A27054:703
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness of it, and the detection of false dividing terms / opened by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Hancock, 1680
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 4. Every such single Church then by the Apostles order had their own Pastor (one or more) and every such fixed Pastor knew his proper Charge and flock. And in the time when the Epistles of Ignatius were written, every such Church had One Bishop over the other Elders, and usually some fellow Elders and Deacons, and a single undivided Church was known by these notes of Unity [[Greek or Hebrew], &c. In every Church there is one Altar (or Altar place, [Greek or Hebrew]) and one Bishop with his fellow Presbyters and Deacons] Whence Mr. Mede well noteth the certainty that then no Church of one Altar was denied a Bishop, and no Bishop had more Churches with an Altar than one. That is, no other Assembly for stated Communion.
§. 4. Every such single Church then by the Apostles order had their own Pastor (one or more) and every such fixed Pastor knew his proper Charge and flock. And in the time when the Epistles of Ignatius were written, every such Church had One Bishop over the other Elders, and usually some fellow Elders and Deacons, and a single undivided Church was known by these notes of Unity [〈non-Latin alphabet〉, &c. In every Church there is one Altar (or Altar place, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉) and one Bishop with his fellow Presbyters and Deacons] Whence Mr. Mede well noteth the certainty that then no Church of one Altar was denyed a Bishop, and no Bishop had more Churches with an Altar than one. That is, no other Assembly for stated Communion.
§. 5. Yet occasional and subordinate Communion parts of a Church may hold: Those called Independents deny not but that in persecution or for want ⟨p. 230⟩of a large room, the same Church may meet by parts in several places at once: And all confess that a Parish Church may admit of Chapels and Oratories, where distant and weak persons may frequently meet, that yet sometimes must come to the Parish Church. And families that have sick persons may Communicate with neighbours joining with them. But these are not Churches but parts of such.