The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…

But if that which maketh it a single Church of the lowest species were that no Bishop is under ⟨p. 238⟩them, but that they are under one sole Bishop, then 1. If all England had but one Bishop (as many tell us all Abyssinia hath but one called the Abunah) or if a Patriarch put down all the Bishops under him, this Church of his would be but a single Church. 2. And then there would be no such thing as a Church associated for personal presential Communion, which I have proved that the Apostles by the spirit settled.

But if that which maketh it a single Church of the lowest species were that no Bishop is under ⟨p. 238⟩them, but that they are under one sole Bishop, then 1. If all England had but one Bishop (as many tell us all Abassia hath but one called the Abunah) or if a Patriarch put down all the Bishops under him, this Church of his would be but a single Church. 2. And then there would be no such thing as a Church associated for personal presential Communion, which I have proved that the Apostles by the spirit settled.

§. 21. Those that tell us that a Diocesan Church is the first or lowest species of Divine institution, do either mean by a Diocese such a society as we now call a Parish, associated for presential Communion, or a Church made of many such associated under one Bishop: If the first, they differ only about the name, in which they go against our common use, and are not intelligible by the vulgar. Though in old Church writers a Diocese is sometimes taken as greater than a Province and sometime as less, and a Parish and a Diocese are sometimes used for the same, and sometime not, yet that diversity of naming hindereth us not from knowing the difference of the things, either as defined, or as commonly now denominated a Parish Church and a Diocese. And if their meaning be to prove that single Churches essentiated by their Association for Present personal Communion, are not of Gods institution, no intelligent impartial Christians will believe them, who understand the Scripture and the state of the primitive Churches, and the reason of the thing. Did men believe this, they would believe that Christ had instituted no Church order or form at all; Much less being to be said for the rest than this. And even those few that say that no form of Church Government is settled by God, do yet grant that settled congregations for ordinary worship and mutual help with their guiding Pastors are of Divine right; and