A27045:436
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.
Of the Fathers judgement of the Scripture ⟨p. 221⟩sufficiency, see the third part of my [safe Religion] where I have produced Testimonies enough to prove the Antiquity of the Protestants Religion, and the Novelty of Popery. But nothing can be so plain and full, which pre-engaged men dare not deny. Let me instance but in one or two passages of Augustine, so plain as might put an end to the whole Controversy.
Of the Fathers judgement of the Scripture ⟨p. 221⟩sufficiency, see the third part of my [safe Religion] where I have produced Testimonies enough to prove the Antiquity of the Protestants Religion, and the Novelty of Popery. But nothing can be so plain and full, which pre-engaged men dare not deny. Let me instance but in one or two passages of Augustine, so plain as might put an end to the whole Controversie.
Aug. de Doctr. Christian. lib. 2. c. 9. [In his omnibus libris timentes Deum & pietate mansueti, quaerunt voluntatem Dei. Cujus operis & laboris prima observatio est, ut diximus, nosse istos libros, & si nondum ad intellectum legendo tamen vel mandare memoriae, (He was not against the Vulgars reading Scripture) vel omnino incognitos non habere. Deinde illa quae in eis aperte pofita sunt, vel praecepta vivendi vel regulae credendi, solertiùs diligentiúsque investiganda sunt: Quae tanto quisque plura invenit, quanto est intelligentia capacior: In iis enim quae apertè in Scriptura posita sunt, inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi, (N. B.) spem scilicet atque charitatem, de quibus libro superiore tractavimus. Tum vero facta quadam familiaritate cum ipsa lingua divinarum scripturarum, in ea quae obscura sunt aperienda, & discutienda pergendum est, ut ⟨p. 222⟩ad obscuriores locutiones illustrandas de manifestationibus sumantur exempla, & quaedam certarum sententiarum testimonia, dubitationem de incertis auferant.] You see here that the Scripture, as sufficient to faith and manners, to be read by all that fear God, and can read; and the harder places to be expounded by the plainer, was the ancient Rule of faith and Religion: And this is the Religion of Protestants.