Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

§ 318. 4. A fourth Charge is, That it setteth up a New Church-Form which is unlawful, instead of that of Christ's institution; that is, a Diocesan Church consisting of many hundred Parishes (which none of them are Churches according to the Diocesan Frame, but parts of one Church): It hath been showed that this Diocesan Church is of another Species than the Parochial, one being for personal Communion, ⟨p. 400⟩which the other is uncapable of; the far greatest part of the Members never seeing their Pastor, nor knowing one another any more than if they lived in several parts of the World. And that this Church Form is new, is proved already; that is, that there was no Diocesan Church having many stated Congregations and Altars, (much less many hundreds) and all under one only Bishop or Governor, either in Scripture time, or two hundred years after, excepting only that in Alexandria and Rome, some show of more Assemblies than one under one Bishop, appeared a little sooner.)

§ 318. 4. A fourth Charge is, That it setteth up a New Church-Form which is unlawful, instead of that of Christ's institution; that is, a Diocesan Church consisting of many hundred Parishes (which none of them are Churches according to the Diocesan Frame, but parts of one Church): It hath been shewed that this Diocesan Church is of another Species than the Parochial, one being for personal Communion, ⟨p. 400⟩which the other is uncapable of; the far greatest part of the Members never seeing their Pastor, nor knowing one another any more than if they lived in several parts of the World. And that this Church Form is new, is proved already; that is, that there was no Diocesan Church having many stated Congregations and Altars, (much less many hundreds) and all under one only Bishop or Governour, either in Scripture time, or two hundred years after, excepting only that in Alexandria and Rome, some shew of more Assemblies than one under one Bishop, appeared a little sooner.)

Here note, That it is not an Archbishop's Church that we are speaking of, who is but the General Pastor or Bishop, having other Bishops and Churches under him; but it is a Church infimae Speciei, commonly called a particular Church, which hath no other Churches or Bishops under it. And that none such was in Scripture times, Dr. Hammond hath manifested (there being then no Presbyters distinct from Bishops, as he faith on