P A ft T II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. non : and yet no Man atfirmeth that the real Bodyofallthofe Palters in. conjanfti on. is one Collective Political Head of this Church: For Parifh-Minifters. are only Heads of their feveral Parifhes ( if fo much ) but not of all the reft of the Parifh- es in the Nation, any orherwife thanof thofe in other Lands:: Wherefore it is molt evident that there is no filch thing as a Church of England in a Political For. mal fence, as it bath one Conítitntive and Ecclefiaftical Head : but only in an im- proper larger fence, either as the Paflors ofmany Churches, met in a Synod, do make binding Agreements by way of voluntary Concord and Confent ( as many Kings may do in a voluntaryMeeting, which doth not conftitute a Political So- ciety): Or elfe as they haveone accidental Civil Head ( the King : who is Head of all Religious Societies in his Dominions,. Papifls, Anabaprifts, &c.) But thefeare none of them Denominations àformâ. Ent henceitimay be noted , T. ,That as Bi- chop Ulher faid, Synods are not properly a Superiour Governing power, over the particular Bilhops, but only for voluntary Concord. z: That the Bifttops muff, againft theirwills, grant that all Parifh-Minifters are de jure Church Governoursi or elfe how come their Reprefintatives to be part of the Governing-Church, even in Canon-making for common Government (as they judge). As tor,the. Demo cratical conceit of them that fay that the Parliament hath their Governing power ar they are the Peoples Reprefentatives, and fo have the:Members of the Convoca- Lion, though thole reprefented haveno Governing power.themfelves ,: it is fo pal= pably Selfcontradi&ing, that I need not confute it. § 340. z. A fecond evil Confequence is, that by tiegleít of Difcipline (or ex- cluding it) the Vicious want that remedy which God bath provided to bring them to Repentance and Salvation: That Godhath appointed Difcipline,is'provedfrom Lev. t 9. t7. Mattb. t 8. 15, 16, 17, t8. I Car. f. Tit. T. T1.6.2. T5. ê 3. r o.: t Tim. I. 5, tf. ef, Ç. t9, zo, 21,.2x, 24. 2 Tim. g. Ç. 4. z. z Tbeff..3.6, r4. And as neglect ofPreaching, fo negledt of Difcipline tendeth. to the hardening of Sinners in their fins. And when in the Applicationof Baptifm, Confirmation, the Lord's Supper, Abfolution, and all Church Confolations to them, they arcall ufed by the Churchas pardonedSinners,' and judged to be filch (how vicious louver) they will the eaflier believe they are filch indeed, and reject all paffages in Sermons that would convince them, and all that would perfwadethemof the Neceffity of a Change. So that nodoubt many Thoufands are hindered from Conver(ion andSalvation for want ofDifcipline.' § 34.1. ;. And it tendeth to propagate the Sin, as Impunity from Magiftrates ór Parentswould do : which madethe Apoftle fay , r Cor. f. A' little leaven leavenerb the whole lump: many will be encouraged to do that which undergoeth no more cenfure. 4 ;4z. 4. It keepeth up theCredit of Sin it felt, ánd gratifieth Satan, while the Church is deprivedof the niblick Means appointedby God,for putting Sin to o- pen flumeAnd bruiting the Serpent'sHead,by a folemn Condemnationofhis Works of Darknefs. § 343. f Itdepriveth Holineßand Obedience of the honour which God bath ap- pointed for ir, by this publick differencingJudgment of the Church, whichbeing, as Terrelia,, calleth it, pr ëjudiciúmfutarijudicij, doth reprefent theJuflificationand Condemnation of that Day ; and wonderfully tend to the publickhonour of God- finds and Honelly,and confequendy to the ConverfionandEftablilhment ofMens Souls. 4344. 6. It greatly' tended) to the dilhonour of the Church by its pollution : whenas Chriftian Societies Rail be confparcatedwith. thole Vices which ate the Shame of Infidelsand Heathens ; and thofe of ourCommunion are in their Lives nobetter than the Unbelieving World': All Men will think that that is the belt So- ciety which bath the bell' People, and will judge ratherby Mens Lives than their Opinions. _. § 345.1. And hereby it greatly difhonoureth Cbrifianity it fell; and when the Church is as full of Vices as the MahomitanSocieties are, or the Heathen, it is a publick perfwading the World that our Religion is ,as falf or bad as theirs. § 346. 8. And hereby God himfelf and our blelfed Redeemer are greatly dilho. toured in the World : As his Saints are his honour, fo when the Communion of Atheifts and Prophase Perfons, and Óppre,fors and Deceivers, and Fornicatorsand Drunkards, is called by us, The Communion of Saints, it tendeth to make the Church a Scorn, and to the great of the Head of fuel/ a Bodyi and the Author of the ChellEian Faith; §347.
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