A27050:135
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.
24. Though we cannot prove that this fixed Episcopacy was either set up by the Apostles, or countenanced by them, nor yet that it was begun and in being in their days; yet it could not be long after their days that it begun; And if Hierome mistake not, it began at Alexandria some years before the death of St. John the Apostle.
25. All this while the Bishop was not supposed to be of a distinct Office, or species of Ministry, (now called An Order) but only an Overseer and chief of persons in the same Office with him; being in common with the rest, Episcopus plebis, and extraordinarily, Episcopus Cleri vel Episcoporum seu Presbyterorum. As one of the Monks is made Abbot in a Monastery, or as one Justice among many is of the Quorum, or one Judge on the Bench is the chief Justice: Or as the President in an Academic College.
25. All this while the Bishop was not supposed to be of a distinct Office, or species of Ministry, (now called An Order) but only an Overseer and chief of persons in the same Office with him; being in common with the rest, Episcopus plebis, and extraordinarily, Episcopus Cleri vel Episcoporum seu Presbyterorum. As one of the Monks is made Abbot in a Monastery, or as one Justice among many is of the Quorum, or one Judge on the Bench is the chief Justice: Or as the President in an Academick College.
26. The chief thing in which a special power was given to the Bishops above their fellow Presbyters was in Ordination, that none should be Ordained without them; It being a matter of exceeding great consequence to the Churches, what Ministers were set over them, and therefore put chiefly in the power of these chosen men. And the next part of their power was in having the chief disposal of all Church affairs, as our Parish Pastors have now among their Curates: so that nothing was to be done in the Church without and against their consent and pleasure.