A69533:337
Five disputations of church-government and worship
Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
Whether it be Necessary or Profitable to the right order or the Pea… › Section
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.
Reason 6. According to the opposed opinion, it is in the power of a King to make Bishops to be either Congregational or Diocesan, 1to make a Bishop to ha•e a Million of souls or a whole Nation in charge, or to have but a• few. For if a King will but dissolve the Privilege and title, and make that no City which was a City, though he diminish not the number of souls; and if he will do thus by all the Cities, save one in his dominion, then must there be but one Bishop in his dominion. And if he will but make every country Town, that hath four or five hundred or a thousand inhabitants to be incorporate, and honour it with the title and privileges of a City, th•n shall they have a Bishop. Moreover, thus every Prince may de jure banish Episcopacy out of ⟨p. 71⟩his Dominions, without diminishing the number of Christians, if he do but disfranchise the Cities, and be of the mind as I have heard some men have been, that Cities are against the Princes interest, by strengthening the people, and advantaging them to rebellions. Also if there be any Indian Nations so barbarous as to have no Cities, though they were converted, yet must they have no Bishops: Also it would be in the Princes power de jure to depose any of those Bishops that the Apostles or their Successors are supposed to set up: For the Roman Emperor might have proclaimed Antioch, Alexandria, or any of the rest to be no Cities, and then they must have no longer have had any Bishops. And what Bishops shall Antioch have at this day?
Reason 6. According to the oppos•d opinion, it is in the power of a King to make Bishops to be either Congregational or Diocesan, 1to make a Bish•p to ha•e a Million of souls or a whole Nation in charge, or to have but a• few. For if a King will but dissolve the Priviledge and title, and make that no City wh•ch was a City, though he diminish not the number of souls; and if he will do thus by all the Cities, save one in his dominion, then must there be but one Bishop in his dominion. And if he will but make every countrey Town, that hath four or five hundred or a thousand inhabitants to be incorporate, and honour it with the title and priviledges of a City, thn shall they have a Bishop. Moreover, thus every Prince may de jure banish Episcopacy out of