A27050:214
A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…
A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort of diocesan churches, prelacy and government, which casteth out the primitive church-species, episcopacy, ministry and discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by corruption, usurpation, schism and persecution : meditated in the year 1640, when the et cætera oath was imposed : written 1671 and cast by : published 1680 by the importunity of our superiors, who demand the reasons of our nonconformity / by Richard Baxter.A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort of diocesan churches, prelacy and government, which casteth out the primitive church-species, episcopacy, ministry and discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by corruption, usurpation, schism and persecution : meditated in the year 1640, when the et cætera oath was imposed : written 1671 and cast by : published 1680 by the importunity of our superiours, who demand the reasons of our nonconformity / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1681
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.
30. The Apostles settled in every particular Church, one or more with the Pastoral power of the Keys, to teach and govern that Church, and to lead them in public worship. And every such Body should still have one or more Pastors with such power. And no Pastor or Bishop should have more particular Churches under his special immediate Charge, than one, unless as an Archbishop who hath Bishops in those particular Churches under him.
30. The Apostles setled in every particular Church, one or more with the Pastoral power of the Keys, to teach and govern that Church, and to lead them in publick worship. And every such Body should still have one or more Pastors with such power. And no Pastor or Bishop should have more particular Churches under his special immediate Charge, than one, unless as an Archbishop who hath Bishops in those particular Churches under him.
31. A particular Church of Christ's Institution by his Apostles, is [A sacred Society consisting of one or more Pastors, and a capable number of Christian Neighbours, consociate by Christs appointment and their own consent, for personal communion in God's public worship and in holy living.] In this definition, 1. The Genus is [a sacred Society] so called, 1. to distinguish it from a mere community, or unbodied company of Christians; 2. and to distinguish it from Civil and profane Societies, (For the Genus is subalternate, and the species of a superior Genus.) 2. The constitutive parts are Pastor and People. 3. I say [Pastors] as distinguishing it from all other societies as headed by other Officers or Rulers; As Kingdoms by Kings, Colleges by their Governors, Schools by School-masters, Families by Parents, &c. For Societies are specified by their Governors. 4. I say [one or more] because it is the Office in some person that is the constitutive part, the number being indifferent as to the Beings, though not as to the well being of the Society. 5. The People being the other material part of the Society, I call them [Christians] that is Baptized Professing Christians, to distinguish them from all Infidels, who are uncapable to be members. 6. I call them [Neighbours] because the Proximity must be such as rendereth them capable of the Ends of the Society, For at an uncapable distance they cannot have Church-communion. 7. I put in [a capable number] because too few or too many may be utterly uncapable of the Ends One or two are uncapable defectively: such multitudes as can have no Church communion, are uncapable through excess (of which more after.) 8. The form is the Relative Union of Pastor and People, in reference to the Ends; Which I mean in the word [Consociate.] 9. The foundation or prime efficient, is [Christ's Institution.] 10. The Condition, sine qua non, is [their mutual consent.] 11. The end or terminus is their [Communion.] 12. The matter of this Communion, is both [God's public worship] and a holylife; which distinguisheth them from such as associate for civil ends, or any other besides these. 13. The proper species of this holy Communion is that it be [Personal.] By