Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

( 13) as Paflors,are Thrall) ads ofGovernment : but as eAffembled Paftors,and alfoas to the Canons by which they bind eachother,: they a& but by confent or contra& in order to concord and communion, and not by a fuperiour Ruling power. So that Sy- nods as Synods areDiredly only Gratiâ Vnitatis & Communio- nis, and not GratiaRegiminis; but IndireCtly and by confequencc from the firft ufe, they areafter a fort Regimental. To conclude this about theNature of Church-Government,in the two former fimilitudes it isfomewhat apparent : For Chrift calls himfelf the Phyfitian that comes to heal difeafed fouls and his Church is alfoa School, and his people areall Schollars or Difciples, and Minifters his filers or under-Schoolmafters. Now the Phyfitian may prefcribe to his Patient the times, the quantities of takingMedicines, and what diet to ufe, and wham exercife in order tohis health ; and alfo Phyfitians may make a Colledge, and frequently meet for mutual Edification, and Agree what Patients to meddle with,and what not , and that theywill not receive thofe Patients that run from one toanother to their own hurt, and that they will ufe none but fuch and fuch approved Medicaments,with divers the like circumftances. But yetno Phyfitian can either compell men to be their Patients nor compell them (any otherwife then by perfwafìon) to take their Medicines when they are their Patients; nor can they corporally punifh them for any difobedience ro their dire&i ons But this theymay do : they may tell them firft that if they will not be ruled, they íhall be without the Phyfitians help, and then their defeafe will certainly kill them, or endanger. them ; and if thePatient continuefodifobedient as to frurate' the means of cure, the Phyfitianmay give him over, andbe his Phyfitian no more; and this is the Power of a Church Guide, and this is his way of punifhing: Only he may further acquaint them with a DivineCommiffion, then a Phyfician can do tohis Patient, (atloft gradually) and fo preis obedience moreeffeâu- ally on theirconferences. So a Schoolmafter may make orders forthe right circutnfan- tiating of matters in his School (fuppofing one Grammer en- joyned by fuperiour Authority,) and he may order wharAii- thors íhall be read,and at whathours, and how mulch at a time, and difpofe of the feats and orders of his Schollars : But yet if C 3 ,, he

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