Nay a kind and amicable demeanor towards each other in our whole Conversation It implys yet more particularly a preserving entire as far as in us lyes the External Communion of the Christian Church To keep the Vnity c implys the maintaining as much as may be an Unity in Judgment especially as to the main and Principal Doctrines of the Christian Faith 1 Cor. â— 10 This is what St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyn'd together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment 'T is true Christians as well as all other Men may be suppos'd and fairly allow'd to differ in some matters which are of no great consequence but there are certain Truths deliver'd down to us in the Scriptures from our blessed Saviour and his Apostles which are to be faithfully adher'd to by all Christians even such as wherein Christianity it self is concern'd and which cannot be denyed without Subverting or at least shaking and endangering the Foundation as there as likewise many others which are necessary to be understood and believ'd if we will form any true Scheme of our Religion or arrive at any competent Knowledge and Understanding in it Why else should St. Paul require Timothy to hold fast the form of sound words which he had heard of him 2. Tim. 1.13 14. And again to keep by the Holy Ghost that good thing which was committed to him Why did he order him to abide at Ephesus on purpose as himself sayes 1. Tim. 1.1.3 Tit. 2.1.2 that he might charge some that they should teach no other Doctrine Why does he command Titus to speak the things that become sound Doctrine And to teach those under his charge to be sound in the Faith And why again does he in the same Epistle set it down as a Qualification of those Bishops whom Titus should ordain that they should hold fast the faithful word as they had been taught Tit. 1.9 10 11. that they might be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers and to stop the Mouths of unruly and vain talkers and deceivers And lastly what else can St. Jude mean Jude v. 3. by his exhorting those to whom he writes Earnestly to contend for the Faith which was once deliver'd unto the Saints Now as all the Truths of Christianity which are propos'd to our belief are contain'd in the Holy Scriptures which we Protestants assert to be the compleat Rule of our Faith as well as our Minners So the main and Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith were at first contain'd in that short Formulary of Confession which was made by Christians at their Baptism This form of sound words was according to the Apostles Expression committed to or deposited with those whom they ordain'd to Officiate in the Church to be by them delivered unto the Saints that is to all Christians at their Baptism And accordingly the profession then made is by the antient Christian Writers commonly call'd the Rule of Faith the Summ of which was that the Person baptized did acknowledge God the Father as the Creator of all together with his only begotten Son as appearing in our Nature and dying for our Redemption rising again and ascending into Heaven and sitting on the right hand of the Father from whence he is expected to come again and judge the World and also the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier the Guide and the Comforter of all True Christians with the Resurrection of the dead and the Life of the World to come This was afterwards drawn up into that Form which we have in the Apostles Creed which as occasion was given came to be farther explain'd in those which we call the Nieene or Constantinopolitan and Athanasian Forms Farther explain'd I say For these last mentioned Forms do contain no more in substance than that which we call the Apostles Creed as that likewise contains the very same in Substance with the antient Forms of Profession made at Baptism So that there are no New Articles contain'd in any of these Creeds but only an explication of the ancient Baptismal Profession according to the Tenor of the Holy Scriptures and agreeable to the declar'd Judgment of the First and best Christian writers extant So that it is in truth the want of a due acquaintance with the holy Scriptures at least the true sence and meaning of them as understood by those who were nearest to the time of their being written and best able to judge in the case that makes some in our days whilst they profess themselves Christians yet so openly and vehemently to inveigh against these Forms in which our Christian Faith is exprest Which I the rather take notice of because there have appear'd of late divers writers who have in a bold and insolent nay rude and Scurrilous manner attackt those Doctrines which have so constantly from the beginning of Christianity been own'd as some of the first Principles of the Christian Religion Nay it is too apparent that under the pretence of opposing the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity all Religion especially that which hath been reveal'd hath been Struck at So that we may in this Age repeat St. Judes complaint that there are certain men crept in ungodly Men Jude ver 4. denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ upon which account we ought to exhort one another as he did those to whom he wrote earnestly to contend for the Faith ver 3. which was once delivered unto the Saints and that not only against Socinianism and Arianism but even against gross Scepticism and downright Infidelity Now if we would keep the Vnity of the Spirit in this first sense which I am speaking of we ought strictly to adhere to the Doctrine which we receiv'd when we were baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and thereby dedicated to our great Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier we should seriously consider and endeavour fully to understand the Profession of Faith we were then baptized into settling our Judgments in all the great Articles of our Religion by the careful study of the Holy Scriptures which were indited by men indued with a divine Spirit and which are therefore able to make us wise unto Salvation We should by the daily use of these endeavour to improve our minds not only in the absolutely necessary but in all the other Doctrines of Christianity such as will help us to understand the true Scheme and consequently the great worth and excellency of that Religion which we profess still growing and increasing in all that useful Knowledge which these Books are able to furnish us with To which purpose as we should read them with seriousness and humility so we should make use of all those Methods which
that part of the Christian Church which is establish'd in this Nation and not of that only but of the truly Catholick Church throughout the World For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was intended by our Lord as a Badge and Symbol of such our Communion And upon this Occasion I thought I could not chuse a more proper Subject than the words I have now read to you wherein we are so expresly exhorted to regard and to promote as far as in us lyes the Unity and Peace of the Church of Christ Endeavouring to keep c. St. Paul had been in his preceding Discourse putting the Ephesians in mind of the Extraordinary Grace of God towards them in taking them within the Pale of his Church that whereas they had been Gentiles Ch. 2.11 12 13. without Christ Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise Nay having no hope and without God in the World they were Now brought near to God by the Blood of Christ being together with the believing Jews adopted into his Family He exceedingly magnifies this their Privilege in those Remarkable Words v. 10 2 21 22. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and Forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the Chief corner-stone in whom all the building fitly Framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit To the same purpose he goes on throughout the Third Chapter both to extol this Favour of God towards them and to pray that they might be thorowly Sensible of it after which he begins this Fourth Chap. with a Serious Exhortation to them that they would walk worthy of this their Vocation particularly in the exercise of much Humility and Charity Ver. 1 2. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are call'd with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love and as it follows in the words of my Text Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace From which Connexion of the Words we may observe by the way That the keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace whatever that means is absolutely Necessary to our walking worthy of our Christian Vocation and that in order to this we ought to have our minds well season'd with Humility and Charity two most excellent Christian Graces whereby we shall be best dispos'd to the exercise of all other Vertues which our Holy Religion Requires and for want of which it comes to pass that the Professors of Christianity are so miserably divided as they are at this day But I proceed to the words themselves in treating of which I propose this Method To Explain the Duty which the Apostle here urges upon the Ephesians shewing what it is to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bondof Peace To consider the Obligation which all Christians are under to the Practice of this Duty To shew how we may best attain to the Practice of it To Explain the Duty it Self shewing what it is to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace By the Vnity of the Spirit I conceive the Apostle here means such an Vnity as properly belongs to a Body which is inspired in the whole and every part of it by one and the same Spirit I know that some will have this phrase to signifie no more than an Vnion of the Spirits or minds of Christians This is indeed contain'd in it but 't is by no means the full Sense of the Expression The Vnion which is between Christians is Principally and in the first Place in their Minds or Spirits but I take the word Spirit here to relate to the Divine Spirit which as the Apostle presently after observes animates the whole Body of Christ and makes it indeed to be one For so it follows ver 4. there is one Body and one Spirit And to the same purpose 't is frequently exprest in other places Thus in the preceding part of this Epistle Chap. 2.22 In whom that is in Jesus Christ you also are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit And very Remarkably in the Former Epistle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1â— 12 13. As the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body So also is Christ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit That is The Church of Christ may be fitly compar'd to the Body of a Man which has many Members but all of them united by one Spirit which is diffused through every part and quickens the whole Just so says he the Church consists of abundance of particular Believers but these are all admitted by Baptism to the Priviledge of being put under the Conduct of the Holy Ghost in whose Name they are baptized together with that of the Father and of the Son and whose assistance they may constantly depend upon if they do not resist and drive him away from them And they are farther constantly made to drink into the same Spirit that is by partaking of the other Sacrament that of the Lords-Supper Particularly of the wine there poured out they may receive and if they are sincere Christians they do so farther communications of the same Spirit Now this gives a clear account of the Expression in the Text the Vnity of the Spirit that is such an Unity as becomes a Body thus animated by the same Spirit viz. an Unity in Judgment and an Unity in Affection or in other words an Unity in Truth and in Charity together with all that External and Visible Unity which is Naturally consequent upon the Former For so it follows in the bond of Peace by which is meant a Peaceable Conversation with each other as in all other respects so especially in Spiritual Affairs the avoiding all Dissension and Division with respect to External Communion the Living and Conversing together and especially the Communcating with each other in all the Ordinances and Institutions of Religion as one Body This peaceable demeanor is the Bond of Unity amongst Christians not only shewing them to be one but preserving them in that state So that you may take my Explication of this Duty in the Four Following Particulars To keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace implys the maintaining as much as may be an Unity in Judgment especially as to the main and Principal Doctrines of the Christian Faith It implys also the preserving and cherishing of Love and Affection amongst Christians It farther implys a quiet and Peaceable
A Perswasive to Peace and Vnity A SERMON preached before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor AND THE ALDERMEN OF THE CITY of LONDON At the Church of St. Mary Le-Bow On Sunday January 16th 1697 1698. By SAMVEL BRADFORD Rector of the said Church LONDON Printed for Brab Aylmer at the Three Pigeons near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1698. To the Right Honourable Sir Humphry Edwin K nt Lord Mayor of the City of London AND THE Court of Aldermen Right Honourable THE Publishing this Discourse is purely an act of Obedience to Your Order it being design'd to have gone no farther than the Place in which it was Preach'd When You were pleas'd to come in a Body to my Church upon so solemn an Occasion as that of partaking of the Holy Communion in compliance with a Law which makes the doing so a Test to all who are admitted to Publick Offices and Employments I thought it became me to lay hold on the Opportunity to exhort You earnestly to promote the Good of that Church whereof by this Practice You own Your selves to be Members What I have urg'd for our being as far as is possible united not only in Judgment and Affection but in Communion too is upon such Reasons as will hold equally where there is an Indulgence granted by Law and where there is not namely The Precepts of the Holy Scriptures and the Nature of the Christian Body by both which every Christian is certainly oblig'd to promote the Peace and Unity of the Church of Christ not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake out of regard to Christ and his Church even where he is lyable to no Civil Mulcts or Penalties for doing otherwise And to prevent all jealousie as if I had the least Intention hereby to express my dislike of Indulgence towards tender Consciences I take this Occasion to declare That I heartily approve it as being thorowly perswaded that for one Christian to persecute another who Conscientiously differs from him meerly for his so doing is a gross violation not only of the Law of Christianity but even of Nature it self Nay farther I believe it the Duty of Church-Governours to insist upon no narrower Terms of Communion than such as to the best of their Judgments regulated by Scripture have a plain and evident tendency to maintain Truth promote Piety and Vertue and preserve good Order in the Churches under their Care Which I mention with the greater freedom because I am well satisfied that this was the Principle upon which those who settled the Reformation amongst us in the Reign of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth acted and because I doubt not but that it is the Principle also of our present Governours both in Church and State But after this the Duty of every private Christian is as plain namely to comply with the Terms establish'd as far as he Lawfully may valuing the Peace of the Church much beyond the gratification of himself and being ready to do every thing for the maintaining its Unity which he thinks Lawful to be done upon any other account whatsoever How the Christians of this Nation came to divide themselves into so many distinct and separate Communions I will not now inquire but till we can attain to this Disposition I can foresee nothing else but that our Divisions must be propagated without Reason and without End from one Generation to another which is but a melancholy Thought to any one who remembers how much stress both our Saviour and his Apostles have laid upon Peace and Unity The Prayer which our Lord offer'd up a little before his Suffering for all who should believe in him was in these words That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us and that for this Reason That the World may believe that thou hast sent me And St. Paul in a set Discourse occasion'd by Contentions in the Church of Corinth concerning the Gifts with which some were endued to a greater degree than others prefers Charity meaning that Charity whereby the Peace and Unity of the Church is maintain'd much before the best of Gifts the strongest Faith the most profuse Liberality and even Martyrdom it self Our Blessed Saviour as an Example to his Followers constantly joyn'd in the Publick Exercises of God's Worship both in the Temple and in the Synagogue notwithstanding the many and gross Corruptions which were at that time crept into the Jewish Church The Apostles in like manner and the other Christians who dwelt at Jerusalem though as they were oblig'd by the Christian Institution they assembled apart from the Jews for the performing that Worship which was peculiarly Christian yet we never find that they deserted either the Temple or the Synagogues till the final desolation of their Country And St. Paul himself who so often and so vehemently upon just occasions asserted and pleaded for the Liberty of Christians as being set free from the Jewish Yoke yet did not at all scruple the making use of those Ceremonies which himself had declar'd to be abrogated when ever it might serve to the benefit of the Church After which Considerations 't is very strange that any Christian should entertain such slight apprehensions of the Evil and Danger of dividing the Christian Church as abundance amongst us have done Pardon me if I seem to press this matter with Zeal upon You who under His Majesty have the Government of this great City committed to You and whose Examples are like to have much greater Influence than the Examples of private Men. Whatsoever others do it certainly becomes those who are in Publick Stations to fulfil all Righteousness and I think I may be allow'd to say without Offence that a Magistrate should be one who needs no Indulgence but that which is by common consent given to Humane Nature in general That whatsoever is truly and justly propos'd in the following Discourse may be of Use to the Publick and that we may all in our respective Stations zealously and constantly promote the Honour of Almighty God the Good of his Church and the Welfare of the Kingdom is the hearty Prayer of Right Honourable Your most Faithful and Obedient Servant Samuel Bradford A SERMON Preached before the Lord-Mayor Perswading to PEACE and UNITY EPHESIANS 4.3 Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace WE are assembled at this time not only to hear the Word of God read and preached and to offer up our daily Prayers and Praises to the Divine Majesty but also to Celebrate the most peculiar and Solemn Office of our Christian Religion Namely the Commemoration of our Saviours Death according to his own Institution By doing of which we openly profess to the World First our Communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ by that Spirit which proceedeth from both and in the next Place our fellowship one with another We declare hereby that we are Members of
are proper for the helping us to understand an antient Book not leaning to our own understandings to such a degree as may hinder us from consulting with those who are best qualified to assist us adding withal our Earnest prayers to Almighty God for the aid of his Holy Spirit to enlighten and to sanctifie out Minds in the use of them by which means we shall not fail to preserve that Vnity of the Spirit with respect to our Judgments which St. Paul may be understood here to exhort us to To keep the Vnity of the Spirit implys also the preserving and cherishing of Love and Affection amongst Christians After an honest care used for the information of our Understandings we may possibly differ as I observ'd before in matters of less weight and moment as we find some did even in the Apostles days This may fall out from the difference there is between the Parts and Abilities of several Men. A Serious Study and Practice of the Christian Religion do indeed tend to enlarge the Understandings and minds of men but yet still there is left that difference which Nature has made between the capacity of one Man and another Besides that some have much greater Advantages and fairer Opportunitys for the improving of themselvs than others have Whence it comes to pass that there are weak as well as strong Christians babes in Christ such as have need of milk as well as others that are well grown and are able to digest stronger meat Even men of equal capacities and abilities may through their different Advantages through their tempers or their Conversations have differing apprehensions concerning several points of Christianity it self But yet in this case we may all keep the Vnity of the Spirit with respect to our Affection and Charity towards each other Christian Love is due to the Christian Temper and Spirit wherever they are to be found The Image of God and our Redeemer wherever it appears ought to engage the hearty approbation and cordial Love of Every one who pretends to bear the same Resemblance Mutual Charity is so necessary to the Members of the Christian Body that we know 't is made by our Lord himself the distinguishing Character of his Disciples this being the special and peculiar Precept which he gave them John 13.34 35. 1 John 3 11. that they should Love one another even as he had lov'd them St. John therefore calls it the Message which they had heard from the beginning that they should love one another There is indeed nothing more universally recommended to Christians and nothing more vehemently urg'd upon them than this kind of Unity Rom. 12.16 Col. 3.12 13 14. Thus St. Paul Be of the same mind one towards another and Again Put on as the elect of God that is as sincere Christians Holy and Beloved bowels of mercies kindness Long Suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another even as Christ forgave you so also do ye And above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of Perfectness that is which is the most perfect Bond or Tye whereby Christians are united to each other And to name no more just before the Text as an Introduction to this keeping the Vnity of the Spirit he exhorts the Ephelsians to be long-suffering ver 2. forbearing one another in love And according to all these excellent Precepts it was the mutual Affection of the primitive Christians by which they were distinguished and for which they were envied by their Enemies when they could look upon them and say Behold how they love one another Nothing ought to separate one Christian from another in this respect but what at the same time separates him from Christ For whilst we are Members of the same Body whilst we are all united to the same Head 't is absurd not to retain a regard to each other suitable to such a Relation To keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace farther implies a quiet and Peaceable nay a kind and amicable demeanor towards each other in our whole Conversation This is necessarily consequent upon the former such a Behaviour being the natural effect of inward affection and good will so that I need not insist largely on this after what I have said upon the foregoing particular I shall only take notice that as it includes a meek and Gentle treatment of each other in all respects so more particularly with respect to our Speech I mean that we never provoke or I ritate our fellow Christians by any rude or undecent Language which is so far from being allowable in a Christian that it is altogether unbecoming a Man But I thought fit to mention it both because this is too common a fault the Tongue as St. 〈…〉 Jane expresses it being an unruly evil insomuch that if any man offend not in word he pronounces him a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body vers 2. as also because the consequences of it are oftentimes very deplorable as the same Apostle observes Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth ver 5 6. And the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our Members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of Nature and it is set on fire of Hell but especially because too many professing Christianity to the great dishonour of their profession upon every slight difference that happens amongst them about their Opinions in Religion are exceedingly prone to this Evil accounting it a Testimony of Zeal for God and his cause when they can express themselves in very bitter and reproachful terms not considering what St. ver 16 17 18. James adds in the conclusion of that Discourse that this Wisdom namely which is accompanyed with bitter envying and Strife descendeth not from above but is Earthly sensual devilish whereas the wisdom which is from above is first pure then Peaceable Gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and of good fruits and the fruit of righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace For which Reason St. Paul thus bespeaks the Ephesians in the Chapter out of which my Text is taken Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamor v. 31 32. and Evil Speaking be put away from you with all Malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Indeed for a Peaceable behaviour in the general the New Testament throughout abounds with plain and excellent Precepts Thus St. Paul 1. Thes 5.13 14 15. to the Thessalonians Be at peace among your selves and Again Be patient towards all men See that none render Evil for Evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men 2 Tim. 2.22 24. 25. In like manner to Timothy Follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace with them that call on the Lord
out of a pure heart and a little after The Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men Patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves which tho' it be spoken primarily to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church yet concerns all Christians in general as being Servants also of the same Lord. Mark 9.50 I shall conclude this particular with our Saviours precept to his immediate followers and in them to all that should afterwards believe in him Have salt in your selves and have Peace one with another That is See that you be season'd with that Spiritual Wisdom and that divine Temper of mind which may render you acceptable both to God and men and particularly in order to the same end maintain a constant Peace and agreement among your selves To keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace implies yet more particularly a preserving entire as far as in us lies the External Communion of the Christian Church I am sensible that considering the divided state of the Church in the present Age this is a very tender point to discourse of but as I shall speak so I desire to be heard in the Spirit of meekness and Charity which I am sure is the true Spirit of Christianity External Communion may be very properly call'd the bond of Peace in as much as it shews to all the World that Christians own themselves one Body and especially as it tends to preserve them in that State this being one great end and design of our being appointed to meet together to celebrate the publick worship of God that when we glorifie God and our Redeemer with one Heart and one Mouth our Charity towards our Christian Brethren may at the same time be Inflamed And that it is apt to have this effect I dare appeal to the experience of all that are serious and constant in the publick worship according to the Institution of the Gospel And there can be no doubt but that abundance of that uncharitableness which is to be observ'd in Christians towards each other proceeds from their having first divided Communions and refus'd to worship God and their Saviour together How many unchristian Contentions among our selves in this Nation may be attributed Solely to this Cause I leave all that hear me to judge For after all that men may talk of the Duty and the Possibility of Christians who are of different Communions Loving one another such is the Weakness of humane Nature and the coldness of Christian Charity that as experience convinces us men are easily carry'd from difference in communion not only to a coolness in affection but as the consequence of that a distance and a shyness in conversation First the differing parties admit unkind thoughts of each other then often proceed to hard words to uncharitable censures either of the opinions or which is worse of the Intentions of those that differ from them and it may be at last come in good earnest to strive for Mastery to struggle for superiority and preeminency to contend for Power and Dominion But besides all the Benefits which result from keeping the Vnity of the Spirit c. in the sense I am now speaking of and the Mischiefs which evidently flow from breaking it which are more than I can have time now to enumerate that which I would propose to your impartial consideration is that the Nature and Frame of that Religion which we all profess obliges us to be One in this respect The First Christians assembled in one place offering up their Devotions daily together under the Direction and conduct of the Apostles as long as their number would permit them so to do Thus we read in the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles Acts 2.1 ver 44 45. At the day of Pentecost they were all with one accord in one Place And afterwards in the same Chap. All that believ'd were together and Again They continuing daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from House to House did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart that is they worship God together in the Temple at the Hours of Prayer and then withdrew into some more private apartment to celebrate the Lords Supper together the peculiar Christian service doing all with great simplicity ver 42. Integrity joy and Charity and once more They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and Prayers Thus did the first Christians and then 't is observ'd that the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be sav'd ver 4â— the unanimity of Christians together with the Blessing of God which is ready to attend it having a mighty tendency to the increasing their Number When the Number of Christians was by this means increas'd and the Religion of our Saviour was spread through many distant Citys and Countrys they were then indeed necessitated to assemble in distinct places to which Purpose the Apostles ordain'd and fix'd Bishops and Lastors in every place where they form'd a Church but still they were one in heart and Soul a fair correspondence was kept up between all these particular Churches and when any Christian travel'd from one city to another he immediately joyn'd with and was receiv'd by the Church settled in that place to which he came as may be easily discern'd in the Sequel of that History of the Acts of the Apostles Every Christian is in truth a Member of the Catholick Church of Christ and consequently dispos'd if he be rightly instructed in his profession to joyn with any sound part of the Church throughout the World wherever his business or occasions shall lead him But forasmuch as the Catholick Church must be distributed into several particular Churches for the good of the whole and the Edification of every particular member of it each particular Christian is by consequence of right a member of that part of the Christian Church in which providence hath cast his lot and where his ordinary abode and residence is there in all reason ought his Stated and ordinary Communion to be provided always that no unchristian no unlawful Terms of Communion are impos'd upon him If any particular Church impose any unlawful Terms of Communion then a good Christian is discharged of this obligation that will be a sufficient plea for his separation from it For which reason if the Romish Communion were established among us which God forbid it ever should be we who have been Instructed in the principles of Christianity as reform'd from the Errors and Corruptions of that Church ought not we could not Consistently with our Principles Communicate with it But wheresoever here is a Church established under the conduct of Bishops and Pastors regularly call'd and appointed to guide and govern it and if the State be Christian with the concurrence of its Authority also in which a good Christian may worship and serve his Maker and Redeemer without