A27050:247
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.
62. For we hold that the essential constitution of the Pastoral Office, and its work, and the essential constitution of the Church Universal, and of Individual (or particular) Churches, are all of Divine unalterable Institution; And that all Laws of Christ for such Constitution, and for Administration, are unalterable by man: Though we hold that Circumstantials and Accidentals are alterable, as being not settled by any Divine determination. (As e. g. how many Ministers shall be in each Church, which of ⟨p. 40⟩them shall be more regarded than the rest, as being of greater wisdom, how oft and when and where they shall assemble, with many the like.)
62. For we hold that the essential constitution of the Pastoral Office, and its work, and the essential constitution of the Church Universal, and of Individual (or particular) Churches, are all of Divine unalterable Institution; And that all Laws of Christ for such Constitution, and for Administration, are unalterable by man: Though we hold that Circumstancials and Accidentals are alterable, as being not setled by any Divine determination. (As e. g. how many Ministers shall be in each Church, which of ⟨p. 40⟩them shall be more regarded than the rest, as being of greater wisdom, how ost and when and where they shall assemble, with many the like.)
63. We hold that as all Christians (ordinarily) should have personal Communion in particular Churches, so those Churches and their Bishops should hold such Communion as is needful to their strength and concord, and the common good.
64. This Communion of Churches is to be held internally by Concord in the same Faith and Love and Religion, and externally by the same profession, and instrumentally, 1. by Messengers and Letters, and, 2. by Delegates and Synods when there is need; (which as is said, for Time, Place, Numbers, Provinces, Orders, are left to humane Prudence.)