Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

Ad 2m. Either the tender Conscience is in the right, or in the wrong: If in the wrong, the Magistrates Liberty will not make a Sin to be no Sin; but the Party is bound by God to rectify his Judgment, and thereby his Practice. If in the right, it is a strange Question, Whether a Man may obey God, that hath the Magistrates leave, till he be enforced by Mens violence? Doth any doubt of it?

Ad 2m. Either the tender Conscience is in the right, or in the wrong: If in the wrong, the Magistrates Liberty will not make a Sin to be no Sin; but the Party is bound by God to rectifie his Judgment, and thereby his Practice. If in the right, it is a strange Question, Whether a Man may obey God, that hath the Magistrates leave, till he be enforced by Mens violence? Doth any doubt of it?

Ad 3m. Matter of Government depending only on Fact, is a Contradiction: Seeing Government consisteth in a Right, and the Exercise of it. I am not able therefore to understand this Question. Yet, if this may afford any help toward the Solution, I affirm, That the general and perpetual practice of the Church from Age to Age, of a thing not forbidden by the Word of God, will warrant our imitation. I say [of a thing not forbidden] because it hath been the general and perpetual practice of the Church, to Sin, by vain Thoughts, Words, imperfect Duties, &c. wherein our imitation is not warrantable. The general and perpetual practice includeth the Apostles and that Age. But what is meant by [Evidencing the Right of a thing that dependeth only of Fact] or by [Evidencing the Truth and Certainty of a Fact by general and perpetual practice] (which is to prove idem per idem), I will not presume that I understand.

Ad 4m. I know not what Bishops you mean. A Congregational Bishop overseeing the People is undoubtedly lawful: so is a Congregational Bishop, being President of a Presbytery which is over that Congregation. Where many Congregational Officers are associated, I do not think that a President for a time, or during his fitness, standing and fixed, is unlawful. The like I may say of a President of many of those Associations again associated, as in a Province or Diocese: And I believe it were a very easy work for wise, godly, moderate men to agree about his Power: And I would not seem so censorious as to proclaim that England wanteth such, further than the actual want of such Agreement, or just endeavours thereto, doth proclaim it. I am satisfied also, that the Apostles themselves have de jure Successors in all that part of their work which is to be perpetuated, or continued till now; though not in their extraordinary Endowments and Privileges. But if the sense of your Question be, Whether one Man may be the standing chief Governor of many particular Churches with their Officers, having either sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction (as some would have) or a Negative Voice in both (as others) it would seem great arrogancy in me to be the confident Determiner of such a Question, which so wise, learned, godly sober Men, have said so much of on both sides already.