A69533:556
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
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.
Sect. 4. And 2. In case of the great Necessity of the People that cannot bear the absence of such as are able to teach them so long as while he travaileth many hundred or thousand miles for Ordination; ⟨p. 152⟩As Basil in another case writes to the Bishops of the West, that if one of them (the Eastern Bishops) should but leave their Churches for a very small time, much more for a journey into the West, they must give up their Churches to the Wolves to be undone before they return; And this case is ordinary abroad.
Sect. 5. And 3. That in case by Civil wars or enmity among Princes, men be unable to travail from one of their Countries into the other for an Ordination (which else ofttimes cannot be had) so the Turks and Persians, and the Indian Mogul, and the Tartarians and many other Princes, by such wars may make such passage an impossible thing: Nor is it like they would suffer their subjects to go into the enemies country.
Sect. 5. And 3. That in case by Civil wars or enmity among Princes, men be unable to travail from one of their Countries into the other for an Ordination (which else oftimes cannot be had) so the Turks and Persians, and the Indian Mogol, and the Tartarians and many other Princes, by such wars may make such passage an impossible thing: Nor is it like they would suffer their subjects to go into the enemies country.
Sect. 6. And 4. in case that Princes (Infidels or others) should persecute Ordination to the Death: I do not find that it were a Duty to be ordained, if it would cost all men that seek it their lives, and so made them uncapable of the Ends of Ordination: (For the dead preach not) If we were all forbid to preach on pain of death, I know we should not forbear, unless our places were so supplied, that mens souls were not apparently endangered by our omission. But he that may preach without Ordination, can scarce prove it a duty to seek Ordination when it would cost him his life. Or if he will plead it in Paper, he would soon be satisfied in trial.