A27050:1092
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.
Et cap. 25. Oportet ut qui in Ecclesia assidui sunt eos Ecclesia aelat (viz. Pontificem, Sacerdotes, Levitas.) where the Assembly is the Church which maintaineth the Bishop and Presbyters.
And cap. 26. It is the Bishop that to all the Church is, Minister Verbi, scientiae custos, Mediator Dei & vestrum in iis quae ad eum colendum pertinent (that is, officiateth in Church Worship:) hic est magister pietatis ac religionis; hic est secundum Deum pater vester, qui vos per aquam & Spiritum sanctum regeneravit, &c. ⟨p. 34⟩Episcopus igitur vobis praesideat, ut dignitate Dei cohonestatus, qua clerum sub potestate sua tenet, & toti populo praeest, Diaconus vero assistat huic, &c. So that a Bishops Church was no greater than that he could be the constant Teacher, Guide, Baptizer, &c. of them all.
And cap. 27. All the Oblations were to be brought to the Bishop himself, by themselves that offered, or by the Deacons. Immo primitias quoque & decimas & quae sponte offeruntur; is enim probe novit afflictos & cuique tribuit, ut congruit; ne quis eadem die aut eadem hebdom ide bis aut saepius accipiat, alius vero nihil penitus. So that the reason why all the Offerings, Tithes and Gifts in his whole Diocese were brought to the Bishop himself was, because he was well acquainted with all the Poor of his Diocese, and was every day to relieve them, and see that one did not receive twice the same day, or the same Week, and another have none. How many hundred Churches think you had a Church then in the Belly of it? and how large was such a Diocese?
And cap. 27. All the Oblations were to be brought to the Bishop himself, by themselves that offered, or by the Deacons. Immo primitias quoque & decimas & quae sponte offeruntur; is enim probe novit afflictos & cuique tribuit, ut congruit; ne quis eadem die aut eadem hebdom ide bis aut saepius accipiat, alius vero nihil penitus. So that the reason why all the Offerings, Tythes and Gifts in his whole Diocess were brought to the Bishop himself was, because he was well acquainted with all the Poor of his Diocess, and was every day to relieve them, and see that one did not receive twice the same day, or the same Week, and another have none. How many hundred Churches think you had a Church then in the Belly of it? and how large was such a Diocess?