A27015:759
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.
The words of Optatus lib. 5. advers. Parmen. ar• frequently cited by our writers: which are thu• [Quaerendi sunt judices, &c. We must seek judges.1 I• Christians, they cannot be admitted on either side, because by siding the truth is hindered. We must seek a judge abroad (or without.) If a Pagan, he cannot know the Christians secrets. If a Jew, he is an enemy to the Christian Baptism. On earth there can no judgment of this matter be found. We must seek a Judge from heaven. But wherefore should we go knock at heaven, when we have it here in the Gospel? A Testament (I say, because here we may well compare earthly things to heavenly) is such, as that a man that hath many sons, doth command them all himself as long as the father is present:2 there is then no need of a Testament. So Christ, as long as he was present on earth (though yet he be not wanting or absent) commanded the Apostles whatever was needful, for the time. But as a father when he feeleth himself near to death, fearing lest after ⟨p. 317⟩his death, the Brethren should unpeaceably quarrel, doth before witness put his Will out of his dying breast into writings which may endure. And if there shall rise any contention among the Brethren, they go not to the Grave, but seek the Testament; and he that resteth in the Grave doth silently speak by the writings. The Living (Lord) whose the Testament is, is in heaven. Let his will therefore be sought in the Gospel, as in a Testament.]
The words of Optatus lib. 5. advers. Parmen. ar• frequently cited by our writers: which are thu• [Quaerendi sunt judices, &c. We must seek judges.1 I• Christians, they cannot be admitted on either side, because by siding the truth is hindred. We must seek a judge abroad (or without.) If a Pagan, he cannot know the Christians secrets. If a Jew, he is an enemy to the Christian Baptism. On earth there can no judgment of this matter be found. We must seek a Judge from heaven. But wherefore should we go knock at heaven, when we have it here in the Gospel? A Testament (I say, because here we may well compare earthly things to heavenly) is such, as that a man that hath many sons, doth command them all himself as long as the father is present: