PAP(IST). We believe the holy Scriptures to be of Divine Inspiration, and Infallible Authority; and whatsoever is therein contained to be the Word of God, pag. 1.
Answ. Certainly these Men must either think we are wholly ignorant of their Principles, or we must needs conclude they have forsaken them. It is so manifest that they have rob'd the Scriptures of their Authority, that the Pope has all; and they have then only any, when he is pleased to stamp his probatum est upon them. That this is true, how frequent do we find the Romanists, in their reflections upon the Protestants in this occasion, That they had not known the Scriptures to be such; nay, they might have been as an idle Tale to them, had they not been receiv'd, believ'd and deliver'd down, as Divine Writ, by their Church; as if the ground of believing this to be true, and that to be false, had been as much that of true Faith, as we know it, by sad experience, to be the cause of that stupid Superstition, and battish Zeal which reign amongst the abus'd Romanists. Besides, if the Scriptures be infallible,
Perhaps some will say, These are by Minute Matters (however good old Paul might zealously stile them Doctrines of Devils) and therefore we will Instance in something more important, What think the Papists of their Images? Tis true, that they say, they don't adore them now, but we know what esteem their first Erectors put upon them, and the high Value the Romish Church places upon the Inventors; and 'tis as impossible we should give our Eyes the Lye, when we behold them Mascerating their Breasts and Knees before those Unsensible Stocks and Stones, as Romanists are wont to think us most absurd in crediting our senses, as if that Proverb were of no moment, Seeing is believing, or rather Convincing.
Alas, their Popes, Cardinals, Friars, Nunneries, Holy-dayes, with other Points more Doctrinal yet to be examin'd; Whence came they? What Scripture ever Authorized such Practices in the Christian Church? Paul told the Churches. He had not been wanting to declare the whole Council of God unto them; and yet were they wholly ignorant of these things, and that for above three Hundred Years after.
Therefore we infer, that since there is that manifest jar betwixt this piece of their Profession, and their present Practice, as well as Doctrine, they have either relinquisht their former Faith, or play the wretched Impostors with the People; I wish the first, but fear the last
Pap. But since in the Scripture there are some things hard to be understood, which the unstable wrest to their own destruction; We therefore profess for the ending of Controversies, to submit our Iudgments to that of the Church in a Free General Council.
Answ. A poor shift to invalidate Scriptures, and entitle their own Traditions to the honor of a Rule, and as what most aptly should decide all Controversies Peters words imploy'd, to render this pretence more plausible, are miserably misapplyed. The Apostle only says, That Paul had writ to them concerning the long-suffering of God, that it was Salvation; the present Subject handled by Peter; and that in those Epistles Paul had some things hard to be understood; But what were those things? not those in controversie betwixt us and the Papists, nothing being more notorious: And who were they that wrested them but the unlearned and unstable, not in the wisdom of this World I that being Science, falsly so called! but Wicked and Ungodly men, as the profuse Atheist of the times in his frequent abuse of the Scripture by his scurrilous misinterpretation of it; for as the wise men said, To fear God, is Wisdom (or true Learning) and to depart from Iniquity, that is a a (sic) good Understanding; and as Jesus Christ said, They that do my will shall know of my Doctrine: How then can the Papists infer from hence, that the Scriptures are imperfect in the more Fundamental points of Faith and Worship? Is it a Divine, Authoritative, Infallible, and Imperfect Scripture too? Can it be the Word of God, and yet wanting of sufficiency.
A Free General Council is a Monster in the Romish Church; How dare they talk such Language here in England, who know the Severity of the Jesuites and Popish Faction against it beyond the Seas? What meant those ill resentments against White and Serjeant of England, and Welsh of Ireland in Rome? If this Latitudinarian, or new kind of Popery had not disgusted: Nor can I take it for an instance of their return; but as the next best step to the exorbitancy of Popish infallibility.
What should a Council be call'd for? that Principles should be received or disowned; then must a General Council give Faith
The Sense of Antiquity and their own Authors.
Their pretence of using Tradition, for a necessary Supply to the Defects of the Scripture, is a meer juggle: since they only evade the clearness of the one, to shrowd their defective Doctrines under the abus'd Antiquity of the other. For it is well known, that by their Expurgatory Indices, they have endeavor'd to purge the works of the first Fathers of such matters as might make to the overthrow of their superstitious Doctrines. This is evident out of Junius, in the case of Bertram, elder then Thophilect, Oecumenius, &c. Bellarmine himself sticks not to allow it, but shifts it off to an Arrian.
This may be farther seen, in the Collection Binius made of the Fathers, pag. 28. 2 Edict. An. 1611. In short, whose Sentences are put out, and whole Sentences put in: much might be said of this, but in my other Discourse I shall enlarge.
And what they mean by a Free General Council we may read in the Council of Trent, whose Symony and Cheat out-do all Presedents: Besides, these men little dream of one Turrecrementa, that in so many words tells us, the Pope is the Foundation, Rule and Principle of Faith (which is Gods Gift) for to him it belongs, says that Doctor, to be the Measure, Rule, and Science of things that are to be believed, and of things which are necessary