Five disputations of church-government and worship

Nay more then this it should seem that in those first times, before Dioceses were divided into those lesser and subordinate Churches, we ca•l now Parishes, and Presbyters assigned to them, they had not only one Altar in one Church or Dominicum, but one Altar to a Church, taking Church for the company or Corporation of the faithful, united under one Bishop or Pastor, and that was in the City or place where the Bishop had his See and Residence, like as the Jews had but one Altar and Temp•e for the whole Nation united under one high Priest. And yet as the Jews had their Synagogues, so perhaps might they have more Oratori•s then one, though their Altar were but one; there namely where the Bishop was. Die solis saith Justin Martyr, omnium qui vel in oppidis vel ruri degunt, in eundem locum conventus fit: Namely as he there tells us, to celebrate, and participate the holy ⟨p. 92⟩Eucharist. Why was this, but because they had not many places to celebrate in? and unless this were so, whence came it else, that a Schismatical Bishop was said constituere or collocare aliud Altar? and that a Bishop and an Altar are made correlatives? See S. Cyprian Epist. 40.72, 73. de unit. Eccles. And thus perhaps is Ignatius to be understood in that forequoted passage of his [Greek or Hebrew] Unum Altar omni Ecclesiae, & unus Episcopus cum Presbyterio & Diaconis] So far Mr. Mead.

Nay more then this it should seem that in those first times, before Diocesses were divided into those lesser and sub•rdinate Churches, we ca•l now Parishes, and Presbyters assigned to them, they had not only one Altar in one Church or Dominicum, but one Altar to a Church, taking Church for the company or Corporation of the faithfull, united under one Bishop or Pastor, and that was in the City or place where the Bishop had his See and Residence, like as the Iews had but one Altar and Temp•e for the whole Nation united under one high Priest. And yet as the Iews had their Synagogues, so perhaps might they have more Oratori•s then one, though their Altar were but one; there namely where the Bishop was. Die solis saith Justin Martyr, omnium qui vel in oppidis vel ruri degunt, in eundem locum conventus fit: Namely as he there tells us, to celebrate, and participate the holy