A27050:209
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.
25. The Apostles usually (but not only) planted Churches in great Cities; rather than in Country Villages.
26. This was not that hereby they might oblige others to confine Churches to Cities only, nor because they had any special honour for a City, but because they were the places of greatest ••••course, and had best opportunity for Assemblies, and most materials to work upon.
27. Neither the Apostles nor others for some Ages after Christ, did divide the Countries about such Cities, and assign part of the• to be the Diocese of one Bishop, and the other part to the Bishop of the next adjoining City: Nor was there any bounding of Parishes or Diocese, nor any determination, to which Bishop such and such ground, or Villages of unconverted Infidels did belong. Only as natural prudence guided them (and the spirit of God,) they so dispersed themselves that none might hinder another in his work; but as most tended to the propagation and orderly governing of the Churches.
27. Neither the Apostles nor others for some Ages after Christ, did divide the Countries about such Cities, and assign part of the• to be the Diocess of one Bishop, and the other part to the Bishop of the next adjoyning City: Nor was there any bounding of Parishes or Diocess, nor any determination, to which Bishop such and such ground, or Villages of unconverted Infidels did belong. Only as natural prudence guided them (and the spirit of God,) they so dispersed themselves that none might hinder another in his work; but as most tended to the propagation and orderly governing of the Churches.