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

§ 11. The things which I disliked as erroneous or evil in each Party were these:

1. In the Erastians I disliked, 1. That they made too light of the Power of the Ministry and Church, and of Excommunication; and did not distinguish sufficiently of a persuasive Power which is but private, and is founded only in the Reason of the Speaker, and a persuasive Power which is public in an Officer of Christ (which Camero well calleth Doctoral), and is founded conjunctly in his Authority (by God's Commission) and his Arguments. 2. That they made the Articles of [the Holy Catholic Church, and the Communion of Saints] too insignificant, by making Church Communion more common to the impenitent than Christ would have it; and so dishonoured Christ by dishonouring his Church, and making it too like to the Heathen World, and breaking down the Hedge of Spiritual Discipline, and laying it almost in common with the Wilderness. 3. That they misunderstood and injured their Brethren, supposing and affirming them to claim as from God a coercive Power over the Bodies or Purses of Men, and so setting up Imperium in Imperio; whereas all temperate Christians (at least except Papists) confess that the Church hath no Power of Force, but only to manage God's Word unto Mens Conscience••

1. In the Erastians I disliked, 1. That they made too light of the Power of the Ministry and Church, and of Excommunication; and did not distinguish sufficiently of a persuasive Power which is but private, and is founded only in the Reason of the Speaker, and a persuasive Power which is publick in an Officer of Christ (which Camero well calleth Doctoral), and is founded conjunctly in his Authority (by God's Commission) and his Arguments. 2. That they made the Articles of [the Holy Catholick Church, and the Communion of Saints] too insignificant, by making Church Communion more common to the impenitent than Christ would have it; and so dishonoured Christ by dishonouring his Church, and making it too like to the Heathen World, and breaking down the Hedge of Spiritual Discipline, and laying it almost in common with the Wilderness. 3. That they misunderstood and injured their Brethren, supposing and affirming them to claim as from God a coercive Power over the Bodies or Purses of Men, and so setting up Imperium in Imperio; whereas all temperate Christians (at least except Papists) confess that the Church hath no Power of Force, but only to manage God's Word unto Mens Conscience