A27015:682
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.
Arg. 1. If the Pope (or his consistory) must be the universal Governor and Judge to all the Christian world, then must the greatest part of the Christian world be ungoverned and have no recourse to their Judge. But the consequent will be denied by themselves: therefore we have reason to deny the Antecedent.
Arg. 1. If the Pope (or his consistory) must be the universal Governor and Judge to all the Chrian world, then must the greatest part of the Christistian world be ungoverned and have no recourse to their Judge. But the consequent will be denyed by themselves: therefore we have reason to deny the Antecedent.
The proof of the consequence is most obvious and certain from the Popes natural incapacity and insufficiency for such a work (and so of his consistory) It is naturally impossible that the Pope should perform the works of this Government to all the Christian world: therefore the consequence is good. He cannot make known his determinations to all: If all men through the Christian world that have such doubts to be resolved as his Holiness supposeth belong to him properly to resolve, should have recourse to him for resolution, O how much would the ways to Rome be beaten and frequented? What a concurse would be about his Holiness doors? What time would he have to resolve those millions of men: If any differences or difficulties arise in Ethiopia, or at the ⟨p. 280⟩Antipodes, before they go or send to Rome for Resolution, and receive an answer, the persons are like to be in another world where they will have a more infallible resolution. And if they live to see the return of their messengers, they must take it on the trust of their words, that this is indeed his Holinesses resolution. Hence it is that de facto there is so few people on earth, even of the Papists themselves that are really governed or resolved by the Pope himself, nor know what he is, or what is his mind: but all is done by his Missionaries or Delegates; And if the Pope can delegate his power to others, and make so many others also infallible, then infallibility is not proper to himself: and then why may not the rest of the Bishops of the Church be as infallible, who are sent by Christ, as these are that are sent by him.