9. IF you tell me then, First, That the Synod: at Conftantinople, anno 381, was only an Affembly of Oriental Bishops; and therefore not properly a General Council, as not being Affembled from the whole Catholick Church; but General only, ex Poft-falto, by a fubfequent Approbation of the Church: Secondly, That (if a (1) Learned Writer of our Age may be Credited) Particular Paffions were fully as Apparent in it, as a Love of Truth: 1 Anfwer, that, as to the Controverfy with the Macedonians, this is Impertinent. For, fince the Doctrine of this Council, against them, is receiv'd by the Church as Universally, as that of the Nicene Council against the Arians: This, at Conftantinople, in that refpect, is as Infallible a Guide to me, as that at Nice.

10. IT is also an Un-neceffary Question, whether General Councils be Infallible, not only in their Conclufions of Faith but also in their Proofs, Arguments, or Reasons for it? Or rather, it is Certain they are not: unless thefe be alfo propofed by the Church, as Reveal'd Truths. And by this we fee, how their Definitions differ from Scripture, in which nothing can be Falfe.

(')Till. T. 9. pag. 499,

§. II.

Of Submission to Church-Authority.

N the Concerns of this Life, when we have not Abfolute and Undeniable Evidence, we esteem it Prudence to fubmit our Judgment

to

to others, tho' not Abfolutely Infallible. Thus a fincere Defire of Preferving our Fortune, or Recovering our Health, obliges us to fubmit our Judgment, to that of our Lawyer, and of our Phyfician. And, it is certainly a Rational Proceeding. For, do my Eyes fee farther than other Men's, because they are Mine? Or, am I the best Qualified Judge in the World, because I have Common Senfe? Even in Point of Religion, Submission is fo Evidently Agreeable to Reafon, that it is daily Practifed by those, who Profess themselves Enemies to it. The Parfon, following the Doctrine of his own Communion, Preaches Learnedly against the Submiffion of Judgment to Authority: whilft the Audience fubmits to the Parfon, and he to his Church. But is every one, provided he has Common Senfe, the most Competent Judge in point of Religion? Is he Wifer than his Creed? Or, is not the Catholick Church, which he there Profeffes, a better Qualified Judge than himself, and more Unlikely to be Miftaken? But if this were allow'd, (as in Reafon it ought) there would be no Work for Reformers of the Church's Faith. The Trade would Starve. And therefore a Principle must be set up, in flat Opposition both to Reafon and Practice; that, in Point of Religion, every one, that has Common Senfe, ought to think bimfelf the moft Competent Judge, and that he is. not to Submit his Judgment to any Paftors, Church or Authority upon Earth. But whether this be Wisdom or Extravagance, Vertue or Pride, is the Question; if it be any. And, ifI am not much mistaken, the stiffeft Abettors of this Maxim find it neceffary, upon Occasion, both to give and require Submiflion to Authority:

The Praice of the French Reformers.

And when in Power, go even fo far, as to reftrain the Liberty of Mens Private Judgment by the feverest Penalties.

2. To the National Synod of the French Huguenots, held at St. Foy, anno 1578. The French Provinces were invited to fend their Deputies, (*) with an ample Procuration to treat, agree upon, and Decide all Points of Doctrine, and other things relating to the Union with the Lutherans. The Deputies made a Propofal, of framing a new Profeffion of Faith. The Synod took the Advice, and gave a full Procuration to Four Minifters, (*) to draw it up. And, if means, can not be found out, for Examining the faid Profeffion of Faith in every Province, fays the Synod, we leave it to the Prudence and found Judgment of the Four Minifters, to agree and Conclude all the Points which shall be brought into Deliberation, as well for Doctrine, as for other matters concerning the Benefit, Union, and Peace of all the Churches. If Luther, when his Difputes begun, had own'd as much Authority in a General Council, as is here granted to Four Calvinift Ministers, all our Controverfies had long fince been Ended.

3. In their Synod of (3) Vitre, anno 1617, the Letters of the Deputation, to be used by thePro

() Munitos ampliffimis Mandatis, qui tractarent, convenirent, deciderent de omnibus doctrina Capitulis, & aliis ad reconciliationem fpećtantibus. (1) Ad fupradicta omnia peraganda. Quod fi fieri non poflet, ut prædicta Profeffio per omnes Provincias examinaretur ; eorum prudentiæ & fano judicio permiffum eft, ut concedant, ac decidant quæcunque in deliberationem adducentur Capitula, five de doctrinâ, five de quâcunque aliâ re, pertinente ad utilitatem, reconciliationem, & quietem omnium Ecclefiarum. (3) In Synodo Victoriacenfi, anne 1617. Promittimus coram Deo, iis omnibus nos fub

vinces,

vinces, are couched in thefe Terms: We Promife, before God, to submit to all Things, that shall be concluded, and refolved in your Holy Affembly; to Dhey them, and put them in Execu tion to our utmoft Power: being perfwaded that God will Prefide in it, and lead you into all Truth and Equity, by the Rule of his Word. Is not this a a very Implicit Faith? For they believe the Decree, before they know what it is.

4. IN the National Synod at Dort, an. 1618, (which was received by the French Calvinists) the Eleventh day of December, the Arminians or Remonftrants, (that is, the Milder Calvinists, con→ cerning Predeftination and Grace) Protested against the Authority of the Affembly; upon this Account, that their Adverfaries were their Judges. But this Plea was Over-ruled; The Synod Condemn'd them (1) for their Obftinacy, and Turn'd them out of all their Employments, (2) till they made the Church fatisfaction, and were admitted into her Communion. But, unless

2

this Plea of the Arminians be allowed, what will become of the Reformation?

V. ANNO 1644, when the Independents maintain'd, (3) That every Church ought to be govern'd

jiciendos, quæ à Sancto veftro Cotu conventa, & decreta erunt iis parituros: & omni noftrâ facultate executuros. Quòd nobis perfuafum fit fore, ut Deus ei præfideat, vofque Spiritu S. fuo in omni veritate, & æquitate, per verbi fuf Regulam dirigat. (1) Ut pervicaci reos. (*) Donec Ecclefiæ fatisfaciant, at que ad ejus Communionem recipiantur, Synodus Dordrectana, Seff. 138. (3) Unamquamque Ecclefiam fuis proprijs -Legibus ita gubernari debere, ut in rebus Ecclefiafticis nemini Subjecta fit,safque â nemine Dependeat ; neque ullam Colloquiorum, Synodorumque Auctoritatem, ad fuum Regimen Adminiftrationemque agnofcére teneatur.

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by her Proper Laws, fo that, in Ecclefiaftical matters, it should neither be under the Subjection, nor Dependance of any one; nor be obliged to Own the Authority of Conferences, and Synods, for her Regubation and Conduct Their Synod held at Charenton determin'd, that this Sect is (1) both prejudicial to the State, and to the Church: That it opens a Door to all forts of Extravagant Opinions: takes away all Means of Useful Remedies; and that, if it took Place, there might be as many Religions framed, as Parishes, or particular Affemblies. But how can this Inconvenience be hinder'd, unless the Faithful can Submit their Judgment to that Superiour Authority?

46. AGAIN, in their Fifth Chapter of Difcipline, under the Title of Confistories, going about to prefcribe Means (2)to end Debates, which might arife upon any Point of Doctrine or Difcipline they Ordain first, the Confistory fhall endeavour (3) to Compofe all things according tothe Word of God, mildly, and without Noife. Next, a Conference and a Provincial Synod are appointed as higher Degrees of Jurisdiction, Laftly, a National Synod, in which their Supreme Authority is Lodg'd, and of which they fpeak in the fe Terms, (4) Here, by the Word of God, an Entire

(*) Tam Reip. quam Ecclefiæ perniciofam effe, abfurdis quibufcunque & infanis Commentis viam aperire; omnes iis medendi, rationes tollere 2 ac, fic illi fententiæ Jocus effet, poffe tot Religiones fingi, quot Parochie, privativè Conventus forent, () Finiendarum Controverfiarum, quæ de aliquo feu Doctrinæ, feu Difciplinæ Capite oboriri poffunt, Art. 31. (3). Omnia ex verbo Del placidè, ac fine ftrepitu componere. (4) Hic integra fiet 8ultima, per verbum Dei, totius Quæftionis Decifio, cui frenuant omnino acquiefcere, Erroresque difertè abjicere, ab Ecclefiâ abfcindentur.

and