Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

( ) them, then let them undo the Church without centra- diition. The befi is, the ferions Chriflians of this age have experience to help them to underhand the cafe, andI fup- pofe my Diffntation to be unto them as if I Difputed before a man that is reflorcd from want, or banifhment orfcknefs, whether he (herald be reduced to the Conditionfromwhich he is reftored ? Sea. ;. Some paffages here will occafïon the ,Queflion (s p. 5.) Whether and how far Church Government is jure Divino ? ] But of this, in the main I am agreed with them that I difpute. Tofpeak further, my own judge- ment is, t . That the Spirit of Godbath eftabli/hed all the officers andnorfhip- Ordinances ofhis Church; and that me new church-office or ordinance of worthip (as to the [lib. fiance) may be inflituted by man ; 2. But that there re many Circumftantials about the Exercife o thole offices and ordinances , that are not determined particularly by a Law, but are left to humane prudence to determinepof, by the General directions of the Law. And o I u o e that Bi(hops and Presbyters are but one Office , of Gods inflitution ; but in the exercife of this office if one for order be made a Moderator or Prefident of the refl , or by agreement (upon adifparity of parts or 'interefl) do une- qually divide their workbetween them, in the exercife, it is a thing that may be done, and is fit where the Edifica. tion of the Church requireth it, but not a thing that al- ways mutt be done, nor is of it Pelf a Duty, but a thing indifferent. The following Cafe therefore I hence re- folve. Seó,4. +eft. [Whether the Order of fubject Pres- byters might lawfully be created by Bithops or any hu- mane Power andwhether the Order ofBithops might lawfully be created for the avoiding of Schifm by the confentof Presbyters or Metropolitans by Bithopse3 (g2) Anfsvv

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