A27058:758
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.
2. Do I not as oft as he profess my great dislike of every sect, as a sect?
3. Do I not disclaim this Novatian sect and their opinion, and own the Contrary?
4. It seems he taketh me to be too Favourable to some Bishops and their followers: The question is but who they be that must be favoured? I may come to be taken for a Novatian by such men as well as Socrates and Sozomen.
§ 22. Here (without railing) he bedaubs Novatus and Novatian to the purpose with horrid Crimes, a Pharisaical Saint, Perjured, and what not? But what! Were they not Episcopal? Yes, he doubts it not: It was for to be a Bishop that Novatian wrought his Villainies; (what if I had thus bedaubed the Episcopal?) But yet the very word [Puritan] is of use to him. This, saith he of Novatus, was the tender Conscience of the author of the Ancient sect of the Puritans? Can you tell who the man aimeth at? Is it Nonconformists? Novatus & Novatian were Prelatists, and never scrupled more Ceremonies than our Prelates impose. Who then can it be but men that in general, though Episcopal, do profess Tenderness of Conscience? And there I leave them, without the application.