CONFERENCE IV.

His Plea, for his not being guilty of Heresie.

That he cannot rightly according to Protestant Principles, be accused as guilty of Heresie, for several reasons.

  1. Because Protestants holding Heresie to be an obstinate defence of some error against a fundamental, he thinks from hence his tenent freed from being an Heresie, as long as in silence he retains it, unless he engage further, to a publick pertinacious maintaining thereof. §. [23].
  2. Fundamentals varying according to particular persons, and sufficient proposal; none can conclude this point in the affirmative, to be, as to him, a fundamental, or, of the truth of which he hath had a sufficient proposal.
  3. That a lawful General Council's declaring some point Heresie, doth not necessarily argue that it is so; because they may err in Fundamentals; or at least in distinguishing them from other points. §. [26].
  4. That he can have no autocatacrisie or obstinacy in a dissenting from their Definitions, till he is either actually convinced, or at least hath had a sufficient proposal either of the truth of such point defined: that such Councils have authority to require submission, of judgment, and assent to their Definitions: of which conviction or sufficient proposal (that varies much, according to the differing conditions of several persons) as to himself, none can judge save himself: and, consequently, neither can they judge of his guilt of Heresie. Ib.

[§. 23.]

PRot. You know that all Hereticks are most justly anathematized, and cut off from being any longer Members of the Catholick Church, and so do remain excluded also from Salvation. Now this Tenent of yours hath always been esteemed by the Church of God a most pernicious Heresie.

Soc. I confess Heresie a most grievous Crime, dread and abhor it, and trust I am most free from such a guilt; and from this I have many ways of clearing my self. For Heresie (as Mr. Chillingworth defines it) [60]being not an erring, but an obstinate defence of an Error; not of any Error, but of one against a necessary or fundamental Article of the Christian Faith. First, Though this which I hold should be an error, and that against a Fundamental, yet my silence practised therein, can never be called an obstinate defence thereof, and therefore not my tenent an Heresie. 2. Since Fundamentals vary according to particular persons, and (as Mr. Chillingworth saith[61])—No Catalogue thereof, that can be given, can universally serve for all men; God requiring more of them, to whom he gives more, and less of them, to whom he gives less;—And that may be sufficiently declared to one (all things considered) which (all things considered) is not to another sufficiently declared: and variety of circumstances makes it as impossible to set down an exact Catalogue of Fundamentals, as to make a Coat to fit the Moon in all her changes: And (as Mr. Stillingfleet follows him[62]) since the measure of Fundamentals depends on the sufficiency of the proposition; and none can assign what number of things are sufficiently propounded to the belief of all persons, or set down the exact bounds, as to all individuals, when their ignorance is inexcusable, and when not; or tell what is the measure of their capacity; what allowance God makes for the prejudice of Education, &c. Hence I conceive my self free from Heresie, in this my opinion, on this score also; because though the contrary be to some others a Fundamental truth, and to be explicitly believed by them; yet to me, as not having any sufficient proposal, or conviction thereof, but rather of the contrary, it is no Fundamental, and consequently, my tenent opposing it, if an error, yet no Heresie.