Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

it fo, by keeping out all effectual Difcipline. Only we toad them, that it was the Prelates fin, andnot theirs that could not help ir, and that a polluted Church might be a true Church. And fo the Difciplinarian Non- Conformifls were fainby many pain- ful writings to fupprefs the fpirit of feparation, or elfe it had been like tohave overwhelmed all; Mr. john Paget, Mr. 'Brad- fhaw, Mr. Arthur Hilderfham, Mr. john Ball, Mr. Brightman, Mr. Paul Bain!, Mr. Tod, Mr. Parker, Dr. Ames , and many other fuch, were fain to make it a great part of their bufnefs, toquench the fire of feparation, which even their perfecutors kindled by the exclufon of Difcipline. And yet the fenfe of theChurches uncleannefs was fo deep in mens minds, that it had bred fuch abundance of difcontended humors, that they eafily broke out, and turned into this diforderly fwarm which we have Peen, as loon as the wars had but given them liberty. And even to this day it is the uncleannefs of our Churches, ( wherein I would the Pallors were wholly innocent) which maìntainethmuchof the feparation, among many fober godly men. For the Churches were left fo polluted by the Bithops, that inmoll places the Presbyters dare fcarce go roundly about the cure, unlefs theyhad the help of the fword, wherein yet for my part I think themdeeply finful. Argum. 4. The Epifcopacy which degradeth all the Frei- ' byters in the Diocefs, or caufeth them to fufpend the exercife of an Eff'intialpart of their Office, is not to be re/tored ,under any pretenceof right order, or peace. But fachwas the late Engl.fh Epifcopacy : therefore. I confels this is the fccond inconvenience which followeth it, which I thinkutterly intolerable, where there is any pofsibility of a remedy. TheMajor I fuppofe will be granted. For though an Office may be unexerci fed for a time on tome fpecial reafon, yet if it be fiatedly. fufpended, and that fufpenfion eflablithed by Law or Cullom, during the life of the Minifler this is plainly a deflroyìng or nullingof the Office it felf, and not to be endured. And that it is not tobe endured appeareth thus; r. Becufe abcOffice of t he Pesbyter is of Divine Inflitution, and there- fore

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=