A26924:437
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated and argued by Richard Baxter ; who earnestly beseecheth rulers and clergy not to divide and destroy the land and cast their own souls on the dreadful guilt and punishment of national perjury ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1689
Chapter 26: Point XXIII. Of Publishing the Seventh Canons Excommunications.
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.
M. The Seventh Canon is [Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Government of the Church of England, under His Majesty, by Arch-bishops, Bishops, Deans, Arch-deacons, and THE REST THAT BEAR OFFICE in the same, is Antichristian, or repugnant to the Word of God; Let him be Excommunicate ipso facto, and so continue till he repent and publicly revoke such his wicked Errors.
M. THe Seventh Canon is [Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Government of the Church of England, under His Majesty, by Arch-bishops, Bishops, Deans, Arch-deacons, and THE REST THAT BEAR OFFICE in the same, is Antichristian, or repugnant to the Word of God; Let him be Excommunicate ipso facto, and so continue till he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors.
L. Mark here that [And] connexeth all these Offices, it is not [OR] disjunctively: So that you fall not under this Canon if you condemn every Church Office save one, if you condemn not all.
M. That's a mere violent unjust exposition. The Government is the thing named as consisting of many Offices, as a Body of many Members, or a Chain of many Links; as we say, Bonum est ex Causis integris. And he that wounds any one Member, wounds the Man; and he that breaketh one Link, breaketh the Chain: And he that accuseth any one part of the Government, accuseth the Government thereby: And there is no doubt in the World but they so intended that made this Canon.
M. That's a meer violent unjust exposition. The Government is the thing named as consisting of many Offices, as a Body of many Members, or a Chain of many Links; as we say, Bonum est ex Causis integris. And he that wounds any one Member, wounds the Man; and he that breaketh one Link, breaketh the Chain: And he that accuseth any one part of the Government, accuseth the Government thereby: And there is no doubt in the World but they so intended that made this Canon.