A27050:1218
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.
And Baronius, in Vita Ambrosii ex Paulino, saith, (pag. 9.) [Quod solitus erat circa Baptizandos solus implere, quinque postea Episcopi tempore quo decessit vix implerent.] What then was all the rest of his work? and how many Churches could he thus oversee?
And the Arians, for whom the Emperor made all that stir with Ambrose, were so few in Milan, that when the Emperor would have had one Church for them, and could not get it by fair means or force, Ambrose thus jesteth at the Empress and the Arrian Gothes; Quibus ut olim plaustrum sedes erat, it a nunc plaustrum Ecclesia est; Quocunque foemina illa processerit, secum suos omnes coetus vehit.] Her Coach is their Church; and which way soever she goeth, she carrieth all her Congregations with her.
And the Arrians, for whom the Emperor made all that stir with Ambrose, were so few in Milan, that when the Emperor would have had one Church for them, and could not get it by fair means or force, Ambrose thus jesteth at the Empress and the Arrian Gothes; Quibus ut olim plaustrum sedes erat, it a nunc plaustrum Ecclesia est; Quocunque foemina illa processerit, secum suos omnes coetus vehit.] Her Coach is their Church; and which way soever she goeth, she carrieth all her Congregations with her.
Ambros. de Offic. To. 4. c. 1. showeth that teaching his Church is the Bishop's Office: And de initiandis, c. 2. p. 163. To. 4. he saith to the baptized person, [Vidisti illic (in Sacrario) Levitam, vidisti Sacerdotem, vidisti summum Sacerdotem] In which he intimateth that the Bishop (as the Chief Priest) was present in the Church with his Presbyters at Baptizings. Which showeth that they had not a multitude of Churches without Bishops. And de Sacram. l. 1. c. 1. how the Bishop himself must touch with Oil the Nostrils of all that were baptized, with other Ceremonies after mentioned, showeth that he was usually present at every Baptism.