A27015:559
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.
And whereas they would make the Apostles case to be like that of the Fathers: It is very much different. For though the Apostles Miracles were attestations to all their doctrine, as well as to some part; that was because they were Officers Commissioned by ⟨p. 227⟩Christ to that work, to deliver his doctrine first to the world, as inspired infallible men, and to seal it to posterity for future certainty: But the Fathers had no such work in Commission; but only to preach the doctrine thus sealed and delivered them by the Apostles, and therefore their Miracles were to another more private, and restrained use, according to their Commissions and work; that is, to convert those persons to the faith that knew of them, by a subservient attestation, so that it could oblige none to believe them in other things, much less in their mistakes.
And whereas they would make the Apostles case to be like that of the Fathers: It is very much different. For though the Apostles Miracles were attestations to all their doctrine, as well as to some part; that was because they were Officers Commissioned by ⟨p. 227⟩Christ to that work, to deliver his doctrine first to the world, as inspired infallible men, and to seal it to posterity for future certainty: But the Fathers had no such work in Commission; but onely to preach the doctrine thus sealed and delivered them by the Apostles, and therefore their Miracles were to another more private, and restrained use, according to their Commissions and work; that is, to convert those persons to the faith that knew of them, by a subservient attestation, so that it could oblige none to believe them in other things, much less in their mistakes.
3. The third sort of Miracles are those of later times contained in their Legends. And seriously, would the Jesuits persuade us that these are of equal authority with the Miracles mentioned in Scripture? or any whit like them? I have given you a taste of some of them in the former Disputation: more you may see of their ridiculous vanity in Doctor Franc. Whites Defence of his Brother, pag. 147.148. [We must believe