Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

(i39) Moreover either-theBifhop pro hic & nunc vitas himfelf obl ;:gcd too-do that Ali which he committee!' to another, or not he but theother was by dike obliged, to do it Ifhe himfelfwas obliged to do it,he finned in not doir g it. If he werenot,it wasnot truly his act orpart of his office work: nor did he do it by another, but that other did only his own wcrk > for which not the Bithop,but he thall have thereward. Obj. But Both not he thatferrdeth his fervant topay a debt, himfelfin Law- fenfepay it per alium ?what another doth as his InJirument, reputativelybe doth himfelf. Anf. I grant it ; becaufe it is none of the debtors proper work, nor is he at all obliged to ir, to bring the money and deliver it himfelf, but to caufe it tobe delivered : Therefore infending it, he doth all that he is obliged to do, and when another is his inftrument, it is fuppofed that he is not obliged himfelftodo that whichhis infrrument cloth, but only tocaul the doing of ir, byhimfelf oran Inftrument, ashe pleafe: fo that lull this is nothing to the cafe of a work that isproper to the Bi- fhops Office. Obj. But we therefore grant that it is not proper to the Bifhops Office to judge, Excommunicate, or Abfolve, but only to Rule the Allion, by giving another power to do it. Anf. a..If fo, then nothing but Commiflìoning others, is theproper workofthe Epifcopal order: and then any Presbyter may infaro interne vel extern ordinarily exercife the whole power of the Keys upon the flocks, he may Excommunicate and abfolve publikly, as anact common tohis Office with the Bithops, if it Pleafe the Bifhop togive himPower, which he may do without making him a Bifhop. And if fo, I enquire, whether God be not the maker of the Presbyters office , and not the Bifhop ? and whether God only (defcribing it) give not all the power by way of Law, Charter or Institution; and the Bifhop give it not only by way of miniflertal folemnization and inveftiture ? and if fo, whether he that is duely calved to the Paftoral office, which God only made and difcribed, wuft not ( in feafon) do the works of that office ? whethèr men cotnmiflion him or not ? or whether at leaft he any more need the Bilhops commifiìan for Church Government, Excommunication and Abfolution, than for Preaching and Celebrating the Lords fupper, (tie- ing both are now thus confelTed alts common to the order of-the Pres- byter and the Bifhop? I think all this is pall contradiction And I ask then whether that all givingof»wer to-another be proper to the Bithops order? Ifyea, than a Minilier cannot give his Clerk power to chufe the Pfalm, or tune,&c. Ifnot, then may nota Bifhop if he pleafe alfo give power to the Presbyters to ordaine, and to give other men power ? Forif it be his - proper work only to give power to others to do all the facred acts ofoffice, he may give others power to ordains and if fo, then Ordination will be like Preaching, Sacraments, and Iyifcipline, which are none of them proper to the Bithops order. T 2 And

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