A27050:1502
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.
X. Epiphanius Haeres. 75. saith, [The Apostles did not set all in full order at once: And at first there was need of Presbyters and Deacons; by whom both Ecclesiastical affairs may be administered: Therefore where no man was found worthy of Episcopacy, in that place no Bishop was set] By which it appeareth that he thought that for some time some Churches were Governed without Bishops: And if so, it there belonged to the Presbyters office to govern.
X. Epiphanius Haeres. 75. saith, [The Apostles did not set all in full order at once: And at first there was need of Presbyters and Deacons; by whom both Ecclesiastical affairs may be administred: Therefore where no man was found worthy of Episcopacy, in that place no Bishop was set] By which it appeareth that he thought that for some time some Churches were Governed without Bishops: And if so, it there belonged to the Presbyters office to govern.
Whereto we may add the opinion of many Episcopal men, who think that during the Apostles times, they were the only Bishops in most Churches themselves. And if so, Then in their long and frequent absence the Presbyters must be the governors.
Whereto we may add the opinion of many Episcopal men, who think that during the Apostles times, they were the only Bishops in most Churches themselves. And if so, Then in their long and frequent absence the Presbyters must be the governours.
XI. That many Councils have had Presbyters, yea many of them is past doubt: Look but in the Councils subscriptions and you will see it. A Synod of some Bishops and more Presbyters and Deacons gathered at Rome, decreed the Excommunication of Novatianus and his adherents, Euseb. lib. 6. c. 43.