A27045:618
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. Its commonly said by others (of yours) as well as Bellarmine, that the Councils were misinformed about Honorius, (and the Popes that consented to those Councils) and so that he was not a Heretic nor out of the Church: Also that a Pope may err in matter of fact, and unjustly excommunicate. If so, a Pope and Council may err about another, as well as about Honorius or other Popes; and therefore their sentence be no proof that such are out of the Church, no more then that he and Eugenius were out.
3. Its commonly said by others (of yours) as well as Bellarmine, that the Councils were misinformed about Honorius, (and the Popes that consented to those Councils) and so that he was not a Heretick nor out of the Church: Also that a Pope may erre in matter of fact, and unjustly excommunicate. If so, a Pope and Council may erre about another, as well as about Honorius or other Popes; and therefore their sentence be no proof that such are out of the Church, no more then that he and Eugenius were out.
4. As the Pope and his Synods condemn the Greek, so the Greeks condemn and excommunicate you; as formerly the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Pope have excommunicated each other. I am therefore no more bound to take them for excommunicate persons, than you, they having as much authority over you as you over them, and their witness being to us as credible as yours.
4. As the Pope and his Synods condemn the Greeke, so the Greeks condemn and excommunicate you; as formerly the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Pope have excommunicated each other. I am therefore no more bound to take them for excommunicate persons, than you, they having as much authority over you as you over them, and their witness being to us as credible as yours.