A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian PoliticsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
[65] Bad people make bad governors: in most places the people are so
wilful and tenacious of their sinful customs, that the best rulers
are not able to reform them. Yea many a ruler hath cast off his
government, being wearied with mutinous and obstinate people. Plato
would not meddle with government in Athens. Quia plebs altis
institutis et moribus assueverat. Laert. in Platone. And many other
philosophers that were fittest for government, refused it on the same
account, through the disobedience of the people.
[66] Of these things see my propositions of the difference of the
magistrate's and pastor's power to Dr. Lud. Moul.
[67] The Rex sacrorum among the Romans, was debarred from exercising
any magistracy. Plut. Rom. Quest. 63.
[68] See Bilson of Subject. p. 238, 256. Princes only be governors in
things and causes ecclesiastical; that is, with the sword. But if you
infer, ergo, Bishops be no governors in those things, meaning, no
dispensers, guiders, nor directors of those things, your conclusion
is larger, &c. So p. 256.
[69] It was somewhat far that Carolus Magnus went to be actual guide
of all in his chapel in reading even in all their stops, as it is at
large declared by Abbas Usperg. Chron. pag. 181.
[70] Bishop Bilson, pag. 313. We grant they must rather hazard their
lives, than baptize princes which believe not, or distribute the
Lord's mysteries to them that repent not, but give wilful and open
signification of impiety, &c. Beda Hist. Eccles. lib. ii. c. 5,
telleth us, that Melitus bishop of London, (with Justus,) was
banished by the heirs of king Sabereth, because he would not give
them the sacrament of the Lord's supper, which they would needs have
before they were baptized.
[71] Bishop Andrews in Tort. Tort. p. 383. Cohibeat Regem Diaconus,
si cum indignus sit, idque palam constet, accedat tamen ad
sacramentum: cohibeat et medicus si ad noxium quid vel insalubre
manum admoveat: cohibeat et equiso inter equitandum adigat equum per
locum præruptum, vel solebrosum, cui subsit periculum: etiamne
medico? etiamne equisoni suo subjectus rex? Sed de majori potestate
loquitur; sed ea, ad rem noxiam procul arcendam. Qua in re charitatis
semper potestas est maxima. Here you see what church government is,
and how kings are under it, and how not, in Bishop Andrews' sense.
[72] Bilson, p. 399, saith, The election of bishops in those days
belonged to the people, and not the prince, and though Valens by
plain force placed Lucius there, yet might the people lawfully reject
him as no bishop, and cleave to Peter their pastor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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