A69533:651

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 5: Ordination by such as the English Prelates, not Necessary to the Being of the Ministry.Assert. Those who nullifie our present Ministry and Churches, which… › Chapter 5: Ordination by such as the English Prelates, not Necessary 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:648–663 of 1,637

:648p. 180

Sect. 9. And for the Minor, I prove it thus. If the English Bishops were •either such as the unfixed General Ministers, nor such as the fixed Bishops of particular Churches, then were they not such as were in Scripture times. But they were neither such as the unfixed General Ministers, nor such as the fixed Bishops of particular Churches: therefore, &c.

:649p. 180–181

Sect. 10. Besides these two sorts of Ministers, there are no more in the New Testament. (And these a•e diversified but by the exercise of their office, so far as they were ordinary Ministers ⟨p. 181⟩to continue.) The unfixed Ministers (whether Apostles▪ Evangelists or Prophets) were •uch as had no special charge of any one Church as their Diocese, but were to do their best for the Church in general, and follow the direction and call of the Holy Ghost for the exercising of their Ministry. But its known to all that our English Bishops were not such. They were no ambulatory itinerant Preachers: they went not about to plant Churches, and confirm and direct such as they had planted: but were fixed to a City, and had every one their Diocese, which was their proper charge (but Oh how they discharged their undertaking!)

Sect. 10. Bes•des these two sorts of Ministers, there are no more in the New Testament. (And these a•e diversified but by the exercise of their office, so far as they were ordinary Ministers ⟨p. 181⟩to continue.) The unfixed Ministers (whether Apostles▪ Evangel•sts or Prophets) were •uch as had no special charge of any one Church as their Diocess, but were to do their best for the Church in general, and follow the direction and call of the Holy Ghost for the exercising of their Ministry. But its known to all that our Engsish Bishops were not such. They were no ambulatory itinerant Preachers: they went not about to plant Churches, and confirm and direct such as they had planted: but were fixed to a City, and had every one their Diocess, which was their proper charge (but Oh how they discharged their undertaking!)

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