Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

il think they abufeer are abufed in, Ic unpleafing and un- profitable. Sea, x o. Andas to the Jus, Divinum of limitedDie- ceffes to the Apoflles ass Bifhops, and of Lirchbifhops, Metropolitans, &c. 1fball fay but this : z. That I take not all for currant in matter offall, that two, or three, or twice to many fay was done, whenI haveeither croft, te- fimony, or validReafens of the improbability : I believe fuch Hiflorians but with a humane faith, and allow them fuch a degree of that, as the probability, of their report, and credibility of the perfuns doth require. 2 . 1 take it for no proof that all that was done in all the Churches, that 1 am toldwas done in fame. 3. 1 take the.Law of .Nature andScripture to be theentire Divine Law, for the Government of the Church and World. 4. And therefore if any Father or Hiflorian tell me, that this was delivered by the Apoflles as a Law to the vniverfal Church, which is not contained in Scriptures, nor to be proved by them, I will not believe them ; no more then I wouldhave believed Papius and all his millenary followers, that pretended Tradition from Saint John; nor any more then 1 would have believed the Afians or Romans that pretendeddif- ferent times for Eafter, as a Tradition t.4pofiolical bind- ing the whole Church. 5. 1fitwere proved that de faao the Apofiles did thus or thus di/pofe of a circumflance of Government or War(hip , which yet is undetermined in Scripture, 1 take it not for a fufficient proof, that they intended that Faitfor an Univerfal Law , or that they meant to bind all the churches in all ages todo the like,: no more then Chrifl intended at the Inflitution of his Supper to tie all ages to do it after Supper, in an upper room, but with twelve, andfitting, &c. 6. Tea if I had found a Direclion or Command from the Apeflics, as Prudentialdeterminers of a Circumflance pro tempore& loco

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