A27050:878
A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…
A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort of diocesan churches, prelacy and government, which casteth out the primitive church-species, episcopacy, ministry and discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by corruption, usurpation, schism and persecution : meditated in the year 1640, when the et cætera oath was imposed : written 1671 and cast by : published 1680 by the importunity of our superiors, who demand the reasons of our nonconformity / by Richard Baxter.A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort of diocesan churches, prelacy and government, which casteth out the primitive church-species, episcopacy, ministry and discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by corruption, usurpation, schism and persecution : meditated in the year 1640, when the et cætera oath was imposed : written 1671 and cast by : published 1680 by the importunity of our superiours, who demand the reasons of our nonconformity / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1681
Part 2 › Chapter 1: The clearing of the state of the Question.
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.
8. That all this Church-power is to be exercised only by Gods word, managed by convincing Reason, Love and good Example, and that no Bishops or Arch-bishops have any power of Corporal Coaction; Nor should give Church Communion to any but Voluntary Consenters; nor should mix and corrupt the exercise of the Keys, with unseasonable interpositions of the Sword even in the Magistrates own hand.
9. But yet that the King and Magistrates are the Rulers by the Sword over all Pastors and their Flocks, to see that all men do their duties, and to regulate them by Laws about holy things, subserviently to the Kingdom and Laws of Christ, and in consistence with the preservation of the Office of the Ministry and real liberties of the Flocks.
10. And therefore, though we think Churchmen usually very unfit for any Magistratical Power, yet we shall obey as his Ministers any whomsoever the King shall commit any part of his power about Church matters to; and promise them due obedience as such.
And so you see what is not the Question now to be debated.