A26975:165
Of national churches their description, institution, use, preservation, danger, maladies and cure, partly applied…
Of national churches their description, institution, use, preservation, danger, maladies and cure, partly applied to England / written by Richard Baxter for promoting peace ... and for the fuller explication of the Treaty for Concord in 1660 and 1661, and of the Kings gracious declaration about ecclesiastical affairs ... and for further explication of his treatise of episcopacy ...
London: printed by T. Snowden for Thomas Parkhurst, 1691
Chapter 5: Of Pastors or the Bishops of National Churches, that they are to be of Three ranks.
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.
§ 4. Christ's first Instituted Officers were Apostles, and after the Inferior Official Disciples, immediately from himself, to convert Souls, and make them fit matter for his Kingdom-Church; and these were afterward to gather into distinct regular Congregate Churches, such as were so converted by their Ministry, and to place fixed Elders over them.
§ 5. These Twelve Apostles and Seventy Disciples were first instituted in and for a National Church state. Christ found the Jews under a National Form, and therefore did not at first change that Form, but only changed the Laws and Ordinances made for their Infant state of peculiarity, which he had fulfilled for them, they being but a Pedagogy to lead to and till Christ.
§ 5. These Twelve Apostles and Seventy Disciples were first instituted in and for a National Church state. Christ found the Jews under a National Form, and therefore did not at first change that Form, but only changed the Laws and Ordinances made for their Infant state of peculiarity, which he had fulfilled for them, they being but a Paedagogy to lead to and till Christ.
§ 6. It's plain that the number of Twelve and Seventy were chosen as related to the Twelve Tribes (all then in being and known) and of the Sanhedrin or great Council: And therefore a National Form of Church-Officers, and not yet Universal nor Congregational.
§ 6. It's plain that the number of Twelve and Seventy were chosen as related to the Twelve Tribes (all then in being and known) and of the Sanedrim or great Council: And therefore a National Form of Church-Officers, and not yet Universal nor Congregational.