A69533:920

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 9: The sinfulness of despising or neglecting Ordination.Assert. Those who nullifie our present Ministry and Churches, which… › Chapter 9: The sinfulness of despising or neglecting Ordination.

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.

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Sect. 44. But 2. If such an Office can be proved, I despair of seeing it proved from Scripture, that they have authority to Ordain. 3. And how can they have Authority, when most of them have not Ability? And I think it is supposed that they have not Ability to Preach, in them that deny them Authority: and if they want Ability to Preach, its two to one but they want Ability to Try and Approve of Preachers. 4. And how come they to have Power to Ordain others, that are not Ordained themselves, but are admitted upon bare Election? 5. And this course would prostitute the Churches to unworthy men, as aforesaid.

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Sect. 45. And 4. It is not a contemptible Consideration, that the chief Pastor of every particular Church, hath ever since the second Century at least, been Ordained by the Pastors of other Churches. And how it was before, we have but very defective Evidence, except so much as is left us in the Holy Scriptures, of which we have spoke before.

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Sect 46. And 5. The Church of Christ is a Chain of many links: a Society united in Christ the Head, consisting as a Republic of many Corporations, or as an Academy of many Colleges: and a greater Union and Communion is requisite among them, then among the parts of any other Society in the world. And therefore seeing it is the duty of Neighbour Pastors and Churches, according to their Capacity to hold Communion with that particular Church and its Pastors, it seems reasonable, that they have some antecedent Cognisance and Approbation of the persons that they are to hold Communion with.

Sect 46. And 5. The Church of Christ is a Chain of many links: a Society united in Christ the Head, consisting as a Republike of many Corporations, or as an Ac•demy of many Colledges: and a greater Union and Communion is requisite among them, then among the parts of any other Society in the world. And therefore seeing it is the duty of Neighbour Pastors and Churches, according to their Capacity to hold Communion with that particular Church and its Pastors, it seems reasonable, that they have some antecedent Cognisance and Approbation of the persons that they are to hold Communion with.

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