A27045:616
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.
Having thus distinctly told you my judgement how far Heretics are, or are not in or out of the universal Church, I add in order to the application: 1. That this whole debate is nothing to the great difference between you and us, it being not de fide in your own account, but a dogma theologicum, which you differ about among your selves: Bellarmine tells you Alphonsus a Castro maintaineth that Heretics are in the Church (de Eccles. l. 3. c. 4.) And he himself saith that haeretici pertinent ad Ecclesiam ut oves ad ovile unde confugerunt, ibid. c. 4. so that they are oves still, and if it be but ovile particular (veluti Romanum) that they fly from, and not the Universal, that proves them not out of the Universal Church. ⟨p. 301⟩And Bellarmine saith of the Catechumen. & Excommunicatis, that they are de anima, et si non de corpore Ecclesiae, ib. c. 2. and may be saved, cap. 6. And the anima Ecclesiae is not incorporated in the world without: All that have that soul, are of that Church which Christ (that animateth his members) is the head of. Which made Melchior Canus (fatente Bellarmino de Eccl. l. 3. c. 3.) confess the being of that which indeed is the true Catholic Church, saying of the Unbaptized Believers, that [sunt de Ecclesia quae comprehendit omnes fideles ab Abel usque ad consummationem mundi.]
Having thus distinctly told you my judgement how far Hereticks are, or are not in or out of the universal Church, I add in order to the application: 1. That this whole debate is nothing to the great difference between you and us, it being not de fide in your own account, but a dogma theologicum, which you differ about among your selves: Bellarmine tells you Alphonsus a Castro maintaineth that Hereticks are in the Church (de Eccles. l. 3. c. 4.) And he himself saith that haeretici pertinent ad Ecclesiam ut oves ad ovile unde confugerunt, ibid. c. 4. so that they are oves still, and if it be but ovile particulare (veluti Romanum) that they fly from, and not the Vniversal, that proves them not out of the Vniversal Church. ⟨p. 301⟩And Bellarmine saith of the Catechumen. & Excommunicatis, that they are de anima, et si non de corpore Ecclesiae, ib. c. 2. and may be saved, cap. 6. And the anima Ecclesiae is not incorporated in the world without: All that have that soul, are of that Church which Christ (that animateth his members) is the head of. Which made Melchior Canus (fatente Bellarmino de Eccl. l. 3. c. 3.) confess the being of that which indeed is the true Catholike Church, saying of the Vnbaptized Believers, that [sunt de Ecclesia quae comprehendit omnes fideles ab Abel usque ad consummationem mundi.]