A27050:1333
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.
If you say that in Alexandria it was certainly so, that distinct congregations were committed to the Presbyters, I answer, 1. Yet so as that they might any part of them (as living in the same city) come and hear the Bishop when they would: 2. They might communicate with him per vices if they would: 3. They were all bound to do so at the great festivals of the year: 4. They were all personally governed by the discipline of the Bishop and Presbyters conjunct in Council: But of this next.
XXI. Another evidence is that the whole Plebs or people of the Bishops charge (till Churches were settled under Presbyters far off in the countries) were bound by the Canons to come to the Cathedral Church, and communicate with the Bishop at Easter, Whitsuntide, and some other such festivals, even after they were distinguished into several Auditories and Communicating Assemblies under Presbyters; which I have before proved from the particular Canons: which certainly proveth that the Dioceses were no more than could assemble in one place.
XXI. Another evidence is that the whole Plebs or people of the Bishops charge (till Churches were setled under Presbyters far off in the countreys) were bound by the Canons to come to the Cathedral Church, and communicate with the Bishop at Easter, Whitsuntide, and some other such festivals, even after they were distinguished into several Auditories and Communicating Assemblies under Presbyters; which I have before proved from the particular Canons: which certainly proveth that the Dioceses were no more than could assemble in one place.
XXII. Another evidence is that Presbyters did but rarely preach in the two or three first ages (except in Alexandria, or in some few Churches which had got some extraordinary men; Chrysostom's preaching at Antioch, Augustin's at Hippo, while they were but Presbyters, are noted as unusual things. And it is said of Augustine (as forecited) that it being not usual in other Churches, for the Presbyters to preach in the Bishops presence, the example of that Church (by the humility of the honest Bishop who preferred his abler Presbyter before himself) did lead many other Churches into the same practice. Spalatensis