A33359:256
Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times
Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times, or, A defence of the answer to Dr. Stillingfleets allegations out of antiquity for such churches against the exceptions offered in the preface to a late treatise called A vindication of the primitive church, where what is further produced out of Scripture and ancient authors for diocesan churches is also discussed.Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times, or, A defence of the answer to Dr. Stillingfleets allegations out of antiquity for such churches against the exceptions offered in the preface to a late treatise called A vindication of the primitive church, where what is further produced out of Scripture and antient authors for diocesan churches is also discussed.
London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, 1682
Diocesan Churches not yet discovered in the Primitive times.
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.
Now those who suffered, either confessed that they fired Rome and then they were no Christians; or they did not confess it, and then he wrongs them intolerably, and deserves no credit. But our Author to excuse him (against the sense of such who best understand him, Lipsius particularly, besides Baronius and others) says, they confessed not that they burnt Rome, but that they were Christians. Whereas the inquiry being concerning the burning of Rome, the question was not whether they were Christians, but whether they fired the City, of this last Tacitus speaks, and will be so understood by those who think he speaks pertinently. But for truth in those accounts he gives of Christians, it is no more to be expected than from other Heathen Authors of those Ages, with whom it is customary on that subject splendidè mentiri. Some other instances hereof we have in this report of Tacitus, which I suppose our Author will scarce offer to excuse, as when the Christian Religion is called Exitiabilis superstitio, and when the Christians are said per flagitia invisos vulgô fuisse.
Now those who suffered, either confessed that they fired Rome and then they were no Christians; or they did not confess it, and then he wrongs them intolerably, and deserves no credit. But our Author to excuse him (against the sense of such who best understand him, Lipsius particularlay, besides Baronius and others) sayes, they confessed not that they burn't Rome, but that they were Christians. Whereas the inquiry being concerning the burning of Rome, the question was not whether they were Christians, but whether they fired the City, of this last Tacitus speaks, and will be so understood by those who think he speaks pertinently. But for truth in those accounts he gives of Christians, it is no more to be expected than from other Heathen Authors of those Ages, with whom it is customary on that subject splendidè mentiri. Some other instances hereof we have in this report of Tacitus, which I suppose our Author will scarce offer to excuse, as when the Christian Religion is called Exitiabilis superstitio, and when the Christians are said per flagitia invisos vulgô fuisse.
But suppose he speaks truth, what is it he says? Nero put an infinite multitude of them to death, but ingens multitudo, which are his words, may be far less than an infinite multitude. Two or three hundred may pass for a great multitude, and extraordinarily great, when that which is spoke of them is extraordinary. The Martyrs burnt in Queen Mary's days were a great multitude; and few may be accounted very many, to