A26947:322
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.
Yea, but this will not serve their turn: It is the present Church that must judge or none: For say they, if the ancient Church had power, so hath the present: and if the ancient Church had possession of the truth, how shall we know it but by the present? I answer, 1. We may know it by the Records of those times far ⟨p. 72⟩surer then by the reports of men without writing: Controversies or numerous mysterious points are sorrily carried in the memories, especially of the most, even of the Teachers. And for the Records, one diligent skilful man will know more then ten thousand others. One Baronius, Albaspinaeus, Petavius, among the Papists, and one Usher, Blondel, Salmasius, Gataker, &c. among the Protestants, knew more of the mind of antiquity, then a whole Country besides, or perhaps then some General Councils.
Yea, but this will not serve their turn: It is the present Church that must judge or none: For say they, if the ancient Church had power, so hath the present: and if the ancient Church had possession of the truth, how shall we know it but by the present? I answer, 1. We may know it by the Records of those times far ⟨p. 72⟩surer then by the reports of men without writing: Controversies or numerous mysterious points are sorrily carryed in the memories, especially of the most, even of the Teachers. And for the Records, one diligent skilfull man will know more then ten thousand others. One Baronius, Albaspinaeus, Petavius, among the Papists, and one Usher, Blondell, Salmasius, Gataker, &c. among the Protestants, knew more of the mind of antiquity, then a whole Country besides, or perhaps then some Generall Councils.
2. Well! but if you appeal to the greater number, to them shall you go. You must be tried by the present Church; Why then you are condemned. Is it the lesser number, or the greater, or the better that must be judge? You will not say the lesser, as such: If you do, you know where you are. If you say, the Better part shall be judge: who shall be Judge which is the Better part? we are ready to prove the Reformed Churches the Better part: and if we do not, we will give you the day, and lose our cause. But I suppose you will appeal to the Greater part. Content! Then the world knows you are lost. The Greeks, Muscovites, Armenians, Abassines, and all other Churches in Asia, Africa and Europe are far more then the Papists; and your own pens and mouths tell us that these are against you. Many of them curse you as Heretics or Schismatics; the rest of them know you not, or refuse your government. They all agree against your Popes universal Headship or Sovereignty, and so against the very form of your new Catholic Church: So that the world knows the Judgement of the far greatest part of Christians on earth to be against you in the main, so that you see what you get by appealing to the Catholic Church.