_Soc._ And who then shall judge, whether the Reasons pretended are _defective_, or rather the present Church _negligent_ in considering them? _Prot._ Here, I confess, to make _the Superiors_ Judges of this, is to cast the Plaintiff before that any Council shall hear his Grievance, these Superiors, whose Faith appears to adhere to the former Council, being only Judges in their own Cause; and so the liberty of complaining will come to nothing[54]. _Soc._ The Inferiors then, that complain, I suppose are to judge of this. To proceed then. To these Superiors, in many diligent Writings, we have proposed, as we think, many unanswerable Scriptures, and Reasons much advanced beyond those represented by our Party to the former _Nicene_ Council (and therefore from which Evidences of ours we have just cause to hope from a future Council a contrary Sentence); and finding no redress by their calling another Council for a reviewing this Point, we cannot but conceive it as lawful for a Socinian Church, Pastor, or Bishop, to reform for themselves, and the Souls committed to them, in an Error appearing to them _manifest_ and _intolerable_, as for the Protestants, or for Dr. _Luther_, to have done the same for Transubstantiation, Sacrifice of the Mass, and other Points that have been concluded, against the Truth, by several former Councils. _Prot._ But such were not _lawful General Councils_, as that of _Nice_ was. _Soc._ Whatever these Councils were, this much matters not, as to a _reformation_ from them; for, had they been lawfully General, yet Protestants hold[55], these not universally accepted may err even in _Fundamentals_; or, when so accepted, yet may err in Non-fundamentals; Errors _manifest_, and _intolerable_, and so may be appealed from to future; and those not called, their Error presently rectified by such Parts of Christianity as discern it; and also S. _Austin_[56] is frequently quoted by them, saying----_That past General Councils erring, may be corrected by other Councils following_. §. 22. _Prot._ But I pray you consider, if that famous Council of _Nice_ hath so erred, another Council called, may it also not err, notwithstanding your Evidences proposed to it? For, though perhaps some new demonstrative Proofs you may pretend from several Texts more accurately compared and explained; yet you will not deny this sufficient Evidence to have been extant for that most Learned Council to have seen the Truth, having then the same entire Rule of Faith as you now, the Scriptures, (in which, you say, your clearest Evidences lie) for their direction. When a Future Council (then) is assembled, and hath heard your Plea, will you _assent_ to it, and acquiesce in the Judgment thereof? _Soc._ Yes, interposing the Protestant-Conditions of Assent, _If its Decree be according to God's Word, and we convinced thereof_.