A27058:718
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
The particular Defence of the History of Councils and Schisms. › Chapter 18: Of his Second Chapter.
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.
§ 6. Next he mentions another Carthage Council, where one Victor dead, is condemned for making a Priest Guardian of his Child, and so entangling him in worldly Affairs. And he tells you, that all that I can say against this, is the rigour of the Sentence; but he dissembleth, and takes no notice that I mention it in praise of the Bishops of those Times, who were so much against Clergy-mens meddling with Secular Affairs: What odious Puritanism would this have been with us? What I cite in praise, our Historian cannot understand.
§ 6. Next he mentions another Carthage Council, where one Victor dead, is condemned for making a Priest Guardian of his Child, and so entangling him in worldly Affairs. And he tells you, that all that I can say against this, is the rigour of the Sentence; but he dissembleth, and takes no notice that I mention it in praise of the Bishops of those Times, who were so much against Clergy-mens medling with Secular Affairs: What odious Puritanism would this have been with us? What I cite in praise, our Historian cannot understand.
§ 7. And that you may need no Confuter of much of his Accusation of me but himself, who so oft saith, I say nothing of Bishops and Councils, but of their faults, &c. he here saith as followeth.
[After this he gives a short Account of Councils called on the Subject of Rebaptization of Heretics: And here, to do him right, he is just enough in his Remarks: The generality of the World was for Rebaptizing Heretics: And considering what manner of men the first Heretics were, it is probable they had Tradition as well as Reason on their side. However, Mr. Baxter endeavours fairly to excuse these Differences, and speaks of the Bishops with honour and respect, allowing them to be men of eminent Piety and Worth. Had he used the same Candour towards others, &c.