A27050:306
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.
But when he addeth a multitude of Texts, as using the word Church indefinitely, not defining the place, Society of a Nation or City, quantity, &c. most of the instances brought are of Churches definite, as to place, and of the same Species as the Apostles Instituted; though when the Church of such a place is said to do a thing, it's no determination what number of the members did it. His first instance is Acts 4. 31. and next Acts 15. 3, 9, &c. The Churches had rest through all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria: Acts 15. 3. Speaks of the Church of Antioch, which v. 27. it's said they gathered together: v. 4. mentioneth the Church at Jerusalem, v. 11. mentioneth the Churches of Syria and Cilicia. Acts 18. 22. Speaketh of the Church at Caesarea. Rom. 16. 16. Speaks of the Churches where Paul lately travelled. v. 23. Gaius was the Host of a definite whole Church, at Corinth. And when 1 Cor. 4. 17. he speaketh of his teaching in every Church, it is an Universal enunciation, but of Churches of a certain or definite species, and so of the rest.
But when he addeth a multitude of Texts, as using the word Church indefinitely, not defining the place, Society of a Nation or City, quantity, &c. most of the instances brought are of Churches definite, as to place, and of the same Species as the Apostles Instituted; though when the Church of such a place is said to do a thing, it's no determination what number of the members did it. His first instance is Acts 4. 31. and next Acts 15. 3, 9, &c. The Churches had rest through all Judaea, and Gallile, and Samaria: Acts 15. 3. Speaks of the Church of Antioch, which v. 27. it's said they gathered together: v. 4. mentioneth the Church at Jerusalem, v. 11. mentioneth the Churches of Syria and Cilicia.