Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

(71 ) that bath noBifhop or Moderator bath but a certain Oeconomicaldefeft, but isftilla true Church, and bath the power that other Churches have that have Bithops, p. 158. And that jure divino Presbyters have the Power of Ordaining as well as of Preaching and Baptizing, though they mutt ufe it under the Bithops infpeétion in thofe places that have Bifhops, page 164. And he is more full for the Power ofPresbyters Ordaining, and the validity of it, than any man that I nowremember. r a. The two Books of the Bohemian Government of the Waldenfian Churches, Written by Lafcitius and Commenius, contain that very Form of Government, which I think the foundelt of any that I have yet feen. r 3. TheLearned and Judicious Grotius, (before he turned toCaffänder's Grotim- and Erafmus's temperament in Religion) in his book de Imper. fum. pot. circa farra, in almoft all things fpeaketh the fame which I approve and plead for ; though hebe forforce Epifcopacy. As to the Paftoral power, it felf in whomfoever, he affirmeth it to be but Nuntiative, Declarative, Suafory, and per confenfum, and not any Imperium; Like the power of a Phyfitian, a Counfellor, and an Embaffa- dour. Chap. 4. But then by Imperium hemeaneth that which is coaflive by the Sword: And he acknowledgeth the power of the Miniftry by the Word upon Confenters, to be of Divine Inftitution, fo that they finagainft God, who do rejet it. And if the Paftors of the Church did meddle with no other power, we fhould the fooner beagreed. For mypart I take the very power of theKeys, to be no other, than a power of applying God's Word to the Confciences ofthePenitent and Impenitent, and the Church ; and a power of judgingwho is fit or unfit for Church-communion accord- ing to God'sWord, which judgment we can rootherwife execute but by the fame Word, and by forbearing or exercifing our own Minifterial allions to the perfon: (As a Phyfitian may refufe to Medicate the un- ruly.) In chap: 6. He fpeaketh juftly of the Princespower (as in the former.) And fohedoth chap. y. of the ufe andpower of Synods or Councils. Chap. 8. He well vindicateth the Magiftrate, and denyeth to the Church or Bifhops, the Legiflative power, circa farra : and- lheweth. that Ca- nons are notproper Laws. Chap. 9. He fheweth:the Jurifdielion, properly focalled, belongeth to the Magistrate, andnot to the Paftors as fuch, (Thoughofold they might be alto Magiltrates.) He lheweth that the ufe of the Keys is called J`urifdiftion, but by the faine figure by which Preaching is called Legiflation (which is true as to the Declaration who is bound: or loofe, in fore cali; but Paflors. more properly judge who is to be taken into Church-communion or excluded.) The.

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