A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian PoliticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
_Answ._ There is no reason of scruple to him that understandeth,
1. That the title causes ecclesiastical is taken from the ancient
usurpation of the pope and his prelates, who brought much of the
magistrate's work into their courts, under the name of causes
ecclesiastical. 2. That our canons, and many declarations of our
princes, have expounded it fully, by disclaiming all proper pastoral
power. 3. That by governor is meant only one that governeth
coercively, or by sword; so that it is no more than to swear That in
all causes ecclesiastical, so far as coercive government is required,
it belongeth not to pope or prelates under him; but to the king and
his officers or courts alone: or, That the king is chief in governing
by the sword in causes ecclesiastical as well as civil. So that if you
put spiritual instead of ecclesiastical, the word is taken materially,
and not formally; not that the king is chief in the spiritual
government, by the keys of excommunication and absolution, but that he
is chief in the coercive government about spiritual matters, as before
explained.[68]
_Quest._ III. Is not this to confound the church and state, and
to give the pastor's power to the magistrate?
_Answ._ Not at all; it is but to say that there may be need of
the use both of the word and sword against the same persons, for the
same offence; and the magistrate only must use one, and the pastors
the other. An heretical preacher may be silenced by the king upon pain of
banishment, and silenced by the church upon pain of excommunication.
And what confusion is there in this?
_Quest._ IV. But hath not the king power in cases of church
discipline, and excommunication itself?
_Answ._ There is a magistrate's discipline, and a pastoral
discipline. Discipline by the sword, is the magistrate's work;
discipline by the word is the pastor's work. And there is a coercive
excommunication, and a pastoral excommunication. To command upon pain
of corporal punishment, that a heretic or impenitent, wicked man shall
forbear the sacred ordinances and privileges, a magistrate may do; but
to command it only upon divine and spiritual penalties, belongeth to
the pastors of the church. The magistrate hath power over their very
pastoral work, though he have not power in it, so as to do it himself.
Suppose but all the physicians of the nation to be of divine
institution, with their colleges and hospitals, and in the similitude
you will see all the difficulties resolved, and the next question
fully answered.[69]
_Quest._ V. Seeing the king, and the pastors of the church, may
command and judge to several ends in the same cause, suppose they
should differ, which of them should the church obey?
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