A26975:122
Of national churches their description, institution, use, preservation, danger, maladies and cure, partly applied…
Of national churches their description, institution, use, preservation, danger, maladies and cure, partly applied to England / written by Richard Baxter for promoting peace ... and for the fuller explication of the Treaty for Concord in 1660 and 1661, and of the Kings gracious declaration about ecclesiastical affairs ... and for further explication of his treatise of episcopacy ...
London: printed by T. Snowden for Thomas Parkhurst, 1691
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.
11. All Power in Heaven and Earth is given to Christ, Mat. 28. and by him Kings Reign. He is King of Kings, and not of single persons only.
12. But what need there any other proof, while all Christians confess that All Kings are bound to be Christian Kings, and to promote Christianity to their Power; and all Magistrates and Subjects to be Christians: And are not they then bound to be Christian Kingdoms; and that is National Churches?
§ 2. When he had prepared them to be voluntary Subjects, by the Preaching of the Gospel, and the Church came to maturity, Christ actually set up National Kingdom-Churches; and Ruled by Constantine & successive Christian Princes: And Heaven and Earth rejoiced that he had taken to him his great Power and Reigned, and that the Kingdoms of the World were become his Kingdoms, Rev. 17. & 18. & 19. Infancy is fitter for Instruction than to Govern. Man is made to use Reason; but he useth little in Infancy, or till maturity. That which was first in intention, is last in execution. Mature Reason in Man, and Princely Government in Kingdom-Churches, was first in intention, tho' not in execution. Who would wish that Pagans had still Reigned? What Christian wisheth not that the Persians, Indians, Turks, Tartars, &c. were all Christian Kingdoms? Why else do the Millennies hope for such a state of holy Government?
§ 2. When he had prepared them to be voluntary Subjects, by the Preaching of the Gospel, and the Church came to maturity, Christ actually set up National Kingdom-Churches; and Ruled by Constantine & successive Christian Princes: And Heaven and Earth rejoyced that he had taken to him his great Power and Reigned, and that the Kingdoms of the World were become his Kingdoms,