A26998:78
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 Fourth 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.
That Apostolical Traditions, and ancient Customs of the Church, (not Founded in the written word,) are not to be received, nor do oblige us.
Ans. This is but more Deceit, by confusion and false report.
The Reformed Catholics hold,
The Reformed Catholicks hold,
1. That Memory is not so sure a way to deliver any Laws and Doctrines to Posterity, through many hundred years, as writing is. For it must lie on the Memories of so many Thousands, in so many Ages, and so many parts of the World; Of so many Languages, Kingdoms, and cross Interests and Opinions in their ⟨p. 20⟩quarrels; and the things to be remembered are so many, that this needs no proof, with any but Fools or Mad-men: What a Religion should we have had, if instead of the Bible, it must have all been brought us down by the Memories of all the Rabble of ignorant and wicked Popes? yea, or of the best? and by the Memories of all the Prelates and Priests that have pretended to be the Church? Why do they themselves write their pretended Traditions, if writing them were not needful? And why have we all our Statutes, Records, and Law-Books, if the Lawyers and Peoples Memories would keep and deliver them without these? When Men's Memories, Wits, and Honesty are so weak, that we can scarce get one Story carried without falsifying through many Hands.