A27045:206
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.
5. I had great reason to avoid the snare of an equivocation, or ambiguity, of which you gave me cause of jealousy by your [whatsoever] as I told you: as seeming to intimate a false supposition: To your Like, I answer, it is unlike, and still more intimates the false supposition. [Whatsoever Congregation of men is the Commonwealth of England] is a phrase that importeth that [There is a Congregation of men which is not the Common-wealth of England.] Which is true, there being more men in the world. So [whatsoever Congregation of Christians is now the true Church] doth seem to import, that you suppose [there is a Congregation of Christians (univocally so called) that are not the true Church] which you would distinguish from the other: Which I only let you know at the entrance, that I deny, that you may not think it granted.
5. I had great reason to avoid the snare of an equivocation, or ambiguity, of which you gave me cause of jealousie by your [whatsoever] as I told you: as seeming to intimate a false supposition: To your Like, I answer, it is unlike, and still more intimates the false supposition. [Whatsoever Congregation of men is the Commonwealth of England] is a phrase that importeth that [There is a Congregation of men which is not the Common-wealth of England.] Which is true, there being more men in the world. So [whatsoever Congregation of Christians is now the true Church] doth seem to import, that you suppose [there is a Congregation of Christians (univocally so called) that are not the true Church] which you would distinguish from the other: Which I only let you know at the entrance, that I deny, that you may not think it granted.
Yet I must tell you that nothing is more ordinary then for the Body to be said to do that which a part of it only doth; As that [the Church administereth Sacraments, Discipline, Teacheth, &c. the Church is assembled in such a Council &c.] when yet it is ⟨p. 80⟩but a small part of the Church that doth these things. And when Bellarmine, Gretser, &c. say [the Church is the infallible judge of Controversies of faith,] they mean not [the whole Church] which containeth every Christian, when they tell you that It is the Pope they mean. and therefore I had reason to enquire into your sense, unless I would wilfully be over-reached.