The Quakers catechism, or, The Quakers questioned, their questions answered, and both published for…

Your 12. Query is. [Whether we have the same infallible Spirit as the holy men of God had that spoke forth the Scriptures?] Ans. Why must you know this? Are all Dogs and Serpents with you that have not that Infallible Spirit? But we hear the croakings of your Papist guides in that word [Infallible;] that's the: pillar of their Kingdom, and the master-point of their New Religion, That their Church is infallible; For denying which, Knot the Jesuit against Chillingworth, and a late •otable gaudy Orator S. W. against Dr Hammond, and others ⟨p. 10⟩of them, would fain persuade us that we subvert Christianity, and are little better then Infidels, because we are not Infallible: But I will answer you and your Masters together in a word. 1. The Prophets and Apostles had infallible Inspirations of new matters of divine verity, not before revealed, because they were to be Gods penmen and Messengers of such New Revelations, I have none such that I know of. 2. The Prophets and Apostles were guided infallibly in the manner as well as the matter, so that every word that they wrote to the Churches was infallibly true; I have no such Infallibility, nor your Grandfather the Pope neither: He may err while he pretendeth to the greatest Infallibility in deciding Controversies. 3. What man soever he be in the world that believes any Truth, he doth infallibly believe it; For he that is in the right is not deceived so far, and he that is not mistaken is so far infallible, which is no more then non fallitur. 4. But if by [Infallibility] you should mean the clearness and subjective Certainty, as distinct from the objective and the bare truth of our conceptions, then I say, that's another thing then Infallibility, and not to be so called, and of that Certainty men have different degrees: All true Christians are certain of their Fundamentals, yet sometime with some doubting, so that they may find cause to say with the Apostles, Lord, Increase our Faith; or, We believe, help thou our unbelief; But in lesser controverted Points which Salvation dependeth not on, the best man on earth may err, much more be uncertain; So that in a word, Every Church in sensu composite, while a Church is infallible in the essentials of Christianity; and so is every true Christian: And also they know infallibly every other truth that indeed they know;

Your 12. Query is. [Whether we have the same infallible Spirit as the holy men of God had that spoke forth the Scriptures?] Ans. Why must you know this? Are all Dogs and Serpents with you that have not that Infallible Spirit? But we hear the croakings of your Papist guides in that word [Infallible;] that's the: pillar of their Kingdom, and the master-point of their New Religion, That their Church is infallible; For denying which, Knot the Jesuite against Chillingworth, and a late otable gawdy Orator S. W. against Dr Hammond, and others