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

A Subsect: The Infallibility of the Church de∣ny'd underminds Christianity.

OUr Adversary having prov'd, as he imagin'd the Fallibility of the teaching Church draws these conclusions. The Church is fallible, then she imposes no obligation to believe her Decisions as Articles of Faith; then who rejects Transubstantiation, Purgatory, &c. are not Hereticks.

Answer. From that antecedent the Church is Fal∣lible, he might as well have drawn these con∣clusions, then, There is no Faith, nor true Reli∣gion.

For, if the Church be fallible in her Decisions, then she is fallible in teaching us that Christianity is the true Religion; then its only probable that Chri∣stianity

is the true Religion: Again, if it be only probable that Christianity is the true Religion, the•• its only probable that CHRIST is God. Go fur∣ther, if it be only probable that CHRIST is God, then it may be, he is not God. Is this a pretty Discourse? Is not this Discourse rationally deduc'd from that antecedent, The Church is Fallible; th•• Church nevertheless, which God will have us hear under pain of disobeying him. Where is then Faith? Where is true Religion?

If you say the former Discourse is not Rational because you have another Principle, to wit, the Holy Scripture, by which you prove the Infallibi∣lity of Christianity.

I ask by what Principle prove you that the sense in which you understand the Holy Scripture, and in which only it is to you a Principle of Demon∣strating the Infallibility of Christianity, is the Word of God?

By no other, but by your private Light or Spi∣rit, but this is Fallible, as I shall show anon, then if the other Principle of the whole Churches Decision be also Fallible, the former Discourse was Rational, it following from any Principle you please to take for your religion, if your principle carry with it fallibility, and consequently onely probability of that which is inferred from it.

Now, I prove that your private Light or pri∣vate Spirit is fallible. You are not sure 'tis the Spi∣rit of God that enlightens you afore you have try'd it by the Scripture, (try the Spirit, sayes St. Iohn 1 Iohn cap. 4. v. 1. You won't try it by the Church, then you must try it by Scripture.) Again, you cannot read the Scripture in Order, to try this Spi∣rit afore you are sure you are enlighten'd and guid∣ed by the Spirit of God, for, if perchance it be

the ill Spirit transfiguring himself into an Angel of Light, who guids you he'l make that seem to you true which is false. If you can't be sure it is the Spirit of God that inlightens you, you can't be sure that the spirit, which inlightens you, is In∣fallible; then its fallible, and consequently your private Light or private Spirit is fallible.

And if your private Spirit with all the help of the Scripture is fallible, and in your Opinion the Spirit of the Church in a General Council is also fallible, I pray, what Infallible Principle have we from which we may deduce or Demonstrate the Infallibility of the Christian Religion, if we have none, we are shaken out of our Faith and have no true Religion.

Be pleas'd to take notice then, that you must assert with us the Infallibility of the teaching Church. According to that Ephes. 4. v. 11. He made some Pastors and Doctors, &c. that we be not Children wavering and carried away with every wind of Doctrine. Or you have no ground to stand on for Christianity.

Reflect again, how can we but waver in our thoughts, and be ready to be carried away with every Wind of Doctrine, if we believe that the Church which is Teaching us, is fallible, and so, it may be, leading us wrong. This thought fru∣strates and makes void the design of CHRIST, who made some Pastors and Doctors a purpose, that we might not waver.

To confirm more this Catholick Tenet of the In∣fallibility of the Church, conceive well that, that Religion cannot have true Faith, which rejects this Principle of Infallibility by which all Errors in Faith have been condemn'd; and admits the Principle of a private Light, by which all Errors in Faith have

had their rise in the Church, and without which Men could not so much as pretend to defend them.