A27058:715
The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended…
The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended vindicator of the primitive church, but indeed of the tympanite & tyranny of some prelates many hundred years after Christ, with a detection of the false history of Edward Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross in Ireland ... and a preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus's History of Habassta : written to show their dangerous error, who think that a general council, or college of bishops, is a supreme governor of all the Christian world ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; to which is added by another hand, a defence of a book, entitled, No evidence for diocesan churches ...The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended vindicator of the primitive church, but indeed of the tympanite & tyranny of some prelates many hundred years after Christ, with a detection of the false history of Edward Lord Bishop of Corke and Rosse in Ireland ... and a preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus's History of Habassta : written to shew their dangerous errour, who think that a general council, or colledge of bishops, is a supream governour of all the Christian world ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; to which is added by another hand, a defence of a book, entituled, No evidence for diocesan churches ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1682
The particular Defence of the History of Councils and Schisms. › Chapter 18: Of his Second Chapter.
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.
Answ. I think it could be but by Letters of Accusation, Renunciation, and persuading others to renounce them. For Bishops were not then come up to their Commanding Power over one another. But doth not Mr. M's. here rail upon a Bishop, in saying the same of him that I did, if my words were Railing? Thus you shall have him all along confessing much of that faultiness by them, which he takes the mention of by me to be so bad.
§ 4. He nameth many Councils, which he saith I pass lightly over; then sure I say no harm of them. He thinks it is because I could not, as if he knew it were my will. And so I am never blameless.
§ 5. But he hath a notable Controversy against Baronius, who thought Novatus had been a Bishop (such Errors as Baronius was guilty of by Ignorance, are excusable in one so far below him in History as I am.) But I congratulate Mr. M's, ⟨p. 117⟩discovery, that he was but a Presbyter: But all confess that he Ordained Felicissimus Deacon: And here is a Presbyter Ordaining: But it was irregularly! Let it be so: He saith, that he ought not to have Ordained, but with Cyprian, or by his permission. I grant it. But 1. If Cyprian's permission would serve, then it was not a work alien to a Presbyter: If a permitted Presbyter may Ordain, a Bishop's Ordination is not necessary ad esse Officii; and so that which is a disorder is no Nullity. 2. And it seems by Novatus's Act, that the Necessity of Episcopal Ordination was not universally received. And I have not yet met with any that make it more necessary ad esse Presbyteratus quam Diaconatus.
§ 5. But he hath a notable Controversie against Baronius, who thought Novatus had been a Bishop (such Errours as Baronius was guilty of by Ignorance, are excusable in one so far below him in History as I am.) But I congratulate Mr. M's,