Affemblies? I know not what Influence the Crofs in Baptifm, or the Ring in Marriage can poffibly have upon our hearing the Word, receiving the Sacraments, or joyning in our Publick Prayers, fince we do not in either of thefe declare the leaft Affent to, or Approbation of thefe Rites. As to the Surplifs, I cannot poffibly imagine what there can be in it more than in a Gown, Cloak, or Caflock; it may not,peradventure, agree with the Fancy of every beholder, but I cannot imagine why it fhould disturb any Man's Confcience, unless the wear

ers.

There is but one thing, if you call it a Rite or Ceremony, in which they that join with us in a thorow-Communion, are expected to Conform, which is Kneeling in the Receiving the Sacrament: A Podure fo Natural and Suitable, that I have Obferved, that thofe whom I have feen Receive with many Tears, and much Devotion, do feem to think it fearce low enough, and are more Naturally inclin'd to bow down, or fall flat upon the Earth, than to ftand or fit. And indeed when we confider what the Motions of the Soul of a Devout Communicant are, that it is humbled under

its Reflections upon its many and great Sins,that it is swallowed up with the fenfe of Gods Love in Chrift, that it is offering up, and Devoting it felf to God, and does earnestly implore his Aid and Affistance for the time to come with a Holy Fear and, Reverence: What Pofture can more properly become a Man, performing fo many Acts of Divine Worship, than Kneeling? And he that can fanfie that these great Acts of Religious Worship will be rejected by God, because perform'd by a Devout Communicant upon his Knees, and not fitting, must entertain a more Blind and Superftitious Notion of God, than ever Few or Gentile had.

And that this Circumftantial might not be mistaken, our Church has explain'd it felf concerning this Injunction at the End of the Communion-Service, declaring exprefly that they do not hereby defign any Reverence or Worfhip to the Elements of Bread and Wine: And I dare fay, if you fhould ask any one Communicant of our Church, whether they did intend any fuch thing? They would eafily tell you, that it is the fartheft thing in the World from their thoughts. And to be fhort, I do not D 3 que.

queftion but that if this were all that kept Men from our Communion, the Moderation and Goodness of our Church would have found long ago an eafie Expedient to heal this Difference.

The fum of all, is this: If Men may join with us in our Communion with out being Guilty of any thing they fcruple in it, fo far I think every Man that Labours after Peace, is bound to joyn; for it cannot be otherwife conceived how fuch can be faid to do their utmost for the fake of Unity and Peace, fince they leave much undone, which they Lawfully may do. But you will fay, Would not our Communion in the Publick Congregation Countenance all thofe things we fcruple? I Anfwer, No: For no Man in any Communion is anfwerable for any thing more, or thought to approve any thing elle than what that Church requires of him as the Condition of Communion.

This is ap parently the fenfe of our Church; for if they thought that the joyning in Publick Communion did neceffarily imply an Approbation of every particular in its Frame and Conftitution, I cannot fee any Neceffity of Obliging the Clergy to Subfcription or exprefs Declaration

of

of Affent and Confent, &c. And accordingly

This has been the Practice of Chriftians in all Ages. Polycarp and Anicetus did joyn together in Communion, though they could not agree together in the Controversie about Eafter. The Catholicks and Novatians did joyn together to Oppose the Arrians, and yet they were not hereby fuppofed to agree together in the Doctrines of Novatus. And in a Synod at Sandomiria, feveral Proteftant Churches very much differing in their Forms, and Rites, and Ceremonies, did yet unanimously agree to joyn toge ther in one Communion, as often as they fhould be Conven'd together. The Refult of all this Argument is there fore plainly this: That whatever Errors of less moment may be in a Church, no 'Man becomes guilty of them by being of that Communion, unless they be fuch as he is bound to Profefs or Practife e're he can be admitted into, or continue in that Communion. The Confequence of which, is this, that our Brethren are bound to joyn with us in all those parts of Communion, wherein there are none of thofe Ceremonies which they fcruple at: And if they would

D 4.

would but thus go as far as they can, we fhould have good Reason to hope that they might be by degrees won over to an entire Conformity, or that the Government would Naturally be kind and gentle to Men of fuch a Chriftian and Peaceable Behaviour: If we could but obtain from them that they would frequent that part of the Publick Service which begins when our Liturgy is ended; if they would but come to our Sermons without Prejudice, and with a fincere defire of knowing the Truth, we fhould have no Reason to despair either of Peace or Uniformity. This I have faid upon a fuppofal that fome Men do really ftumble at fome things amongst us. But what fhall I fay to another fort of Men, who do when Occafion requires, joyn with us in all parts of our Publick Communion, and yet cannot be perfwaded to hold a conftant Commu nion with us?

What they think they Lawfully may do, is eafy to be guefled by what they Actually do; when they fee it neceflary they can Lawfully joyn with us in all parts of our Communion, and I do not find that the beft of their Clergy have condemn'd this Practice, and therefore I

am