A26947:102
A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all…A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all…
A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all that are but truly willing to understand, whether the cause of the Roman or reformed churches be of God ... containing some arguments by which the meanest may see the vanity of popery, and 40 detections of their fraud, with directions, and materials sufficient for the confutation of their voluminous deceits ... : the second part showeth (especially against the French and Grotians) that the Catholic Church is not united in any merely humane head, either Pope or council / by Richard Baxter, a Catholic Christian and Pastor of a church ...A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand, whether the cause of the Roman or reformed churches be of God ... containing some arguments by which the meanest may see the vanity of popery, and 40 detections of their fraud, with directions, and materials sufficient for the confutation of their voluminous deceits ... : the second part sheweth (especially against the French and Grotians) that the Catholick Church is not united in any meerly humane head, either Pope or council / by Richard Baxter, a Catholick Christian and Pastor of a church ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
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.
If they ask, Why then we do draw up Confessions of Faith? I answer, 1. To teach and help the people by gathering to their hands the most necessary points, and giving them sometimes an explication of them. 2. To let our Accusers see that we misunderstand not the Scriptures. 3. To let Pastors and other Subjects know what sense of Scripture the Magistrate will own within his Dominions. 4. And to let the Pastors and the world know what sense in the principal Points we are agreed in. But still we take not our Confessions for our Divine Rule; and therefore if there be any error in a Confession, there is none in the Rule of our Religion, and consequently none in the Religion which we all agree in; but only in such a persons or Churches exposition of the Rule, which yet among Christians is not in any essential Point.
If they ask, Why then we do draw up Confessions of Faith? I answer, 1. To teach and help the people by gathering to their hands the most necessary points, and giving them sometimes an explication of them. 2. To let our Accusers see that we misunderstand not the Scriptures. 3. To let Pastors and other Subjects know what sence of Scripture the Magistrate will own within his Dominions. 4. And to let the Pastors and the world know what sence in the principal Points we are agreed in. But still we take not our Confessions for our Divine Rule; and therefore if there be any errour in a Confession, there is none in the Rule of our Religion, and consequently none in the Religion which we all agree in; but only in such a persons or Churches exposition of the Rule, which yet among Christians is not in any essential Point.
3. Understand well what is the Catholic Church, that when the Papists ask you what Church you are of, or call to you to prove its antiquity or truth, you may give them a sound and Catholic answer. The Catholic Church is the whole number of true Christians upon earth (for we meddle not now with that part which is in Heaven.) It is not tied to Protestants only, nor to the Greeks only, much less to the Romanists only, or to any other party whatsoever; but it comprehendeth all the members of Christ; and as visible, it containeth all that profess the Christian Religion by a credible profession. If the Christian Religion may be known, then a man may know that he is a Christian, and consequently a member of the Catholic Church. But if the Christian Religion cannot be known, then no man can