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 ...…

What if Bishops excommunicate men for not paying the Civilians their Fees, or for not repenting of a truth, or silence us for not assenting and consenting to all in their book? must all the World reject us in conformity to them? It's an heinous crime for any one man to draw a Nation to sin with him; but much more to engage all the Christian World to sin with him; yea, and that on pretence of Catholic Communion. Christ saith (by his Spirit in his Apostle), Him that is weak in the faith receive, and receive one another as Christ received us. If Bishops silence and excommunicate even them that ate strong in the Faith, must all the World disobey Christ to obey them?

What if Bishops excommunicate men for not paying the Civilians their Fees, or for not repenting of a truth, or silence us for not assenting and consenting to all in their book? must all the World reject us in conformity to them? It's an heinous crime for any one man to draw a Nation to sin with him; but much more to engage all the Christian World to sin with him; yea, and that on pretence of Catholick Communion. Christ saith (by his Spirit in his Apostle), Him that is weak in the faith receive, and receive one another as Christ received us. If Bishops silence and excommunicate even them that ate strong in the Faith, must all the World disobey Christ to obey them?

If you grant that, clave errant, they bind not, must we take their bare words, that claves non errant? or must we become Triers and Judges of all the World that they will judg?

If you grant that, clave errante, they bind not, must we take their bare words, that claves non errant? or must we become Tryers and Judges of all the World that they will judg?

And how shall all Churches receive the same that some receive, when you know not whom you receive your selves? Are all the score thousands that are in some of your great Parishes, in your Church? Must all the World take all the Sadducees, Hobbists, Infidels and Damners that dwell in your Parishes into their Communion? No, nor all that come to the Altar, when the Priest knows not who they be, and never saw them before? Do you use to write Testimonial Letters for every one of your Communicants, when he travelleth into other Parishes or Dioceses? Any man (save a Nonconformist) that had rather take the Sacrament than lie in Goal, is admitted (unless some rare Minister stop a notorious scandalous man, till the Court absolve him). If you make a Prison of your Church, and say to all men, [Choose this or Newgate, &c.] must all the World receive such, because they choose the Church-Prison rather than the other?