A27045:422
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.
Yet more fully he proceeds (ibid.) [Hence it further appeareth, that Principles of Theology thus taken, that is, which is acquired by Theological discourse, are the very Truths themselves of the holy Canon, because the ultimate Resolution of all Theological discourse doth stand (or belong) to them; and all Theological conclusions are deduced first from them. But distinguishing the Conclusions Theological from the Principles, I say that all truths are not in themselves formally contained in the holy Scripture: but of necessity following from those that are contained in them: and this whether they are Articles of faith, or not (N B); and whether they are knowable or known by another science, or not: and whether they are determined by the Church or not. But of other Truths, to wit, not following from the words of the holy Scripture, I say there is no Theological conclusion: This is proved, &c.—]
Yet more fully he proceeds (ibid.) [Hence it further appeareth, that Principles of Theology thus taken, that is, which is acquired by Theologicall discourse, are the very Truths themselves of the holy Canon, because the ultimate Resolution of all Theologicall discourse doth stand (or belong) to them; and all Theologicall conclusions are deduced first from them. But distinguishing the Conclusions Theologicall from the Principles, I say that all truths are not in themselves formally contained in the holy Scripture: but of necessity following from those that are contained in them: and this whether they are Articles of faith, or not (N B); and whether they are knowable or known by another science, or not: and whether they are determined by the Church or not. But of other Truths, to wit, not following from the words of the holy Scripture, I say there is no Theologicall conclusion: This is proved, &c.—]
When I read over the Schoolmen and Divines of all sorts, that wrote before the Reformers fell so closely upon the Pope, and ⟨p. 216⟩[find how generally even the Papists themselves maintained the sufficiency of the holy Scripture, just as the Protestants now do, I am convinced 1. of the succession of the Protestants Religion in the Universal Visible Church; and 2. that it was the Reformers Arguments from Scripture, that forced the Papists to oppose this holy Rule, as to its sufficiency; and to invent the new doctrine of supplemental Tradition; (for conservative, Ministerial Tradition of the holy Scriptures we are for as much, at least, as they.)