Serm. CX ,V. as a Guide tó theApo]Iles. 2 mental an Article of Faith as they would make it ; and yet that neither Chrift nor his Apoftles Mould fay one word about it? How comes it to pafs, that when there were fo many Schifms and Diffcntions in the Primitive Church St. Paul fhould never fo much as once mention this effe.&ual Remedy of all thole Evils to fend them to St. Peter, who was the only infallible judge of Controverfies ? If Chrift had appointed this way, then certainly St. Paul could not have been ignorant of it, Betides that it wouldhave been an excellent direaion to the Church in after- Ages, what to have done in the like cafes; if our Saviour or any of his Apoftles would have given us the leaft fignification, that the Heir of Infallibility had been fixt at Rome, and that thither we were to have recourfe for the deciding of all differences in Religion. Efpecially it mutt needs feem very wonderful, that St. Paul in hisEpiftle to the Roman Church, íhould not acquaint them what a fingular Privilege that Church had above all other Churches, that it was the Seat of Infallibility, and that the Bifhop ofthat Church was the great Judge of Controverfies, and that there could no difference arife among them, about any matter of Faith but they might fpeedi- ly have it decided from that Chair. Nay on the contrary, there are fhrewd inti- mations given that the Church of Rome her Pelf fhould apoftatize from the Faith, and that her haughtinefs would be her ruin. Rom. II. 20, 2i. where fpeaking of the ems, that were broken off by their unbelief, hegives this caution to the Church of Rome,; Well: becaufe of unbelief they were broken off, and thou liandell by faith. Be not high minded, but fear. For if God feared not the natural branches; take heed leg he alp fpare not thee. Be not high minded, butfear. What needed they to fear, who had the privilege of Infallibility 2 Their Faith muff needs be un- fhaken. But St. Paul feems to .think that Church tobe in as much danger offalling from the Faith, as any other. From whence we may certainly conclude, that he knew nothing of its Infallibility. Nay he kerns to have forefeen their arrogant pretence to it, and that that very thing would be the occafion of their falling, when he givesthem that caution, Be not high minded, hut fear. For what great- er inftance could there poffibly be of a proud and high mind, than to affume to themfelves to be infallible ? But, Secondly, The ends' mentioned may be fufficientiy attained withoùt Infallibility: As for the perpetuityof the Church, that may continue to the endof theWorld, by virtue of the infallibility of Chrift's Promife, tho'-there beno infallibility either in the Church of Rome, or any where elfe. For fetting afide Chrift's Promife; the Church may fail; and his Promife, fignifies only that it (hall not fail, not that it cannot. All that can, be inferr'd from the Promife of Chrift, concerning the per- petuity of the Church, is only the certainty of the Event, but not the ,Infallibi- lity of the Caufe; not that the Church thall be infallible, but only that it (hall not fail. In like manner for the government of the Church, and decifion of Controver- fies, there is no need of Infallibility; becaufe the Church may be govern'd well enough, as other Societies are, without an Infallibility : and all Controverfies that are neceffary to be decided may be decided by the infallible Rule of Faith, the Holy Scriptures, which are plain in all things neceffary; and there is no neceffity, that controverfres about matters not neceffary fhould be decided. To conclude this point, If the Pope and a general Council be the Seat of Infal- libility, (which is the tnoft general opinion in the Church of Rome) then how was the Chriftian Churchgovern'd, and Controverfies decided before the Council of Nice, which was the firft general Council; that is for three hundred Years ? And if the Church did well enough for three hundred Years without an infallible Judge, this is a Demonftration that there is no abfolute need of it. 4. This Promife here in theText fignifies a revelation of fome newTruths to the Apoftles, _ which they were not inftruéted in before, and therefore cannot belong to any Church in after Ages. For the Church of Rome her felf does not pretend o any revelation of Objects of Faith not known before, and therefore canchallenge nothing by virtue of this Promife. Q.9 -5. Sup- 7.
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