A27050:702
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.
2. But if the Agent or Official were not a Lay Chancellor but a Clergyman, if he be of the same Order with the Bishop, than I grant all, for it granteth me all; even that every Church should have an (ordinarily) present Bishop. But if he be supposed to be but of an inferior Order, then I proceed as before; either the Bishop giveth him power and obligation to do the proper work of the Bishop or not: If not, he is not hereby enabled to do it. If yea, then he hath thereby made him a Bishop: For to be a Bishop is nothing else than to have Authority and Obligation to do the proper work of a Bishop. But if it be but an Accidental or a common work, which another may do, it is not that in question, nor do we need the Office of a Bishop for it.
Moreover either the Bishop pro hic &. nunc was himself obliged to do that Act which he committeth to another, or not he but the other was by office obliged to do it. If he himself was obliged to do it he sinned in not doing it. If he were not it was not truly his act or part of his office work: nor did he do it by another, but that other did only his own work; for which not the Bishop, but he shall have the reward.
Obj. But doth not he that sendeth his servant to pay a debt, himself in Law sense pay it per alium? what another doth as his Instrument, reputatively he doth himself.
Obj. But doth not he that sendeth his servant to pay a debt, himself in Lawsense pay it per alium? what another doth as his Instrument, reputatively he doth himself.