A69533:871
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.
CHAP. IX. The sinfulness of despising or neglecting Ordination.
Sect. 1. IT is a thing so common and hardly avoided, for men in opposing one extreme, to seem to countenance the other and for men that are convinced of the evil of one, to run into the other as the only truth, that I think it necessary here to endeavour the prevention of this miscarriage: and having said so much against the Necessity of Prelatical Ordination, and in some cases of any, I shall next show the greatness ⟨p. 253⟩of their sin that despise or neglect Ordination when it may be had.
Sect. 1. IT is a thing so common and hardly avoided, for men in opposing one extream, to seem to countenance the other and for men that are convinced of the evil of one, to run into the other as the only truth, that I think it necessary here to endeavour the prevention of this miscarriage: and having said so much against the Necessity of Prelatical Ordination, and in some cases of any, I shall next shew the greatness ⟨p. 253⟩of their sin that despise or neglect Ordination when it may be had.
Sect. 2. For the right understanding of what is to be said, I must again remember you, that though it be not at the Ordainers will to deprive the Church of Ministers, and it is none of the Question which they have to resolve, Whether the Church shall have Ministers or none (and therefore there may be Ministers without them, if they would hinder or refuse;) And though it be not the Question which is put to their decision, What kind of Ministers the Church shall have (for that Christ hath determined of;) nor yet what Qualifications are necessary to them, (for that also Christ hath already set down;) yet is it a great and weighty case that is put to the decision of Ordainers, that is, Whether this man be thus qualified as Christ hath described and required in Ministers? and whether he be the fittest person (or fit at least) for the particular charge to which he is called? And the right determining of this question is a thing that the Churches welfare doth very much do depend upon.