Prot. Why, such a submission of Judgment and Assent I suppose you will presently yield to me in any thing, whereof you are convinced by me; may this future Council then challenge no further Duty from you? why then should the Church be troubled to call it?

Soc. [57]Though this Future Council also should err, yet it may afford Remedy against Inconveniences; and one great Inconvenience being, Breaking the Church's Peace; this is remedied by its Authority, if I only yield the Obedience of Silence thereto.

Prot. But if your Obedience oblige not to silence concerning Councils past, because of your new Evidences, neither will it to a future, if you think it also doth err; and either these Evidences remain still unsatisfied, or these satisfied, yet some other new ones appear to call for a new Consideration.

Soc. [58]Because it may also err, it follows not it must err; and it is probable that it shall not err, when the former Error is thus discovered, and if the Council proceed lawfully, be not overawed, &c.[59] But however, if I ought upon this review to be restrained to silence, yet, I not convinced of the truth of its Decree, this Silence is the uttermost that any future Council, after its rejecting my Reasons, can justly exact of me; and not belief, or assent, at all: It may not oblige me, that I should relinquish that you call Socinianism at all, but that, not divulge it; whereas now by the Acts of former Councils (I would gladly know upon what rational ground) an Anathema is pronounced against me, if I do not believe the contrary, and I am declared to stand guilty of Heresie meerly for retaining this Opinion; which retaining it is called obstinacy and contumacy in me, after the Councils contrary Definition.

NOTES

[41]p. 515, 516.

[42]See before, §. [13].

[43]§. [13].

[44]See Baronius. A. D. 318, 319.

[45]§. 478.