Part 4 › Chapter 3: Directions for Subjects concerning their duty to their Rulers., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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Answ. If you had included Himself, its certain that he cannot be Greater than the whole, because he¹ cannot be greater than himself. But seeing you speak of the whole in contradistinction from him, I answer, That indeed in genere causae finalis the Sovereign is Universis Minor, that is, The whole Kingdom is naturally more worth than One, and their felicity a greater good: or else the bonum publicum, or salus populi could not be the End of Government: But this is nothing to our case: For we are speaking of Governing power as a means to this end: And so in genere causae efficientis the Sovereign (yea, and his lowest Officer) hath more Authority or Jus Regendi than all the people as such; (for they all as such have none at all): Even as the Church is of more worth than the Pastor, and yet the Pastor alone hath more Authority to administer the Sacraments and to Govern the people, than all the flock hath: For they have none either to use or give (what ever some say to the contrary,) but² only choose him to whom God will give it.

Answ. If you had included Himself, its certain that he cannot be Greater than the whole, because he¹ cannot be greater than himself. But seeing you speak of the whole in contradistinction from him, I answer, That indeed in genere causae finalis the Soveraign is Universis Minor, that is, The whole Kingdom is naturally more worth than One, and their felicity a greater good: or else the bonum publicum, or salus populi could not be the End of Government: But this is nothing to our case: For we are speaking of Governing power as a means to this end: And so in genere causae efficientis the Soveraign (yea, and his lowest Officer) hath more Authority or Ius Regendi than all the people as such; (for they all as such have none at all): Even as the Church is of more worth than the Pastor, and yet the Pastor alone hath more Authority to administer the Sacraments and to Govern the people, than all the flock hath: For they have none either to use or give (what ever some say to the contrary,) but² only choose him to whom God will give it.

1Answ.
2Against the peoples being the Givers of Power, by conjoining all their own in one, in Church or State, see Mr. D. Cawdry's Review of Mr. Hookers Survey, p. 154, &c.Against the peoples being the Givers of Power, by conjoyning all their own in one, in Church or State, see Mr. D. Cawdry's Review of Mr. Hookers Survey, p. 154, &c.

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Answ. 1. Wisdom doth but prepare Laws, and Governing power enacteth them, and giveth them¹ their form. But the whole Body hath no such Governing power, Therefore they give them not their form. 2. The peoples consent to Gods Laws gave them not their form or authority: This opinion I² have elsewhere confuted, against a more erroneous Author. Their consent to Gods Laws was required indeed, as naturally necessary to their obedience, but not as necessary to the Being or Obligation of the Law. Can you think that it had been no sin in them to have disobeyed Gods Laws, unless they had first consented to them? Then all the world might escape sin and damnation by denying consent to the Laws of God. 3. This doctrine will teach men that ^*we have no Church-Laws: For the whole Church never signified their consent. Millions of the poorer sort have no voices in choosing Parliament men or Convocations: And this will teach the minor dissenting part, to think themselves disobliged for want of consenting: and will give every dissenting part or person a Negative voice to all Church Laws. 4. A single Bishop hath a Governing power over his particular Church, and they are bound to obey him: Heb. 13. 7. 17. And if the governing power of one Pastor be not suspended for want of the consent of any or all the people, then much less, the Governing Power of King and Parliament.

1Answ.
2Hanc video sapien issimorum fuisse sent•ntiam. Le•em nec hom•num ingeniis excogitatam, nec s•itum aliquod esse populorum; sed aeter•um quiddam, quod universum mundum regeret, •mperandi prohibendique sapientia. Cicero de Leg.
*How considerable a part of England, is London? Yet in this Convocation, which hath made the Ne• Changes in the Liturgy and Book of Ordination, London had not one Clerk of their choosing: For being to choose but two, they chose only Mr. Cala•y and my self; who were neither of us accepted, or ever th•re. Now if your opinion be true; Quar. 1. Whether you make not this Convocations Decrees to be but Counsels to us: a. Or at least whether the City of London, or the [Greek or Hebrew] Ministers be not made free from detriment, as not consenters: You will free them and me, especially from Detriment for our Not Conforming to this Convocations Acts as such; upon reasons which I do not own my self, as generally by you laid down.How considerable a part of England, is London? Yet in this Convocation, which hath made the Ne• Changes in the Liturgy and Book of Ordination, London had not one Clerk of their choosing: For being to choose but two, they chose only Mr. Cala•y and my self; who were neither of us accepted, or ever th•re. Now if your opinion be true; Quar. 1. Whether you make not this Convocations Decrees to be but Counsels to us: a. Or at least whether the City of London, or the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Ministers be not made free from detriment, as not consenters: You will free them and me, especially from Detriment for our Not Conforming to this Convocations Acts as such; upon reasons which I do not own my self, as generally by you laid down.