Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

(I/8) 'Profdents, the CorrOors &c. For whocan prove that one fort or tso only muff-be imitated and not others. r 5, They mull by their rule, fet up in England an inconfifient or felt' dëftroying form. For in many if not moll Counties our Lord Lieutenants , Deputy Lieutenants, and Sherifs , and moll Juftices dwell in Countrey mannors and Villages, and not in Cities. And fo. either Cities mull not be the Seatsof Blimps and Churches, or ele the Seat of Civil Government mull not be the Seat of the Ecclefiapi c 1. Ifthey fay that ßfzesand Seilions are kept in the County Towns, I anfwer. a. So Church affemblies called- Synods or Councils may be held in them, and yet not be the Eiíhops Seat.. For they are not the Judgesor Juffices Seat, becaufe,o ,,.A lizes, and ,quarterly Sciions. 2. The okfervation is notuniverfally 'bete: Yea no AiTzes or Seflions at all are therefore held in. any Town becaufeitisthéCounty Town, but becaufe it is the convenienteft placefor meeting; The choice ofwhich is left to the Judges and Juflices; who fometimes choofe the County Town, and fumetimes another, as they pleafe (As Bridgnorth in Shrop.. (hire, Alerbury (not Buckingham) 'ordinarily in Buckingbamfhire, and fc of others.,. And thefe County Towns arefewofthem either Citiesor Bith- ops Seats: As Buckingham, Hartford, Bedford, Cambridge, Huntington, Warwick, Darby , Nottingham, Sherm.rbury, Ipfwicb, Colcheffer, Lan - cafter, Flint, Denbigh , Montgomery , Merioneth, Radnor, Cardigan, Car. narvon, pembrook, Carmarthen, Brecknock, and diversothers. i6. This modelof theirs is in moll parts ofthe worldor many, quite contrary to the Intereft of theChurch: and therefore forbidden by God in Nature and Scripture, by that rule, Let the end be preferred, and the means which bell' ferve it: Let allthings be done to edification : For-in moll of theworld the Rulers are enemies to Chriflianity, and difpofed to pertcote the Paliors of the Church, therefore they will leaft endure Ec- clefiafiical Courts and Bilhops in their ImperialCities, and under their notes (aswe fay) Obj. The Romans did endure it. Ant', For all the ten perfecutions, the Romans gave ordinarily more liberty ofReligion than moll of the world doth at thisday, Bilhops and Paftors,. are glad to keepout of the wayof Infidel and Heathen Rulers. (And Ithink verily our moll Zealous Englifh Prelateswould be loath, (if they had their language) togo fet up t Church and Bifbops feat at Madrid, Vi- enna, Jngolfted, yea at Florçnce, Milan, Ravenna, Venice, Lisbnne, War- fare, &c. And if they muff needs be in thofe 'Countries, they would ra- therchofe a more private and lets ofienfive feat. . 17. I think that few Churches orBithops in the world, except the axemad Italian (if they) are of the opinion now oppo ed by me. M TheGreek die a dem ho Church is not: For though for honor fake they retain the name of the nfi qmr fermis ancient Seats, yet they ordinarily dwell in Countrey Villages. And fo ntnrioeh doth the Patriarckof Antioch himfelf often, or at leaf/ Antioch is now no 'oafedes City, of whichhe bath the name. And Socrates, and alter him other : Hiflorians

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