A27050:175
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.
Note that all this was before Arius his Heresy, even before Dioclesians cruelties; but not before the beginning of Church-Tyranny and ambition, as is said.
Note that all this was before Arius his Heresie, even before Dioclesians cruelties; but not before the beginning of Church-Tyranny and ambition, as is said.
But after this, alas, how much greater were their enormities and dissentions, when their Tyranny was much increased; It would grieve any sober Christian to read how the Christian World hath been tossed up and down, and the people distracted, and Princes disturbed and dethroned, and Heresies fomented, and horrid Persecutions, and bloodshed caused, by the pride and contentiousness of Prelates: And most of all this, in prosecution of that Controversy, which Christ decided so long ago, viz. Who should be greatest. It was not Religion, saith Socrates, l. 5. c. 22. that the two Arian Sects of Marinus and Agapius was about, but Primacy: They strove which of them should be the chief: wherefore many Clergy-men under the jurisdiction of these Bishops, perceiving the ambition, the rancour and malice of these proud Prelates, forsook them, &c.
But after this, alas, how much greater were their enormities and dissentions, when their Tyranny was much encreased; It would grieve any sober Christian to read how the Christian World hath been tossed up and down, and the people distracted, and Princes disturbed and dethroned, and Heresies fomented, and horrid Persecutions, and bloodshed caused, by the pride and contentiousness of Prelates: And most of all this, in prosecution of that Controversie, which Christ decided so long ago, viz. Who should be greatest. It was not Religion, saith Socrates, l. 5. c. 22. that the two Arian Sects of Marinus and Agapius was about, but Primacy: They strove which of them should be the chief: wherefore many Clergy-men under the jurisdiction of these Bishops, perceiving the ambition, the rancour and malice of these proud Prelates, forsook them, &c.