A26975:140
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.
§ 1. IN the Execution of his Institution, Christ in the time of Constantine, and after, made Judea it self a National Church as far as a Province of the Empire may be called a Nation. The Empire, as Christian, headed by one Christian ⟨p. 10⟩Sovereign, and materiated by Christian Subjects obeying Christ both singly and in sacred Assemblies under their Bishops or Elders, was all one National Church, that is, One Christian Kingdom, long before promised by Christ, and prepared for: But as the Emperors allowed some Provinces to have subject tributary Kings, and others to enjoy most of their Ancient Laws and Liberties, so they might secundum quid be called Kingdoms and National Churches, though they were but Provinces and parts of the Imperial Church. And thus Judea became a National Church.
§ 1. IN the Execution of his Institution, Christ in the time of Constantine, and after, made Judea it self a National Church as far as a Province of the Empire may be called a Nation. The Empire, as Christian, headed by one Christian ⟨p. 10⟩Soveraign, and materiated by Christian Subjects obeying Christ both singly and in sacred Assemblies under their Bishops or Elders, was all one National Church, that is, One Christian Kingdom, long before promised by Christ, and prepared for: But as the Emperors allowed some Provinces to have subject tributary Kings, and others to enjoy most of their Antient Laws and Liberties, so they might secundum quid be called Kingdoms and National Churches, though they were but Provinces and parts of the Imperial Church. And thus Judea became a National Church.
§ 2. It is past question that many Kings who had given up their Kingdom to the Pagan Beast, followed the success of Constantine, and afterward did give up their Power to Christ, yet no Kingdom was wholly converted at once, nor of many years: But yet while the Sovereign Power and Confederate Christian Pastors and Subjects had the chief Power, it was truly a Christian Kingdom: For the Form in capable matter doth denominate.