Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

Memoranda for (i1Jil GowrnQurs. All theft I pr<tumit, fave only that I !hall venture to leave a few btitf Memorandum! with Civil GovtrnourJ (in!lead of Directions) for fccuring the lntereft of Chrill and the Church and mens fal– vation : Yet atfuring the Reader that I omit none of this out of any cont(mpt of the matter or of Magifiracy, or as if I thought them not worthy ofall our Prayers and Affi!lance, or thqught their office of linall concernment, to the welfare of the world and of the Church; but for thofe Reafons, which all may know that know me and the Government under whieh we live, and which I mull not tell to others. CHAP. II. · Memorandum's to [i1Jil rJ\!Ilers for the intereft of C!Jrift, tl;e (/;llrck, and mms Sal1Jatio11. 5 §·I· Mtmor.r. REmember that your power is from God, and therefore for God, and not a~ain/l Memor• I• God)Rom 13. 2~ 3, 4· You arc hH Mmifleri, and can have no powtr excrpt u ~t Fmis ad quem , given you from above, Joh. 19· 11· Remember therefore that as Conftablu are Rcx ~nndpa· your offictrs and fuhJeOI, fo you are the officers and fubjefJJ of God, and the Re- h,er mtendere: deeroer ; and arc infi~ite1y more bdow htm, than the Iow~fi fubJcd: is below yo~ : And th~t you ~;~ti~f~~~~ owe him more obcdJcncc, than can be due to you: And therefore !hould fiudy hts La.w!ii ( m Na.. diti$ e!l Z:er.: ture and Scripture ), and makr:thcm your daily medit~tionand· delight. Jnfh. r. 3, +• 5· Pfal. 1. 2d· na b~ui~udo~ Vtut. 17· 18, 19, 20. And remember how firict a JUdgement you mufi und·ergo when you mufi qu~mv1fio.ne give account of your Srewardfhip; and the greater have been your dignities and men:ics, if they arc re' ~o~~na. abufed by ungodlincfs, the greater will be your punifhmcnt, Luk..: 16. 2. & 12. 48. v{fi~u~fl~e~ .. fed:iflimum bonummaximt movere debet Regem & quem:unq; pominum, ut hun~ finem fubditi confequ?ntur. Lib. tit R~gim. ~ri~tcipum 'lb6>11tt 4i~ fcripr•. Gr~r. de Imprr.fum. Pot. P·9· Even Ari,P~tlt could fay PoUt. ,. c. '·' 1. & Eu~em.fo:e. that each rn:ans aChve:1nd contemp!a– rive life, JS cbeend ~f Goven:uneot ~nd not only the pubhck ~eace =. ;md cha' that: ts.tht ~c(\ hfe whtch conducetb moft to out confidcr2t1on of God, and tbar •s che worH, whiCh calleth us ofl: from con!ldcnog and worlhipmg h1m. Pide Gror. tit Imptr.f•m· Pot. p. 1o. Quam mu.lta jnjuA~fieri poffwtt, quz nemo poffir reprehen.dere. cimodefol. Read P/Nt11.rts Ppctpt; of Policy, and that Old men (b~uld b~ [{ulm. §• 2· Memorand. 2• Remember therefore and watch moll carefully, that you never own or efpoufe any Memor. 2• lnte.reft which is adverfe to the Will or lntercfi of Chrift: and that you never faD ottt with his inttrejl Rea:d often or his ordinattceJ ; and that no temptation ever per(wade you that the lntcrefi of Chrift and the Go- ~fl\m 2' & fpcl and the Church, is an. tncmy to yoH, or againft your real inttrtjl: and that yeu keep not up fufpi~ a m 10 !.· cions agtinfi them : But fee that you devote your felvt:s and your power wholly to his Will and Service, and make all your intereft fta.nd in a pure fubfervience to him, as it fiands in a real depcn~ dance on him. §. 3• Memorand. 3• Rtmembcr _rhat under God, .your End is the pub/Nk._good: Therefore dtfire Mtmoro 3• Jtothing to your felves, nor do mtbmg to others, winch IS really agamfi your Er~d. ~· 4· MemtJrand. 4· Remember therefore that all your Laws are t0 be but ·fubfervicnt to the Laws trlemor. 4• of God, to promote the obedience pf them with your Subjtd:s, and never to be either contrary to them, nor co-ordinate, or indeptHdant: on them: But as the BJ LarPJ of Corporations arc in rcfpect to the Laws and will of the foveraign power ; which hne all their Life and power thcrefrom. §. S· Mcmoran3. 5• Let none perfwade you that you arc fuch terrefirial animals that have nothiog Memor; S· to do with the I:tc..vcnly concernments of your fubje:as: :For if once men think that the tnd of your office is only the bodily profpcrity of the people, and the EnJ of the Minifiry i; the good of their fouls, it will tempt them to prefer a Minifier before you as they prefer their fouls before their · bodies: And they that are raught to contemn thde earthly things, will be ready to think they mull contemn your office ; fccmg no means as fUI;:h nn be better th-an the end. There is no fuch thing as a temporal Happinefs to any people, but what tendcth to . the happincf• of their fouls; and mull be thereby meafured, and thence be eHimated. Though Minificrs arc more immed'iately employed obout the foul, yet your nffice is ultimattly for the happinefs of fouls as well as theirs ; though bodUy thi11g1 (rewards or punilhmcnts) arc the means by which you may promote it, which MiniClers ?S {uch miy not meddle wirh. Therefore you are cHftodes utriufq; tabHle, and mufi bend the force ofall yourGovernmcnr,tothe,favingof thepc:oplcsfouts. And as to the objet'lion from Hrathen R adBi/fin GovernourJ, diClinjSuilh between the Offia, and an Aptitudt to exercife it; The Office confificth, J, In 0 fej 14 bjea. an ObJig:ztiOH to do the du1y , 2. And in .Authority to do it : Both thefe a Heathen Ruler bath (elfe p. 1:9. to the the omitfion were a dury and not a.fin). But it is the Aptilmle to do the duty of his place which ft::~l ;~;r: rpecia\iy ·p. Iio, 14r, 141. rhe L'ws of Cb.1.rlu the Great. And GJtl}tt1 de 111p:ri~Jh. PO:. circ.t{"-tr;t '"-?· 1. & p« &~1:111n. B b b b b b b a Heathen

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