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.

Title

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.

Author

Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.

Publication

London :: Printed for Nevil Simmons ... and Thomas Simmons ...,

1681.

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Subject terms

Church of England -- Controversial literature.

Episcopacy.

Link to this Item

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/a27050.0001.001 content_copy

Cite this Item

"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A27050.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 1, 2024. content_copy

Contents

• title page
• The History of the Production of this Treatise, with its De∣sign and Sum; to prevent mis-understanding.
• quotations
• THE CONTENTS.
• title page
• These Books following are printed for, and sold by Nevil Sim∣mons at the three Golden Cocks at the west end of St. Pauls.
• There are lately published of this Authors these two Books following, and sold by Thomas Simmons at the Princes Armes in Ludgate∣street.
• part - 1
  • CHAP. I. The Reasons of this Writing.
  • CHAP. II. The English Diocesan Prelacy, and Church-Government, truly described; that it may be known what it is which we disown.
  • CHAP. III. Our Judgment of the History of the Antient Church-Go∣vernment, and of the rise of the Diocesan Prelacy.
  • CHAP. IV. The Judgement of those Nonconformists (now silenced) who 1660. addressed themselves to King Charles the Second for Concord in the matter of Church-Govern∣ment: what they then offered, and what those of the Authors mind now hold, as to the Right of what is be∣fore Historically related.
  • CHAP. V. Concerning the Writers of this Controversie; With a Sum∣mary Answer to the Chief that write against the Cause which I defend.
    • The Opposers of Prelacy.
  • CHAP. VI. That it is not of Gods institution, nor is pleasing to him that there be no Churches and Bishops but in Cities; or that a City with its territories, or Country adjacent, be the bounds of each Church.
  • CHAP. VII. The Definition and reasons of a Diocesan Church considered, and overthrown.
  • CHAP. VIII. Whether the Infidel Territories or Citizens do make part of a Diocesane Church.
  • CHAP. IX. Whether converting a Diocese give right to the Converter to be their Bishop or Governour.
  • CHAP. X. That a particular Church of the first or lowest order, must con∣sist of Neighbour Christians associated for Personal Commu∣nion in local presence, in holy worship and conversation; and not of strangres so remote, as have only an Internal Heart-Communion, or an External Communion by the mediation of o∣thers.
  • CHAP. XI. That a Bishop or Pastor of a particular Church of the first rank afore∣described, must Govern it statedly, as present by himself, and not as in absence by another.
  • CHAP. XII. The just opening and understanding of the true nature of the Pastoral office and Church Government, would end these con∣troversies about Episcopacy.
  • CHAP. XIII. That there is no need of such as our Diocesans for the Unity or the Government of the particular Ministers, nor for the silen∣cing of the unworthy.
  • CHAP. XIV. The true Original of the warrantable Episcopacy in particular Churches, was the notorious disparity of abilities in the Pastors: And the original of that tyrannical Prelacy into which it did de∣generate, was the worldly Spirit in the Pastors and people, which with the world came by prosperity into the Church. Quaere, Whether the thing cease not, where the reason of it ceaseth?
• THE Second Part.
  • CHAP. I. The clearing of the state of the Question.
  • CHAP. II. The first Argument against the English Diocesans; That their form (quantum in se) destroyeth the par∣ticular Church Form of God's Institution, and setteth up a Humane Form in its stead.
  • CHAP. III. That the primitive Episcopal Churches of the Holy Ghosts Institution, were but such Congregations as afore de∣scribed.
  • CHAP. IV. The same proved by the Concession of the most Learned Defenders of Diocesane Prelacy.
  • CHAP. V. The same proved by the full Testimony of Antiquity.
  • More Testimonies of Councils added to the former Chap. 5.
  • CHAP. VI. The same further confirmed by the Ancients.
  • CHAP. VII. More Proofs of the aforesaid Limits of Churches.
  • CHAP. VIII. That the Diocesans cause the errour of the Separatists, who avoid our Churches as false in their Constitution; and would utterly disable us to confute them.
  • CHAP. IX. The second Argument: from the Deposition of the primi∣tive species of Bishops, and the erecting of a humane inconsistent species in their stead: A specifick diffe∣rence proved.
  • CHAP. X. Whether any form of Church Government be instituted by God as necessary? or all left to humane prudence?
  • CHAP. XI. Argument 3. From the destruction of the order of Pres∣byters of Divine Institution, and the Invention of a new order of Sub-half-Presbyters in their stead.
  • CHAP. XII. That God instituted such Presbyters as had the foresaid power of the Keys, in Doctrine, Worship, and Disci∣pline; and no other, proved by the Sacred Scriptures.
  • CHAP. XIII. The same confirmed by the Ancients.
  • CHAP. XIV. The Confessions of the greatest and Learnedest Prelatists.
  • CHAP. XV. Whether this Government belonging to the office of Pres∣byters, be in foro Ecclesiae & exteriore, or only in foro Conscientiae & interiore.
  • CHAP. XVI. That the English Diocesane Government doth change this office of a Presbyter of Gods institution into another (quantum in se) of humane invention.
  • CHAP. XVII. That the great change of Government hitherto descri∣bed (the making of new species of Churches, a new Episcopacy, and a new sort of half-sub-presbyters, with the Deposition of the old,) was sinfully done, and not according to the intent of the Apostles.
  • CHAP. XVIII. The fourth Argument, From the Impossibility of their performance of the Episcopal Office, in a Diocesane Church; And the certain exclusion and destruction of true particular Church Government, while one man only will undertake a work too great for many hun∣dreds.
    • ARGUMENT IV.
  • CHAP. XIX. The same Impossibilty proved by Experience.
  • CHAP. XX. Objections against Parish Discipline answered.
  • CHAP. XXI. The Magistrates Sword is neither the strength of Church discipline, nor will serve instead of it, nor should be too much used to se∣cond and enforce it.
  • CHAP. XXII. An Answer to the Objections. 1. No Bishops no King. 2. And of the Rebellions and Seditions of those, that have been against Bishops.
  • CHAP. XXIII. Four doule charges I have now proved against the foredescribed Dioce∣sane frm of Government, the least of which alone is enough to prove it utterly unlawful.
  • CHAP. XXIV. Some testimonies of Prelatists of the late state of the Church of England, lest we be supposed partial in our description of it.
  • CHAP. XXV. The Ordination lately exercised by the Presbyteries in Eng∣land is valid: Ergo Reordination unnecessary.
• POSTCRIPT