A27045:98
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. Either you speak de Ecclesia quae talis, or de Ecclesia qua talis: and mean that this [acknowledgement] is essential to it, or at least an inseparable property, or else that it is separable accident. The latter will do you no good: the former I deny. In ⟨p. 10⟩sum: I grant that a small corrupt part of the Catholic Church doth now acknowledge the Pope to be Christs Vicar, (or the Vice-christ); but I deny, 1. That the whole doth so (which is your great cause.) 2. Or the major part. 3. Or any Congregation through all ages (though if they had, it would do you no good.) 4. Or that it is done by any upon just ground, but is their corruption.
3. Either you speak de Ecclesia quae talis, or de Ecclesia qua talis: and mean that this [acknowledgement] is essential to it, or at least an inseparable property, or else that it is separable accident. The latter will do you no good: the former I deny. In ⟨p. 10⟩summ: I grant that a small corrupt part of the Catholike Church doth now acknowledge the Pope to be Christs Vicar, (or the Vice-christ); but I deny, 1. That the whole doth so (which is your great cause.) 2. Or the major part. 3. Or any Congregation through all ages (though if they had, it would do you no good.) 4. Or that it is done by any upon just ground, but is their corruption.
Ad minorem. Resp. 1. If you mean any [part] of the Universal Church by [that Congregation which is now the true Church] I deny your Minor: If [the whole] I grant it. 2. You say [all Christians agree] in it, &c. Resp. I think all Protestants, or near all, do: but Franciscus à sancta Clara hath copiously told us (in Artic. Anglic.) that most of your own Doctors are for the salvation of Infidels; and then either you take Infidels for your Church members, or your Doctors for no Christians, or you play not fair play to tell us so gross an untruth, that all Christians are agreed in it.