A69533:415
Five disputations of church-government and worship
Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
Whether it be Necessary or Profitable to the right order or the Pea… › Section
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.
2. The doctrine which makes the first particular Political Church to consist of many stated Worshipping Churches like our Parishes, doth set on the saddle, if not also hold the stirrup for a Diocesan Bishop to get up, to head those prepared bodies.
3. Seeing the Presbyterians do confess that it is not Necessary (but lawful) for a particular Political Church to consist of many Worshipping Churches, and say, It may consist only of one: Common Reason and experience will then direct us to conclude that its best ordinarily take up with that one: seeing people that know one another, and live within the reach of each other for common converse▪ and ordinarily meet and join in the same public Worship, are most capable of the ends of Church Policy; and a Pastor capable of guiding such, better then other Parishes that he knows not.
3. Seeing the Presbyterians do confess that it is not Necessary (but lawful) for a particular Political Church to consist of many Worshipping Churches, and say, It may consist only of one: Common Reason and experience will then direct us to conclude that its best ordinarily take up with that one: seeing people that know one another, and live within the reach of each other for common converse▪ and ordinarily meet and join in the same publick Worship, are most capable of the ends of Church Policy; and a Pastor capable of guiding such, better then other Parishes that he knows not.
4. He that makes the Pastor of one Parish the Ruler of the rest adjoining, doth lay upon him much more duty then sitting in a Presbytery to vote in censures. For those censures are a small part of Church Government, comparatively (else most Congregations in England have little or no Government; for they have little or none of these Censures.) Yea indeed true Church Guidance or Government contains a great part, if not most of the Pastoral work, which a man would be loth to undertake over too many distant unknown Congregations: Though he may well undertake in Synods to promote Unity, and to do the best he can for the whole Church of Christ. If therefore those of the Congregational way, were as near us in other things, as in this before insisted on, (especially if they would renounce