A26892:5995
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.
8. Whether you will call this Consent to particular Church Relation and •ury by the name of a Conant or not, is but lis de nomine: It is no more than mutual Consent that is necessary to be expressed: And mutual Consent expressed may be called a Covenant.
9. Ad melius esse, the more express the Consent or Covenant is, the better: For in so great matters men should know what they do, and deal above board: Especially when experience telleth us, that ignorance and Imagery is ready to eat out the heart of Religion in almost all the Churches in the world. But yet ad esse Churches must see that they feign or make no more Covenants necessary than God hath made▪ because humane unnecessary inventions have so long distracted and laid waste the Churches of Christ.
10. The Pastors Consent must concur with the persons to be received: For it must be mutual Consent:1 And as none can be a member, so none may be a Pastor against his will. And though he be under Christs Laws what persons to receive, and is not arbitrary, to do what he list, yet he is the2 Guide of the Church, and the discerner of his own duty. And a Pastor may have reasons to refuse to take a man into his particular Charge, without rejecting him as unworthy. Perhaps he may3 already have more in number than he can well take care of. And other such Reasons may fall out.
10. The Pastors Consent must concurr with the persons to be received: For it must be mutual Consent: