am in Charity bound to think that, what they do, they do with a good Confcience. If so, it will puzzle any man of an upright heart and moderate Capacity, to Comprehend how Communion with, and Separation from our Church (both Church and Perfons continuing ftill the fame) can confift with a good Confcience. I believe most Divines abroad do think this very little fhort of a Contradiction: and when they hear that there are Men, who fometimes plead Confcience for Difobedience to that Law, which at other times they can with a good Conscience Comply with, they will be apt to think that there is more of. Humour and Defign in this than Confcience. In this cafe I would ask, I. What is it which makes our Communion in it self and to them Lawful for this day, and if needs be this year, become for ever after Unlawful? all that can be faid is, that there are fome accidental alterations in this case, that there are fome Conveniencies or Inconveniencies which renders our Communion to day Lawful, and this day Twelvemonth Unlawful: These must not be outward or temporal, for these cannot vary the Nature of Church Communion, unless a Man Man will vilely prostitute his Confcience; it remains therefore, that there must be fome inward and Spiritual inconveniency that makes conftant Communion Unlawfull, what this can be befides that pretence of Better Edification, cannot I think, be as much as fanfied. And then Observe, 1. Into what a narrow point our Controversy is Reduced, mark how all the pretences for feparation are vanished: Our Church Government, the Doctrine, the Liturgy, the Rites and Ceremonies are all acknowledged by them Lawful, for I defire to know, do they by this occafional Communion with us declare their Approbation of all these particulars in our Church? If they do not, then it is apparent that they do not Judge themfelves involv'd in the guilt of any thing they diflike in our Church by Communicating with us, and consequently they do publickly own that nothing they find fault with in it can be a just ground for Separation; if they do, then it is apparent that all controverfies about any thing of this kind are at an end, and muft ever be fo. For all these which they approve in their Occafional Communion will be no other, if they hold constant Com Communion with us. All therefore that is left for justification of these dreadful Di vifions is only pretence of better Edification. 2. Observe that this pretence will at any time serve the turn to juftifie a Separation, not only from ours, but from any Church in Christendom, and can never be admitted to be of any Weight or Force, till it be made appear that Unity or Schism, Obedience or Difobedience are things indifferent, and that it is not a pin matter, whether a Man be of the Establish'd Church, or Presbyterian, or Independent, or Anabaptist, or Socinian, or Quaker, for this pretence of better Edification, confidering the different Difpofitions of People, and the different Abilities of the Minifters, will be laid claim to with as much heat by each of them as by any of the rest. 3. Obferve that though this may have fomethingof a face of a Plea for the Communion of one Day, yet it has none for the Communion of a Year; for to Live deftitute of the Publick Means of Edification for a Year together, feems to be a kind of Compliance not over-Chriftian, nor very fafe. But if in this time they hold Communion with both Chur ches ches without prejudice to Edification, I cannot poffibly conceivewhy they should at any time afterwards break off their Communion with us,fince the leaft they are bound to do for the fake of Unity and Peace, is certainly what they find by Eperience they can do, not only Lawfully, but without any Prejudice to their Souls. Thus empty is this Pretence, if true; but what if it be not true? It were very strange if all the Preachers of diftinct and feparate Congregations fhould be Edifying Men, and none of ours fo: Blefiled be God, we may fay it without Vanity, that we can behold in our Church as manifeft Proofs of the Power of God in his Ordinances, as in any other whatfoever; thofe of our Church who give a Regular and Confcientious Artendance to the Word, the Prayers, and Sacraments of the Church, being generally as Eminent Examples of Subftantial Goodnefs and Religion truly Chriftian, as are any where to be found. Nor indeed can any Reafon be Imagined, why the Spirit of God fhould be judged to have forlaken our Affemblies, fince we Preach the fame Gospel, Prefs the fame Truths, Adminifter the fame Sacraments, and Offer up the fame Petitions and Praises to God, God, and that I hope with integrity of Heart, to which Chrift has promised the Aids and Affiftances of his Spirit. And therefore 'tis to be fear'd that the Edification which cannot be promoted in fuch a Communion is not derived from the Spirit and Gospel of Chrift, but depends upon fome Perfonal abilities, acquired forms, or the Inventions and Paffions of Men. 2. I defire to know, if they cannot Communicate with us conftantly, why do they not as frequently as they can? And how fhall we be able to determine, how frequent this their Occafional Communion may be? Or what limits they will in this point prefcribe to the frequency of their Occafional Commu nion. 3. Since they can hold Communion with us on Occafion, I would beg them to declare. what the Kind and Nature of thefe Occafions are which juftifie this Communion. For then I fhould not queftion but I fhould be able to fhew that these Occasions or fome as Urgent and Weighty, do fo frequently occur, that if they would Act confonant to their own Principle, they would foon turn their Oc cafional |
