A27050:587
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.
8. Yea after their model, an infidel or Christian King a•iud agen•, that never thinketh on it or intendeth it, shall change the Churches, and destroy them. If by war a City be turned into no City, or if the King for other reasons un-city it, or if change of Government put it into another Princes power, that shall for his convenience un city it, the Church in City and Country is at an end, though there remain people enow to constitute a Church.
9. Yea a fire or an Earthquake by this Rule may end a Church, by Wood and stone, though the Country still have never so many Christians: and when the City is gone, the Church is gone. 10. Yea it will be in the power of every king, even of Heathens, whether Christ shall have any Church or Bishop in his kingdoms, or not. Because he can un-city or disprivilege all the Cities in his kingdom at his pleasure, and consequently unchurch all the Churches.
9. Yea a fire or an Earthquake by this Rule may end a Church, by Wood and stone, though the Country still have never so many Christians: and when the City is gone, the Church is gone. 10. Yea it will be in the power of every king, even of Heathens, whether Christ shall have any Church or Bishop in his kingdoms, or not. Because he can un-city or dispriviledge all the Cities in his kingdom at his pleasure, and consequently unchurch all the Churches.
11. And by their way Christ hath settled as various Church forms as there be forms of Government in the world: For all Dominions are not divided into Provinces, under Presidents &c as the Roman Empire was: In many Countries, the Metropolis hath no superiority over the other City or the Country, and so that will be of divine institution in one Country, which will be a sin in others.