A27050:369
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.
Ans. 1. So long after it is not denied, but that Alexandria had more Assemblies than one. 2. Yet it is most likely that by the Churches in and about Alexandria, Eusebius meant the Churches under the Archbishop of Alexandria, which had Bishops of their own. 3. Before they had a Temple there might be several lesser Meetings in the City, which were but as our Chapels, or the Independents Meeting in several Houses at once, when yet the Church was but one, because they were associated for Personal Communion. 4. When the Parishes were divided to several Presbyters, yet then each Presbyter had the true Episcopal Office as to the People, though not the Name; and though they were under a superior Bishop; that is, they had the whole Office of a Presbyter or Pastor, to Govern the People as well as Teach them and Worship with them. And so there was then no Parish like ours, which is but part of a Diocesan Church, and no Church of it self (as the Bishops Form it) because it hath but a half Pastor. 5. And is not the case of all other Churches in the World, that to this time were but single Churches, more considerable than the case of Rome and Alexandria, which differed from all the rest.
Ans. 1. So long after it is not denied, but that Alexandria had more Assemblies than one. 2. Yet it is most likely that by the Churches in and about Alexandria, Eusebius meant the Churches under the Archbishop of Alexandria, which had Bishops of their own. 3. Before they had a Temple there might be several lesser Meetings in the City, which were but as our Chapels, or the Independants Meeting in several Houses at once, when yet the Church was but one, because they were associated for Personal Communion. 4. When the Parishes were divided to several Presbyters, yet then each Presbyter had the true Episcopal Office as to the People, though not the Name; and though they were under a superiour Bishop; that is, they had the whole Office of a Presbyter or Pastor, to Govern the People as well as Teach them and Worship with them. And so there was then no Parish like ours, which is but part of a Diocesan Church, and no Church of it self (as the Bishops Form it) because it hath but a half Pastor. 5. And is not the case of all other Churches in the World, that to this time were but single Churches, more considerable than the case of Rome and Alexandria, which differed from all the rest.