The which Communion or Communication in Religious Duties though it be limited and restrained in the use and exercise of it to particular Churches and Congregations for all Christians in the world cannot meet together yet all such
which they were not yet able to bear To those who had been with Christ from the Beginning To those from whom Christ was now going away And whom he had before told of his Departure Lastly to whom the Holy Ghost was to shew Things to come A Promise which the present Church of Rome dares not pretend to If here it shall be urged that the Clause for ever must needs extend this Promise beyond their own Persons and so to their Successors To this I Answer 1. This for ever signifies no more then to the end of their Lives According to those known Forms of Speech This is mine for ever Or This shall be yours for ever 2. Suppose these Promises had been made to them and their Successors Had they no Successors but them of the Roman Church This hath been confidently pretended but was never yet proved Math 18. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican pag. 14. What Church is this that must be heard The Church of Rome only nothing less 'T is evident by the Church in this Text can be meant no other than that particular Church of which the offending Brother was a Member But suppose that by the Church were meant the Church of Rome and that this Church of Rome were to be heard and obey'd What then Is she therefore Infallible Are all those that are to be heard and obey'd Infallible Are not Kings and Parents and Masters and Prelates and Abbots are not all these to be heard and obey'd And are all these Infallible Matth 28. 19. compared with Mark. 16. 15 16. Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned p. 14. What then Therefore The Church of Rome is Infallible This is such a Demonstration as Euclid never dreamed on 1 Tim 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth p. 14. The Church Catholick without controversie is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth Nay even Particular Churches as sound parts and members of the Catholick and the Bishops of those Churches may be adorned with that Title But what●s this to the Church of Rome Which is neither the Catholick Church nor a sound Member of it Indeed had Timothy been Bishop of Rom● I should then have been obliged to examine how and in what sense a Particular Church may be called the Pillar and ground of the truth without being Infallible But since he was Bishop of Ephesus and not of Rome and since the Infallibility of Rome and not of Ephesus is to be proved there is no occasion for that Inquiry Ephes 4. 11 12 14. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints that we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up in him in all things who is the head even Christ p. 14. Amongst all these Orders here 's no mention of an Infallible Judge of Controversies much less that this Judg is only to be found in the Church of Rome And thus I have briefly shewed how impertinently these Scriptures have been urged by this Missioner When I say Impertinently I do not thereby blame the conduct of this Writer who hath taken the true method to defend his Church but by that word do only express the weakness of his Cause Which hath been so often and so effectually exposed that it may well puzzle even the skill of a Missioner to make a decent Defence And indeed it is no little surprizing to observe how perplexing and confused an Answer is here given to the most plain and easy Question The Plain-man having often been admonished to return as they Phrase it into the Bosom of the Church of Rome and as a further inducement to hasten his Change having been assur'd That the Church of Rome is Infallible and that Protestant Churches for want of this Infallibility are neither able to interpret Scripture nor compose Differences in matters of Faith I say being thus admonished he makes this short Reply viz. That if the Church of Rome is infallible as they pretend it would be a seasonable Charity to instruct him in this matter This is the Substance of that little Treatise Which indeed is no other then a Paraphrase upon this Question Who is this Infallible Judg that so upon occasion I may consult him Tell me distinctly Who is this unerring Guid Where may I find him And I do faithfully promise to resign my self to his Conduct Plain-mans Reply p. 18 19 22. Observe now what Answer the Missioner hath given to this important Question Pray mark it 'T is worth your notice Mistake me not I pray I tell you distinctly that the Church is my infallible Guide And this Church is to be found spread over the face of the whole World I may therefore securely rely upon what she teacheth without troubling my self to search whether this or that particular Person in her be Infallible or no. Missioners Answer p. 16 A most learned Determination And very much no doubt to the satisfaction of the Plain-man For whose further Instruction I do thus expostulate with this Missioner The Country Parson to the Missioner YOu say Sir the Church is my Infallible Guide Pray what do you mean by this Church Is it in your Language the Teaching Church or the Learning part of the Church p. 14. Or in more proper Terms Is it the Church Representative or the Church Diffusive sure not the Church Diffusive For that comprehends every private Christian even the most ordinary Mechanick And in case of Differences about the sense of Scripture or any Divinely revealed Truths I hope these are no fit Persons to decide the Difference and end the Controversy Missioners Answer p. 10. It remains therefore That the Church Representative is this Infallible Guide And then our next thought is to inquire who this infallible Representative is And though you assured the Plain-man That he may securely rely upon what the Church teacheth without troubling himself to search whether this or that particular Person in her be infallible or no pag. 16. yet in contradiction to your self you are forced to Declare That a General Council the Supream Court of Judicature is the Legal Infallible Representative of the Church p. 18. So that whether the Controversie be about the sense of Scripture or about the Canon of a Council there must be a Living Judg to determine it and this I say is the Church in