A27050:1390
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.
Now let us enquire whether de jure divino there ought to be such a Society as I have described, associating for personal present Communion and assistance as aforesaid. And this I have fully proved before Chap. 3. Acts 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in every Church. 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. Know them that labour among and are over you in the Lord, and highly esteem them in love for their works sake: and be at peace among your selves. Heb. 13. 7. 17. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God. Act. 20. 28. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock, &c. v. 31. I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 20. publicly and house by house. 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3. The Elders that are among you, &c. feed the flock (not a particle of the flock) Mat. 18. 15. If thy brother trespass against thee, tell him his fault between thee and him; If he hear thee not, take two—If he hear not them, tell the Church—If with Selden, de Synedr. and the Erastians by the Church were meant the Sanhedrin, it would tend to the confirmation of what we plead for; considering how thin both Council (and Synagogues) were, and in how small places. But against that sense, see Gillespie's Aaron's Rod, &c.
Now let us enquire whether de jure divino there ought to be such a Society as I have described, associating for personal present Communion and assistance as aforesaid. And this I have fully proved before Chap. 3. Acts 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in every Church. 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. Know them that labour among and are over you in the Lord, and highly esteem them in love for their works sake: and be at peace among your selves.