A27069:133
Which is the true church? the whole Christian world, as headed only by Christ…
Which is the true church? the whole Christian world, as headed only by Christ ... or, the Pope of Rome and his subjects as such? : in three parts ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London : Printed, and are to be sold by Richard Janeway ..., 1679
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.
He answereth that, This is morally impossible: For either such a person believes the Bible rashly and imprudently, and then (according to all Divines) his faith cannot be supernatural and divine, or sufficient to constitute him a Christian; or he believeth it prudently by, prudential motives of credibility.—Now that can be no other than the authority of the Catholic Church, which he cannot be ignorant to profess the faith of Christ, there being no other save that; though he know not by experience that Christ is mentioned in the Bible, he cannot but know that he is professed to be the Son of God, and Saviour of the world by those of the Catholic Church, who delivered the Bible to him as the word of God, and that such a faith is necessary to Salvation.
He answereth that, This is morally impossible: For either such a person believes the Bible rashly and imprudently, and then (according to all Divines) his faith cannot be supernatural and divine, or sufficient to constitute him a Christian; or he believeth it prudently by, prudential motives of credibility.—Now that can be no other than the authority of the Catholick Church, which he cannot be ignorant to profess the faith of Christ, there being no other save that; though he know not by experience that Christ is mentioned in the Bible, he cannot but know that he is professed to be the Son of God, and Saviour of the world by those of the Catholick Church, who delivered the Bible to him as the word of God, and that such a faith is necessary to Salvation.
Ans. Here are many things worthy our consideration. 1. That a man is not a member of the Church that is, a Christian, unless his faith be supernatural and divine, not only in the object, but his act: And surely no man knoweth what other mans act of faith is supernatural and divine: Therefore no man knoweth who is a Christian, and so their Church is still invisible.