Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

rhe:;preface: And dothey not then take Cbrill for their Capital enemy .? becaufe they are enemies to humility , mortification and theCrofs, Phil. 3. i 8. ( To croß bearing not to crof making.) The Papifls think that Greg. the feventh that took down Princes was the molt glorious inflrument of the Churches exaltation : And by turning all to corporeal Glory, they lofe hearts, and deftroy the fouls whom they profefs to fave. And having firflcorrupted G O V XNM"ENT from the Primitive fimplicity, and made Princes their Lars (asGrotiws fpeaks in that excellent Epiflle newly tranflated by Mr.:Barkf= dale,) they next corrupt D QCTXINE, and WOXSHIP confequently. For TDR .ÁNTS mull have their Wills in every thing : andnumerous and needlefsLaws and Canons mull be made to fliew their power and fulfil their wills, that they may be Law-givers and a Rule to all the World. And when they havemade aTeeming Necef?ity of doingthings unneceffary, then to plead the Necefity which they have made, is the fumm of all their arguments. And they that are againfl/}rift and precife adhering to the Scriptures, or obfervanceof Gods owncommands, are yet fo firi& for obedience to their proud imperious wills,that they perfwade themfelvesand others, that without it there canbe no order, no unity, no peace, but rebellion and confufion : And fo they cry up Obedience,Obedience, thattheirIdol wills may be bowed to by all without controul ; And when they are meer Ufúrpers, and ufe no Power given them by God, they yet get the advantage of making all odious that obey them not in the leafl and greateft matters, by the names of /chifm, unrulinef or filch like. O fay the Papal Ufurpers, [TheChurch mull be obeyed, or there willbe noorder : DiJobedience in fmall matters is no fmall fin] when they have fet up an Idol poweragainfi ChriPt; asif todfobey him, whole Laws they make void by their Traditions and Ufurpations, were a leffer fault. And when they have departed as far from the Chrillian fimpli- city, in Doflrine, Government andWorfhip, as their voluminous Councils and Decretals, and Miffals differ from the ancient timple Chriflianity, and have made as many fnares and en- gines to divide and tear the Church of Chrift as there are noxi woo (that I fay notNeedlef) Laws, Canons, andDecrees impofed as neceffary to peace and concord, then no mens mouths are moreopened again$ /eh/ fin, when they have unavoida- bly caufed it, yea are the greatefl fchifmaticks ; And _no men

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