A26892:6593
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.
In these three senses I confess a National Church. 1. As all the Christians in a Nation are under one Civil Church Governor; 2. As they are Consociated for Concord and meet in Synods or hold correspondencies. 3. As they are all a part of the universal Church, cohabiting in one Nation. But all these are equivocal uses of the word Church; the denomination being taken in the first from an Accident; In the second the name of a Policy being given to a Community agreeing for Concord; In the third the name of the whole is given to a small integral part.
In these three senses I confess a National Church. 1. As all the Christians in a Nation are under one Civil Church Governour; 2. As they are Consociated for Concord and meet in Synods or hold correspondencies. 3. As they are all a part of the universal Church, cohabiting in one Nation. But all these are equivocal uses of the word Church; the denomination being taken in the first from an Accident; In the second the name of a Policy being given to a Community agreeing for Concord; In the third the name of the whole is given to a small integral part.
But the necessity of any other Church, headed by your Ecclesiastical national Governor, personal or Collective, Monarchical, Aristocratical or Democratical, I utterly deny, and find not a word of proof which I think I have any need to furnish the Reader with an answer to.
But the necessity of any other Church, headed by your Ecclesiastical national Governour, personal or Collective, Monarchical, Aristocratical or Democratical, I utterly deny, and find not a word of proof which I think I have any need to furnish the Reader with an answer to.
5. And your judgement in this is downright against the constitution, Canons and judgement of the National Church of England? For that they use the Word in the senses allowed by me, and not in yours is proved, 1. From the visible constitution in which there is (besides the King) no distinct Ecclesiastical Head. For the Arch-bishop of Canterbury is not the proper Governor of the Arch-bishop of York and his Province.