of Diviìte Inflitution. 145_ the Church, we [hall willingly allow that it beadded by the Civil Magifrate, or whofoever men can agree up- on , as was before declared. If it be laid, there is yet fomething wanting to accommodate there Churches and their Rule unto the fateof the Publick Interef, and Po- litical Government under which they are placed, where- on they may be framed into Churches Diocefan and Me- tropolitical , with fuch a Rule as they are capable of; t fay (t.) That in their Original Confitution, they are more accommodated unto the Interef of all righteous Se- cular Government,than any Arbitrary moulding themun- to a pretendedmeetnefs tocomply therewithal, can attain unto. This we have proved before, and (hall farther en- large upon it, if it be required. And we find it by ex- perience, that thofe Additions , Changes, and Alterati- ons in the State, Order and Rule of the Churches, pre- tended for the end mentioned, have proved the cause of endlefs Contentions , which have no good afpe&on the publick peace, and will affuredly continuefor ever fo to be. (2.) It is granted that the Magifrate may difpofe of many outward concerns of there Churches; may im- part of his favour to them , or any of them, as he fees caul ; may takecare that nothing falls out among them that may occafion any publickdifurbance, in and by it- felf; may prohibit the publick exercife of Worship Ido- latrous or Snperffitiosrs ; may remove and take away all Inftruments and Monuments of Idolatry; may coerce,re- irain, and punifh, as there is occafion, perlons who un- der pretenceof Religion, do advance Principles of sedi- tion, or promote any Forreign Interef, oppofireand de- ftrutive to his Government , the welfare of theNation, and the Truth of Religion; with lundry things of the like nature. And herein lies an ample field, wherein the Magifrate mayexercife his power,and difchargehis duty. V it
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=