A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

But you have yet another Plea which you make no less use of than of the former▪ which must therefore be also, (now you have engaged us in this work,) a little examined: This is the Church, its Authority and Infallibility. The truth is, when you come to ⟨p. 187⟩make a practical Application of this Plea unto your own use, you resolve it into, and confound it with that foregoing of the Pope, in whom solely many of you would have this Authority and Infallibility of the Church to reside. Yet because in your management of it, you proceed on other Principles than those before mentioned, this pretence also shall be apart considered. And here you tell us,

But you have yet another Plea which you make no less use of than of the former▪ which must therefore be also, (now you have engaged us in this work,) a little examined: This is the Church, its Authority and Infallibil•ty. The truth is, when you come to ⟨p. 187⟩make a practical Application of this Plea unto your own use, you resolve it into, and confound it with that foregoing of the Pope, in whom solely many of you would have this Authority and Infallibility of the Church to reside. Yet because in your mannagement of it, you proceed on other Principles than those before mentioned, this pretence also shall be apart considered. And here you tell us,

1. That the Church was before the Scripture, and giveth Authority unto it. By the Scriptures you know that we understand the Word of God, with this •ne Adjunct of its being written by his command and appointment. We do not say that it belongs unto the Essence of the Word of God that it be written: Whatever is spoken by God. we admit as his Word, when we are infallibly assured that by Him it was spoken; and that we should do so before, himself doth not require at our hands: for he would have us use our utmost diligence not to be imposed upon by any in his Name. Therefore we grant that the Word of God was given out for the Rule of men in his Worship, two thousand years before it was written; but it was so given forth, as that they unto whom it came, had infallible assurance that from Him it came and his Word it was: And if you, or any man else, can give us such assurance, that any thing is, or hath been spoken by him, besides what we have now written in the Scripture, we shall receive it with the same faith and obedience, wherewith we receive the Scripture its self. Whereas therefore you say, That the Church was before the Scripture, if you intend no more but that there was a Church in the world, before the word of God was written, we grant it true; but not at all to your purpose. If you intend that the Church is before the Word of God, which at an appointed time was written, it may possibly be wrested unto your