A27050:815
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.
2. In the 2d. case (of notorious Heresy) all good Christians are bound by God to avoid such a man, though you never silenced him, yea though you licensed him; yea though you commanded them to hear him: And so Magistrates are bound to do their duty in restraining him. Can you deny this? Must the peoples Souls be poisoned and damned, till the Bishop please to take away the poison and to save them? must the Magistrate let Heretics alone till it please the Diocesan to judge them?
2. In the 2d. case (of notorious Heresie) all good Christians are bound by God to avoid such a man, though you never silenced him, yea though you licensed him; yea though you commanded them to hear him: And so Magistrates are bound to do their duty in restraining him. Can you deny this? Must the peoples Souls be poysoned and damned, till the Bishop please to take away the poyson and to save them? must the Magistrate let Hereticks alone till it please the Diocesan to judge them?
2. And in this case, no sober Christian will deny, that a Presbyter ought to call upon people and Magistrates to do their duty, as well as the Diocesans. Yea, and to command men in Christs name, to avoid a notorious or proved heretic.
2. And in this case, no sober Christian will deny, that a Presbyter ought to call upon people and Magistrates to do their duty, as well as the Diocesans. Yea, and to command men in Christs name, to avoid a notorious or proved heretick.
Obj. But a Presbyter cannot examine the case and so get proof. Ans. He may examine it as far as Reason with Ministerial authority will persuade the guilty or the witnesses to be examined. And his care of the Church and the peoples Souls obligeth him so to do. And a Prelate cannot bring men by source to examination or witnessing.