Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

R. No question but the Ignorance of the Priests was so great, and the carnal ends so powerful with covetous proud men, which were served by the abuse of the Doctrine of Merits and Good Works, that multitudes of such did ordinarily abuse it: If all Protestants taught the Protestant Doctrine uncorruptly, we should not have had so many differences and divisions as we have had; nor would one condemn another as you do us.

L. But though the old Schoolmen might mean better, those that Luther had to do with, did sure speak much worse.

R. I tell you, the Carnal and Ignorant sort of Priests and Fryers did each man talk according to his model, and so do all Sects: Few had the Wit and Skill to open aright the common Doctrine: But 1. Our Dr. Field (of the Church) undertaketh to prove, that (excepting the tyrannical Papal faction, and the carnal and ignorant that served their ends, and by violence bore down the rest) the chief of the Doctors in the Church of Rome it self, did hold the great Doctrines which the Protestants against the Papists do assert. 2. To tire you now with no more, I will cite but two of Luther's own adversaries in his days. 1. The first is the Learned Cardinal Contacenus who lived in the time of Luther's Reformation: Read but his Notes on Luther's Articles, and his Tract. of Justification, Free-will and Predestination, and you will see that he saith almost as much for what you plead, as you would do your self. I am loth to tire the Reader with the citation of his words at large; Turn to them and read them, and see where he differeth from us. I confess the man was moderate; but never accused as differing herein from the Church of Rome, as in an Article determined of by their Councils: But their Doctors variously express themselves. The other is Fisher Bishop of Rochester one of the chief Martyrs of the Roman Cause, beheaded by Henry the Eighth for denying his Supremacy in Causes Ecclesiastical: who in Opuscul. de fiducia & misericordia Dei (Printed Colon. 1556.) speaketh as much and plainly for the interest of Faith and Mercy and Christs Redemption as Protestants use to do. fol. F. Fide in Christum sola quis etiam citra quaevis opera justificatur. Nam si propriis operibus quis justificatus fuerit, is habet unde glorietur apud se: gloriari enim potest de operibus suis quibus justificatus est: Caeterum qui non suis operibus, sed fide justus effectus est, huic de se neutiquam est gloriandum, sed de Deo qui fidem ei dedit qua justificatur.—Introducit itaque Scripturam Paulus quae non per opera, sed per fidem Abrahae justificationem imputat; nimirum ut ita non sibi sed Deo totam referat gloriam—Ecce quia credidit Abraham, ideo per fidem justificatus est: