A27045:626
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.
11. And yet I think the far greatest part ⟨p. 305⟩of them (many thousands to one) are not actually excommunicated or condemned by any pretended sentence of your own, whatever your writers may say of them, and whatever one Council might say of some few in some one age.
12. Lastly, It can be no matter of certainty to you your self, or any of you, that these Nations or Churches are Heretics, both because it is a thing that none of your approved Councils have determined of, as to any person now living, nor to any considerable number comparatively, in other ages; and also because you confess your Pope and Councils fallible in these cases, of fact and personal application. You cannot therefore build upon such acknowledged uncertainties.
12. Lastly, It can be no matter of certainty to you your self, or any of you, that these Nations or Churches are Hereticks, both because it is a thing that none of your approved Councils have determined of, as to any person now living, nor to any considerable number comparatively, in other ages; and also because you confess your Pope and Councils fallible in these cases, of fact and personal application. You cannot therefore build upon such acknowledged uncertainties.
But Sir, having thus answered your demand, I must ask you, whats all this to the Answer of my last Papers, which I have now near a year expected from you? I suspected some such •ergiversation, when I took the boldness to urge you so hard to the tasks that you were reasonably engaged to perform, viz. 1. To prove by close Argumentation, the nullity of our Churches, ⟨p. 306⟩