A27050:600
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.
Obj. But they that do say that the Apo•les took this course do not say that it is so obligatory but that in cases of necessity we may do otherwise.
Ans. 1. They allege the very Law of nature for it, that it must be so even in Heathen Empires ex natura rei, as Dr. Hammond before cited. 2. All mere positives give places to natural duties, caeteris paribus: in cases of true necessity we may break the rest of the Lords day, we may omit the Lords Supper, we may stay from the Church assemblies, we may forbear to preach or pray or meditate or read. So that the exception only of necessity will but equal this Diocesan model, to other positive ordinances, which are indeed Divine.
Ans. 1. They alledge the very Law of nature for it, that it must be so even in Heathen Empires ex natura rei, as Dr. Hammond before cited. 2. All meer positves give places to natural duties, caeteris paribus: in cases of true necessity we may break the rest of the Lords day, we may omit the Lords Supper, we may stay from the Church assemblies, we may forbear to preach or pray or meditate or read. So that the exception only of necessity will but equal this Diocesan model, to other possitive ordinances, which are indeed Divine.
Obj. What if we prove but the lawfulness of it, though not the Duty?