A27050:212
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.
28. Therefore no City Bishop had such a Particular Charge of the souls of all the individual Infidels, either in his City or the Country round about him (which some feign to have been his Diocese) as he had of the souls of the Church which he was Pastor of. Though he was bound to do all that he could to convert all as he had opportunity, he stood not in any Pastoral relation to this or that individual Infidel, as he did to all the individual Christians of his charge. Ignatius requireth the Bishop to ⟨p. 33⟩know all his Flock by name, and enquire after them, even the servants; but not so of all Infidels in his City or Circuit.
28. Therefore no City Bishop had such a Particular Charge of the souls of all the individual Infidels, either in his City or the Country round about him (which some feign to have been his Diocess) as he had of the souls of the Church which he was Pastor of. Though he was bound to do all that he could to convert all as he had opportunity, he stood not in any Pastoral relation to this or that individual Infidel, as he did to all the individual Christians of his charge. Ignatius requireth the Bishop to ⟨p. 33⟩know all his Flock by name, and enquire after them, even the servants; but not so of all Infidels in his City or Circuit.
29. No man was therefore the Pastor of any Christians in a particular Church▪relation merely because he converted them: Nor was there ever any Law made by Christ or his Apostles, that all should be members of that particular Church whose Overseer did convert them; much less that at a distance they should be the members of his Episcopal charge, though in another Church.
29. No man was therefore the Pastor of any Christians in a particular Church▪relation meerly because he converted them: Nor was there ever any Law made by Christ or his Apostles, that all should be members of that particular Church whose Overseer did convert them; much less that at a distance they should be the members of his Episcopal charge, though in another Church.