A27050:252
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.
67. The Pastoral power is not at all Coactive by secular force, on body or estate, but only Nunciative and persuasive, commanding in Christ's name as authorized by him, and executed no otherwise than by a Ministerial word, and by with-holding our own acts of Administration, and denying our Communion to offenders: Nor did the Apostles themselves pretend to any other than this power of the Word (for the Keys are exercised but thus) excepting what they▪ did by Miracle. And if Bishops would go no further, they would work on none but Volunteers, and their usurpations might be the more easily born.
67. The Pastoral power is not at all Coactive by secular force, on body or estate, but only Nunciative and perswasive, commanding in Christ's name as authorized by him, and executed no otherwise than by a Ministerial word, and by with-holding our own acts of Administration, and denying our Communion to offenders: Nor did the Apostles themselves pretend to any other than this power of the Word (for the Keys are exercised but thus) excepting what they▪ did by Miracle. And if Bishops would go no further, they would work on none but Voluntiers, and their usurpations might be the more easily born.
67. And indeed we are fully persuaded, that none but Volunteers are •it for the great privilege of Church-Communion, and that giving it to ⟨p. 41⟩the unwilling that had but rather endure it than a Prison, is a great profanation of it, and a cheat to poor souls, and a horrid corrupting of Christ's Churches and Ordinances.
67. And indeed we are fully perswaded, that none but Voluntiers are •it for the great priviledge of Church-Communion, and that giving it to ⟨p. 41⟩