A27050:46
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.
THE CONTENTS.
PART. I. Chap. 1. The Reasons of this Writing. Chap. 2. The English Diocesan Prelacy and Church Government truly described, that it may be known what it is which we dissent from. Chap. 3. Our judgement if the History of the ancient Church Government, and of the rise of the Diocesan Prelacy. Chap. 4. The judgement of those Non Conformists now silenced, who 1660 addressed themselves to King Charles II. for the matter in Church-Government: What they then offered, and what those of the Author's mind now hold, as to the Right of what is before but Historically related. Chap. 5. Concerning the several Writers on this Controversy, wherein there are sufficient animadversions on some, and sufficient Confutations of the Chief, who have written for the Prelacy which we dissent from. As 1. Whitgift. 2. Faravia. 3. Bilson. 4. Hooker. 5. Bishop Downams Defence. 6. Bishop Hall. 7. Petavius. 8. Bish. Andrews. 9 Bish. Usher in some passages. 10. Of the Dispute at the Isle of Wight. 11. John Forbes. 12. The two Books of the Bohemian Discipline consented to. 13. Grotius applauded. 14. J. D. 15. M, A. de Dom. Spalatensis considered, and much of him approved. 16. Doctor Hammond answered, viz. his Annotations, his Dissertat. against Blondel, &c. who have written against Prelacy. Chap. 6. It is not pleasing to God, that Cities only should have Bishops, and Churches with the Territories. Chap. 7. The Definition and Reasons of a Diocesan Church considered and confuted. Chap. 8. Whether the Infidel Territories or Citizens are part of a Diocesan Church Chap. 9. Whether converting a Diocese give right to their Converter to be their Bishop and Ruler. Chap. 10. That a particular Church of the first or lowest order, must consist of neighbour Christians, associated for personal Communion in local presence in ⟨image 8⟩