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.

SECT. II.

1. I Have proved positive∣ly, and I think to per∣swasion, if preoccupation be laid aside, the undeniable truth of my first Principle, that Protestants may be sa∣ved: For the Readers intire satisfaction, I shall make out the same in a Negative way, by showing to all not will∣fully blind, there can be no let or hinderance to their Salvation; what-ever Ro∣manists can instance as incon∣sistent

with their attaining to eternal happiness, may be re∣duc'd either to Schism or He∣resie, and that either jointly or severally: After an im∣partial scrutiny of their best grounds of such foul aspersi∣ons, 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 Schis∣maticks: All generally con∣fess 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 Dis∣cipline, 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 no∣velties never heard of in these Primitive times, such are in invocation of Saints, adora∣tion of the consecrated Wa∣fer, Image-worship, Popes Supremacy, &c. So if they stand to the same Fundamen∣tals with the Church in her purest age, 'tis certain they have added thereunto, and are guilty of divers Super∣structures which the Prote∣stants

were never, and can∣not be accus'd of: But 'tis not so much my design in this place to charge Romanists, as to justifie Protestants, and those who embrace Prote∣stancy.

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 Univer∣sal Church.

2. As it now stands, 'tis not our rule, but that undoubted of Christian Church in the Primitive times without spot or ble∣mish.

3. This aspersion of Schism smites rather themselves; For those only we call Schis∣maticks who are guilty of division and breach of unity, by doing that which is the true cause thereof: That the meanest capacities may un∣derstand 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 under∣stood: The Protestants and Romanists were once two united bodies in the pure age of the Church, in these hap∣py times when Superstition had not as yet gain'd a foot of ground amongst Christi∣ans, 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, 'tis evi∣dently 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 to∣gether and joyn them close again: Since then they gave a just occasion, yea, and are the true causes of this separa∣tion, they are the Separa∣tists and true Schismaticks, not we.

5. As for Heresie let Ro∣manists say what they please, it can't with the least appear∣ance of truth be laid to our charge: He is not guilty of that crime, who defends ob∣stinately any opinion what∣somever, else all School-men

and Divines standing stifly to their own fancys in Do∣ctrinal points, would be reck∣on'd Hereticks: Such be those only who deny flatly and with obstinacy Divine Truths or Articles of Faith, which cannot be impos'd up∣on Protestants without inju∣stice, ignorance, and calum∣ny.

6. They deny indeed Ge∣neral Councils to be infallible in their decisions, but their infallibility is no Article of Faith, else Austin was a He∣retick; asserting,

General Councils gathered out of all the Christian World, are often corrected, the former by the latter;

* 1.1 cor∣rection

of a Council un∣doubtedly supposeth a pre∣cedent 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 Bi∣shop.

Neither ought I to instance the Council of Nice, nor thou the Council of Arimene, to take advan∣tage thereby, for neither I am bound by the authority of this nor thou of that; set matter with matter, cause with cause, reason with rea∣son, try the matter by the authority of Divine Scrip∣tures.

* 1.2

7. An Article of Faith must either be clearly contain'd in Scripture, or according to the Romanists, declared ex∣presly by some of their Ge∣neral Councils: But that Ge∣neral Councils are infallible in their Decisions, is neither contain'd clearly in Scrip∣tures, let them tell us in what Part, Book, Chapter, Verse, nor is it determin'd in any of the eighteen General Coun∣cils, 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 rea∣son, to try the matter by the authority of Divine Scrip∣tures.

8. The general Councils are so far from pretending to be infallible Judges of con∣troversial Debates,* 1.3 that in a set form of Prayer appoint∣ed 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 Ro∣manists 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 deci∣sions can be holden by Ro∣manists as divine and reveal'd truths, unless they be evi∣dently conformable to God's written Word: Wherefore receive they not the definiti∣ons of a private man as re∣veal'd Oracles? the reason is, because they know he is falli∣ble 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 deci∣sions as Articles of Divine Faith: Who then rejects as Protestants do Transubstan∣tiation, 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 notorious∣ly calumniated, when on this account we are called by Papists obstinate in error and Hereticks.

10. But how sayes the Ro∣manist? shall we resolve our

doubts in matters of Faith, if we acknowledge not the de∣finitions of General Councils as divine and infallible Ora∣cles? 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 corrup∣ted in material points, nor e∣ver 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 un∣derstanding, resolve your scruples, give repose to your

conscience, and as great in∣sight 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 de∣cided by a lawful general Council, is to them an Arti∣cle of Faith, a reveal'd truth, a divine Oracle, but such Councils they hold none to be, unless the Members there∣of have been really baptiz'd, which they can never be cer∣tain of, because this depends on the uncertain intentions of those who Baptiz'd them: For they generally teach be∣sides 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, be∣cause perhaps the Bishop who ordain'd them, had no such intention when he pronoun∣ced the set form of ordinati∣on: 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 re∣lating

to that ptetended in∣fallible 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 Ene∣mies, though it may fall out she be not always visible in any Assembly or Congre∣gation: As it happen'd to the Primitive Church at Je∣rusalem, when all her Mem∣bers were scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judaea and Samaria;* 1.4 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 a∣lone, not knowing where th' other seaven thousand true Worshippers of God were; as it happen'd during the Persecution of the Ro∣man Emperors, and lately before the General Reforma∣tion of the Christian World, yet the Gates of Hell pre∣vail'd not against the Church because she was ever existent, though not visible as now to the World: Her Meetings and Assemblys being of neces∣sity 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 es∣pecial Providence over her Children, never suffering

them all to fail and err, but still stirring up some or seve∣ral in opposition to Supersti∣tion, Idolatry and Errors.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tom. 6. l. 2. con. Donat.
• * 1.2

  Anst. con. Maxim. l. 3. c. 4.
• * 1.3

  De ordin. Cele. con.
• * 1.4

  Acts 8.1.