A27050:856
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 hence we may say that God himself useth to give Bishops to the Church, whether men will or not; while he giveth them such as (Jerome) Luther, Melan••horn, Bucer, Calvin, Zanchius, &c, Who had Episcopal ability, and really did that which Bishops were first appointed for, while the Bishops would have hindered them and sought their blood. They taught the people, they bred up young Ministers, they kept out Heresies and Schisms, they guided the churches by the light of Sacred truth, and by the power of Reason and Love: And who than was the Bishop? who is the real Architect he that buildeth the house, or he that hath the title, and doth nothing unless it be hindering the builders?
And hence we may say that God himself useth to give Bishops to the Church, whether men will or not; while he giveth them such as (Jerome) Luther, Melan••horn, Bucer, Calvin, Zanchius, &c, Who had Episcopal ability, and really did that which Bishops were first appointed for, while the Bishops would have hindered them and sought their blood. They taught the people, they bred up young Ministers, they kept out Heresies and Schismes, they guided the churches by the light of Sacred truth, and by the power of Reason and Love: And who than was the Bishop? who is the real Architect he that buildeth the house, or he that hath the title, and doth nothing unless it be hindering the builders?
To this already said I add but two more intimations, which I desire the sober impartial Reader to consider. 1. Writing is but a mode of Preaching: And of the two it is worse to have inept Sermons in Public Assemblies (and so Gods work and worship dishonoured) than to have inept books in private. And no doubt, the Pastors oversight extends to public and private. Now while the mere worth of books without any Authority, commendeth them to the world, though sometimes with some few, giddy Pamphlets are accepted, yet that is but for a fit; and ordinarily the Book-sellers sufficiently restrain all that are not of worth, because they cannot sell them. But if a Bishop must impose on all the people what books they must read, in many Kingdoms it will be for the Pope and Mass, in others for Exorcism and Consubstantiation, &c.