Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Ch.3. A;4ifhiopmh6t, andhom I. TiniÖthy.hePoiderbe rlatklij-led. C 4, 5, 14. One that ruteth wellhis ownHoule . 2. What a Bifop then was molt he under. (if he have any,) and by his fuccefs theweth it, flood by thole that would know their Divine and that God bleffeth his Labours, his Children Obligations to obey filch : Of which fee before, beingin fubje&ionwith all Comely, Grave,and 1. Thef. 5. 1 a, 13. The Minifterial Work was, Pious Behaviour. For if either he have not 1. Indefinite,. by Itinerants, or unfixed Myrna Skill and Care enough to rule his Family well, viz. r. To convert there without, and gather or the badnefsof his Ckllren Phew that God Churches,and fettlePaftors over them. 2. And bleffeth-not his Labour, how thould the Church to go and fend to themafter for their confirma. judge him fit to rule them, and Iikely to rue- tion. Thefe in Scripture are called Apoftles ens. teed. Evangelifts, and their helpers, but not Bifhope. 6. Not a novice, left being lifted Ir. But the fettled Churches had fettledPaftort, El- up with pride, he fall into the Cün (with Deacons) There are calledRilhops and up of the devil. ders. .Thef Churches wem fo many Neigh- bour Chriftians as could know and Converfe 6. Not a late young Convert;, for filch are with one another, and were affociated foe Per- more indanger of Pride thanothers ,when they final Communion in holy Deílrine, IVerfhip,and are fet up as Teachers, and fo fall as the Devils Coneerfati^n,as diftîn& from diftant Communi- did on by meet Concord in the Speciesofthefè, or bite, That young, raw Chriflians made by Delegates: Though they did not always Teachers are in great danger of falling into meet all in one place; fo that the Bithops or Condemnation lay Pride, even like to Devils. E'ders had opportunity to know them perfon. Becaufe, r. They have lets knowledge of their ally, teach and overfèethem ordinarily : Which own Ignorance, and how muchyet they want. they did without force, upon none but content - 2. The fuddennefs ofthe Light which they have ing Voluntiers. This Epifcopacywe are for, anal received fo tranfporteth them, that they think not againft the Pre -eminence of fume one, as a it to be greater in them than it is. 3. They Senior and guide to the refit of the Eldersdu e have ftronger Mans in them thanthe Aged ; Church that hath many: Nor yet againft the and thofe puff them up, as if they fignified an- foretold General Minifters or Evangelifts Infpe- fwerable Judgment. 4. They have weaker &ion and Care of many Churches of fuel Coo- Degrees yet of Humility, Self-denial, and all (enters. But if one filch General Pallorwill put Grace, than riper Chriftians have. 5. They have down all the Bithops of fingle Churches, and had lets time to learn the great things which havenone overmany hundred Paddies but him- lhould bailance them, 6. They want that Ex- fell alone; who cannot pofîibly do the hue- perieuce which fully convinceth riper Chrdtians- dredth part of the true Epifcopal Work, and will ofthe Errour of Self -exalting, fo that none are ,do tome of the refit by Curates that are no M- k, apt to rage and be confident as the Ignorant flops, and by Lay-men, this Epifcopacy is not to and Injudicious. 7. Andthey are themfelves be juftified. Much lets when the Clergy orPeolle as Children carriedaway eafilÿby the Applaufe chufe them not, nor content to them, butarego- and Flatteries of fach as are like them, and cry verned by them forcibly, andasconftrained Dil- them up for their InjudiciousFervour. fenrers. 7. Moreover, hemuí} have a good 8. Likewifa mutt he ID°acons be report of themwhich are without ; grave, not aouble-tongued, not áiveca left he fallinto rep-oach, and the to much wine, nor greedy ofIlthy fnare of the devil. lucre. g. Holding the myftery of the T r6. And he mutt be one that bath by his faith in a pure confcience. Parts and Converfationgot tome efteem, even 8, q. TheDeaconsalfo mutt be wellqualified, among Unbelievers, or atleafl, is not by the Batons ; Graveand Pious; not double-tongued, common fort of themmade odiousor contemp- to fay and unfay, as Inrereft leadeth them ; not tibie by any Infamy, jufl or unjuft, left Satan addi&ed to much Wine or Strong Drink ; not get by his former Scandals, or ill Name tomake greedy of filthy Gain, as lovers of Money ufe the Chriftian Religion odious, and turn his to be: and theymutt be found Believers and Infamy into a: Snare tokeep Men in Unbelief: ofan upright Life. Note, 1. If all there Sixteen things be need- Note, r. That here am but two forts of fixed fill to a Bithop, and muft be required in one Church-Officers noted by Pant, Billtopsand Dea- that is offered to the Minifhy, is he a true Bi- cons. 2.Asevery Church had its own Bifhop(one flop or Pallor that bath fcarce two ofall chet or more), fo had they theirown Deacons. For, Qualifications? Yea, that hath almoft all the as Dr. Hammond noteth, ,(Tiïe Deacons were every contraries ? That fuch are rafters de f Qo, where cçnjtitssted to attend the ITifhcp.t But Ast- claiming Honour and Obedience, is eafily prov- tiquity never knew what a Deacon ofa Diocefs ed : what God accoúnteth them I leave to him: ofmany Churches (or hundreds of Churches) And how thePeople should efteem them,Ciprian was, tillArchdescnnswerefir(t newmadeThete- tells usin lais'Epikle againft Martial and 13 ft- fore, as no than was a Deacon of more than tides.. one fingle Church, fo no Man was a<Bifhop of more

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