A26947:439
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.
Detect. 13. Another deceit that they manage with great confidence, is this; say they, If the Church of Rome be the true Church: then yours is not the true Church, and then you are Shismaticks in separating from it: But the Church of Rome is the true Church; For you will confess it was once a true Church: when Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans: and if it ceased to be a true Church, tell us when it ceased, if you can: If it ceased to be a true Church, it was either by heresy, or Schism or Apostasy: but by none of these: therefore, &c.
Detect. 13. ANother deceit that they manage with great confidence, is this; say they, If the Church of Rome be the true Church: then yours is not the true Church, and then you are Shismaticks in separating from it: But the Church of Rome is the true Church; For you will confess it was once a true Church: when Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans: and if it ceased to be a true Church, tell us when it ceased, if you can: If it ceased to be a true Church, it was either by heresie, or Schism or Apostacy: but by none of these: therefore, &c.
A man would think that children and women should see the palpable fallacy of this Argument; and yet I hear of few that the learned Papists make more use of. But to lay open the shame of it in brief I answer 1. The deceit lieth in the ambiguity of the word [Church.] As to our present purpose, observe that it hath these several significations. 1. It is taken oft in Scripture for one particular Church, associated for personal communion in Gods Worship. And thus there were many Churches in a Country, as Judea, Galatia, &c. 2. It is taken by Ecclesiastical writers often for an Association of many of these Churches for Communion by their Pastors; such as were Diocesan, Provincial, ⟨p. 104⟩National Churches; whereof most were then ruled by Assemblies, where a Bishop, Archbishop, Metropolitan or Patriarch (as they called them) did preside. 3. It is taken oft in Scripture for the Body of Christ, the holy Catholic or Universal Church containing all true Believers as mystical, or all Professors of true faith as visible. 4. It is taken by the Papists oft for one particular Church which is the Mistress or Ruler of all other Churches.