Baxter - BX1763 B28

C39 . And now .füppofe, that. the Apoftles had put the fame expofitorywords of [This is my Rosy] into a Book, which they fpake by wordof mouth? Had that been the leis intelligible because they were in the Book ? Or the harder to be remembred ? Or could that Age have deli- vered to the next any more, as from the Apoítles, than what they received ? And if that be the fame written as fpoken, fure writing maketh it not the lets or worse ? If it do, all your Religion is in danger, now it iswritten in your Volumns of Councils. Have you more yet Chats neceffary, befides all thole Volumns, which you whit per or deliver by word of mouth? If not, you profefs your Religion unfafe, becaufe you have written it. q.. And indeed you here profefs, that the fidelity of fucceifive Generation cannot preferve Religion, by pre- ferving and delivering any Books. And if ío, then your prefervation of Fathers, and writtenCouncils, and De- cretals, is no fufficient Traditionof the fenfe of [This is my Body.] Could you thewus your fenfe in them, it is an inlufficient Tradition ; for one may take your Coun- cils in one fenfe, and another in another. 5. But do you indeed think thatañyPerlon or Coun- try is fecured from changing their Religion by your ver- bal way ? Why then did the Reformers when they were ofyour way forfake it? Why did theGreek Churches dif own you ? Nay, why did fo many ancient Churches apoftatizeto Mahometanifm ? Was it.for want ofVerbal Tradition ? Had.they not the fame as you ? Sure no Law will fecure it Pelf from being broken by inners, and no Tradition is enough to prevent Apoftafie. But why the fame words fhould be lefs fuffeient written by the Apo- stles, thanfpoken by, them ; or whyGodsWritingsMould net be as fure and clear in things Uf neceifity, as your F Count

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