An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches.…

To suppose that he hath left it unto Men, to invent and appoint a new kind of Union and Order, which is done in the Rule we treat of, which he never required, and then to oblige his Disciples unto the Observation of it, be it what it will, so as that their dissent from it should be Criminal, and that for this Reason, that it is so appointed of men, is no small mistake. And if all that Love, Union, Peace and Order, which the Lord Jesus hath enjoined his Disciples, may be punctually observed, without any respect unto this Rule, as a Rule of Church Communion, to dissent from it, whatever fault of another ⟨p. 198⟩kind it may be, is no more Schism than it is Adultery. And if on some mens Arbitrary Constitution of this Rule, and the Dissent of others from it, such Differences and Divisions ensue, as seem to have the general Nature of Schism, the Evil of them belongs unto those alone, by whom the Rule is framed. If indeed some should frame such a Rule of Church Communion, because they suppose they see Cause for it, and would then leave it unto others to observe, as they see Cause, if it be not of Use, it would not be liable unto much abuse. But whereas our Lord Jesus Christ hath given one and the same Rule equally unto all his Disciples in these things, namely, that they should observe and do, all that he hath commanded them; for some of them on any pretence or Plea whatever, as of their being the Church, or the like, arbitrarily to frame a Rule of their own, as an Addition unto his, obliging all others unto a strict Observance of it, because they have so framed it, is that which neither the Scripture nor Primitive Antiquity know any thing of.

To suppose that he hath left it unto Men, to invent and appoint a new kind of Union and Order, which is done in the Rule we treat of, which he never required, and then to oblige his Disciples unto the Observation of it, be it what it will, so as that their dissent from it should be Criminal, and that for this Reason, that it is so appointed of men, is no small mistake. And if all that Love, Union, Peace and Order, which the Lord Jesus hath enjoyned his Disciples, may be punctually observed, without any respect unto this Rule, as a Rule of Church Communion, to dissent from it, whatever fault of another ⟨p. 198⟩kind it may be, is no more Schisme than it is Adultery. And if on some mens Arbitrary Constitution of this Rule, and the Dissent of others from it, such Differences and Divisions ensue, as seem to have the general Nature of Schisme, the Evil of them belongs unto those alone, by whom the Rule is framed. If indeed some should frame such a Rule of Church Communion, because they suppose they see Cause for it, and would then leave it unto others to observe, as they see Cause, if it be not of Use, it would not be liable unto much abuse. But whereas our Lord Jesus Christ hath given one and the same Rule equally unto all his Disciples in these things, namely, that they should observe and do, all that he hath commanded them; for some of them on any pretence or Plea whatever, as of their being the Church, or the like, arbitrarily to frame a Rule of their own, as an Addition unto his, obliging all others unto a strict Observance of it, because they have so framed it, is that which neither the Scripture nor Primitive Antiquity know any thing of.