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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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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
her General Councils in which she is secured from Error p. 19. And now why was not this acknowledgment made at the first When the Plain-man desired you to tell him distinctly who is this Infallible Guide why did you not then roundly and boldly Answer I tell you distinctly A General Council is my Infallible Guide Why such shuffling and shifting in so plain a matter Doth not this evidently confirm the Plain-mans suspicion That since your Discourses about this Infallibility are so various and uncertain expressed with such diffidence and caution he can scarce think you believe it your selves Plain-mans Reply p. 8. However at last you have taken the courage to Declare That a General Council is this Living Infallible Judg this unerring Guide The truth of which pretence I do thus briefly examine In St. Mathew's Gospel the Plain-man finds these words And he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye ALL of it Math. 26 27. This Text he observes is controverted betwixt the two Churches and the sense of it Disputed The Church of England in obedience to that last precept of her Lord Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Math. 28. 20. hath thus Determined The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike ART 30. But the Church of Rome in direct opposition to our Lords Command hath thus Decreed in her Councils of Constance and Trent Although our Redeemer hath instituted the Sacrament in his last Supper and hath delivered unto the Apostles in both kinds Yet The Synod hath decreed That it should be received for a Law that the Sacrament be adminstred in one kind And whosoever shall say That by the command of God all the Faithful ought to receive in both kinds Let him be accursed Concil Const Sess 13. Concil Trident. Sess 21. Cap. 2. 3. Can. 1. Now my Plain-man desires to be instructed whether Church is in the right The Church of England which gives the Cup to Lay-people or the Church of Rome which denies it If his Reason might be Judge he is then convinced that the Church of England is Orthodox and holds the truth in this matter For he thinks it very reasonable in the Administration of a Sacrament to observe the Institution of our Blessed Saviour But you Missioners do tell him he must not judg by Reason but must submit to the Authority of an infallible Judge Well! 't is now hoped at last we shall bring the matter to a short issue You have declared 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 you say is a General Council Missioners Answer p. 19. I demand therefore and answer me distinctly Is there any General Council actually now sitting which by its infallible Authority may explain this Text and determine these Controverted Canons of the Councils of Constance and Trent If there is such a Council pray where is it to be found in what part of the world are the Fathers assembled But if there is no such Council Then there is no Living infallible Judg to Determine this Controversie about Half-Communion I am not able to conjecture what you can possibly say to this unless you will be so dull as to repeat your own words viz. That as there is not any General Council actually now sitting to end our Controversies so neither needs there any the Church having so fully expressed her self in the Canons and Definitions of her preceeding Councils and in particular in that of Trent p. 19. I say to urge this would be dull and impertinent For you your self have confessed That these Canons of preceeding Councils are but mere Writings and a mere Writing can be no Judg though indeed it may be a Rule So that these Decrees of former Councils being mere Writings they cannot in case of a Controversie arising about their sense determine themselves and explain their own meaning So that in such a case as this Where there is a Controversie about the Canon of a Council there must be a Living Judg which you say is a General Council Now Sir to make Application Here is a Canon of the Council of Trent Sess 21. Can. 1. That is controverted and the sense of it Disputed I do again beg of you to resolve me Where is this Living Judg this General Council to determine this Canon If there is none Then the evidence of Truth doth constrain me to pronounce That there is no Living Infallible Judg in the present Church of Rome These Things are plain and convincing and admit of no Reply But some men I observe are not to be silenced These Missioners are so trained up even from their Childhood in the habit of wrangling which they call Disputing that they will hold the Conclusion in spight of all Premisses And you Sir for your part will be still saying something though nothing to the purpose For thus you go on You have granted That when there is a Controversie about the Canon of a Council there must then be a living Judg to determine it another Council must be called But say you pray take notice that we have no such Controversie at present All persons are agreed as to what this Church hath defined and the sense of her Canons is not Controverted We see it in her Practice we read it in her Catechisms we hear it from her Pastors c. p. 20 Hold Sir What a hurry of words is here to no purpose How The sense of her Canons not co●●roverted Were I not come to the very end of my Paper I would refresh your 〈◊〉 on both sides I could convince you of your mistake from the great Lateran Council Can. 3. de Hareticis Which hath been the subject of infinite Debate and Controversie I forbear to repeat it at large for a Reason that you know and shall only demand Whether the Deposing Power is the establish'd Doctrine of the Church of Rome or no The Papist Represented P. 1. pag. 47 shall resolve you in these words For the few Authors that are Abettors of this Doctrine there are of his Communion three times the number that publickly disown all such Authority I am not at present concerned to examine How many these few Authors may be Bellarm. adv Barcl de Potest Pap. produceth the Testimony of neer Fourscore for the Popes Temporal Power and almost all of them do plainly own his Power of Deposing Kings But be they more or less 't is sufficient for my purpose That some do affirm what others deny and consequently That this 3d Canon of the Council of Lateran is controverted and the sense of it Disputed I could descend to the Council of Trent And there remind you of Soto Vega and Catharinus Who had large Disputes about the sense of that Council From whence the Historian makes this remark This seemed to put all men out of hope to understand the meaning of the 〈…〉 the principal men that were 〈…〉 in it did not agree pag. 230. 〈◊〉 I must confine my self to this in●●●●●… now before us Where indeed the Question is not de facto whether you deny the Cup to Lay-people For we see it in your Practice we read it in your Catechisms we hear it from your Pastors But the Question is de jure Whether the Church of Rome hath Authority to null and contradict the Institution of our Blessed Saviour And whether in so doing the Church of Rome is not mistaken hath not actually erred and so lost her Infallibility For if in this or any other instance we can prove that she hath actually erred 't is too late to pretend that she is Infallible This is the point wherein my Plain-man desires to be resolved And now where is this living Judg this General Council actually now sitting to determine this Controversie I say actually now sitting for when the Council is dissolved and the Prelates and Fathers are in another world it doth then cease to be a Living Judge To conclude If as you say a General Council is this Infallible Judg this unerring Guide Then since there is no General Council actually now sitting it undeniably follows That there is no living Infallible Judg in the present Church of Rome The Plain-man to the Missioner Sir This Discourse of our Parson against the Infallibility of the Church of Rome seems to me very convincing and therefore I desire your Answer to it FINIS Country Parsons Admonition pag. 15.