MEdusa sister to Euryale and Sthemione , and daughter of a sea-monster , ensnared by her beautie and golden tresses Neptune god of the Ocean , and with him polluted the Temple of Minerva , and had for issue Pegasus the winged Courser ; Minerva that learned and Virgin Goddess in revenge of so foul an injury , metamorphos'd each hair of Medusaes head into a serpent , and laid so heavy a Curse upon her , that every one whose eyes were so curious as fixedly to behold her , chang'd into stones : whereupon the Beldam Medusa took her flight into the Dorcades , islands in the Aethiopick sea , and there raging like a hellish furie , made her self Queen and Generaless of a femal armie , her two sisters being the chief Commanders under her , wasting and depopulating all where they march'd , with unheard of cruelty ; The noble and valiant Captain Perseus covering his breast with a brazen shield of Minerva , marched undauntedly towards this hideous Monster , and discovering by the reflexion she made in the brightness of his shield , while shee and her brood of serpents were all asleep , at one blow cut off her head , and those of the serpents with it , and took it upon the point of his fauchion with him into Africa ; but such was the venome and pestilence of that inchaunted head , that every drop of bloud which fell from it turn'd into a serpent , whereby the whole coast of Africa was fill'd with snakes and vipers .

This , though a fiction , seems to be a fit Embleme of Heresie . S. Greg. in Iob. lib. 35. cap. 34. The sea whale or Monster , mother of Medusa , by reason of her immense bulk , and strength of body toweing her self over all other creatures in the Ocean ; is Pride and Ambition , styled by Saint Austin the mother of hereticks ; Lib. 2. c. 3. contra lit . Parmen. Medusa seducing the heart of inconstant Neptune with her youth and beauty , is a luxuriant wit priding it self in the invention of novelties in Religion : The violation of Minervaes Temple , the staining of the holy Church , with sordid tenets and practices ; Pegasus the high flying thoughts of heretical spirits ; Those snakes and serpents crawling from Medusaes head , and twisting themselves about her neck , gnawing and consuming not onely one another , but the head which bore them ; are wicked Heresies hatch'd in the brain , and nourish'd in the head of Arch-Hereticks , condemning and thwarting one another , by perpetual contrarieties , and still gnawing upon the Conscience which brought them forth . The Petrifying Metamorphosis wrought upon the curious spectators of Medusa , is the obduratenesse of those hearts who open too broad an eye to the speculations of Hereticks : The wasting and destroying what ever oppos'd that femal army , the horrible rebellions , civil warres , destractions , desolations caus'd by Hereticks , both in ancient , and in our present ages : The undaunted Perseus , the supreme Bishop of the Catholick Church , guarded with the shield of Faith , and arm'd with the sword of Saint Peter , cuts off the serpentine head of Medusa , errours and heresies with his definitions , decrees , censures , and anathemaes ; the drops of bloud distilling from Medusaes head , even after it was struck dead and divided from her shoulders , turning into so many snakes and adders , the pullulation of new divisions , and subdivisions of Heresies , spreading themselves all o-over , and infesting the countries where they fall with implacable dissentions and tumults each against other ; This is the sad story of Medusa , Emblemis'd . And yet happy had been our Nation , and many others with it , had it rested in the nature of an Embleme , and been no more then a bare speculation : But as it hath faln heavy upon several Countries in all precedent ages , so in this and the former has it almost crush'd ours , and many adjacent to us : the histories are too too fresh in our memories , and the late pressures too broad before our eyes , to need recital ; and yet we might hope to obliterate their foul Characters in time ; were there not new drops distilling from Medusaes ghastly head , and perpetuating that generation of vipers , which took their first birth from it .

Force of Reason and Authority had devested our adversaries of both , and so enervated their Principles that they had no consistency ; when behold a new brood of unheard of Novelties , dropping from Medusa's brain , rise-up to reestablish their dying cause ; Sects and Schismes are united , as parts to the Catholick Church , Oecumenicall Councils are despoiled of their ancient Authority , Ecclesiasticall Decrees pin'd up within the Circuit of the Romane Empire , true Christian and Divine Faith made consistent in the same soul with Heresie , ancient Theologicall Definitions question'd and revers'd , &c. And those Principles once advanced , ( which both Parties condemned and execrated as Diabolicall ) our Arguments are frustrated , and we put upon a necessity to prove what we and all Christians suppos'd hitherto as undeniable Truths .

This is the task which Mr. Richard Baxter , inventer of the said Novelties , hath put upon me ; a man , who had his fecunditie of invention , been equalliz'd with a soliditie in Learning , might have proved as offensive , as he is now invective against the Roman Church .

My present work therefore , is not so much a defence of mine own , as of the common cause of Christians ; against those young Meducean Serpents , new bred Novelties hissing against it ; so that it may be equally intitled CHISTIANITY MAINTAIN'D , and NOVELTY REPRES'T . Yet I have made choice of the latter , as not daring to assume a Title to any writing of mine , which a Person so far excelling me in all respects has prefixed to his own , in answer to another bold oppugner of Christian Principles : Whosoever therefore shall please to peruse this present Tract , shall , I hope , find the whole controversie laid open so plain before his eyes , that he needs no more then to parallell each answer to its respective objection in their severall Paragraphs ; for to this end I have inserted the whole first part of Mr. Baxters last Answer , by Sections verbatim , and to each applyed my rejoinder ; that neither the Reader may be put to the cost or trouble of perusing Mr. Baxters Book , nor he himself have any occasion to complain that I accuse him , to say any thing which he expresses not in his own Treatise : For the same end also , I have reprinted here the whole precesse of the argument , with all our precedent respective Answers and Replies , that the Reader may have all ready at hand , for a more facil understanding of the whole matter . Yet in my Answer to his second part , in proof of the perpetual visibility of the Protestant Church , I have not inserted his Text , both by reason it would have●● rendred the tome improportionable , and that he often spends many Leafs in proving Propositions , which I deny not , so that it had bin to no purpose at all to insert them ; what I found material in that part , I have recited and answered , and remit the judgement and censure of the whole work to any impartial Reader . If Mr. Baxter will venture upon an Answer , I expect as fair a proceeding from him , as he has here from me ; to insert by Sections as I have done my Text , and apply a particular Answer to each Section ; for otherwise all impartiall eyes will see that he flies the light , and seeks corners to hide himself , and takes a new occasion both to pervert my words , distort my sense , and make me say what he pleases , when he cannot answer what I say , as he has done more then once in this his Answer .

The whole issue of the work , is not onely a discovery of the weaknesse and d●●ssatisfaction of this his Answer , but withall , an enervating of the main Principles , Arguments , and Instances against the Roman Church in his other Works , and particularly in his KEY , this against Johnson being a Receul , or Epitome of what he has more largely treated in his former Invectives : so that the Authour hopes , the serious perusal of this will so far rectifie the judgement of his Readers , that they will be enabled to see the vanity and fallacy , of all he has with so much labour and bitternesse given out against us . All we have to say or doe in relation to his Person , is earnestly to beg of the God of mercy , pardon and forgivenesse for him for what is past , and a new beam of light from heaven to guide and direct him for the future , and bring him into that saving way , wherein he may attain unto a never ending felicity .

THat the Reader may be sufficiently informed , how this controversie took its rise and progresse , he may please to take notice , That Mr. Johnsons Argument was first sent to Mr. Baxter concerning the necessity of being a member of the Roman Church to obtain salvation ; next Mr. Baxter sent back an Answer to the said Argument , and thereupon Mr. Johnson sent a Reply to Mr. Baxters Answer . Thus far the whole Process is comprised in Mr. Baxters Edition , from page 1. to page 66. which I have here reprinted Word for Word , that the Reader may have a full view of the whole Controversie , and have at hand the matter to which Mr. Baxter fram'd his last Answer , to the end that this Rejoynder to it may be the better understood , and the force of it more fully examined , and weighed by the Iudicious Peruser of this Tract : Mr. Baxter therefore sets down Mr. Johnsons Argument , Mr. Baxters Answer , and Johnsons Reply in this manner following .

But to the unskilful or unwary Reader your conclusion seemeth to import , that [ the being in such a Church which acknowledgeth the Popes Soveraignty , as it is such a Church , is necessary to Salvation ] and so [ that the persons acknowledgement is neccesary . ] But it is a fallacia accidentis cunningly lapt up , that is the life of your imported cause . That part of the Universal Church doth hold to the Popes Soveraignty , is per accidens ; and could you prove that the whole Church doth so ( which you are unlike to do ) I would say the like . And that your fallacy may the beter appear ; I give you some examples of such like Sophismes .

[ Whatsoever Nation is the true Kingdom of Spain , is proud and cruel against Protestants : But there is no protection there due to any that are not of that Kingdome : therefore there is no protection due to any that are not proud and cruel . ] Or [ whatsoever Nation is the true Kingdome of France acknowledgeth the Pope : but no protection is due from the Governours to any that are not of that Kingdom : therefore no protection is due to any that acknowledge not the Pope . ] Or [ what ever Nation is the Kingdome of Ireland in the days of Queen Elizabeth , was for the Earl of Tyrone : but there was no right of Inheritance for any that were not of that Nation : therefore there was no right of Inheritance for any that was not for the Earl of Tyrone . ] Or suppose that you could have proved it of all the Church . If you had lived four hundred years after Christ , you might as well have argued thus . [ Whatsoever Congregation of Christians is now the true Church of Christ , is against kneeling in adoration on the Lords days . But there is no salvation to be had out of that Congregation of Christians , which is now the true Church of Christ : therefore there is no salvation to be had out of that Congregation which is against kneeling on the Lords day , &c. ] But yet , 1. There was Salvation to be had in that Congregation without being of that opinion . 2. And there is now Salvation to be had in a Congregation that is not of that opinion , as you will confess .

Or [ whatsoever Congregation of Christians is now the true Church of Christ , doth hold the Canticles and the Epistle to Philemon to be Canonical Scripture , ( and so have done , &c. ) But there is no Salvation to be had out of the true Church : therefore there is no Salvation to be had out of that Congregation which holdeth the Canticles and Epistle to Philemon to be Canonical Scripture . ] But yet , 1. Salvation is to be had in that Church without holding it . 2. And its possible hereafter a Church may deny those two books , and yet you will think Salvation not thereby overthrown . This is but to shew your fallacy from a corrupt accident , and indeed but of a part of the Church , and a small part .

Now to your proof of the Major . Resp. ad Major . The present matter of the Church was not visible in the last Generation , for we were not then born : but the same form of the Church was then existent in a visible Matter , and their Profession was visible or audible , though their faith it self was invisible . I will do more then you shall do , in maintaining the constant visibility of the Church .

Ad minorem . 1. If you mean that no Congregation hath been alwayes visible [ but that Vniversal Church whose lesser corrupt part acknowledges ] the Popes Soveraignty , I grant it . For besides [ the whole containing all Christians as the parts ] there can be no other . If you mean [ save that part which acknowledgeth ] you contradict your self , because a part implyeth other parts . If you mean [ save that Universal Church , all whose members ( or the most ) acknowledg it ] , there is no such subject existent . 2. I distinguish of Visibility : It s one thing to be a visible Church , that is , visible in its essentials ; and another thing to be visible quoad hoc , as to some separable accident . [ The Universal Church ] was ever visible ; because their Profession of Christianity was so , and the persons professing : But [ the acknowledgment of the Vice-christ ] was not alwayes visible , no not in any parts , much less in the whole . And if it had , it was but a separable accident , ( if your disease be not incurable ) that was visible : and therefore , 1. It was not necessary to Salvation , nor a proper mark of the Church . 2. Nor can it be so for the time to come .

I need to say no more to your conclusion . Your Argument is no better then this , [ whatsoever Congregation of Christians is now the true Church of Christ , hath been alwayes visible since the time of Christ : But no congregation of Christians hath been so visible , save onely that which condemneth the Greeks , which hath a Colledge of Cardinals to chose the Popes , which denieth the cup to the laity , which forbiddeth the reading of Scripture in a known tongue without license , &c. Therefore whatsoever Congregation of Christians is now the true Church of Christ , hath all these ] ; 1. In a corrupt part it hath . 2. But it had not alwayes . 3. And may be cured hereafter .

To your proof of the Major : 1. I grant your Major .

2. Ad minorem . 1. Either you mean [ Vniversal Pastors ] each one , or some one having charge and Government of the [ whole Church , ] or you mean , [ unfixed Pastors having an indefinite charge of Preaching and Guiding when they come and have particular calls and opportunities ] or you mean [ the fixed Pastors of particular Churches ] In the first sense your Minor is false , the Catholike Church was never so united to any Universal Head but Christ : no one of the Apostles governed the rest , and the whole Church , much less any since their time . In the second sense , I grant that the Church hath ever had Pastors since the Ascension . In the third sense , I grant that some parts , or other of the Catholick Church , have ever had fixed Pastors of Congregations since the first setling of such Pastors . But any one particular Congregation may cease to have such Pastors , and may cease it self : And Rome hath been long without any true Pastors ; and therefore was then no such visible Church .

2. If by [ Congregation ] you mean not the Universal Church but [ a part ] , or if you mean it of [ all the parts of the Universal Church ] I deny your Minor : Communities of Christians , and particular persons have been and may be without any Pastors , to whom they are united or subject . The Indians that died in the faith while Frumentius and Edesius were there preaching , before they had any Pastor , were yet Christians and saved : If a Lay man convert one , or a thousand , ( and you will say that he may baptize them ) and they die before they can have a Pastor , or ever hear of any to whom they owe subjection , they are nevertheless saved , as members of the Church ; And if all the Pastors in a Nation were murdered or banished , the people would not cease to be Christians and members of the Church . Much lesse if the Pope were dead or deposed , or a vacancy befell his seat , would all the Catholick Church be annihilated , or cease .

To your Confirmation of the Major [ that a visible Church is nothing but a Visible Pastor , and people united ] I answer : 1. It s true of the Universal Church , as united in Christ , the great Pastor , but not as united in a Vice-Christ or humane head . 2. It is true of a particular Political or organized Church , as united to their proper Pastors . 3. But it is not true of every Community of Christians who are a part of the Universal Church . A companie converted to Christ , are members of the Vniversal Church , ( though they never heard of a Pope at Rome ) before they are united to Pastors of their own .

The Proof of the Minor from Ephes. 4. I grant as aforesaid : The Text proveth that Pastors the Church shall have : I disclaim the vain Objection [ of Conditionality in the Promise ] which you mention . But it proves not , 1. That the Church shall have an Universal Monarch or Vice-Christ , under Christ . 2. Nor that every Member of the Universall Church , shall certainly be a member of a particular Church , or ever see the face of Pastor , or be subject to him .

You say next [ There remains only to prove the Minor of the second Syllogism , Viz. That no Congregation of Christians hath been always visible but that which acknowledges , &c. ] This is the great point which all lyeth on : The rest hath been all nothing , but a cunning shooing horn to this . Prove this , and prove all : Prove not this , and you have lost your time .

You say [ The Minor I prove , by obliging the answerers to nominate any Congregation of Christians which always till this present time since Christ hath been visible — save that only which acknowledges , &c. ] And have I waited all this while for this ? You prove it by obliging me to prove the contrary . Ridiculous ! sed quo jure ? 1. Your undertaken form of arguing obligeth you to prove your Minor : You cannot cast your Respondent upon proving and so arguing , and doing the Opponents part . 2. And in your Postscript you presently forbid it me ; You require me to hold to a Concedo , Nego , Distinguo , Omitto , Transeat ; threatning that else you will take it for an Effugium . And I pray you tell me in your next , to which of these doth the nomination or proof of such a Church as you describe belong ? Plainly , you first slip away when you should prove your Minor , and then oblige me to prove ehe contrary , and then tell me , if I attempt it , you 'l take it for an Effugium . A good cause needs not such dealing as this : which me thinks you should be loth a learned man should hear of . 3. Your interest also in the Matter ( as well as your office as Opponent ) doth oblige you to the proof For though you make a Negative of it , you may put it in other terms at your pleasure . It is your main work to prove [ that all the members of the Vniversal Church have in all ages held the Popes Soveraignty or Universal Headship . ] Or [ the whole Visible Church hath held it ] Prove this , and I will be a Papist ; you have my promise : You affirm , and you must prove . Prove a Catholike Church , at least that in the Major part was of that mind : ( though that would be nothing to prove the condemnation of the rest . ) If you are an impartial enquirer after truth , fly not when you come to the setting too . I give you this further evident reason why you cannot oblige me to what you here impose ; 1. Because you require me to prove the Visibility of a Church which held not your point of Papacy ; and so put an unreasonable task upon me about a Negative : Or else I must prove that they held the contrary , before your opinion was started : And it is the Catholike Church that we are disputing about ; so that I must prove this Negative of the Catholike Church . 2. It is you that lay the great stress of Necessity on your Affirmative , more then we do on the Negative ; you say that no man can be saved without your Affirmative [ that the Pope is the universal Head and Governour ] But we say not that no man can be saved that holdeth not our Negative , [ that he is not the Vice-Christ ] For one that hath the plague or leprosie may live . Therefore it is you that must prove that all the Catholike Church was still of your mind . 3. And it is an Accident , and but an Accident of a smaller corrupted part of the Catholike Church that you would oblige me to prove the Negation of ; and therefore it is utterly needlesse to my proof of a visible Catholike Church . I will without it prove to you a successive Visibility of the Catholike Church , from the Visibility of its Essential or Constitutive parts ( of which your Pope is none . ) I will prove a successive visible Church that hath still professed faith in God the Father , Son , and Holy Ghost , and been united to the Universal Head , and had particular Pastors , some fixed , some unfixed , and held all essential to a Christian. And proving this , I have proved the Church of which I am a member . To prove that England hath been so long a Kingdom , requireth no more but to prove the two Essential parts , King and Subjects , to have so long continued united . It requireth not that I prove that it either had or opposed a Vice-King . This is our plain case ; if a man have a botch on one of his hands , it is not needful in order to my proving him a man heretofore , that I prove he was born and bred without it : so be it I prove that he was born a man , it sufficeth . Nor is it needful that I prove the other hand always to have been free , in order to prove it a member of the body : It sufficeth that I prove it to have been still a hand .

I do therefore desire you to perform your work , and prove that [ no Congregation hath been still visible , but such as yours ] or that [ the whole Catholike Church hath ever since the ascention held a Humane Universal Governour under Christ , ] or else I shall take it as a giving up your cause as indefensible . And observe , if you shall prove onely that a part of the Catholick Church still held this ( which you can never do ) then , 1. You will make the contrary opinion as Consistent with salvation as yours . For the rest of the Catholick Church is savable . 2. And then you well allow me to turn your Argument against your self as much as it is against us ( and so cast it away . ) e. g [ what ever Congregation of Christians is now the true Church of Christ , hath been alwayes Visible : But no Congregation of Christians hath been alwayes Visible , but that which quoad partem denieth the Popes universal Headship ; therefore whatever Congregation of Christians is the true Church , denieth the Popes universal Headship .

Well! but for all this ( supposing you will do your part ) I will fail you in nothing that 's reasonable , which I can perform . A Catholick Church in all ages that was against the Pope , in every member of it , I hope I cannot shew you ; because I hope that you are members , though corrupt . But you shall have more then a particular Congregation , or a hundred .

1. At this present , two or three parts of the Catholick Church is known to be against your Vniversal Monarchy . The Greeks , Armenians , Etheopians , &c. besides the Protestants . 2. In the last age there were as many or more . 3. I the former ages till An. D. 1000. there were neer as many , or rather many more . For more be faln off in Tenduè , Nubia , and other parts then the Protestants that came in . 4. About the year 600. there were many more , incomparably ; and I think then , but at least of 400. years after Christ I never yet saw valid proof of one Papist in all the world , that is , one that was for the Popes Vniversal Monarchy or Vice-Christ-ship . So that most of the Catholick Church ( about three parts to one ) hath been against you to this day ; and all against you for many hundred years . Could I name but a Nation against you , I should think I had done nothing ; much lesse if I cited a few men in an age . 5. And of all those of Ethiopia , India , &c. that are without the verge and awe of the Ancient Roman Empire , never so much as gave the Pope that Primacy of dignity , which those within the Empire gave him , when he was chief , as the Earl of Arundel is of the Earls of England that governeth none of them , and as the Lord Chancellour may be the chief Iudge , that hath no power in alieno foro , or as the eldest Iustice is chief in the County , and on the Bench , that ruleth not the rest . Mistake not this Primacy for Monarchy , nor the Roman Empire for the world ▪ and you can say nothing .

At present , ad hominem , I give you sufficient proof of this succession . As you use to say that the present Church best knew the judgement of the former age , and so on to the head , and so Tradition beareth you out : I turn this unresistibly against you . The far greatest part of Christians in the world that now are in possession of the doctrine contrary to your Monarchy , tell us that they had it from their Fathers , and so on . And as in Councils so with the Church Real , the Major part ( three to one ) is more to be credited then the Minor part ; especially when it is a visible self-advancement that the Minor part insisteth on . And were not this enough , I might add , That your Western Church it self in its Representative Body at Constance and Basil , hath determined that not the Pope , but a General Council is the chief Governour under Christ ; and that this hath been still the judgement of the Church , and that its Heresie in whoever that hold the contrary . 7. And no man can prove that one half or tenth part of your people called Papists are of your opinion : For they are not called to professe it by words : and their obedience is partly forced , and partly upon their principles ; some obeying the Pope as their Western Patriarch of chief dignity ; and some and most doing all for their safety and peace : Their outward acts will prove no more .

And now Sir , I have told you what Church of which we are members , hath been visible ; yea and what part of it hath opposed the Vice-christ of Rome . This I delayed not an hour after I received yours , because you desired speed . Accordingly I crave your speedy return ; and intreat you to advise with the most learned men ( whether Iesuites or others ) of your party in London that think it worth their thoughts and time : not that I have any thoughts of being their equall in learning , but partly because the case seemeth to me so exceeding palpable , that I think it will suffice me to supply all my defects against the ablest men on earth , or all of them together of your way ; and principally , because I would see your strength , and know the most that can be said , that I may be rectified if I err ( which I suspect not ) or confirmed the more if you cannot evince it , and so may be true to Gods Truth , and my own soul.