A27058:783
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.
As to his excuse that [It is no wonder considering their great dissentions in Religion, &c.] I easily grant it: But in this excuse he saith yet more against them.
§ 3. Because I said that Athanasius differing from Constantine about the reception of Arius his repentance [Caused much Calamity] he feigneth me heinously to accuse Athanasius which I intended not: Even a just action may [Cause Calamity] as Christ saith his Gospel would bring division. All his labour in justifying Athanasius fighteth but with a spectre of his own imagination. And yet I am inclined to think that if an Hypocrite Arius had been connived at to please such an Emperor, the death of Arius would have left the Church quieter than it did; though he here thinks greater rigour had been safer: And I think multitudes of Sadducees, Infidels and debauched Persons in one of our Dioceses, yea or Parishes, is worse than one Arius while Hypocrisy restrained him from Venting his opinion.
§ 3. Because I said that Athanasius differing from Constantine about the reception of Arius his repentance [Caused much Calamity] he feigneth me heinously to accuse Athanasius which I intended not: Even a just action may [Cause Calamity] as Christ saith his Gospel would bring division. All his labour in justifying Athanasius fighteth but with a spectre of his own imagination. And yet I am inclined to think that if an Hypocrite Arius had been connived at to please such an Emperor, the death of Arius would have left the Church quieter than it did; though he here thinks greater rigour had been safer: And I think multitudes of Sadduces, Infidels and debaucht Persons in one of our Diocesses, yea or Parishes, is worse than one Arius while Hypocrisie restrained him from Venting his opinion.
§ 4. And here he that dreamed I accused Athanasius, really accuseth Constantine as imposed on by a Counterfeit Repentance and restoring the incendiary to opportunities of doing mischief, and being against the means that might have ended that fatal mischief. But I confess Constantine was no Bishop, and therefore this is not an accusation of Bishops or a railing at them.