7. Because such Councels, commonly attribute to themselves, infallibility; and so, set themselves up, as a peremptory rule,
by which the whole Church, must walk, and none must pre∣sume
to say to them curita facitis? why do ye so? though
they do never so ill. They say, they cannot be judged, by any
other Christians, because they are subject to none, but all
other Christians are subject to them, and are to be judged
by them: They say, they may pronounce all other Schis∣maticks,
and Hereticks, but no body must pronounce them
so, though they be so. And after they have once drunk
of this cup of abomination, what hope can there be, that any
thing hereafter, should be done right among them?
8. And lastly, because after so many Councels, things have not
been the better, but the worse in the Church, through their
means: for it is not dead laws and orders, wrtten by men,
will do the true Church any good; but the living law
of God, written in their hearts, by the Spirit, as God
hath promised to do, saying, I will write my law in their
hearts, and put in it their inward parts. For as the law of sin
hath been written in our natures, to corrupt us; so the law
of the Spirit of life, must be written also in our natures to
reform us. Wherefore, after all their Decrees, Laws, Rules,
Orders &c. the Church commonly hath been so far from be∣ing
bettered, that it hath become more ignorant of the Word,
superstitious formal, prophane then before.
All these things being seriously considered, the Church may
very well want Councels.
Now if any shall say, Yea, but had not the Church a Councel in
the Apostles times, as we see Act. 15? and did not they order and
decree matters in the Church?
I answer, the Church had a Councel then, but far differing from
the Councels now adaies; for,
1. That Councel was not called, nor packed together by secular
power, but freely met together, by the general consent o•• the
Church of the faithful: For by the Believers at Antioch, it
was agreed, that Paul and Barnabas should go to the Apostles
and Elders at Jerusalem, about the matters in controversie.
2. This Councel did not consist only of the Apostles and Elders,
but of the brethren also, and whole Church; and the