A27050:943
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.
Whatever is the work of a Bishop as a Presbyter, every Presbyter may and must do, according to his ability and opportunity: But whatever belongeth to a Bishop as a Bishop, cannot be done by another, either Lay-man or Presbyter. Therefore let us have but Bishops enough to do it, or else confess that it is no necessary work.
So great a trust as the Gospel and mens souls which Christ hath committed to Bishops, may not be cast upon others without his consent that did commit it to them. But they can show no consent of Christ to make new Officers to do their work by. Timothy was to commit the same to others which he had received, 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. And who knoweth not that if a Tutor commit his work statedly to another, he maketh that other a Tutor? And so if a Physician commit his work statedly to another, or a Pilot, or the Master of a Family, he maketh the other a Physician, a Pilot, a Master? And so if a Bishop or Presbyter commit his work statedly to another, he maketh that other a Bishop or Presbyter. And then that Bishop or Presbyter so made is himself obliged as well as empowered, and the work that he doth is his own work, and not his that delivered him his Commission. So that this doing these twelve parts of a Bishops work per alium is a mere mockery, unless they speak unfitly, and mean the making of all those to be Bishops as they are, or else by perfidious usurpation casting their trust and work on others. For if they could prove that God himself had instituted the Species ⟨p. 12⟩of Sub-presbyters, it would be to do their own work, and not another mans.
So great a trust as the Gospel and mens souls which Christ hath committed to Bishops, may not be cast upon others without his consent that did commit it to them. But they can shew no consent of Christ to make new Officers to do their work by. Timothy was to commit the same to others which he had received,