0 247 Power, oi not. If not, it is not anEcclefiaflick Body Politick. And of late their difputing Doctors, plainly confefs that it hath no fuch fpecifying summa Poteffits , and fo is formally no Political G governed Church. The King's overnment of it by the Sword, which none deny, they fay, is but an Accident of it, and not Ef- fential to the Church. And fo in fum, it is but a meer Com- munity , or a voluntary Confederacy of many Churches , that make no unifying Politie. And that is, to be a Church only in a lode and not proper fence, as the Affembly at Nimeeen was a Kingdom. 3. I doubt not but Thoufands of L2y-Men , and many Dif-- fenting Miniflers , are true Parts of the Church ofEngland;. And therefore that the Convocation reprefented our part, only of that Church. 4. If they be but a Community, they can makeno Laws; but only Contrasts : Laws are only the Alts and Infruments of Rulers. Therefore we owe noObedience to them as being no Commands of Rulers , till the Civil Power make them Laws : fave as particular Paílors may make them Laws to their leve- ral Flocks. S. If they make them obligatory Church -Laws as the Ads of the Convocation, then it feems the Reprefentative Church go- verneth. the Real ; and the Presbyters in Convocation exercife a Legiflative Power , which is the higheft that Bithops can pre- tend to. 6. Thefe being left thus inuncertainty in the dark, how comes thatMan to deferve Excommunication,or be wickedly erroneous, that herein declareth his diffent. I darenot publilh fuck an Ex- communication if commanded. L. What isthe 140th Canon ? " Whofoever íhall affirm, that no manner ofPerfon, either " of theClergy or Laity , not being then particularly affembled "in the faid facred Synod, are to be fubjedt to the Decrees " thereof in Caufes Ecclefzaftical ( made and ratifyed by the " King's Majefty's Supream Authority ) as not having_ given their Voice to them , Let him be Excommunicated, and not "reftored, &c. Here craftily in a Parenthefis, they put in the Kings Autho- rity, and if they mean only his Obligation on us , no one ofus detueth it ; Dut becaufe their difputing Doctors take that butas an
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