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

We take not any consideration at present of that absurd foolish and uncharitable Error, which would confine the Catholic Church of Christ unto a particular Church of one single Denomination; or indeed rather unto a combination of some Persons, in an outward mode of Religious Rule and Worship; where of the Scripture is as silent, as of things that never were, nor ever shall be. Yea we look upon it as intolerable Presumption, and the utmost height of Uncharitableness, for any to judge, that the constant Profession of the name of Christ, made by Multitudes of Christians, with the lasting miseries and frequent Martyrdoms which for his sake they undergo, should turn unto no advantage either of the ⟨p. 53⟩Glory of God, or their own Eternal Blessedness, because in some things they differ from them. Yet such is the Judgment of those of the Church of Rome; and so are they bound to judge by the fundamental Principles and Laws of their Church Communion. But men ought to fear least they should meet with Judgment without Mercy, who have showed no Mercy. ¹Had we ever entertained a thought uncharitable to such a Prodigy of insolence, had we ever excluded any sort of Christians absolutely from an interest in the Love of God or Grace of Jesus Christ, or hopes of Salvation, because they do not, or will not comply with those ways and terms of outward Church Communion which we approve of, we should judg our selves as highly criminal in want of Christian Love, as any can desire to have us esteemed so to be.

We take not any consideration at present of that absurd foolish and uncharitable Error, which would confine the Catholick Church of Christ unto a particular Church of one single Denomination; or indeed rather unto a combination of some Persons, in an outward mode of Religious Rule and Worship; where of the Scripture is as silent, as of things that never were, nor ever shall be. Yea we look upon it as intollerable Presumption, and the utmost height of Vncharitableness, for any to judge, that the constant Profession of the name of Christ, made by Multitudes of Christians, with the lasting miseries and frequent Martyrdomes which for his sake they undergo, should turn unto no advantage either of the ⟨p. 53⟩Glory of God, or their own Eternal Blessedness, because in some things they differ from them. Yet such is the Judgment of those of the Church of Rome; and so are they bound to judge by the fundamental Princiciples and Laws of their Church Communion. But men ought to fear least they should meet with Judgment without Mercy, who have shewed no Mercy.