form of Prayer appointed to be said after every Council they pray that God would spare their ignorance and pardon their errors and if they curse and anathematize such as reject their decisions this argues not they arrogate to themselves any infallibility in deciding for the same is the practice of Provincial and Particular Councils who neither pretend to be nor are look'd upon by the Romanists as infallible Judges 9. This undeniable truth is of greater moment than perhaps it appears to be of at first For if the General Councils be not infallible when they decide in matters of Faith none of their decisions can be holden by Romanists as divine and reveal'd truths unless they be evidently conformable to God's written Word Wherefore receive they not the definitions of a private man as reveal'd Oracles the reason is because they know he is fallible and lyable to error Now the same being the condition and fate of General Councils they must of necessity confess they impose no obligation upon us to believe their decisions as Articles of Divine Faith Who then rejects as Protestants do Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints Image-worship Power of Popes to depose Princes Prayer for the dead and all other points we yield not to the Romanists deny's only what is asserted by errable Councils and consequently no Articles of Divine Faith we are therefore notoriously calumniated when on this account we are called by Papists obstinate in error and Hereticks 10. But how sayes the Romanist shall we resolve our doubts in matters of Faith if we acknowledge not the definitions of General Councils as divine and infallible Oracles You was told before by S. Austin how to behave in this case I repeat his words set matter with matter sayes he cause with cause reason with reason try the matter by the authority of Divine Scriptures never yet corrupted in material points nor ever shall by Gods especial and necessary Providence over his Church if then you read his Infallible Word with true humility and a sincere desire of your own spiritual profit he will open your understanding resolve your scruples give repose to your conscience and as great insight in his Word as he knows to be convenient for your spiritual interest 11. This method is better and securer than that of the Romanists what-ever is decided by a lawful general Council is to them an Article of Faith a reveal'd truth a divine Oracle but such Councils they hold none to be unless the Members thereof have been really baptiz'd which they can never be certain of because this depends on the uncertain intentions of those who Baptiz'd them For they generally teach besides the pronunciation of the words I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father c. The Ministers intention to confer the Sacrament is absolutely necessary so if it be wanting as easily it may the Child is not Baptiz'd On the same account they are not certain if their Popes be Priests because perhaps the Bishop who ordain'd them had no such intention when he pronounced the set form of ordination Of this I shall say a word again in another place 12. But if the general Councils be not infallible what mean the Scriptures by asserting The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church the Church is the pillar and ground of truth To this I answer There is nothing here as is evident relating to that ptetended infallible decisive faculty of General Councils The first Proposition signifieth only the true Church shall have an existency and being to the end of the World maugre the opposition of Tyrants Persecutors and all her Enemies though it may fall out she be not always visible in any Assembly or Congregation As it happen'd to the Primitive Church at Jerusalem when all her Members were scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judaea and Samaria as it happen'd when Christ was smitten and all the rest were hid as it happen'd in Elias his time who thought he was left alone not knowing where th' other seaven thousand true Worshippers of God were as it happen'd during the Persecution of the Roman Emperors and lately before the General Reformation of the Christian World yet the Gates of Hell prevail'd not against the Church because she was ever existent though not visible as now to the World Her Meetings and Assemblys being of necessity in that juncture of affairs very secret and unknown to her Enemies She is said to be the pillar and ground of truth by reason of Gods especial Providence over her Children never suffering them all to fail and err but still stirring up some or several in opposition to Superstition Idolatry and Errors ARTICLE II. PRINCIPLE II. That Protestants may be saved more easily and with greater security than Romanists I Hope the foregoing Discourse will be an occasion of moderation to the most severe Romanists who reflecting impartially on their former mistakes rash Judgments and preoccupated opinions will convert their former zeal or rather fury against Protestants into Brotherly Love and Charity I say more if they will be at the pains to consider a moment or two and seriously the Contents of this second Article they shall I doubt not let go the uncertain take what is surest and embrace Protestancy as the easiest and safest way to our Eternal Happiness since by the grace of God it wants these lets and impediments to be met with in the Profession of Popery To run over some of them with order and method we shall take notice 1. Of their Faith and Doctrine 2. Of their Divine Worship and Ecclesiastical Discipline SECT I. Their Faith and Doctrine 1. THeir Faith is so blind that I have heard many of them say if a General Council had defin'd white to be black they would believe it whereby you see they are disposed to admit of any error if it be authoriz'd by a General Council though the infallibility thereof be no point of their Faith as I have proved evidently in the foregoing Article 2. They believe Baptism absolutely necessary to Salvation and none a true and real one if the Minister when he pronounceth the words intends not to Baptize which no doubt happens frequently since his intention may be easily diverted to his other designs and affairs Let all the World judge if people thus principled can enjoy a true repose of mind or peace of Conscience the only foretast we have in this life of that to come For how can they know assuredly whether the Minister or Priest really intended to Baptize them or not and so they may doubt if they be Christians for such they grant none is to be accounted without true Baptism and of this they can have no certainty because they are still uncertain of the Ministers intention judg'd by them so necessary to the validity of this Sacrament that if he intended only the meer pronounciation of the words I Baptize thee in the name of the Father c. The Baptism could be
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 LONDON Printed for the Author by Thomas Hodgkin 1682. TO THE Right Reverend Father in God HENRY LORD BISHOP of London Dean of His Majesties Chappel and one of His most Honourable Privy Council My Lord I Was once fully resolved to side first openly with the Protestant Church and then to inform the Publick of the true motives of my Conversion from Popery to Protestancy but upon second thoughts ad obstruendum os loquentium iniqua to stop the mouths of such as could misconstrue my intentions I judg'd it necessary to prevent the reflections of some and surprisal of others I acknowledge my self in this Conjuncture Accountable by duty to two sorts of persons 1. To the Jesuites my former Brethren 2. To the Roman Catholicks of my familiar acquaintance I was looked upon by those as being able to serve them at home as I had not been useless to them abroad and by these as a zealous Defender of Popery If I can but allay the first heats of both and hinder a sudden rise of anger and passion I may hope by this peaceable method to conquer irresistibly their understandings yea if pre-occupation stand not betwixt them and the truth strike at their hearts and change their wills My Thoughts my Lord were not long at a stand under whose Patronage this short Treatise should face the Publick it being chiefly intended for the Conservation of the Protestant Religion and Conversion of His Majesties Subjects from Superstition and Popery I was of opinion you could claim a peculiar right to it not only on the account of your Character and Dignity but particularly because of that Apostolick zeal you are inflam'd withall for your Flocks spiritual Concerns and Proficiency whereby you are powerfully moved to accept of and defend whatever may prove instrumental to the increase of true Virtue and Christian Piety I confess ingenuously your Deep Knowledge makes me somewhat apprehensive of your Censure but your eminent Virtue puts me in hopes again you will easily pardon whatever you shall find defective in this method or not answerable to your own Accuracy Yet I have call'd it and hope it shall prove such infallible for two Reasons 1. Because taken wholly it amounts to a clear and forcible Demonstration though perhaps each Argument it contains will not prove a full Conviction to every obstinate Romanist 2. Because it relies on Self-evident Principles and overthrows the most material Obstacles to the Conversion of Romanists I mean their preoccupated Opinions and groundless Fancies That Protestants are all Reprobates Schismaticks Hereticks and such as retreat from Popery to Protestancy Apostates but however this method prove otherwise infallible which the event must determine one thing I may confidently ascertain it will shew infallibly to Posterity with what respect I am MY LORD Your most Humble And Obedient Servant David Abercromby The most material Contents of this Book I. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY II. The Authors former Life and the occasion of his Conversion Page 1 III. That Protestants may be saved Page 19 Grounded 1. On their Allegiance to all their respective Superiours Page 21 2. On Gods general providence and care to illuminate all men for attaining the end he created them for Page 25 3. On their high sentiments of Gods mercies and Christs merits Page 27 4. On their living and lively faith Page 28 5. On their belief of all Fundamentals and Acts of true divine Love Page 30 6. On the Nature and Doctrine of a probable Opinion received by Romanists Page 33 7. On this undeniable Truth That they are neither Schismaticks nor Hereticks but true Members of the Vniversal Church Page 44 IV. That Protestants may be saved more easily and with greater security than Romanists grounded on their not admittance of these obstacles that are infallibly to be met with in the Profession of Romanism Page 62 Such be 1. Their rash and implicite Faith Page 64 2. Their endless Scruples caus'd by their doctrine relating to Baptism Page 65 3. Their less apprehension of Hell by their relying on Purgatory and of mortal sin by that dangerous Opinion of theirs That all sins deserve not eternal punishment Page 70 4. Their neglect and not reading of Divine Scriptures Page 71 5. Their Prayers in an unknown Tongue Page 75 6. Their Doctrine of Transubstantiation Page 76 7. Their Invocation of the Virgin Mary and other Saints Page 95 8. Their Image-worship Wafer-worship Relick-worship c. Page 97 9. Their renouncing Sense and Reason in favor of their Romish decisions Page 106 10. Their multiplied Fasts and Abstinency under pain of mortal sin Page 107 11. Their forbidding Ecclesiasticks to marry Page 110 12. Their insnaring Vows of Chastity Poverty Obedience and of more than God has commanded them to do Page 112 IV. Conclusions flowing from the Principles establish'd in the first two Articles Page 129 V. Charitable Advice to all His Majesties Subjects of ihe Romish Persuasion Page 145 Protestancy To be embrac'd OR An Infallible Method to reduce Romanists From Popery to Protestancy 1. THis little Treatise will be a Subject of great amazement to all such as have known my former Life and Conversation whereof courteous and curious Reader take this accurate short and true account 2. I was bred up in my greener years at Doway and in a short time became so good a Proficient in the mysteries of Popery that I enter'd the Order of Jesuits in France at my first instance I lived amongst them full eighteen years and more and I may say without vanity in some esteem and repute of a Scholar being judg'd after a solemn examen capable to teach Divinity and Philosophy in the most renown'd Universities of Europe which is the Jesuits way of Gâ—aduating their own men in Divinity I taught in France Grammar in Lorrain Mathematicks and Philosophy and being graduate in Physick I practis'd it not unhappily and intend to practise it hereafter with certain hopes God willing of the same good success 3. All this while I studied more to the endowment of the intellective faculty by humane Sciences than to perfect my will by solid Vertues and Piety To which I thought the School-divinity as taught by Romanists was not a small hinderance The speculative part thereof being apter to beget doubts of the truth of Christianism than to clear those that men may and do sometimes frame to themselves 4. Take for instance they call in question and dispute if the Incarnation of God was possible or not if God can lye or speak a falshood if it be within the reach of his Omnipotency to condemn an Innocent soul to the pains of everlasting flames if his actual existency can be clearly proved
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
Jesuits their first vows 't is but with their Lips and not from their Heart They may sin I confess by this dissimulation though I am perswaded their Crime is none of the greatest because of the juncture and necessity of their affairs but however this Sin communicates no validity to their vow which subsists not in reality without an intire liberty freedom and inward consent because of the heavy and insupportable Yoke it lays on their Necks which in this case they may shake off at the first opportunity and follow that sort of Life they shall find most convenient for their Spiritual concerns and good of their Souls 11. I wonder'd often upon what grounds the Romanists call these three vows of Chastity Poverty and Obedience to their Superiors Evangelical Counsels because I had never read in the Gospel that Christ exhorted ever any to tye themselves to his service by solemn vows He counselled I confess a young man to sell all he had and give it to the Poor but not to make a vow to do so Neither could I ever be perswaded nor any rational man ever will that 't is a higher degree of perfection to vow for instance Chastity than to live in Continency without such a tye and obligation 12. This is nevertheless the Doctrine of the most learned Romanists And if I remember well of their chief Divine Thomas Aquinas but as they commonly say in Sorbon Amicus Aristoteles amicus Divus Thomas sed magis amica veritas no man's authority is to be admitted of against the truth which undoubtedly sides not with them in this conjuncture because their assertion is intirely grounded on this weak and illusory reason that he who vows Continency sacrificeth to God the thing men make most account of that precious liberty they think preferable to all the Riches of the World which he that lives chast without such a tye does not 13. This I say is a meer falshood and a flat illusion for though I vow I keep intirely my former liberty True 't is I can't break this promise and vow made to God if it be a real one without committing a sin but this puts me in a worse condition than I was in before For now if I fall I commit two Sins one against my Vow and another against the vertue of Continency whereas before I vowed I could be guilty but of one I think then the state of highest perfection is that which removeth us farthest from sin and the occasions thereof which certainly vows do not but ensnaring men rather because of their great weakness and frailty expose them to both by that perverse though inbred inclination of theirs to whatever is forbidden them for nothing more true than nitimur in vetitum semper c. 14. This engageth me here to the defence of an Assertion which will be looked upon as a Paradox by the Romanists yet if reflected on without preoccupation is a clear simple and undenyable truth They dry up all the veins of their Eloquence in extolling a Religious Life as they call it they say it is most perfect happy blessed and what not read Jerome Platus on this Subject and you shall find him as whimsical in his notions of this imaginary happiness as Plato was in his abstract Idea's 15. I can prove to perswasion there is no way of serving God more dangerous and wherein you shall meet with greater obstacles to your spiritual progress and eternal happiness than in these pretended Religious Orders as they now stand of the Romish Church my reason is clear and runs thus because their yoak is incomparably greater and heavier than that of other Christians since besides the Commands of God and their Church they tye themselves to a numberless number of petty observances and rules which though they confess bind not their conscience yet they teach none of them can scarce ever be transgress'd without sin either ratione scandali by reason of the scandal or ratione contemptus because of the contempt of Authority or on some other account they say as yet something more strange that non progredi regredi est 't is not enough for them to observe the Commands of God and the Church they call that non progredi no progress unless they do more than he has commanded by standing with as great preciseness to their Customs and Rules as if they were an essential part of Gods written Law 15. In what fears then if they have a timorous conscience in what troubles and turmoils and what vexation of spirit they live in for if so few keep Gods Commands as 't is said the Just falls seven times a day what judgment may we frame of them who pretend to do more than he has ordain'd by observing a number innumerable of petty Rules Statutes and frivolous Customs On this account I have heard several amongst them say what I believe to be most true that their yoke was not like to the yoke of Christ sweet and light Jugum suave onus leve but rather exceedingly bitter and most heavy Jugum amarum onus grave 16. In fine I may affirm without deviating from the Truth That these Romish Vows are rather Snares to intrap Souls than true means to their attaining to a higher degree of Glory in Heaven The Devil overcomes some by manifest Temptations and a flat Proposition of Sin but because some others desirous to live after a more perfect manner admit not so easily of his Suggestions he catcheth them by their own inclinations by vowed engagements to the pursuance of a Perfection which through Humane Frailty they shall never reach to so weary to swim always against the water they are forc'd at length to yield to the stream and go downwards which was the Enemies sole aim and main design 17. Out of this foregoing Discourse we may conclude Protestants to be most happy as meeting with none of these forementioned Obstacles to their eternal happiness so long as they follow the Maxims of true Protestancy For First Their Faith is not so blind though submissive enough to Church Authority as to hold for Divine Truths the fanciful Opinions of fallible Men or Decisions of errable Councils The Word of God onely is their Rule to this they are taught to conform their Faith and their Actions Secondly They are not tortur'd and turmoil'd with Doubts if they be Baptiz'd or not because they know the Existency of Baptism to be independant on the Ministers uncertain intentions Thirdly They have no Incitement to Sin by relying on a middle place between Heaven and Hell they hold no Purgatory and so are powerfully deterr'd from offending God through fear of his terrible Justice exercis'd in Hell upon such as die without Repentance Fourthly They reject the dangerous distinction of Venial and Mortal Sin as opening a door to Looseness for though some Sins be more heinous than others yet in this we must confess a perfect equality that they are all offences of an infinite
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