A26998:117
The Protestant religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard BaxterThe Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter
The Protestant religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter ; prepared for the press some time before his death ; whereunto is added, by way of preface, some account of the learned author, by Mr. Daniel Williams and Mr. Matthew Sylvester.The Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter ; prepared for the press some time before his death ; whereunto is added, by way of preface, some account of the learned author, by Mr. Danel Williams and Mr. Matthew Sylvester.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1692
Protestant Religion Truly Stated, and Justified, &c. › The Fifth accused Point.
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.
And yet we would fain tell Papists a better way to Convert a Philosopher, or a Turk, than to Preach to them thus: God hath written his Law and Gospel to the World, but you cannot tell what is the meaning of it, till you take that sense on trust from our Pope and Clergy, and know that Christ authorized him to be Judge; and that before you believe in Christ, or understand the word that so authorizeth him. Were not corrupted Nature very blind in things Spiritual, Plough-men, and Tinkers, and Cobblers, would be able to confute such Fopperies, and much more Priests, and Popes, and Prelates.
And yet we would fain tell Papists a better way to Convert a Philosopher, or a Turk, than to Preach to them thus: God hath written his Law and Gospel to the World, but you cannot tell what is the meaning of it, till you take that sence on trust from our Pope and Clergy, and know that Christ authorized him to be Judge; and that before you believe in Christ, or understand the word that so authorizeth him. Were not corrupted Nature very blind in things Spiritual, Plow-men, and Tinkers, and Coblers, would be able to confute such Fopperies, and much more Priests, and Popes, and Prelates.
4. But I pray you tell me, whether the Pope and his Prelates, do not interpret Scripture by their own understandings? Whose understandings else do they judge by, in Conclaves or Councils?
5. And tell me, whether he that judgeth that the Pope is Christs Vice-Christ and Ruler, at the Antipodes, and is infallible, ⟨p. 32⟩tho' he be by Councils condemned for a Simonist, and Infidel, an Atheist, a Seducer, or an ignorant Sot? Doth not this Man judge all this by his own understanding? If a Man take an ignorant sottish Priest for the Mouth of the Catholic Church, tho' he know no more what he talks against, than this Roman Deceiver, doth he not judge this by his own understanding? If a Sot will believe you, that your Sect is the whole Church, and all are Damned, tho' they love God, and believe in Christ, if they will not be ruled by the Pope and every Mass-Priest, doth he not judge thus by his own understanding? Do you Preach to Men, or Beasts, that have no understanding of God's Law and Will? If a Man must believe all the Canons of Popes and Councils, in Baronius, Binnius, Surius, Nicolinus, Caranza, &c. doth he not do it by his own understanding?