Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Doctrine 7
VII. That the Church can err, and hath erred.
WHich is true in one ſenſe, though not true in another. For if by Church be meant the Univerſal Church; and by erring be meant, departing from the Truth in matters of neceſſary belief; then we ſay the Church (though it may miſtake in matters of leſſer moment, yet) cannot thus err, becauſe Chriſt will always have a Church upon Earth; which cannot be, without the belief of all things neceſſary to make it a Church. But if by Church, be meant the Church of Rome, or any other particular Church, we ſay it may err, even in matters of neceſſary belief (as St. Paul plainly ſuppoſes in his caution he gives the Romans, XI. Rom. 20, 21.) and thus many Churches have erred, and faln from Chriſtianity.
Now what hath he to ſay out of our Bibles, which is expreſly contrary to this?
Firſt, he alledges a place out of the Prophet Iſaiah, LIX. Iſa. 21.LIX. Chap. 21. where there is not one expreſs word either of the Church, or of its not erring; but only of what God will do for thoſe who turn from tranſgreſſion in Jacob, (as the words before going are) upon whom (we may ſuppoſe) he Covenants and engages to beſtow his Spirit, &c. Now before the Church of Rome (whom this man here intends) can apply this Text to themſelves, they muſt prove that they are the people who turn from tranſgreſſion in Jacob; which will be a very difficult task. And when that's done, this Text may prove to be a command rather than a promiſe, that it is their duty, having God's Spirit, who by faith and charity is diffuſed in the whole Church, that is, in the hearts of the faithful (as Menochius here gloſſes); and his words, that is, ſaith he, his precepts, they ſhould keep them faithfully, and not ſuffer them to depart out of their own mouth, and their own heart (as he goes on) or out of the mouth and heart of their Children. It is a moſt wretched inference (for after all his brags of expreſs Texts, he is fain to come to that at laſt) which this man draws from hence, therefore the Church cannot err. He might (with reſpect to the ſenſe) have ſaid more colourably, therefore the Church cannot ſin. The folly of which every one ſees; men being too negligent on their part, when God hath done his.
The next place is leſs to the purpoſe; for it is a peculiar promiſe (as appears by the whole context) unto the Apoſtles of Chriſt.XIV. Joh. 16. In whoſe hearts he promiſes the Holy Ghoſt ſhall inhabit, as Menochius expounds it, performing the Office of a Comforter, and of an Inſtructer. And this for ever; not for ſo ſhort a time as Chriſt ſtayed on Earth with them, but all the days of their life. But let us extend this promiſe to their Succeſſors, they can never prove the Apoſtles have no Succeſſor, but only at Rome. To which this promiſe can by no inferences be confined, but muſt extend to the whole Church of Chriſt, with whom he is ſtill preſent by his Spirit, to preſerve them in the way of truth, if they will be led by it.
In the nex place, XVIII. Mat. 17. he is at his C ll…ctions again, inſtead of expreſs words; for his Talent is meer bragging,XVIII. Matth. 17. without any performance. But how doth he gather from this Text, that the Church cannot err? Why, that he leaves to his Reader, telling him only, it may be clearly gathered; but he, for his part did not know how, though it may be others do. Let them try, who have a mind. I can find nothing in this place, which concerns matters of faith; and he himſelf ſeems to be ſenſible of it, when he ſaith the Church cannot err in her Cenſure. But what Church is this? and what Cenſure? It belongs to every Church to cenſure him that wrongs his Brother, after he hath been admoniſhed of the injury he hath done, firſt in private, and then before two or three Witneſſes. This being done, where ſhould he be proceeded againſt, but in the Church where he lives? Unto which if he will not ſubmit, but continue obſtinately his injurious actions, he is juſtly to be lookt upon as no Chriſtian. No man that is unprejudiced, can read this Text, with all its circumſtances, and not take this to be the ſenſe of the words. And then, if they prove the Church cannot err, we ſhall have as many infallible Tribunals, as there are Churches.
XXXV. Iſ. 8.That which follows, XXXV. Iſa. 8. ſpeaks of not erring, but ſays nothing of the Church; unleſs he make the Church to be fools, who the Prophet ſaith ſhall not err. How much wiſer would this man have been, if he had but conſulted ſome ſuch Author as Menochius; Who, obſerving that the Prophet ſaith, v. 4. God will come, he will, and ſave you, i. e. God incarnate, as he expounds it; by the way (here mentioned v. 8.) underſtands that narrow way which he taught, leading by holineſs of manners and life to the holy place, i. e. to Heaven. And upon the laſt words, fools ſhall not err therein; gives us this good Proteſtant Gloſs; for even the ſimple and unskilful might eaſily learn thoſe things which are neceſſary to ſalvation. The way is plain in theſe matters, and none need err about them, unleſs they will. And I wiſh it was not a wilful error in this man, to ſay that we affirm, the whole Church, and all holy men that ever have been therein, for theſe 1000 years, have erred. There cannot be a greater calumny; for we believe the whole Church cannot ſtray from the way that leads to Heaven; though ſome particular Churches may.
There is nothing contrary to this in V. Epheſ. 27.V. Epheſ. 27. Which if it prove any thing of this nature, proves the Church is ſo perfectly pure, that it hath no ſin in it. But I doubt we muſt ſtay for this happineſs, till the other world, when the Church will indeed be made a Glorious Church. I have noted, as he deſires, the words, without ſpot, wrinkle, or any blemiſh; and yet I think it poſſible that ſome Church or other hath taught horrible Blaſphemies and Abominations. For St. John in the Revelation tells us, it is not only poſſible, but certain, XVII. Rev. 3, 4. And there are, we think very evident proofs, that the preſent Roman Church, of which he is ſo fond (and always hath in his mind, when he ſpeaks of the Church) is deſcribed by St. John in that place.
We have ſeen ſo little in theſe Texts, that I cannot find in my heart to look into the reſt; ſeveral of which we have had already, as XXII. Luk. 32. XXIII. Mat. 3. XVII. Deut. 8. XV. Act. 28. And he ſeems to have intended nothing, but meerly to make a ſhow of more ſtrength than he had; which made him thruſt in among the reſt, V. Epheſ. 27. which I have juſt now examined. His Fathers alſo are only Names, without their ſenſe, and ſo let them paſs. Next, he ſaith, we affirm,