A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

This the Scripture teacheth, this Austin confirmeth in an bundred places. If you intend the Church in the second sense; we grant that also so far unerring and infallible, as that there ever was, and ever shall be in the world, a number of men making Profession of the saving Truth of the Gospel, and yielding professed subjection unto our Lord Jesus Christ according unto ⟨p. 191⟩it, wherein consists his visible Kingdom in this world; that never was, that never can be utterly overthrown. If you speak of a Church in the last sense, then we tell you, That no such Church is by virtue of any Promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, freed from erring, yea so far as to deny the fundamentals of Christianity, and thereby to lose the very being of a Church. Whilst it continues a Church, it cannot err fundamentally; because such Errors destroy the very being of a Church; but those who were once a Church, by their failing in the Truth, may cease to be so any longer: And a Church as such may so fail, though every Person in it do not so; for the individual members of it, that are so also of the Mystical Church, shall be preserved in its Apostasy. And so the Mystical Church, and the Catholic Church of Professors may be continued, though all particular Churches should fail: So that no Person, the Church in no sense is absolutely freed in this world from the danger of all errors: that is the condition we shall attain in Heaven; here where we know but in part we are incapable of it. The Church of the Elect and every member of it, shall eventually be preserved by the power of the Holy Ghost, from any such error as would utterly destroy their Communion with Christ in Grace here, or prevent their fruition of him in Glory hereafter: or, as the Apostle speaks, they shall assuredly be kept by the Power of God through faith unto salvation. The General Church of Visible Professors, shall be always so far preserved in the world, as that there shall never want some, in some place or other of it, that shall profess all needful saving Truths of the Gospel, in the belief whereof and obedience whereunto a man may be saved. But for Particular Churches as such, they have no security but what lies in their diligent attendance ⟨p. 192⟩unto that Infallible Rule, which will preserve them from all hurtful Errors, if through their own default they neglect not to keep close unto it.

This the Scripture teacheth, this Austin confirmeth in an bundred places. If you intend the Church in the second sense; we grant that also so far unerring and infallible, as that there ever was, and ever shall be in the world, a number of men making Profession of the saving Truth of the Gospel, and yielding professed subjection unto our Lord Jesus Christ according unto