A27050:508
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. 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.
Cap. 23, 24, 25, 26. He speaketh of Deacons, the word and Office, which we have now no business with, but to note that cap. 26. § 8. he is again at Epiphanius allowing a single Bishop without Presbyters, but not without Deacons, because he cannot be a Bishop without Deacons, (which I believe not, nor do our Prelates) but without subject Presbyters he may (better than with them.) And § 10. he excellently argueth from the Epistle to Timothy, that seeing Paul instructeth him in all things belonging to the Church of God, 1 Tim. 3. 15. and yet never mentioneth these Medioxumos Presbyteros, mongrel or middle Priests, it is plain that the reason is ⟨p. 100⟩because none such were instituted when the Apostle wrote: To which I add, nor afterward by the Apostles, as far as can be proved, and therefore never should have been.
Cap. 23, 24, 25, 26. He speaketh of Deacons, the word and Office, which we have now no business with, but to note that cap. 26. § 8. he is again at Epiphanius allowing a single Bishop without Presbyters, but not without Deacons, because he cannot be a Bishop without Deacons, (which I believe not, nor do our Prelates) but without subject Presbyters he may (better than with them.) And § 10. he excellently argueth from the Epistle to Timothy, that seeing Paul instructeth him in all things belonging to the Church of God,