A27045:570
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.
For as the Church by Canonizing one a Saint, doth not thereby approve all his Deeds, so in approving his doctrine, it doth not hereby approve all his sayings or writings, but only that which is not retracted by himself, or corrected by another, or deservedly to be corrected as contrary to truth.
And now when Fathers, even the chief, and your Saints and highest Doctors have ⟨p. 284⟩this Testimony from the famous University of Paris, to have somewhat heretical or erroneous in the faith (and so who among you is free?) I leave it to modesty to judge, whether the Greeks, Armenians, &c. and we, are not of one Faith, Religion, and Catholic Church, for all our differences in some points! Have you had all these Nations man by man before your bar, and convinced them of pertinaciousness in heresy? If not, call them not Heretics till you are willing to be called such your selves, and that by your selves.
And now when Fathers, even the chief, and your Saints and highest Doctors have ⟨p. 284⟩this Testimony from the famous University of Paris, to have somewhat hereticall or erroneous in the faith (and so who among you is free?) I leave it to modesty to judge, whether the Greeks, Armenians, &c. and we, are not of one Faith, Religion, and Catholick Church, for all our differences in some points! Have you had all these Nations man by man before your bar, and convinced them of pertinaciousness in heresie? If not, call them not Hereticks till you are willing to be called such your selves, and that by your selves.
And thus I have evinced, 1. That the Church of which the Protestants are Members, hath been Visible since the days of Christ on earth. 2. And ex abundanti, that the Papal Church as Papal hath not been visible, and that Christian Churches without Papal Sovereignty have been Visible since Gregory's days, and the whole Catholic Church was such before. And you see both in the Essentials, and in the freedom from the Romish Vice-Christ, where our Church hath been before Luther, even since Christ.