A37205:83
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of…
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget entitled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget intituled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.
London: printed for Rich. Chiswell and to be sold by John Usher of Boston, 1672
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.
Coral∣lary. 2 Then Baptism and profession of the doctrine of Faith, with freedom from public scandal, do not formally constitute a Church, nor make one a visible member of ⟨p. 43⟩the Church. 1. Not Baptism; 1. because the form must be before the formatum, not after it: but the Congregational-Church is before Baptism. For, 1. Baptism cannot ordinarily be orderly administered, but by a Minister called unto Office by the Church. 2. Because Baptism sealeth the Covenant, and incorporation of a Believer and his seed into the visible Church. 1 Cor. 12, 13. Therefore Baptism is not before, but after the Church: Because where the form is, there the formatum must be also. But visible Church-membership may cease by excommunication or desertion, or by the dissolution of a Church; yet Baptism remaineth.
Coral∣lary. 2 Then Baptism and profession of the doctrine of Faith, with freedom from publick scandal, do not formally constitute a Church, nor make one a visible member of ⟨p. 43⟩the Church. 1. Not Baptism; 1. because the form must be before the formatum, not after it: but the Congregational-Church is before Baptism. For, 1. Baptism cannot ordinarily be orderly administred, but by a Minister called unto Office by the Church. 2. Because Baptism sealeth the Covenant, and incorporation of a Believer and his seed into the visible Church. 1 Cor. 12, 13. Therefore Baptism is not before, but after the Church: Because where the form is, there the formatum must be also. But visible Church-membership may cease by excommunication or desertion, or by the dissolution of a Church; yet Baptism remaineth.
2. Not profession of the Doctrine of Faith, though accompanied with freedom from scandalous sins. For general profession cannot appropriate a man particularly to any one Church, without particular engagement to that particular body. 2. Nor doth it bring any one under the power of this or that Church, which it hath over its own Members, and other Churches have not. 3. If that were sufficient; a man should become a member of any particular Church whether it will or no.