A26898:1700
Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…
Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part of the government of Christian princes and popes, and a true account of the most troubling controversies and heresies till the Reformation ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by B. Griffin for Thomas Simmons, 1680
Church-History OF BISHOPS And their COUNCILS ABRIDGED, &c. › Chapter 12
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. If several ways and parties or powers making Popes may all make them true Popes, then who knoweth which and how many of those there are and which is the true Pope if ten were made at once ten several ways?
5. If several wayes and parties or powers making Popes may all make them true Popes, then who knoweth which and how many of those there are and which is the true Pope if ten were made at once ten several wayes?
6. This confesseth that Christ hath appointed no way for choosing Popes, nor given any sort of men power to choose them: else what need Pope Nicholas begin it now anew? And if so, it seemeth that Christ never instituted the Papacy: For can we suppose him so Lax a Legislator, as to say, a Pope shall be made, and never tell us who shall have power to do it. Then England may choose one, and France another, and Spain another, &c. the Bishops one, the Priests another, the Prince another, and the Citizens another. But if Christ have settled a Pope-making power in any, it is either the same as Pope Nicholas did, in Cardinal Bishops, or not▪ If not, the Pope changeth Christ's institution: If yea, then all those were no Popes that were otherwise chosen, and so where is the Roman Church and its succession.
6. This confesseth that Christ hath appointed no way for choosing Popes, nor given any sort of men power to choose them: else what need Pope Nicholas begin it now anew? And if so, it seemeth that Christ never instituted the Papacy: For can we suppose him so Laxe a Legislator, as to say, a Pope shall be made, and never tell us who shall have power to do it. Then England may choose one, and France another, and Spain another, &c. the Bishops one, the Priests another, the Prince another, and the Citizens another. But if Christ have setled a Pope-making power in any, it is either the same as Pope Nicholas did, in Cardinal Bishops, or not▪ If not, the Pope changeth Christ's institution: If yea, then all those were no Popes that were otherwise chosen, and so where is the Roman Church and its succession.