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 ...…

All this set together, maketh, it past all denial, that after all this, to avoid all Parish Communion, is by our Actions to say, that we judge it unlawful, whatever is in our Hearts: Had we all these calls to go sometimes to the French and Dutch Church (supposing that we understood them) and would not go, it were a scandalous signification, that we judge it sinful. And one may Lie by Deeds as well as by Words.

V. I take it to be a great Sin to bear false Witness against my Neighbour, and wrongfully accuse a single person: But much greater so to accuse a Church, and much more nine thousand Churches: But to say by my action that their worship of God is so sinful, that it is unlawful to join with ⟨p. 14⟩them; is, as I think, so to accuse them. I dare not say so of an Anabaptists Church.

VI. I much more dread to separate from almost all Christ's Church on Earth. For if Christ have no Church, he is no Head, King, or Saviour of it. And to say, that he accepteth not of their Worship, is to say, that he presenteth it not to God, as their intercessor. The Article of our Believing the Holy Catholic Church, and the Communion of Saints, is a practical Article. If there be no such Body, I can be no Member of it. And this seemeth a renouncing of my part in the Prayers of almost all the Church, when I take them to be intolerably sinful, and not accepted by God: Whereas I take it to be my great Duty, to put up no one Prayer to God, but in mental Communion with all the Church on Earth: that is, As a Member of that Society. And I would not take all the Riches of the World for my part in the Love, Prayers and Communion of the universal Church. If I cut off my self from the Body, I cut off my self from the Head, and am a withered Branch: to be united and baptized into Christ, and to the Church, are two effects of one action; and so would it be to separate.