Catholic communion defended against both extremes, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…Catholick communion defended against both extreams, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…

40. Either this Doctrine of renouncing Communion with all Churches that use Forms of Liturgy, as Idolaters, or false Worshippers, and Adversaries to the Spirit, and the Office of Christ (and that Churches must covenant to obey none but Christ in any thing duly belonging to Worship, or any manner or accident of it): I say, Either this must be confuted, or not: If not, Christian Love and Communion are given up as hopeless, and Christ deposed by denying his Kingdom or Church: And why strive men about Ceremonies, when they have renounced the substance, and pulled down the house, and threatened all that come not out of it. •ut if it must be confuted, 1. When, if not now? must it first take deeper Root, and deceive more? Both Extremes already are silencers of all that would undeceive them: And those that accuse one sort of silencers, are the other sort themselves, and cannot bear a Confutation.

40. Either this Doctrine of renouncing Communion with all Churches that use Forms of Liturgy, as Idolaters, or false Worshippers, and Adversaries to the Spirit, and the Office of Christ (and that Churches must covenant to obey none but Christ in any thing duly belonging to Worship, or any manner or accident of it): I say, Either this must be confuted, or not: If not, Christian Love and Communion are given up as hopeless, and Christ deposed by denying his Kingdom or Church: And why strive men about Ceremonies, when they have renounced the substance, and pull'd down the house, and threatned all that come not out of it. •ut if it must be confuted, 1. When, if not now? must it first take deeper Root, and deceive more? Both Extreams already are silencers of all that would undecieve them: And those that accuse one sort of silencers, are the other sort themselves, and cannot bear a Confutation.

2. And who shall do it? I confess I am liable to do this, and all amiss in Manner: But if others would do it, that wish it done, I would have forborne. The Truth is, Again I say, I am willing to save many the cost of it, who are not so fit as I to bear it. I have cast my Reputation over-board long ago, with both Extremes: I am not like ever again to be considerably serviceable to the Church: I am Independent, and neither have preferment to get or lose, nor any Church these Three and Twenty years, with whom I should be solicitous to keep any Reputation for their good. The Dust, or the Souls in Heaven, feel not the Reproaches of men on Earth. How could I lay down my Life for TRUTH, LOVE and UNITY, if at so cheap a rate I would sell it, or desert it, and go away sorrowful? But many others of my mind, I hope, may live to serve God longer; and their peace with mistaken froward persons, may be needful to their desirable success. I do therefore voluntarily take the Thorn into my Foot, and let God do with my Reputation what he please.