infallible: Male-Children are called on the pillars of their families, among the Greek Poets; and Gera,a faithfull fervant in Terence, is called Columen Familie, the * pillar of the family: For ought I know, if thofe mer would go to Rome, and upon the credit of this word fue out a Writ of priviledge, they might be as infallible as the Pope himself.

3. This Phrafe, The Church is the Pillar of Truth, may note the Churches duty, not her practice, and what The ought to be,not what the alwaies is. They fhall not fay this is gratis dictum, I will make it good by paralleł inftances, wherein they fhall fee the abfurdity of their argument. Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evill Rom.13.3. If this argument be good, The Church is a Pillar,&c. the cannot erre,then this alfo is good, That Rulers cannot be a terror to good works. None but one that comes from Bedlam would affert the latter, & none but one that comes from Rome would conclude the former. Thus our Saviour faith of his Minifters, Ye are the falt of the world, ye are the light of the world, Matth 5. Ergò by this argument, this Salt could not loose its favour,and no Minifter can be in the dark,but every one must be in fallible. Thus Prov. 10.10. A Divine fentence is in the lips of the King,his mouth tranfgreffethnot in judgment; Ergò Kings are infallible. If the Pope had fuch a Text in the New Teftament, The Pope's mouth transgresseth not in judgment, you may eafily imagine what triumphs the Affertors of Infallibility would have made,who can build a towring confidence upon fuch pittiful foundations: and yet this doth not informe us of the practice of Kings, but acquaints them with their duty, as Interpréters agree.

4. This Phrafe, The pillar and ground of Truth,notes the neceffity of the Churches ministry(quoad nos)but not the infallibility of her Authority: thofe are two diftinct things, and the one no way confequent upon the other,

The

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The utmost which can be fqueezed from that phrafe is this, that the Church doth fupport the truth and Gofpel of Chrift in the world, and fo doth every fincere,zealous defender of the truth, and especially the Minifters, and prime champions of the truth, not only when met› together in a general Councel, buc alfo in their fingle capacities, which I think will be undeniably proved by this argument. The Church was the pillar and ground of truth for the first three hundred years after Chrift and the Apostles, never did it more deferve that name, nor did it ever more difcharge that office; but all that time. there was no cecumenical Councel (and that is the only Councel to whom Infallibility is afcribed by the Papifts) therefore either that phrafe doth not evince infallibility, or the several paftors of thofe ages were infallible.

5. The confequence of the argument is falfe and frivolous, The Church is the pillar of truth, Erge the is infallible: for the fame Church may be a pillar of truth and a feat of Error. For what is it to be a Pillar of the Truth, (if we draw afide the curtain of the Metaphor) but to be a Defender of the Faith? And who knows not that the fame perfons may defend the truth, and maintain errors with them, unleffe he be one that never read the Bible, nor Ecclefiaftical Hiftory? Who knows not that the fame persons,which defended the truth of Chriftianity against Jewes and Pagans, did alfo maintain the Doctrine of ZeSabel, and the Herefy of the Nicolaitans ? Rev. 2. and that thofe very men that owned the foundation, did build the hay and ftubble of falfe doctrines thereupon, I Cor.1. and that diverfe of the ftouteft defenders of the truth of the Gospel among the Fathers had their errors, as Bellarmine acknowledgeth? Elfe, if they will stand to the confequence, it will follow by vertue of it, Such a Miniiter preacheth the truth, Ergo he is infallible, and cannot preach false doctrine. Such a Judg is the Pillar of

Juftice

Justice in the land, Ergo it is impoffible he should make an unjuft decree: Proclamations are hanged upon fuch a pillar, Ergo a Libell cannot be fastned there.

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6. Their argument proceeds from a declaration of the Churches present ftate, (for that is all that place afferts, vix that the Church then was a Church and Pilla r of truth) to an affurance of its perpetual continuance in that ftate, which is quite another thing:) Which kind of argumentation, if it might paffe for currant, it would work brave exploits; for then it would follow, The city of Sion was an habitation of righteousneffe, a pillar of truth and juftice, Ergo the Prophet Ifay was nif-informed, when he faid, The faithfull City is become a Harlot, was full of judgment, righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers, lia. 1. 21. Nay then the Church of England is orthodox in the Roman fence: Probatur: It was the Pillar of truth, viz. when it was the Pope's Affe, Ergo it is fo ftill, and the Papifts flander us, when they fay we are fallen away. The Church was a Virgin in the Apoftles dayes, faith Egefippus, Ergo he is not now corrupe ted, nor indeed can be: for I must tell you, the Pope can do more then all the Apoftles either pretended or did; for they could not even while they lived wholly keep the Church from actual corruption, but the Pope keeps her from all poffibility of corruption. Thus the Pope is omnipotent, and it is no marveli he is infalli ble.

§. 15. The Second place of principal moment alledged for the Infallibility of the Church and Councels is Mat. 18. 17. where all are commanded to hear the Church, and they that hear her not, are to be accounted as Heathens and Publicans. Ergo the Church of Rome is Infallible for this is the comfort, whatever is in the premifes, Romes infallibility is in the conclufion; and the Church of Rome that can difpence with Gods lawes,

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lawes (4) may well difpenfe with Syllogiftical rules, by which there ought not to be more in the conclufion then in the premises, but that Law was made for Subjects, but not for our Soveraign Lord the Pope. To this may be added another place they vehemently urge, Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you, heareth me, Ergo the Church is infallible. Anf.1. Whatever these texts prove,what right hath the Church of Rome to her monopoly of the priviledges here conveyed? or why may not the Greek or English Churches and their Minifters claime the benefit of them? The words have an indifferent afpect to all of them.

2. The confequence is falfe, Chriftians must hear the Church and Minifters. Ergo they are infallible which I thus prove. Children mutt obey their Parents, and if they do not, they muft dy for it, Dent.21. are parents therefore infallible?Subjects must obey their Magiftrates, or dyetorit, fof.1.18. Whofcever will not hearken unto thy words, he shall be put to death: it seems then Magiftrates are infallible. For this is the Argument by which the Romanifts pretend to prove the Infallibility of the Highprieft of the jewes, because they that would not hear him, were to be put to death, Deut. 17. Nay this very text Luk 10. deftroyes that fenfe which the Romanists would faften upon it: for feeing it is not the Apoftles, but feventy difciples, and they too not as met in a Councel, but as preaching the Gospel severally, or (at moft) by pairs, whom they are under fuch dreadfull penalties commanded to hear, if it be conclufive for infallibility, it proves the infallibility of every Minister, or at least of every pair of them.

(a) Secundùm plenitudinem poteftatis de jure fupra jus poffumus difpenfare ait Innocent.3. in Decret, de concef. Præbend.tit.S.c.propo fuit. et addit Gloffator,Nam contra Apoftolum difpenfat: item contra vetus teftamentum.

3. It is agreed between them and us, that Chrift Ipeaks of the Cenfures of the Church Mat.18.and therefore furely, if it prove the Churches Infallibility, in any thing, it must be in the matter there fpoken of viz. in Church-cenfures: But they grant the Church is Falli ble in her cenfures, as depending upon Teftimony and matters of fact: And therefore it is ridiculous to infer from thence her Infallibility in other things which are not fpoken of in this place.

4. The Church and Minifters are to be heard,not fimply and in all things, but onely in the Lord, and what they speak, according to his word: This is denied by the Papilts who pofitively affert,that they are to be heard in all things, and without examination, as we have seen from their own words: It is therefore neceffary to fay fomething to overthrow this lawleffe liberty and boundleffe authority afcribed by them to the Church, for this is their wearor, or one of their radicall mistakes.

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1. That which Chrift denies to the Apostles is not to: be ascribed to the Church: but Chrift denies this abfo- : lute Authority to the Apostles Matt.23.10. Be ye not: called mafters, for one is your Mafter even Chrift, where it is not the name, but thing which is prohibited, even magifterium fidei, or the ufurpation of an abfolute authority in teachers, and the exaction of an univerfall belief and! blinde obedience in hearers, which was the errour of the Pharifees here condemned by our Saviour, for fo they faid: You are to believe all the fayings of our Rabbines in their Homilies no leffe then the Law of Mofes: And again, All their words are the very words of God are their expreffions in the Thalmud. It cannot be denied that Chrift derogates that authority from the Apoftles, which he affcribes to himself, but if the Popifh opinion were true, the Apoftles had as great authority as Chrift himselfe,

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