A27050:828
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.
Without them we have all these means of concord following. 1. We have a clear description of the duty of Ministers and people in Gods word. 2. We have Ministers to Preach up all these duties by Office. 3. The people are taught by Scripture what Ministers to choose. 4. We find it natural to the people to before Learned and godly Ministers, though many of them be bad themselves. And though it be not so with them all, yet the sober part do usually persuade the rest: So that in London and else where, those Parishes where the people choose, had usually far worthier Pastors than the rest, especially than those in the Bishops presentation. 5. The people are obliged by God to mark those Ministers that cause division and contention and avoid them. 6. The Ministers are bound to give notice to the people of false teachers and Schismatics, and to command them to avoid them; And themselves to renounce Communion with them after the first and second admonition. 7. These Ministers may have correspondence by Synods, to keep up concord by agreement among themselves. So we have over all a Christian King and Magistracy, who are the rightful Governors of the Clergy as well as of all other subjects; and may constrain the negligent to their duty, and restrain the Heretical, Schismatical and wicked from their sin. And may not all this do much to keep up Concord?
Without them we have all these means of concord following. 1. We have a clear description of the duty of Ministers and people in Gods word. 2. We have Ministers to Preach up all these duties by Office. 3. The people are taught by Scripture what Ministers to choose. 4. We find it natural to the people to before Learned and godly Ministers, though many of them be bad themselves. And though it be not so with them all, yet the sober part do usually perswade the rest: So that in London and else where, those Parishes where the people choose, had usually far worthier Pastors than the rest, especially than those in the Bishops presentation. 5. The people are obliged by God to marke those Ministers that cause division and contention and avoid them. 6. The Ministers are bound to give notice to the people of false teachers and Schismaticks, and to command them to avoid them; And themselves to renounce Communion with them after the first and second admonition. 7. These Ministers may have correspondence by Synods, to keep up concord by agreement among themselves. So we have over all a Christian King and Magistracy, who are the rightful Governours of the Clergy as well as of all other subjects; and may constrain the negligent to their duty, and restrain the Heretical, Schismatical and wicked from their sin. And may not all this do much to keep up Concord?