Q. 4. But what if I cannot Communicate, 1but according to the Administration of the Common-Prayer-Book? Answ. 1. That it is not unlawful to receive according to the Administration of the Common-Prayer-Book, because it is a Form, needs no proof to any, that is Judicious. 2. Nor yet, for any evil in this particular Form, for in this part the Common-Prayer is generally approved. 3. Nor yet, because it is imposed; for a Command maketh not that unlawful to us, which is lawful before, but it maketh many things lawful, and duties, that else would have been unlawful accidentally. 4. And the intentions of the Commanders we have little to do with. And for the consequents, they must be weighed on both sides, and the consequents of our refusal will not be found light. In general, I must here tell the People of God, in the bitter sorrow of my Soul, that at last it is time for them to discern that temptation, that hath in all Ages of the Church almost, made this Sacrament of our Union, to be the grand occasion or instrument of our Divisions. And that, true Humility, and Acquaintance with our selves, and Love to Christ, and one another, would show some Men, that it was but their Pride and Prejudice, and Ignorance, that made them think so heinously of other Mens manner of Worship. And that, on all sides, among true Christians, the manner of their Worship is not so odious, as Prejudice, and Faction, and Partiality representeth it. And that God accepteth that, which they reject. And they should see, how the Devil hath undone the common People, by this means, by teaching them every one to expect salvation for being of that Party which he taketh to be the right Church, and for Worshipping in that manner which he, and his Party, thinketh best. And so wonderful a thing is prejudice, that every Party, by this,2 is brought to think that ridiculous and vile, which the other Party accounteth best. But to magnify any one Church ⟨p. 36⟩or Party, so as to deny due love and communion to the rest, is Schism. To limit all the Church to your Party, and deny all, or any of the rest, to be Christians, and parts of the Universal Church, is Schism, by a dangerous breach of Charity. It is Schism also, to condemn unjustly any particular Church, as no Church.
Q. 4. But what if I cannot Communicate, 1but according to the Administration of the Common-Prayer-Book? Answ. 1. That it is not unlawful to receive according to the Administration of the Common-Prayer-Book, because it is a Form, needs no proof to any, that is Judicious. 2. Nor yet, for any evil in this particular Form, for in this part the Common-Prayer is generally approved. 3. Nor yet, because it is imposed; for a Command maketh not that unlawful to us, which is lawful before, but it maketh many things lawful, and duties, that else would have been unlawful accidentally. 4. And the intentions of the Commanders we have little to do with. And for the consequents, they must be weighed on both sides, and the consequents of our refusal will not be found light. In general, I must here tell the People of God, in the bitter sorrow of my Soul, that at last it is time for them to discern that temptation, that hath in all Ages of the Church almost, made this Sacrament of our Union, to be the grand occasion or instrument of our Divisions. And that, true Humility, and Acquaintance with our selves, and Love to Christ, and one another, would shew some Men, that it was but their Pride and Prejudice, and Ignorance, that made them think so heinously of other Mens manner of Worship. And that, on all sides, among true Christians, the manner of their Worship is not so odious, as Prejudice, and Faction, and Partiality representeth it. And that God accepteth that, which they reject. And they should see, how the Devil hath undone the common People, by this means, by teaching them every one to expect salvation for being of that Party which he taketh to be the right Church, and for Worshipping in that manner which he, and his Party, thinketh best. And so wonderful a thing is prejudice, that every Party, by this,2 is brought to think that ridiculous and vile, which the other Party accounteth best. But to magnifie any one Church ⟨p. 36⟩or Party, so as to deny due love and communion to the rest, is Schism. To limit all the Church to your Party, and deny all, or any of the rest, to be Christians, and parts of the Universal Church, is Schism, by a dangerous breach of Charity. It is Schism also, to condemn unjustly any particular Church, as no Church.
