A26860:408
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 5: Wherein Mr. Dodwell's deceits, and the danger of them do consist.
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.
3. If these several Churches agree in the same Baptismal Covenant, in the same ancient Creed or Articles of Faith, and in the same love and holy desires summed up by Christ in the Lords-prayer, and in taking the commands of Christ for the Rule of their conversation, and receiving Gods Revelations recorded in the holy Scriptures so far as they understand them, renouncing all contraries to any of this so soon as they perceive them so to be, this should suffice to their loving and comfortable communion, without any desires of Domination or Government over one another. And though I will not do any thing unpeaceably against Patriarchs, Metropolitans, Archbishops or Diocesans, if they govern according to the Laws of God; yet I know no Divine right that any of them have to be the Rulers of the particular Bishops and Churches. Though a humane presidency for order we deny not, nor that junior Bishops do owe some respect and submission to the Seniors.
4. Though the General Laws of Christ (for concord, edification, &c.) do enable Magistrates by command, or Pastors by contract to choose and make new Officers of their own (which God ⟨p. 127⟩never particularly instituted) for the determining and executing such circumstantials as God hath left to humane prudence, (as Presidents, Moderators, Churchwardens, Summoners, &c.) yet I deny, 1. That any Officer of mere humane Institution hath a superior proper Ecclesiastical Power of the Keys, to be a Bishop of Bishops, and to govern the Governors of the particular Churches by Excommunications, Depositions, and Absolutions, seeing ex ratione rei, it belongeth to the same Legislator, who instituted the inferior order, to have instituted the Superior, if he would have had it. 2. And I peremptorily deny that any such pretended Superior (Patriarch, Primate, Metropolitan, Archbishop, &c.) hath any power (save Diabolical) to deprive any particular Churches, Bishops, or Christians, of any of the Privileges settled on them by Christs Universal Laws, or to disoblige them from any duties required by Christ.