A27050:767
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.
3. And whereas the Chancellor or Diocesan must go upon the witnesses report. 1. The credit of the witnesses will be unknown to them; because it lieth upon the honesty of the persons, whom they know not but by other persons; nor those other but by others; and they are forced to take all our slight reports, usually from some flatterers of themselves, almost the worst men in the Parish, accounted by them the best and most credible, because they know not them aright, nor the rest at all. 2. And how unsatisfactory a thing it is to a mans Conscience, to Judge at random, or upon the uncertain credit of they scarce know who, in a case ⟨p. 153⟩of Excommunication or Absolution; whereas the present Pastor may go on far more clear and satisfactory grounds.
3. And whereas the Chancelor or Diocesane must go upon the witnesses report. 1. The credit of the witnesses will be unknown to them; because it lyeth upon the honesty of the persons, whom they know not but by other persons; nor those other but by others; and they are forced to take all our slight reports, usualy from some flatterers of themselves, almost the worst men in the Parish, accounted by them the best and most credible, because they know not them aright, nor the rest at all. 2. And how unsatisfactory a thing it is to a mans Conscience, to Judge at random, or upon the uncertain credit of they scarce know who, in a c•se ⟨p. 153⟩of Excommunication or Absolution; whereas the present Pastor may goe on far more cleare and satisfactory grounds.
4. Moreover the Conviction of a sinner before Excommunication or Absolution, requireth a great deal of time, and a great many words, and those chosen with the greatest skill, and set home with the greatest Life, and Light, and Love, that can be manifested by the speaker; Many a time I have tried it, and could never satisfy my Conscience without more frequent, long and earnest exhortation, and prayer with it, than ever I knew Chancellor or Bishop use to forty delinquents set together. The present Pastor hath opportunity to do this: But the Chancellor or Diocesan hath not. I never heard of any such means used in their Courts that was of such a nature as true Pastoral exhortations are, to melt a sinners heart into repentance. But of this before.