A discourse concerning evangelical love, church-peace and unity with the occasions and reasons of…

First, All the Conditions of absolute and complete Communion with the Church of England, which are proposed unto us, and indispensably required of us, especially as we are Ministers, are Unscriptural; such as the Word of God doth neither warrant, mention, nor intimate, especially not under any such consideration, as necessary Conditions of Communion in or among the Churches of Christ. We dispute not now about the Lawfulness or Unlawfulness or things in themselves; nor whether they may be observed or no, by such as have no conviction of any Sin or Evil in them. Neither do we judge or censure them, by whom they are observed: Our Enquiry is solely about our ⟨p. 172⟩own Liberty and Duty. And what concerneth them, is resolved into this one Question, as to the Argument in hand: Whether such Things or Observances in the Worship of God, as are wholly unscriptural, may be so made the indispensable Condition of Communion with any particular Church, as that they by whom they are so made and imposed on others, should be justified in their so doing; and that if any Differences, Divisions or Schisms, do ensue thereon, the guilt and blame of them must necessarily fall on those who refuse submission to them, or to admit of them as such? That the Conditions proposed unto us, and imposed on us indispensably, if we intend to enjoy the Communion of this Church, are of this nature, we shall afterwards prove by an induction of Instances. Nor is it of any concernment in this matter, what place the things enquired after do hold, or are supposed to hold in the Worship of God; our present Enquiry is about their warranty to be made conditions of Church-Communion. Now we are persuaded that the Lord Christ hath set his Disciples at liberty from accepting of such terms of Communion from any Churches in the world: And on the same Grounds we deny, that he hath given or granted unto them Authority, to constitute such Terms and Conditions of their Communion, and indispensably to impose them upon all that enjoy it, according to their several capacities and concerns therein: For,

First, All the Conditions of absolute and compleat Communion with the Church of England, which are proposed unto us, and indispensibly required of us, especially as we are Ministers, are Vnscriptural; such as the Word of God doth neither warrant, mention, nor intimate, especially not under any such consideration, as necessary Conditions of Communion in or among the Churches of Christ. We dispute not now about the Lawfulness or Vnlawfulness or things in themselves; nor whether they may be observed or no, by such as have no conviction of any Sin or Evil in them. Neither do we judge or censure them, by whom they are observed: Our Enquiry is solely about our