A27045:414
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.
Gerson saith, de exam. doctr. p. 2. cont. 1. Nihil audendum dicere de divinis, nisi quae nobis à sacra Scriptura tradita sunt.
Durandus in his Preface is wholly for the excellency and sufficiency of the Scriptures. Three ways, he saith, God revealeth himself and other things to man: The lowest way is by the book of the creatures (so heathens may know him.) The highest is by manifest Vision (as in heaven): and the middle way is in the Book of holy Scripture, without which there is no coming to the highest way.] And going on to extol the Scripture, he citeth Jeromes words ad Paulinum, [Let us learn on earth the knowledge of those things which will abide with ⟨p. 211⟩us in heaven:] But this is only (saith he) in the holy Scripture.] And after ex Hierom. ad Marcell. [If Reason be brought against the authority of the Scriptures, how acute soever it is, it cannot be true:] And after [We must speak of the mystery of Christ, and universally of those things that merely concern faith, conformably to what the holy Scripture delivereth: So Christ, John 5. Search the Scriptures, It is they that testify of me. If any observe not this, he speaks not of the mystery of Christ, and of other things directly touching faith as he ought, but falls into that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 8. If any man think he knoweth any thing, he yet knoweth nothing as he ought to know. For the measure is not to exceed the measure of faith: of which the Apostle bids us, Rom. 12. Not to be wiser then we ought to be, but to be wise to sobriety, and as God hath divided to every man the measure of faith. Which Measure consisteth in two things; to wit, that we subtract not from faith that which is of faith, nor (N.B.) attribute that to faith which is not of faith: For by either of these ways, the measure of faith is exceeded, and men deviate from the continence of the sacred Scripture, which expresseth the measure of faith.] ⟨p. 212⟩