Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

( 94) when theygoagainft, they go beyond, andagainft the peoples content. As in choofingParliament men, we do not truft them to choofe husbands and wives and Mailers and fervants for all the people : Nor can we commit that trial ( for the choice of our Religion or Church ) to others ftatedly, which Gods Word and Nature have bound us to ufe our felves. Or if fuck mifchoofe for us, they difoblige us from accepting their choice. I am furethe Papifts thinknot that they choofe Parliament mentochoofe a Church for them; Nor would the Prelatifts think fo, ifthe Parliament (hould prove Presbyterian, Independent, Anabaptifts, or Papifts. 3. The Diocefedoth notfignifieConfenttoaChurch relation, bythe Church- wardens or accufed perlons coming to the Chancellors or Bithops Courts. For a. It is but a lmali number comparatively that do lo. 2. They are compelled , and are well known to come full forely againft their wills : Theyare undone if they refufe : And fubmiftion and patience, are not fub- TeEtion nor confent. 3. They moll commonly profefs to come to thefe Courts in obedience to the King, and as they are empowered by him, and flrengthened by his (word : And not at all asChurch-Paftors empowered by Chrift : For who taketh the Chancellor tobe fuch ? 4. The appearance of the Clergy at the Bithops Vifitation , and their Conformity, is noproof of the peoples content. For the Minifters arediftin6 perlons, and have adiftinó intereft, andare no way empowered tofigñifie the peoples content. 5. Yea, they thew their diftent, ;. By being fo backward to be made Church-wardens : 2. So backward to take their Oaths : 3. So backward to prefent : 4. Sobackward to appear at theirCourts. g. Doing it on a civil account as obeying the Kings Officers. 6. So few of them ever coming to a Bishop to be in[irufted, refolved, yea or for the ceremony of Confirma- tion. So that the people can never be proved to content to a Diocefane Church State. And ifthey had, that is not the fame as a content to a Congregational or ParifhChurch State. 3. The fame I need not fay over again as to the DiocefaneBi(bop, Chan- cellor and Archdeacon : They content to the Parifh Minifters where they are tolerable, by word or daily attendance in Godsworthip : But I know England fowell as that I know that as they never choofe their Bithops, or Chancellors, ( but the King choofeththem, and a Dean and a few Prebends proforma. con- Pent) fo theyare never called to exprets their content, nor do any confidera- ble part ofthe Diocefe ufually content indeed ; Come never mind filch matters : others fay, the King may put in whom he will ; it is no act of theirs : others had rather have a good one than á bad one,but had rather yet have none at all, cfpccially oflate lince fo many hundred Minifters are lilenced.A0d fome would have Bithops to filence the Minifters, and force are for them on a better ac- count. But it's no confiderablepart of the Diocefe that fignitieth Confent. And as for the formal demand to the ttanders by at the Confecratión, whether any

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