A27050:332
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.
As to his instance of the Scythians having but one Bishop, the Reason was, because it was but little of their Country at first that were made Christians, or that were at all in the Roman Empire: So that the Bishop was settled at Tomis, in the borders of the Empire (in the Maritime part of the Euxine Sea,) that thence he might have an influence on the rest of the Scythians over whom the Romans had no power, and where there were many Cities indeed, but few Christians: as may be seen in Theodoret, Tripart. Nicephor. and many others. Of his other three or four instances, I shall after speak.
As to his instance of the Scythians having but one Bishop, the Reason was, because it was but little of their Country at first that were made Christians, or that were at all in the Roman Empire: So that the Bishop was setled at Tomis, in the borders of the Empire (in the Maritine part of the Euxine Sea,) that thence he might have an influence on the rest of the Scythians over whom the Romans had no power, and where there were many Cities indeed, but few Christians: as may be seen in Theodoret, Tripart. Nicephor. and many others. Of his other three or four instances, I shall after speak.
Chap. 3. lib. 2. He pretends to prove that the seven Asian Churches were Diocesan, and not Parochial, and never defineth a Diocese and Parish; which is lost labour.
Chap. 3. lib. 2. He pretends to prove that the seven Asian Churches were Diocesan, and not Parochial, and never defineth a Diocess and Parish; which is lost labour.
His first Argument is, [Churches, whose Circuit contained Cities and Countries adjoining, were Dioceses. But, &c.
His first Argument is, [Churches, whose Circuit contained Cities and Countries adjoining, were Diocesses. But, &c.