Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

(34" ) which I mean fuch as pallor and Peoplemay ordinarily exercife iñ prefr;,;:', todiftinguifh it from that fort ofCommunion, í. which we have only in fpirit, in faith, jud ment._ánd -hfri lion, with Chriftians in all parts of the World: Ane±; rrom that external Communionwhich feveral Churches úiú together by Meffengers, Delegates, or Letters. Forifthat kindof diftant Communion would ferve to the beingof a particular Church, we might be of the fameparticular Church withmen in the feveral parts of the World. 52. Deacons are fubordinateOfficers, or Minifters toChrifts Minifters, not el ential to the Church, butonly Integral, as needful to its well being, in filch Churches, where the number and benefit of the People do require them. 3. The neceffityof there Individual or particular Churches; is found. ed , in the neceflity of the forefaid publick worfhipingofGod, and in the u fie of the mutual affiltance ofChriftian Neighbours in the matters of falva- tion, , and in the need of¡,he perfonal infpeftion and conduit of the Pa- ftorsover all the Flock. 34; The difference between this perfonal Communion, and the diftant Communionby Letters or Delegates, or meerly internal in Faithand Love, is fo great andnotorious, as mutt make thofe Societies fpecif:cal1y diftinit, which are affociated for Inch diftinâEnds. 34. Yetdowe not hold thatall trueChurches do Afl'emble together in one place; or thatthey conliftofno more than canmeet at once: For whole Families feldom go all atonce to theAfrembly : Thereforeifone part go to day, and another the next day, they worfhip Godpublickly in perfonal Communion, thoughnot all at thefame time. a. Andmany may be lick, and many infants, and many aged, and the great distanceof force may make a Chapel or fubordinateMeetingoften needful. And yet, r. they may all come together in one placeatfeveral times for Church-communi. on. z. And they may live fo near, that one may be capable of neighbour- ly converfe with others, andof admonilhing, exhorting and encouraging eachother, in their ChriftiarrCourfe. 36. Wherea.Church is fo fmall as to need but one Paftor, Chrift doth not require that they have more ; And One can neither be fuperiour or inferiour to h'rnfelf. 37. But it is molt defirable that aChurchbe as numerous or, great, as will confia with that fort ofCommunion which is the end of the Society ; . and confequently that they have many Paftors; Becaufe this tendeth to their flrength and beauty, and it a joyful thingto-worfhip God in fullAf- femblies. 3$. The work of a Bifhopor Paftor-ofa "tingle Church is, (to' menti- on it more particularly) to Teach the Church the meaningof the Scrip- tures, efpecially ofall the Articles of Faith, and the things to be Defired in Prayer, and the matters and order of Obedience to all the commands of Chrift. Toinftru.ft the Children instheCatechiftical or Fundamental verities.

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