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 whatâ—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 Româ— 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
Acts of Worship as Prayers Sacraments Hearing the word c. are performed by us as Members of the Catholic Church And therefore we are obliged to Communicate in these Duties not only with our own National Church but also if our occasions do call us abroad with any other Church in the world Provided that we may do it upon Catholic Terms and Conditions These things premised we are now prepared to Determine How far the Catholic Church spread over the face of the whole world is in Communion with the Bishop of Rome Which will easily be decided by observing That there is a Twofold Communion 1. Of Co-ordination or Friendship 2. Subordination or Subjection As to the former we may safely affirm All the Churches in the world are thus far in Communion with the Bishop of Rome That they may own him for a Christian Bishop as acknowledging the Church of Rome to be a true Church though indeed a very corrupt Church And if they do not Communicate further with him it is his own fault But this it it seems will not satisfie this Missioner Who most vainly fancy 's that there is no Communion without Subjection And that no Church can be in Communion with the Church of Rome without submitting to her Authority When therefore it is affirmed That the Catholic Church is thus Subject to the Bishop of Rome If this Missioner pleads That de facto all other Churches are actually thus Subject we then deny it for the greater part of Christendom doth protest against the Errors and oppose the Usurpations of the Bishop of Rome But if he contends that de jure they ought so to be and that this Subjection is their Duty then let him prove it What I have now said is sufficient to convince this Missioner of his mistaken Notion of the Church of Rome Which if he thinks fit to Defend he must then prove 1. That the Church of Rome is the Catholic Church i.e. He must convince us Either 1. That she is the whole Church and that there is no other Church besides her or else 2. That she is the only true and Orthodox Church 2. That the Bishop of Rome is the Supream Pastor of the Church of Christ Which when he hath proved I shall then grant him 3. That the Catholic Church spread over the face of the whole world is in Communion with i. e. is Subject to the Bishop of Rome And here should I now hold my Pen and proceed no further in my Reflections I have given this Missioner work enough But if he will be so modest as to confess his mistake I 'le help him to a better Definition of the Church of Rome and less liable to exception By the Roman Church we do not understand the particular Diocess of Rome but we understand that vastly extended Community of Christians which hold Communion with the Church of Rome submitting themselves to the Bishop of Rome as to their Head so that whatsoever he Decrees with a General Council they embrace as the Definition of the true Church which they hold Infallible Question of Questions Sect. 17. p. 373. Had this Missioner been so prudent as to have consulted this Author whom he was pleased to recommend for the Plain-mans Satisfaction we might then make short work on 't and without further diversion might have proceeded to the Second Inquiry viz. 2. What is meant by Infallible Which he thus explains By the word Infallibility we do not mean only Indefectibility and Duration but an unerring Direction in necessary points of Faith. So that when we say the Church of Rome is infallible we mean that Almighty God hath given an Authoritative Power to the Church of Rome to declare in case of Differences which is the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. So that in case of Differences about the sense of Scripture or any divinely revealed Truths the Church of Rome is to decide the Difference and end the Controversie And to perform this we say she is assisted by the Spirit of Almighty God who as he hath ordained her for our Direction so he secures her from erring whilst she Directs Which assistance we call Infallibility Missioners Answer p. 10. This he endeavours to confirm by inquiring Thirdly 3. From whence had she the Church of Rome this Authority of unerring Guidance p. 11. To which he gives us this Answer You must not think that the Church of Rome has this power from her self for we know that all men may fail All Communities and Assemblies are subject to error and mistakes where then is the Infallibility of Oral Tradition But she has it from God himself who is faitful and true to his Promises Ibid. But 4. How doth it appear that the Church of Rome is thus Infallible and that God hath made her these Promises of unerring Guidance Ibid. This he tells us is evident from the plain Testimonies of Holy Scripture both Old and New Testament Ibid. Thus far I do readily Subscribe That if the Church of Rome is Infallible She must have this Priviledg from God himself And if there is such a Promise of unerring Guidance it must be found in the Holy Scriptures Let it therefore appear from those Sacred Writings that God hath promised such an unerring Guidance to the Church of Rome and I shall then Dispute no further but submit to her Direction Now to prove this Infallibility this Missioner hath cited Twenty Places of Scripture which the Question of Questions tells him are in the Bible But how little they are to his purpose I do thus endeavour to convince him by examining them in their order His First Text is that noted Place Deut. 17. 8. c. From whence the Argument is this The Jewish Church was Infallible Therefore The Church of Rome is Infallible To which I thus Answer Both Propositions Antecedent and Consequent are false And First it doth not appear from this Place of Scripture nor indeed from any other That the Jewish Church was Infallible From what Circumstance in this Text will the Missioner infer such a Conclusion Was it 1. Because in that Church there was a Supream Court of Judicature from whence there was no Appeal Or 2. Because the Priests the Levites and the Judg were to give Sentence Or 3. Was it because the contemner of this Sentence was to be put to Death Now if these Passages do prove Infallibility there was 〈◊〉 Infallibility in the State as well as in the Church in the Judg the Civil Magistrate no less then the Priest and â—n every Inferior Priest as well as the High Priest But I need not insist on these Suggestions since there is no arguing against matter of Fact. If therefore it doth appear in any instance That the Jewish Church or the Roman hath actually erred 't is too late to pretend that she is Infallible To convince him that she hath erred I Demand of this Missioner The Sentence of the Sanhedrim whereby
our Blessed Saviour was condemned as a Blasphemer was it a just and Legal Sentence or was it not If not Then the Jewish Church which pronounced it was not Infallible And consequently this Argument so triumphantly repeated is utterly lost But if this Missioner dares pretend That the Sentence of the Sanhedrim was a Legal Sentence and that the Holy Jesus was justly condemn'd as a Blasphemer let him take heed least contending for Infallibility he forfeits his Christianity However for Arguments sake suppose it were granted That the Jewish Church was Infallible Must it thence be inferr'd That the Christian Church hath the same Priviledg Yes doubtless think 's this Missioner For to her hath been given a Covenant with better Promises True But was Infallibility any of those Promises This ought not be supposed but proved But now let it be further granted That the Christian Church is Infallible What 's this to the Church of Rome Is there no other Church besides the Roman Or Is she only the true Church of Christ Let the Missioner prove this And I shall most willingly hear him Missioners Answer p. 15. Secondly He fills up his Pages with several other Places out of the Old Testament Which I shall only transcribe and then it will sufficiently appear they are nothing to his purpose He tells us The Church shall be like a Mountain upon the top of Mountains Isa 22. Like a Tabernacle seated in the Sun Ps 18. 4. That all Nations shall flow unto her That Kings shall be her Nursing Fathers and Queens her Nursing Mothers Isa 49. 23. That all the ends of the Earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the Kindred of the Nations shall worship before him Psal 22. 27. Besides these plain Prophecies which speak not one word of the Infallibility of the Church of Rome but only shew the Visibility Universality and Durance of the Christian Church which are not now the Dispute and therefore shall be consider'd when occasion is offered I say besides these we are told that in this House of the God of Jacob he himself will teach us his ways and will judg amongst the Nations Isa 2. 3 4. And then certainly we shall neither be taught an Error nor have a wrong Sentence Missioners Answer p. 12 13. That 's granted God will certainly teach us Truth And we shall never err Provided that we follow his Instructions Now all extraordinary ways being ceased the Divine wisdom ordinarily doth instruct us only by the Scriptures Which as St. Peter hath admonished us are a more sure word of Prophecy then a voice from Heaven Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. These Holy Scriptures are the good old way By walking in which the way-faring men though fools shall not err Isa 35. 8. Missioners Answer p. 12 21 22. For the Testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisdom unto the simple Psal 19 7. But now if the Church of Rome for instance shall leave this good old way of Truth to wander in By-paths of her own If she shall neglect vilify and forsake the Holy Scriptures to follow her own blind Traditions 'T is not her confidence that she is in the Right that can keep her out of the Ditch or secure her from falling He tells us moreover That God will not be wroth with his Church neither shall his kindness depart from her nor the Covenant of his peace be removed That all her Children shall be taught of the Lord That she shall be established in righteousness That whosoever shall gather together against her shall fall for her sake And that every Tongue that shall rise against her in judgment shall be condemned by her This is the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord Isa 54. Furthermore he tells us that God hath made a Covenant with his Church That his Spirit shall be upon her and his words which he hath put into her mouth shall not depart out of her mouth nor out of the mouth of her seed nor out of the mouth of her seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Isa 59. 20 21. You see here a promise to the Church in all Ages that she shall speak the very words which God shall put into her mouth and therefore no Errors pag. 13. To all this flourish I briefly Reply in the words of Mr. Chillingworth If the Church of Rome be Zion and they that turn from iniquity in Jacob they may have Title to this Covenant If not They must forbear and leave it to the Jews after their Conversion To whom it is appropriated by a more Infallible Interpreter than the Pope I mean St. Paul Rom. 11. 26. And it seems the Church of Rome also believes as much For otherwise why does she in the Margent of her Bible send us to that place of St. Paul for an Exposition Addit Discourses p. 36. Out of the New Testament he hath cited several Texts which I shall set down in their order with short remarks upon them Math. 16. 18. Vpon this Rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it pag. 13. This Text hath been so often and so fully Answer'd that I admire the confidence of this Missioner who at this time can pretend to urge it In short This Text is a Promise of the Perpetuity of the Catholick Church But not of the Infallibility no nor the Perpetuity of the Roman Church Matth 28. 20. And I am with you alway even unto the end of the World. Amen What You only You of the Church of Rome Are there no other Pastors and Teachers besides You in the Church of Christ But doth Presencâ— signify Infallibility Hath he not promised Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matth 18. 20. And are all such Assemblies Infallible John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever V. 17. even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive V. 26. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Ch. 16. V. 13. When he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall be speak and he will shew you things to come What hath the Church of Rome to do with these Scriptures Did the Church of Rome ever hear the Sermons and Discourses of our Blessed Saviour If not How can they be brought to her Remembrance Is it not therefore evident from several Passages in both those Chapters that these Promises do belong only to the Apostles who personally conversed with our Saviour As being made to those To whom he had many more things to say
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 coâ—â—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 inâ—â—â—â—â—… 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.