A27058:337
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.
4. And that Diocesans may not silence faithful Ministers without such cause as Christ will allow, nor set up ignorant bad ones and bind the Parishioners to hear and communicate with no other. I am so far from precise expectations from Diocesans, or from reviling them, that I do constantly praise them as very good Bishops who do no harm, or but a little, and if they should never preach themselves, so they will not hinder others.
9. And as for my calling Things and Persons as they are, I hope you will not say that it was out of Malice that Anastasius Platina, Massonius, Stella, Sigibert, Baronius, Genebrard, Binnius, &c. have recorded such horrid crimes of Popes, and others also of Prelates. And is it malice in me to transcribe their History?
I am of Dr. Henry Moore's mind, who saith, [Mystery of Iniq. p. 388. Hence it is plain that they are the truest friends to Christendom, even to Rome it self, that do not sooth them up in their sins, by mitigating and hiding their soul miscarriages, but deal apertly and plainly with them for their own safety; that neither admit, nor invent subterfuges to countenance or palliate their Idolatrous and superstitious practices, but tell them plainly how much they are apostatized from the true Worship of God and Christ into Paganism and Idolatry. Better are the rebukes of a faithful friend, than the hired flatteries of a glossing mercenary.] I pray mark this well.
I am of Dr. Henry Moore's mind, who saith, [Mystery of Iniq. p. 388. Hence it is plain that they are the truest friends to Christendom, even to Rome it self, that do not sooth them up in their sins, by mitigating and hiding their soul miscarriages, but deal apertly and plainly with them for their own safety; that neither admit, nor invent subterfuges to countenance or palliate their Idolatrous and superstitious practices, but tell them plainly how much they are apostatized from the true Worship of God and Christ into Paganism and Idolatry. Better are the rebukes of a faithful friend, than the hired flatteries of a glozing mercenary.] I pray mark this well.