A27050:421
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.
And in that 12. chap. §. 25, 26, 27. p. 473. Spalatensis again showeth, that the Power of the Keys for binding and loosing, belongeth to Bishops and Presbyters as Ministers. And though he reserve the Public use of them to the Bishop, he saith, that he may commit it to a Presbyter. For it is Mixed, and hath partly the External Jurisdiction which the Bishop received by his proper Episcopal Ordination; and partly, yea much rather (or more) the Internal, by the Keys, which they have by virtue of their Presbyterial Ordination, in equality with the Presbyters. The External, because it is External, may therefore be delegated to another, even a Lay-man: (which is it, which the Parliament of Scotland have lately declared to be in the King.) And doth not all this show what Episcopacy is? Even a Magistrates Office, Circa Sacra, vindicated by Grotius and others. But (saith he) they cannot delegate the inward power which is properly of the Keys, because this dependeth of the Sacred Presbyterial Order, both in fieri, in esse, in conservari & operari. For the Presbyterial Order hath always the Keys annexed.—For when any is Ordained Presbyter, the Keys are given him, and Jurisdiction, with Orders, by Divine Right.
And in that 12. chap. §. 25, 26, 27. p. 473. Spalatensis again sheweth, that the Power of the Keys for binding and loosing, belongeth to Bishops and Presbyters as Ministers. And though he reserve the Publick use of them to the Bishop, he saith, that he may commit it to a Presbyter. For it is Mixt, and hath partly the External Jurisdiction which the Bishop received by his proper Episcopal Ordination; and partly, yea much rather (or more) the Internal, by the Keys, which they have by virtue of their Presbyterial Ordination, in equality with the Presbyters. The External, because it is External, may therefore be delegated to another, even a Lay-man: (which is it, which the Parliament of Scotland have lately declared to be in the King.) And doth not all this shew what Episcopacy is? Even a Magistrates Office, Circa Sacra, vindicated by Grotius and others. But (saith he) they cannot delegate the inward power which is properly of the Keys, because this dependeth of the Sacred Presbyterial Order, both in fieri, in esse, in conservari & operari. For the Presbyterial Order hath always the Keys annexed.—For when any is Ordained Presbyter, the Keys are given him, and Jurisdiction, with Orders, by Divine Right.