Baxter - BX1763 B28

the u,ï/l of Chri.Fl ; and believeth á s Chrzfi, and rectiveth the Gofeel as true, for the Authority and Infallibility of this Pope and Council, and hereon layeth all the hopes of hisfalvation, as on the churches Faith : And all thisAu- thority and Infallibility he believeth before he believeth that there is a Pope or a Church ofChrifl, or a Chrift indeed, or a promife or gift from Chrifi of any Authority or Infal- libility to them : Much more before he knowethwho is the true Pope, andwhich are true General Councils, or whe- ther ever there were any fuch, or what it is that they have decreed to be believed. z. That they take all their Faith in Chrift and the Go- fpel on the credit ofthe Church ( that is, thePope and Council) propofing it, the moderateft of all this fort profefs ; as out of Veron, and others, I proved as afore cited. Hence it is that one tells us that theScripture is fo full of feeming Contradictions and Improbabilities, that he wouldno more believe it than Efop's Fables, were it not for the Authority of the Church. Another laid [Would I ever believe the Trinity, the Incarnation, that if you laya man todye in a clofeCheft of Lead or Mar- ble his Soul could get out toHeaven, that the Body fhall rife again, &c. were it not for the Authority of the . Church?' z. Theybelieve this Infallibility andAuthority ofthe Pope before they can believe that there is any Pope at all. For to bea Pope is eífentially to be chri;ts Vicar as they defcribe him : And, as 1 Paid, it is impoflibleto believe that Chrifi bath a Vicar, before they believe that he is Chrift. As it is tobelieve a Son without a Parent. 3. They believe the Infallibility and Authority of the Church, (as they profefs) before they believe that there is any Church : For tobe a Church Is caudally to be a Society

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