Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

(IO and juft liberty ) we need not fland at fo great a diflanee. And laftly, Ii Minifters of the Gofpel would tenderlyweigh the greatnefs of their work and charge,and the dreadfulnefs of their account, the worth of fouls,the powerand prevalencyof fin, the rage of all the Churches enemies, and the multitudes of them, they would fooner tremble to think of the difficulties in Governing or guiding one Congregation in the way toheaven, than'grafp at more, and think themfelves able to be the guides ofmany, and draw fuch a heavy burden on themfelves, and pre. pare for fuch a reckoning. Left they be offended with my words, I will fay the like in the words of Chryfoftorn (of whoever elfe was the Author of the Icnperfetg work) onMattb zo. Rom. 35. pag. (mihi) 9òf . [ Si Lee erro itafe habent , fecularem guider» primatum defderare, etf ratio non eft, vel caufa eft : quia etfi Minn: non efl , vel utile eft. Trimatum autem Eccle- Jiafticum concupifcere , neq; ratio ell , neq; caufee : quia neq; juflum efl, ncq; utile. .uis enim fapiens nitro fe fubjicere feflinat fcrvituti, labori, dolori, & quod maju.r eft, periculo tali ut det rationem pro'omni Ecclefia, spud juflumjudicem ? nitfor. te qui non credit 7udicium Dei; nectimit, nei abutens primatsfro ecclefia(licofeculariter, convertat eon: in Secularem. Sed ne forte :gui talis eft in appetendo primatum, profeEhom pietatis pie praten- dat,dico, Arlo:quidgui in ordine prior eft jam&meritis eft melior?] And of theMinifserial honours he faith (ibid.) Deniq, ipf hono- res in Chriflo inprima guider.:facie videntur honores, revera as- tern nonfungi honores diverfi, fedfont diverts .ñlinifleria : ut puta honor oculi videtur, gaffa illumina: Corpus: Sed ipfehonor illumi- nandi non eft ei honor Jed cMiniflerium ejes. ] So much to pröve he Propofition, that the late Englifh Epif- - copacy is nor'to be'reflored, under any pretence of Order or Peace. Wherein I bave purpofely forborn the mention of its Abufes, and doleful confequents, becaufethey may fuppofe that Abufe to be feparable from the thing. Confequents

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