A27050:162
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.
43. The countenance of the Emperor with these honours and immunities, having brought the World into the Church, or filled the Churches with Carnal temporizers, the numbers were now so great, that quickly the ⟨p. 22⟩great Cities had many Parish Churches, and the Country Villages about had some; so that now about 400 or 500 Years after Christ, most Bishops of great Cities had more Churches than one, even several sub Assemblies, and Altars, as dependant on their Mother Church.
43. The countenance of the Emperour with these honours and immunities, having brought the World into the Church, or filled the Churches with Carnal temporizers, the numbers were now so great, that quickly the ⟨p. 22⟩great Cities had many Parish Churches, and the Country Villages about had some; so that now about 400 or 500 Years after Christ, most Bishops of great Cities had more Churches than one, even several sub Assemblies, and Altars, as dependant on their Mother Church.
44. Yet were their Dioceses (which at first were called Parishes) somewhat bounded, by the Canon and Edicts, which decreed that every City where there were Christians enow to make a Church, should have a Bishop of their own, and that no Bishop (except two, who bordered one on Scythia a rude unconverted Country, and the other on the like case, of which more in due place.)
44. Yet were their Diocesses (which at first were called Parishes) somewhat bounded, by the Canon and Edicts, which decreed that every City where there were Christians enow to make a Church, should have a Bishop of their own, and that no Bishop (except two, who bordered one on Scithia a rude unconverted Countrey, and the other on the like case, of which more in due place.)