A27050:26
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.
I know that poor ignorant Persons must expect such a shameful Cant of old reproach as this, to cheat them into the hatred of Christs Church order and Government, into a love of Clergy bondage, a scornful smile shall tell them [Mr. Baxter would have as many Bishops as Parishes, and a Pope in every Parish; when men think one in a Diocese too much: When every ignorant or rash Priest shall be the Master of all the Parish, and you have no remedy against his Tyranny; what a brave reformation will this be?] And such a deceitful scorn will serve to delude the ignorant and ungodly.
I know that poor ingnorant Persons must expect such a shameful Cant of old reproach as this, to cheat them into the hatred of Christs Church order and Government, into a love of Clergie bondage, a scornful smile shall tell them [Mr. Baxter would have as many Bishops as Parishes, and a Pope in every Parish; when men think one in a Diocess too much: When every ignorant or rash Priest shall be the Master of all the Parish, and you have no remedy against his Tyranny; what a brave reformation will this be?] And such a deceitful scorn will serve to delude the ignorant and ungodly.
But if they truly understood the case, they would see the shame of this deriding objection. 1. A Pope is a Monarch or Governor of the world, and a Diocesan of a multitude of Parishes. And sure he usurpeth not so much, who will be but the Church-guide of one? A man is abler to guide one School, College, Hospital, or Family, than a hundred or thousand, without any true Master of a Family, School, College, &c. under him.
But if they truly understood the case, they would see the shame of this deriding objection. 1. A Pope is a Monarch or Governour of the world, and a Diocesan of a multitude of Parishes. And sure he usurpeth not so much, who will be but the Church-guide of one? A man is abler to guide one School, Colledge, Hospital, or Family, than a hundred or thousand, without any true Master of a Family, School, Colledge, &c. under him.