A27050:802
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. To silence a false Teacher by Argument, (by word or writing) belongeth to every man that is called to contend earnestly for the faith, and to answer a fool according to his folly.
3. To silence a false Teacher by Argument, (by word or writeing) belongeth to every man that is called to contend earnestly for the faith, and to answer a fool according to his folly.
4. To persuade him by Argument to give over Preaching, or to reform his errors. 1. A private man may do it privately; 2. Any Minister of Christ may do it both ex charitate & ex officio & authoritate, as a Minister of Christ in his name. For as a Physician doth medicate another Physician, not as another man, but as a Physician, and a judge doth judge the cause of another Judge, not as a private man, but as a Judge; so a Minister of Christ doth Preach to a Minister, and persuade him, not as a private man but as a Minister, not as his superior, but as a Messenger of Christ who is his Sovereign.
4. To perswade him by Argument to give over Preaching, or to reform his errours. 1. A private man may do it privately; 2. Any Minister of Christ may do it both ex charitate & ex officio & authoritate, as a Minister of Christ in his name. For as a Physician doth medicate another Physician, not as another man, but as a Physician, and a judge doth judge the cause of another Judge, not as a private man, but as a Judge; so a Minister of Christ doth Preach to a Minister, and perswade him, not as a private man but as a Minister, not as his superiour, but as a Messenger of Christ who is his Soveraigne.
5. Yea, to Command such a man ex authoritate Nu••ii vel Ministri, by Ministerial authority in the name of Christ to forsake his Heresy and wickedness, or to forbear the Sacred Ministry, belongeth to Ministers of the same office. For if a Minister Preach or speak to another Minister as a Minister himself, and in Christs name, then no doubt but he may command in Christs name; which is but by Ministerial office to publish the Commands of Christ: No doubt but he may say to another Minister [I Counsel, yea Command you in the name of Christ, by virtue of my office and his word, to forbear Adultery, Theft, Blasphemy, Heresy, or else to forbear the Sacred Ministry] Yea he may say thus (with due reverence) to a Bishop, so that for a silencing by Reason or force, or by Ministerial authority and command as from Christ, there is no need of the office of a Diocesan.