A27050:326
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 if he mean that all the Heathens in that Circuit are the Bishops Charge in order to Conversion, I answer, 1. That maketh them no parts of the Church: Therefore the Church is of never the larger extent for the soil or Infidel Inhabitants. 2. The Apostles, and other General Preachers (like the Jesuits in the Indies) may divide their Labourers by Provinces ⟨p. 60⟩for the Peoples Conversion, before there be any Churches at all. 3. This distribution is a mere prudential Ordering of an accident or circumstance; and therefore not the Divine Institution of a Church Form or Species. 4. Neither Scripture nor prudence so distributeth Circuits or Provinces to Preachers, in order to conversion of Infidels, as that other Preachers may not come and Preach there, as freely as one that claimeth it as his Province. For, 1. Christ sent out his Apostles by two and two at first. 2. Paul had Barnabas or some other Evangelist or General Preacher usually with him. And Peter and Paul are both said to be at Rome, at Antioch, and other places: And many Apostles were long together at Jerusalem, even many years after Christ's Resurrection. Christ that bid them go into all the World, never commanded that one should not come where another was, nor have power to Preach to Infidels in that Diocese.
But if he mean that all the Heathens in that Circuit are the Bishops Charge in order to Conversion, I answer, 1. That maketh them no parts of the Church: Therefore the Church is of never the larger extent for the soil or Infidel Inhabitants. 2. The Apostles, and other General Preachers (like the Jesuits in the Indies) may divide their Labourers by Provinces ⟨p. 60⟩for the Peoples Convetsion, before there be any Churches at all. 3. This distribution is a meer prudential Ordering of an accident or circumstance; and therefore not the Divine Institution of a Church Form or Species. 4. Neither Scripture nor prudence so distributeth Circuits or Provinces to Preachers, in order to conversion of Infidels, as that other Preachers may not come and Preach there, as freely as one that claimeth it as his Province. For, 1. Christ sent out his Apostles by two and two at first. 2. Paul had Barnabas or some other Evangelist or General Preacher usually with him. And Peter and Paul are both said to be at Rome, at Antioch, and other places: And many Apostles were long together at Jerusalem, even many years after Christ's Resurrection. Christ that bid them go into all the World, never commanded that one should not come where another was, nor have power to Preach to Infidels in that Diocess.