A27058:619
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.
The next is Pag. 46. [silencing destroying Prelates] Ans. Are there none such? Were not about 2000 here silenced? Do we not continue so and impoverished almost 20 years? Have none perished in prisons or with want? Do men call out for the execution of the Law, and plead for our Silencing as a good work, and take it for railing to have it named? Doth not Conscience recoil in these men when in Pulpits, press and Conference they maintain it to be a good work, and tell the world how sinful a thing it is for rulers to suffer us out of Gaols? What, are you now ashamed of your meritorious works? Sure they are s•ant good if it be railing to name them. You will not say I rail, if I call you Preachers. And why do you say so, if I call you Silencers, if that be as good?
The next railing is Pag. 73 [If all the proud, Contentious, ambitious, Hereticating part of the Bishops, had been of this Christian mind (to endure each other in small tolerable Differences) What sins, Scandal and shame, what Crimes, confusion and miseries had the Christian world escaped?] And is this railing? Hath the Christian world had no such Bishops these 1000 years? Have not whole Kingdoms been forbidden all Gods Public worship by such, even France and England among the rest? Is it railing to tell for what little things they not only Silenced men, but burned and murdered many thousands? Were they not proud ambitious Prelates that deposed and abused Lud. Pius, and those that in Council decreed the digging all the dead Bishops out of their graves to be bur•t as Heretics, who were for the Emperors ⟨p. 106⟩power of Investitures? Do I rail if I say that Greg. 7. was Proud and ambitious when he threatened the Prince of Calaris with the loss of his dominions, unless he made his Bishop shave his beard? Do not Jewel, and all Protestant writers say worse than this of Papist Bishops? Is there any such thing as pride silencing, burning, &c. If yea, must it never be known, reproved, repented of and so forgiven to the penitent? And if yea, than how shall it be known without proper names? By what name should I have called Silencing but its own and so of the rest? Gods power over Conscience is marvellous that sin cannot endure its own name.