A27050:1294
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 7: More Proofs of the aforesaid Limits of Churches.
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.
V. The ancient Agapae show how great the Churches then were, when as all the Church did feast together: and these continued in Tertullian's time, in some places at least: And several Church-Canons mention them after that. And Chrysost. saith (Homil. de Oportet haeres. esse p. (mihi) 20, 21. that in the Primitive times, there was a custom that after Sermon and Sacrament, they all feasted together in the Church, which he highly praiseth. (But it was not many hundred Churches that feasted in one Room.) And after he saith, [The Church is like Noah's Ark, but Men come in Wolves, and go out Lambs, &c.] showing that by the Church he meant the Assembly. And after, [All have the same Honour, and the same Access, till all have communicated and partook of the same Spiritual Meat. The Priests standing expect them all, even the ⟨p. 67⟩poorest Man of all.] (By this he showeth what Church he meant, and how1 great the Church was.) Et Serm. 21. pag. 313. Redundat injuria in locum illum; Ecclesiam enim totam contemnis: Propterea enim Ecclesia dicitur, quia communiter omnes accipit. This doth not only show what Church he meaneth, but fully confirmeth what I said before: that [The whole Church was in that place: and that the place is therefore called the Church, because it commonly receiveth all.] But note that this was not preached at Constantinople, but yet at the great Patriarchal Church of Antioch.
V. The ancient Agapae shew how great the Churches then were, when as all the Church did feast together: and these continued in Tertullian's time, in some places at least: And several Church-Canons mention them after that. And Chrysost. saith (Homil. de Oportet haeres. esse p. (mihi) 20, 21. that in the Primitive times, there was a custom that after Sermon and Sacrament, they all feasted together in the Church, which he highly praiseth. (But it was not many hundred Churches that feasted in one Room.) And after he saith, [The Church is like Noah's Ark, but Men come in Wolves, and go out Lambs, &c.] shewing that by the Church he meant the Assembly. And after, [All have the same Honour, and the same Access, till all have communicated and partaked of the same Spiritual Meat. The Priests standing expect them all, even the ⟨p. 67⟩poorest Man of all.] (By this he sheweth what Church he meant, and how