A26887:244
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.
XXXV. If you say that an Implicit faith that all is true and of God which the Pope and Council saith is so, will save men; 1. How do the people know whether the Pope and Council determine any thing at all but on the Priests credit? 2. Then all Infidels may be saved without believing that there is a Saviour or salvation, so they do but believe in the Pope and Council. 3. Then believing in the Pope and Council is made far more necessary than believing in Christ. 4. Why will not an implicit belief in Christ go as far as yours?
XXXV. If you say that an Implicite faith that all is true and of God which the Pope and Council saith is so, will save men; 1. How do the people know whether the Pope and Council determine any thing at all but on the Priests credit? 2. Then all Infidels may be saved without believing that there is a Saviour or salvation, so they do but believe in the Pope and Council. 3. Then believing in the Pope and Council is made far more necessary than believing in Christ. 4. Why will not an implicite belief in Christ go as far as yours?
XXXVI. By your way we can never be Certain when we have all the Christian faith: For more Councils may still make more decrees as hitherto they have done; and who knows when they will have done? And so you make a Christian quite another thing, than he was in the primitive Church; And you cruelly make it far harder to be saved: when as then, a man might be saved that believed the Covenant and Creed; and foresaid Catechism; and now he must also believe so many Canons, as that the Councils containing ⟨p. 94⟩them in the last Edition, exceed the purse of a poor Minister to buy them; and the time and brains of most to read them.
XXXVI. By your way we can never be Certain when we have all the Christian faith: For more Councils may still make more decrees as hitherto they have done; and who knows when they will hae done? And so you make a Christian quite another thing, than he was in the primitive Church; And you cruelly make it far harder to be saved: when as then, a man might be saved that believed the Covenant and Creed; and foresaid Catechism; and now he must also believe so many Canons, as that the Councils containing