QUESTION NIT, 127 privilege in. the same church, without any limitations by articles of peace, that would so, much endanger the common edification and peace of the whole body; as to run counter to other canons ofthe same apostle ; Let all things he done to edification; 1 Cor. xiv. 26. Follow the thing's that make peace ; Rom. xiv. 19. As for all other protestants, whose differences are of less mo- ment, notwithstanding they may be very various, and almost infinite, yet if they are of a peaceful spirit, and give evidence of hearty and' sincere piety, I think they may join, where they have opportunity, as complete and constant members of the same church, and worship the same God together, through the same Lord Jesus Christ by the same Spirit, and fulfil all duties of christian fellowship, to his glory, and their mutual edi- fication. When any such sort of difficulties happen in relation to the communion of christians, which cannot be determined by the plain reason and nature ofthings, and concerning which we have receivedno certain commandmentfrom the Lord; the wisest man on earth can go no farther than to say with the.apostle, I give my,judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful; I suppose therefore that it is good in the present case to . act in this or that manner ; 1 Cor. vii. 25, 26. Ifsuch a modesty of language became that great man St. Paul, surely every lesser minister, or christian, would transgress the bounds ofdecency, to assume more to himself. SECT. III.. An illustration on the three last questions. What I have advanced on these subjects may receive some light per- haps, and may prevail more toward the conviction of my readers by an illustration of these cases, by a parallel instance taken from a societyof philosophers :' For when the same case is put in new subjects of another kind, it does not meet with the same predetermined judgment, as in subjects that have been long controverted. Suppose several stoic philosophers join in a society, and have weekly lectures read to them, by one or more professors whom they have chosen, and once a month hold a feast, wherein some peculiar . ceremonies are performed to the honour of Zeno, the master and founder of their sect. Every person that is admitted to communicate in their feast, must profess him- self a stoic philosopher, a follower of Zeno, and to receive the precepts of Zeno for his principles of doctrine and practice; and he ought to give satisfaction by conference to the members or professors of this stoical society, that he owns Zeno's precepts, and, that in such a sense, as. is sufficient, in their judgment, to make him a good stoic. Now if any one shall mingle some of the doctrines of Epicurus therewith, or expound Zeno so as to make happiness consist in sensual pleasures, this over- '
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