The Preface. 5 Church Rule and Order, uponmy own Principles, he in- timates both here and afterwards, that my yudgment is that the Government ofthe Church was Democratical, and tae Po- wer ofit in the People in diflineiionfrom its Officers 5 which is a great Miftake 5 I never thought, I never wrote any filch thing. I do believe that the Authoritative *le, or Govern- ment of' the Church, was, is, and ought to be in the El- ders and Rulers of it, being an A6t of the Office-Power committed unto them by Chrift himfeif Howbeit my Judgment is, that they ought not to Rule the Church, with Force, Tyranny, and Corporal 'Penalties, or without their ownconfénr, whereofwe (hall treat afterwards. Thereare alfo other Miftakes in the fame Dikourfe which I {hall not infift upon. 3. This therefore is that which he oppofeth, namely, that there was a Deviation in various degrees, andfalling of from the Original Irfiitution, Order, andRule ofthe Church, until it ¶ued in afatal Apofla/ïe. This is that which on the prefent Occafion muff be further fpoken unto; For if this be not true, I confefs there is an end ofthis contef}, and we mutt all acquiefce in the State, Rule, and Order, that was in the Church ofRome before the Reformation. But we may ob- ferve fomething yet farther in theVindication andConfirma- tion of thisTruth,which E acknowledge to be the Foundati- onofall that we plead for inpoint ofChurch Reformation.As. r. That the Reafons andArguings of the Do6tor in this Matter, the Neceffity of his Caufe compelling him there- unto, are the fame with thofe of the Papi.fis about the A poftacy of their Church, in Faith, Order, and Worship,. wherewith they are charged ; namely, when, where, how was this Alteration made, who made oppo. tion unto it ; and . the like. When theft. Enquiries are multipiyed by thePa= pills, as unto the whole Caufes between them and us; he knows well enough how to give fatisfaFtory Anfwers unto them
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