Some thoughts upon the spirit of infallibility, claimed by the Church of Rome: offer'd at the anniversary Dudleian-Lecture, at Harvard-College in Cambridge, May 11. 1757. / By Edward Wigglesworth, D.D. And Hollisian Professor of Divinity.

Some thoughts upon the spirit of infallibility, claimed by the Church of Rome: offer'd at the anniversary Dudleian-Lecture, at Harvard-College in Cambridge, May 11. 1757. / By Edward Wigglesworth, D.D. And Hollisian Professor of Divinity.

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THE INFALLIBILITY Of the CHURCH of ROME, briefly considered.

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THE INFALLIBILITY Of the CHURCH of ROME, briefly considered.

1 JOHN IV. 1.

BELOVED, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they are of God; because many false Prophets are gone out into the World.

YOU are doubtless, my Hearers, some of you, sensible, that I have publickly delivered, and printed Discourses on the Words now read unto you, about two and twenty Years ago; at a Time when a Spirit of strong Enthusiasm was making it's Way apace into this Society. * But the Spirit I am now to try, being of a very different Sort from that, will lead me into a Discourse of quite another Nature.

[Page] THE Business of the third Dudleian Lecture, at this Time assigned to me by the Rev'd Trustees, according to the Will of the honorable, learned and pious Founder, is ‘to be for the detecting, and convicting and exposing the Idolatry of the Romish Church, their Tyranny, Usurpations, damnable Heresies, fatal Errors, abominable Superstitions, and other crying Wickednesses in their high Places; and finally to prove, that the Church of Rome is that mystical Babylon, that Man of Sin, that apostate Church, spoken of in the New-Testament.’

BUT when we charge the Church of Rome with any of these Enormities, or with any other Error, either in Faith or Practice; her Advocates think it a sufficient Answer to tell us, ‘Alas, Gentlemen, you are grosly mistaken! As for these Opinions and Practices which you take to be Errors, 'tis your selves only that err in thinking them to be so; for the Church of Rome is so highly privileged, as to be under the constant Guidance of an Infallible Spirit. You might as well therefore imagine that Christ and his Apostles have erred, as that She hath, or can.’

THE first Thing therefore to be done, in our Disputes with the Adheren's and Advocates of the Romish Church, seems to be this; [Page]to enquire carefully, Whether their Claim to such an extraordinary Privilege, as the continual Guidance of an Infallible Spirit, be well grounded, or not? For on the one Hand, if it be, all Dispute with them is at an End. We have nothing to do, but to believe as their Church believes; to receive all her Dictates with implicit Faith, and follow them with blind Obedience.— And again, on the other Hand, if this Claim be false and groundless, yet till we convince them of it, they will and must remain impenetrable, to any Arguments with which we can press them, on other Points. You see then, that this is the fundamental Article in the Controversies between us, and them; and that Consequences of the last Importance depend upon it.

I HOPE therefore we shall all with humble Reverence attend the affectionate Charge of the Apostle in my Text, and not believe this Spirit, till we have tried whether it be of God. And to this, by Divine Assistance, I shall now apply myself.—But here so many Things present themselves to View, that I find it no easy Matter to determine which to pass in silence, since I am confined to the Limits of one short Discourse, which can by no means contain them all. I must content myself therefore to select such Thôts only, as can be best crouded into so small a Compass, without being too much obscur'd or maim'd.

[Page] YOU may observe then, that our Adversaries the Papists define their Church, to which they arrogate a Spirit of Infallibility, to be that Society of Persons, who profess Faith in Jesus Christ, and live in Subjection to, and Communion with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome.

THE Infallibility they ascribe to this Church is, That thro' the Assistance of Christ and his Holy Spirit, it not only does not, but cannot err in any Doctrine of Religion.—Go then say they to this Church, and receive the Doctrine which She teaches; and there you have certainly and infallibly, the true and pure Doctrine of Jesus Christ. Yea they set up the Dictates of their Church as a Rule of Faith and Manners, distinct from, and superior to the Holy Scriptures; inasmuch as they affirm, that the Scriptures can neither be truly understood, nor savingly believed, without presupposing the Infallibility of their Church in testifying the divine Inspiration of them; and ascertaining the Sense of them; and superadding certain necessary Traditions of the same Original and Authority with them.

THIS Infallibility they place, not in the Church Diffusive, but in the Church Representative. But who the Representative of their Church endowed with this Infallibility is, whether the Pope, who is the Head of it; or a [Page] General Council of its Bishops and Doctors; or both together; they are at no Agreement among themselves. And we are not at all concerned to help them in adjusting their own Differences; thò methinks it looks with but an ill Aspect on their pretended Infallibility, that it hath never yet been at Leisure, or in Humour to decide a Controversy in which it is so much concerned; and on which all its Usefulness to the Church is suspended.

FOR till this Point is determined, how shall the Church Diffusive, or any of its Members, know on whom to depend, or where to apply for infallible Guidance, in any Matter of Faith or Practice. I think with the learned Bishop Burnet, ‘That every Side does so effectually confute the other, that I believe them all as to that: And think they argue much stronger when they prove where it cannot be, than when they pretend to prove where it must be.’ And if the Time would allow, it would be both an agreable and edifying Amusement, to take a View of their Arguments one against another, on this Subject, wherein it so much concerns them to be all of one Mind.

BUT the Limits to which I am confined will not suffer me on this Occasion to attempt to prove separately, either by their Arguments, [Page]of one Party against another, or by any of my own, that neither Pope, nor General Council, nor both together, are guided by an Infallible Spirit in delivering the Doctrines of the Christian Religion.—It will be sufficient to answer all the Ends I aim at, if I can prove at once, That no such Assistance of Christ and his Holy Spirit is vouchsafed any where in the Romish Church, as infallibly secures it from erring in any Doctrine of the Christian Religion.

PERHAPS the shortest Way of proving this would be, to shew that that Church not only may, but actually hath, erred exceedingly in some Doctrines authorised by both Pope and Council, so contrary both to Sense and Reason, as well as Scripture; that we, who live so far remov'd from the Seat of pretended Infallibility, have more and better Assurances that those Doctrines must be notoriously false; than we have, or possibly can have, that there is, or ever was, either Pope, or General Council in the World, to enjoin us to believe them.

BUT this would lead me to take up most of the Time in exposing the Absurdity of some other Doctrine of the Church of Rome; and to deduce the Falsehood and Arrogance of their Claim to Infallibity, only by Way of Inference from it; which tho' I believe the [Page]shortest, would yet look like a more indirect Method of Proceedure; and might perhaps prevent some of my Successors in this Lecture, from attempting to expose such a false Doctrine, in a more effectual manner, than I am able to do.—I shall therefore take another Course, and confine myself intirely to the single Point before me, by endeavouring to shew,

I. THAT it is evident, both from the Nature of the Thing, and from the Account which they themselves give of the Infallibility they pretend to, that we can have no good Reason to believe such Infallibility lodged any where in the Romish Church, without some divine Promise to found our Belief of it upon. And,

II. THAT none of the Promises alledged for this Purpose, intend or prove any such Thing.

Now if I can make it appear, that none of the Promises alledged intimate any such Thing, as the Conduct of an infallible Spirit in delivering the Doctrines of Religion, to be bestowed any where in the Romish Church; and if I can prove, that we can have no good Reason to believe any such Conduct vouchsafed to the Romish Church, without a divine Promise of it; 'twill thence plainly follow, that we ought not to believe the Romish Spirit of Infallibility; [Page]but should reckon the Pretenders to it, among the false Prophets, of whom we are warned in my Text.

Here then,

I. I AM to prove, That it is evident both from the Nature of the Thing, and from the Account which they themselves give, of the Infallibility they pretend to, that we can have no good Reason to believe such Infallibility lodged any where in the Romish Church, without some divine Promise to found our Belief of it upon.

1st. THIS is evident from the Nature of the Thing itself.—For it cannot be pretended, that God is under any Necessity of Nature, or Obligation in Point of Justice, unless he hath laid himself under one by Promise, to bestow the infallible Conduct of his Holy Spirit in delivering the Doctrines of Religion, upon any Person or Community whatever: And much less can it be pretended, that he is under any Necessity or Obligation to bestow it upon one particular Person or Church, rather than another. And therefore, if God does vouchsafe the infallible Guidance of his Holy Spirit in delivering the Doctrines of Religion to any Church; and more especially if he does it to one Church exclusive of all others, it must be allowed by all to be an Act entirely free and arbitrary. And [Page]if so, then it can never be known what Church God so highly favours, or whether he do so by any; unless we know that he hath made some antecedent Promise that he will: Or unless he bares Witness to the Pretensions of his favourite Church, with such miraculous Powers, and apparent Gifts of the Holy Ghost, as it would be inconsistent for the God of Truth to confirm a Lie with.—But now the Romanists, I think, don't presume to say, that their Church is endowed with any miraculous Powers or Gifts of the Holy Ghost, to confirm its Pretensions to Infallibility. For thô they study to perswade the World, that Miracles are still among them; yet they do not so much as say, that the Miracles are wrought by those, with whom this Infallibility is lodged; or that they are done to prove them to be Infallible. And therefore, Since the Gift of Infallibility is an arbitrary Thing, and they don't pretend to prove they have it by Miracles; if they can ever prove that their Church hath it, they can do it only by producing some Promise of God to bestow it on them. But what wretched Contradiction, Confusion, and Circulation will this unavoidably run them into? For according to their Principles, we can neither be assured that the Scriptures are the Word of God, nor be certain what is the Meaning of the Promises of them; unless we first believe the Infallibility [Page]of their Church in testifying the divine Authority of the Scriptures, and ascertaining the Sense of them. And yet when we enquire, how we shall be assured of the pretended Infallibility of their Church, it is evident from the Nature of the Thing itself, compared with their own Principles and Concessions, that they can never prove it, unless they can find some Promise of it in the Scriptures.—So that we must believe their Church to be Infallible, before we can either believe, or know the Meaning of the Scriptures; and yet we must believe their Church Infallible, because they pretend that the Scriptures say it is. But this is only to run round in a Circle, and favours so little of a Spirit of Infallibility, that we hardly need enquire, whether the Scriptures have promised them Infallibility, or no. ‘For it is an eternal Principle and Rule of Reason (as hath been frequently observed upon this Occasion) never to prove one Thing by another, till that other is first well proved, if it be not a self-evident Truth: Nor can any Thing be proved afterwards by that, which was first proved by it. This is as impossible, as if a Father should beget a Son, and should be after wards begotten by that Son.’ Therefore the Scriptures cannot prove the Infallibility of the Church, since their Authority (according to Popish Principles) must first be proved [Page]by the Churches Testimony.—Thus much for the Nature of the Thing it self. I proceed to say,

2. IT is likewise evident from the Account which the Romanists themselves give of the Infallibility which they ascribe to their Church, that we can have no good Reason to believe any such Infallibility confer'd upon it, without some Divine Promise to found our Belief of it upon.—The Account they give of the Matter is, that it is by the Assistance of Christ and his Holy Spirit, that their Church cannot err in any Doctrine of Religion. From whence it is plain, that in order to believing their Churches Infallibility, we must believe, that the Person or Persons who constitute their Church-Representative, (as they call it) whether Pope, or Council, or both together we cannot tell; nor hath their Infallibility ever yet been so kind as to inform us in a Point so necessary to our Salvation; that this Person or Persons, I say, are assisted by Christ and his Holy Spirit. But this will both run them again into a Circle; and also prove the Necessity of some Promises to found such a Belief upon.

1. IT will run them again into a circular Argumentation.—For how shall we be perswaded that their Church hath the Assistance, the Infallible Assistance, of Christ and the Holy [Page]Ghost. We should never have known that there were such Divine Persons as Christ and the Holy Ghost, if the Scriptures had not revealed them to us. They tell us, we can neither savingly believe, nor understand the Scriptures, without the Infallible Testimony and Interpretation of their Church: That is in effect, we cannot believe that there are such Persons as Christ and the Holy Ghost, unless we first believe their Church to be Infallible; and yet we cannot believe their Church to be Infallible, unless we believe that there are such Persons as Christ and the Holy Ghost; for its Infallibility, by their own Confession, doth suppose the peculiar Assistance of both these. And none can believe their Assistance before he believes they are. But leaving them in the midst of this Circle, I proceed to observe,

2. THAT in order to our believing that Church favoured with the Infallible Assistance of Christ and the Holy Spirit, we must of Necessity have some Promise to it of such Assistance, to found our Faith upon.—‘For how comes this Church to have this Infallible Assistance? We can well enough suppose, that Christ and the Holy Spirit may exist without giving this Assistance. And we can suppose, that the Christian Religion may very well continue in the World, after that [Page]all the Doctrines and Precepts of it have been committed to Writing by Men under the Conduct of an Infallible Spirit, without the Continuance of such an Infallibility in the Church. This Assistance therefore is not a necessary, but a free Act. And if a free Act, then for ought that they know, their Church may not be so assisted. For whence can they be sure of an arbitrary Thing, unless the Authors of this Assistance have engaged themselves by Promise, to give their Church, that Infallible Assistance? So that is impossible for them to prove such an Infallible Assistance of Christ and the Holy Ghost, unless they produce some express Promise for it.—And should they produce any such Promises, they will still be liable to be questioned, how they are sure that these are Divine Promises? When the Knowlege that they are Divine, must suppose the Thing to be true, which they would prove out of them; viz. that their Church is Infallible? And supposing the Promises Divine, how are they sure, that this and no other is the Meaning of them? When from such Places they prove, that their Church is the only Infallible Interpreter of Scripture.’— But waving any further Advantage which might be made of their losing themselves perpetually in such inextricable Labyrinths, I shall proceed to shew,

[Page] II. THAT none of the Promises ordinarily alledged to prove the Infallibility of the Romish Church, can possibly mean any such Thing.—These Promises are of two Sorts, namely, such as are pleaded by them, who imagine the Spirit of Infallibility to reside in the Pope alone; or such as are urged by them, who place it in a General Council, or in Pope and Council.—I shall consider the Allegations of both Sorts distinctly, but as briefly as I can.

‘THEY who place Infallibility in the Pope alone, think it is well proved in general, that there must be an Infallibility in the Church; and from hence they conclude, that it must be in the Pope. For if there must be a living speaking Judge, always ready to guide the Church, and to decide Controversies, they say this cannot be in the diffusive Body of Christians, for these cannot meet to judge; nor can it be in a General Council, the meeting of which depends upon so many Accidents, and on the Consent of so many Princes, that the Infallibility must lie dormant frequently for whole Ages together, if the General Council, or Pope and Council is the Seat of it. And therefore, taking it for granted that it is certainly in the Church, they conclude it can be no where else but in the Pope *.’—The chief Proof they alledge from Scripture, is taken from the Words of [Page]our Saviour, when upon Peter's confessing, that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God; † our Lord said to Him, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.—This we allow to be a Promise of Perpetuity to the Christian Church, but we can by no means find Infallibility here promised to the Church, and much less to the Pope, the pretended Head of it.—Indeed from the Perpetuity here promised to the Christian Church; we may fairly conclude, that there shall always be a Number of Men in the World professing the Christian Religion, who shall believe and practise enough of it, to carry them safe to Heaven. But this is far from proving, that they shall never be suffered to err in such Points, as are not absolutely necessary to Salvation. And it is at least as far from proving, that these Men shall always live in Subjection to, and Communion with the Bishop of Rome, rather than with the Bishop of Jerusalem, Antioch, or London.

BUT St. Peter, say they, was that Rock Christ meant, when He said, Upon THIS ROCK I will build my Church. But if the Popes are all Infallible, 'tis certain, that by the Rock is meant, not the Person, but the Faith or Confession of Peter; for so Pope Felix III. hath expounded it, Super ista Confessione edificabo[Page]Ecclesiam meam, as I find him quoted by the learned Dr. Stratford * And as the Dr. further observes, ‘From the Promise of our Saviour, that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church, they can by no means infer Infallibility, till they have first proved, that the Gates of Hell prevail against every Saint; yea, against every Person, that is not infallible! And when that shall be once prov'd, the Gates of Hell will be set so wide open, and they who enter in at them will be so numerous, that 'tis to be feared, St. Peter will never more be put to the Trouble of opening the Gates of Heaven for any Man.’

BUT so much for the Promise pleaded by them, who place Infallibility in the Pope alone. —I pass now to consider the Promises alledg'd by such as place Infallibility in a General Council, or in Pope and Council. These Promises are more numerous, but not less impertinent. They serve the Purpose a little better, than God's [...]ing said to † make two great Lights, the greater Light to rule the Day, and the lesser Light to rule the Night, doth to prove that the Pope must consequently be above the Emperor.

THE first Text urged upon this Occasion is that of our Saviour to the Seventy, † He [Page]that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.—From these Words our Adversaries infer, ‘that an infallible Assistance is promised to their Church in all Ages, not in its diffusive Sense, but representative, viz. in the Pastors and Doctors assembled in Council.’—But by what Laws of Interpretation, this Construction can be justified, it is not easy to imagine. For

1st. THESE Words' were spoken to such Persons, as were sent out only with a temporary Commission, which expired at their Return to their Master, and in which therefore they have no Successors in the Church.

2dly. SUPPOSING (but not granting) that the Office of the Seventy had been standing and perpetual; yet how could that, which was applicable to each of them singly, be fairly and certainly extended to their Successors; and yet not belong to each of them singly, nor yet to all of them collected in a Body; unless the supposed Successors of the Apostles also be convened with them, in a General Council.—Or even supposing this to be just also, yet,

3dly. No such Thing as Infallibility seems to be implied in this Place. For,

[Page] (1.) EVEN the Apostles themselves seem not to have had the constant infallible Assistance of the Spirit of God, 'till after Christ's Ascension.—And then much less can we suppose the Seventy Disciples had, who are here spoken of.

(2.) THE Message they were sent up on did not at all require any infallible Assistance.— For they were sent two and two before Christ's Face, into every City and Place whither he himself would come, ‘not to deliver fully the Doctrine of Christ, but only to tell the People that the Kingdom of God was at Hand: That is, that blessed State of Things under the Messiah, is now ready to be revealed to you. The whole Design therefore of that Commission of the Seventy was, to prepare People for the Reception of that Doctrine, which Christ himself was about to deliver to them. And what infallible Assistance can be supposed necessary in order to this?’

4thly. SUPPOSING it should be granted that the Seventy were infallible in what they delivered, yet nothing can be hence drawn for the Church's continual Infallibility; because the Reason which there might be for the Infallibility of the Seventy, don't hold for the Infallibility of the Church now. For,

[Page] (1.) THE Seventy were sent abroad by Christ when there were yet no infallible Writings containing his Doctrine, made by Himself, or his Apostles, or other inspired Persons. —And so the Seventy had more need of the immediate Guidance of the Spirit of God then, than the Church can have now; since that the Doctrine of Jesus Christ hath been published to the World by the Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists in the New-Testament, so fully and clearly, that the Man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good Works by them. *

(2.) THE Seventy had sufficient Evidences to attest their Infallibility if they had it, by the Power given them to cast out Devils, and heal Diseases. —‘And therefore those they were sent to, had sufficient Inducement to believe such an Infallibility if they pretended to it. When therefore our Adversaries can produce the like Credentials, for their Doctors and Pastors, either apart, or in a General Council, they may then perhaps from hence argue something in Favour of their Infallibility, but not before.’

AGAIN it is pleaded, that Christ says, Tell the Church; and if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man, and a Publican. † — But what is it, which is here [Page]to be told to the Church? Not a Doubt about any Point of Doctrine, but a Complaint of Trespass of one Brother against another. So that if Infallibility is promised in these Words, 'tis Infallibility, not in determining the Doctrines of Religion, but in judging Matters of Trespass. — Again, What Church is to be applied to? Not the Church Catholick, conven'd in General Council, but the private Christian Assembly, to which the aggrieved Brother belongs. He was first to use his own private Endeavours; then the Interposition of Friends was to be tried; and if that was without Success, the Matter was to be referred to the Assembly, to which they belonged. So that if infallible Guidance in Judgment can be gathered from this Passage, it may be claimed by every private Christian Assembly; and surely then there can be no need of travelling to a Popish General Council to obtain it.

ANOTHER Place alledged is that Promise of our Saviour, * I am with you always, even to the End of the World.—This implies Christ's spiritual Presence with his Ministers. And this Promise of Christ's spiritual Presence, was to the Successors of the Apostles, as well as to themselves; for it reaches to the End of the World. But then, this Promise intends only continual Assistance, and not infallible. For whatever is here promised to the Apostles, is [Page]promised to each of them singly, and therefore cannot with any good Reason be restrained to their Successors taken collectively. Whereas our Adversaries themselves do not pretend, that each of the Successors of the Apostles singly, is render'd Infallible, by virtue of this Promise.

BESIDES (as hath already been observed) there is not the same Reason, that the Pastors of the Church collectively should be infallible now, which there was for the Apostles being so then. Nor can they produce the same Evidences for their being so, which the Apostles did. Nor can any good Reason be drawn from this Promise, for Infallibility to the Successors of the Apostles in the Romish Church, and not elsewhere.—So that this Text also may be dismissed, as of no Use to our Adversaries.

NOR is Joh. 16.13. alledged to any better Purpose.—For Guidance into all Truth by the Spirit is there promised to none, but such as have it promised to them also, that the Spirit will shew them Things to come. And therefore, that Promise must be restrained to the Apostles, and not extended to their Successors. For I think the Romanists do not pretend their Church is endowed with a Spirit of Prophecy, as well as of Infallibility.

NOR lastly, will it prove their Pretensions, if the Church of the living God is called the Pillar[Page]and Ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15.—For that is only because it is built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets; which the Romish Church can scarce be allowed to be, since it lays it's own Infallibility in the Foundation, and builds both Credit and Meaning of the Apostles and Prophets upon that.

MOREOVER it ought to be observed, that if it was a Church which is here called the Pillar and Ground of Truth, it was not the Church of Rome, but the Church in which Timothy was directed how to behave himself, namely the Church of Ephesus. And that this Church hath erred fundamentally must needs be granted, since, as Historians tell us, there is not one Family of Christians now to be found in Ephesus.

BUT after all, I think with an eminent Critick *, that it is Timothy himself, and not the Church of Ephesus, which is here called a Pillar and Support of the Truth: that the Passage should be rendered, that thou mayst know how to behave thy self in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, as a Pillar and Support of the Truth. ‘The Apostle is giving Rules to Timothy, how to behave himself in the Church, which He calls the House of God. Now after he had called it an House, one would think it not proper, that in the same Breath, he should call it a Pillar of an House. [Page]But it is very natural to give that Name to Timothy, and to exhort him to behave himself as such in the House of God.’ And if you take it in this Sense, it is as far off from the Purpose they alledge it for, as that of their angelick Doctor †; who proved that all Men are not equally bound to have an explicit Faith, because it is written, that the Oxen were plowing, and the Asses feeding beside them †.

THESE are the principal Texts alledged by those who place the Infallibility in a General Council of such as live in Subjection to, and Communion with the Bishop of Rome. And concerning them all I think it will hold true, that any other Christian Church may put in as fair a Claim to what they Promise, as the Church of Rome. So that we must either believe, that all Churches are Infallible, or deny that the Romish Church is so. For where all have an equal Claim with her, it is very plain that the Claim of all must be just, or else that her Claim cannot be so. — Now that all Christian Churches are not Infallible, we need no other Proof, but their Contradictions one to another. And therefore we need not be at a Loss what to think of the Romish Church, unless some Promise of Infallibility could be produced which respected her, more than others.

[Page] AND now the Sum of all is, That that Spirit which cannot stand the Test, ought not to be believed: that the Spirit of Infallibility contended for by the Romanists, can never be proved without some express Scripture Promise of it to them: that for them to betake themselves to Scripture Proof upon this Occasion, is to involve themselves in such Circulations and Contradictions, as would better become any Thing else, than Infallibility: that if waving the Advantages this would give us, we attend to the Promises alledged, we find none of them can, without manifest Violence, be interpreted of a standing, perpetual Infallibility in the Church: And lastly, that if, contrary to the Truth, we should suppose this to be the obvious Intention of them all; yet not one of them hath more respect to the Romish Church, than to any other.

FROM these Things laid together, it will be no difficult or unfair Conclusion, that the Infallibility which the Romanists arrogate to their Church is not from the Spirit of Truth, but from a Spirit of Error.

AND now (to borrow the Words of the celebrated Bishop Burnet *) ‘the Importance of this Argument, rather than the Difficulty of it, hath made it necessary to dwell so long upon it. For it is indeed, the main fundamental [Page]Point in Debate between us and the Papists, and upon which, in a manner all the other Points of Difference do depend. Since then so much depends upon it, and since the Missionaries of the Church of Rome are generally very well instructed in it, therefore it ought to be thorôly considered. For how little Strength soever there may be in the Arguments brought to prove this Infallibility, yet they put specious Colours upon them, and they are commonly managed, both with much Art, and with great Confidence.’ But the only infallible Rule in this, as in all other Points of Importance, is, To the Law, and to the Testimony: If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them. †

OUR Adversaries the Papists dare not deny, that the Holy Scriptures were all given by Inspiration of God: And surely then we may believe them, if we can but understand them. The Scriptures themselves assure us, that they are able to make us wise unto Salvation, * and that they may be known of children; which certainly supposes, that however there may be some Things in them hard to be understood, yet that in all Points necessary to Salvation, they are written with Perspicuity enough to be apprehended by very ordinary Capacities. What need then can there be of an infallible Interpreter, to [Page]explain the Meaning of what a Child may know without such Help? And where shall we find such Interpreter, if we needed him; since the Church of Rome, with all it's Infallibility, cannot determine, whether it be Pope, or General Council, or both together? And what Help or Satisfaction shall we find if we look into the Decisions of that Church; since it is certain that its Definitions in Matters of Faith, are both more in Number, and much more intricate and hard to be understood, than those of the Scripture are?— But I am insensibly sliding into the Consideration of what may be urged in Point of Reason against the Romish Doctrine of Infallibility; to take a just View of which would probably far exceed, both your Patience, and my own Strength.

I MUST therefore leave this, together with the several interesting and important Points expressed in the Statute of the worthy Founder of these Lectures, which I read unto you at the Beginning of this Discourse, to such as by the Will of God may succeed me.—I must also wave the Reflections which offer themselves upon what hath been spoken at this Time: And shall conclude in one Word of Advice, to such of you, my Hearers, as intend the Study of Divinity; namely,

THAT after you have laid the Foundations of your Faith in the great Points of natural [Page]and revealed Religion, in Opposition to the Atheist and the Deist, as deep and strong as you can; if you find Leisure and Advantages to look much into the Controversies between the several Denominations of Christians, you would begin with that between us and the Church of Rome.—That Church is a restless, incroaching and implacable Enemy to Protestants of every Denomination. It is indefatigable in it's Endeavours, compassing Land and Sea to make Proselytes. It utterly denies Salvation to any out of it's Communion. And it's Heresies, Superstitions, Cruelties, Idolatries, and other crying Wickednesses are such, that you will find it no very easy Matter to perswade your selves, that there can be any Salvation in it. This is doubtless therefore, the most interesting and important Controversy among Christians; and so deserves your Attention in the first Place. And you will find that a competent Understanding of this, will be no small Help to you in determining some Controversies between Protestants one with another.—To which I may add, that if we consider, how much the Protestant Interest, both in Europe and America, is at this Day threatned, by the Sword of its Popish Enemies; this is the Controversy in which it seems most likely that we may be bro't to the Trial, whether we are rooted and grounded in our Faith, and can hold fast the Profession of it, without wavering.

THE END.

Notes

*

A short Account of this Matter may be seen in my Letter to Mr. Whitefield, P. 6. 7.

↵

*

BURNET'S Exp. P. 180.

↵

†

Matth. xvi. 16, 18.

↵

*

Vid. Discourse of the Necessity of Reformation, P. 5.

↵

†

Gen. 1.16.

↵

†

Luke 10.16.

↵

*

2 Tim. 3.17.

↵

†

Math. 18.17.

↵

*

Math. 28.20.

↵

*

Dr. SHARP.

↵

†

Aquinas.

↵

†

Job. 1.14.

↵

*

Exp. P. 152.

↵

†

Isai. 8.20.

↵

*

2 Tim. 3.15.

↵

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

Dr. Wigglesworth's DISCOURSE AT THE DUDLEIAN-LECTURE, at HARVARD-COLLEGE in CAMBRIDGE, NEW-ENGLAND, May 11. 1757.

§

§

[Page]

SOME THOUGHTS UPON THE Spirit of Infallibility, CLAIMED BY THE CHURCH of ROME: OFFER'D AT THE ANNIVERSARY DUDLEIAN-LECTURE, AT HARVARD-COLLEGE in CAMBRIDGE, May 11. 1757.

By EDWARD WIGGLESWORTH, D. D. And HOLLISIAN Professor of Divinity.

BOSTON; NEW-ENGLAND: Printed and Sold by JOHN DRAPER, in Cornhill. MDCCLVII

Information about this book

Title statement

Some thoughts upon the spirit of infallibility, claimed by the Church of Rome: offer'd at the anniversary Dudleian-Lecture, at Harvard-College in Cambridge, May 11. 1757. / By Edward Wigglesworth, D.D. And Hollisian Professor of Divinity.

Wigglesworth, Edward, ca. 1693-1765.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2009-10.

ID [DLPS]

N06357

ID [TCP]

N06357

ID [STC]

Evans 8064

ID [NOTIS]

APY2387

ID [IMAGE-SET]

8064

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99029464

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 8064.Dudleian lecture ; 1757.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N06357)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 8064)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 8064)

Source

— Some thoughts upon the spirit of infallibility, claimed by the Church of Rome: offer'd at the anniversary Dudleian-Lecture, at Harvard-College in Cambridge, May 11. 1757. / By Edward Wigglesworth, D.D. And Hollisian Professor of Divinity., Wigglesworth, Edward, ca. 1693-1765..

Extent

31, [1] p. ; 23 cm. (8vo)

Printed and sold by John Draper, in Cornhill.,. Boston; New-England: :: MDCCLVII. [1757]. (Half-title: Dr. Wigglesworth's discourse at the Dudleian-lecture, at Harvard-College in Cambridge, New-England, May 11. 1757.)

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