Richard Baxters answer to Dr. Edward Stillingfleet's charge of separation containing, I. some queries…

Ans. Bishop Gunning will give you no thanks for this, It seems after all the anger we are much agreed. I never denied Chappel• to a Church, nor thought they must all meet at once. If they all meet ⟨p. 68⟩per vices at one Altar, they are associated for presential Communion, and not distant only, and this is that I am for. Make it but such a Church that meet at one Altar, and that can know one another, and are associated for such personal Communion in presence, and (though I could wish it neither too small nor too great) it is of the Species which I plead for as of God. There is certainly a Specific difference between a Church that hath a Constitutive formal Governor, who hath the whole Pastoral power, and is associated for presential mutual help in faith worship and holy living, and one that either hath but a half Pastor without the power of the Keys, or that is associated only for distant Communion, and never see each other; even for another sort of Communion. Conformists hold that Bishops and Presbyters are distinct orders: Therefore Churches differing in the very Order or Species of the Constitutive Governors, and in the Terminus or end, and the nature of the Communions are certainly of distinct Species, and not only of distinct degrees in the same Species: But such are our Parochial and Diocesan Churches. Just such a Church as you here describe is it that I would have, and yet if the Chapels also have Altars, and there be more than one to the Church, as long as they are under the same Bishop and Presbyters, associate for Communion in presence, it alters not the Species.

Ans. Bishop Gunning will give you no thanks for this, It seems after all the anger we are much agreed. I never denied Chappel• to a Church, nor thought they must all meet at once. If they all meet ⟨p. 68⟩per vices at one Altar, they are associated for presential Communion, and not distant only, and this is that I am for. Make it but such a Church that meet at one Altar, and that can know one another, and are associated for such personal Communion in presence, and (though I could wish it neither too small nor too great) it is of the Species which I plead for as of God. There is certainly a Specifique difference between a Church that hath a Constitutive formal Governour, who hath the whole Pastoral power, and is associated for presential mutual help in faith worship and holy living, and one that either hath but a half Pastor without the power of the Keyes, or that is associated only for distant Communion, and never see each other; even for another sort of Communion. Conformists hold that Bishops and Presbyters are distinct orders: Therefore Churches differing in the very Order or Species of the Constitutive Governours, and in the Triminus or end, and the nature of the Communions are certainly of distinct Species, and not only of distinct degrees in the same Species: But such are our Parochial and Diocesan Churches. Just such a Church as you here describe is it that I would have, and yet if the Chappels also have Altars, and there be more than one to the Church, as long as they are under the same Bishop and Presbyters, associate for Communion in presence, it alters not the Species.