A27050:1094
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.
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?
And cap. 28. In their Love-Feasts the Bishop was to have always his special part of the Feast, even sent him if he were absent. Sure if his Diocese had six hundred or a thousand Parishes and as many Feasts, and some of them as far off as I am from the Cathedral Church (about fourscore Miles) it will cost more the Carriage of the Bishop's Supper than it is worth, and it will be cold, and it is well if it stink not by the way. And the Presbyters that were all to have a double portion also of the Feast, are called tanquam Consiliarii Episcopi & Ecclesiae Corona, sunt enim Consilium & Senatus Ecclesiae. So that it was but one City Congregation yet that had Bishops and Presbyters and Deacons, &c.