A27045:472
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.
3. What will you say to a man that knoweth not a Protestant, nor a Papist, or believeth only Christianity it self, and meddleth not with the Pope, any further then to say, [I believe not in him, Jesus I know: ⟨p. 241⟩and the Apostles, and Scripture, and Christianity I know, but the Pope I know not:] and suppose he never subscribed to the Augustan, English, or any such confession, but only to the Scripture, and the Apostles, and Nicene, and other ancient Creeds; By what show of Justice can you require this man to prove that there hath been no Pope in every age?
3. What will you say to a man that knoweth not a Protestant, nor a Papist, or believeth only Christianity it self, and meddleth not with the Pope, any further then to say, [I believe not in him, Jesus I know: ⟨p. 241⟩and the Apostles, and Scripture, and Christianity I know, but the Pope I know not:] and suppose he never subscribed to the Augustane, English, or any such confession, but only to the Scripture, and the Apostles, and Nicene, and other ancient Creeds; By what shew of Justice can you require this man to prove that there hath been no Pope in every age?
4. The foundation of all our controversy is doctrinal, whether the Papal Sovereignty be Essential to the Church? or necessary to our membership? we deny it; you affirm it. If it be not Essential, it is enough to us, to prove that which is Essential, to have been successive: we be not bound in order to the proof of our Church it self, to prove the succession of every thing that maketh but to its better being.
4. The foundation of all our controversie is doctrinal, whether the Papal Soveraignty be Essential to the Church? or necessary to our membership? we deny it; you affirm it. If it be not Essential, it is enough to us, to prove that which is Essential, to have been successive: we be not bound in order to the proof of our Church it self, to prove the succession of every thing that maketh but to its better being.