Christ Jesus without making use of any Sub-mediators either of Redemption or Intercession not mentioned in the Gospel and herein he considers God not only as a Creator or in the absolute perfections of his Being but as reconciled in the Blood of his Son related as a Father and ingaged by a special Covenant He is one who waits and prays for the help of Gods holy Spirit to lead him into the presence of God and to help his Infirmities therein and approacheth not to him meerly by the impulse of natural Conscience much less by the help of Pictures or Images forbidden by the Law of God but by the Spirit of Adoption inclining his Will moving his Affections and crying Abba Father in his Heart Again He reckons upon Suffering with Christ as well as Reigning with him of bearing his Cross as well as wearing his Crown and of Denying himself as becomes a Disciple of Christ and therefore Arms himself for it that he may not be surprized by it or faint under it and as he will not rashly thrust himself upon sufferings so neither decline them when necessarily called thereunto wherein he will have respect to the goodness of his Call of his Cause and of his Conscience Further He is one who when he is Reviled reviles not again patiently bears affronts and injuries for Righteousness sake seeks not privately to revenge himself but commits his Cause to him that judgeth righteously Again He embraceth Religion for its own sake and not for any politick end and abhors to make use of it as an Art to serve any Covetous Ambitious or Treacherous designs He is one who believes a Judgment to come and therefore lives in continual awe of it and endeavours so to manage the whole course of his actions that he may be accepted of the Lord in that day and not fall under the wrath to come and thereupon is less concerned about being Judged of men or of mans day Again He believing the Immortality of his own Soul the Resurrection of his Body and hoping for the Eternal Life of the World to come Life and Immortality being brought to light by the Christian Religion he is seeking to make it sure to himself and thereupon is less concerned as to his temporal Life and his short stay in this present World looking upon himself as a stranger here on Earth He is careful to examin himself about his State towards God and to know the inward frame and temperament of his own Soul and the Actions of his Life in the Principle Rule and End of them that he may not be found among Hypocrites and that counterfeit Grace may not be mistaken for that which is true His Zeal in Religion is not rash and precipitate hypocritical and treacherous violent and cruel so as to transgress the Rules of Humanity Charity and Sobriety but is grounded upon Knowledge and regulated by sound Judgment Wisdom and Discretion and his greatet Zeal is about the great things of Religion and of the greatest certainty He is one who hath a regular Conscience extending to one Duty as well as to another and therefore will not strain at Gnats and swallow Camels nor be scrupulous about Ceremonies and of conforming to some outward Forms of Worship and yet can practise injustice oppression lying fraud intemperance backbiting malice and such moral impieties not becoming Christians And if he hath a Conscience of Conformity to the Church he makes Conscience of the moral Duties of Religion and will not be found guilty of swearing cursing drunkenness fornication scoffing at piety blasphemy false accusation or persecution for Conscience sake of the truly conscientious c. And though his practice in Religion is according to his best Light and judgment yet he confines not the Church of God or monopolizeth Salvation to the narrow limits of his own private Opinion but judgeth charitably of men who Conscientiously differ from him as knowing that as in several Nations so under several Opinions He that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him and therefore he can love and honour true Piety Sincerity and Goodness and real Worth wherever he finds them as the Phylosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studied to extract the good out of every Sect of Phylosophers and rejected the rest Again He beholdeth the Creator in the works of his Creation and adores his wisdom power bounty and goodness shining forth therein and as a Christian he can look upon the Creator of the World as the Redeemer of it and as his God and Father in Jesus Christ and in special relation to him and hereupon to have his Heart engaged to love him honour him fear him and trust in him which is more than the most learned Heathen by the light of Nature could attain unto Further He considering the Dominion God hath given Man over the brute Creatures he useth them with Thanksgiving but will not abuse them as a Tyrannical Lord and is stirred up to the more chearful service of God by those brute Creatures which are daily serving him He knows that not only Faith is required of a Christian but outward Profession and therefore he conforms to all the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ in his Church and attends there diligently for his Edification and that God may be hononred by the Divine Worship of the Publick Assemblies of his People according to the dictates of the universal Law of Nature and therefore as he will not have Communion with any Church in that that is evil and sinful so he is ready to hold Communion with all Churches in that which is lawful and good that he may not fall under the just charge of Schism or unwarrantable Separation and seeks the maintaining of his whole profession unspotted and without rebuke and therefore He keeps his Foot when he goes to the House of God demeans himself with all seriousness and Reverence in Gods publick Worship will not be found talking gazing whispering laughing or sleeping when his mind and thoughts should be directed towards God that he may carry himself suitable to that great Presence wherein he is and the solemnity of that Service he i◠engaged in He carefully avoids all Tempting of God by presuming upon his Power and Mercy for the good either of his Soul or Body without using suitable and rational means or such as may be appointed of God for that end neither will he pray or hope to receive what God hath never promised to give and thereby be also a tempter of God. Again He being a Christian is careful to observe the Christian Sabbath not the Seventh day of the Week as the Jews but the First according to the example of the Apostles and the first Christian Churches whereby he owns Christs Lordship over the Sabbath to change the day as well as the Ordinances of Gods worship therein and therefore he remembers to keep it Holy by abstaining from bodily Labours and by the exercise of his mind and thoughts
Reformed Religion OR Right Christianity DESCRIBED IN Its Excellency and Usefulness IN THE Whole LIFE of MAN. By a Protestant-Christian And the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch Act. 11. 26. â—eritatem Philosophi quaerunt Theologi inveniunt Religiosi possident Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyssen LONDON Printed by J. A. for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Compter 1689. THE PREFACE THE present State and Circumstances of our English Nation cause great Thoughts of Heart every wise Man considering not what will best gratifie his own Humour Passion personal Interest or Opinion but what may be best for the peace wealth strength safety and settlement of the Nation Every Fool can make breaches and divisions but it requires good Wisdom to heal them A wise Mans Heart discerneth both Time and Judgment saith Solomon Tempori parendum was the Motto of Theodosius the second we may better see what we may be able to do than what is best to be done in our present Circumstances We have amongst us a company of rash heady fierce ignorant and felf-confident People who if wisely managed by the prudence of Government may be made useful in the Nation to the enriching and strengthning of it who are no way fit to have the Reins in their own hand whether they be Conformists or not Was the fear of God and the Principles of true Religion more set up in the Hearts of Men it would greatly be to the advantage both of Church and State I have been thinking how this may be best done And seeing though we have many sorts of Opinions amongst us yet we all profess our selves Christians and unite in that Centre I thought it might be a good work to shew men briefly what Christianity is and what they are obliged to be by being Christians and have run over as many particulars about it as I could at present think of and finding that many of our Disorders and Mistakes arise from want of a due understanding of and regular respect to Magistracy and Ministry I have therefore given a brief description of both to engage Men to that reverend Honour and Respect which are due to both And that none may satisfie themselves in being Protestants if they are not also true Christians I find 't is not being of this or that Party or Opinion in Religion which makes a right Christian We may observe some bad Men in all and I hope there may be some good I would be loth to condemn all in a Lump If I see a Man's Actions bad I will say he is a bad Man let his Profession be this or that and so would I hope on the contrary We have infallible Rules in the Word of God to judge of Men by Though for the most part we judge of Men by false Rules suited to a Party Opinion or some secular Interest But as I hate Prophaness and Debauchery so I abhor Dissimulation or Hypocrisie in all Professions so as to make Religion a pretence to Ambition and Covetousness to fraud and Cousenage to Murders and Massacres to Treasons and Rebellions The Form of Religion without the Power of it the fairer it appears the fouler it is is a good saying of a late Writer Religion is most wounded in the House of its false Friends And some upright and innocent Souls may suffer by the miscarriages of some of their own Party whereof we have had many Instances of late amongst us I am confident all good Christians agree in more things than they differ And there may be forbearance where there is not agreement especially when the safety of Religion requires it And sometimes the Providence of God doth that for a People which their own endeavours could not accomplish Let wise Men observe its present Indications and act accordingly I find in the feavourish heats of Mens disputes the Vitals of Religion are apt to expire and we have but too many sad Symptoms of it in the Nation at this day And to recover it to its primitive vigour and activity in the right Sphear is the main Design of these papers that there may be found more true Christianity amongst those who bear the Name of Christians and the Name of Protestants also For the Conversation of many of them is such that we have as good ground of hope for the Salvation of Turks and Infidels as of theirs It is not External Incorporating with any visible Church whether the Church of England the Church of Rome or any other that puts a Man into a State of Salvation without having a sanctified Heart and a Reformed Life Many are ambitious to make Proselytes to their Opinions and their Church and then call them Converts when possibly thereby they may be made seven times more the children of Hell than before I am sure the chief End of all Religion is the Salvation of Mens Souls and they are not likely to attain it in any Religion if they are not sincere in it And sincerity lies more in the Heart than the Head And therefore seeing mens heads have of late been much exercised about Disputes and the Polemical parts of Religion and vindicating the Doctrine of the Church of England against the Errors of the Papists and of which there hath been great use I thought it might be seasonable to subjoyn something about practical Religion which is so much wanting in the Nation Our Saviour styles his Apostles not only the Lights of the World but the Salt of the Earth And sent them forth not only to inform Mens Judgments but to season and sanctifie their Hearts and Lives The chief business of these Papers is to expose good Salt to publick Sale and as Solomon calls upon Men to buy the Truth and the Prophet Isaiah To buy wine and milk So I hope this Salt will be bought up a pace it being so necessary for every mans use For as corruption in the Heart and Life doth oftentimes corrupt the Judgment and makes Men receptive of any Religion so Sanctity of Heart and Life may be a great means to preserve men from Popery and erroneous Doctrines and establish them in the true Religion Therefore I hope these Papers will not be thought unseasonable We know the Protestant Reformed Religion is the Profession of these Nations and therefore attempts to promote a true Reformation are surely seasonable in such a juncture when the three Estates of the Land are ingaged in the establishing of it My design is to draw a strait Theological Line whereby Men may discern both Rectitude and Obliquity what they are or what they ought to be And if any will account me a Fool for speaking plainly I am content to be so accounted if I can make others wise And let me advertise the Reader that he will not find any rare things in the following Discourse I mean rare in the Notion but many things God knows too rare in Mens practice REFORMED RELIGION OR Right
CHRISTIANITY DESCRIBED c. ALL Religion in the World hath Respect to a Deity and was there no God there need to be no Religion and they cast off a Deity and may be termed Atheists who cast off all Religion But there are such bright Characters of a Deity in the Works of Creation and in every Mans Conscience as that there are but few who embrace not some Religion or other And tho some Men seem to live as though there was no God yet when they are in distress or in the approaches of Death the sense of a Deity returns upon them as motions against Nature will at some time or other recurr And therefore such as promote Impiety under pretexts of Religion are likely to do more mischief and have greater success then those who seek to do it by disputing against a Deity I know some have endeavoured to make themselves and others Atheists as Lucretius boasts of Epicurus that he was the first that sought to deliver the World from the burthensome Yoke of Religion but he had not many Followers Yet I fear the notion of a Deity may be much stifled in many for when they see all things come to pass by second causes when they see Vice and Wickedness rampant in the world and true Piety and Virtue under Contempt and when they observe so many Sects in the World and differences about Religion and how the generality of Men though they have no fear of God yet they fare as well as those that fear him and when they see the Apostacy and Hypocrisie of many that have made great Profession and the simpleness and weakness of others they begin to think all that is discoursed about a Deity Providence Judgment to come Heaven and Hell or any Religion are but fanatick Fancies superstitious Conceits or politick Inventions either of Princes to keep the People under Government or of Priests to make Markets of Peoples Consciences But my business at present is not with these but such as own and acknowledge a Deity profess Religion yea the best and only true Religion the Reformed Christian Religion a Religion founded first in Gods Eternal Councels for the highest Manifestation of his own Glory and formed for the good of Mankind in this World and for conducting them to the Eternal Felicity of the World to come And was it not defaced by the vicious practices of false Christians it would either convince or convert the World to it and vindicate it self from the Reproaches under which it lies with many at this day most Men looking more at the Actions of Men than the Rules of the Religion they profess to judge it by though some look upon it as some vindication of the Name of Christ against the Impostor Mahomet in the great success of the Christians so called against the Turks yet we may fear that the unjust Practices gross Idolatries inhumane Persecutions and scandalous Lives of many called Christians may keep them from embracing Christianity But because my design is general I shall not make it my business now to consider any one Party or Denomination of Christians distinct from another but shall briefly treat of Christianity it self in the Principles Rules Mysteries and Designs of it that all may here as in a Glass see their own face and as most I fear may have cause to blush so it may tend to reduce the Christian world to a better Temper especially our own English Nation I find all Parties ready to reflect one upon another whereas all may be guilty And whilst each are contending for some particular Opinions and Circumstances in Religion they may evidently transgress the Rules of common Christianity And while some are called Papists others Protestants some Lutherans some Calvenists some Conformists others Nonconformists all are apt to forget they are called Christians And while we are contending for that which is Primitive in Church order and in the Externals of Religion we regard not that which is primitive in the right Temperament of our Hearts and Lives which if we could arrive at or did studiously endeavour it might prevent the mischiefs which have befallen us for time to come and allay our late contentions in Religion more than all the wrangling disputes which have been among us and though in doubtful things it is commendable to search out Truth and plead for it yet not with minds possest with Passion or Prejudice which blind the Judgment and break the bonds of Unity Love and Peace As the two Men mentioned by Anselm who disputing and then falling to blows in the Morning about the place where the Sun would rise beat out one anothers Eyes and so neither of them could see it It 's no great advantage to a Man to be a Papist Lutheran Calvinist Episcopal Presbyterian c. if he be not a right Christian Our greatest zeal is about those things for the most part that are not necessary to Salvation and which may leave us short of Heaven So that we may take up the complaint of the Historian about the Divisions of the Eastern Western and Lybian Churches among themselves Tanta confusio Niceph. cap. 25. lib. 16. mentiumque Caligo orbem universum incessit Opinions get into Mens lusts and are twisted with Interest which make Men furious and violent who are altogether Strangers to Christianity in the life and power of it And though I have not told the World my Name either who I am or what I am yet I think I need not care who knows it for I suppose no man will be angry with me for wishing all Men well and as for praise of Men as I deserve none so neither can I expect it from a work of this Nature this I shall only say I have lived now the full Age of a Man have been an Observer of the Contests of the late Times and have seen little good fruit upon the Spirits of most Men many have changed their Opinions their particular Professions and Parties but still have retained the same Hearts and Religion in the Power of it hath been manifestly declining either by being rarified into airy Ceremonies or condensed into stupid Formality or refined into speculative Notions or rent asunder by manifold Opinions and perverse Disputes or abused to unwarrantable Designs and Men have made it their work to trample others down and their Conquests have proved their Snare and then their Ruine wherein the saying of Solomon is fulfilled There is a time when one man ruleth over another to his own hurt Eccl. 8. v. 9. I fear most Men know not or forget what it is to be a right Christian And what that worthy Name doth oblige them to which was the Name whereby all Christs Disciples were called before all those Names were known in the World whereby since they have been distinguished or reproached And as it was the first Name given on Earth so it may probably continue for ever in Heaven For of Christ the whole Family of Heaven
may be a Tempâ—ation to himself or a stumbling-block unto others He is not led by the Examples of Men apâ—roves not of any evil because practised by â—he multitude but having found out the Rule â—f his walking he follows it though against the â—ream of a corrupt Age. Again He studiously avoids vain Scoffing â—nd reproachful Nick-names especially about â—atters of Religion as being the Evidence of â— frothy mind and tending to beget proâ—haneness and Atheism in Mens Hearts Further Though his Conversation is civil â—nd courteous towards all yet he especially â—onours them who fear the Lord and chooseth â—ch to be of his more intimate Acquaintance â—d Society wherein he doth delight He bridles his Anger that it may not transâ—rt him to any excess either in words or â—tions neither will he suffer the Sun to go down upon it so as to lodge with him lest it grow up into malice or inveterate hatred Remembring herein the wise Mans saying Anger resteth in the Bosom of fools And he also hath that Rule over his Spirit that he is noâ— easily provoked to wrath He will not easily take up false Report against any much less divulge them most oâ— all not raise them but seeks to preserve anothers Reputation as his own knowing thaâ— he ought to love his Neighbour as himself and therefore he will not entertain ground less Jealousies but puts all things under thâ— most favourable Interpretation according tâ— the Rule of Christian charity He is not wise in his own Conceit but judging humbly of his own Parts he readily hearkens to other Men and over-weens not his owâ— understanding He will not rejoyce and triumph in otheâ— Mens Calamities nor trample upon theâ— when they are fallen not knowing how soâ—â— their case may be his own and the tryaâ— which are upon them may come to his owâ— door He makes it his care to preserve Peaâ— within in the midst of all the troubles thâ— attend him from without and sets befoâ— him the Joys of Heaven as a Relief against tâ— Worlds sorrow He looketh upon the Providence of Goâ— as superintending and guiding the Affairs the World and therefore is not dismayed by the signs of the Heavens gives not heed to Diviners and Soothsayers as the Heathen did and which was forbidden by many Christian Emperours and becomes not the Christian Profession Neither doth he ascribe Events to blind Fortune the Power of exorcisms or to the Connection of second causes any further than they are influenced by the first cause and therefore he doth not perplex his Thoughts about future things which are not in his Power but in the discharge of his present Duty leaves them all in the hand of the only wise God. Again Though he is diligent in the affairs of his Calling yet he suffers not the things of this World so to ingross his Time Heart and Thoughts as to be diverted from all Communion with God and attending the great Concernments of his Soul and will what he can avoid the incumbrances of the World that his Heart may be more free for the Duties of Religion and the service of God. And seeing that he was not made by himself or for himself he is careful to serve the end of his being which is to glorisie his Creator and for that end is diligent to improve the several Talents wherewith God hath intrusted him whether natural acquired civil or spiritual and considering also himself as bought with a price he glorifies God both in Soul and Body which both are his which is peculiar to a Christian And lastly He knowing that his Time is short upon Earth he is making Provision for his latter End that he may dye in Peace Whereupon he lives not in continual Bondage to the fear of Death nor hardens himself against it by a Roman courage but looking upon Death by Faith in the Death of Christ he seeth the Sting of it taken away and it made a Passage into Eternal Life And knowing also that the coming of the Lord draws nigh he comforts himself in the Expectation of it as hoping to find mercy of the Lord at that day I should here have added one particular more which the Christian Religion doth oblige all Men to which is Obedience to Rulers and Magistrates but I shall make it a distinct head to speak of afterwards Now Reader By these things and such things as these for I cannot possibly mention all thou seest what it is to be a Christian and what an Excellency and Purity is in the Christian Religion and what brave Men it would make us both towards God our selves and one another Whatever moral Vertues the Heathen Philosophers boasted of or whatever Goodness or Truth there is in natural Theology whatever is consentaneous to the purest Reason or whatever moral goodness there is in the Law of Moses whether Moral Judicial or Ceremonial or in any Religion professed in the World we have it all comprized in Christianity Here we have an account of the true Happiness of Man and how to attain it And where an Expiation may be found for the sin of his Soul And how he may be supported under all the Calamities of this present Life which three things the Minds of the Philosophers were so exercised about It is a Religion which endows men with higher Principles and sets before them higher Motives against the practice of evil and for performing that which is good than any other in the World and was it Exemplified in the Lives of Men instead of Oppression Injustice and Violence instead of Animosities Divisions and Contentions instead of treacherous plotting and contriving the destruction of one another we might enjoy our selves and live together in great Tranquility Love and Peace whereas now the lives of most who are called Christians are the publick scandal of the World and as great Atheism Prophaneness Irreligion and all sorts of Immoralities are found among us as where the Name of Christ and the Gospel were never heard of And in many things worse than Infidels which makes the old saying true Aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not the Christian Religion we profess or else we are not Christians And will not Christ be ashamed of them who are a shame to him and his Name that is upoâ— them As a Parent who hath a vile and wicked Son is ashamed that he should bear hiâ— Name And as some have probably thoughtâ— that those shall come first to Judgment sâ— they are likely to fall under the severest judgment in the day of Christ The Heathen oâ— old upbraided the Christians with their Name Cajus Sejus bonus vir sed Christianus but now it may be said Cajus Sejus Christianus sed noâ— bonus vir which is a real Reproach which thâ— other was not And may we not complaiâ— as Salvian in his Time In nobis patitur Christus opprobrium in nobis patitur Lex Christianâ— maledictum Christ
and sinful to one that is not to another As to eat Flesh might be sinful to one and not to another and so keeping of days as the Apostle argues Rom. 14. whereby Christians should be tender of forcing their own Sentiments especially in doubtful things upon anothers Conscience 5. Abstain from all Appearance of Evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Many things may in themselves be lawful yet not to be practis'd when they carry an Appearance of Evil. Religion may be scandaliz'd and real Evil encouraged by that which is not a real Evil but only hath an Appearance of it As to sit at meat in an Idols Temple was not evil in it self for an Idol is nothing and the Sacrifice offered is properly nothing that is no Sacrifice but it had an Appearance of Evil to him that had not that Knowledge and therefore the Apostle doth forbid that practice 1 Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 10. 14. and requires them to flee from Idolatry in that Shew and Appearence of it and so those Ceremonies in Worship that are abused to Idolatry should be laid aside rather than others because they have an Appearance of Evil I know what is answered that they may be used where the Superstition or Idolatry of them are declared against But I am confident that the Primitive Christians would not have put Incense into the Fire of the Sacrifice offered to an Idol thô they might have had Liberty to declare against the Idolatry of it Nor the three Children bow to Nebuchadnezzor's Image tho they might have declared against the Idol And the Apostle forbids eating meat in the Idols Temple thô it was not thought that they were Idolaters who sat there or practised Idolatry God forbad the Israelites when they came into Canaan to symbolize with the Customs of the Heathen tho in themselves not evil because they had an Appearance of Evil and their minds thereby might be the sooner reconciled to the Evil it self Superstition is very catching and therefore the occasions of it are dangerous which made Hezekiah break in pieces the brazen Serpent when abused to Superstition 2 King. 18. 4. 6. The last General Rule is Let all things be done to the Glory of God which though it be a General Rule to all the Actions of Mens Life yet the Apostle applies it to things in themselves indifferent in Religion and the Worship of God as about eating things offered to an Idol 1 Cor. 10. 31. so that nothing should be practis'd herein but what may tend to this General End And hereupon forbids the using of that Liberty that may offend anothers Conscience and cause him to fall as that which would not be to the Glory of God v. 32. yea whatever it is that offends against any of the forementioned Rules is not for his Glory And this General Rule well observed would direct Christians much in the managing such Circumstances in Religion where there is no express Rule or Institution and limit all Governours from imposing such things in Worship which tend not at all to the Glory of God. And tho I know 't is not well possible to answer all Scruples particularly which may be made about Christian-Worship yet I believe these General Rules well observed would make Peace with all judicious and sober Christians And I easily grant that the Gospel Church is left more at Liberty in Circumstances of Worship than the Jewish Church as about Times and Places and Postures c. Christ intending a more spiritual Worship in these dayes hath not tyed us up to the Observation of every minute Circumstance belonging to it or appointed any outward Pomp and Splendor therein as in the Temple-Worship of the Jews seeking now a true spiritual Worship And as for that General Rule which some assert in this Case that what Christ hath not forbidden in his Worship humane Authority may Command and what he hath left Indifferent may by Men be made necessary I would wish all Protestants to take heed of urging it for we know the evil use the Papists have made of it Where say they are the use of Oyl Cream Spittle Exorcisms c. forbidden in Baptizing where is the use of Holy Water when they enter their Temples forbidden where is Sprinkling the Head with Ashes forbidden where is the use of Pictures and Images as helps to Devotion forbidden And where is the Crossing themselves as they do upon several occasions forbidden And much more of this kind is used by them But we know our Saviour excused his Disciples from observing the Traditions which the Pharisees urged upon the People though they were commanded by the Authority of the Jewish Church Such as washing of Hands Cups Platters which seem to be very innocent Ceremonies And were such things as these only recommended and not enjoyned if they did no good they might do no hurt but when they are made necessary to Church Communion and for not observing them People are shut out of the Church and the ordinary means of Salvation the mischief is unspeakable And let it be considered when God under the Law required in Sacrifice either two Turtle Doves or two young Pidgeons whether any Authority in the Jewish Church or State might determine that which God left indifferent but herein let the former Rules be observed And I shall conclude this Discourse with adding a few Passages out of the late Author of The Discourse of an Infallible Judge A Learned Divine of the Church of England There is saith he an easie and effectual way of Curing Church Divisions without having a Judge of Controversies nay without making all Men of a mind in every thing which must never be expected in this World. And that is not to make the necessary terms of Communion straighter and narrower than Christ hath made them nothing but what is plainly revealed in Scripture and is Essential to Christian Faith and Worship For such matters most Christians agree in and tho they may have some private Opinions of their own this ought not to divide Communions while they do not impose them upon the Faith of others nor introduce any new and strange Worship unto the Christian Church P. 55. Again If Catholick Communion be the Communion of the whole Catholick Church from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the end of the World which is but one Church and the Apostolick Churches are the true measure and Standard of true Catholick Communion then those Churches which are to this day in Communion with the Apostles are in true Catholick Communion And this Test we will stand by c. p. 78. Again In the same Page The Communion of particular Churches doth not consist in using the same Liturgies or External Rites of Worship if their Worship be a Right Christian-Worship and agreeable to the General Rules of the Gospel For every Church hath Authority within her self to direct and Model her own Worship And therefore those that keep to the Apostolick Terms of Communion cannot justly