A27050:1476
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.
IV. The Testimonies of Clem. Roman. Ignat. Justin Martyr, may be gathered out of the words forecited. Hierom's Testimony in this case is so plain and full, and trite in every writing (Epist ad Evagr. & passim, making them the Apostles Successors, and the same with the Bishops, except only in ordination) that I will not trouble you with reciting it.
V. Cyprian neither would nor could govern his Church without the concurrence1 of the Presbyters: (before cited) De Gaia desiderastis ut de Philumeno & Fortunato hypodiaconis & Favorino acolutho, rescribam: cui rei non potui me solum judicem dare; cum multi adhuc de Clero absentes sint; nec locum suum vel sero repetendum putaverint, & haec singulorum tractanda sit & limanda plenius ratio; non tantum cum collegis meis, sed & cum plebe ipsa universa. Epist. 36. (edit. Goulart.) He showeth that it is the Clergies duty, to take care of the widows, the sick, the poor, the strangers: (he the Bishop was then absent.) So also Ep. 37. And Epist. 10. he reprehendeth the Presbyters for reconciling and absolving the Lapsed overhastily and with neglect and contempt of the Bishop; but not as if the work were not their office work to do: Nay he giveth us this full plain testimony, that even in this public Absolution in foro exteriore, the true custom of the Church was for the Bishop and his Presbyters together to impose hands on the penitent and so absolve them, receive them, and give them the Sacrament. Pag. 30. saith he, Nam cum in minoribus peccatis2 agant peccatores poenitentiam justo tempore, & secundum disciplinae ordinem, ad exomologesin veniant, & per impositionem manus Episcopi & Cleri jus Communionis accipiant; Nunc crudo tempore, persecution adhuc perseverante, nondum restituta Ecclesiae ipsius pace, ad Communicationem admittuntur, & offertur nomen eorum, & nondum poenitentia acta, nondum exomologesi facta, nondum manu e. s ab Episcopo & Clero imposita, Eucharistia illis datur.]
V. Cyprian neither would nor could govern his Church without the concurrence