A27050:200
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.
16. Therefore since their miraculous reception of the Spirit, all their Doctrines Writings and Establishments which were done in the Execution of their Commission, are ascribed to the Holy Ghost: It was the Holy Ghost that •ndited the Sacred Scriptures; and it was the Holy Ghost that settled the Churches, and that wrought the Miracles, and that bare witness of Christ, and the Christian verity. For the Apostles spake not of themselves, but as the Holy Ghost inspired them.
17. As others in that time were employed as their assistants in propagating the Christian Faith, so had they also the same spirit, though in several measures, and gifts. And so far as they had that spirit, he was the seal of their doctrine: But because it was the Apostles that had the promise of Infallibility, we have greater assurance of the Infallibility of their writings, than of others; It being their approbation, which is much of our assurance that the writings of their Assistants were infallible, and the testimony which they give of the persons that wrote them (viz. Mark and Luke.)
18. These Apostles with their many Assistants, (Prophets and Evangelists) did by preaching, holiness and miracles, (the effects of Divine Wisdom, Goodness and Power) convert multitudes, and baptize them, and did not only thus gather them into the Catholic Church to Christ, but also settled them in a holy Order in particular Churches, for personal communion among themselves in holy worship and holy living▪ And they made such regular Church-communion a duty to all that could obtain it.
18. These Apostles with their many Assistants, (Prophets and Evangelists) did by preaching, holiness and miracles, (the effects of Divine Wisdome, Goodness and Power) convert multitudes, and baptize them, and did not only thus gather them into the Catholick Church to Christ, but also settled them in a holy Order in particular Churches, for personal communion among themselves in holy worship and holy living And they made such regular Church-communion a duty to all that could obtain it.