A27015:39
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
To the reader: To the Literate Romanists that will read this Book.
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.
If by Arguments you would persuade me, so plainly against the life of nature, as that I am bound to blind or kill my self in order to my good, there's somewhat within me that would confute them besides reason: And why should not the Life of Grace also be a principle of self-preservation? As for your Reason, that men must let alone the Scripture and hearken to their Teachers for fear of heresies, it will never take with me till I can believe you to be less suspected guides then Christ and his Apostles, and till I can believe that a Scholar may not learn of his Book & his Teacher both without any contradiction.
If by Arguments you would perswade me, so plainly against the life of nature, as that I am bound to blind or kill my self in order to my good, there's somewhat within me that would confute them besides reason: And why should not the Life of Grace also be a principle of self-preservation? As for your Reason, that men must let alone the Scripture and hearken to their Teachers for fear of heresies, it will never take with me till I can believe you to be less suspected guides then Christ and his Apostles, and till I can believe that a Scholar may not learn of his Book & his Teacher both without any contradiction.
And then for your devotions, it is not all the Arguments in the world, that would ever ⟨image 11⟩reconcile me to them, while I have that Law in any prevailing measure written in my heart, that teacheth me to worship God in Spirit and in truth. What man of Spiritual experience can choose but distaste your way of worship, that doth but read over one of your offices, and Lady's Psalters, and see the affected repetition of words, and the ludicrous kind of devotions, which you teach the people, more like to charms then serious prayers to God! especially if he also observe the huge number of ceremonies which the very body of your worship is composed of. As there is somewhat in nature, that hindereth a man, from delighting to eat chaff, or feeding upon mere air; so is there somewhat in the new nature of a Christian, that is against this trifling and jesting with God.