A27050:148
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.
37. Even in Epiphanius time about 370 years after Christ, it is noted by him as a singularity in Alexandria, that they had distinct Assemblies besides the Bishops; whereupon Petavius himself largely giveth us notice, that in those days, except in a few very great Cities, there was but one Church-assembly in a Bishops charge.
38. After that in Cities, or Country Villages, the Converts multiplied into more than could meet in one Assembly, and had allowance to Communicate in their sub-assemblies; yet were they appointed on certain great and solemn Festivals, to Communicate all with the Bishops at the chief City Church, which showeth that the sub-assemblies then were few and small.
38. After that in Cities, or Country Villages, the Converts multiplyed into more than could meet in one Assembly, and had allowance to Communicate in their sub-assemblies; yet were they appointed on certain great and solemn Festivals, to Communicate all with the Bishops at the chief City Church, which sheweth that the sub-assemblies then were few and small.
39. Thus was the Apostles Order by degrees subverted; and whereas they settled distinct Churches with their distinct Bishops, no Bishop having two Churches under him, (that had not also their proper Bishop) now One Church was made of many without many Bishops; sub-Presbyters first in the same Church being introduced, at last sub-Churches also were set up. And when they should have done as we do with Bees, let every new Swarm have a new Hive, and should have multiplied Bishops and Churches, homogeneal, as sufficient numbers of Converts came in, instead of this, the City Bishops kept all under them as if they had been still one Church (yet not as Archbishops that have Bishops under them) and kept their sub-Presbyters as their Curates to officiate in the several Churches that had all no Bishops but One.