A27015:527
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.
But 2 If we could know the Scripture to be Gods Word, before we know their infallibility in judging, yet we cannot know the true sense of that Scripture (as they confidently tell us) first: Well then, I am one that doubt of the Popes infallibility, and demand his proof: Bellarmine turns me to Luk. 22. I have prayed that thy faith fail not. I must know how I shall be sure that this is the meaning of that Scripture (which is so little apparent to an ordinary eye) He hath nothing to tell me, but that the Church saith so: And how shall I know that the Church is in the right? Why because it cannot err. And how shall I know that? Why by this Text. And so they are amazed in another Circle, past recovery. For they expressly and frequently tell us, that the Scripture is no good evidence but when it is rightly expounded: and that no exposition is right but that which is given by the infallible judgement of the Church; and so the Popes infallibility cannot be ⟨p. 214⟩known till the true meaning of Texts be known that prove it; and the true meaning of those Texts cannot be known, till their infallible judgement be first known: What follows therefore, but that neither of them can be known? The true product of Popery. This is the usual success of false arguing for a good cause; to overthrow both the cause and argument: so do the Papists as much as in them lies overthrow both Christs Doctrine and their own.
But 2 If we could know the Scripture to be Gods Word, before we know their infallibility in judging, yet we cannot know the true sence of that Scripture (as they confidently tell us) first: Well then, I am one that doubt of the Popes infallibility, and demand his proof: Bellarmine turns me to Luk. 22. I have prayed that thy faith fail not. I must know how I shall be sure that this is the meaning of that Scripture (which is so little apparent to an ordinary eye) He hath nothing to tell me, but that the Church saith so: And how shall I know that the Church is in the right? Why because it cannot erre. And how shall I know that? Why by this Text. And so they are amazed in another Circle, past recovery. For they expresly and frequently tell us, that the Scripture is no good evidence but when it is rightly expounded: and that no exposition is right but that which is given by the infallible judgement of the Church; and so the Popes infallibility cannot be