The carnality of religious contention in two sermons preached at the merchant's lecture in…The carnality of religious contention in two sermons preach'd at the merchant's lecture in…

When I say, [make to it self] this more peculiarly concerns those who form their own Communions, having nothing herein imposed upon them by Civil Authority. Let others censure themselves as they see cause.

When I say, [make to it self] this more peculiarly concerns those who form their own Communions, having nothing herein impos'd upon them by Civil Authority. Let others censure themselves as they see cause.

They have an Holy Table among them, the Symbol of their Communion with ⟨p. vi⟩one another in the Lord. I would ask whose is this Table? Is it the Table of this or that Man? or Party of Men? Or is it the Lord's Table? Then certainly it ought to be free to his Guests, and appropriate to them. And who should dare to invite others, or forbid these?

2. If it be a Sin, is it not an heinous one? This will best be understood by considering what his Limits are. Nothing seems plainer than that it was his mind Christianity it self should measure the Communion of Christians, as such: Visible Christianity their visible Communion. It will here then be enquired, (as in all reason it should) what Christianity is. And if it be, every one will understand the Enquiry concerning that, as they would concerning any thing else, what is it's Essence? Or what are it's Essentials, or wherein doth it consist? Not what are all the several Accidents it may admit of? As you would do, if it were enquired, What is Humanity? Now here it will be readily acknowledged that Christianity (as all things else that are of moral Consideration) must be estimated more principally by it's End, and ⟨p. vii⟩that it's final reference is not to this World, but to the World to come, and to an happy state there. And that, considering the miserable state wherein it finds the Souls of Men here, and the greater misery they are hereafter liable to, it must design their present recovery, and finally, their eternal Salvation.