A26947:1483
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
Quest. Whether the way to heal any Divisions in the Churches of Chr… › Chapter 3
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.
12. Moreover such Councils are unjust, because of the multi tude of Bishops that must there meet and cannot be heard speak. As the case standeth already, there are many more Bishops in the world then can meet, and speak, and hear in one, or two, or three Assemblies: And many thousand more may be made. If I should say that all the Rectors of particular Churches, whom they call Parish Presbyters, are Bishops, and have votes in Councils, they would easilyer deny it then disprove it, or invalidate the proofs already brought: But (to proceed on their own grounds) me thinks they that make him a Bishop who hath Presbyters and Deacons under him, should admit all those Pastors of particular Churches that have Presbyters under them, as their Curates, which are many. Or if they say that only Cities must have Bishops, yet must they on their own grounds admit a Bishop for each City: And if every City in a few Kingdoms in Europe had a Bishop in the Council, there would be no room for all the rest of the world. But how prove they that Country Parishes may not have Bishops? Why may not (on their own grounds) every four or six parishes have one? Hath God forbid it? where? and when? sure they will not say it is of Divine institution that a Bishop have just so many Parishes and Presbyters under him, and neither more nor less. The number is confessed to be left undetermined. And what if Christian Princes, Bishops and people agree to settle Bishops in ⟨p. 419⟩every such small number of Parishes, by what Law can they exclude them from a General Council? If they say, by the Canons of former Councils; I answer 1. Those Canons are contrary to Scripture. 2. They contradict one another. 3. They themselves do not obey the Canons of many such Councils. 4. Those Councils have no power to make Laws; much less Laws that shall reach to this time and place. But they will say Pauls command to Titus 1. 3, 5. and the example Acts 14. 23. is only of ordained Elders or Bishops in every City: therefore they may not ordain them any where but in Cities. But I deny the consequence. Most ancient interpreters by Elders, Acts 14. 23. Understand mere Presbyters: And then it would as much follow that Presbyters must be ordained no where but in Cities: What if I can prove that the Apostles never gathered a solemn Assembly of Christians for Divine Worship any where but in Cities;