A27068:13
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.
IV. Diocesan Churches are of three sorts. 1. Such as have at present but one fixed Assembly, but design to gather more hereafter: Such, Dr. Hammond thought they were in Scripture times. 2. Such as have one Diocesan Governor, or Superintendent over many inferior Churches, and their Pastors. 3. Such as have one only Bishop or Pastor, having no other true Pastor, Elder, Church-Ruler, or Presbyter of Christs Institution under him; but Chapels which have no such Ruler or Pastor.
IV. Diocesan Churches are of three sorts. 1. Such as have at present but one fixed Assembly, but design to gather more hereafter: Such, Dr. Hammond thought they were in Scripture times. 2. Such as have one Diocesan Governour, or Superintendent over many inferior Churches, and their Pastors. 3. Such as have one only Bishop or Pastor, having no other true Pastor, Elder, Church-Ruler, or Presbyter of Christs Institution under him; but Chappels which have no such Ruler or Pastor.
V. The first sort of Diocesans we have now nothing to do with.
The second sort is controvertible, some holding it sinful, some lawful, and some (and very many) to be of Divine Institution, as Successors of the Apostles, not in the extraordinaries, but in the ordinary parts of their Office: Christ having made an imparity (or a superiority of some over others) they think that to say without proof, that he changed that order in one Age, is 1. to charge him with mutability and levity. 2. And to diminish from his Law (which hath a Curse.)
The second sort is controverible, some holding it sinful, some lawful, and some (and very many) to be of Divine Institution, as Successors of the Apostles, not in the extraordinaries, but in the ordinary parts of their Office: Christ having made an imparity (or a superiority of some over others) they think that to say without proof, that he changed that order in one Age, is 1. to charge him with mutability and levity. 2. And to diminish from his Law (which hath a Curse.)