A26892:6630
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.
2. And why may not the peoples election and the Kings Commission serve to enable a Lay man to do it? For if Commanding only be proper to the Bishop or Pastor, and executing be common to Lay men, it's certain that the King may Command all Bishops and Pastors to do their office work; And therefore he may command a Lay man to do that which a Bishop may command him to do.
3. And is it not a contradiction to say that a man is a Lay man, or of another Order, who is Authorized by a Bishop, to do a Bishops work or office? When as the office it self is nothing (as is oft said) but an Obligation and Authority to do the work. If therefore a Bishop authorize and oblige any other man to do the proper work of a Bishop or Pastor (to ordain, to baptize, to give the Sacrament of the Eucharist, to Excommunicate, to absolve, &c.) he thereby maketh that man a Bishop or a Pastor, whatever he call him.
Obj. But doth not a Bishop preach per alios to all his Diocese? and give them the Sacraments per alios, &c?
Obj. But doth not a Bishop preach per alios to all his Diocess? and give them the Sacraments per alios, &c?
Answ. Let not the phrase be made the Controversy instead of the Matter. Those other persons are either Ministers of Christ, or Lay men. If Lay men, their actions are unlawful. If Ministers, they are Commissioned officers of Christ themselves, and it is the work of their own office which they do, and it is they that shall have the reward or punishment. But if preaching to all these Churches or giving to all these persons in a thousand Parishes the Sacraments, &c. were the Bishops or Archbishops work, that is, which they are obliged to do, then they would sin in not doing it. But if they are the Governors only of those that are obliged […] do it, and are not obliged to do it themselves, then Governing the doers of it, is only their work; And therefore it is but equivocally said that the work is theirs, which others and not they are obliged to do; and that they do their work per alios, when they do but Govern those others in doing their own work.