A26887:195
The certainty of Christianity without popery, or, Whether the Catholic-Protestant or the papist have…The certainty of Christianity without popery, or, Whether the Catholick-Protestant or the papist have…
The certainty of Christianity without popery, or, Whether the Catholic-Protestant or the papist have the surer faith being an answer to one of the oft canted questions and challenges of the papists, sent to one who desired this : published to direct the unskilful, how to defend their faith against papists and infidels, but especially against the temptations of the Devil, that by saving their faith, they may save their holiness, their comfort and their souls / by Richard Baxter.The certainty of Christianity without popery, or, Whether the Catholick-Protestant or the papist have the surer faith being an answer to one of the oft canted questions and challenges of the papists, sent to one who desired this : published to direct the unskilful, how to defend their faith against papists and infidels, but especially against the temptations of the Devil, that by saving their faith, they may save their holiness, their comfort and their souls / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simons, 1672
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 5. Even so it is with Pastors in the Church, who have power to try particular mens cases, and judge them according to Gods word, and that only in order to the ends of their Society, which is holy Communion in Love.
§. 6. But this much power (as it supposeth the sense of the Law, and declareth it only as far as the decision of the particular case requireth, and not an Universal Regulating determination which hath the nature of an Universal Law it self, so) it belongeth to none but true Pastors of the Church, and that only within their proper charge: And if any one will do as the Pope, who will be Ruler in all Churches of the world, his usurpation maketh him a sinner, but not an obliging determiner.
§. 7. And thus you have our Answer to all his Questions, which he thrust into one, as plainly and distinctly as I can well speak. And because his snare lieth in putting you on ⟨p. 59⟩the deciding of all these cases, while he doth nothing to it himself, that so he may destroy where he cannot build, and so would make the world believe that they have a greater Certainty in all the cases propounded than we have, I will next try their Certainty compared with ours and show you the difference; And withal I will tell you why we use not their Medium and take it not for any Certification at all.
§. 7. And thus you have our Answer to all his Questions, which he thrust into one, as plainly and distinctly as I can well speak. And because his snare lieth in putting you on ⟨p. 59⟩the deciding of all these cases, while he doth nothing to it himself, that so he may destroy where he cannot build, and so would make the world believe that they have a greater Certainty in all the cases propounded than we have, I will next try their Certainty compared with ours and shew you the difference; And withal I will tell you why we use not their Medium and take it not for any Certification at all.