A27069:172
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.
5. Note here, that here is not a word in all this of believing the Pope to be the Governor of all the Churches in the world. Either they take this to be essential to a member of their Church, or not, If they do, are they not jugglers and ashamed of their faith, when they thus hide it? If not what is become of their Sectarian Church, and all their accusations and condemnations of most of the Christian World, who believe no such office of the Pope? And what a Society is that where the reception of the Pars Imperans is not necessary to every subject?
5. Note here, that here is not a word in all this of believing the Pope to be the Governour of all the Churches in the world. Either they take this to be essential to a member of their Church, or not, If they do, are they not juglers and ashamed of their faith, when they thus hide it? If not what is become of their Sectarian Church, and all their accusations and condemnations of most of the Christian World, who believe no such office of the Pope? And what a Society is that where the reception of the Pars Imperans is not necessary to every subject?
6. Note here whether the Roman Religion be mutable or not? and whether constancy be a note of their verity? When he professeth that the ancient Doctors, and the Recentiors (or Novelists) do differ about the very essence of Christianity. Have these Recentiors antiquity to boast of?
7. Note also from hence the validity of their common argument from Tradition, As if all their Church were now and always of one mind! when at present they are divided about the essence of Christianity; and the Recentiors forsake the Ancients. But had these Ancients Tradition for their opinion or not? If they had, how come the Recentiors to forsake it? If not, what an insufficient thing is your Tradition, that hath not told you what a Christian or Church-member is? And yet we must take this Tradition as sufficient to tell us what orders and ceremonies Peter settled at Rome.