A26975:273
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
Chapter 8: How far this Confederacy and Concord bindeth the Members of a National Church to Confor…
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 Whoever is convinced that Christian Kingdoms or National Churches are of Christs Institution, must needs know that it is the duty of all its Members, to do their best to preserve them and promote their welfare as considered in that form; and not only to seek their own Salvation, or the prospering of their particular Churches or Parties, not only to seek the common good of Christians as such in Community; But to keep up the National Polity in all lawful things in the way of their several places and callings. For he is unworthy to be a Denizen in any lawful Society, that promoteth not its well faring.
§ 1 VVHoever is convinced that Christian Kingdoms or National Churches are of Christs Institution, must needs know that it is the duty of all its Members, to do their best to preserve them and promote their welfare as considered in that form; and not only to seek their own Salvation, or the prospering of their particular Churches or Parties, not only to seek the common good of Christians as such in Community; But to keep up the National Polity in all lawful things in the way of their several places and callings. For he is unworthy to be a Denison in any lawful Society, that promoteth not its well faring.
§ 2. And here it is a grand duty to know the distinct Rights of the Governing and the Governed part. And to know that though they are distinct, they ought not to be opposite but conjunct.
A fancy hath been by one of late divulged, that it is a heinous crime to say that the King and People have a separate or separable interest; So far may rashness precipitate the ignorant: That King and Subjects have a distinct interest is past all doubt: That these interests ought not to be opposite or set against each other is also doubtless. And that they are divisible is doubtless; else they would never fall out about them. And that they are faultily divided: And no doubt but they may and must be divided Numerally and Notionally, so they be not opposite.