A27068:52
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.
If the Law should say, All Christians shall choose their own Pastors, and meet and pray and preach as they please, but only in essential subjection to Diocesans, must all therefore give over Church Communion?
If the Law had said, All the Parish-Assemblies in England shall henceforth be essentially subject to the Pope, or a foreign Council, We must not therefore have forborne all such Assembling, but have kept to the state and duty appointed us by Christ.
If the Law had said, All the Parish-Assemblies in England shall henceforth be essentially subject to the Pope, or a forreign Council, We must not therefore have forborn all such Assembling, but have kept to the state and duty appointed us by Christ.
XXVI. Here the mistaking Opponents say, 1. That indeed de jure none can change the Essence of Christs Ministry and Churches, but de facto they may, and have done.
Ans. What is meant by [changing it, de facto?] Have they de facto, nulled Christs Power, Law▪ or Offices and Churches? What? Nulled it by a Nullity of pretended Authority, and overcome his Power without Power? De jure and de facto, to be a true Church or Pastor, is all one Christ made true ones: De facto they cannot unmake them, but by destroying matter or form, because they cannot do it de jure: They have destroyed neither matter or form of such parish churches as I plead for, and which Christ instituted; for they had not power to do it: Indeed they may de facto make other sort of Churches and Ministers to themselves, (tho not de jure) but not to us who stick to Christs institutions.