A26965:93
The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…
The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written to reconcile and pacify such as by mistaking them hinder love and concord / by Richard Baxter.The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written to reconcile and pacifie such as by mistaking them hinder love and concord / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Benj. Alsop, 1679
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sect. XII. By this it followeth, that 1. the office of a subject Presbyter that was no Bishop was not in being (that can be proved) in Scripture-times. 2. That no Bishop had more than one worshipping assembly at once: For all Christians assembled for worship on the Lords days, and their worship still included somewhat which none but a Minister of Christ might do, and when there was no other Minister in being but Bishops, and a Bishop can be but in one place at once, a Bishop could have but one assembly. Though for our parts we think that we have just reason to believe, that Churches then had more Ministers than one, when we read how Paul was put to restrain and regulate their public officiating at Corinth, 1 Cor. 14.
Sect. XII. By this it followeth, that 1. the office of a subject Presbyter that was no Bishop was not in being (that can be proved) in Scripture-times. 2. That no Bishop had more than one worshiping assembly at once: For all Christians assembled for worship on the Lords dayes, and their worship still included somewhat which none but a Minister of Christ might do, and when there was no other Minister in being but Bishops, and a Bishop can be but in one place at once, a Bishop could have but one assembly. Though for our parts we think that we have just reason to believe, that Churches then had more Ministers than one, when we read how Paul was put to restrain and regulate their publick officiating at Corinth, 1 Cor. 14.
Sect. XIII. And it further confirmeth us, that the said Doctor tells us, that for ought he knoweth, the most of the Church then were of his mind: And Franciscus a sancta clara de Episcop tells us, that this opinion came from Scot••: And Petavius, that Learned Jesuit, was the man that brought it in, in our times, viz. That the Apostles placed only Bishops with Deacons in the Churches, and that it is only these Bishops that are called Presbyters in Scripture. So that the Matter of fact, for the whole Scripture-times, is granted us by all these learned men.