A27050:955
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 pag. 23. He thus beginneth his third Chapter, as opening the only necessary way to avoid the Scripture Arguments against Episcopacy, [Si quis amnia illa scripturae loca diligenter expendat, id necessario consequens ex illis esse statuet, eos ipsos, qui ibi Presbyteri vocantur, plus aliquid quam simplices fuisse presbyteros, cujusmodi hodieque sunt: nec dubitabit, quin Episcopi fuerint iidem, non vocabulo tantum, sed re etiam & potestate.] i. e. [If any one will diligently weigh all those places of Scripture, he will conclude that this is the necessary consequent of them, that those that are there called Presbyters were somewhat more than simple Presbyters, and such as now they are: and he will not doubt but the same men were Bishops, not only in name, but in deed and in power.]
Pag. 24. [Existimo Presbyteros vel omnes, vel eorum plerosque sic ordinatos esse ut Episcopi pariter ac presbytery gradum obtinerent.] I think that either all or most of the Presbyters were so ordained, as that they obtained both the degree of Bishop and of Presbyter.] Which he proceedeth to show that he thinks was done that there might be a store of Bishops prepared for all Countries. Pag. 25. he thus far differs from Doctor Hammond, but not from the truth, as to hold, that [Plures in eadem Ecclesia velut Eph•sina Episcopi fuere.] [There were many Bishops in one Church, as in that of Ephesus.] Which he taketh for a particular Church, and not a Province; and saith, that the simple manners of the Church would then bear this, till Ambition had depraved men, and Charity and Humility and the imitation of Christ waxed cold: then came that which Hierome speaketh of, that For a remedy of Schism one was chosen out of the company of Presbyters, and set above the rest.
Pag. 24. [Existimo Presbyteros vel omnes, vel eorum plerosque sic ordinatos esse ut Episcopi pariter ac presbyteri gradum obtinerent.] I think that either all or most of the Presbyters were so ordained, as that they obtained both the degree of Bishop and of Presbyter.] Which he proceedeth to shew that he thinks was done that there might be a store of Bishops prepared for all Countries. Pag. 25. he thus far differs from Doctor Hammond, but not from the truth, as to hold, that [Plures in eadem Ecclesia velut Ephsina Episcopi fuere.] [There were many Bishops in one Church, as in that of Ephesus.] Which he taketh for a particular Church, and not a Province; and saith, that the simple manners of the Church would then bear this, till Ambition had depraved men, and Charity and Humility and the imitation of Christ waxed cold: then came that which Hierome speaketh of, that For a remedy of Schism one was chosen out of the company of Presbyters, and set above the rest.