A27050:507
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.
Cap. 21. He vindicateth that one remaining Text, Jam. 5. 14. which mentioneth Presbyters visiting the sick, as meant only of Bishops, and not of mongrel Priests: And so being secured that these were never found in the Scripture times, and consequently no Bishop (except Archbishops) that had more worshipping Churches than one, we must look who presumed to institute another Office. And here, § 3. he persuadeth us to be so civil to Ignatius, as thankfully to acknowledge him the first Patron of our Office-dignity; intimating that there is no earlier proof of the invention of this mongrel Office, than the Epistles of Ignatius.
Cap. 21. He vindicateth that one remaining Text, Jam. 5. 14. which mentioneth Presbyters visiting the sick, as meant only of Bishops, and not of mungrel Priests: And so being secured that these were never found in the Scripture times, and consequently no Bishop (except Archbishops) that had more worshipping Churches than one, we must look who presumed to institute another Office. And here, § 3. he perswadeth us to be so civil to Ignatius, as thankfully to acknowledge him the first Patron of our Office-dignity; intimating that there is no earlier proof of the invention of this mungrel Office, than the Epistles of Ignatius.
Cap. 22. He tells us that the word Presbyter is also taken for Bishops by Polycarp, Papias, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Clemens Alexand. so that our cause will be carried beyond Scripture times. But again finding so many Bishops with Polycarp, I doubt he maketh Bishops too unwearied Travellers, and too great non-Residents, and Gods Public Worship too often interrupted by their absence.
Cap. 22. He tells us that the word Presbyter is also taken for Bishops by Polycarp, Papias, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Clemens Alexand. so that our cause will be carried beyond Scripture times. But again finding so many Bishops with Polycarp, I doubt he maketh Bishops too unwearied Travellers, and too great non-Residents, and Gods Publick Worship too often interrupted by their absence.