A27050:132
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
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.
21. And there was a fifth cause, which was not much less than any of the rest: which was, that often through the scarcity of fit persons, One man was first settled over a new-gathered Church, before any others could be had to join with him. And therefore he being there first alone, and that in sole power, it was thought unfit that any that came after him, should come in without his consent or Ordination, because he was the sole Governor; so that, 1. because they came after him, 2. and that by his Will, if not Ordination, it must needs follow that he would usually have the pre-eminence. As it is now among us, where the Rector of the Parish where there are divers Chapels, choosing his Curates, who are usually his Juniors, he is constantly of greater power than they, and ruleth them accidentally, though his Office be the same as theirs.
21. And there was a fifth cause, which was not much less than any of the rest: which was, that often through the scarcity of fit persons, One man was first settled over a new-gathered Church, before any others could be had to joyn with him. And therefore he being there first alone, and that in sole power, it was thought unfit that any that came after him, should come in without his consent or Ordination, because he was the sole Governour; so that, 1. because they came after him, 2. and that by his Will, if not Ordination, it must needs follow that he would usually have the pre-eminence. As it is now among us, where the Rector of the Parish where there are divers Chapels, chusing his Curates, who are usually his Juniors, he is constantly of greater power than they, and ruleth them accidentally, though his Office be the same as theirs.
22. As by these means one Pastor got a pre-eminence of esteem and power above the rest, so in a short time he got the title of Episcopus, Bishop, to be appropriated to himself alone, leaving the name of Elders, and Pastors, and Priests unto the rest in common with himself: For he was now become the prime Overseer of the whole Church, both people and Elders.