A27050:191
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.
7. Therefore though Christ be now the Head and Fountain of Power, both to Magistrates and Ministers, yet he did not institute a new Office of Magistracy, but add new Laws for them to rule by as part of their Rule of Government; Because their Office was so much founded in Nature, and so much of their work lay in ruling mankind according to their common Natural Law: But a Ministry he did institute a-new, as to the species and great essentials of the Office.
8. Christ changing both the Instituted Mosaical Law, and Priesthood, did begin himself in his own person as the Great Prophet, High Priest and King of his Church, to exercise his Office in the Jewish Nation.
9. Being not to continue corporally on earth, nor his bodily presence being ubiquitary, he designed that the Holy Ghost should be his Agent internally to carry on his work in the World; And he appointed the Sacred Office of the Ministry, that meet men might be his Agents externally, ⟨p. 30⟩in the Teaching and Governing of his Redeemed ones in a holy order, and in conducting them in holy worship, in a Ministerial subordination to his Prophetical, Regal and Priestly Office.