A27015:508
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.
2. We say not that the people should expound the Scriptures as Teachers of others (unless in their own callings, as to the children servants, &c. when they are able) This we reserve to the Officers of the Church.
3. Nor do we say that any people must expound Scripture according to their own fancies or mis-guided conceits, but according to the true meaning of them. 4. Nor should they in difficult cases which are past their understandings, presume of their own wit to know the right meaning; but have recourse to the Teachers that God hath set over them, that so by their help they may learn the meaning of that word which they understood not. 5. And if their Teachers be singular, or give them just cause to suspect their skill or fidelity, they have more reason to regard the Judgement of the Judicious, then of the ignorant, and of the whole Church then of any one or few; so far as the credit or authority of men, must support a learner while he is a learning. 6. But what! Is it indeed such a monstrous heretical conceit in the eyes of a Papist, that every Christian should have a Judicium discretionis, a Judgement of discerning to perceive and discern which is truth and which is falsehood? Good Lord, whether will the heat of contention carry men? Why if they must not have this discerning judgement. 1. Then God doth bind them all to be fools, and ignorant. 2. And then Religion and the Christian Faith, are the endowments of brutes that know not what they hold or do, and not of Reasonable men. 3. Or else they that will be Christians must have no Faith or Knowledge; which is a contradiction. Is not Faith an act of discretion? Must not he that believeth the Resurrection, and Everlasting Life, believe them with his own understanding? And doth he not in believing them, Judge them to be True, and Judge the contrary doctrine to be false? 4. Why will you read, or preach Scripture to the people, if you would ⟨p. 207⟩not have them receive it, by a judgment of discerning? would you not have their judgment discern the Truth of what God hath written, or the Priest shall preach to them? 5. Doubtless you will allow them a judgement of Discretion, about the Popes Decrees and Canons, and your own Determinations. How can they believe you, if they do not by judgement discern the things you say to be true? And why will you not allow them the like towards God and his Word? Will you say, It is their duty to believe the Pope, and their sin to believe God? Or its their duty to understand the Popes Laws, and their sin to understand Gods Laws? Why?