A27054:727
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.
1. A Synod is for Consultation, and not purposely congregated for ordinary Communion in worship, and the Churches which send their Bishops or Pastors thither have not personal presential Communion one with another ever the more; but only mediate by Delegates or Officers. They may dwell a thousand miles or more from one another. If all the Schoolmasters in several Kingdoms should hold Provincial, National, or much larger Synods for agreement in Teaching and Governing their Schools, this would not confound such a Synod with a School, as if they were of the same Species of society.
2. This distinguisheth a single Church from the Papal pretended universal policy; And from a Patriarchal Church, and from a Provincial, and a Diocesan Church in the sense now used: For these are compounded of several single Churches; and they are not a society at all associated for ordinary personal presential Communion in Gods worship and holy living: Only they are all under one General Governor, not using to meet themselves nor ever seeing one another. Now if to be under one absent General Bishop be that which specifieth a single or particular Church, then All that called the Roman Catholic Church is but one single Church, compounded of no Churches: Or one Patriarchal or Provincial or National Church, were the lowest species, and a single Church, and so the Diocesans were none.
2. This distinguisheth a single Church from the Papal pretended universal policy; And from a Patriarchal Church, and from a Provincial, and a Diocesan Church in the sense now used: For these are compounded of several single Churches; and they are not a society at all associated for ordinary personal presential Communion in Gods worship and holy living: Only they are all under one General Governour, not using to meet themselves nor ever seeing one another. Now if to be under one absent General Bishop be that which specifyeth a single or particular Church, then All that called the Roman Catholick Church is but one single Church, compounded of no Churches: Or one Patriarchal or Provincial or National Church, were the lowest species, and a single Church, and so the Diocesans were none.