Pa n r H. Reverend Mr. RichardBaxter. 2¢3 mitive Epifcopacy, and that to be more than a meer prefidency of Order. Nei- ther do we find- that the fame was in any Time ballanced.or managed by 'any Au- thoritative Commixtion of Presbyters therewith. Though it hath been then, and in allTimes fince ufually exercifed with, the Affiance andCounfel of Presbyters in fubordinatiotltothe Bithops. § 8. And we cannot but wonder that the Adminifration of Government by one tinglePerlon, Ihould by them be affirmed to be fo liable to Corruptions, Par- tialities, Tyrannies, and other Evils, that for the avoiding thereof it lhould be needful to have others joyned with him in the power of Government. Which if applyed to the Civil State, is a molt dangerous Infinuation. And we verily be- lieve what Experience and the Congitutions of Kingdoms,Armies and even private Families fufciently confirmeth (in all which the Government is adminiftred by the Authorityofone tingle Perlon, although the Advice of others may be requi- fire alto ; but without any 'hare in the Government) that the Government of ma- ny is not only moth fubjea to all the aforefaid Evils and Inconveniencies, butmore likely alto tobreed and foment perpetual Faetions both in Church and State, than the Government byone is or can be. And lince no Government can certainly pre- vent all Evils that which is liable to the leafl and fewelt is certainly,to be preferred. 'As to the four particular tnflances ofthings amiJ?, &c. § 9. I. We cannot grant that theExtent of anyDiocefs is fo great, but that the Bithop maywell perform that, wherein the proper Office and Duty of a Bi- fhop doth confilt ; which is not the perlonal Infpeetion of every Man's Soul un- der his Government ( which is theWork ofevery Parochial Minilker in his Cure) but the Palloral Charge ofoverfeeing, directing, and taking care that the Mini- ffers ánd other Ecclefiaftical Officers within his Diocefs, do their feveral refpedhive Duties in their feveral Stations as they ought todo. And if force Dioceffes shall be thought of too large Extent, the Bithops may have Suffragan Bilhops to afhth them, as the Laws allow. It being a great milake, that the Perfonal Infpection of the Bithop is in all places of his Diocefs at all times neceffary. For by thefame reafon, neither Princes, nor Governoürs ofProvinces, nor Generals of Armies, nor Mayors of great Cities, nor Minigers of great Parities could ever beable to difcharge their Duties in their feveral Places and Charger. 10. 2. We confefs the Bilhops did (as by the Law they were enabled) depute parrof the Adminiftration of their Ecclefiaftical Jurifdietions to Chancellors , Commiffaries and Officials as Men better skill'd in the Civil and Canon Laws. But as for Matters of more Spiritual Concernment, viz. the Sentences of Excom- munication, and Abfolution, with other Cenfures of the Church, we conceive they belong properly to the Bilhop to decree and pronounce, either by himfelf 'where for the prefent he refideth, or by fore grave Ecclefiaftical Perlon by him Surrogated for that purpofe, in filch Places where hé cannot be Perfonally prefent. Wherein if many things have been done amifs for the time path, or that be fea- fonably conceived inconvenient for the future, we (hall be as willing to have the fameReformedandRemedied, as any other Perfons whatfoever. I r r. 3. Whether a Bishopbe a diftin&Order from Presbyter or not, or whe- ther they have power of foie Ordination or no ? is not now the Q,uellion. But we affirm that theBilhops of this Realm have conitantly ( for ought we know, or have heard to thecontrary) Ordained with the Affrltance of Presbyters, and the Impofition of their Hands together with theBilhops. And we conceive it very fit, that in the exercife of that part of their Jurifdiâion which appertaineth to the Cenfures of the Church, they fhould likewife have the Advice and Aifftance of fore Presbyters. And for this purpofe the Colledges of Deans and Chapters are thoughtto have been infituted, that the Bilhops in their feveral Diocefs might have their Advice and Affifance in the Adminiltration of their weighty Paftoral Charge. § Iz. 4. This lag dependethupon Matter of Fact. Wherein if any Bishops have or (tall do otherwife than according to Law, they were and are to be anfwerable for thefame. And it is our delire ( as well as theirs) that nothing may be done orimpaled by the Bithop, but according tothe known Laws. I i 2 For
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