PA a r II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. ti974 to. Though it be not of nece[íity, yet would it be of greatconveniency and are, if the Magiftrate would be with us, or appoint ibme SSuhftímte; totepreferat him in all our Affemblies, chat he may be a ithefs. of our Proceedings, and fee that we do no wrong to the Commonwealth, and avoid all Sufpicions that may he occafioned by Rumors : But principally that he may fee how far it is meet for, him in any cafe to fecond us by his Power. For as in many cafes the Power of the Magiftrate ought to be ufed to fecond the Miniftry (as to relirain, Men frompub- tithing damnable Herches, from difturbingthe Churches Peace, &c.) fo wechink it a vile abufe. of Magiftrates to require them, to be the sneer, Executioners of our Sentences, and to punilh Men only becaufè we have Excommunicated thorn, before he know the jultnefs of the caufe. As the Church or rMinillers are Judg- es, when the Queftion is [whether (uch a Man isto beavoided,rejeeted, or excom- municatedfor Herefie or any Sin? ] [oche Magiftrate only is Judge when the Que- (lion is [whether he be to be corporally punifhed for Herdicor any Sin? ] and thereforehe mutt know the caufe. rr. As thofe Neighbour-Minifers that live at convenient Diffance for, filch Communion, (horrid hold fach Affociations as aforefaid, fo the Communion of Chriftians and Pa(lors in fpecial being tobeextended as far as natural andnaortalea- pacity will permit, it is meet that there be for more extenftveCommunion,.- fonse more general Affemblies of theMinihers, to be held by the Delegatesof there Al fociations, for matters that are of more general Concernment; yea, and t,:d by Meffèngers and Letters we hold futh correfpondency with the Churches of Chrih abroad, as is neceffary to promote the common Caufe, and the Love and Cpm- amnion of the Saints. ta. If thefe Affociations Ihould attempt any thing unjult and injurious to the Commonwealth, or a corrupt Majorityfhould grow in time to countenance either Ilerefy or Ungodlinefs,or theyfhould by Contentionsamong themfelves difturb the Peace of the Churches, and divide them, and fall a railing at, or excommunica- ting perfonately one another ; it is here the Magihrates Duty to hates pofe, and re- prehend, andcorre& them, and difplace the unworthy, and fet all in joint again by Violence, and Retire the. Peace of Church and State. And neither Pope,. Pre- late, nor Council fhould take this Work upon them which is his. And therefore Magihrates fhould be Wife and Holy, and fit for to great a Charge as they un- dertake. It muff be frill noted that allthis waswhen Dioceseswere pat down, and few tawany probability of reftoring them, and many religious Perfons drearued fach a Reflo- ration. 4 io. When Crornwell's Fa&ion were making him Prote&or, they drew up a Thing which they called [ The Government ofEngland, etc.) Therein they de- termined that all Should have Liberty or free Exercife of their Religion, who pro- feffed Faith in God by f efua Cbrifi]. After this he calleda Parliament , which Ex- amined this Initrument of Government; and when they came to tholè words, the Orthodox Party affirmed, That if theyflake de re, andnot denomine [ Faith in God by f efels Chrlft ] could contain no leß than the Fundamentals of Religion : whereupon it was pm-poled that all fhouldhavea due meafure of Liberty who profeffed the Fun- damentals. Hereupon the Committee appointed to that Bufnefs were required to nominate certain-Divinesto drawup in terminis the Fundamentals of Religion ; to be as a Teh in this Toleration. TheCommittee being about Fourteen, named e- very one his Man: TheLord Broghill (afterEarl of.Orery, and Lord Prefdent of Manfìer, and oneof his Ìvlajelly's Privy Council) named the Primate of Ireland, Archbilhop Ufber: When he (becaulè of his Age and Unwillingnefs to wrangle with fuck Men as were to join withhim) had refufed the Service, theLord Brog- hill nominated me in his Stead : Whereupon I war tent for up to London: But be- fore I came the refi had begun their Work, and drawn up fome few of thePro- pofitions which they called Fundamentals: The Men that I found there were, Mr. Marfh 1, Mr. Reyner, Dr. Cheynell, Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, Mr. Nye, Mr. Sydraarb Sympfon, Mr. Vines, Mr. Manton, and Mr. Jacomb. 4 q r. I knew how ticklith a Bufinefs the Enumeration ofFundamentals vai, and of wharvery ill Confequence it would be if it were ill done; and how unfatisfa- itorily that Quellion [What are your Fundamentals? ] is ufually anfwered to the Papihs. My own Judgment was this, that we mull diflinguilh between the,Srn/ë ( or matter) and the Worth;; and .that it's only the Senfe that is.primarily áttd,pro- perly
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