You may perhaps find that another Minister is more profitable to you, and another Churches principles more pleasing to you, and their discipline better in your account: And therefore you think that you are bound, to choose the best for your personal Communion. Be it so: There is yet some modesty in these terms: But do not therefore conclude that Communion with that Church which you turn from is simply unlawful; or that another may not use it who can have no better! Or that you your selves should not rather join with that than with none? Or that you may not occasionally sometimes communicate with them, though your more ordinary communion be elsewhere. Nor do not disown all spiritual communion with them, though in body you are absent. But when ever you pray to God, go to him as a member of the Universal Church, and and not of a Sect only: Pray for the whole Church, and desire a part in the prayers of the whole. Own them and their worship so far as Christ owneth them. While you disown their errors and failings, yet own their faith, and all that is sound in their prayers and worship; And ⟨p. 298⟩see that you love them as members of Christ, who if weak are yet Christians, and perhaps in other respects better than you. (To say nothing whether it be they or you that are in the right.) You like not all that is done in the Lutherans Churches, much less in the Greek and Ethiopian: And yet I hope you disown not their spiritual communion as Churches though faulty, and as members of the same body. But if you are not content to choose an ordinary communion most suitable to your self, but you must conclude that such are no Ministers or no Churches of Christ: their worship is not accepted by him, it is not lawful to have communion with them, but rather to join with no Church, than with them; and will accordingly contemn them and irritate and alienate mens minds against them; Be sure that you prove well what you say, or wonder not if all wise and sober men do take this for downright odious schism, and one of the worst of the works of the flesh. Gal. 5. 20, 21. 1 Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.
You may perhaps find that another Minister is more profitable to you, and another Churches principles more pleasing to you, and their discipline better in your account: And therefore you think that you are bound, to choose the best for your personal Communion. Be it so: There is yet some modesty in these terms: But do not therefore conclude that Communion with that Church which you turn from is simply unlawful; or that another may not use it who can have no better! Or that you your selves should not rather joyn with that than with none? Or that you may not occasionally sometimes communicate with them, though your more ordinary communion be elsewhere. Nor do not disown all spiritual communion with them, though in body you are absent. But when ever you pray to God, go to him as a member of the Universal Church, and and not of a Sect only: Pray for the whole Church, and desire a part in the prayers of the whole. Own them and their worship so far as Christ owneth them. While you disown their errours and failings, yet own their faith, and all that is sound in their prayers and worship; And ⟨p. 298⟩see that you love them as members of Christ, who if weak are yet Christians, and perhaps in other respects better than you. (To say nothing whether it be they or you that are in the right.) You like not all that is done in the Lutherans Churches, much less in the Greek and Ethiopian: And yet I hope you disown not their spiritual communion as Churches though faulty, and as members of the same body. But if you are not content to choose an ordinary communion most suitable to your self, but you must conclude that such are no Ministers or no Churches of Christ: their worship is not accepted by him, it is not lawful to have communion with them, but rather to joyn with no Church, than with them; and will accordingly contemn them and irritate and alienate mens minds against them; Be sure that you prove well what you say, or wonder not if all wise and sober men do take this for downright odious schism, and one of the worst of the works of the flesh. Gal. 5. 20, 21. 1 Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.
