A27050:1075
A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…
A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort of diocesan churches, prelacy and government, which casteth out the primitive church-species, episcopacy, ministry and discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by corruption, usurpation, schism and persecution : meditated in the year 1640, when the et cætera oath was imposed : written 1671 and cast by : published 1680 by the importunity of our superiors, who demand the reasons of our nonconformity / by Richard Baxter.A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort of diocesan churches, prelacy and government, which casteth out the primitive church-species, episcopacy, ministry and discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by corruption, usurpation, schism and persecution : meditated in the year 1640, when the et cætera oath was imposed : written 1671 and cast by : published 1680 by the importunity of our superiours, who demand the reasons of our nonconformity / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1681
Part 2 › Chapter 5: The same proved by the full Testimony of Antiquity.
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.
VI. And even in Cyprian's time the alteration was not great: Epist. 68.1 (Edit. Goulart.) p. 201. he saith, [Propter quod plebs obsequens praeceptis dominicis & Deum metuens, &c.] i. e. [For which cause the people that are obedient to the Lords Commands and fear God, ought to separate themselves from a sinful Prelate (or Bishop) and not to be present, at the Sacrifices of a Sacrilegious Priest; seeing they have the greatest power either of choosing worthy Priests, or of refusing the unworthy: which very thing we see coming down by Divine Authority, that the Priest, the people being present, be chosen (or appointed) before the eyes of all, and by the public judgment and testimony be approved worthy and fit. And so going on to prove the Divine Right hereof he addeth, which was before done so diligently and cautiously, the people being all called together, lest any unworthy person should creep into the Ministry of the Altar, or the place of Priesthood. For that the Unworthy are sometimes ordained, not according to the Will of God, but according to the presumption of Man; and that these things are displeasing to God which come not of legitimate and just Ordination, God himself doth manifest by the Prophet Hosea, saying, They made themselves a King, but not by me: And therefore it is diligently to be observed, and held of Divine Tradition and Apostolical Observation, which with us also and almost all the Provinces is held, that for the right celebrating of Ordinations, all the next Bishops of the same Province do come together, to that people over whom the Bishop (or Prelate) is set, and that the Bishop be appointed them, (or assigned) the people being present who fullyest know the life of every one, and have throughly seen the act of every ones Conversation: which also we saw done with you in the Ordination of Sabinus our Colleague, that the Office of a Bishop was given (or delivered) him, and hands imposed on him, in the place of Basilides, by the suffrage of the whole Fraternity, and by the judgment of the Bishops that had met together and had sent you Letters concerning him.
VI. And even in Cyprian's time the alteration was not great: Epist. 68.1 (Edit. Goulart.) p. 201. he saith, [Propter quod plebs obsequens praeceptis dominicis & Deum metuens, &c.] i. e. [For which cause the people that are obedient to the Lords Commands and fear God, ought to separate themselves from a sinful Prelate (or Bishop) and not to be present, at the Sacrifices of a Sacrilegious Priest; seeing they have the greatest power either of chusing worthy Priests, or of refusing the unworthy: which very thing we see coming down by Divine Authority, that the Priest, the people being present, be chosen (or appointed) before the eyes of all, and by the publick judgment and testimony be approved worthy and fit. And so going on to prove the Divine Right hereof he addeth, which was before done so diligently and cautelously, the people being all called together, lest any unworthy person should creep into the Ministry of the Altar, or the place of Priesthood. For that the Unworthy are sometimes ordained, not according to the Will of God, but according to the presumption of Man; and that these things are displeasing to God which come not of legitimate and just Ordination, God himself doth manifest by the Prophet Osee, saying, They made themselves a King, but not by me: And therefore it is diligently to be observed, and held of Divine Tradition and Apostolical Observation, which with us also and almost all the Provinces is held, that for the right celebrating of Ordinations, all the next Bishops of the same Province do come together, to that people over whom the Bishop (or Prelate) is set, and that the Bishop be appointed them, (or assigned) the people being present who fullyest know the life of every one, and have throughly seen the act of every ones Conversation: which also we saw done with you in the Ordination of Sabinus our Colleague, that the Office of a Bishop was given (or delivered) him, and hands imposed on him, in the place of Basilides, by the suffrage of the whole Fraternity, and by the judgment of the Bishops that had met together and had sent you Letters concerning him.