Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

11 The Preface. Epifcopal Government, ( though not of fruiting others with the Magifirates Sword) and as much Liberty for ought I know as Presbyterians or Independents have (though not fomuch countenance) And how comes it topats that the othermodes ofGovernment are commonly exercifed uponweer Liberty, andyours t net ? Is it becaufeyou have no confidence in any Arm but fie(h ? Ifyour Epifcopal Power be ofDivine appointment, why may you not trufl to a Divine afsifiance as well as others, thatyou think are not ofGod ? 1 fit can do nothing without the Sword, let the Sword do all without it, and retain its proper honour. If it can do lefs onvoluntary Subjec`t`s, then other ways of Church-government cando, fay fo, and confefs it mots in- firm, andgiveplace to them. But ifyours havemoll Au- thority from Chrifl,andfpiritualforceupon the Corafcience, exercifeit, and let usfee it by experience ; or elfe expet' not that any fhoruldbelieve you, er takeyou to be refolute fervants ofchrifi, and true toyour Miniffry.. But perhapsyouwill fay, that youcannot have Commu- nionwithus, becaufe weare fchifmaticks For fo muchBP Ufher bimfelfBothfeem to charge us with.] TO which 1 anfwer, i . BP Ufher chargeth nonewith Schifm, but thole that cafi of Bi/hops to whom they hadfworn obedience. But if 1 mayjudge ofother Counties by this, there are fo few ofthofe,that they can affordyou nopretence of fcruple againfl the Communionofour e.Affemblies. I knownot (to my remembrance) ofone ctinifler in thú County liable to this charge : but moll never (wore to them, and the rift hadno hand in their exclufton. 2. Whoever among us dideither fwear to, or difobey fuckBt(hops as BithopUfher thereaffureth us were the Bithops of the antient Churches ? If theyfet up another ( intolerable) fort in head of the Bithops. whichbe himfel f requireth, fudge whether it were agreaterfin to (wear to them,or to difobey them. 3, LAnd the

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