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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
opinion_n	council_n	hold_v	lateran_n	630	5	14.1170	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26615	Protestancy to be embrac'd, or, A new and infallible method to reduce Romanists from popery to Protestancy a treatise of great use to all His Majesties subjects, and necessary to prevent error and popery / by David Abercromby, D., lately converted, after he had profess'd near nineteen years Jesuitism and popery.	Abercromby, David, d. 1701 or 2.	1682 (1682)	Wing A86; ESTC R6382	30,832	174

the most part than praying At least certain it is the common sort is withdrawn by such outward shows from uniting their hearts to God by fervent Prayer The use of Images then is not so great a help to Devotion as the Romanists do falsly imagine 4. Nevertheless their Image-worship though to be rejected is not so intollerable as their adoration of the Consecrated Wafer because besides what I have said before it may happen and I am of opinion very frequently that their Priests either want the necessary intention or intirely forget or designedly will not Consecrate the Wafer In this case meer unconsecrated Bread is ador'd and expos'd on their Altars to the publick Cult Will they say this is no inconveniency though the People may be guiltless because of their invincible ignorance and strong imagination of Christ's Body really there existent The thought of this accident which no doubt happens frequently with-draweth several Romanists from yielding to the Wafer that Soveraign Cult due to God only 5. There is another inconveniency not unlike the precedent in a sort of Worship ordinary amongst Romanists They honour the Relicks of Saints as their Bones Garments and Parcels of their Bodies they expose them to the publick Cult on their Altars they carry them with a ceremonious pomp in their solemn Processions But what if these Relicks be of Men that are not in Heaven For I suppose 't is no Article of their Faith that whom the Pope Canonizeth as they speak is not a Reprobate since his infallibility was never yet declared by any of their eighteen General Councils he is not infallible when he declares this man to be in Heaven or that Woman to be a Saint Perhaps then you invocate a damn'd Soul you kneel before the Bones of a Reprobate you ask help from those whom God has rejected than which I can imagine nothing more absur'd If this were well reflected on by the Romanists they would not be so forward in worshipping the remainder of the dead 6. 'T is now full time lest I exceed the bonds I have set to my self to speak one word of their Ecclesiastical Discipline When I consider besides the Written Law of God how many and how heavy Obligations the Romish Church imposeth upon her Subjects I am fully convinced that Popery is justly called and without exaggeration a meer slavery the Crown'd heads are lyable to it no less yea rather more than others Most of Romanist Divines teach without any warrant either from Scripture or reason the Popes of Rome have power to depose Princes untye their Subjects from their sworn allegiance to give their Dominions primo occupanti to such as can conquer them if they refuse to purge their Kingdoms of opinions judg●d by Romanists Heretical This you may see at large in the Council of Lateran held under Innocent the third third Chapter 7. The Romish Church enslaves so far the understanding of her Followers as to forbid them the use of that rational faculty God has bestowed upon us chiefly to find out by its light the true Church and having found it to govern our selves therein by the same to search the Scriptures to try the Spirits if they be of God or not lest we be carried away by the wind of all sort of Doctrine But this is not permitted to the Romanists they must pull out their eyes and say white is black if a General Council though never as yet proved by them infallible affirm it This occasion'd an ancient Philosopher to call the Christian Religion the Religion of Fools not because they believe things above the reach of Humane Reason for that is no folly but on this account that some of them to wit the Romanists believe as 't was instanc'd in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper that which is contradicted by the experimental knowledge of all our Senses 8. 'T was a Liberty and Priviledge of the Primitive Church as S. Paul witnesseth to the Corinthians that whatsoever is sold in the Shambles whatever is set before us we may eat asking no question for Conscience-sake that every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving the Roman Church has taken away this Priviledge and commands abstinence from Meats ordains Fasts observed most punctually by some of them falsely perswaded the best part of Christian perfection consists in such indiscreet Rigors not knowing that true vertue consists mainly in an intire Victory we should endeavour to get over our own Passions our most dangerous because Domestick Enemys So many commanded Fasts as we see in the Romish Church under the pain of Mortal Sin are no doubt an occasion of sin and disobedience to many who think themselves obliged in Conscience to observe them as injunctions of their Church Cardinal Bellarmine that Renown'd Romanist was of this opinion 'T is reported he was wont to say that if ' ere he happen'd to be Pope he would abolish the Obligation of the Lent Fast No doubt because he judg'd it a too heavy Yoke and on this account more hurtful than profitable 9. Marriage in the purest age of the Church was not forbidden to Ecclesiasticks saith not S. Paul that a Bishop may be the Husband of one Wife That Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed undefil'd And writing to Timothy that forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats is the Doctrine of the Devils Was not the Forerunner of Christ the Son of the High-Priest Zacharias an evident mark that our Saviour approv'd of and honoured such sort of Marriages yet the Romish Church adding still great and heavy weights to the yoke of Christ forbids expressly Ecclesiasticks to Marry though S. Paul saith let every man that is whether Clergy or Lay-man unless he hath the Gift of Continency have his own Wife which Gift is always suppos'd when a Man or a Woman vows Chastity So if you find by experience you have it not you are obliged not to vow or if you have vowed rashly flattering your self you had this Gift you are no more engag'd by your former vow because none is obliged to perform beyond what lies in his power and 't is in no man's power to live continently without a Gift of Continency which God bestoweth on whom he pleases and refuseth it to others as he thinks fit who may and perhaps are obliged in this case to secure themselves from Sin and Temptation by a lawful Marriage For in this conjuncture Melius est nubere quam uri 't is better to Marry than burn 10. 'T is observable the most of those that enter these Orders they call commonly Religious make their vows so young and so inconsiderately that they hardly ever reflect on what they undertake several of them protest they are forced thereunto by their Parents or upon the account of some other humane respects and interest and if afterwards they renew twice a year as 't is customary amongst the

blam'd because 't is not in the power of the will to force upon our understanding the belief of a known falshood or of what appears to us evidently false to conclude as I have begun paritate rationis by a parity of reason since the Romanists because of the foresaid invincible ignorance grant to some Protestants a capacity of being saved unless they belye themselves they will not refuse the same to those in whom we meet with a like invincible ignorance yea more and harder to be overcome as may appear by what I have said 21. I foresee the Romanist may reply that those Protestants he hath no charity for are such as resist the known truth for instance they are perswaded the arguments in favour of Transubstantiation are better grounded than these they oppose against it So they shall not be saved through their own misbelief wilfulness and obstinacy in error To which I make this short and satisfactory answer that such men are not true Protestants of whom only we speak but rather abominable Hypocrites professing outwardly a Doctrine they judge in their hearts false and erroneous This Objection than vanisheth as being de subjecto non supponente grounded on a false supposition SECT II. 1. I Have proved positively and I think to perswasion if preoccupation be laid aside the undeniable truth of my first Principle that Protestants may be saved For the Readers intire satisfaction I shall make out the same in a Negative way by showing to all not willfully blind there can be no let or hinderance to their Salvation what-ever Romanists can instance as inconsistent with their attaining to eternal happiness may be reduc'd either to Schism or Heresie and that either jointly or severally After an impartial scrutiny of their best grounds of such foul aspersions I found them all to be groundless unwarrantable and insufficient 2. Schism is a separation from the true Church of God Protestants are not separated from the true Church of God ergo they are not guilty of Schism they are not Schismaticks All generally confess the Christians of the three first Centuries to have been the constituent Members of Christ's true Church from these the Protestants are not separated either in belief manners or Ecclesiastical Discipline this I could prove to the conviction of the most obstinate had it not been perform'd abundantly and more than once by others The same cannot be said of the Romanists since they have admitted of many novelties never heard of in these Primitive times such are in invocation of Saints adoration of the consecrated Wafer Image-worship Popes Supremacy c. So if they stand to the same Fundamentals with the Church in her purest age 't is certain they have added thereunto and are guilty of divers Superstructures which the Protestants were never and cannot be accus'd of But 't is not so much my design in this place to charge Romanists as to justifie Protestants and those who embrace Protestancy 3. They will perhaps say we are Schismaticks because separated from the Church of Rome But 1. The Church of Rome is a particular one and a member only of the Universal Church 2. As it now stands 't is not our rule but that undoubted of Christian Church in the Primitive times without spot or blemish 3. This aspersion of Schism smites rather themselves For those only we call Schismaticks who are guilty of division and breach of unity by doing that which is the true cause thereof That the meanest capacities may understand this let them take notice of what follows If my body were united or closely joining to yours would ye not be judg'd the true cause of our separation if ye put any thing between you and me hindring this union so you are the true Separatist not I because you have thrust me from you by that middle Obstacle you have plac'd betwixt us both which unless first removed I cannot unite my body to yours again 4. This is downright our present case if well understood The Protestants and Romanists were once two united bodies in the pure age of the Church in these happy times when Superstition had not as yet gain'd a foot of ground amongst Christians they were one People anima una corunum one Soul and one Heart But at length the Romanists set up betwixt us and them murum aheneum an invincible obstacle a heap of errors destructive both to union and unity so if we be separated now who were formerly united 't is evidently by their fault we could not persevere in union with them because of this middle wall that did separate us let them throw it down as they are oblig'd in conscience to do and we shall draw up together and joyn them close again Since then they gave a just occasion yea and are the true causes of this separation they are the Separatists and true Schismaticks not we 5. As for Heresie let Romanists say what they please it can't with the least appearance of truth be laid to our charge He is not guilty of that crime who defends obstinately any opinion whatsomever else all School-men and Divines standing stifly to their own fancys in Doctrinal points would be reckon'd Hereticks Such be those only who deny flatly and with obstinacy Divine Truths or Articles of Faith which cannot be impos'd upon Protestants without injustice ignorance and calumny 6. They deny indeed General Councils to be infallible in their decisions but their infallibility is no Article of Faith else Austin was a Heretick asserting General Councils gathered out of all the Christian World are often corrected the former by the latter correction of a Council undoubtedly supposeth a precedent error and a Council to be errable as every one understands that knows any thing On the same account he speaks after this manner to Maximian an Arian Bishop Neither ought I to instance the Council of Nice nor thou the Council of Arimene to take advantage thereby for neither I am bound by the authority of this nor thou of that set matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason try the matter by the authority of Divine Scriptures 7. An Article of Faith must either be clearly contain'd in Scripture or according to the Romanists declared expresly by some of their General Councils But that General Councils are infallible in their Decisions is neither contain'd clearly in Scriptures let them tell us in what Part Book Chapter Verse nor is it determin'd in any of the eighteen General Councils they acknowledge as the rules of their Faith none can be instanc'd where this hath been decided Upon what grounds then hold they this as a Divine Truth which is nothing else but a fanciful opinion hindering them to follow Austin's advice to set matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason to try the matter by the authority of Divine Scriptures 8. The general Councils are so far from pretending to be infallible Judges of controversial Debates that in a set

Majesty and consequently deserve his eternal Wrath as being of an unlimited malice Fifthly They allow every one to read the Scripture as the Fountain of all wholesom Doctrine and capable to make us wise unto Salvation as being a Light to our Understanding lest we err and a Fire to our Will lest we wax Cold in Charity and Love towards God and our Neighbors Sixthly Their Doctrine concerning the Lord's Supper is spirit and life it gives no occasion either of Idolatry or Hypocrisie by teaching that strange Novelty of Transubstantiation They captivate indeed their understanding in obsequium Fidei in obedience to Divine Faith but pull not out their Eyes to believe there is no Bread in the Eucharist where they see all the inseparable Properties thereof as Colour Shape Quantity c. Seventhly They rely solely on the Merits of Christ neither on the mediation of Saints nor on their own good works fully persuaded of this Christian Truth when they have done all they can they are but useless Servants and that all their sufficiency is from Above Eighthly Their Divine Worship is pure and without mixture of Superstition or Idolatry neither intirely without Ceremonies nor overburden'd with 'em superstitiously Ninthly They adore God in Spirit and Truth not under corporal Shapes and false Representations they adore him as Spirit and Truth as he is in reality knowing perfectly all their spiritual needs and bodily necessities without the help of Saints as Speakers and Informers Tenthly Their Ecclesiastical Discipline is most conformable in all its parts to that of the Primitive Church as also their Faith their Manners and way of living as may be gathered out of this and the foregoing Article and every one knows that is not altogether a Stranger to Antiquity Eleventhly They serve God in all freedom of spirit without endangering their Souls by vows of Continency true Snares rather to Innocency than fit means for attaining to Perfection and eternal Felicity ARTICLE III. SECT 1. Conclusions flowing from the first Principle of this Method I. MY first Principle was That those who profess Protestancy may be saved I proved it to Conviction without invectives or bitterness in the spirit of Christian Charity Meekness and Lenity persuaded of this clear Truth that Conviction of the intellective Faculty worketh never a true Conversion unless the Will be conquer'd by a civil and charitable way of debating II. 'T is Proverbial amongst the Romanists That out of the Church there is no hopes of salvation In what sense this is true 't is not my design here to inquire but I affirm they are pitifully mistaken understanding by the Church that handful of Christians united together in communion with the See of Rome which is as unreasonable as if one would say a Particular is an Universal a Part is the Whole or at least of as great and vast a bulk They will grant then I suppose Protestants to be Members of the Universal Church but dead ones destitute of life spirit and vigour The contradictory of this Proposition stands demonstrated in the first Article for since they may be saved by the merits and influence of their invisible Head Christ they are both wholesom living and vigorous Members of his Church III. They cannot be accused of Schism nor without a groundless Calumny called Schismaticks since they are still contain'd in the Catholick or Universal Church their Reform being in the Church not from it hold they not all Points necessary to salvation and whatever was of Divine Faith in the primitive Times They separated I confess from the particular Church of Rome but Romanists were the true causes of this Separation by introducing Errors and Novelties so they are properly the Separatists not Protestants Let them be ashamed then to sound perpetually as they do in the Peoples ears such a notorious Calumny which with greater truth may be Retorted against themselves IV. I hope hereafter they shall prove more moderate and call them Brethren whom they have thought hitherto Hereticks for I am persuaded they are convinc'd this foul aspersion of Heresie is groundless as being a meer illusion and the product of a preoccupated judgment The Protestants say they are Hereticks because they reject obstinately the Decisions of General Councils but will they never reflect that these Decisions can neither be looked upon by us nor by them as revealed Truths unless their Infallibility be either grounded on clear Scripture or in their sentiment on the Authority of some General Council In what Scripture is it said General Councils are infallible Judges of Controversial Debates In what Council was it decided that General Councils were unerrable Here they are amaz'd and their thoughts at a stand they are forced to yield and confess ingenuously that this pretended Infallibility hath no other foundation in being but that of their own Opinion and Fancy For though 't were grounded on the Decision of some General Council this must be first proved Infallible by an Evidence distinct from its own Testimony V. But because my onely design in this place is to raise Inferences and not to frame new Arguments I entreat the Romanist Reader after a serious perusal of my first Article to reflect a moment upon his own Uncharity against so many Thousands of His Majesties Subjects and other Nations so commendable for their unstain'd Life and Conversation so acceptable to God because of their Virtue and Innocency Let them I say upon second thoughts repent of their former Uncharity in condemning their Neighbors so inconsiderately as Schismaticks Hereticks Reprobates Let them detest from the bottom of their hearts this Unchristian Rigor and Severity if perhaps upon such groundless pretences they were persuaded 't was lawful to persecute them by Treason Fire and Sword the deep ignorance they liv'd in could be as a Veil to the Enomity of their Crime But after the perusal of this Treatise they can no more pretend ignorance they are told of their Errour and sufficiently inform'd of their former mistakes VI. Neither can they with the least appearance of Truth call Apostates such as embrace Protestancy since they retain still the Faith of that Church which flourished the first three Centuries after our Saviour's Birth and is confessed by all Parties to have been the true Church of Christ They admit not indeed the additional Articles of Purgatory Transubstantiation Image-worship Invocation of Saints c. for the grounds above laid But on this account they are in no true sense Apostates because Apostasie is a defection from the true Faith and these Points are either gross Errors or as a learned Divine of the English Church calls them inferiour Truths not destructive to Divine Faith whether believ'd or denied though they be as I have insinuated elsewhere not a little prejudicial to true Virtue and Christian Piety VII Rashness or Imprudence can with as little justice be objected to such as retreat from Popery It has been demonstrated by the consent of Romanists and self-evident