A27050:624
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.
6. Because it would make it uncertain who it is that hath any where the Episcopal power. For Conversion is, 1. a secret work known only to the person converted. 2. And it is an obscure and usually a gradual work, not done at once, but by such degrees, that the convert seldom knoweth himself who it was that converted him: Though he may know that one mans ministry so far convinced him, and another so far, and so on; It will be hard to say just when it came to a conversion. And if you say it is he that persuaded him to be baptized, that may be a lay man, or long after his Conversion. Princes in some Countries force or persuade thousands to be baptized. If you say, that it is he that Baptized him, than Paul should be Pastor but to few of the Corinthians, who thanked God that he baptized none of them but Stephanus household, Gaius and Crispus; as being not sent to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.
6. Because it would make it uncertain who it is that hath any where the Episcopal power. For Conversion is, 1. a secret work known only to the person converted. 2. And it is an obscure and usually a gradual work, not done at once, but by such degrees, that the convert seldome knoweth himself who it was that converted him: Though he may know that one mans ministry so far convinced him, and another so far, and so on; It will be hard to say just when it came to a conversion. And if you say it is he that perswaded him to be baptized, that may be a lay man, or long after his Conversion. Princes in some Countries force or perswade thousands to be baptized. If you say, that it is he that Baptized him, than Paul should be Pastor but to few of the Corinthians, who thanked God that he baptized none of them but Stephanus houshold, Gaius and Crispus; as being not sent to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.
7. Because else many persons should be necessitated to choose a bad or very weak man, if not a heretic for their Bishop, when they may have far better and abler men. For it hath been known that a bad Minister, and a heretical Minister, much more a very weak Minister hath converted men. But God doth not allow such converts therefore to cast their Souls under the danger and disadvantage of such a ones Ministry, or oversights when much fitter may be had.