A Treatise of Episcopacy, Postscript
POSTCRIPT
Promiſcucus additions to the Chapter, 4. of part ſecond out of Mr. Gilbert Burnets bocke called, The Vindication of the Church of Scotland, &c.
PAg. 304. 305. Let me here ſend you to the Maſters of Jewiſh Learning; particularly to the eminently learned Dr. Lightfoot, who will inform you that in every Synagogue there was one peculiarly charged with the worſhip, called the Biſhop of the Congregation, the Angel of the Church, or the Miniſter of the Synagogue. And beſides him there were three who had the Civil judicature, who judged alſo about the receiving of proſelites, the impoſition of hands, &c. And there were other three who gathered and diſtributed the almes. Now the Chriſtian Religion taking place as the Goſpel was planted in Cities where it was chiefly Preached, theſe formes and orders were reteined, both names and things.
Pag. 306.—Theſe Presbyters were as the Biſhops Children, educated and formed by him, being in all they did, directed by him and accountable to him, and were as Probationers for the Biſhoprick, one of them being alwaies choſen to ſucceed in the ſeat, when vacant by the Biſhops death. Now all theſe lived together as in a little Colledge, thus the Churches were planted and the Goſpel diſſeminated through the world. But at firſt every Biſhop had but one Pariſh, yet afterwards when the numbers of the Chriſtians increaſed, that they could not conveniently meet in one place, and when through the violence of perſecution they durſt not aſſemble in great multitudes, the Biſhops divided their charges in leſſer Pariſhes *The ſtory of Eraniſtus dividing into Titulos (much leſs proper Pariſhes) is confuted by the moſt knowing iſiſtorians.and gave aſſignments to the Presbyters of particular flocks, which was done firſt in Rome, in the begining of the 2d. Century—And things continued thus in a Parochial Government, till toward the end of the 2d. Century, the Biſhop being chiefly intruſted with the cure of Souls, a ſhare whereof was alſo committed to the Presbyters, who were ſubject to him, and particularly to be ordained by him, nor could any ordination be without the Biſhop; who in ordaining was to carry along with him the concurrence of the Presbyters, as in every other act of Eccleſiaſtical juriſdiction.
Pag. 308. 309. Corruptions broke in upon Church Officers, eſpecially after the 4th. Centurie, that the Empire became Chriſtian: Which as it brought much riches and ſplendor on Church employments, ſo it let in great Swarmes of corrupt men on the Chriſtian Aſſemblies: And then the Election to Church offices, which was formerly in the hands of the people, was taken from them, by reaſon of the tumults, and diſonders that were in theſe Elections, which ſome time ended in blood, and occaſioned much Faction and Schiſm: And An…bitus became now ſuch an univerſal ſin among Churchmen, that &c.
Pag. 310. I do not alledge a Biſhop to be a diſtinct office from a Presbyter, but a different degree in the ſame office, &c.
Pag. 320. As for the ſole power of ordination and Juriſdiction, none among us claime it, but willingly allow the Presbyters a concurence in both theſe.
Pag. 322. That whole frame of Metropolitans and Patriarks was taken from the diviſion of the Roman Empire, which made but one great National Church.
Pag. 331. I acknowledged Biſhop and Presbyter to be one and the ſame office, and ſo plead for no new office bearer in the Church—The firſt branch of their power is their authority to publiſh the Goſpell, to manage the worſhip and diſpence the Sacraments: And this is all that is of Divine right in the Miniſtry; in which Biſhops and Presbyters are equal ſharers,—but beſides this the Church claimeth a power of Juriſdiction, of making rules for diſcipline, and applying and executing the ſame; All which is indeed ſuitable to the common laws of ſocieties, and the general rules of Scripture, but hath no poſitive warrant from any Scripture precept: And all theſe Conſtitutions of Churches into Synods, and the Canons of diſcipline, taking their riſe from the diviſions of the world into the ſeveral provinces, and beginning in the 2d. and beginning of the 3d. Century, do clearly ſhew they can be derived from no Divine original, and ſo were a to their particular forme but of humane conſtitution. Therefore as to the managment of this Juriſdiction, it is in the Churches power to caſt it into what mould ſhe will—But we ought to be much more determined by the Laws of the land—In things neceſſary to be done by Divine precept, ſince no power on earth can Council the authority of a Divine Law, the Churches reſtraints are not to be conſidered.
Pag. 335. I acknowledge that without Scripture warrant no new offices may be inſtituted.
Pag. 337. I am not to annul theſe ordinations that paſs by Presbyters, where no Biſhop can be had: And this layes no claime to a new office, but only to a higher degree of inſpection in the ſame office; whereby the exerciſe of ſome acts of juriſdiction, are reſtrained to ſuch a Method: And this may be done either by the Churches free conſent, or by the Kings authority.
Pag. 348. In Auguſtines time it appears from the journal of a conference he had with the Donatiſts, that there were about 500 Biſhopricks in a ſmall tract of ground.
Pag. 30. Obſerve the Biſhops were to be ordained in the preſence of the people, where every one might propoſe his exceptions, yet the popular Elections were not wholly taken away, and at leaſt the peoples conſent was asked.
Pag. 41. Voſſ…is, from all the manuſcripts of Damaſus his lives of the Popes, ſhewes that S. Peter ordained both Linus and Gletus, Biſhops of Rome, and after ſome enquiry into the matter he concludes, that at firſt there were three Biſhops in Rome at once, Linus, Cletus, and Aneneletus: in the next ſucceſſion he placeth Cletus, Anencltus, and Clemens.
Pag. 48. Among the Jewes where ever there were an hundred and twenty of them together, they did erect a Synagoguge
Pag. 49. At a conference which Auguſtine and the Biſhops of that Province had with the Donatiſts, there were of Biſhops 286 preſent, and 120 abſent, and 60 Sees vacant: And there were 279 of the Donatiſts Biſhops.
Pag. 51. The Gothick Churches are ſaid to be planted 70 years before Ulphilas their firſt Biſhop came to them (Pag. 50, He ſhe weth the like of the Scots.) By the ſtreine of Ignatius Epiſtles, eſpecially that to Smyrna, it would appear that there was but one Church, at leaſt but one place where there was one Altar and Communion in each of theſe Pariſhes (which was the Biſhops whole charge.]
Pag. 56. The enlarging of the Dioceſſes hath wholly altered the figure of Primitive Epiſcopacy)
That the Biſhops were choſen by the people, and by the Clergy and people, and at laſt not obtruded without the peoples conſent, Father Paul Saript. de Beneficiis oft tells you, and I have fully proved by many Canons in my abſtract of Church-hiſtory of Councils.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, A Treatise of Episcopacy (1681)