plainly appeares from hence that God (who is never defective in neceffaries) left his Church for three hundred years together wholly without them,and yet the Church fince the dayes of the Apoftles never had more stability in the Faith, and a greater plenitude of every grace and good work then in those times.

5. That you may fee how little reafon there is that Proteftants fhould be convinced by this place, take notice that diverfe of the learned Papifts are unfatisfied with this Argument, among which are Ockam (a), Cameracenfis (b), Ferus (c), and Mr White in his Treatife Defide & Theologia, where he thus Anfwers the Argument: Nor is it materiall that in that Apoftolicall Councill they ufe those words. It seemed good to the Holy Ghoft and to us; For firft, it was a Councell of Prophets in each of which Gods fpirit dwelt in a speciall manner, at least in the Apoftles-And he addes--If they acted with reafon, doubtlesse they acted by the inftinct of Gods Spirit, although not fuch as Divines feigne to be assistant to Councels (dj.

A fifth place they urge is Mat,28,verf.the laft. I am with you alwaies to the end of the World.

Anfw. 1. Whatsoever this promise containes, the Papifts have no part in it, because it depends upon a condition which they have fo groffely violated, Teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and Loe (in fo doing) I am with you: Chrift commanded his Difciples to fearch the Scriptures: Papifts teach the

(a) Par. 3. Dialog,trac.3.cap.93 (b) Quef. de Refumpta tit, R. (c) In locum. (d) Neq; intereft quod in Concilio Apoflolico inflitute funt ea voces Vifum eft Spiritui Sancto & nobis. Inprimis eaim crat Concilium Prophetarum in quorum fingulis habitabat Spiritus San&tus fpeciali modo, faltem in Apoftolis Et Paulo pofl: ex ratione agent indubiò ex inftiactu Spiritus Sancti, etfi non tali qualem fingunt Theologi affiftentem Conciliis. TraЯ.2, parag, 21.

Contrary; Christ commanded all his Difciples that partook of the Bread to drink alfo of the Cup: Papists teach otherwise, and the like may be instanced in an hundred particulars.

1. For

2. Put this Argument into form and it is this: They whom Chrift promifeth to be with are infallible; But Chrift promifeth to be with his Church: Ergò, This Church is infallible: Here are three propofitions, and every one of them faulty in one kind or other. the Major, it is most falfe: For Chrift hath promifed to be with every fingle fincere believer. Joh. 14.23. If a man love me-wee will come to him and make our abode with him: So Feb. 17.20,21,22,23. And the Holy Ghost (by which it is that Chrift is prefent) is given to every fuch perfon: Ergo (it seems) they are infallible. 2. For the Minor,it is true but impertinent: Chrift hath promifed to be with his Churh and with his Minifters to the worlds end, but not in the fame manner and with the fame degree of affiftance as he was with the Apostles to give them infallible direction: If otherwife, then as every fingle Apostle was,fo every linge Minifter must be infallible, which they themselves deny. 3. The conclufion if granted, reacheth not to Rome: For there being feverall Churches pretending to this promife, and the Text no more determining it self to one then to the other, it may as well be claimed by the Greek or English as by the Romish Church; Nay, which is more, Rome is excluded or rather hath excluded her felfe from it, as we have feen, and by ber difobedience to Chrifts commands, hath cut off her Title to his promife..

S. 20. There is one place more they use to plead; it is Mat,18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. This i confelle drives the Naile home: Liee they are refolved to make fure work. For now it matters not what becomes

of

of the Infallibility of the Pope or generall Councels, or the Univerfall Church; For wherever there are but two or three Jefuites met together, pretending Chrifts name, there is Infallibility: I think thefe Hereticks had better have held their Tongues, for then the Church of Rome would have been contented to affert the Infallibi-' lity of Pope or Councels, but now they will not abate them an Ace, but will make it good in fpight of Scripture,' Fathers, and Councels, and all the World, that every leafh of Popish Priefts is infallible.

But I need fay nothing more in anfwer to this ridiculous Argument, because the Anfwers to the laft Argué ment will ferve for this alfo: and their own great Doctors confeffe the impertinency of this allegation, and amongst them two great names, Stapleton (a) and Gregory de Va lentia (b): And thefe are the Scriptures upon which they ground their Monstrous conceit of the Infallibility of Councels what a fandy Foundation they have for it in Tradition we fhewed before. And how little countenance they have from Scripture, and how abfurdly they wreft that to their own deftruction hath been now difcovered: And therefore I may conclude this Doctrine hath no footing in Scripture,nor Tradition,which was the first branch of the Propofition to be proved,

S. 20. And here I might fet up my reft: For having pulled down the two Pillars upon which the building of Infallibility ftands, I know no remedy but it must fall to the ground: But for the more abundant demonftration of the Tons of the Romifh Doctors, and vanity of their Religion, I fhall adde a second confideration and fhew, that however when they difcourfe with Proteftants, they make a great noife about the Infallibi

(a) ton.6.qu.z.art.4. (b) Tom.3. Difp.1.qu. 3.punct. 7,

litv

lity of councels, yet when they debate the point among themselves, none deny it with greater seriousnesse, nor difpute against it with more earneftneffe then diverfe of themselves. I fpeak not now of the private opinions of fome obfcure Doctors among them, but of the publiek doctrines of their Church, the opinion of the Popes Cardinals, and all the Jefuites and ftouteft champions of the Romish Church, and the generality of Italian, Spa nish, and Germane Papists, and almost all (fome of the French Faction excepted) do exprefly deny the infallibility of councels, and, which is more, they dispute against it particularly Caietan, and Bellarmine, andGregory de Valentia fome of whofe Arguments are thefe. Infallibility is not in the beadlesse body, therefore a councell in it Self is not infallible. That from which there is appeal, is not infallible, but there lyes an appeal from a councel to the Pope, Ergo, The Church is committed to Peter, not to a councell, Ergo. Thus Caietan (a). The Pope can either approve or reject the decrees of a councel, Ergo the councel is not infallible. The Councel bath its infallibility from its conjunction with her head the Pope, Ergo Many Councels have erred in decrees of faith, Ergo. Thus Bellarmine (b). By the way remember, this is the Gentleman that even now urged foh. 16. to prove, that councels could not erre, and now he proves they have erred: it were well if the Romanists had either better confciences,or better memories. God doth nothing in vain, but the gift of infallibility would be given to Councels in vain feeing the Pope hath it, Ergo. That which is repugnant to our most affured faith concer ning the Pope's primacy is not to be admitted, But the fupreme and infallible authoritie of Councels is repugnant to the

(42 Dc Authoritate Papæ et Concilii tract.1.cap, 6.et 8, et 11. (b) De Authoritate Concilii cap, 13Į

et 12.

Pope's

Pope's primacy, Ergo: Thus Gregory de Valentia (a). So you fee, by their own argument, elther the Popes pri macy or the councels infallibility is loft: & as the Jefuites on the one fide thus ftrenuonsly dispute down the infalli bility and fupremacy of councels, fo their Adverfaries on the other fide do as ftoutly overthrow the fupremacy and infallibility of the Pope, wherein befides the pofitive teftimonies of diverse of the most learned and antieut Pa pifts, they have the fuffrage of two late famous Popish councels Conftance and Bafil, fuch a spirit of giddinefle and divifion hath God put amongst these Builders of Babel: And yet this is the ferufalem,a City united in it felf. These are the men that reproach the Proteftant Churches with their divifions in fome petite controverfies, whilst they themselves are fo irreconcileably divided in that, upon which the decifion of all other controverfies depends, viz. in the rule and judg of controverfies. I think I need not say much more: For the more antient Papists, he that shall look into that excellent difcourfe of Robert Baronius against Turnbull,called Apologia pro difputatione de formali objecto fidei, will find the infallibility of Coun. cels exprefly denied by Ockam, Cameracenfis, Waldenfis, Panormitanus, Antonius, Cufanus, (all venerable names in the Romish Church) whose words are there recited (c) And for the modern Papifts it may fuffice to name three authors of principall account, whom the rest of the Herd do follow. Melchior Canus laies down their doctrine in two Propofitions. 1. A general Councel, whech i not called and confirmed by the Pope,may erre in the faith. 2. Provincial Councels, which are confirmed by the Pope, cannot erre, the rest may erre (c). And Bellarmine faith the fame

(a Anal. fidei, lib.8. cap.7. (b) Tract. 5. Cap, 19. (c) 1. Concilium generale, quod non songregatum & confirmatum eft authoritate Pontificis, poteft in fide.