A26892:7998
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Part 4 › Chapter 3: Directions for Subjects concerning their duty to their Rulers.
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.
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.
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