126 A CHRISTIAN CHURCH. , Those I call moderate, who are not so strict and rigid in their opinions, nor run into such extremes, nor place so great a necessity in their particular modes of worship or discipline, but being persons of serious piety and of extensive charity, they think it proper to omit or alter, on particular occasions, what may be offensive to either side ; or at least they allow either side their own particular practices and forms. These may very well unite in occasional communion, though. they are fixed members of the churches of their own persuasion. A church that com- municates kneeling, may allow communion to one that standsor sits : -A church. baptized in infancy, or in adult age, may allow communion to those that are of the contrary practice in baptism. A church that receives members upon a stricter profession of inward and experimental godliness, may allow communion to one that has been admitted a member of another church, where the profession of christianityis more large and general. A church that holds no bodilypresence of Christ in the sacrament, may allow communion with one that believes con- substantiation, or that the body of Christ is present together with the bread, &c. Such occasional instances of communion might tend to enlarge the spirits of men into a good opinion of each other, and in- crease christian charity. But if the want of opportunity to join with christians of their own sentiments, should call or en- courage them to unite as fixed members of the same community, they should agree to some sort of articles of peace, not to dis- turb the quiet of that church, by breaking in upon and over- turning its old andusual forms of ministration and government : For the peace of the church is more valuable than the amend- ment of some improper forms, where the life and power of god- liness is preserved. Thirdly; Those that differ in less points of christianity, but are of unsettled and unsociable principles or humours, and cannot content themselves without shifting fromchurch tochurch, nor be easy with any that differ from them, without a zealous propagation of their own opinibns, contrary to the rules that the apostle has given for the peace of the church, Rom. xiv. Some learned writers suppose these to be the heretics in the scripture sense. Surely these should Abe contented with occasional communion, and they should give satisfactory evi- denceof inward piety, before they are received to any commu- nion at all. Now if these three sorts are admitted occasionally to com- municate in the special ordinances of Christ, this seems tome sufficient to answer the canons of the apostle, wherewe are bid to receive such as Christ has received, and that without doubtful disputations; Rom. xv. i, 8. and Rom. xiv. I. Whereas if they should be admitted to a full and fixed membership, power and
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