Rulers, being the great caufeofVeneration in the Peo ple) efpecially fuch as had a Succefíion one unto ano- ther by a Natural Defient through Divine Appointment, as thePreifts had under the Law, or as unto thole whom On the account oftheir Worth, Ability, .aud Fitnefs for the work of the Miniftry among them, they do chocfé themfe/ves, they may do well to confider, who are con- cerned. The neceflìty there is of maintaining á Repu- tation and Intereft by fècular Grandeur, Pomp and Power; of Ruling the People ofthe Church in Church Matters by external force , with manyother Inconve- niences, do all proceed from this Order of things, or rather diforder, in the Call of men unto the Miniftry. Andhence it is that the City of God and the People of Chrift therein, which is indeed the only tritefree Society in the World,have Rulers in it and over them,neither by aNatural Right of their own, asinPaternal Government nor by hereditarySuccefíion,nor byEle&ion,nor by any wayormeanswherein their own çanfeer, t is included,but are under a Yoke of an ImpofitionofRulers on ther,above anySociety on the Earth whatever. Betides there is that Relation between the Church and its Guides, that no Law, Order, or Conftitution can create without their mutual voluntary Confent. And therefore this Right and Liberty of the People in every Church to chooj their ownSpiritual Officers., was for many Ages preferv- ed facredly in the primitive times. But hereofthere is no fhadow remaining in our Parochial Churches ; fìzndry Perlons, as Patrons, and Ordinaries, have a concur- ring Intereít into the inipoling of a Minifter, or f tch whom they efteem fo, upon any fuch Church, without the Knowledge, Confent, or Approbation of the Body ofthe Church, either defired or accepted. If there be F f any
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