Baxter - BT767 B28 1662

PartTI. Jt SAint 1r aBrutl~ . tJ;x· to obey them againfi the Pope : fo Senates and Parliaments and the Majority ofrhe States men and Lawyers may ~ell t~e pt"ople that are unaequainted with fuch Law· care,, that m thts or that they are bound to obey them, upon bighe!;t penalties, and that they thall recei~e to themfelve~ comifmnat~on if they refill: them; and fo may mtilead fucb as mtend nothmg but to obey th~ higher powers for Con~cience fak7. And though th~ errour and commands of Connctls and Parhaments e,;cufe not a totfJ a.n i1literate Laicke that onderfl:andeth not thofe-mau:ers, yet furely " tanto it is fome excufe. . And fometimeoppreffion rnaketh a wife man mad, Ecclcf.J·1: And fomctime impatience prcvaileth with the weak to do things - unwarrantable: &humane paffiol'). blindeth,Reafon : & fometime Temptations prevail in this a'S in other cafes: And fometimes Hy– pocrites, that never had any true Religion, do fhew tteir carnal difpofitions, and unmortified lufl:s and paffions and .1ride, by their rebellion againfl: their lawful Governours: and then Re– ligion mufi bear the blame of the actions ofthofe that co~tt terfeit Religion : and of thofe crimes which it dorh mofi probibite and condemn. In a word,Be theaccufation againfl: any particular perfon jufl: or lJnju!t, nothing is more fure and dear then that he is mofi unju!l: that will ~barge the Chrifiian Religion as guilty of Countenan– cing any Rebellions, Confpiracies,fedition, difobedience, fatlion or divifions·, Chrifi went before us in his own example eo pay tribute to (afar : and commanded us to give to Ctttfar the things that are C~fars : and their falfe accuting him and fOn– dernning him as an offender againft c~[~tr, did no whit move him from th~ duty of his ftate of humiliation. What can be more againfi all Treafon and pertidionfnefs, then that holy doCtrine which commandcrh us the cxactefl performance of every Iawftd promift\IDLich more ofour Oaths,and duties of Allegiance? what can be more againfl: Rebeiiions then that holy doCtrine wh'i£h teacheth us a life of patience and meeknefs, condemning pri- . vate revenge, and commanding us rather eo turn the ocher cheek to him that fmiteth us, and ro give ,our coat to him that taketh away our cloak, and go two miles wirh him that would compell us to go one, that is, to fuffer yet more, rather then revenge our ~el~es or break peace, or order, or raife wars, to efcape fuch in– JUr.t~s ? le is at:racifi~d Chrifl: that conquereQ by futfering 1 that Z i. ' · is

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