A27045:440
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.
Obj. We confess Scripture is sufficient to them that have no further light: All that is ⟨p. 224⟩necessary to the salvation of all, is in that perspicuously, as Costerus, Bellarmine, and others say: but more is necessary to salvation to some.
Ans. 1. Then at least it containeth all the Essentials of Christianity, which sufficeth to our present end. 2. And what maketh more Necessary to me, or others here in England, if it be not necessary to all? Is it because that more is Revealed to us? But how and by whom; and with what Evidence? We are willing to see it, and can see no such thing: But if this be it, (if I may speak so plainly without offence) it seems it concerneth us to keep out Friars and Jesuits from the Land, as much (if we knew how) as to keep out the Devil. For they tell us, 1. That we must believe the Popes Sovereignty, against the Tradition and judgement of most of the Catholic Church. 2. And we must believe our selves to be void of Charity (because no Papists) contrary to our internal sense and knowledge. 3. And we must believe that bread is not bread, and wine is not wine, contrary to the common senses of all sound men: and if we will not thus renounce the Churches Vote, Tradition, our Certain knowledge, Reason, and all our Senses, we must be ⟨p. 225⟩damned: where as before this doctrine was brought us, we might have been saved, as having in the Scriptures all things necessary to the salvation of all.
Ans. 1. Then at least it containeth all the Essentialls of Christianity, which sufficeth to our present end. 2. And what maketh more Necessary to me, or others here in England, if it be not necessary to all? Is it because that more is Revealed to us? But how and by whom; and with what Evidence? We are willing to see it, and can see no such thing: But if this be it, (if I may speak so plainly without offence) it seems it concerneth us to keep out Friars and Jesuites from the Land, as much (if we knew how) as to keep out the Devil. For they tell us, 1. That we must believe the Popes Soveraignty, against the Tradition and judgement of most of the Catholick Church. 2. And we must believe our selves to be void of Charity (because no Papists) contrary to our internall sense and knowledge. 3. And we must believe that bread is not bread, and wine is not wine, contrary to the common senses of all sound men: and if we will not thus renounce the Churches Vote, Tradition, our Certain knowledge, Reason, and all our Senses, we must be