Baxter - BR161 B28 1680

CfJÙrch-Hrfi'óry of Bifoops nevertheleQs by being made her Husband. So he that is made a Pallor in City or Country, may do thework of a Pallor, though each particular was not named. Propofition 7. Ordination is ordinarily necejjâry as a means of our ri bt en- trance, but not absolutely necerrery to the Being of our Office or Power. For i.God having already fetled the Office, Duty, and Power, and what ktalifcations fhall beneccflàry, and giving thefe Qualifications to men, he hath left no- thing wmanbut mutual content, and to judge of the perfon qualified, and folemnly introduce him. 2. Godhath not tyed himfelf or us abfolutely to the judgment of Ordainers. Ifa Bi(hop ordain aHeathen, or'any man void of Eßëntial I:alifxcations, its null, as being againft a flat Command of God: And if Bi(hops refufe to ordain us Patlots, the people mull take themwith- out ; becaufe the Command of Preaching, Hearing, Sacraments, 6-c. is greater than that of Ordination, and before it. Pofitives yield toNatural Morals, and matters of Order to the fuhffance and end of the Duty ordered. See my Cbrfian-Concord, pag. 82, 83, 84. 3, Ordination is no more neceflary to the Minittry, than Baptilm to ChrJianity: As thofe that are drft Princesby Title Muff be Crowned, and thofe that are Souldiers by Contrad, muff be lifted, and take Colours, and thofe that are Husband and Wife by Contrail, muff be folemnly Married, which are celebrating, perfeEling a6bons; fo they that are firil heart- Chriflians by believing, or by Parents dedicating them to God, mull be folemnly entred under the handof the Minifler: And thofe that are by approbation and content initially Miniflers, mull by folemnfza- tion have the Office publickly delivered them by the Miniflers of Chrill. So that as a man is a Chriftian indeed before Baptifm initially, and is ju- Ilified initially before, and incafe of necefftymay be faved without it (the Papiis'confe(Ting that the Vow will fervc) fo is it in the cafe of Ordina- tion to the Ming-try. Propofition 8. It isonly Chrifi, and not theOrdainers, People or Magiffrater, that give us our Office and Power : Only the people and approvers defign the perfon which 'hall receive it from Chrifi; and our own confent, and the peoples, is of necef ity thereto (and our own as much as theirs) and the Ordainers do inftrumentally invertus in it; but the Power and Duty arife direElly from Gods Inflitution, when the perfon is defigned. Now I pro- ceed to prove our Calling. Argument 4. We have a far clearer Call than the Priefis before Chrijf had to the Priefthood : For they were not of the true Line ; they bought the Priefthood ; they corrupted Doélrine and worfhip, and wereof wicked lives. And yet Chrift commanded fubmiflion to theirMinifiry : Ergo. Argument 5. If we have as clear a Call to our Office as anyMagiffrater on Earth have to theirs, then weare true kin err of ChriJf : For they are true Ma- giftrátes; and God is the Fountain of their Power too; and its impoflìble they fhouldhave anybut from him : Or from him but by his means : Of& cers have no power but from the Soveraign. The Prince was at find cho- fen by God immediately, as well as the Apollles were by Chrift, yet no Prince

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