A27045:33
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.
Readers,
Were not the Judgements of God so dreadful, and infatuation so lamentable in matters of everlasting consequence, and sin so odious, and the calamities of the Church, the dishonour of God, and the Damnation of Souls such deplorable things, as tolerate not a laughter in the standers by, it would seem one of the most ridiculous things in the World, that a man of seeming wisdom should be a Papist; and that so many Princes, and learned men, with the vulgar multitude, should be able so far to renounce or intoxicate their Reason while they are awake: And a Papist would be described, to be one that sets up his understanding to be the laughingstock of the sober rational World. There are abundance of Controversies among Physicians that concern mens lives; and yet I have heard of none so vain, as to step forth and challenge the Authority of being the universal Decider of them, or to charge God with folly or oversight, if he have not appointed some such universal Judge in the World, to end all Controversies in matters of such weight. But if in Physic's, Law, or any ⟨p. 15⟩of the Sciences, the Controversies should be never so many or so great, if yet you could resolve them into sense it self, and bring all to the judgement of mens eyes, and ears, and taste, and feeling, who would not laugh or hiss at him that would still make them the matters of serious doubts?
WEre not the Iudgements of God so dreadfull, and infatuation so lamentable in matters of everlasting consequence, and sin so odious, and the calamities of the Church, the dishonour of God, and the Damnation of Souls such deplorable things, as tolerate not a laughter in the standers by, it would seem one of the most ridiculous things in the World, that a man of seeming wisdom should be a Papist; and that so many Princes, and learned men, with the vulgar multitude, should be able so far to renounce or intoxicate their Reason while they are awake: And a Papist would be described, to be one that sets up his understanding to be the laughingstock of the sober rational World. There are abundance of Controversies among Physitians that concern mens lives; and yet I have heard of none so vain, as to step forth and challenge the Authority of being the universal Decider of them, or to charge God with solly or oversight, if he have not appointed some such universal Iudge in the World, to end all Controversies in matters of such weight. But if in Physick's, Law, or any