Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

(a8) rnatrria difpofta,and can neither have Power nor obligation to the dutyes of a Church member towards the reft, and fo cannot have the Relative form, or be indeed 'a- member. And therefore all that write judiciouf. lÿ of the 'definiriorvofa particular Church, do make Propinquity or Cohabitation , to be the Difpofitio materix fine qua non; From which they are called Parifhioners. They are not a Church becaufe a Parch; but they are therefore the materia difpofrta as to this partof the capacity extrinfick ( Chrillianity being it that maketh them intrinfecallytit ma- terials). 2. And I d-ny not but forte few members maybe feveral waies um. capable naturallyof the ordinaryoffices of members : Some by infancy, fôtneby diftraétion, forte by fieknefs, forteby the reftraintof_ Parents Mailers or Husbands, and forte by a retired difpolitíon, &c. And force Churches may be fo finfully over-great, as that the number hinsfereth many of the members from a capacity ofthe ordinary duty of the re., lation ; which is the cafe of forte great Parishes in London : But either thi; is the cafeof the greater part and main body of the Soeiety, or but of a few. Ifbut ofa few, it may prove ita difirdered Church, but it cannot prove it no Church ; no more than a few Hereticks can denomi- nate the ChurchHeretical, or a few mad, or leprous perfoìs, can dc. nominate it mad or leprous, or than the family of Noah, David,-Chrrig, was etenominated frctn aChan, an Abfolom, a Judas. .Jiutif it be the main body ( though in intrinfick qualifications, the Church may bede- nominated from the better part fometimesand not from the greater, yet) in extrinfick qualifications, it is now to bedenominated a Church only from the Pafor and that number who are capable of the relation (as being the two confitutive parts ) and all the ref are none of the , Church: And if there be no loch body united to the Pallor for true Church ends, and capable of them, it is no Church. Obi. But it is enough to make one Church, if theybe all united in one BiJli- op orG®vernour though their difiance make them uncapableofloo,xing one ano- ther, anddoing what youhave defcribed. "Inf. Iris enough indeed to make aChurchof anotherfpecies, Inch as I before named,eitter'theCatholick Church through out the world, or a Church compofed of many particular Churches (if it may becalled a Church) : Becaufe their Communion' is not to be Local or preferit, nor to the ends of a particular Church ; but only intriniTcal in Faith and Love,and extrinfical by Delegates or Mediators. Ent this is riot enough tothe being of a Church of the.hrtt order which nowwe fpeak of, which fhould have a Bithop of their own, and is not compofed of many united Churches. Forelfe the Church of a Patriarkor a primate, or an Arch - Bifnop or Metropolirane, f.ould be a Church of the firf order, and have no Church or Bifaop under it. Forfinch aChurch is united in one Go- verncur. (To fay nothing of the Papal Church, which yet pretend- eth not to depofeal! Bifhops.) Therefore the unity ofthe Goverríour will

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