The barren fig tree, or, The doom and downfall of the fruitless professor showing…The barren fig tree, or, The doom and downfall of the fruitless professor shewing…

And here I would not be mistaken, as though I held there were nothing else for Christians to practise, when I say this is all that is requisite to Church-Communion; for I very well know that Christ requires many other things of us, after we are Members of his Body, which if we knowingly or maliciously refuse, may be the cause, not only of Excommunication, but Damnation: But yet these are such things as relate to the wellbeing, and not to the being of Churches; as laying on of Hands in the Primitive Times upon Believers, by which they did receive the Gifts of the Spirit; this (I say) was for the increase and edifying of the Body, and not that thereby they might become of the Body of Christ, for that they were before: And do not think that I believe laying on of Hands was no Apostolical Institution, because I say Men are not thereby made Members of Christ's Body, or because I say that it is not essential to Church-Communion: Why should I be thought to be against a Fire in the Chimney, because I say it must not be in the Thatch ⟨p. 14⟩of the House? Consider then how pernicious a thing it is to make every Doctrine (though true) the bound of Communion, this is that which destroys Unity, and by this Rule all Men must be perfect before they can be in Peace: For do we not see daily, that as soon as Men come to a clearer understanding the Mind of God (to say the best of what they hold) that presently all Men are Excommunicable, if not Damnable, that do not agree with them; do not some believe and see, that to be Pride and Covetousness, which others do not, because (it may be) they have more narrowly and diligently searched into their Duty of these things than others have• what then? Must all Men that have not so large acquaintance of their Duty herein be Excommunicated? Indeed it were to be wished that more moderation in Apparel and Secular Concernments were found among Churches; but God forbid, that if they should come short herein, that we should say, as one lately said, That he could not Communicate with such a People, because they were proud and superfluous in their Apparel.

Let me appeal to such, and demand of them if there was not a time since they believed and were baptized, wherein they did not believe laying on of Hands a Duty? and did they not then believe, and do they not still believe they were Members of the Body of Christ? And was not there a time when you did not so well understand the nature and extent of Pride and Covetousness as now you do? And did you not then believe, and do you not still believe that you were true Members of Christ, though less perfect? Why then should you not judg of those that differ from you herein, as you judged of your selves when you were as they now are? How needful then is it for Christians to distinguish (if ever they would be at Peace and Unity) between those truths which are essential to Church-Communion, and those that are not?