A27068:104
Whether parish congregations be true Christian churches and the capable consenting incumbents, be truly…
Whether parish congregations be true Christian churches and the capable consenting incumbents, be truly their pastors, or bishops over their flocks ... : written by Richard Baxter as an explication of some passages in his former writings, especially his Treatise of episcopacy, misunderstood and misapplied by some, and answering the strongest objections of some of them, especially a book called, Mr. Baxters judgment and reasons against communicating with the parish assemblies, as by law required, and another called, A theological dialogue, or, Catholic communion once more defended, upon mens necessitating importunity / by Richard Baxter.Whether parish congregations be true Christian churches and the capable consenting incumbents, be truly their pastors, or bishops over their flocks ... : written by Richard Baxter as an explication of some passages in his former writings, especially his Treatise of episcopacy, misunderstood and misapplied by some, and answering the strongest objections of some of them, especially a book called, Mr. Baxters judgment and reasons against communicating with the parish assemblies, as by law required, and another called, A theological dialogue, or, Catholick communion once more defended, upon mens necessitating importunity / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, 1684
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.
Ans. 1. Much more then, if the Law be for all that is essential. 2. And doth not this say as much as I am pleading for? Name me, if you can, any thing essential, which all Ministers promise not at Ordination? If any after renounce it, the crime is personal: Prove it before you say it, and forsake him, and charge not his fault on others.
I think you are not of their minds, that say, [The Law bindeth every Subscriber and Swearer to the sense of the Imposers, when he took it through mistake in another sense, because they refused to explain it; especially, if he declared his sense: Much less doth it bind him to your sense, against his own.
XXXV. But then (say the Objectors) such Churches are Dissenters; as such you join with them, and not as settled by Law, and so it is but a Conventicle, and is excommunicated by the Canon, or you excommunicated for saying it is a Church, and joining with it.
XXXV. But then (say the Objectors) such Churches are Dissenters; as such you joyn with them, and not as setled by Law, and so it is but a Conventicle, and is excommunicated by the Canon, or you excommunicated for saying it is a Church, and joyning with it.