A27050:850
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 from hence you may gather the reasons, 1. Why so few Volumes are left us written in the two first ages. 2. And why the Churches had then so many Presbyters. (Whatever Doctor Hammond say to the contrary without any proof.) It was easy to find such Christians as aforedecribed, who might competently guide the rest by Doctrine, worship, discipline and example: Though to find Learned men was hard. 3. And you may see why so many Heretics boasted so much of their higher knowledge, and Platonical &c. speculations, as accounting the Orthodox to be ignorant men. 4. And you may see why so few were Champions for the truth. 5. And why there were so many parties and divisions, when the Elders were many and less judicious. 6. And you may see how the opinion of Ecclesiastic mere Ruling Elders came up; and how to expound Pauls, 1 Tim. 5. 17. Especially them that labour in the Word and Doctrine. For it was but here and there a Learned or special gifted Christian, that was able solemnly and ornately to Preach, decide hard cases and controversies, confute Heretics, and guide the Churches in difficult cases. And the rest did sit about the Bishop as his assistants, and Preach and officiate at his direction, and oversee the people from man to man; being of the same order and office with the Bishop, but not of the same parts, and therefore not equal in the exercise.
And from hence you may gather the reasons, 1. Why so few Volumes are left us written in the two first ages. 2. And why the Churches had then so many Presbyters. (Whatever Doctor Hammond say to the contrary without any proof.) It was easy to find such Christians as aforedecribed, who might competently guide the rest by Doctrine, worship, discipline and example: Though to find Learned men was hard. 3. And you may see why so many Hereticks boasted so much of their higher knowledge, and Platonical &c. speculations, as accounting the Orthodox to be ignorant men. 4. And you may see why so few were Champions for the truth. 5. And why there were so many parties and divisions, when the Elders were many and less judicious. 6. And you may see how the opinion of Ecclesiastick meer Ruling Elders came up; and how to expound Pauls, 1 Tim. 5. 17. Especially them that labour in the Word and Doctrine. For it was but here and there a Learned or special gifted Christian, that was able solemnly and ornately to Preach, decide hard cases and controversies, confute Hereticks, and guide the Churches in difficult cases. And the rest did sit about the Bishop as his assistants, and Preach and officiate at his direction, and oversee the people from man to man; being of the same order and office with the Bishop, but not of the same parts, and therefore not equal in the exercise.