A26892:5788
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Part 3 › Question 1: CASES OF CONSCIENCE ABOUT Matters Ecclesiastical.
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.
I HAVE written so much of this already in four Books (viz. one called, The Safe Religion, another called A Key for Catholics, another called The Visibility of the Church, another called A true Catholic, and the Catholic Church described,) that I shall say now but a little, and yet enough to an impartial considerate Reader.
I HAVE written so much of this already in four Books (viz. one called, The Safe Religion, another called A Key for Catholicks, another called The Visibility of the Church, another called A true Catholick, and the Catholick Church described,) that I shall say now but a little, and yet enough to an impartial considerate Reader.
The terms must first be opened: 1. By a Church is meant a Society of Christians as such. And it is sometimes taken Narrowly, for the Body or Members as distinct from the Head, as the word Kingdom is taken for the Subjects only as distinct from the King; And sometimes more fully and properly for the whole Political Society, as constituted of its Head and Body or the Pars Imperans & pars Subdita.
2. The word Church thus taken, signifieth sometime the Universal Church called Catholic; which consisteth of Christ and his Body Politic, or Mystical; And sometime some Part only of the Universal Church. And so it is taken either for a subordinate Political Part, or for a Community, or a Part considered as Consociate, but not Political; or as many particular Political Churches Agreeing and holding Concord and Communion without any Common Head, save the Universal Head.
2. The word Church thus taken, signifieth sometime the Universal Church called Catholick; which consisteth of Christ and his Body Politick, or Mystical; And sometime some Part only of the Universal Church. And so it is taken either for a subordinate Political Part, or for a Community, or a Part considered as Consociate, but not Political; or as many particular Political Churches Agreeing and holding Concord and Communion without any Comon Head, save the Universal Head.