Owen - BX5085 O84x 1681

(2Y) his Enemies, and were themfelves Enemies unto him in their Minds. He could not thereforehave aSovereignRight un- to their Difpofal, but by a double Conquer; namely, firft of their Enemies, by his Power : and then of themfelves by his Word, his Spirit and hisGrace. And this twofold Con queft ofhis, is fully defcribed in the Scripture. Whereas therefore there is aDifpofal of theTenons, that are to belong unto this Church-State, as unto their Souls , Confciences, and all the eternal Concernments of them, by an indifpenfible Moral Obligation to a compliance therewith- al ; until mencanmanifer that they have fuchaRight andTitle over others, and that either by the efpecial Grant and Do, nation of God the Father, or -a Purchafe that theyhavemade of them unto themfelves, or Conquell; they are not to be efteemed to have either Right or Title to inritute any thing that belongs unto this Church State. And it is in vain pre- tended (as we thall fee more afterwards) that Chrift indeed. bath appointed this Church-State in general; but that he bath appointed noparticular Form ofChurches,or their Rule;. but left that unto the Difcretion and Authority of men, as they think meet, when they have outward Power for their Warranty. But if by thefe particular Appointments- and Framings of Churches with their Order,. men are difpofed of, as unto their fpiritual concernments, beyond the Obliga tionof the Light of Nature;or the moral Law. We muff yet enquire, who gave them this Right and Title to make this difpofal of them. 2. Authority; As Right and Titlerefpe& the Perfons of men to be reduced into a new form of Government, fo Au- thority refpe&s the Rules, Laws, Orders, and Statutes to be made, prefcribed and eflablithed, whereby the Trivi- ledges of this new Society are conveyed, and the Duties of it enjoyned unto all that are taken unto it. Earthly Poten- tates_ who will difpofe of men into a State and Government abfo--

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