A26892:5943
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
But the best is, that by their Doctrine indeed they need not to plead for an uninterrupted succession either of Popes, Bishops or Presbyters, but that they think it a useful cheat to perplex all that are not their subjects. For if the Papacy were extinct an hundred years, Christ is still alive: And seeing it is no matter (ad esse) who be the Electors or Consecrators, so it be but made known conveniently to the people, and Men only Elect and Receive the person, and Christ only giveth the power (by his stated Law) what hindereth after the longest extinction or intercision, but that some body, or some sort of persons may choose a Pope again, and so Christ make him Pope? And thus the Catholic Church may dye and live again by a new Creation, many times over.
But the best is, that by their Doctrine indeed they need not to plead for an uninterrupted succession either of Popes, Bishops or Presbyters, but that they think it a useful cheat to perplex all that are not their subjects. For if the Papacy were extinct an hundred years, Christ is still alive: And seeing it is no matter (ad esse) who be the Electors or Consecrators, so it be but made known conveniently to the people, and Men only Elect and Receive the person, and Christ only giveth the power (by his stated Law) what hindereth after the longest extinction or intercision, but that some body, or some sort of persons may choose a Pope again, and so Christ make him Pope? And thus the Catholick Church may dye and live again by a new Creation, many times over.
And when the Pope hath a Resurrection after the longest intercision, so may all the Bishops and Priests in the world, because a new Pope can make new Bishops, and new Bishops can make new Priests. And where then is there any show of necessity of an uninterrupted succession of any of them. All that will follow is, that the particular Churches dye, till a Resurrection: And so doth the whole Church on earth every time the Pope dyeth, till another be made, if he be the Constitutive Head.
And when the Pope hath a Resurrection after the longest intercision, so may all the Bishops and Priests in the world, because a new Pope can make new Bishops, and new Bishops can make new Priests. And where then is there any shew of necessity of an uninterrupted succession of any of them. All that will follow is, that the particular Churches dye, till a Resurrection: And so doth the whole Church on earth every time the Pope dyeth, till another be made, if he be the Constitutive Head.