A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian EcclesiasticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian Ecclesiastics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
The doubt lieth either of the sufficiency of his call, or of somewhat
that is supposed to destroy it by contradiction or redundancy. 1.
Whether he want any thing of absolute necessity to the office, who is
called in the church of Rome? or, 2. Whether there be any thing in his
office or entrance, which nullifieth or invalidateth that which else
would be sufficient?
For the first doubt, it is not agreed on among papists or protestants
what is of necessity to the being of the office. Some think real
godliness in the person is necessary; but most think not. Some think
that visible, that is, seeming professed godliness, not disproved by
mortal sin, is necessary; and some think not. Some think the people's
election is necessary, and that ordination is but _ad bene esse_; and
some think ordination necessary _ad esse_, and election _ad bene
esse_, or not at all; and some think both necessary _ad esse_, and
some neither. Some think the election of the people is necessary, and
some think only their consent is necessary, though after election by
others; some think it must be the consent of all the flock, or near
all; and some only of the major part; and some of the better part,
though the minor. Some think the ordination of a diocesan bishop
necessary _ad esse_, and some not. Some think the truth of the
ordainers' calling, or power, to be necessary to the validity of his
ordination, and some not. Some think the number of two, or three, or
more ordainers to be necessary, and some not. Some think it necessary
to the validity of the ministry that it come down from the apostles by
an uninterrupted succession of truly ordained bishops, and some think
not. Some few think that the magistrates' command or licence is
necessary, and only it, and most deny both. Johnson, alias Terret, the
papist, in his Disputation against me, maintaineth that consecration
is not necessary _ad esse_, nor any one way of election, by these or
those, but only the church's reception upon such an election as may
give them notice, and which may be different, according to different
times, places, and other circumstances.
In the midst of these confusions, what is to be held? I have opened
the case as fully and plainly as I can, in my second "Disput. of
Church Government," about ordination, to which I must refer the
reader: only here briefly touching upon the sum.
1. There are some personal qualifications necessary to the being of
the office, (of which anon,) and some only to the well-being.[234]
2. The efficient conveying cause of power or office, is God's will
signified in his own established law; in which he determineth that
such persons so called shall receive from him such power, and be
obliged to such office administrations.[235]
3. Any providence of God which infallibly or satisfactorily notifieth
to the church, who these persons are, that receive such power from
God, doth oblige them to submit to them as so empowered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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