A27045:516
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.
Here you see 1. That the unity and concord of the Church is not maintained by universal Headship, but by fraternal communion and humility. 2. That it wounded Paul, and should do us, to see the Church make men as it were their heads, though they were Apostles, and though Peter was one of them: and that extra Christum, beside Christ, none, no not Peter should be as a Head to Christs members. 3. Much more abominable is it for any man to pretend to be the universal Bishop or Head to all Christs members: 4. That the sin of this usurpation was against Christ the Churches Head, and that before him in Judgement the usurper of universal Episcopacy will be confounded for this very thing. 5. And that the crime of this title of universal Bishop was, that it endeavoured to put all Christs members under him that used it (tibimet supponere:) not to exclude all other Bishops, but to put under him all Christs members. These are the words of Gregory: and if men can make what their list of words so full and plain, ⟨p. 261⟩and oft repeated in many Epistles, what hope have they that their Judge of Controversies should do any more to end their Controversies then Scripture hath done, which they cannot understand without such an unintelligible Judge?
He proceeds (ibid.) [Quis ergo in hoc tam perverso vocabulo, nisi ille ad imitandum proponitur, qui despectis Angelorum legionibus, secum socialiter constitutis, ad culmen conatus est singularitatis erumpere, ut & nulli subesse, & solus omnibus praeesse videretur.] He maketh him the imitator of the Devil, that aspiring above the rest of the Angels, fell by pride.
But Bellarmine hath three Reasons to prove yet that Gregory after all this meant not the universal Headship or Episcopacy indeed. 1. Because the holy Council of Chalcedon offered it him. Ans. 1. A fair offer! because two or three Deacons inscribed their Libels to him with the name of universal Archbishop: And we must believe that the Council approved of this, though we cannot prove it. Or if they called him the Head, as the City of London is the Head City in England, and the Earle of Arundel the Head Earle, or the Lord Chancellor the Head Judge, that yet have