A27050:813
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.
And remember still you silence no further than you persuade the Conscience to believe that God hath given you this authority. And 1. I ask whether it be ever likely that you will silence any Heretics, false Teacher, or Schismatic this way by making him take you for one authorized ⟨p. 161⟩by God to forbid him to Preach. For it must be in one of these three cases or all that you have this power. 1. Either to silence him as a Heretic that is no Heretic, or not proved such. 2. Or to silence him as a Heretic that notoriously and provedly is a Heretic. 3. Or to silence him as a Heretic in a doubtful case to others, but judged Heresy &c. by you.
And remember still you silence no further than you perswade the Conscience to believe that God hath given you this authority. And 1. I ask whether it be ever likely that you will silence any Hereticks, false Teacher, or Schismatick this way by making him take you for one authorized ⟨p. 161⟩by God to forbid him to Preach. For it must be in one of these three cases or all that you have this power. 1. Either to silence him as a Heretick that is no Heretick, or not proved such. 2. Or to silence him as a Heretick that notoriously and provedly is a Heretick. 3. Or to silence him as a Heretick in a doubtful case to others, but judged Heresie &c. by you.
1. In the first case neither the injured person, nor any that know that you injure him will or must obey you. Else a malignant Prelate might silence all the holiest and worthiest Ministers of Christ, and it would be at such mens mercy, whether Christ should have Churches, or the people should be Christians or be saved. I am one of the 1800 that have been silenced by better authority than the Prelates alone, and yet I think I am bound in Conscience to exercise the Ministry which I received, whatever I suffer, to the utmost of my opportunity. And if the Sword straitened my opportunity no more than my Conscience of the Diocesans Prohibition, I should be but very little hindered.