A26860:130
An answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlock, confuting an universal humane church-supremacy aristocratical…An answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlocke, confuting an universal humane church-supremacy aristocratical…
An answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlock, confuting an universal humane church-supremacy aristocratical and monarchical, as church-tyranny and popery : and defending Dr. Isaac Barrow's treatise against it by Richard Baxter ; preparatory to a fuller treatise against such an universal sovereignty as contrary to reason, Christianity, the Protestant profession, and the Church of England, though the corrupters usurp that title.An answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlocke, confuting an universal humane church-supremacy aristocratical and monarchical, as church-tyranny and popery : and defending Dr. Isaac Barrow's treatise against it by Richard Baxter ; preparatory to a fuller treatise against such an universal soveraignty as contrary to reason, Christianity, the Protestant profession, and the Church of England, though the corrupters usurp that title.
London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, 1682
Chapter 3: The consequence of Mr. Dodwell's foresaid doctrine.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
28. And then it will follow, that none but unbelievers, impenitent wicked men should be first admitted to the Sacrament; for if that only converteth, then it is only the unconverted that must first be received to it.
29 When all's done, he doth but contradict his end; for it's hard to find a National Episcopacy on earth, which imposeth no unlawful thing on Ministers or people: And with all such he speaketh not for our Communion.
30. Either Ordination, and Collation of Church-power, must be given by Superiors, or by Equals: if by Equals, why may not Presbyters make Presbyters? If by Superiors, then who shall give the Pope his Power? Or if you think any other be the highest, who makes them such? Who giveth the Archbishop of Canterbury his Power?
31. In short, as far as I can understand, these men deny all Covenant-right to salvation to all men living, and all true Sacraments and Church-Communion, or at least, all knowledge of any such thing; seeing, as it is certain, that in most Churches such Ordination as they describe, hath not had an uninterrupted succession, so no man is sure that any one Church or man hath had such. And they that silence us for not subscribing, declaring and swearing obedience to our Diocesans, and other Ordinaries, are bold men, if they dare swear themselves, that they are true Bishops, and have any Authority to rule and command us, by an uninterrupted succession of a Canonical Episcopal Ordination down from the Apostles.