A27045:670
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.
All these are mere hiding, and not resolving of the doubt, and tell us that a Pope is a thing invisible or unknown. 5. And your last assureth us, that your succession was interrupted through many usurpations, yea indeed that you never had a Pope. For the Church was unsatisfied with the election of abundance of your Popes, when Whores, and Simony, and Murder, and power set them up: And most of the Church through the world is unsatisfied with them still to this day. And you have no way to know whether the greater part of the Church is satisfied or not; for non-resistance is no sign of satisfaction, where men have not opportunity or power to resist. And when one part of Europe was for one Pope, and another for another through so many Schisms, who knows which had the approbation of that which may be called the Church?
All these are meer hiding, and not resolving of the doubt, and tell us that a Pope is a thing invisible or unknown. 5. And your last assureth us, that your succession was interrupted through many usurpations, yea indeed that you never had a Pope. For the Church was unsatisfied with the election of abundance of your Popes, when Whores, and Simony, and Murder, and power set them up: And most of the Church through the world is unsatisfied with them still to this day. And you have no way to know whether the greater part of the Church is satisfied or not; for non-resistance is no sign of satisfaction, where men have not opportunity or power to resist. And when one part of Europe was for one Pope, and another for another through so many Schisms, who knows which had the approbation of that which may be called the Church?
R. B. Qu. 4. Is Consecration necessary? and by whom ad esse?
Mr. J. Answ. It is not absolutely necessary ad esse.