A27015:178
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.
The first onset of this Mr Maledious, pag. 9.10, 11▪ Is against our assertion that we are of the same Re• gion, and Church as the Grecians, Egyptians, Christians, Ethiopians, &c. and that all these are not • be damned as Heretics and unchurched, because they ⟨p. 53⟩•re not subjects of the Pope. To this 1. He con••sseth that even the Greeks themselves are not subject to the Pope; and that [they soon departed •om the (seeming) union made in the Council of ••lorence, about the year 1439.] 2. He confesseth •at their doctrine about the Procession of the Holy •host a patre per silium and not a patre filioque, was •ch, that [when they had explicated it they were •und to believe very Orthodoxly and Catholicly in •e same matter, and for such were admitted.] •. He affirmeth that [he findeth not that in any substantial point they do dissent from the Roman catholic Church, excepting the matter of Primacy.] Let us first observe the consequences of this much. •. From hence it followeth that the Greek Churches •e guilty of no Heresy, but non subjection to the •ope of Rome. 2. And that therefore indeed they •re no Heretics. 3. And therefore it is not of necessity to the being of a Church or Catholic Chri•ian to be subject to the Pope: And that the Pope •r Roman Church is not to enter the definition of •he Catholic Church: for as the Greeks may be Catholics without subjection to Rome, so may others . And therefore they are no General Councils here all those Churches are absent, as at Trent, Constance, &c. And that its a false excuse of Bellarmine and the rest, to say that the Greeks and the rest re Heretics or Schismatics. 5. And therefore it declareth to all the world, both that the Popish deign and Religion is carnal and selfish, to exalt themselves above the whole Church of God, and also that they are more then barbarously tyrannical censorious, and most extremely schismatical, that will presume to cut off from Christ and