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. III. The Infallibility of a General ap∣prov'd Council, proven by some other passages of Scripture, and our Adversary's ex∣plication of them ex∣ploded.

I Ask, in the case of General approv'd Coun∣cils Erring, would not the Gates of Hell prevail against the Church, contrary to CHRISTS promise, Math. 16. v. 18. For all are not Doctors according to St. Paul, 1 Cor. 12. v. 29. The Teach∣able Church is bound to hear the Teaching Church, otherways, how are these bound to teach them, or feed them with Doctrine, (as CHRIST com∣manded the Church, when he said to Peter, Feed my Sheep, Iohn 21. v. 15, 16, 17.) if they are not bound to receive the Food they give them? Now, if they hearken to them; teaching by their fallibi∣lity Erronious Doctrine, the Blind leads the Blind, and so both fall in the Ditch, Math. 15. v. 14. or runs Headlong to Hell. And does not thus, Hell prevail against them?

And what an Interpretation (The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it,) is this of our Adver∣sary. That the Church of CHRIST will remain, altho' Invisible, notwithstanding the Persecution of Tyrants, as in the primitive Church after the Death of CHRIST.

1. Who saies the primitive Church after the Death of CHRIST was Invisible? Did not the Faith∣full then know one another, and where to find a Pastor for instruction, or the receiving of a Sacra∣ment in necessity? And did not the chief Pastors expose themselves, and so became Martyrs the first thirty three all one after another?

2. If it be an Errable Church, Visible or Invi∣sible, 'tis as good as no Church to Christians; for what I have said, and shall say hereafter.

If a particular Church, or Parish, Pastor, and People, should be all the Week dispers'd here and there about their business, would they be said to be an Invisible Church, all the Week, and onely Visible when they meet on Sunday? Is it not e∣nough that they can find one another on Week dayes in a necessity?

But truly 'tis not enough to make a true Church Visible or Invisible, if they have not among them true Doctrine, as might full out in Protestants sup∣position of the Churches fallibility.

To show we can't prove the Infallibility of the Church, from St. Pauls saying, the Church is the Pilla rand Ground of Truth. 1 Timot. 3. v. 15. He explains that passage, thus. The Church is the Pillar of Truth, saies he, because the providence of God will not permit all her Children to fall and Err, but will always stirr up some to oppose Super∣stition, Idolatry and Error.

Answer. Either those who will always oppose

Error and Superstition, will be Members of the R. Church or not? If they be Members of Her, She will always oppose Error, (as when my Hand Writes, I am said to Write) and since we know our Saviour has foretold, Iohn 14. v. 16. and c. 16. v. 13. That he will always direct Her by his Spi∣rit of Truth, 'twill be impossible for Her by a con∣sequential Impotency to Err. Likewise, 'tis im∣possible to compose a perpetual direction of the Spirit of God with Error.

If these Opposers of Error, are a Church a part, I ask whether that Church, as distinct from the Roman be Fallible, or Infallible?

If Infallible, we have what we demand, viz. That the teaching Church of God is Infallible.

If Fallible, then the Church in as much as she op∣poses Herself to Error, may Err; which is absurd. The Inference is proven thus. In as much as she is distinct from the Roman Church, she opposes Error, and in as much as she is distinct from the Roman Church, she is Fallible, or may Err. Then in as much as she is distinct from the R. Church, she op∣posing Error, may Err.