Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

(HO- ) Ilifiorians tell us, that of old this praecire varied as a thing indifferent, Parr, e'en in feveral Countries according to their feveral cuflomes, which had no et/ in ea Law of God for them, andtherefore were not accounted necetîary. krbeba 18. Our EnglifhBithops have been for themolt part of another mind her, fedin till Dr. Hammond and others turned this wayoflate : Not only jewel, Meredinai Bilfon ,- and many others have afferted that Pátriarks , Metropoli. ripam cho- tans and Primates, and fuch.like are of human right, and mutable, but bar; in.f- few ifany were found heretofore to contradict them. And at this day 4cto- powm,a: many Billions ordinarily dwell intheir Countryhoufes, (As the Bithop lot. ,of,Lincolnedid at Bugden, the:Bithopof Coventreeand Lichfield, (former. Scaliger ) at Ecclefhall Cattle ; theBithopof Chefter (now) at Wigan, and fo Animad. -of others). And I think that is the Bifhops Seat where ufual.ly his pat 211. dwelling is, and not where a Lay - Chancellor keepes a Court, or wherea Dean and Chapter dwell whoare no Bithops. 19. Therehave (as Dr. Hammond bath well proved).; been of old feveral Churches in one City ; one of jaws andone of Gentiles, with their feveral Bithops and Clergy. Therefore -one City with its terri- tories isnot jure Divino the meafureor boundaries ofone only Church. zo. If the Church Government mutt be modelled to. the Civil, then %n every Monarchie or Empire there muff be one Univerfal Pallor to rule all the reti as there is one King: And in every Ariflocracy, there mull be a Synod of Prelates in Church Supremacy ;. and in every De- mocracy who or what But then the Papacy will be proved not only lawful, but of Divine inflitution , as the Head or Church Soveraign ofthe Roman Empire (though not of all the world) (at Rome firliand at Conftantinople after) And indeed I know no word ofrea. ion that can be given todraw an impartial man ofJudgment todoubt, but that Metropolitans, Primates, Patriarchs, and the Pope as Headofthe Churches in the Empire, Rood all on the fameground, and had the fame Original ; as all Fathers Councells and Hitïory:thew, which true- ly proveth that (as an Univerfal Papacy is a Treafonable Ufarpation, fo) anlmpe; ial Papacy (that is, through the Roman Empire) is but a human Creature, andMetropolitans, Patriarchs, &c. are the like; and they that will feigne the one to be of Gods inilitution ornecellary, mull fay that-the other is fo for But after all this, one confequence puts the world in hope that Dioce -- fans may come in time to be reformed : For fadingKingsmay make and unmake Cities, and confequentlyBithop- pricks attheir pleafine, when- ever itfhall pleafe his Wetly, or any other wife and Holy Prince, to declare every Corporationand Market Town tobea City, we mutt needs have a Bithop in everyone pf them (according to the principles of the Pxelatesthelrifelves. And then theDiocefe will not be fo great; but a di- ligent Pallor may pofrhly fometimes, fec the greater number of his flock. Gbj. Rat they that do far that the Apo les took_this cotírfi do not fly it isfo obligatorybut that in cafes of neceffitywe may da etricrnife. Alf.a,

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