A27045:38
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.
The Papists finding that man is […]perfect, and knoweth but in part, and […] the Scripture there are some things are hard to be understood, and that Earth hath not so much Light as Heaven, imagine that hereby they have a fair advantage to plead for an universal terrestrial Judge, and to reproach God, if he have appointed none such, and next to plead that their Pope or his approved Councils must needs have this Authority. And when they come to the Decision, they are not ashamed to see after so many hundred years pretensions, that the World is but baffled with the empty name of a Judge of Controversies, and that Difficulties are no less Difficulties still, and Controversies are nowhere so voluminous as with them. But this is a small matter with them. Their Judge s••ms much wiser when he is silent, then when he speaks. When he comes to a Decision, and formeth up thereby the Hodge-podge of Popery, they seem not to smile at, nor be ashamed ⟨p. 16⟩of the Picture which they have drawn, which is, of an Harlot showing her nakedness, and committing her lewdness in the open Assemblies, in the sight of the Sún. They openly proclaim their shame against the light of all the acknowledged Principles in the World, their own or others, and in opposition to all, or almost all that is commendable among men. The charge seems high, but (in a few words) take the proof.
The Papists finding that man is 〈…〉perfect, and knoweth but in part, and 〈…〉 the Scripture there are some things are hard to be understood, and that Earth hath not so much Light as Heaven, imagine that hereby they have a fair advantage to plead for an universal terrestrial Iudge, and to reproach God, if he have appointed none such, and next to plead that their Pope or his approved Councils must needs have this Authority. And when they come to the Decision, they are not ashamed to see after so many hundred years pretentions, that the World is but basfled with the empty name of a Judge of Controversies, and that Difficulties are no less Difficulties still, and Controversies are nowhere so voluminous as with them. But this is a small matter with them. Their Iudge s••ms much wiser when he is silent, then when he speaks. When he comes to a Decision, and formeth up thereby the Hodge-podge of Popery, they seem not to smile at, nor be ashamed