He that can shew either that the Church of all Ages was to haue this Authority or that it continued in the Church for some Ages and then expired he that can shew either of these things let him for my part I cannot Yet I willingly confess the Iudgment of a Councill though not infallible yet so far Directiue and obliging that without apparent reason to the contrary it may be sin to reject it at least not to afford it an outward submission for Publick Peace sake Now by this way our late English Diuines seem to haue brought the Authority of their Church into a great disreputation and wayning condition and to haue excused yea justified all Sects which haue or shall separate from her For indeed what fault can it be to forsake the Doctrine of a Church whose Teaching none is bound to belieue or obey out of conscience and which quietly suffers yea liberally rewards her sons while they thus disparage her These Principles therefore layd by the Doctor which by aduancing the Clearness of the Rule so as to inferr the vselesness of a Guide do seem to supplant what soeuer Authority of any Church are here weighed in the following Considerations The great importance of which Subject requiring Expressions serious modest and euery way vnlike those made vse of by the Doctor in his Book such haue been studiously endeauoured here without the least resentment of seuerall vnciuill and vnmerited Aspersions which in the sayd Book the Doctor hath cast vpon seuerall among vs and the more moderate any haue bene the more immoderately haue they bene traduced God Almighty inspire into all our hearts a sincere loue of Peace and Truth Amen D r. STILLINGFLEETS PRINCIPLES Giving an Account of the Faith of Protestants CONSIDERED 1. THe Principles c. which Doctor Stilling fleet has thought expedient to expose at the end of his Book to render an Account of the Protestants Faith are sett down in three ranks The first consists of Six Principles agreed on both sides The second contains Thirty Propositions for enquiring into the particular ways which God hath made choyce of for revealing his will to mankind of which Propositions some are also Principles partly agreed on and partly not and some are Deductions from them But we following the generall Title will call them all Principles In the third rank six Corollaries or Inferences are deduced from the fore-going Propositions to the advantage of the cause of Protestants against Catholicks To all which we here offer the following Considerations I. PRINCIPLES Agreed on all sides 1. That there is a God from whom Man and all other Creatures had their beginning 2. That the Notion of God doth imply that he is a Being absolutely perfect and therefore Iustice Goodness Wisdom and Truth must be in him in the highest perfection 3. That Man receaving his Being from God is thereby bound to obey his Will and consequently is liable to punishment in case of disobedience 4. That in order to Mans obeying the will of God it is necessary that he know what it is for which some manifestation of the Will of God is necessary both that Man may know what he hath to do and that God may justly punish him if he do it not 5. What ever God reveals to Man is infallibly true and being intended for the Rule of Mans obedience may be certainly known to be his Will 6. God cannot act contrary to those essentiall Attributes of Iustice Wisdom Goodnesse and Truth in any way which he makes choyce of to make known his Will unto Man by It were impiety to question any of these Principles which are or ought to be presupposed not only to the Christian but all manner of Religions We will therefore proceed to the second Rank consisting of 30. Propositions which we will sett down singly and separatly annexing to each a respective Examination or Consideration II. An Enquiry into the particular ways which God hath made choyce of for the revealing his Will to Mankind I. PRINCIPLE 1. An entire obedience to the will of God being agreed to be the condition of mans happinesse no other way of Revelation is in it self necessary to that end then such whereby Man may know what the will of God is This is granted II. PRINCIPLE 2. Man being fram'd a rationall creature capable of reflecting vpon himself may antecedently to any externall Revelation certainly know the Being of God and his dependence vpon him and those things which are naturally pleasing to him else there could be no such thing as a law of Nature or any Principles of Natural Religion This may be granted III. PRINCIPLE 3. All Supernaturall and externall Revelation must suppose the truth of Naturall Religion for vnlesse we be antecedently certain that there is a God and that we are capable of knowing him it is impossible to be certain that God hath revealed his will to vs by any supernaturall means Let this be granted IV. PRINCIPLE 4. Nothing ought to be admitted for Divine Revelation which ouerthrows the certainty of those Principles which must be antecedently supposed to all Divine Revelation For that were to ouerthrow the means whereby we are to judge concerning the truth of any Divine Revelation Let this also be granted V. PRINCIPLE 5. There can be no other means imagined whereby we are to judg of the truth of Divine Revelation but a Faculty in vs of discerning truth and falshood in matters proposed to our belief which if we do not exercise in judging the truth of Divine Reuelation we must be imposed vpon by euery thing which pretends to be soe Here if the Doctor means That every Christian hath a faculty in him which as to all Revelations what soeuer proposed to him can discern the True and Divine from others that are not so and when a Revelation certainly Divine is capable of several senses can discern the true sense from the false all this exclusively to and independently on the Instruction of Church-authority This Proposition is not true For then none will need as experience shews they do to repayre to any other Teacher to instruct him when a dubious Revelation or when the sense of any Divine Revelation is controuersed which is the true revelation or which the sense of it It is abundantly sufficient that eyther Wee our selues or some others appointed by our Lord to guide vs and more easily discouerable by vs have a Faculty ayded by the Divine assistance to discern Truth and Falshood in those Revelations proposed wherein wee our selues cannot that so particular Christians in their following these Guides may not be imposed vpon by every thing which pretends to be Divine Revelation VI. PRINCIPLE 6. The pretence of Infallibility in any person of Society of men must be judged in the same way that the truth of a Divine Revelation is for that infallibility being challenged by vertue of a
Rules of tryall the same Motiues by which the Infallibility of any Diuine reuelation is This Consequence couched only in generall terms is granted in the same manner as the 6. Principle is changing must here into may But then of many things examined and discouered by the same way or means some are much more easily by euery one examined and discouered then some others as the Euidence for them in this means are greater So Holy Scriptures belieued such from Vniuersall Tradition may be much clearer in some Articles of our Faith then in others And some Diuine Reuelations may be so obscurely expressed there or inuolued only in their Principles as that some weak capacities cannot discern them which yet in the same Scriptures may discouer the Authority of the Church and its promised Diuine Assistance and Infallibility in necessaries and so from thence learn those other Of which Church and its Infallibility clear in Scriptures for all necessaries and for deciding other Points more obscure therein thus writes S. Augustin in his Dispute with the Donatists concerning the obscure Point of Rebaptization Quoniam sacra Scriptura fallere non potest c. Since the Holy Scripture cannot deceiue vs let whosoeuer is in fear of being deceiued by the obscurity of this Question consult the same Church about it which Church the Holy Scripture doth without all ambiguity demonstrate And before Earumdem Scripturarum etiam in hac re a nobis tenetur veritas cum c. That is The truth of the Holy Scriptures is held by vs in this matter or Point of Rebaptization when we do that which has pleased the Vniuersall Church that is which had been stated concerning that Point by the Church which the Authority of the Scriptures themselues does commend that since c. Thus writes S. Augustin All which is false and sayd to no purpose if the Scripture be not clear in this That this Church can determine nothing in such important Contests contrary to the verity of the Scriptures and that we ought to giue credit to what he decides for then it would not be true what he says The truth of the same Scriptures in this matter is held by vs and He who is in fear to be deceiued by the obscurity of this Question is no way relieued in following the sentence of the Church Now if it be further asked Amongst those seuerall Modern opposit Communions which do equally inuite men into their Society by the Name of the Church Which of them is so Diuinely attested there are beside the Description made of it in Scripture not applicable to other pretended Churches and frequently vrged by the same Father against the Donatists There are I say sufficiently certain rationall Euidences and Marks thereof left to Christians whereby the sober Enquirer after it cannot be mistaken I mean not here those Marks of the true Church though true Marks also the quest of which men are sett vpon by Protestants viz. True Doctrine and a right administration of the Sacraments A Quest or Tryall that can neuer be made an end of being a task to know all the Truths in Christianity first before we can know the Church When as the Enquirer seeks after the Church which as S. Augustin sayth the Scripture demonstrates that by it he may come to know the Truths But I mean those other Marks mention'd by S. Augustin in the Book he wrote of the Benefit of belieuing the Church viz. Sequentium multitudo c. The multitude of her followers the Consent of Nations her Antiquity c. Which Church hath descended visibly from Christ himself by his Apostles vnto vs and from vs will descend to posterity c. And which by the Confession of Mankind from the Apostolick See by succession of Bishops hath obtained the supreme top of Authority whilst Hereticks on all sides barked against her in vain and were still condemned partly by the judgment euen of the common people partly by the venerable grauity of Councills and partly also by the Majesty of Miracles that is by Miracles done in this Church after the Apostles times of seuerall of which S. Augustin himself was an eye-witness and of some an instrument The same Father repeats much-what the same in another Book of his De Vnitate Ecclesiae against the Donatists a Sect in Africk Non est obscura Quaestio c. It is no obscure Question says he viz. which is the true Church in which those may deceiue you who according to our Lords prediction shall come and say Behold here is Christ behold he is there behold he is in the Desart as in a place where the multitude is not great The time was when the Reformation were constrained to vse the like phrases and also to apply to themselues that Text Fear not little Flock But you haue a Church described in in the Scripture to be spredd through all Regions and to grow still in Conuersion of Nations till the haruest You haue a City concerning which he that was the Founder of it sayd A City built on a Hill cannot be hid This is the Church therefore not in some corner of the earth but euery where most known Now I hope none will think fitt to apply these Scriptures more to S. Augustins time then to any other or to the present For by the same reason the Donatists might here haue counter-applied them to some other and not to S. Augustins times Much what the same is iterated again by this Father and three Testimonies I hope will establish this matter where he tells the Manicheans what retained him in the bosome of that Church from which they stood separated Vt omittam Sapientiam c. that is That I may omitt that Wisdome viz. the Mark of true Doctrine which you do not belieue to be in the Catholick Church there are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosome The consent of peoples and Nations keeps me there Authority begun by Miracles confirmed by Antiquity keeps me there The Succession of Pastors from the Seat it self of S. Peter to whom our Lord after his Resurrection recommended his Sheep to be fedd by him vnto the present Bishop keeps me there And lastly the very Name of Catholick heeps me there c. Here are S. Augustins Marks to find our the Church from which men were to learn the Truth whilst proposed to seuerall persons and Sects always the same And these are the Euidences in Tradition and in those other commonly call'd Motiues of Credibility which in themselues seeme not justly questionable that will afford a sufficient Certainty to euery Sober Enquirer whereby he may try and discern that present Church to which now also if in S. Augustins time Christ affords a testimony and which lyeth not in Corners nor starts vp after some Ages and vanishes again but is fixed ab Apostolica Sede per successiones Episcoporum a City sett on
D R STILLINGFLEETS PRINCIPLES Giving an Account of the FAITH OF PROTESTANTS CONSIDERED BY N. O. MATTH XVIII 17. Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi sicut Ethnicus Publicanus PRINTED AT PARIS By the Widow of Antonie Christian and Charles Guillery M. DC LXXI PERMISSV SVPERIORVM A PREFACE TO the Reader DOctor Stilling fleet hauing lately published a Book entitled A Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome c. being a Rejoynder to a reply of an vnknown Catholick Gentleman engaged in some former Controuersy with him at the end of the Same Book hath annexed certain Principles drawn up as he saith to giue an Account of the Protestant-Faith Now as touching the main Book it would be inciuility and injustice in any other to inuade the Right of his worthy Aduersary by vntertaking an Answer thereto To his Aduersaries Answer therefore as the times permitt and to Gods mercy I leaue him if perhaps he may repent and endeavour some satisfaction 1. For his accusing the whole Catholick Church of God both Western and Eastern for the same Practise as to Seuerall of his Idolatries are in both for so many Ages before Luthers time of Idolatry and this Idolatry as gross as that of Heathens Which surely must Vn-church this Great Body and quite divorce this Adulteress from Christ for we cannot but think but the Doctor will maintain the Teaching so manifold an Idolatry in this Church to be Fundamentall Errour 2. For his representing the Highest Deuotions practised from all Antiquity in the same Church Mysticall Theology Contemplation heauenly Inspirations all those Supernaturall Favours and familiar Communications of the Diuine Majesty to purer soules receiued in Prayer and continued still in his Church as also Miracles are and so attested in her Histories but vnknown indeed to strangers and foolishness to Greeks his representing all these I say as ridiculous Fanaticisms and impostures though he knowes that Catholicks account themselues obliged to submitt all these things to the judgment of Superiours a Duty vnknown to Fanaticks And what may we expect next from such who are to many as make ill use of such Books as his but that the frequent Allocutions of Gods Holy Spirit mentioned in Scripture the Visions Reuelations Extasies and Spirituall Vnions of the Saints there our Lords Ego in eis tu in me ut sint consummati in unum and S. Pauls Viuo non ego sed in me Christus will shortly become matter of Drollery and Bouffonry 3. For his making so many of Gods glorious Saints in Heauen quorum causam discernat Deus the subject of his scorn and derision By all which he has fitted his Book for the sport and recreation of the Atheist and Debauched from whose applause with the regret and horrour mean while of all piously disposed he may receive his reward The Reuisall of these not very gratefull Subjects of his Book therefore I leaue to the worthy Gentleman pre-engaged in these Disputes But for the now mentioned Principles separately adjoyned at the end as euery Catholick has an equall Right to apply himself to the examining of them so seeing that from these it is that such bad fruits of forsaking first and then censuring and condemning their Mother the Church doe grow it may with Gods blessing proue a seruice not altogether vnbeneficiall to discouer their weakness especially since by such a discouery his whole preceding Book will be demonstrated vnconcluding against Gods Church And this is here the rather and with greater confidence vndertaken because since it is Impiety to deny in generall that true Christian Faith hath a certain vnmoueable Foundation in case therefore it shall appear that the Foundation here layd by the Doctor is but a meer trembling Quiksand on which a Christian cannot without a dreadfull danger to his soule build his Faith namely An Errability in the Guides of Gods Church and Inerrability in all necessary Doctrins contained in Scripture by Him attributed indefinitely to all sober Christians who without any necessary consulting or depending on such Teachers as haue been instituted by God shall vse their sincere endeauours to find out such Truths this Foundation I say not Scripture but each priuate mans sense of Scripture being ruined it will vnauoydably follow That the only certain way not to be misled will be the submitting our Internall Assent and Belief to Church-authority which those who haue dissented from and refused to stand to before Luthers time haue been always marked with the name of Hereticks Where by Church-authority I mean in generall that Superior and more comprehensiue Body of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy which in any dissent and division of the Clergy according to the Church Canons ought to be obeyed and which hath hitherto in her supremest and most generally accepted Councills in all Ages from the Beginning required such Submission vnder penalty of Anathema and justly assumed to her self the Title of the onely authenticall Interpreter of Scripture and authoritatiue Teacher of Diuine Verities A Submission this is which no particular Church diuided from this more Vniuersall can with the least pretence of reason challenge from her Subjects since she her self and particularly the Church of England refused the same to all the Authority extant in the world when she separated her self And this being obserued by M r. Chillingworth a schollar herein of the Socinians and by many other Diuines of late vpon whom hls Book hath had too must influence they accordingly are forced to disclaime that Submission which the Church of England formerly had challenged in her Canons and seuerely euen with Ecclesiasticall death punished the refusers vntill they should repent not their Externall Disobedience or Contradiction but their wicked Errour The 39. Articles being declared in the same 5 Canon to haue been by this Church agreed vpon for the auoyding diuersities of Opinions and the establishing of Consent touching true Religion Now that these later Divines do decline such Submission I need goe no further then to Doctor Stillingfleets Rationall Account for proof where the Lord Primat of Ireland is cited thus The Church of England doth not not define any of these Questions speaking of the 39. Articles as necessary to be belieued but only binds her sonnes for Peace sake not to oppose them And again We do not suffer any man to reject the 39. Articles of the Church of England at his pleasure yet neither do we oblige any man to belieue them but only not to contradict them Thus they speake of late and thus M r. Chilling worth hath cleared the way before them in abridging thus the just Authority of the Primitiue Councills The Fathers of the Church saith he in after times might haue just cause to declare their judgment touching the sense of some generall Articles of the Creed But to oblige others to receiue her Declarations under pain of damnation or Anathema what warrant they had I know not
sense we assert the Certainty of Christian Faith to be MORALL not in the later This Principle is granted if importing only that Christians haue or may haue a sufficiently certain and infallible Euidence of the Truth of their Christianity But notwithstanding this Christians may be deficient in a right belief of seuerall necessary Articles of this Christian Faith if destitute of that externall Infallible Guide therein And the perpetuall Diuine Assistance and so Infallibility in Necessaries of this Guide being declared in the scriptures a Catholick hauing once learnt this Point of Faith from it Definitions and Expositions becomes secure and setled in the belief of all those controuerted Articles of his Faith Wherein Others another whilst the scriptures in such Points at least to persons vnlearned or of weaker judgments which are which are the greatest part of Christians are ambiguous in their sence and drawn with much art to seuerall interests XXVIII PRINCIPLE 28. A Christian being thus certain to the highest degree of a firm assent that the scriptures are the Word of God his Faith is thereby resolued into the scriptures as into the rule and measure of what hee is to belieue as it is into the Veracity of God as the ground of belieuing what is therein contained Both Catholicks and Protestants profess to resolue their Faith into the Word of God and Diuine Reuelation or into the scriptures so as is said on Principle 14. and 29. and make Gods Veracity the Ground of their belief of the things therein contained But the former resolue their Faith into this scripture as the sense of it where disputed is deliuered by the Church whose Faith the Apostle commands vs to follow and to whom Christ himself giues testimony as S. Augustin saith As for Protestants they resolue their Faith into this scripture as the sence of it is ultimatly apprehended and vnderstood by their own judgments None here to vse the Doctors words elsewhere vsurping that Royall Prerogrtiue of Heauen in prescribing infallibly in matters question'd suppose in those Points the Doctor named before the Doctrine of the Deity of Iesus Christ or of the Trinity But leauing all to judge and so the Socinians according to the Pandects of the Diuine Lawes because each member of this society is bound to take care of his soul and all things that tend thereto But here the Doctor will permit vs to aske whether euery one is bound to take care of his soul so as vnder the pretence hereof to disobey their Resolutions and Instructions in Faith or Manners whom God hath appointed to take care of and to watch ouer their soules and will require an account of them for it Here therefore let euery one take the safest course and where there is no euident Certainty always make sure to side with the Church XXIX PRINCIPLE 29 No Christian can be obliged vnder any pretence of Infallibility to belieue any thing as a matter of Faith but what was reuealed by God himselfe in that Book wherein he belieues his will to be contained and consequently is bound to reject whatsoeuer is offered to be imposed vpon his Faith which hath no fundation in scripture or is contrary thereto Which rejection is no making NEGATIVE ARTICLES OF FAITH but only applying the generall grounds of Faith to particular instances as I belieue nothing necessary to saluation but what is contained in scripeure Therefore no such particular things which neither are there nor can be deduced thence 1. Here first obserue That what no Christian is obliged to belieue vnder any pretence of Church-Infallibility he is much rather not obliged to belieue vnder any pretence of Church Authority And that the Doctors freeing the Churches subjects here from the former doth so from the later It concerns therefore his superiors to look to it whether their Churches and their owne Authority suffers no detriment particularly from this Principle I mean so as it can be applied to priuate mens practice 2. Next obserue That the Expression What is reuealed by God c. as it is applicable to persons must either mean What such person only thinks belieues or is perswaded to be reuealed c. or what such person certainly knows to be reuealed And the same may be sayd of the later expressions what hath no foundation What is contrary Now as either of these two Additions are made a great alteration is made in the Principle and what in the one Addition is true in the other may be false As for example when a culpable Ignorance belieues something that is enjoyned by this Authority not to be reuealed in Gods Word which indeed is so and so rejects it here such act is not justifiable Very necessary therefore it seems here to make an exact distinction that if the Doctor means it here of the one viz. certain Knowledge it may not be misapplyed by any to the other namely a belief or full perswasion For so men set once vpon examining well in such high mysteries their owne Certainty will I conceiue neuer find just cause to reject what this Church-Authority to which they owe obedience recommends to them vpon Her Certainty But to take Expressions as they lye For the first Part of this Principle thus much is granted That no Christian can be obliged vnder any pretence of Infallibility to belieue any thing as a matter of Faith but what is reuealed by God himselfe in his Word Written or Vnwritten both which the Doctor else where allowes to be of the same Value so it be euident they are his Word Where I adde vnwritten because though it is granted before on Principle 14. that the Word written or Book of scriptures contains all those Points of Faith that are simply necessary to be of all persons belieued for attaining saluation Yet some Articles of a Christians Faith there may be that are not there contained which may be also securely preserued in the Church by Ecclesiasticall Tradition both Written and Vnwritten deriued at first from the Apostolicall as for example this by Protestants confessed That these Bookes of scripture are the Word of God I say thus much is granted For no Church-Infallibility is now pretended but only in declaring what this Word of God deliuers requireth authorizeth and a Catholicks whole Faith is grounded on Diuine Reuelation And where such pretended Infallible Church-Authority enjoyns any thing to be belieued meerly as lawfull it grounds it selfe on this Word of God for the lawfulness of it The Consequence also is granted viz. That a Christian is bound to reject whatsoeuer is offred to be imposed vpon his Faith which hath no foundation in scripture or Gods Word as before explained or is contrary thereto that is which is certainly known to such Christian to be so there being no matter of Faith enjoyned by such Authority but what is pretended to be so founded But then such Christian where not infallibly certain
liue in this Communion or knowing this Obligation persist in a wilfull neglect to re-vnite themselus to it Because all such persons liue in a mortall sin viz. Disobedience to and a willfull Separation from their lawfull and Canonicall Ecclesiasticall Superiors whom our Lord hath sett ouer them And this sin vnrepented of destroys Saluation being the same so heauily condemned by our Sauiour Si non audierit Ecclesiam Now that vnrepented of it is we haue reason to fear so long as they hauing opportunity either neglect to inform their judgment or this being conuinc'd to reform and rectify their practise And this seems a judged Case in the Donatist who pretended some such thing for their security if we will admitt S. Augustins sentiment of it for thus he directs his speech to them Nobiscum estis in Baptismo c. that is You are with vs in Baptism you are with vs in the Symbol or Creed you are with vs in the rest of our Lords Sacraments and I may safely add with regard to some of them at least You are with vs in a good life with the former exception But in the Spirit of Vnity and bound of peace and lastly In the Catholick Church you are not with vs And so he leaues them to the punishment due to those who are out of it and separated from Christ its head To conclude I ask this Counter-Question concerning a Christian liuing for example In the Fift Age of the Church Why the belieuing of the Apostles Creed as those of the first Age did and leading a good life may not be sufficient for Salvation to such a one vnless he continue in the Communion of his lawfull Ecclesiasticall Superiors of his owne Age requiring of him vnder Anathema or penalty of damnation the belief not only of the Symbol of the Apostles but of all the Articles of the Athanasian Creed as in the beginning and Conclusion of that Creed it is clear they did Here what Answer the Doctor shall make to this Question supposing he will not justify such Separatist I cannot imagin but it must fitt his own Here therefore such a Christians business for knowing whether he stands safe as to his Faith and Life in order to Saluation seems to be That he seriously examin Whether those whose Communion he rejects are the true Legall Ecclesiasticall Superiors who are sett ouer him by our Lord and to whom he is enjoyned Obedience and with whom he ought to liue to vse S. Augustins words in the Spirit of Vnity and bound of peace XXX PRINCIPLE 30. There can be no better way to preuent mens mistakes in the sense of Scripture which men being fallible are subject to then the considering the consequence of mistaking in a matter wherein their Saluation is concerned And there can be no sufficient reason giuen why that may not serue in matters of Faith which God himself hath made vse of as the means to keep men from sin in their liues vnless any jmagin that errors in Opinion are farr more dangerous to mens souls then a vicious life is and therefore God is bound to take more care to preuent the one then the other Whereas the Doctor says That the best way to preuent mens mistakes in the sence of Scripture is the considering the consequence of erring in a matter wherein their Saluation is concerned Our dayly sad Experience shews that though our seeing or considering the dangerous consequence of a mistake affords vs how good soeuer yet no certain way to preuent it but our being directed by an Infallible Externall Guide certainly doth And the consideration of such Consequence should hasten euery one to prouide this only certain Remedy I mean in committing himself in such matters of Faith as are much disputed to the Guidance of men more studied and experienced in the Diuine Laws and that are also sett ouer him by our Lord for this very thing to instruct him in them Where in case these Guides shall disagree yet euery Christian may easily know whose judgments among them he ought to follow namely always of that Church-Authority that is the Superior which in most cases is indisputable This Ecclesiasticall Body being placed by the Diuine Prouidence in an exact Subordination As here in England it is not doubted whether we are to pay our Obedience rather to a Nationall Synod then to a Diocesan to the Arch-Bishop or Primat then to an Ordinary Bishop or Presbiter And then He who hath some experience in Church affairs if willing to take such a course cannot but discern what way the Major part of Christendom and its Higher and more comprehensiue Councills that haue hitherto been do guide him And the more simple and ignorant who so can come to know nothing better ought to follow their example As touching the following Clause in this Principle That the same means may serue to keep men from Error in matters of Faith as is vsed by God to keep men from Sin in their liues Hereto I add That here God hath taken care by the same church-Church-Authority to preserue his Church in Truth and to restrain it from Sin giuing them an equall Commission to teach the ignorant and to correct the Vicious And since their Doctrine directs our manners as well as Faith their infallibility is as necessary for things of practise as of speculation Error in Opinion also may be such as may be much more dangerous to vs then for the present a vicious life supposing our persistance in a right Faith because we haue our Conscience still left vncorrupted to reclame vs in the later but not so in the former And there is more hopes of his recouery who as yet doth ill with a relucting judgment Some erroneous Opinions or other also are the ordinary sources and springs of euill practises and the Doctor cannot but acknowledg this who hath spent a considerable part of the Book to which he hath annexed these Principles vpon pretending to shew how Roman Errors do induce an euill life and destroy Deuotion III. The Doctors Consequences examined I. CONSEQUENCE 1. There is no necessity at all or vse of an Infallible Society of men to assure men of the truth of those things of which they may be certain without and cannot haue any greater assurance supposing such Infallibility to be in them 1. This Consequence here is voyded because the Supposition if applied to Diuine Reuelations and matters of Faith in the former Principles is not prooued 2. But if the whole were granted This concludes the vselesness as well of any Ecclesiasticall Authority to teach men as of an Infallible to assure men of the truth of those things which by vsing only their owne sincere endeauour according to the Doctors pretence Principle 13. they may know without them II. CONSEQUENCE 2. The Infallibility of that Society of men who call themseleus the Catholick Church must be examined by the same Faculties in man the same