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Mr . JVright 4 o Mr . Jennings on Fret Communion . JPisbeech , Oct . 5 , 1813 . Sib , We happily live in an age when Christians can differ in opinion
. \ vithout censuring and condemning each other , when they can oppose each other ' s views and sentiments , without any interruption of friendship and brotherly love . The unreserved avowal of
what each person thinks right , and its being opposed with equal freedom and firmuess by those who think differently , cannot fail to promote the knowledge of truth : so far as he who asserts , and he who contradicts , proceed with candour and Christian
charity moral improvement must be advanced . Hence I argue , that in a Christian church , where free communion is admitted , Christian knowledge and moral improvement will be more rapidly
promoted than in a society where uniformity of opinion and religious practice is rigidly maintained . From a knowledge of my views respecting free communion , Mr . Strephon proposed a question for jny solution , ( p . 31 . ) which supposed a cabe not likely to occur
in any dissenting congregation . To this question I replied , ( p . 252 ) with ' tbat caution which the difficulty involved in the supposed case appeased to make necessary , yet with that freedom which every kwer of truth ? o ^ igbt vtex e ^ ereise . On jrty ^ reply t <> Mr * Stoe |* hon you have made some remarks
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( # »• £ 0 !) > to yaw--awaitf rtes I now answer . In the first place , permit me to say , you have not attempted to remove the principal ground of my reasoning and conclusions :
viz . that , at the Lord ' s supper , the table is the Lord ' s ^ that Jesus is the only master , and has not delegated his authority to us . This you surely must grant ; but if you grant it , how can you deny the conclusion , that no
Christian , nor society of Christians , has a right to exercise authority over that table , or dominion over those who would come to it , to
say who shall and who shall not be guests at it ? Do not those who assume sueh authority in * vade the prerogative of their great Master , by -exercising do . minion at his table as if it was
their own ? . Such persons aught to shew who gave tfcem such aiu ihority , what warrant tii ^ y have for the exercise of it , who made them more tjban guests at the Master ' s table , who appointed them to choose or refuse others who
offer to be guests . I solicit your attention to these things as they materially affect the whole question about free coram union ; Instead of answering mv
questions , "Have we a right to with * draw from the Lord's table hecause they [ unbelieversjarc theref 44 If we esteem it a privilege should we neglect it because some way abuse it ?> ' You refer me to 2
Cor . vi . 14—16 \ In which passage Paul makes no mention d the Lord ' s supper , nor do his words appear vto have any reference to it-: he is ewhortin ^ Cto * 5-tians to keep them $ 4 ta ? s pure froin heathen idolatry , and uottu < wonecl ; jtfMMpeebwte bj 5 WWHrriagP * ^ in any other intimate way , wit *
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< $ i $ Mr . Wright id Aft . fetitifogs on&ree € owmt ! toiott
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fcurrihg in this opinion , yet resolved to call no man master upon earth , with regard to matters of faith , I am sincerely your s , PHILEMON .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1813, page 648, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2433/page/24/
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