A27050:74
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.
5. And he that in his Baptismal Covenant is engaged against the Flesh, the World and the Devil, should be loath to see all their work go on ⟨p. 3⟩and not oppose it; and to see, that which he taketh to be no better than deliberate Lying, or Justifying sin, and Perjury it self, and covenanting never to obey God in lawful and necessary Church-reformation, to be all called; Things indifferent.
6. Nature and Scripture teach us to have a due and moderate regard of our own reputation as men; but much more as Ministers of Christ; seeing the doctrine of Christ which we preach or write, is usually dishonoured in the Ministers dishonour and the edification of the souls of them that hear us or read our writings, is greatly hindered by it.
7. While Noblemen, Knights, Gentlemen, conformable Clergy men, and many others of all Ranks, are possessed with these thoughts of us, that we are persons who hypocritically pretend to Godliness, while indeed we are so humoursome, that we will forbear our Ministry, and our Maintenance, and suffer any thing, and divide the Church, rather than yield to indifferent things▪ this is a scandal, a grievous scandal, either given or taken, and tendeth to wrong their souls that are scandalized: And if we give them this scandal, it is our heinous sin▪ But if they take it by misinformation, we are obliged to do our part to heal it: Souls are precious; and scandal doth endanger them, even to distaste Religion it self, for the sakes of such as they take us to be: And we must not stand by and see men perish, if we can do any thing to save them.
7. While Noblemen, Knights, Gentlemen, conformable Clergy men, and many others of all Ranks, are possessed with these thoughts of us, that we are persons who hypocritically pretend to Godliness, while indeed we are so humoursome, that we will forbear our Ministry, and our Maintenance, and suffer any thing, and divide the Church, rather than yield to indifferent things this is a scandal, a grievous scandal, either given or taken, and tendeth to wrong their souls that are scandalized: And if we give them this scandal, it is our heinous sin But if they take it by misinformation, we are obliged to do our part to heal it: Souls are precious; and scandal doth endanger them, even to distast Religion it self, for the sakes of such as they take us to be: And we must not stand by and see men perish, if we can do any thing to save them.