A27050:1215
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 6: The same further confirmed by the Ancients.
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.
XVI. Socrates, l. 1. c. 8. tells us that Spiridion was at the same time a Bishop and a Shepherd.] And whether his Parish was one Church or many hundred you may easily judge, when so holy a Man could spare time all the Week to keep his sheep.
XVII. When Constans the Emperor affrighted Constantius to restore Athanasius, Constantius craved of Athanasius that the Arians in Alexandria might have one Church to themselves: Athanasius told him, It was in his power to command and execute; but craved also a request of him, which was that in all Cities there might also be one Church granted for them that communicated not with the Arians: But the Eastern Arian Bishops hearing that, put off the decision of both the Requests.] By which a willing person may conjecture at the quantity of the Episcopal Churches in those times.
XVII. When Constans the Emperor affrighted Constantius to restore Athanasius, Constantius craved of Athanasius that the Arrians in Alexandria might have one Church to themselves: Athanasius told him, It was in his power to command and execute; but craved also a request of him, which was that in all Cities there might also be one Church granted for them that communicated not with the Arrians: But the Eastern Arrian Bishops hearing that, put off the decision of both the Requests.] By which a willing person may conjecture at the quantity of the Episcopal Churches in those times.
XVIII. Even in Ambrose's days the great Church of Milan was no greater than could meet in one Temple to choose a Bishop: And Ambrose was chosen by them. Socrat. l. 4. c. 25.
XVIII. Even in Ambrose's days the great Church of Milan was no greater than could meet in one Temple to chuse a Bishop: And Ambrose was chosen by them. Socrat. l. 4. c. 25.