Part 82

7. _Church-communion_, in the last place, is an excellent means for the mutual edification of Christians; for the preservation of the Christian faith and doctrine, and for the encouragement of Christian practice. And since for these and the like reasons, God, by his Son Jesus Christ, has erected and constituted that spiritual society call’d _a church_, whereof the same Jesus Christ is the head, as that is his body, according to the apostle; Christian prudence obliges every man not to look upon himself only as a private or independent Christian, that is at liberty to serve God as he pleases, in his own solitary way, but as a member of this one church, whereof Christ is the head, and consequently bound to hold communion with it. This therefore, a prudent Christian will be sure to do, and think it a great happiness and privilege to have such a help, to enjoy the communion of saints, and worship God in the assemblies of his people. From these he will by no means _excommunicate_ himself: but as he is in spirit united to the whole Christian church, so he actually communicates with that particular branch of it, whereof he is a member: and hereby he shews his union with the whole, in which he will be careful to make no schism; lest, by dividing from that church whereof Christ is the head, he be divided from Christ, his end as well as his way.