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A26962:525

Naked popery, or, The naked falsehood of a book called The Catholic naked truth,…Naked popery, or, The naked falshood of a book called The Catholick naked truth,…

Naked popery, or, The naked falsehood of a book called The Catholic naked truth, or, The Puritan convert to apostolical Christianity, written by W.H. opening their fundamental error of unwritten tradition, and their unjust description of the Puritans, the prelatical Protestant, and the papist, and their differences, and better acquainting the ignorant of the same difference, especially what a Puritan and what a papist is / by Richard Baxter ...Naked popery, or, The naked falshood of a book called The Catholick naked truth, or, The Puritan convert to apostolical Christianity, written by W.H. opening their fundamental errour of unwritten tradition, and their unjust description of the Puritans, the prelatical Protestant, and the papist, and their differences, and better acquainting the ignorant of the same difference, especially what a Puritan and what a papist is / by Richard Baxter ...

Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed for N. Simmons, 1677

196, [8] p. · 61k words · Wing B1315 · ESTC R13884

Title page: Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy, digitized by the Internet Archive (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

Chapter 7: What a PAPIST is.

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.

[ Earlier:522–537 of 699

:522p. 172¶2

2. But still this answereth none of the Contradictions about believing in and from the Pope: May we all take our Faith from the Church-real, without taking it from the Pope, or not? If yea, we may possibly be good friends at last. If not, all the Contradictions about him are still upheld by you.

:523p. 172¶3

3. And if you must take it from the Authority and Infallibility of the Church Real, still all the Contradictions will follow as if you took it from Councils: For can you believe that this Church is Christs Church, and hath this power and gift from him, before you believe that he is Christ, and that ever he made such a gift or promise to them?

:524p. 172–173¶4

4. And who or what is this Real Church, that must be first known to be thus empowered and infallible: Is it some few, or many, or must it be the most? If a few or many, you profess that they may be Heretics, and have not that authority or gift. If it must be all, or the greater part; 1. Then the Church of Rome goeth down, that is at most but a third part. 2. How shall every poor man (or any man) know which is the judgment of the major part? Can he take the Votes of all the Christian World? 3. And have all that were converted in the Apostles days ⟨p. 173⟩and since, first known the Major Vote of the Christians, or were they converted by the foreknown Infallibility or Authority of the Majority? (or of the Pope?)

4. And who or what is this Real Church, that must be first known to be thus impowered and infallible: Is it some few, or many, or must it be the most? If a few or many, you profess that they may be Hereticks, and have not that authority or gift. If it must be all, or the greater part; 1. Then the Church of Rome goeth down, that is at most but a third part. 2. How shall every poor man (or any man) know which is the judgment of the major part? Can he take the Votes of all the Christian World? 3. And have all that were converted in the Apostles days

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Position

Cited: :525
On this page: :522–537
Section: :491–568
Whole work: 699 passages

Cite

Richard Baxter, Naked popery, or, The naked falshood of a book called The Catholick naked truth,… (London, 1677), ch. 7, p. 173. EEBO-TCP A26962.

Or select words in any passage to make an image of them.

The book

Title as printed: Naked popery, or, The naked falsehood of a book called The Catholic naked truth, or, The Puritan convert to apostolical Christianity, written by W.H. opening their fundamental error of unwritten tradition, and their unjust description of the Puritans, the prelatical Protestant, and the papist, and their differences, and better acquainting the ignorant of the same difference, especially what a Puritan and what a papist is / by Richard Baxter ...Naked popery, or, The naked falshood of a book called The Catholick naked truth, or, The Puritan convert to apostolical Christianity, written by W.H. opening their fundamental errour of unwritten tradition, and their unjust description of the Puritans, the prelatical Protestant, and the papist, and their differences, and better acquainting the ignorant of the same difference, especially what a Puritan and what a papist is / by Richard Baxter ...
Author: Richard Baxter 1615–1691
Place: London
Bookseller: N. Simmons
Year: 1677
Size: 196, [8] p.
Words: 60,859
Catalogue: Wing B1315 · ESTC R13884
Text: EEBO-TCP A26962

Passages: 699
Sections: 22

:526p. 173–174

Briefly, Judging is one thing, and Teaching is another thing. Before I submit to the Decision of a Judge I must know his Commission or Authority; and I must then stand to his Sentence which way ever he decide the Case. Men be not converted to Christianity by such Judges, but by Teachers; Nor will I believe the Judge if he say there is no Christ, no Life to come, &c. But a Teacher is to make intelligible to his Hearer or Scholar, the evidence of truth which is in the matter taught, and to draw men to believe by telling them those true reasons upon which he did believe himself: And no man takes him for his Teacher that he is persuaded knoweth no more than himself. And the greater reputation of Knowledge and Honesty the Teacher hath, the easier we apply our minds to learn of him, and a humane trust or faith prepareth us to receive that evidence of truth which may beget a Divine Faith by the help of Grace. But still the Learner truly believeth no more than he thus learneth. And I may hear a stranger tell what he hath to say, and be convinced by the evidence that he giveth me of the truth, though I know not of any Authority that he hath to teach me, much less judicially to decide the Case. I little doubt but most that were converted by the Apostles themselves, were persuaded to believe in Christ by the evidence of ⟨p. 174⟩truth proposed (the Spirit co-operating) before they knew of any Authority of the Apostles; much less before they heard what they said in a General Council, or what was the Vote of the Universal Church; or what any Pope said as Ruler of the rest. These things are very plain and sure, and they that will be wilfully blinded by faction, and prejudice, and worldly interest against plain truth, have no excuse if they perish in darkness.

Briefly, Judging is one thing, and Teaching is another thing. Before I submit to the Decision of a Judge I must know his Commission or Authority; and I must then stand to his Sentence which way ever he decide the Case. Men be not converted to Christianity by such Judges, but by Teachers; Nor will I believe the Judge if he say there is no Christ, no Life to come, &c. But a Teacher is to make intelligible to his Hearer or Scholar, the evidence of truth which is in the matter taught, and to draw men to believe by telling them those true reasons upon which he did believe himself: And no man takes him for his Teacher that he is perswaded knoweth no more than himself. And the greater reputation of Knowledge and Honesty the Teacher hath, the easier we apply our minds to learn of him, and a humane trust or faith prepareth us to receive that evidence of truth which may beget a Divine Faith by the help of Grace. But still the Learner truly believeth no more than he thus learneth. And I may hear a stranger tell what he hath to say, and be convinced by the evidence that he giveth me of the truth, though I know not of any Authority that he hath to teach me, much less judicially to decide the Case. I little doubt but most that were converted by the Apostles themselves, were perswaded to believe in Christ by the evidence of ⟨p. 174⟩truth proposed (the Spirit co-operating) before they knew of any Authority of the Apostles; much less before they heard what they said in a General Council, or what was the Vote of the Universal Church; or what any Pope said as Ruler of the rest. These things are very plain and sure, and they that will be wilfully blinded by faction, and prejudice, and worldly interest against plain truth, have no excuse if they perish in darkness.