A69533:595

Five disputations of church-government and worship

Name: Five disputations of church-government and worship
Author: Richard Baxter

Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.

Richard Baxter 1615–1691London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659

[10], 38, [10], 24, 492 p. · 215k words · Wing B1267 · ESTC R13446

Title page: Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy, digitized by the Internet Archive (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

Assert. Those who nullify our present Ministry and Churches, which… › Chapter 3: Ordination is not of Necessity to the being of the Ministry.Assert. Those who nullifie our present Ministry and Churches, which… › Chapter 3: Ordination is not of Necessity to the being of the Ministry.

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.

[ Earlier:592–607 of 1,637

:592p. 164

Sect. 47. 5. There is not a word of God to be found that makes Ordination of absolute Necessity to the being of the Ministry: therefore it is not so to be esteemed. The examples of Scripture show it to the regular way, and therefore Ordinarily a duty: but they show not that there is no other way.

Sect. 47. 5. There is not a word of God to be found that makes Ordination of absolute Necessity to the being of the Min•stry: therefore it is not so to be esteemed. The examples of Scripture shew it to the regular way, and therefore Ordinarily a duty: but they shew not that there is no other way.

:593p. 164

Sect. 48. Object. It is sufficient that no other way is revealed; and therefore till you find another in Scripture, this must be taken for the only way. Answ. 1. Scripture is the Rule of our Right performance of all duties: We cannot imagine that in the Rule there should be the least defect; and therefore no precept or imitable pattern of sin in the smallest matter is there to be found. And yet it followeth not that every sin doth Nullify a Calling, because there is no Scripture warrant for that sin. All that will follow is, that no other way is innocent or warrantable: and that only when Necessity doth not warrant it. 2. I have showed already that there are other ways warranted in some cases in the Scripture: And I shall show anon that as great omissions nullify not the office.

Sect. 48. Object. It is sufficient that no other way is revealed; and therefore till you find another in Scripture, this must be taken for the only way. Answ. 1. Scripture is the Rule of our Right performance of all duties: We cannot imagine that in the Rule there should be the least defect; and therefore no precept or imitable pattern of sin in the smallest matter is there to be found. And yet it followeth not that every sin doth Nullifie a Calling, because there is no Scripture warrant for that sin. All that will follow is, that no other way is innocent or warrantable: and that only when Necessity doth not warrant it. 2. I have shewed already that there are other wayes warranted in some cases in the Scripture: And I shall shew anon that as great omissions nullifie not the office.

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Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

CHAP. IV. An uninterrupted Succession of Regular Ordination, is not Necessary.