Durham - BV4615 D87 1732

to the Reader. , xi fill', men. That we be /ubjeft to principalities and powers, and obey magrflrates. And that Tit. 3. r. fill of all, fupplications, and prayers, and inter- i Tim. 2 cefons, and giving of thanks, be made for all i, 2. men : For kings, and all that are in authority, ï. that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in ail godlinefs and bonefly : Cheerfully allowing to them all that the fcriptures of the old and new teftaments, and the confef- fions of faith of the reformed Churches of Chrift, allow unto them : And, whoever have taught, or held, or do teach, and hold the contrary, whatever be their preten- lions and profeflioris, are not only, not true preshyterherns, but,in fo far, not true protell ants , yea, not true Chriflians ; but the difgrace, fhame and reproach of presbytery, prote- flanifm, and Chriflianity, fo far as in them lies .; for their way hath a manifeft tendency to faften fuch unwor- thy imputations on thefe interefts, tho' they can caufe no inherent blemifhes in them, no more than fogs and mitts can do in the fun, albeit they may eclipfe and obfcure its glory. Let us make the fuppofition, that the apoftles of our Lord had taught fuch dottrine, as force very few, one or two, have of late taught,, and do ftill teach (which yet we cannot with any íhadow of truth make; for thefe di- vinely and infallibly infpired perlons could teach no fuch do&rive) what ground of jealoufy and prejudice would it have given to all the fecular powers of the world a- gainit the gofpel of Chrift ; as if the defign of it had been to ruine all civil authority, and to inftigate its dif- ciples to root out all civil magiftrates and rulers? How would it have let them on, and not without force rea- fon, with implacable fury to have, by all means, Rifled the gofpel- chriftian Church, in the very infancy and cradle thereof ? Whereas, the do&rive of Chrift and his apoftles teaching. no filch thing, but molt clearly, convincingly and fully, the contrary ; it made the civil powers their perfecuting its profeffors utterly inexcu- fable,' and their fufferings by them to be truly glorious. And it is worthy obefervation, that the time wIIrein our Lord Chrift, and his apofties, Paul and Peter, gave thefe fore - mentioned commands and inftru &ions to Chri- ftians, relating to their duty to the fuperior civil pow- B 3 ers

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