A27058:100
The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended…
The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended vindicator of the primitive church, but indeed of the tympanite & tyranny of some prelates many hundred years after Christ, with a detection of the false history of Edward Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross in Ireland ... and a preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus's History of Habassta : written to show their dangerous error, who think that a general council, or college of bishops, is a supreme governor of all the Christian world ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; to which is added by another hand, a defence of a book, entitled, No evidence for diocesan churches ...The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended vindicator of the primitive church, but indeed of the tympanite & tyranny of some prelates many hundred years after Christ, with a detection of the false history of Edward Lord Bishop of Corke and Rosse in Ireland ... and a preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus's History of Habassta : written to shew their dangerous errour, who think that a general council, or colledge of bishops, is a supream governour of all the Christian world ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; to which is added by another hand, a defence of a book, entituled, No evidence for diocesan churches ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1682
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 I must profess, that I fetch hence a great confirmation of the Immortality of Souls, and a Future Life of Retribution. For if there were not a very great difference between Moral Good and Evil, what should make all the world, even the worst of men, be so desirous to be accounted Good, and so impatient of being thought and called naught, and as they deserve. And if the difference be so vast here, must there not needs be a Governor of the World that hath made such a difference by his Laws and Providence, and who will make a greater difference hereafter, when the End and Judgment cometh.
And I must profess, that I fetch hence a great confirmation of the Immortality of Souls, and a Future Life of Retribution. For if there were not a very great difference between Moral Good and Evil, what should make all the world, even the worst of men, be so desirous to be accounted Good, and so impatient of being thought and called naught, and as they deserve. And if the difference be so vast here, must there not needs be a Governour of the World that hath made such a difference by his Laws and Providence, and who will make a greater difference hereafter, when the End and Judgment cometh.
§ 3. Among other Causes of Humane Pravity and Confusion, one is the exceeding difficulty that young men meet with, in the communication of so much Knowledge as they must necessarily receive from others. Knowledge is not born with them: It is but the power and capacity of it, and not the act in which an Infant excels a Dog. And how shall they have it but by Objects and Communication? And Objects tell them not things past, the Knowledge of which is necessary to make them understand things present, and to come; and without which it is not possible to be wise. And God teacheth not Men now by Angels sent from Heaven, but by Men that were taught themselves before; and by his Spirit blessing mens endeavours. And when I have said [by Man] how bad, how sad a creature have I named? Alas! David's haste Psal. 116. was not erroneous passion; nor Paul's words, Rom. 3. a slander, when they called all men Liars, that is untrusty; and so little do men know that must teach others, and so much doth all corruption incline them to love flattering Lies, and to take fleshly Interest, the World, and the Devil for their Teachers, and to hate the Light, because it disgraceth their hearts and deeds, and so much goeth to make a man