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

This use the Name and Power of Kings is made of by some kind of Men, to make a noise against all that cross their Domination, but all that is exercised by themselves is no whit derogatory to Royalty. And yet how many Men have been Excommunicated for refusing to Answer in the Chancellor's Courts, till they profess to sit there by the King's Authority? § 15. We much doubt whether you designed to read the Archbishop's Reduction when you answered our Papers: If you did not, why would you choose to be ignorant of what you answered, when so light a Labour might have informed you? If you did, how could you be ignorant of what we meant by Associations, when you saw that, such as our Rural Deaneries was the thing spoken of and proposed by the Reduction? And 1. Are the Rural Deaneries think you, without the King's Authority? If not, what mean you by such Intimations? unless you would make Men believe that we breathe Treason, as oft as we breathe (as the Soldier charged the Country-man for whistling Treason, when he meant to plunder him). 2. And what though Associations may not be entered into without the King's Authority: Do you mean that therefore we may not thus desire his Authority for them? If you do not, to what sense or purpose is this Answer? Sure we are, that for Three hundred years when Magistrates were not Christian, there was Preaching, Praying, and Associating in particular Churches hereunto without the Kings Authority, and also Associating in Synods: And after that for many a Hundred year the Christian Magistrates confirmed and over-ruled such Associations, but never overthrew them, or forbade them. § 16. But the Apostles of Christ, and all his Churches for many hundred years, thought all these Subscriptions and Oaths unnecessary; and never prescribed, nor required either them or any such: So unhappy is the present Church in the happy Understandings of these Men of Yesterday, that are wiser than Christ, his Apostles and Universal Church, and have at last found out these necessary Oaths and Subscriptions. And you are not quite mistaken: Necessary they are, to set up those that shall rule by Constraint as Lords over God's Heritage, and necessary Engines for the dividing and persecuting of the Church: But judge thou, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, in the day which is coming.

This use the Name and Power of Kings is made of by some kind of Men, to make a noise against all that cross their Domination, but all that is exercised by themselves is no whit derogatory to Royalty. And yet how many Men have been Excommunicated for refusing to Answer in the Chancellor's Courts, till they profess to sit there by the King's Authority? § 15. We much doubt whether you designed to read the Archbishop's Reduction when you answered our Papers: If you did not, why would you choose to be ignorant of what you answered, when so light a Labour might have informed you? If you did, how could you be ignorant of what we meant by Associations, when you saw that, such as our Rural Deaneries was the thing spoken of and proposed by the Reduction? And 1. Are the Rural Deaneries think you, without the King's Authority? If not, what mean you by such Intimations? unless you would make Men believe that we breathe Treason, as oft as we breathe (as the Soldier charged the Country-man for whistling Treason, when he meant to plunder him). 2. And what though Associations may not be entered into without the King's Authority: Do you mean that therefore we may not thus desire his Authority for them? If you do not, to what sence or purpose is this Answer? Sure we are, that for Three hundred years when Magistrates were not Christian, there was Preaching, Praying, and Associating in particular Churches hereunto without the Kings Authority, and also Associating in Synods: And after that for many a Hundred year the Christian Magistrates confirmed and over-ruled such Associations, but never overthrew them, or forbad them. § 16. But the Apostles of Christ, and all his Churches for many hundred years, thought all these Subscriptions and Oaths unnecessary; and never prescribed, nor required either them or any such: So unhappy is the present Church in the happy Understandings of these Men of Yesterday, that are wiser than Christ, his Apostles and Universal Church, and have at last found out these necessary Oaths and Subscriptions. And you are not quite mistaken: Necessary they are, to set up those that shall rule by Constraint as Lords over God's Heritage, and necessary Engines for the dividing and persecuting of the Church: But judge thou, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, in the day which is comming.