A27050:360
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.
Q. 7. If one be settled in a single Congregation in the City, with a purpose to endeavour the conversion of the Country, is not a Diocesan Church there the same as a single Congregation, though the Diocese be larger?
Q. 7. If one be setled in a single Congregation in the City, with a purpose to endeavour the conversion of the Country, is not a Diocesan Church there the same as a single Congregation, though the Diocess be larger?
Q. 8. If when Congregations multiplied, Bishops were not multiplied, but one would keep many Churches under himself alone, doth it prove that this was well done because it was done? and that God consented to this change?
Q. 8. If when Congregations multiplyed, Bishops were not multiplyed, but one would keep many Churches under himself alone, doth it prove that this was well done because it was done? and that God consented to this change?
His next Reason is, because Churches were not then divided into Parishes. Which in due place I shall prove to be a sufficient Reason against him. Churches were Societies constituted of Pastors and their Christian Congregations, as afore defined: And his inference is vain, that [Presbyteries were not settled in Parishes, because the Churches were not yet divided into Parishes. For they were Parishes, that is, single Churches, without dividing. The space of Ground called Parishes was not then marked out; Nor was a Diocesan Church (like ours) that hath no subordinate Bishops divided into Parishes; for there were no such Diocesan Churches to be so divided. But the Universal Church and the Apostolical Provinces were made up (or constituted) of Parishes, I mean of particular Churches, as greater numbers are of unites, and as Villages are of Houses. But to say that Churches were not divided into Parishes, in the sense in question, is all one as to say, Churches were not divided into Churches.