A27050:765
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.
1. A Bishop (especially armed with penal terror) or a Chancellor's Court, is not like to know of one scandalous Impenitent person of a hundred, which the present Pastor is like to know of. For experience telleth us that few honest men will accuse their neighbours, where they shall but get hatred, and foresee no more probability of procuring the persons repentance by it: And that Church-Wardens do not and will not do it. Many men that fear perjury, refuse the oath, lest they should break it, or sin in keeping it, as it bindeth them to prosecute many men for Conscientious Nonconformity: And those that take the Cath, before they fear an oath, will make no Conscience at all of breaking it. So that a matter of notorious fact is past dispute. The land knoweth that not one Swearer, Curser, Fornicator, Adulterer, Railer, Thief, Derider of Scripture and Religion, &c. of a multitude, is ever accused at the Bishops Court. Whereas the Present Pastor can scarce choose but know the greatest part of these in his Parish, by dwelling among them, where he shall have frequent notice of it. Say as long as you will that this is long of the Minister, or Long of the Church-Wardens, or of the Apparitor, we know that the thing is so.
1. A Bishop (especially armed with penal terrour) or a Chancellour's Court, is not like to know of one scandalous Impenitent person of a hundred, which the present Pastor is like to know of. For experience telleth us that few honest men will accuse their neighbours, where they shall but get hatred, and foresee no more probality of procuring the persons repentance by it: And that Church-Wardens do not and will not do it. Many men that fear perjury, refuse the oath, lest they should break it, or sin in keeping it, as it bindeth them to prosecute many men for Conscientious Nonconformity: And those that take the Cath, before they fear an oath, will make no Conscience at all of breaking it. So that a matter of notorious fact is past dispute. The land knoweth that not one Swearer, Curser, Fornicator, Adulterer, Railer, Thief, Derider of Scripture and Religion, &c. of a multitude, is ever accused at the Bishops Court. Whereas the Present Pastor can scarce choose but know the greatest part of these in his Parish, by dwelling among them, where he shall have frequent notice of it. Say as long as you will that this is long of the Minister, or Long of the Church-Wardens, or of the Apparitor, we know that the thing is so.