A27045:556
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.
To this I might add the Novelty of their Worship and Discipline; but it would be too tedious: and I have said enough of these in other writings. See Dr. Challoner, pag. 88, 89.
In 16. points Dr. Challoner proveth your Novelty from your Confessions. Indeed his Book de Eccles. Cath. though small, is a full answer to your main Question.
Arg. 10. If Multitudes (yea the far greatest part) of Christians in all ages have been ignorant of Popery, but not of Christianity; then hath there been a succession of Visible Professors of Christianity that were no Papists: but the antecedent is true: therefore so is the consequent.
In this age it is an apparent thing, that the far greatest part are ignorant of formal Popery. 1. They confess themselves that the common people, and most of the nobility ⟨p. 276⟩of Habassia, Armenia, Greece, Russia, and most other Eastern Churches that are not Papists, are ignorant of the Controversy. 2. They use to tell us here among Protestants, that there is not one of many that know what a Papist is. 3. We know that of those that go under the name of Papists, there is not one of a multitude knoweth. We hear it from the mouths of those we speak with: I have not met with one of ten of the poorer sort of them, even here among us, that knoweth what a Papist or Popery is; but they are taught to follow their Priests, and to say that theirs is the true Church and old Religion, and to use their Ceremonious worship, and to forbear coming to our Churches, &c. and this is their Religion. And in Ireland they are yet far more ignorant: And its well known to be so in other parts: Their Priests they know, and the Pope they hear of, as some person of eminent Power in the Church: But whether he be the Universal Vicar of Christ, and be over all others as well as them & whether this be of Gods institution, or by the grant of Emperors or Councils, &c. they know not. And no wonder, when the Papists think that the Council of Chalcedon spoke falsely of the humane Original of