124 A CHRISTIAN CHURCH. nion be impracticable, unlawful, and highly inexpedient, as I' think it isplainly proved beyond contradiction, the question must be determined on the negative side, and all sorts of protestants cannot be members of one particular church. A very natural question arises here, " whether no christians must join in,com- mullion, but those that are in all things of the same opinion?" This shall be the subject of my next enquiry. QUEST. XII.Whether nó Christians must join in the same Communion, but those that are in all Things of the same Opinion? SECT. I. I hope there is nothing that I have said in the foregoing discourses can be interpreted into so narrow a sense, as to exclude all protestants from the same communion, but those whose sentiments are exactly alike. This would make all com- munion impracticahle; for it will be hard to find two persons in the world, that in every point of religion have the same senti- ments: Or -if here and there half a dozen, or half a score christians were found that came very near to each other in opinion, these must every where set up distinct societies by themselves ; thus the church of Christ would be crumbled into endless divisions. To this question therefore, I answer in the first place : I. That as the affairs of the christian world are found in this imperfect state, it seems generally most adviseable for every person to join in constant and fixed communion with such a church, or be admitted members of such a particular christian society, whose public profession comes nearest to his own senti- ments, where he can possibly have opportunity to do it ; this would lay a foundation for the greatest union and peace among the members of the same church ; considering the folly and weakness of human nature, and how much our differences of opinion endanger our charity, certainly this would be the easiest and surest method of answering the design of those apostolical directions and wishes. Rom. xv. 5, 6. Godgrant you to be like-minded, that ye may with one mind, and one mouth, glo- rify God, 85-c. 1 Cor. i. 10. I beseech you, brethren, by the game 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 joined together in the same mind, and in the same judg- ment.- And in order to shew their general and extensive charity, they may take proper opportunities for occasional communion with other'churches that differ from them in matters of less im- portánce ; and they shouldbe as ready to admit the members of
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