Baxter - BX1765 B39 1691

/ der an impoffible and non~exifient unifying and governing Power. 3· That which may be proved a Duty out of God's Word, was fuch before any Pope or Coun– cil made Laws for it. ·So that if their Commands herein are any more than declarative, and f!]bfer– vient to God's Laws (as the Crying of a Procla– mation, or as aJufl:ices Warrant,) God bath fore– flailed them by his Laws, and theirs come too late. , And i.f all the Power that Councils or Biiho ps have as to Legiaation, be to make Laws unm;ce f- ,fary to Salvation, it were to be wifhed they had never made thofe that are hinderances to Sal va– t ion, and fee the Churches together by the Ears, and hav'e diviaed them thefe i 2oo Years and more. Surely our Engliib Canons 5, 6, 7, 8, which Excommunicate fo many fait hful Chri– fiians-, do much hinder Salvation, if they be not neceffary to it. But it's apparent that ·they take their Laws to be )JecefTary to Salvation ; 1. Who fay All are Schifmaticks that obey them not; and that fuch Schifinaticks are Mortal Sinners in a fiate ofDam- - nation.They that make their Canonical Obed.lence neceffary to avoid Schifm," and that neceffary to · Salvation, make the' faid Canonical Obedience neceffary to Salvation. But, &c. z. And one would think that they that tor .. rnent, .and burn Men , and lilence Miniilers for not obeying their Canons, made them heceifary .to Salvation.. The 34th Article faith, That ["every Particu~ ' "lar or .l\7ational Church luath Authority to Or– ,, dain, Change, or Aboltijh Ceremonies or Rites - " f . 0 . \ > •

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