An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointedAn accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed

Repl. We doubt not but one place in it self,¹ is as lawful as another; but when you make such differences as have misleading intimations, ⟨p. 57⟩we desire it may be forborne. That all the Primitive Church used when there was no Communion in the Sacrament, to say Service at the Communion Table, is a crude Assertion, that must have better proof before we take it for convincing; And it is not probable, because they had a Communion every Lords day; And if this be not your meaning, you say nothing to the purpose: To prove they used it when there was a Communion, is no proof that they used it when there was none: And you your selves disuse many things more Universally practised then this can at all be fairly pretended to have bin: The Council of Nice gives no such golden Rule as you mention; A Rule is a general, appliable to particular Cases; The Council only speaks of one particular. [Let the ancient Custom continue in Egypt, Libya, and Pentapolis, that the Bishop of Alexandria have the Power of them all.] The Council here confirmeth this particular Custom, but doth not determine in general of the Authority of Custom. That this should be called a Catholic usage, shows us how partially the word (Catholic) is sometime taken: And that this much cannot be granted us, lest we advantage the Enemies of the Church, doth make us wonder whom you take for its Enemies, and what is that advantage which this will give them; But we thank you that here we find our selves called Brethren, when before we are not so much as spoken to, but your speech is directed to some other (we know not whom) concerning us. Your reason is that which is our reason to the contrary; you say [the Priest standing at the Communion Table, seems to give us an invitation to the Holy Communion, &c.] What! when there is no Sacrament by himself or us intended? no warning of any given? no Bread and Wine prepared? Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Therefore we desire that there may be no such Service at the Table, when no Communion is intended, because we would not have such gross dissimulation used in so Holy things, as thereby to seem (as you say) to invite Guests when the Feast is not prepared, and if they came we would turn them empty away.

Repl. We doubt not but one place in it self,¹ is as lawful as another; but when you make such differences as have misleading intimations,