An answer, to a little book call'd Protestancy to be embrac'd or, A new and infallible method to reduce Romanists from popery to Protestancy

SECT. II. 'Tis an Article of Faith, that Ge∣neral approv'd Councils are Infallible.

AN Article of Faith saies our Adversary must either be clearly contained in Scripture, or defin'd by some General Council. But that the Decisions of General Conneils, are Infallible, is neither clearly contained in Scripture, nor defin'd by a General Council.

Therefore 'tis not an Act of Faith, sayes he, that the Decisions of General Councils are Infalli∣ble. He demands in what Book, Chapter, and Verse of Scripture, or in what General Council this Article is contained?

Answer. First, either he Argues out of Protestant or Catholick Principles: If out of Protestant Prin∣ciples, then he added ill the second part of his dis∣junctive, since 'tis of no weight with them▪ If out of Catholick Principles, he oversaw himself in bringing the first part of his disjunctive, because, 'tis deny'd by Catholicks. For we deny that it is re∣quir'd

that an Act of Faith be clearly set down in Scripture, nay, that all our Articles be con∣tain'd there, or in General Councils, either, since these two are not our adequat and total Rule of Faith, but are compleated in the being of our Rule by Apostolical Tradition, which enters in, and assures us with equal Authority. Wherefore I first deny the Major, which failing the whole Argument concludes nothing.

2. Giving, not granting the Major, I deny the Minor, and say, that Article of Faith is clearly con∣tained in the same Scriptures, in which its clearly contained according to Protestants, that their Ge∣neral Synods do not Err in the Decision of Con∣troversies arising among them; for if, as they think, it is elearly proven by those passages, that their Sy∣nods do not Err, because they are directed by the Holy Ghost, I say, its clearly proven by the same, that our General Councils cannot Err, because they are directed by the Holy Ghost, a possibiliiy of Erring being as repugnant to the Holy Ghost as an Actual Error.

And by this their acknowledging that their Gene∣ral Synod may Err, tho it does not Err, they discard their Synod of Authority, and disown them∣selves to be that Body of Pastors which CHRIST conserv's in his Church, that hearing them, we may not waver like Children, and be carried away with every Wind of Doctrine, Ephes. 4. v. 11. and 14. For if I believe the Body of my Teachers to be fal∣lible, I fear and waver in my believe of what they have said and taught me. For possibili posito in actu nullum sequitur impossibile. There's no im∣possibility or absurdity if that which is possible be brought to an Actual Being; and so CHRIST would be disappointed in the aim he had, when,

Ephes. 4. He made some Pastors in his Church, that we might not waver.

3. I prove our assertion thus: 'Tis an Article of Faith, to believe the Mystery of the most Blessed Trinity, because its clearly set down in Scripture (ac∣cording to Protestants,) as all other things neces∣sary to Salvation. But that a General approved Council, or the teaching Church is Infallible, is as clearly set down in Scripture, as appears by many passages of the same, for, Math. 18. v. 17. God sends us to the Church for instruction, and threatens us there with Damnation, or the punishment of an Ethnick, if we do not harken to Her, and con∣sequently tells us, that she is Infallible, for his Goodness woul dnot oblidge me under pain of Damnation to hear a Church which might lead me wrong.

Who hears you, hears me, saies CHRIST, to his Disciples going to preach. Luc. 10. but who hears CHRIST is infallibly sure to be well in∣structed, then also he is infallibly sure, who is in∣structed by the Church.

St. Paul saies, that Christ made some Pastors, (as I said above) Ephes. 4. v. 1. Why? That now we be not Children wavering and carried about with every wind of Doctrine.

Hence we inferr, that they are Infallible in what they teach us in matter of Faith, for if I thought them fallible, I might still waver, which would make void the aim of CHRIST in giving us those Pastors and Teachers, that we might not waver, Then 'tis an Article of Faith to believe that a Ge∣neral approv'd Council, or the Teaching Church is Infallible. If our Adversary still deny this; I de∣sire him to quote to me as clear passages out of Scripture, to prove the most Blessed Trinity, as I

have brought for the Infallibility of a General Coun∣cil, or the Teaching Church: And since I am confident he cannot; he has as much Reason to be∣lieve the Infallibility of the Church as an Article of Faith, as he has to believe the Mystery of the most B. Trinity to be one.