A27050:287
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.
And whereas page 19. He saith, [If we prove that Bishops have lawfully of old ruled over other Ministers, it is enough, how few soever those Ministers have been, how small soever the circuit of place which hath contained them.] If this be so, we grant you enough, when we grant Parochial Bishops.
But no where doth he more palpably yield our Cause, than page 21, 22. where to Cartwright's Objection, that [the Bishop that Cyprian speaketh of is nothing else but such as we call Pastor, or as the common name is Parsons, and his Church whereof he is Bishop is neither Diocese nor Province, but a Congregation which met together in one place to be taught by one man.] He hath no better answer to this, than to tell us, that If it were true, it is impertinent; and that it is not true, because Cyprian had many Presbyters under him, so as they might have every day change for performance of their duty: And he never once attempteth to prove that Cyprian had more Churches, yea, or Assemblies than One; but only that he was over the Presbyters in one Church or Assembly; and as an Archbishop was over Bishops. The same thing which I submit to; but nothing against the things that I assert against him. A Parson may have divers Curates under him, and not divers Churches, much loss a thousand that have no other Bishop?
But no where doth he more palpably yield our Cause, than page 21, 22. where to Cartwright's Objection, that [the Bishop that Cyprian speaketh of is nothing else but such as we call Pastor, or as the common name is Parsons, and his Church whereof he is Bishop is neither Diocess nor Province, but a Congregation which met together in one place to be taught by one man.] He hath no better answer to this, than to tell us, that If it were true, it is impertinent; and that it is not true, because Cyprian had many Presbyters under him, so as they might have every day change for performance of their duty: And he never once attempteth to prove that Cyprian had more Churches, yea, or Assemblies than One; but only that he was over the Presbyters in one Church or Assembly; and as an Archbishop was over Bishops. The same thing which I submit to; but nothing against the things that I assert against him. A Parson may have divers Curates under him, and not divers Churches, much loss a thousand that have no other Bishop?