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. IV, 'Tis not necessary the Infallibility of the Church be defin'd in a Ge∣neral Council, yet it is in General Councils defin'd by a practical defi∣nition.

TO that he asks us in what General Coun∣cil, is defined the Infallibility of General Councils.

I Answer. Asking him mutually, first, in what Parliament or Act of Parliament is it found declar'd, that a Parliament hath a Power to make Acts o∣blidging the People? If he thinks this Question Impertinent, and that it would be Impertinent for a Parliament or an Assembly of Men (if they were not otherways impowr'd) to Assemble and make an Act by which they will have all to submit and acknowledge that they have a Power to oblige the People.

I desire him to Reason the same way of the In∣fallibity of a General Council, and know that it has not 'its Infallibility, from its saying, we are In∣fallible, but from God, who has been pleas'd to declare it to us by Apostolical Tradition, and in the Holy Scriptures also, to those who read them with the Light which they have received from the Church of CHRIST.

As a Parliament then is fore-impowr'd to make Acts, and acknowledg'd as such, by the People, afore they set themselves to make any, so is the General Council acknowledged by all the Faithful, to have a promise from God, of not Erring in their Declaration of an Article of Faith, afore they set themselves to declare it; or by their Explication of a Truth, to take away the Cloud that hindred us to see it.

I Ans. Secondly, that it is defin'd in all General approv'd Councils (as much as it was necessary) by a practical definition, or their excercis'd power issu'd out by them in their oblidging Decrees al∣ways submissively receiv'd by the Faithful. If you say some have refused to receive them, my answer is, they ceas'd from that time to be number'd among the Faithful.

Does not a King sufficiently declare himself to be King, when he uses the Authority of a King in raising Armies and disbanding them, calling a Par∣liament, adjurning, proroging, or disolving it at his pleasure?

At last our Adversary brings a strong piece, viz. that the General Councils are so farr from pretend∣ing to be Infallible Judges of controversial debates, that in a set form of prayer appointed to be said atter every Council, they pray that God would spare their Ignorance and pardon their Errors.

Ans. I can't light upon this prayer: Shall I come as good speed in seeking it as I did with Maximian the Arian Bishop?

He quots, de ordin. Cele. Con. I desire him to write the Title of the Book at length, or rather tell me at the end of what Council this prayer is found. Since it is to be said after every Council, would not the Council of Trent have it. This Council

which hath set down things so exactly would it have omitted this.

But now these Errors are either in matters given out to the People for Articles of Faith; or not. If not, they make nothing against us. If these Errors be in matters of Faith, I ask are they in∣vincible Errors or vincible, if they are Invincible, they are not Sinful, and so need no pardon If they are vincible, it is either by their diligence in using more means to discover the Truth, or by an extraordinary assistance of God. For this extra∣ordinary assistance it is not in their power to have it, and depends only of God. For the other, if they find themselves not to have us'd all necessary means, let them use those they have omitted a∣fore they publish their Decrees, (for what a sim∣plicity and Impudence would it be, to continue in the Error I can avoid, and ask pardon for it?) and so having done what lay in them they will not stand guilty afore God, nor in a need of par∣don.

Rather say, (if some passage be found which may seem to have that sence) that in the fore discussion of questions some fear themselves to have been too much wedded (as is Natural to Man) to their own Opinion, & these desire God to spare their Ignorance, not having upheld their Opinion out of Malice, and pardon their fault in this, that they were not (it may be) so humble and deferent to others as they should have been.

If you say provincial Councils anatematize those who reject their decisions as well as General Councils, and so no Argument can be taken from thence for the General Council's Infallibility.

I Answer. Provincial Councils anathematize, &c. absolutly, as the General Councils do, I deny:

conditionally, and with submission to, and ap∣probation from the Sea of Rome, I grant: And this confirmes the Infallibility of the Church.

To satisfie us our adversary is pleased to say, the Romanists demand how shall we resolve our doubts in matters of Faith if the decision of General Councils be fallible? He Answers by setting Reason to Reason, and trying the matter by the Authority of the Holy Scripture.

Here I ask if that Collation, or comparing of Reason with Reason, and tryal by the Holy Scrip∣ture be fallible or infallible? If fallible it serves for nothing in a matter of Faith of which we are speak∣ing, for since I must give an assent Infallible su∣per omnia (above all) my doubt must be taken infallibly away.

If it be Infallible, I ask Again is it in clearing doubts in fundamentals or integrals of Religion? Not infundamentals, for there is no doubt in them, they being according to Protestants clearly set down to Men in Scripture.

If in Integrals, then, say I, since a private man use∣ing that means may be infallibly clear'd in his doubts concerning Integrals, then a General Council using the same means may be infallibly cleared in them, and consequently infallibly propose them to the Peo∣ple to be believ'd, since they are infallibly found to be reveal'd by God in Scripture, and conse∣quently he who will refuse to believe them will be justly look'd upon as an Heretick.