A27066:83
Mr. Baxter's vindication of the Church of England in her rites and ceremonies, discipline,…
Mr. Baxter's vindication of the Church of England in her rites and ceremonies, discipline, and church-orders as faithfully taken out of his own writings, without either false citation, or fraudulent alteration : to which is prefixed his epistle to the non-conformists, being a just and true abstract of his book entitled, A defence of the principles of love.Mr. Baxter's vindication of the Church of England in her rites and ceremonies, discipline, and church-orders as faithfully taken out of his own writings, without either false citation, or fraudulent alteration : to which is prefixed his epistle to the non-conformists, being a just and true abstract of his book entituled, A defence of the principles of love.
London: printed for Walter Kettilby, 1682
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.
10. The Oath of Priests and Deacons for Canonical Obedience to their Diocesan.
Christian Directory, Cases Ecclesiastical. Q. 122.
The old Non-conformists, says he, who thought the English Prelacy an unlawful Office, yet maintained that it is lawful to take the Oath of Canonical Obedience, because they thought it was imposed by the King and Laws; and that we swore to them not as ⟨p. 29⟩Officers, claiming a divine right in the Spiritual Government, but as Ordinaries or Officers made by the King, to exercise so much Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction under him, as he can delegate. —And if Prelacy were proved never so unlawful, no doubt but by the Kings command we may swear, or perform formal Obedience to a Prelate, as he is the King's Officer. Thus Mr. Baxter; though in Plea this is in the enumeration of those things which he says it is sinful to conform to. And here note that this concession of Mr. Baxter speaks it lawful to swear Obedience, not only to the Bishop, but also to the Chancellor, to the Bishop's Officials, &c. because they are the Kings Officers: though the Oath of Canonical Obedience requires no such thing, but to the Bishop only and his chief Ministers.
The old Non-conformists, says he, who thought the English Prelacy an unlawful Office, yet maintained that it is lawful to take the Oath of Canonical Obedience, because they thought it was imposed by the King and Laws; and that we swore to them not as ⟨p. 29⟩