not to take it he ought to know how far he is bound thereby Whereof we have a commendable Example in the Spies by Joshua sent over Jordan how Cautious to make Plain what [o] Josâ—â—a 2 Rahab made them Swear to as also was Abraham's Servant as already Quoted and this Oath of the Spies at the taking of Jericho Joshua remembred to have it kept Then the Mind and true Meaning of the Swearer is to be considered what he aimeth at when he doth Swear So is the true and proper Signification of the Words made use of in the Oath the meaning of those who require administer and take the Oath must be very plain Now as not only Evil it self but also occasions of Evil ought to be avoided it were fit and convenient for Magistrates when they tender an Oath to proceed warily therein and with great Caution for fear of becoming Instruments of Damnation to those who forswear themselves wherefore it would be very Necessary not Indifferently to offer an Oath but first to have some thing said whereby men might well understand what they are about how Holy and Sacred it is and how great the Danger to Swear to a Lie or else for want of giving such a warning they may become accessory to the Sin of him who forsweareth himself for want of a due and timely Warning without which the Law or Custom are Defective for none doth For-swear but he who Swears and both Judges and Jury-men ought to be very Cautious how they believe one who without Consideration runs him self under an Oath or who in his Deposition doth Stagger Waver or Contradict himself such should be Discouraged and the Testimonies of Witnesses ought indeed more to be Weighed than Numbred I deny not but that in necessary Occasions when a Man offers himself to Swear he may and ought to be admitted to take his Oath or else this would put a stop to the Course of Justice but I mean that when one 's grosly ignorant or suspected of being inclined to Perjury something should be Enacted to prevent it and the Court be more Cautious how such a one is admitted to Swear So hereupon those who make use of them ought in Conscience be Wary how they bring them in for fear of being partakers to other mens Sins The Third thing for him that takes an Oath is To Swear in Righteousness or Righteously That is that the Matter by Oath to be Confirmed be just and lawful for one must not Bind himself to any thing by Oath but what is such for an Oath ought not to be made a Bond of Iniquity as was done by those wicked Fellows that (a) Acts 23.14 Had bound themselves under a great Curse that they would eat nothing until they had Killed Paul If a Promisory Oath then it must be with a full purpose to Perform what one doth thereby Oblige himself to and accordingly to be Careful to make it Good and if the Oath be Testificatory to bear Witness to the Truth of a thing it must be done out of certain Knowledge of the matter So must the occasions of taking the Oath be just and the end good as to promote the Glory of God and the Good of our Neighbour (b) Levit. 19 15 35. In Righteousness shalt thou judge thy Neighbour and ye shall do no Vnrighteousness in Judgment So in Righteousness Witnesses must Sâ—ear and not to pervert Judgment and Equity 'T is also to be observed how when we are Sworn ' it must be before those that have Right and Authority to Exact and Administer an Oath one is not to Swear in a publick and solemn way without a Call from those who may lawfully Summon us to it We must also take notice how by Oaths we Bind ourselves unto God as unto men which no Human Power can Release and Dispense us from Wherefore 't is said (c) Matth. 5.33 Thou shalt not forswear thy Self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths But we must now begin to draw near the main Point namely Perjury this must take up our Serious Thoughts concerning several Things relating thereunto from the Greatness and Righteousness of the great God from the Nature and Consequences of the thing and of several other necessary Circumstances duly to be Weighed and Considered The Ark was called the Ark of the Testimony First because the (d) Exod. 25 16. Tables of the Law whereby was Testified God's Covenant with his People were laid up there then because from above the Mercy Seat which was above upon the Ark God did meet with Moses to (e) v. 22. commune with him of all things which he gave him in Commandment unto the Children of Israel and because the Ark was within the Tabernacle so the Tabernacle is called the (f) chap. 26.33 Numb 17.7 8. and 18.2 Tabernacle of Witness As upon that Signal and Special Occasion where the Glory of the Lord appeared and God himself was both Witness and Judge to decide of the Dispute about the High-priesthood immediately after the Rebellion of (g) ch 17.8 Korah Dathan and Abiram and their Punishment and the Plague which followed upon the People for their Murmuring at it I say God there appeared in the Miracle of Aaron's Rod which was Budded bloomed Blossoms and yielded Almonds So in doubtful and disputable Cases But God is and will be both Witness and Judge men call upon him to be a Witness to the Truth of what is in his Name Affirmed and Transacted but will certainly be the Judge whether or not men call upon him for it Though there be now no Ark yet Heaven is his Throne and Earth is his Footstool (h) Gen. 31.50 No Man is with us saith Laban to Jacob See God is Witness betwixt me and thee God being present every where is Witness to every thing and sees every thing to reward it but specially when he is called upon to be a Witness and a Judge between man and man In that Excellent Prayer of Solomon upon the Dedication of the Temple he makes a special mention of Oaths [i] 1 Kings 8.31 32. If any man Trespass against his Neighbour and an Oath be laid upon him to Swear and the Oath come before thine Altar in this House Then hear thou in Heaven and do and judge thy Servants condemning the Wicked to bring his way upon his head and justifying the Righteous to give him according to his Righteousness A Man hath Wronged his Neighbour but he denies it upon the Accusation an Oath is laid upon him to clear the matter the Oath to be taken in the Temple before the Altar hitherto men have acted their parts but can go no further wherefore God's turn comes to act though his Altar and the Temple be upon Earth yet God heareth in Heaven which is the great judgment Seat the true Seat of Justice and Equity and what 's done after hearing he judgeth between the Parties And how First
Prov 8.11 Because Sentence against an Evil Work is not executed speedily therefore the Heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do Evil. But let such unto themselves apply what the Apostle saith (r) 2 Pet. 2.3 Their Judgment Lingereth not and their Damnation Slumbereth not Thus we proved the Point with clear Evidence out of Scripture Human Laws and strength of Reason which might be more Enlarged upon if Occasion required it This I must add That 't is a sad Case a loud and crying Sin that must need reach up to Heaven when Justice cannot be obtained against neither Adulteress nor Adulterer as if there was a Combination against it to provoke God and Men to the utmost till God's time be come to render it who being most just never fails to do 't when he thinks fit but sometimes when he doth men take no notice of it thô I think it to be one of the chief Causes of the heaviest and most frequent Judgments inflicted upon the Nation for as it is one of if not the most common National Sin and none in Scripture more often nor more strictly Forbidden as most of any contrary to God's holy and pure Nature So those who commit and continue in it must look for the most dreadful and terrible Judgments which God's Justice Anger and Vengeance for the Contempt of his Authority and Breach of his Laws can in this World and in that which is to come pour upon wretched and presumptuous Sinners Besides I would have all Offenders in this kind to know That there is not in the World a Meaner Wretch than the Lewd and Vicious Man who doth the Devil's Drudgery and being a meer Slave to his Passion is thereby put upon the most Indecent Basest Vilest Shameful and most Dangerous Shifts that can be is ever Restless being continually Spurred on by his Lust which first in this World will (s) Hos 4.11 Take away his Heart for Whoredom and Wine do so and except God shews Mercy for want of that Purity which in Relation to Women the Apostle so (t) 1 Tim. 5 ◠carefully Commends to his young Disciple shall in the next hurry and deliver him into everlasting Burnings For the Truth and justice of God require that the Fire of Lust wherein they Burned here should hereafter be punished with Eternal Flames For saith the Apostle Them that walk after the Flesh 2 Pet. 2.9.10 in the Lust of Vncleanness God reserveth unto the Day of judgment to be Punished with a Pain Adequate to their Sin FINIS A CHARGE TO Judges Juries Witnesses CONCERNING OATHS HAVING of late been Summoned to give in upon Oath my Evidence in a weighty Business I was at first Amazed and at a stand then moved with just Indignation to hear several Men with a Brazen-face to Swear for Truth that which in my Conscience I knew certainly to be False for I speak only of those Things and Circumstances which come within the Sphere of my certain Knowledge and upon serious Thoughts such prostitute Wretches tho they speak but to one part of a Cause yet they give Men reasonable Grounds of entertaining an Ill Opinion of the whole For no good Cause may be supported by evil and unlawful Means which at last will Discredit Blast and Ruin it In the mean while such Practices of Swearing falsely do bring Dishonour upon God Scandal upon our holy Religion and are a Shame to a Nation and if not as much as 't is possible Suppressed and Prevented God the Judge of the whole Earth will in his due time require it at the Hands of those in whose Power it lieth and whose Duty it is to do 't Wherefore upon so just and necessary an Account I look upon my self as bound to give in my Evidence and I Wish Judges Jury-men and specially Witnesses may so take notice of and mind what I shall say as every one to do their Duty in their respective Stations for herein I shall bear Witness for God as for men And my great Motive why I now commit to Paper these few Lines and Serious Thoughts of mine 't is only to bear Record unto the Truth For (a) 2 Cor. 13.8 I can do nothing against but for the Truth which I think I am called to thorough the Occasion which is the Ground of all this Which to Prosecute I shall make use of both Law and Gospel I Thank God when I appeared in this Business I never but once before had been Summoned to bear Witness upon Oath for I own it I fear an Oath the fewer the better and the least Account one is to give God about these matters for therein Men thô unwillingly and Ignorantly yet thorough want of Memory or some Mistakes are in danger of Failing Wherefore I shall ever avoid as much as I may being brought under an Oath without a just and necessary Cause rashly and hastily to venture upon 't is usually attended with bitter Effects and is the cause of much Evil of Sin as of Punishment from both God and men He that easily and hastily doth Swear will as easily and hastily Forswear for when he makes no Conscience to take an Oath he will make none to break it Neither would I multiply Oaths for many Oaths many Snares To go upon sure Grounds and Explain the matter we must first see upon what Occasion an Oath is taken and what it is because too often thorough the Unrighteousness Malice and Craftiness of False and Self-ended Men Truth is driven into Corners which yet God in his due time and sometimes in an Extraordinary manner will bring to light to the Confusion of the Wicked that would have suppressed it Therefore because one man will not Trust another and that men do suspect the Sincerity and are in the Dark about the Thoughts one of another upon such an account God who alone knows and is the Searcher of the Heart (b) Heb. 4.13 For all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do is called upon to be a Witness of the Truth of that which is in Question and Sworn for (c) chap. 6.16 An Oath for Confirmation to men is saith the Apostle an end of all Strife Not to sow foment and promote it and shelter Villanies under God's most holy and sacred Name for this overthrows the good Ends for which an Oath was intended and perverts Justice and Equity over-turns the whole World and tends to Disorder Confusion and Ruin all Effects of Perjury Now an Oath is a calling of God to Witness for the Confirmation of what we Say or Promise 'T is a Religious and Necessary Confirmation of Things doubtful by calling on God to be a Witness of Truth and a Revenger of Falsehood which last part is much to be taken notice of though many who Swear mind it not and there is a great Reason why God should avenge the Abuse of his Name for if
In Judgment 3ly In Righteousness To these Three Conditions are opposed False Rash and unjust Oaths It is a Duty incumbent upon every one that takes an Oath to Swear in Truth that is truly and nothing but what is according to Truth not abusing Godâ—â— Name to attest an Untruth the words of our Oaths if minded are full and comprehensive to swear the Truth nothing but the Truth and the whole Truth that is to the best of my Remembrance Now Truth is a Divine Thing which is asserted by Oath wheâ— in the Dark There is a Truth of the thing spokeâ— of when we speak according as the thing is indeed or as near as possibly it can be and herein sometimes by reason of human weakness the whole Truth doth not come out for we do not always know things aâ— they are But there is also the Truth of the Mind that is one Swears as in his Mind and Conscienceâ— he is perswaded of the thing this must always Necessarily be in the Oath or else there is Perjury in the Case Now Truth relateth either to Divine things or to Human To the former when we entertain and have right Notions and Thoughts due and reverend Expressions of things immediately belonging to God as his Nature Attributes Works and Word The Truth required in regard to Human Things is either in common Society and Dealings between Man and Man or else in publick Judgments in Courts of Judicature which concerns the Judges upon the Bench fairly to Sum up Evidences and impartially to direct the Jury 2ly This Concerns the Jury-men not to receive any Prejudices or suffer themselves to be Byassed or Bribed nor to stand too much upon this that any of them will agree with the rest rather then to be Pinch'd or Suffer in being lock'd up very long when in their Conscience they are Convinced that most of the rest are in the Wrong an Honest Man will say I have rather to be Starved though there be hardly once in Seven Years any such Dilemma than to go against my own judgment and Conscience which when thus wounded will at one time or other rise and fly in their Faces 3ly This regard's the Plaintiff who is to promote his just Cause by Fair and Lawful Ways without False Accusations Subornation or such unwarrantable Practises 4thly The Defendant who in his own Defence must forbear using any malicious and unjust Means and make use of none but such as are according to Truth Law and Reason 5ly The Evidences are concerned whose Duty 't is with bearing true Witness to help and relieve their Neighbour in his just Cause when 't is in danger of being Oppressed And here I would have all Parties from the Judges to the Witnesses to mind that there is a great Day of Judgment a coming when all indifferently shall stand at the Bar to give God an Account of every Idle Word much more of every False and Unjust Judgment Evidence or other Sinful Dealing when the Secrets of all Men shall be made manifest and Mens own Consciences shall be Witnesses against themselves their own Judges and Tormentors and let them know how God ever is among them though in an invisible way and sees hears and sets down upon Record their false and unjust Dealings for (a) Prov. 15 3. the Eyes of the Lord for whom they judge and bear Witness are in every place beholding the Evil and the Good and (b) Zechar. 4.10 these Eyes of the Lord do run to and fro through the whole Earth So that he leaves not himself without Witness And the Qualification of those who are to judge the People whether under the Name of Judge or Jury are plainly set down in God's Word they must be (c) Exod. 18.21 Able Men such as fear God men of Truth hating Covetousness But we must return to Truth and somewhat longer insist upon it the Importance thereof is made out First By the many positive and reiterated Commands of God for us to Practise it in every thing we say or do Secondly Because God doth so often and so expresly Forbid us the Practise of the Vice contrary unto that heavenly Vertue namely to Lie for as Truth is the Daughter of God so a Lie is the Child of the Devil and often God in one and the same place doth Command one and Forbid the other God's great Commandment is that we should speak the Truth Love Follow and (d) 2 John 4. 3 John 3. 1 John 2.21 Walk in the Truth God is the God of Truth nay Truth it self and no Lie is of the Truth (e) John 1.17 Truth came by Jesus Christ and he himself (f) ch 14.6 is the Truth and (g) ch 18.37 For this cause he came into the World that he should bear witness unto the Truth The necessary Qualification for one to â—e admitted and abide in his Tabernacle is (h) Psal. 15.2 3. To speak the Truth in his Heart not to back-bite with his Tongue nor to take up a Reproach against his Neighbour See how Heart and Tongue are concern'd in matter of Truth to the same purpose the Psalmist says 24.3 4. Who shall stand in the Lord 's holy place he that hath not Sworn Deceitfully c. So that by the Rule of Contraries he that speaketh not the Truth in his Heart shall not abide in his Tabernacle nor he that hath Sworn deceitfully in his holy place This is the Mark by David given of an upright Man but the Character of the Wicked is that he speaks Lies For the Wicked are Estranged from the Womb they go astray assoon as they be Born speaking Lyes Psalm 58.3 but (i) Psal. 96.13 God shall Judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his Truth Here is the Pattern for men to Judge by as God doth with Righteousness and with Truth 'T is said of the Messiah the Lord Jesus (k) Isa. 42.3 He shall bring forth Judgement unto Truth Here is a Precedent for you O ye Judges of the Earth Judges Jury-men and Witnesses lay hand upon your Conscience and see whether there be not a just Cause to renew the Prophet's Complaint (l) Jerem. 9.5 They will deceive every one his Neighbour and will not speak the Truth they have taught their Tongue to speak Lies and they delight in Lies Psal 62.4 Another Prophet saith (m) Isa 59.15.4 Truth faileth and have we not a most just cause to complain of it and None calleth for Justice yea some call for 't but cannot obtain it Nor any pleadeth for Truth and though they do 't is to little or no purpose for they Trust in Vanity and speak Lies at least they Believe it I am much afraid that (n) 2 Thess 2.11 God hath sent a strong Delusion that men should Believe a Lie and many too Hear of a glorious Promise (o) Zacha. 8.3 Jerusalem shall be called a City of Truth Would to God we could say
Perjury is when God is called upon for a Witness to an Untruth which the Prophet speaks of (c) Isai 48.1 Hear ye this O House of Jacob which Swear by the Name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in Truth nor in Righteousness And 't is Perjury either when one Sweareth that to be true which he thinks or knows to be False or that to be False which he thinks or knows to be True or else when he Swears to do that which he doth not intend to perform or afterwards upon Second Thoughts and for some Wordly Considerations thô he at first intended yet breaks his Oath and Promise this is expresly Forbidden (d) Lev. 19.12 Ye shall not Swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou Prophane the Name of thy God A Crime so odious unto him as the contrary Vertue is so acceptable that for the sake of those that are endued therewith God forbears inflicting his Punishments upon Cities and Nations these â—stand in the Breach when God is ready to break in we have his Word for it (e) Jer. 5.1 Run ye to and fro thorough the Streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad Places thereof if ye can find a Man â—f there be any that executeth Judgment thak seeketh the Truth and I will pardon it Judges are Sworn to judge according to Law and to do Justice and Witnesses to Swear the Truth yet saith God there (f) verse 2. Though they say the Lord liveth surely they Swear falsly Would to God that was not so True as 't is here But now there is as much Cause as ever for God to Expostulate among other things (g) chap. 7.9 Will ye Swear Falsly So then Perjury is a False Swearing or a known or imagined Untruth Confirmed by Oath with Deâ—eit which was either Purposed and Intended before the Oath was made or Resolved on afterwards which â—oth contain Two Things First the Matter which â—s an Untruth and the Manner that gives Being â—o't a false Oath with a Design and against Knowledge Now there is a Logical Untruth when we â—o not speak as the Thing is or when our Speech â—oth not agree with the Truth of the thing There â—s a Moral Untruth when our Speech agrees not â—ith our Mind that is when we Speak not as we Think or Know and this last chiefly makes the wilful â—nd malicious Perjury for one being imposed upon â—r-mistaken may happen to Swear an Untruth which â—e believes to be a Truth and so it may be called a â—ash and Prophane Oath yet not strict Perjury because the Speech agrees with the Mind though not â—ith the Truth of the thing And thus though a â—an Swears that which is False yet may not strictly â—e said to Swear Falsely because without a Design â—o Deceive However though herein the Sin be the â—ast yet still a Sin it is that from men deserves Puâ—ishment by reason of the Evil Consequences for â—ometimes a Man's Life and Fortune may happen â—hereby to lay at Stake besides that this is the way namely fear of Punishment to make men more Cautious how and what they Swear 't is the ready and proper way to speak in David's words (h) Psal 63.11 to have The Mouth of them that speak Lies to be stopped And this is the more to be minded that in such Cases the Cause is not only between Man and Man between the Subject and the King whose Office is to punish the Guilty but chiefly between God and Men whose Holy Name is thereby abused for the end of Perjury whether Assertory or Promissory is Falsehood and Deceit If Vain Swearing be a Sin much more False Swearing Several Questions are put about matters of Oaths which here I shall not meddle with because not tâ— my purpose as whether unlawful or unpossible Oath are Binding which I conclude for the Negative and whether violent and extorted which I declare for the Affirmative if only they import a Wordly Cause and no detriment to God's Glory for which (i) Psal 15.4 David is my Security nor to other man's Rights Of all Sins Perjury is one of the most grievous and abominable and he that commits it is not Satisfied to make himself a Lyar but also must proclaim himself to be such with a Witness To caâ— the God of Truth to be a Witness to a Lie which no Man of Honour could endure of himself is to caâ—â— and in as much as in one lyes to make God a Lyaâ— like himself which is the highest degree of Blasphemâ— for [k] Tit. 1.2 God cannot Lie this is to Rob him of hâ— Truth one of his most Essential Attributes which he is so tender of and to deprive him of his Nature for take away Truth from God and he ceaseâ—â— to be God for his true Character and Mark 〈◊〉 Distinction from all is to be the True GOD. And if God himself [l] Exod. 19.26 Heb. 12.18 upon the Mount amidst Lightning Thunder Fire a Cloud Blackness Darkness and Tempest with the Voice of a Trumpet exceeding loud declared he will not hold him Guiltleâ— that taketh his Name in Vain that is he will noâ— leave them Unpunished what will he not do to him who in the highest degree doth thorough Perjury Prophane it seeing he Thunders such a Threatning against the least degree thereof And 't is observable that the Word in the Original in Vain which in the Chaldaick Syriack and Arabick is rendered Falsely with a Lie Precipitently or Rashly signifies the Breach of that Commandment in the least Degree But we are to take a special Notice of the dreadful Penalty contained in the reason annexed to the Commandment that God will not leave this Sin unpunished that he will not justify cleanse and expiate according to the Expressions of the other Languages we named but just now And this is the only Precept whereunto such a Threatning is annexed to shew how detestable that Sin is in the sight of God this is (m) 1 Kings 2.9 David's Expression when he gave Solomon charge about Shimei hold him not Guiltless that is Punish him So as to Perjury though men neglect to Punish it yet as to the Sinner he shall not escape his just and fearful Judgment for as the Sin is Grievous so God will Grievously punish it And if taking his Name in Vain by abusing it in every Trifle is to meet with so severe a Judgment as we said before so I say again what will it be and how heavy when that Holy Name is by some men Impiously made use of to Confirm their Lies In that Third Commandment by the Name of God are understood his Nature Attributes Works Word and all Divine Perfections whereby God hath made himself known unto us As we are Forbidden to Abuse so are we Commanded to make a Right Use thereof which consists in the inward Frame and Religious Disposition of our
an infinite difference between the Lord Jesus and all that were nam'd before But the better to see how the promise of the Keys was not made in particular to Peter but to the Colledge of the Disciples we must read the conclusion of that whole Conversation as 't is in ver 20. Then charged he his disciples not Peter alone that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ which implies that tho' Peter alone had said so yet thereby all his Disciples had owned him to be Christ the Son of the Living God and as their Confession concerning him was general so was his promise This on my way I thought fit to take notice of to shew how ill grounded is the Romish Church in her pretensions Now I return to Peter's pretended Infallibility as to his Person and say that if ever he was infallible it must be either before our Saviour's Death or after his Resurrection and after he had been restored to his Apostleship but neither of the two First not before the Lord's Death no Infallibility tied to his Person since Scripture mentions some gross failings of his as his Ignorance in the Transfiguration for when he spake of making three Tabernacles the Evangelist observes of him (Å¿) Luk. 9.33 Not knowing what he said A Man who knows not what he saith is not infallible nor he who wants Faith wherewith Christ upbraided him when he said to him (t) Mat. 14.31 O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Again certainly Peter was not infallible when in the forequoted Chap. Mat. 16. the Lord having foretold his Death Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee when for that same end he came unto the World and without it there had been no Salvation which drew upon him this sharp and unusual reproof of our Saviour Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men This passage by the Evangelist is related immediately after what had been discoursed between our Saviour and his Apostles concerning what he was v. 22.23 may be thereby to destroy all inferences that might afterwards happen to be drawn on Peter's behalf to the prejudice and exclusion of the rest of the Apostles for therein any pretended Primacy and Infallibility are overthrown and that circumstance of time makes it remarkable But if there was no other proof against his Infallibility but that sad Denial of his Lord and Master even with an Oath to confirm a Lie yea Cursing and Swearing and that thrice together it were too strong a proof against his Infallibility before our Saviour's Death But I say also he was not infallible after our Saviour's Ascension Witness St. Paul who in (u) Gal. 2.11 12 13. Antioch withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed and therein 't is expressed in what namely for his Dissimulation a thing so contrary to Faith Truth and Sincerity Besides that after his Conversion Peter was a Sinner still and no Sinner is infallible wherefore saith another Apostle speaking of himself as well as of others (x) Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all and long before a great and a wise King had said (y) 1 King 8.46 There is no man that sinneth not And I suppose a thing which is not that one Man could be found who in his whole Life-time had committed but one Sin yet saith the same Apostle (z) Jam. 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all So then Peter was not infallible in the state of Grace and after his Repentance Much less hath any such thing as Infalibility been entailed upon any that were to Succeed him granting that which is not the Popes to be his Successors for there is not the least step thereof in Scripture and Experience teaches with a Witness how Fallible were his pretended Successors Before Men can well Dispute about a thing the Question must be Stated so before we come to Discuss this Matter of Infallibility let them first agree among themselves where to Lodge it which hitherto they could not for some would have it to be in the Council others in the Pope and others in both Pope and Council together The Council of Constance which was held in 1414. Decreed the Council to be above the Pope which is also a Lash against his Supremacy but in Italy this is accounted an Heretical Doctrine But why to talk of Infallibility a thing not be found in the World To Lodge it in any Man is to make a Contradiction and Nonsense for no meer Man was ever Infallible Hence it is that Scripture mentions flaws and failings in the best and most Holy Men to begin from Adam whose Fall Mankind hath cause to Remember Noah Abraham Lot Isaac Joseph Moses Job David Solomon Jonah Elijah that zealous Servant of God of whom James saith he was subject to the like passions as we are Jeremiah Peter Paul Barnabas In few Words Human Nature is attended with such frailties as render any Man subject to error and mistakes How then can Peter or his pretended Successors even in Cathedra as they term it claim an Infallibility By Vertue of what Priviledge and whereupon grounded Now let there be a Council of Men and every one fallible how then can the Council be Infallible Can the number of Men alter Human Nature when sometimes as many Men as many Minds Doth not experience shew how grossly Councils have Erred We find them one set against another The first of Nice condemned the Arrian Heresy which that of Arimini approved of Yet tho' Men and Councils have Erred we own there is an Infallible Rule which if they follow they shall not Err but not the Persons but the Rule is Infallible because it is the Word of an Infallible God Now these immediate Inspirations of the Holy Ghost are not necessary ast hey were at first when the Gospel of Christ was Published by the Ministry of Men for then Men were to be convinced who it came from and was approved by Heaven but now it is setled and hath been confirmed by so many Signs Wonders and Miracles and by the effectual and immediate working of the Holy Ghost we need it no more to demonstrate that truth which hath so often been proved only we are to follow that Rule which Christ and his Apostles have left us wherein he himself speaks as from Heaven If then Councils be Fallible why shall not those Men whom they consist of be so too Which reason is by woful experience confirmed in the persons of Popes in whom others would Lodge the imaginary Infallibility of the Romish Church among whom their own Authors as Platina Baronius and others own to have been Sorcerers Blasphemers Whoremongers Incestuous Sodomites Profane Blood-thirsty and the most abominable Wretches