A26887:227
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.
I must confess that a just indignation ariseth in me at the reading of such soul-cheating snares; where men have the Impudence to persuade us that we can be sure of none of our faith, unless we be sure of Copies, Translations, &c. by that Authority that never durst nor did determine of the many remaining Controversies thereabout? And where hath the Pope or Council given us a Grammar or Lexicon to know the true sense of words by, for the future? Fathers differ: Papists differ; the world is disagreed of the sense of words and many Texts: The Pope hath an infallible skill, and power with his Council to decide all, and will not: Was there ever a crueller wickeder wight in flesh? To see all this difference and darkness, and not vouchsafe to speak a few words, or ⟨p. 79⟩write one Infallible Commentary to end them? Just as if the plague or fever were common, and one Physician would say, all men shall die that will not believe that I can cure all men; when in the mean time he will not cure those that do believe it?
I must confess that a just indignation ariseth in me at the reading of such soul-cheating snares; where men have the Impudence to perswade us that we can be sure of none of our faith, unless we be sure of Copies, Translations, &c. by that Authority that never durst nor did determine of the many remaining Controversies thereabout? And where hath the Pope or Council given us a Grammar or Lexicon to know the true sense of words by, for the future? Fathers differ: Papists differ; the world is disagreed of the sense of words and many Texts: The Pope hath an infallible skill, and power with his Council to decide all, and will not: Was there ever a crueller wickeder wight in flesh? To see all this difference and darkness, and not vouchsafe to speak a few words, or ⟨p. 79⟩write one Infallible Commentary to end them? Just as if the plague or feaver were common, and one Physicion would say, all men shall die that will not believe that I can cure all men; when in the mean time he will not cure those that do believe it?