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 ...…

VII. I am afraid of tempting men to Infidelity and Apostasy from Christ. I know his Flock is little. But if you persuade men, that there are none on Earth whom he owneth as his Church, or accepteth their Worship, or that may be joined with, who are as faulty as our Parish-Churches; it will reduce them all to so small a Compass, as being next to none; people will easily go one step further, and deny all. To say, that the King was only King of Windsor, or Brentford, would be but a little from saying, that he is no King. Men will hardly believe, that really the Son of God did all the Wonders mentioned in the Gospel, to gather an accepted Church no bigger than the few that are better than all that Worship him according to our Liturgy. I doubt this is laying a stumbling block.

VII. I am afraid of tempting men to Infidelity and Apostacy from Christ. I know his Flock is little. But if you perswade men, that there are none on Earth whom he owneth as his Church, or accepteth their Worship, or that may be joined with, who are as faulty as our Parish-Churches; it will reduce them all to so small a Compass, as being next to none; people will easily go one step further, and deny all. To say, that the King was only King of Windsor, or Brentford, would be but a little from saying, that he is no King. Men will hardly believe, that really the Son of God did all the Wonders mentioned in the Gospel, to gather an accepted Church no bigger than the few that are better than all that Worship him according to our Liturgy. I doubt this is laying a stumbling block.

VIII. I take my self bound to disown that principle of many, who think their presence maketh them guilty of all that is faulty in the public Worship and Ministration: For this dissolveth all Worshipping Churches on Earth without exception. We are sure there is none that offer God a blameless Service. We must then join with none at all: Specially with those who Worship without a Liturgic Form: For we never know before-hand, but that they may say somewhat that is amiss. But in general we foreknow, that imperfect men will do all things imperfectly and faultily. And by this we must give over Praying or Worshipping in private also, being all sure to do it with sinful imperfections. But to omit it will be greater Sin.