A27045:132
The successive visibility of the church of which the Protestants are the soundest members…
The successive visibility of the church of which the Protestants are the soundest members I. defended against the opposition of Mr. William Johnson, II. proved by many arguments / by Richard Baxter ; whereunto is added 1. an account of my judgement to Mr. J. how far heretics are or are not in the church, 2. Mr. Js. explication of the most used terms, with my queries thereupon, and his answer and my reply, 3. an appendix about successive ordination, 4. letters between me and T.S., a papist, with a narrative of the success.The successive visibility of the church of which the Protestants are the soundest members I. defended against the opposition of Mr. William Johnson, II. proved by many arguments / by Richard Baxter ; whereunto is added 1. an account of my judgement to Mr. J. how far hereticks are or are not in the church, 2. Mr. Js. explication of the most used terms, with my queries thereupon, and his answer and my reply, 3. an appendix about successive ordination, 4. letters between me and T.S., a papist, with a narrative of the success.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1660
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.
To the Proof of my Major.1
- 1Sill. 2.Syll. 2.
You seem to grant the Major of my second Syllogism; not excepting any thing material against it.
To my Minor.
You fall again into the former distinctions, now disproved and excluded, of the meaning of Congregation, &c. in my proposition, and would have me to understand determinately either the whole Catholic Church, or some part of it, (and so make four terms in my Syllogism:) whereas in my Minor, Congregation of Christians is taken generically, and abstracts, as an universal, from all particulars. I say no Congregation, which is an universal negative; and when I say, none, Say that Congregation which acknowledges Saint Peter, &c. the term Congregation supposes for the same whole Catholic Church mentioned in my ⟨p. 32⟩former Syllogism, but expresses it under a general term of Congregation in confuso; as I express Homo, when I say he is Animal, a man, when I say he is a living creature, but only generically, or in confuso. Now should I have intended determinately either the whole Catholic Church, or any part of it, I should have made an inept Syllogism, which would have run thus. Whatsoever true Church of Christ is now the true Church of Christ, hath been always visible, &c. But no true Church of Christ hath been always visible, save the true Church of Christ, which acknowledges Saint Peter, &c. Ergo whatsoever true Church of Christ is now the true Church, acknowledges Saint Peter, &c. which would have been idem per idem; for every one knows, that the true Church of Christ, is now the true Church of Christ. But speaking, as I do in abstractive and generical terms, I avoid this absurdity, and frame a true Syllogism.