A27050:940
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.
So that by this time it is easy to see how great the ancient Churches were; yea, and how great they were to be continued; when all this is the Bishops Office and Work. We are willing that they have Dioceses as big as they can do this work in, even with a Consessus of assisting Presbyters. There is no one of all these twelve alone that a Bishop. can do for a Diocese of many score or hundred Churches. How much less all these set together? Nay, what one considerable Parish would not find a Bishop with divers assistants work enough in all these kinds, if it be faithfully done?
So that by this time it is easie to see how great the ancient Churches were; yea, and how great they were to be continued; when all this is the Bishops Office and Work. We are willing that they have Diocesses as big as they can do this work in, even with a Consessus of assisting Presbyters. There is no one of all these twelve alone that a Bishop. can do for a Diocess of many score or hundred Churches. How much less all these set together? Nay, what one considerable Parish would not find a Bishop with divers assistants work enough in all these kinds, if it be faithfully done?
As for the doing of it per se aut per alium, I have so far confuted it before, as that I may be bold to tell them now, that they may also receive the reward in se aut in alio: And if he that will not work should not eat, quaere whether they should eat per alium.
I add, If all this as Doctor Hammond maintaineth was made by the Spirit in the Apostles the Bishops work, if they may make new Church-Officers to commit part of their work to, there may be twelve sorts of Officers made by them for these twelve parts of their work. And then we shall better understand them.