The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…

VIII. If Ignorance be so common in the Parish, that we have reason to judge that of twenty or thirty thousand Parishioners (more or fewer) one half of them understand not the very Essentials of Christianity, and of the Sacrament; yet the Minister must refuse none. I that have but three servants, can seldom have all three such as with my plain teaching will be brought while they are with me, to understand all the Essentials, and be capable of the Sacrament. And though in general experience telleth us of the great numbers of such, yet the Minister cannot know them. He that knoweth not their faces, much less ever catechized half. And commonly children and ignorant people will ⟨p. 63⟩say the words of the Creed and Lord's Prayer, when they are grossly ignorant of the sense. 2. And if the Minister know such an one to be so grossly ignorant, the Law giveth him not power to deny him the Sacrament.

VIII. If Ignorance be so common in the Parish, that we have reason to judge that of twenty or thirty thousand Parishioners (more or fewer) one half of them understand not the very Essentials of Christianity, and of the Sacrament; yet the Minister must refuse none. I that have but three servants, can seldom have all three such as with my plain teaching will be brought while they are with me, to understand all the Essentials, and be capable of the Sacrament. And though in general experience telleth us of the great numbers of such, yet the Minister cannot know them. He that knoweth not their faces, much less ever catechized half. And commonly children and ignorant people will ⟨p. 63⟩say the words of the Creed and Lord's Prayer, when they are grosly ignorant of the sense. 2. And if the Minister know such an one to be so grosly ignorant, the Law giveth him not power to deny him the Sacrament.

IX. How should the Minister have power to excommunicate one out of a particular Church, when his Parish is not a particular Church, but a part of a Diocesan Church only? It's known, now it is maintained by Bishops, That the Diocesan is the particular Church; That it is no Church that hath not a Bishop of its own: That Ecclesia est plebs Episcopo adunata; and therefore the name of Pastor is usually appropriated to the Bishop; and in most places of the Liturgy where Bishops, Pastors and Curates were jointly named, one of the two first is put out of the New Book, and only Bishops and Curates, or Pastors and Curates mentioned: And who can cast out of a Church, that is no Church in the Rulers sense?