A26892:5836
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.
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.
1. As True signifieth Regularly called, so they are commonly Irregular and not True Ministers. But as True signifieth Real opposed to a nullity, so it is now to be further considered.
2. The doubt lieth either of the sufficiency of his Call, or of somewhat that is supposed to destroy it by contradiction or redundancy, 1. Whether he want any thing of absolute necessity to the office, who is called in the Church of Rome, or 2. Whether there be any thing in his office or entrance, which nullifieth or invalidateth that which else would be sufficient?
2. The doubt lyeth either of the sufficiency of his Call, or of somewhat that is supposed to destroy it by contradiction or redundancy, 1. Whether he want any thing of absolute necessity to the office, who is called in the Church of Rome, or 2. Whether there be any thing in his office or entrance, which nullifieth or invalidateth that which else would be sufficient?
For the first doubt, it is not agreed on among Papists or Protestants what is of necessity to the Being of the office. Some think real Godliness in the person is necessary; but most think not: some think that Visible, that is, seeming professed Godliness, not disproved by mortal sin is necessary; and some think not: some think the peoples Election is necessary, and that ordination is but ad bene esse; and some think ordination necessary ad esse, and Election ad bene esse, or not at all: And some think Both necessary ad esse, and some Neither: Some think the Election of the people is necessary, and some think only their Consent is necessary, though after Election by others; Some think it must be the Consent of all the flock or near all; And some only of the Major part; And some of the Better part, though the Minor. Some think the Ordination of a Diocesan Bishop necessary ad esse, and some not. Some think the Truth of the Ordainers Calling, or power, to be necessary to the validity of his Ordination, and some not: some think the number of two or three or more Ordainers to be necessary, and some not: some think it necessary to the validity of the Ministry that it come down from the Apostles by an uninterrupted succession of truly Ordained Bishops, and some think not: some few think that the Magistrates command or licence is necessary, and only it, and most deny both. Johnson, alias, Terret, the Papist, in his Disputation against me, maintaineth that Consecration is not necessary ad esse, nor any one way of Election, by these or those, but only the Churches reception upon such an Election as may give them notice, and which may be different, according to different times, places and other circumstances.