A26998:217
The Protestant religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard BaxterThe Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter
The Protestant religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter ; prepared for the press some time before his death ; whereunto is added, by way of preface, some account of the learned author, by Mr. Daniel Williams and Mr. Matthew Sylvester.The Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter ; prepared for the press some time before his death ; whereunto is added, by way of preface, some account of the learned author, by Mr. Danel Williams and Mr. Matthew Sylvester.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1692
Protestant Religion Truly Stated, and Justified, &c. › The Twelfth Point accused.
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.
The Twelfth Point accused.
That a Woman may be Head, or Supreme Governess of the Church in all Causes, as the late Queen Elizabeth was.
Ans. A cheat by Confusion and Equivocation.
The Church hath two sorts of Government: One by the Word of God, and the Keys called Ecclesiastical. The other by the Sword, called Princely or Magistratical: We never had King or Queen that claimed the former, and none but Enemies of Government deny the latter: Queen Elizabeth and all our Kings since have publicly disclaimed the Priest by Office of Words, Keys and Sacraments, which maketh the ⟨p. 64⟩Clergy Triers and Judges what to Preach, and whom to Baptize and receive to Church Communion, absolve or Excommunicate. But ask this Deceiver, Must the Church have none to Govern by the Sword? All Christians are the Church, and so all Christian Princes are deposed, because they are Christians. Or must the Clergy have no such Government over them? Yes, the Pope, say the Papal Canons; he is Sword-bearer over the Clergy: So you see what Church-power is come to. But I trow, few Papist Kings will grant that they have no Sword-Government over the Clergy, lest every Priest be Master of their Houses, Wives, and Lives. The King is no Physician, or Philosopher, no Architect, Shipwright, Pilot, &c. but may he not be King and Ruler of all these? He is no Clergy-man or Priest, but the Ruler of the Clergy.