A27015:153
The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholic religion against popery proving…The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholike religion against popery proving…
The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholic religion against popery proving that popery is against the Holy Scriptures, the unity of the catholic church, the consent of the ancient doctors, the plainest reason, and common judgment of sense it self / by Richard Baxter.The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholike religion against popery proving that popery is against the Holy Scriptures, the unity of the catholike church, the consent of the antient doctors, the plainest reason, and common judgment of sense it self / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1657
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.
Obj. 3. That Religion which cannot be known […] having no certain test to discern it by, can be no sa•• way to salvation: But such is the Reformed Religion, therefore, &c. The Minor is proved: If they have any such test, either it is Scripture, or so•• confessions of their own: But neither of these: therefore not Scripture: For that is appealed to by many Religions, and therefore can be no proper Test to discern one of them from the rest: Besides it knows not so much as the name of the Refor••• Protestant Religion: Not any confession: for they have no one which they agree in, but one disclaimeth what another owneth: And they have none agreed on by a General Council, or by all themselves.
Obj. 3. That Religion which cannot be known 〈…〉 having no certain test to discern it by, can be no sa•• way to salvation: But such is the Reformed Religion, therefore, &c. The Minor is proved: If they have any such test, either it is Scripture, or so•• confessions of their own: But neither of these: therefore not Scripture: For that is appealed to by many Religions, and therefore can be no proper Test to discerne one of them from the rest: Besides it knows not so much as the name of the Refor••• Protestant Religion: Not any confession: for they have no one which they agree in, but one disclaimeth what another owneth: And they have none agreed on by a General Councel, or by all themselves.
Ans 1. The Test of our Religion is the holy Scripture; This we profess jointly to be the Rule of our faith and life: To this we still Appeal, If we misunderstand it in any point, we implicitly renounce all such errors, because we explicitly in general renounce all that is contrary to the Scripture. This may be the true Test of our Religion though others falsely pre•end that theirs is more agreeable to it. Many things may be tried by the same Touchstone, and weighed by the same balance; whereof some may be currant and others unsound, or light. May not the Law of the Land be the true Rule of our obedience to our Governors, though in the Rebellious or disobedient should pretend to be Ruled by the same Laws.