P A B. T IL ReverendMr., Richard Baxter: 251 § 26. Whether Diocefanes be a lawful Authority as claiming Spiritual Govern. ment, and how far Men may own them even in lawful things, are Cbntroverfies to be elfewhere managed. We juftify no Man's leaving his Miniftry upon theRe- fufalofany thing but what he judgedunlawful, yea, and what was really fo §a7. Whether any Offence weregiven ( thoughnot enough to warrant Separation) let our Argumentationson both fides declare. The faid Declarationof theChurch= . es Senfr is not the fmalleft part of the Scandal. Calling a humane Sacrament, in. dsfferent, or no Sacrament; proveth it not to be as it is called. That the Nonconfor- milts were the Caufe of Separation, who did molt against it, is eafily raid, and as eafily proved as the Arrians proved that the Orthodox were the caute of theSchifm of the Luciferanswho feparated from the Church for receiving the alrrians too eafi- ly to Communion. § at. Church Mattersin this much differ from Civil Matters; and its one thing tochange a Church Cullom when it dangerouhy prevaileth to corrupt MensUn- derstandings, and another thing when there is no fuch Danger. So Hezekiah thought when he deltroyed the Brazen Serpent, andPaul (who before circgmcifed Timothy) when he Paid, If ye be circumcifed ChrifI /ball profit, you nothing. Could Men haveforefeen that the Primacy of the BilhopofRome in the imperial Church= es, would have been fublimated tofuch a challenged Supremacyover all the Chrt- ftian World, we fuppofe the Ancients would have.held it their Duty tohave remo- ved thePrimacy' to tome other Seat. 29. According toyour Council, will you be judged of God ? The Not-abating of the Impofstions is the carting offOf many hundreds of your Brethren out of the Miniftry, and of many thoufand Christians out of your Communion : But the abating of the Impofitions, will (ooffend you, as to silence or excommunicate none of you at all : For e. g. we think it a Sin to Subfcribe, or fwear canonical Obedi- ence, or ufe the transient Image of the Crofs in Baptifm,- and therefore thefe mutt caft us out : But you think it noSin toforbear them, ifthe Magittrate abate them, and therefore none of you will be caft out by the Abatement. But it feemeth that your Charity judgeth the bare difpleafingof your Apetite to the Ceremonies, is a greater evil than the silencingand excommunicating all us, your poor'Brethren, though our Imprifoment follow : Nay, this is not all; For your Difpleafure will be only that another Man fubfcribeth not, croffeth not, etc. while you may do it your (elves as much as you pleafe. Whether the calling out of fo many Minifters and Chriftians, for fuch things do more fubferve the main ends ofpublick Government, than theforbearance would do, if you know not, we leave you to God's Convietion. As alto whetherthefe things be well impofed, and Mens Obedience toAuthority, and thePeace of the Church, and its Uniformity or Unity, be well and juftly laid upon them : Such Conce(iì: ons indeedmight bear you out far. - Concerning particular Ceremonies. § ;o. Whythen is it not as meet that one Gefture be ufedby all in finging Pfalms or hearing Sermons? Why doth the Minifters Sand in Prayer, even in the Sacra- ment Prayer, while the People kneel? WeTpeak againli none of your Liberty in ufingeither kneeling or Holy-days, and,perhaps force of usmean to ufe both our felves ; but only befeech you, that they may benomore impofed than theancient Church impofed them, andwe desire no more; and if you reverence Antiquity, why will you not imitate it, in point ofImpofition, as well as in the thing it felf< But yet that Antiquity was againh Kneelingon the Lord's Day at, the Sacrament, and that they had but few of our Holy-days for many hundred Years, we fuppofe you are not ignorant. § ;I. It's well you have nomore tofay againitLiberty toforbear the other three Ceremonies; the more unexcufable will you be, when you silence and excommu- nicate thole that tile them not. § ;2. Arid its hrange that meaner underftandings than yours cannot fee why Men should forbear that which is not to be valued with the Churches Peace A Lyeor a falfe Subfcription, is not to be valued with the Churches Peace : And is it there- fore a Wonder to you that Men fhould fcruple them ? It is fitter Matter forthe Wonder of good Men, that after fo long Experience, thofe that will needs be the Lords and Governors in fpiritual Matters, should fo refolvedly lay the Churches L 1 Peace
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